Chapter 9
“And now Miss Bennet is ensconced in one of our guest rooms, having conveniently fallen sick,” Miss Bingley said in an irritated tone.
“Caroline, that is an appalling thing to say,” Bingley responded severely. “Mr. Jones says that she is quite ill; it is not her fault she came down with an ailment.”
“While I would not desire illness for anyone,” Darcy commented, his eyes on his now carefully wrapped foot, “I am thankful that Miss Elizabeth happened to be on the road at the time of my accident. If she had not come along when she did, I would probably have lain there for quite some time.”
“Oh, Mr. Darcy, that is a truly dreadful thought,” Caroline Bingley exclaimed. “You must be careful to stay warm and rest yourself, so that you too do not take a chill. If there is anything I can do for you, you must tell me.”
“I am a robust man, so I daresay I will be well enough,” the gentleman responded courteously, “but thank you.”
“Miss Elizabeth, how is your sister?” Mr. Bingley asked, his eyes on the drawing room door where Elizabeth had suddenly appeared.
Darcy made as if to rise and then slumped back in his seat feeling ridiculously uncomfortable. Gentlemen rose in the presence of a lady, but he could not.
“My sister is quite poorly, I am afraid,” Elizabeth said, her expression troubled,“but I hope that she will be better in the morning. I must take my leave before it grows darker, but I wished to thank you for your care for her. I will return tomorrow morning.”
“Please, Miss Elizabeth, can you not spend the night?” Mr. Bingley inquired with concern. “I am certain Miss Bennet would appreciate having her sister with her during her illness.”
The girl looked uncertain and glanced at Miss Bingley, who immediately, if not very enthusiastically, repeated her brother’s offer.
“Thank you,” Elizabeth declared, her cheeks pinking in relief. “I would very much like to stay with Jane.”
“We can send a servant to Longbourn for some clothes,” Mrs. Hurst suggested.
“Again, thank you,” Elizabeth said gratefully. “Might I have some paper to write a note to explain the situation?”
“Of course,” Bingley said heartily. “I hope you will find paper and a decent pen on that desk in the corner. If not, some can be fetched for you.”
“I used that desk only yesterday to write a letter to my solicitor in London,” Darcy assured her, “so you should have everything you need.”
Elizabeth nodded and sat down to write a note to her family. There was no harm in her being gone from Longbourn overnight, but she wished to encourage Mary of her own abilities; the girl was uneasy about managing her mother without Jane and Elizabeth’s steady presences. As for Mr. Bennet, he was probably thoroughly drunk by now, and his valet could cope with him well enough.
“Mr. Darcy, I do hope you intend to call for a London physician to treat you,” Miss Bingley said suddenly. “I hardly think you can trust a mere apothecary regarding an injury of this kind.”
“Mr. Jones has been physicking the occupants of Meryton for decades,” Elizabeth commented mildly. “He is reputed to be quite knowledgeable.”
“My sister means no disrespect, I am certain,” Bingley interpolated with a fierce glance at Miss Bingley.
“I was impressed with his understanding and skill,” Darcy commented. “I see no reason to call for my London physician yet, at any rate.”
“I do hope you are not in too much pain, Mr. Darcy,” Miss Bingley purred, her voice oozing with sympathy.
“It feels much better now that it is wrapped up,” he assured her in a reserved tone, “though of course it is exceedingly tiresome to be laid up such that I cannot walk without help. I suppose I deserve some discomfort for being so foolish as to fall over a dog!”
“That is hardly your fault, sir! It is the fault of that wretched animal.”
“It is my fault, Miss Bingley. Maxwell is young, enthusiastic, and not yet trained. His God given instincts incite him to seek out birds, and it was my responsibility to keep my eyes on him. I am merely glad that in my clumsy collapse, I did not harm your spaniel, Bingley.”
Elizabeth was once again struck by Mr. Darcy’s kindness toward the puppy that had caused him such pain. Was the gentleman one of those odd people who found it easier to deal with animals than people, perhaps?
