Chapter 28. Mr Darcy’s Visit to Parsonage
The next morning, Elizabeth and Jane exchanged sighs of relief when the maid informed them that Miss Bingley would break her fast in the privacy of her room.
The housekeeper mentioned to Jane that Miss Bingley’s maid had again this morning requested the assistance of the maid-of-all-work to iron Miss Bingley’s garments.
“She insists that her undergarments be ironed each morning, so they are warm when she slips into them, miss,” the housekeeper explained. She nodded toward the maid and said, “Mary’s becoming a good girl but she’s working hard to keep up with Miss Bingley’s maid’s requests for assistance.”
“It should only be for another day,” Jane replied. “Mr Bingley is to take her to town or to Bath as soon as his carriage arrives.”
“Forgive me miss but tell ‘im to not spare th’ whip and get them horses here!” the housekeeper said loud enough for Elizabeth and Mrs Gardiner to hear.
The three ladies shared a glance and turned their attention back to the meal.
Mrs Gardiner and Jane’s efforts in the parsonage paid off with a better performance by the cook and the maids, a cleaner dining room, brighter windows, and much improved tea and toast.
“I shall spend the morning with cook and show her how to make proper strawberry preserves,” Mrs Gardiner said. “Do you feel you can entertain the gentlemen without me this morning?”
“What gentlemen Aunt?” Elizabeth asked.
“Why Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley, of course,” Mrs Gardiner replied. “Or did I forget to mention they were coming to call this morning?”
“Aunt!” Jane fussed but Elizabeth focused on her toast while her aunt watched her very carefully. As soon as the morning was old enough, there was a knock on the door and the maid escorted Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley into the parlour.
After the proper greetings were exchanged, Elizabeth asked, “Did Miss Darcy not wish to visit this morning?”
“She felt as though she should spend the morning practicing the pianoforte,” Darcy said.
“And avoid my sister,” Bingley whispered.
Hearing the sound of men’s voices below stairs, Caroline came below stairs wearing a day dress. “The rooms in this parsonage are horrid. This is just primitive–a hovel. Miss Bennet, I cannot imagine how you will live here.”
“Caroline, I believe that this is much like our home in York where we were born; it certainly has more rooms than we had when we were children.”
“We never lived in such a place!”
Charles retorted, “Until you left for school at twelve years, our home was much like this. Father only bought the fashionable house in York when you were four and ten years.”
Darcy turned to Elizabeth and asked, “Shall we walk out this morning?”
Shortly thereafter, the party left the parsonage to stroll about the park; Charles walked between Caroline and Jane ahead of Elizabeth and Darcy.
Caroline turned to Jane. “Miss Bennet, I hope you intend to improve the parlour and other rooms in the parsonage when you marry Mr Collins.”
“I believe that the parsonage belongs to the glebe that supports the parson and his church; only the patron can order improvements in the buildings.”
Glancing at the Bingley siblings, Elizabeth asked, “Have you found it challenging to raise your sister, Mr Darcy?”
“I believe the upbringing of any child is challenging. I confess I have struggled with my sister’s trials and am thankful for your influences upon her.”
“Miss Darcy is a sweet, intelligent young lady.”
“I believe that you and Miss Bennet both are perfectly well-mannered young women. Your parents are to be congratulated,” he continued.
Elizabeth noted that they were far enough behind the others to speak freely.
“Mr Darcy, the differences in personality and temperament are responsible for behaviour in some instances. I have three more sisters who are in some ways very different than Jane and myself. My youngest sister turned out very wild.”
“Ah, yes, Miss Lydia. I believe she has settled near Bath with a husband who owns a tavern.”
Dropping her head, she answered, “Yes. My father was fortunate to locate a man willing to take my sister and her unexpected guest.”
“Has she reached the end of her confinement yet?”
“I have no news of her, but I understood the child was due soon. My mother has not shared any news from Lydia in her letters though she and my sister are both poor correspondents in the best of times. I fear we shall have to wait for Mr Henderson to write to my father with news.”
“As an older sister, did you model proper behaviour?”
Elizabeth admitted, “Perhaps I should have insisted on Lydia copying my behaviour more than I did.”
“Nonetheless, it was your parent’s responsibility to guide all of their daughters, not yours.”
“My parents...my parents made the engagement between Mr Collins and my sister Jane,” Elizabeth said.
“I find my hopes to influence the man have dimmed during my visit,” Darcy confessed.
It took Elizabeth some time to respond but she finally said, “I fear that my sister’s situation will offer her no opportunity to be happy. Mr Collins will not prosper as a landowner and Longbourn may even fail–he does not seem to understand that our tenants are not serfs.”
“Serfs?” coughed Darcy. “My aunt has been talking with Mr Collins again I fear.”
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Just after luncheon, a boy came to the parsonage with news that Mr Bingley’s carriage had arrived at Rosings.
“The gentleman says to tell his sister he’ll be here to pick her up in one hour. She is to be packed and waiting or he’ll leave her finery behind!”
“Dolly! Pack my trunks!” Miss Bingley shouted as she ran above stairs.
“Penny and I shall assist,” Jane told her aunt and Elizabeth before following with the maid-of-all-work.
The ladies and maids had all three trunks packed before Mr Bingley’s carriage arrived at the door. The footmen quickly loaded the trunks as Caroline and her maid hurried down the stairs with hat boxes and dashed out the door without thanking their hostess for her hospitality for two long nights.
“Is Mr Darcy not attending our departure, Charles?” Caroline asked before she climbed in the carriage without a glance back at the parsonage.
Jane spoke to Mr Bingley, handing him a basket of biscuits and rolls to eat on the journey. As the carriage pulled away, Mr Bingley leaned out of the window and waved. Jane’s arm rose to wave good-bye and Elizabeth noticed the tear that rolled down her sister’s lovely cheek.
“Mr Bingley is a gentleman for certain,” Elizabeth said.
“He is everything that a man should be!” Jane insisted.
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