Chapter Eight
In the days leading up to the ball that would now serve as the celebration of Jane and Bingley’s engagement, Elizabeth’s eldest sister had never resembled an angel less in all of her life, though Mr Bingley saw none of it.
Mrs Bennet wished to delay the wedding until early June, when late spring would be in full bloom and the most elegant of weddings could be planned.
Jane wanted the best of both worlds. To be married as quickly as possible, while also, having the elegant wedding of hers and Mrs Bennet’s dreams. To gain her desire, Elizabeth watched as Jane turned to her favourite new tool…tears.
“I wish to be married quickly as much as you, dearest Charles, but I fear I cannot disappoint my mother.” Jane wept on a bench in the gardens at Longbourn two days after the proposal, as Elizabeth lingered nearby as chaperonage.
“My wedding is very important to her, she has dreamt of it for years. If we hold it too quickly, it will be shabby, and there will be no flowers, and it will break her heart.”
Elizabeth was not surprised when Mr Bingley conducted Jane to the drawing room with alacrity to assure Mrs Bennet that no matter how soon the wedding was held, he would ensure that she would be able to order anything from London that she desired at his expense, from roses and other blooms from the hothouses of the rich, to the most difficult to find and costly dishes for the breakfast. He would also take Jane to London immediately after the wedding to shop for the finest trousseau money could procure.
With this promise from Mr Bingley, Mrs Bennet and Jane began sending Aunt Gardiner lists that stretched for miles with requests for assistance.
Bingley left the following day to go to town and have a generous settlement drawn up by his lawyer.
With him travelled his youngest sister, whom he was escorting to the home of her friend, Miss Abigail Thoresby.
Miss Bingley had apparently informed her brother the moment they returned to Netherfield from Lucas Lodge that she had witnessed Jane purposely defile her sister’s gown with her very own eyes.
In fact, Miss Bennet had led her to the punch bowl for that very reason, though Caroline claimed she did not properly understand Jane’s intentions until the damage was done.
Mr Bingley, certain that his sister misunderstood what she saw, attempted to settle the matter between his sister and Jane, who he believed with all of his heart to be innocent.
Elizabeth was present to see Mr Bingley’s heart break as Jane’s lovely blue eyes welled with tears again as she begged him to explain to her how Miss Bingley, whom she believed to be her dearest friend, could say or even think such a thing about her.
Jane declared that perhaps her acceptance had been premature, she could not possibly accept Mr Bingley if it would cause him to fall out with his sibling.
Elizabeth imagined that Miss Bingley’s head was spinning from how quickly Mr Bingley determined that if his sister was making Jane unhappy, then she had to leave Netherfield with all haste.
Though Miss Bingley had quickly retracted any objection to Jane, not wishing to lose her place in her brother’s home, Mr Bingley was resolved.
While he was in town, he planned to view and take a townhouse in a fashionable area of London.
His aunt, Miss Marian Bingley, was invited to move to London to reside with Miss Bingley in her new situation, because within a month or so after the wedding Mr and Mrs Hurst would travel to his family estate to prepare for the birth of her child, and the senior Mrs Hurst detested her daughter-in-law’s sister.
As the ladies of Longbourn prepared for the ball, Lydia and Kitty screeched and wailed all across the house, fighting over the best gowns, ribbons, and shoe roses.
Mr Bingley had sent a parure of sapphires for Jane, and a box of hothouse blooms in several varieties and colours for the other ladies of the house.
Elizabeth noticed that Jane managed to keep even the majority of the flowers to herself by encouraging Mrs Bennet to arrange most of them like a colourful bouquet about her coiffure.
Elizabeth could not deny that the effect was worthwhile, though the younger girls, and even Mrs Bennet were slightly crestfallen by the limited variety in the leftovers.
Jane ought to look the finest tonight. It is her engagement ball, Elizabeth reminded herself as she made her way into the room she had shared with Mary since Jane reached her majority, and Mrs Bennet had insisted that her eldest be given the distinction of a private chamber whether she asked for it or not.
She had spent the entire day running about at her mother’s demand, fetching and carrying like a maid, all to assist Jane in preparing for the ball. And I do not mind, truly, how could I?
Elizabeth was happy for Jane, of course she wished for her to fall in love and be married. She did not even mind about the dowry. Their parents were correct, Jane had found a husband immediately. Elizabeth would not have stood between Jane and a dowry of ten thousand for anything in the world.