A thought occurred to her, and she turned back to her letter to inscribe a post script before sealing it with wax and handing it to a manservant to take to Longbourn.
/
Jane, who had been tossing and turning wretchedly much of the day, finally fell into a peaceful sleep at about five in the afternoon. Elizabeth dressed herself carefully and sallied downstairs for dinner with a mixture of curiosity and discomfort. She liked Mr. Bingley quite well, but Mr. Darcy was still a cipher and Mr. Bingley’s sisters were pompous. The last member of the household, Mr. Hurst, was a portly man who was more interested in eating than talking.
She arrived at the dining room just in time to observe Mr. Darcy being helped along by two strong footmen. His face was scrunched, and he suppressed a groan of pain when his ankle was jolted. Miss Bingley, who was hovering, screeched in outrage at the servants, though it was hard to see how they could prevent such a thing when they were both several inches shorter than Mr. Darcy, who was one of the tallest men Elizabeth had met.
“It is quite all right, Miss Bingley,” Darcy insisted once he had been settled in the chair at the head of the table. “I am quite a substantial person after all and carrying me is a difficult business. Thank you, you may go.”
The servants nodded in some relief and retreated, obviously eager to escape Miss Bingley’s vituperative tongue. Elizabeth was surprised and pleased at Darcy’s kindness to the servants. It was peculiar how such a man could insult a young gentlewoman like Kitty Bennet and yet be so gracious to underlings.
Mr. Bingley, Miss Bingley and Mr. Hurst entered in her wake and settled at the dining room table. Elizabeth found herself sitting with Mr. Bingley on one side and Mr. Hurst on the other, which provided her at least one pleasant conversational partner. The food, too, was excellent, and while Elizabeth was not impressed with the ragout, she ate heartily of the beef roast and potatoes.
“Please, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Bingley said courteously, “will you not tell me where you acquired your filly, Daisy? I was just out in the stables checking on the horses and had an opportunity to study her. She is a fine beast with nearly perfect symmetry. Did your father purchase her in London?”
“No, Daisy was actually paid as part of the rent for one of our tenant farmers. I agree she is an impressive horse given her antecedents, but the farmers in question have been successful in breeding vigorous horses for generations, although not on a large scale, of course.”
“I am surprised your father permits you to ride such a steed, Miss Elizabeth,” Miss Bingley declared with false concern. “I understand she is very strong and rather unruly. I do not ride myself, but I believe Mr. Darcy’s sister, Miss Darcy, always mounts gentle and refined mares.”
This was said with a coquettish glance toward Mr. Darcy, who had been silently eating his way through his meal. In the past, Elizabeth would have assumed that the gentleman was merely being taciturn and unfriendly, but based on the crease between Mr. Darcy’s brows, she rather thought that he was in pain from his injured leg.
“Miss Darcy would not be able to ride Daisy,” he agreed, spearing Miss Bingley with his glance, “but then she is not a very strong rider. I am impressed with your horsemanship, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Thank you, sir,” Elizabeth replied, unable to prevent a blush of pleasure from rising in her cheeks. “I confess that until a few years ago, I preferred walking to riding, but of course it is difficult to go long distances on foot.”
“I am surprised that there are places of such renown in Hertfordshire that you feel the need to go long distances,” Miss Bingley continued, “though I suppose you find much enjoyment in Meryton. After all, since you do not visit London, you must consider it quite the metropolis!”
“I do visit Meryton quite often,” Elizabeth agreed steadily, “but I primarily ride Daisy to visit the tenants.”
“Is that not the purview of your steward?” Mrs. Hurst asked curiously.
Elizabeth shrugged, “Mr. Gregory is an excellent steward, but he is quite busy enough without visiting the tenantry on a frequent basis. Longbourn is not a large estate, but there are enough shareholders that they need oversight and assistance on occasion, and my father’s health, regrettably, is not good. Thus, those tasks fall to my sisters and me.”
