Chapter 5 #2
Elizabeth did not look at her father or partake in his amusement. That was too unkind, even for a man with such a sardonic disposition. She reminded herself that their father did not intend to be cruel.
Kitty said to their mother, “Miss Darcy was positively horrified by Lydia and me.”
“It does matter. Every day, the paper describes yet another example where reputations are ruined with one wrong word or an ill-considered comment,” Elizabeth said, picking up a paper.
“This is true, and you have often laughed over their ruin,” Kitty said, taking the paper which was open to the very page detailing it. “I would hate to have my folly read by the whole of England.”
Elizabeth knew the tension in her mother was too much for the lady to suffer with any semblance of restraint.
It had begun at the assembly when Lydia and their mother did naught but embarrass them.
But now with the impending arrival of eligible bachelors, one who seemed very kind, Elizabeth feared their mother’s efforts would sabotage any chance of Jane’s finding felicity.
This, she felt, would be hard to excuse.
“Mother has always claimed beauty, lace, and a little flirtation would get us husbands,” Lydia said, crossing her arms in her huff.
“I mean no disrespect, Mama, but that is not true. Manners are a crucial aspect of a young woman’s success in Town.
Proper conversation and politeness are what garner you an invitation to attend events.
From there, she may, through manners and conversation which are not vapid, be admired,” Jane said with more terseness than was her wont.
“Might I have a companion for a few hours each day, Lizzy? I will let you keep my pin money.”
Elizabeth suspected their father might have ignored Kitty’s plea for instruction if it were not so desperate.
“A companion is someone who is an addition to a household, ever at the side of her charge or charges. It is not like being checked on when you are punished and must polish the silver. They would need room and board, and our pin money cannot cover the wages and extra food and clothing a companion requires,” Elizabeth said, explaining in detail what her sister had not considered.
“Then I will save mine for some lessons. I have some still, some that Lydia has not yet taken. I can return it to cover the cost. Mother has not yet told me I must give it to her, so Lydia’s complaining for another ribbon or bonnet does not tax her nerves.”
“Kitty, hush.” Lydia slapped her sister’s arm.
“Pardon?” Mr. Bennet asked, returning to the doorway he had just removed himself from. “I will speak to the two of you. Mrs. Bennet, I think your presence is also necessary,” Mr. Bennet said, glancing at his wife, who refused to meet his gaze. “The three of you are to come to the study.”
“I have a list, and Mary, too, has an accounting of the items we were told to remit to Lydia these last years,” Kitty said in helpfulness.
“Neither you nor Mary has need of a list,” Mrs. Bennet cried out in indignation.
“We refer to them, should someone ask what gifts we might like on the day of our births. We hope Lydia found satisfaction in the one we were required to give to her. Then we might be allowed to keep a gift we receive a second time.”
“I also have an account of what our youngest sister has borrowed from Jane and me. I am well aware of the value of keeping accounts. I suspect the debt to Kitty is higher,” Elizabeth said, circumventing their mother’s anger toward Kitty.
She had less and less patience and tolerance of her mother’s treatment of her sister these last months.
Their father moved to his study, and, before Lydia could stop her, Kitty flounced out of her chair to follow.
“You are sisters. Borrowing things is no more than what sisters do,” Mrs. Bennet said, her ire directed towards Elizabeth.
“That would be true if the items were returned, not just taken. You have assured Lydia that everything we have is hers to enjoy, but you have not verified the return of the item. She whines until you support her. Kitty is told to follow her everywhere, but she is never asked if there is something she hopes to do. Sisters should be considerate of those she loves and who love her,” Jane said.
Her frustration, so rarely displayed, made all listen.
“There is a guest in this house. We will speak of this nonsense later,” Mrs. Bennet said with a dismissive gesture of her hand.
“It is not nonsense. It has been a difficulty we, your other daughters, are forced to accept. And the inappropriateness of your proclamations over Mr. Darcy’s ten thousand a year at the assembly embarrassed him, and us.
Just as much as you're claiming Jane must look her best today to catch Mr. Bingley’s eye, you embarrassed us all and Miss Darcy. ”
“I have not once embarrassed any of you.”
“To gossip about who might catch a gentleman’s attention so that all those dancing can hear you embarrasses not only us, but our partners, Mother.
Your effusions of Lydia being but lively when she is flouncing about are humiliating.
You insult Mary by claiming her to be the least beautiful amongst us is cruel.
None of that is how a family should act,” Elizabeth exclaimed.
“All are improprieties our neighbors notice and disapprove of.”
“Lizzy.” Jane clutched her sister’s hand.
Elizabeth knew Jane meant to warn her that she was on the verge of saying something she might one day regret. But it was impossible to imagine doing so just at this time.