It was only…that Jane had seemed to deserve it so much more before they knew of the money, and before she befriended Miss Caroline Bingley.
Elizabeth never expected Jane to turn so instantly upon her in order to impress a woman who could recommend her to a suitor.
Elizabeth never thought Jane would, not even to be married.
Before, Jane had truly never shown Elizabeth a side of herself that was not gentle and kind.
Lately it was as if now that Elizabeth had seen the true Jane, her sister had dismissed her from her concerns completely…
and the most frightening part of it all…
was that no one…not a single person who knew them, saw it yet except herself.
Lady Priscilla was no fool, she obviously sensed that Jane was not genuine, even though she never spoke to Elizabeth about it, sensing perhaps that this was new and her friend had not accepted her sister as she was yet.
For this Elizabeth was grateful, for she still prayed daily that once Jane was in possession of her happy ending, that she would return to her old demeanour when they were together.
Elizabeth pulled open the wardrobe she shared with Mary and pulled out her ivory satin with pleasure.
Reserved for the most exclusive private events in Meryton or London while she visited her aunt and uncle, she adored her ivory satin ballgown.
She looked very well indeed in all shades of white, particularly with red or pink adornments.
For tonight she had trimmed her gown in ribbon dyed in the amaranthine colour, which was lovelier than she expected.
She had enjoyed an afternoon filled with laughter and friendship in the kitchens at Lucas Lodge, a warmth she had missed for weeks, dyeing her gown, a quantity of ribbons, and a pair of slippers in the new colour.
It had been generous indeed for Lady Lucas and her daughters to share the gift from their cousin, she would have to do something kind for them in return.
Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she laid the gown upon the bed. The gown looked strangely ruffly, as if slight flounces had been added. She gasped as she inspected the skirt more closely, and found numerous slashes in the silk.
“Lizzy! What happened to your gown?” Mary gasped as she entered the room to find Elizabeth sifting through the shreds of silk and ribbon in bewilderment.
“It is ruined.” Elizabeth whispered. “It came from the wardrobe this way.”
“It could not have! How could it?” Mary rushed to the wardrobe and began pulling out dresses and examining them rapidly, as Lydia and Kitty entered the room and began to exclaim over the damaged gown. After a close examination, it was determined that nothing else was damaged.
“Elizabeth and Mary Bennet, whatever have you done!” Mrs Bennet bellowed as she entered the room to see the mess of gowns and lace.
“Mama, something has happened to Lizzy’s gown!” Lydia cried, showing her mother the tattered silk.
“It looked very well two days ago when Lizzy and I trimmed our gowns together,” Mary insisted. “I do not understand what happened.”
“Elizabeth Bennet, how dare you ruin that gown just for attention before your sister’s engagement ball!” Mrs Bennet cried.
“Mama, I would hardly ruin my own best gown, the only one I have to wear tonight, when there are to be guests from London present at a private ball.” Elizabeth could not believe her mother would think such a thing.
“Well, who else would have done it? Jane? Lizzy, you have made some underhanded attempts to eclipse your sister in education and cleverness in the past, but this is beyond anything I ever believed you capable of.” Mrs Bennet shook her head and pointed at the gown.
“Do something about it. You are not staying home, it will make the neighbours think you are jealous of your sister. Find something to wear!”
“What will you do?” Kitty asked as their mother left in a tirade of complaints.
“I will wear my muslin,” Elizabeth said with a shrug.
“Muslin! Lizzy, this is November!” Mary gasped.
“I will be freezing all night and look ridiculous, but I have nothing else that is white, and you are all too tall to lend me something.” Elizabeth was resigned. “None of you have a spare white silk anyway, and if I wear anything else, I will stand out like a peacock.”
“That is too bad, Lizzy.” Kitty was sympathetic.
“Then she ought not to have ruined her own gown, like Mama said.” Lydia tossed her curls and took Kitty by the elbow, dragging her from the room. “Come Kitty, before she ruins our gowns.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Mary tutted as their younger sisters left. She looked at Elizabeth. “What do you think happened?”
Elizabeth sighed. “Jane.”
“Would she really do such a thing, Lizzy?” Mary asked in consternation. “I know that Jane has been rather…high-strung… since Mr Bingley arrived in Meryton. And it is obvious that the two of you have fallen out. But this is Our Jane!”
“I know, Mary, dear.” Elizabeth sighed as though she were exhausted. “I know.”