“I understand,” Mr. Darcy returned, his deep voice sympathetic. “My own father was quite ill the last few years of his life, and I was forced to take on new responsibilities for Pemberley. It is, as you say, important to provide oversight and succor as needed for those under our care.”
“And of course you did a marvelous job, Mr. Darcy,” Miss Bingley gushed. “Pemberley is the most magnificent estate I have ever seen, and you are an excellent steward of her lands and bounty.”
Elizabeth looked at the man with renewed interest. Many gentlemen spent little time or energy overseeing their estates; indeed, many sought only to wrest as much money from the land as possible, with no compassion or concern for the men and women who depended on the soil for their livelihood. Even allowing for Miss Bingley’s exaggeration, it appeared that Mr. Darcy was more noble than many a landlord.
“Mr. Darcy,” Miss Bingley cooed, “I have been thinking about your injury and am concerned that your rooms are on the upper level. It would be dreadful if you were to fall on the stairs! It would be no trouble at all for the servants to prepare a bed in the south parlor. It is well heated and conveniently situated.”
Darcy finished swallowing a bite of food and shook his head, “I assure you, Miss Bingley, there is no need to move me into one of the rooms on the main floor. I would not wish to put you out in such a way.”
“If I may say, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth interposed, “I believe Miss Bingley’s suggestion is an excellent one. My own father was thrown from a horse some years back and broke his leg. He moved into a room on the main floor, and it made life far more pleasant for everyone. It is no easy thing to go up and down stairs with an injury such as yours.”
Miss Bingley shot Elizabeth an incredulous look, obviously amazed at her support, before turning her attention back to her prey, “Yes, please do let me give the order!”
Darcy shot Elizabeth an indignantglance and then sighed, “Very well, Miss Bingley.”
Elizabeth suppressed a smile. With any luck, the household would be in such a flurry this evening that she could safely hide in Jane’s bedroom without interacting further with the residents of Netherfield.
/
“Are you well, Lizzy?” Jane murmured.
Elizabeth leaned over to kiss her sister’s forehead, which, while still feverish, was not any warmer than before dinner.
“I am the one who needs to ask you that question,” she returned in a playful tone.
“I am tired and aching but I am no worse. But come, Lizzy, I know that you find most of the company difficult. I hope dinner was not unpleasant?”
“Not at all. Mr. Bingley is the consummate host, and we had an interesting discussion. Miss Bingley is so focused on Mr. Darcy’s injury that she spent very little time bothering with me.”
“How is Mr. Darcy?”
“His ankle is either broken or sprained, and he has it wrapped up.”
“Poor Mr. Darcy.”
“Yes, poor Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth responded playfully. “How difficult to have an injured leg and also be rich and handsome and owner of a vast estate in Derbyshire worth 10,000 pounds a year in income.”
Her sister slapped her gently on the arm, “You know what I mean.”
“I do,” Elizabeth said fondly. “You are sympathetic to all those who are suffering, and I love you for it. But for now, please rest. The sooner you recover, the better. I borrowed Shakespeare from Mr. Bingley’s frankly anemic library, and I would be glad to read you some sonnets.”
Jane nodded and closed her eyes.
“Sonnet 25:
Let those who are in favour with their stars Of public honour and proud titles boast, Whilst I, whom fortune of such triumph bars Unlook’d for joy in that I honour most. Great princes’ favourites their fair leaves spread But as the marigold at the sun’s eye, And in themselves their pride lies buried, For at a frown they in their glory die. The painful warrior famoused for fight, After a thousand victories once foiled, Is from the book of honour razed quite, And all the rest forgot for which he toiled: Then happy I, that love and am beloved, Where I may not remove nor be removed.”
Elizabeth looked up from the book and was surprised to see that Jane was already asleep. Her poor sister was most fatigued indeed.
She tilted her head to focus on the sounds emanating from the corridor. She could hear the sound of feet and Miss Bingley’s shrill voice instructing the servants. Given the uproar, she could safely sit here next to her dear sister and read Shakespearean sonnets instead of going downstairs to mingle with the inhabitants of Netherfield. What a delight.