“No, Jane.” Elizabeth released her sister’s hand.
“Our mother should at last be told she is the reason your one suitor was chased off when you were fifteen. He told Father in front of you, Mary, and me at the last tea he attended here, he found it impossible to abide her flutterings, bouts of nerves, and constant complaints of things not yet upon us. Father asked we say nothing, and because the man was near Papa’s age, and you, far too young to suffer him, we were glad of it.
But you cannot want her to run off Mr. Bingley in this same manner. ”
“Lizzy, it does not matter. I despised him and am glad he will never return. Our mother’s behaviors assured it.
But I am done speaking of him, Lizzy. And I do mean forever, so do not bring him up again,” Jane said to Elizabeth in a sharp reprimand.
“Yes, I fear she will run off with Mr. Bingley. But… Pray, excuse me. When done your accounting to Father, please join us in the stillroom.”
“It is but a full year’s allowance or two to recover those items taken,” Elizabeth said, sliding her chair back in and standing behind it. “I will join you now.”
“And ribbons, your favorite blanket, your drawing book, and the plates which you had hoped to use for your special gown to have made when you were sixteen and had your local come out.” Jane would have gone on, but Lydia and their mother’s ever-louder protests were not worth the effort to shout over.
“It means nothing to either of them and will come to nothing from Father. But it might be nice to use our pin money as we wish,” Elizabeth said, emulating Mary’s indifference.
“We have asked you many times to temper yourself, Mother. No one in Meryton, excepting Aunt Philips, acts as you do. You know it is not proper, yet you care not. I wish most for you to stop humiliating Jane. If you need to turn your words into an insult, feel free to insult me. I am used to it. It is worth my embarrassment to save Jane’s, though you often embarrass yourself and me when you do so in the company of others. ”
“I worry so much”—Mrs. Bennet‘s spine straightened when Elizabeth rolled her eyes—“You girls know nothing of what I suffer.”
“Let me list them, and you can tell me which is pressing upon you this instant. Is it your poor nerves? Or is it palpitations? There is no reassurance after Father is dead. He has done nothing, nothing for our future. Jane’s goodness will be wasted on someone less worthy, yet you keep pushing good prospects away with your dramatics,” Elizabeth said in anger.
“Elizabeth, may I see you in the study?” Bennet said from the doorway. “I know you are upset and have told me that your mother and youngest sister often ruin an evening’s pleasant atmosphere, but she has always loved you girls.”
“True, you should have checked us all, Father,” Elizabeth said, rubbing away the tears threatening her eyes on her way to his study.
“You will return and apologize to your mother when we finish speaking.”
“Of course.”
“Why did you not come to me with this?” Bennet asked, motioning for his favorite daughter to sit in her usual chair.
“I did and was ignored. Mother attempts to secure our futures, but in the wrong way. You take no interest in those matters. What does a daughter do when their father ignores his duty to provide what his family requires after he is gone?”
“Have I given the impression I care so little for my other daughters?”
“You let your youngest humiliate us at every turn, often making sport of her and my younger sisters. We both know Mary’s efforts in the stillroom will never be lauded.
Still, you refuse to employ a master to help her develop the one talent she cares to excel in, one that society accepts.
In favor of what? Purchasing books that you cannot read, written in languages you do not know.
You refuse to check our mother, though she continues to humiliate Jane above all.
And to have all this come about today when we have a guest—”
He held up a hand for her to stop speaking.
“This is how you see me?”
“It is impossible to have another opinion. With five daughters watching you, one of us would have noted were there was something else to see.”
“You said your sisters’ care…”
Elizabeth knew she had wounded him when she saw her father’s shoulders drop, but the embarrassment at the assembly and how their sisters had continued to speak of officers had left her bitter. At the same time, their mother spoke of Jane making a match in Miss Darcy’s presence was too much.
“I fear I must seek a position. One of us must take care of my sisters when you are gone. As you never had the inclination, I had best begin. The more I shall be able to save for when the time comes.”
Elizabeth did not look away from his gaze when her father pushed back in his chair to rub his stomach like his breakfast no longer agreed with him.
“I may dislike it, but I cannot fault your logic.
Given my inability to care for your mother, I had assumed that this task would fall to your husbands.
I can see that I've lost some of your respect with such an answer, but I had expected you and Jane to find husbands who could bear the costs with little issue. Not for you to find a position…as what? A governess? A companion?”
“Whatever the case, it is not fair to our future husbands. I intend to aid Jane’s husband with this burden you have left on your daughters’ shoulders.”
“For today, let us attend to the list of things and coin Lydia has taken from you and Jane, with your mother’s permission.”
Mr. Bennet picked up his pen.