Chapter Six
J ane Bennet was firm where she felt that she was right, and despite Elizabeth's protestations, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst were to be called upon. A brief letter had been sent upon their arrival at Gracechurch Street. Miss Bennet expressed her civil hope that her friend kept good health and announced her residence in London. It was odd that she had no reply, even after a whole week had elapsed, but, Jane reasoned, mishaps with the post were known to occur occasionally. Jane was of the belief that the Post Office workers did their best.
Lizzy, more willing to think badly of Miss Bingley, was minded otherwise and seemed inclined to argue the necessity of going .
“Do you not think it would be better to send another letter before calling, Jane? I am sure if your note has indeed gone astray, that the Bingleys would think it strange for us to appear on their doorstep without notice.” Her frown cleared as an alternative came to mind. “We might go to the draper’s instead, or even Hatchards.”
“They would think it unfriendly if they later learnt we are in town and neglected to call,” replied Jane serenely. “You know that that would be held to be uncivil. If we call and they are not in, we will go instead to Hatchards and the draper’s too if you like. Although why you are adamant that we should be so finely turned out, I do not know.”
“You have enjoyed it; do not deny it, Jane.” Elizabeth returned to her protest. “What if Miss Bingley has received your letter and has not responded? Ought we to risk the embarrassment?”
“I do not deny it. You were right — it has been a welcome diversion to sew these dresses — Aunt has been so kind in helping us. We will work industriously to complete her new gown also.” She hesitated. “If Miss Bingley has received notice that we are here, it will be a…a trying morning call, to be sure, but I maintain it is better to think the best of people and thus show them the good manners we have been raised to display.”
“That is to say we will heap coals of fire upon her head with our gentility. Yes, there is much I agree with in that.”
“Elizabeth! What I meant was that if we do not go, we will have been rude. If we do go and it is her intention that the acquaintance not be maintained, it will be through no lack of civility on our part.” Very gently Jane added, “You need not go with me, you know — if you dislike it so much, I can go alone.”
“How you shame me into compliance! Very well, you know I should not let you enter a lair without me. I will come. In return for my docility, dearest, you will allow me to dress us both, will you not? I have a fancy that we should start going about town together in white. We will see if we can become a noted sight.”
“It is a little cold to go without a pelisse,” Jane pointed out. “I only have my blue and my grey. I should not like us to succumb to the muslin disease.”
“Well then, will you allow a delay of a day or so for our call? We might go to the draper’s today, and purchase some white sarsnet. What of wool? We might line a wool pelisse with a little fur. That would be superior for warmth. Have we enough?”
“Certainly we have enough,” replied Jane, for whom this calculation presented little difficulty, “but, Lizzy, is this prudent? To spend so much merely on a whim that we should be in white? Lydia's whim at that? Besides which, what will you wear for warmth? I will not tolerate your freezing in the name of visual effect, dearest.”
“How like Grandmama you sound when you are stern. Fear not, I have my white coat dress — that will do splendidly. We need not be outside above a few minutes at any rate — from the carriage with hot bricks and into the Bingley house. If Miss Bingley does not have a furnace the size of Nebuchadnezzar's, I shall tell her how much I admire her economy with coal. ”
“I am now minded to leave you at home altogether.”
Her sister laughed. “Come now, let us ask our uncle if he can spare Knowles so that we may go to the shops. Perhaps Isobel will like to come in the carriage with us. There we may be useful, for she has been pulling caps with Rachel this morning. I almost begin to think Miss Belling ought to be brought around to give them an alternative quarrel mate.”
They went that day to the draper’s favoured by Mrs. Gardiner, and returned triumphant with sufficient material and swan's down for their project. Miss Gardiner, being five years old, enjoyed the attention of her cousins and, under their watchful eye, behaved herself creditably .
The three ladies, applying themselves, completed the pelisse in short order and by the time three more days had passed, Elizabeth declared herself to be quite satisfied. Sixteen pounds had been wisely spent and twenty pounds remained of the Netherfield winnings .
For Elizabeth, there was the matter to consider of how they could get to the appropriate card tables in the first place. There were any number of possibilities that might gain them admittance into parties and thence to the card tables where twenty pounds was a perfectly respectable stake. Lizzy pondered the options at night, with her sister sleeping beside her. She was not fooled; it took Jane longer than it ought to fall into slumber. It was clear that Mr. Bingley still occupied her thoughts in the spare moments of inactivity that came her way, even if his name did not pass her lips.
Lizzy thought of the way in which Mr. Bingley had bowed over Jane's hand when they left the ball — the last occasion the two had seen each other. Surely, with the expression in his eyes when he looked at her sister, Mr. Bingley had not intended to leave so abruptly. It was Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy that were to blame in some way, she was sure.
It was possible that the visit they were to pay on the morrow would ease things there, one way or the other. Was Mr. Bingley likely to be present for morning calls? Hardly. It was even possible, though Lizzy doubted this, that Miss Bingley's regard for her friend was sincere — alas, her dislike of Elizabeth was also sincere and thus the conceited woman was unlikely to be of much use to them in terms of introductions .
It would have to be Hyde Park, then. Perhaps accidental acquaintances might be made if she was clever. Elizabeth fell asleep at last, Jane's soft breathing making her eyes close of their own accord. Her last thought before sleep was that her plan must at least be attempted. If it was a failure, then it would not be for want of trying, and if it was a success? Well, it would give her a great deal of pleasure to see such pompous persons as Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy humbled. They were all the same, really, she mused. Perhaps Jane might teach them to value money a little less if they were to lose a good deal of it to the Bennet sisters .
By the time they were admitted to the fine house in Grosvenor Street, Elizabeth's determination grew in the face of Miss Bingley's probable disdain. When they greeted the Bingley sisters it was evident to Elizabeth that there was no real pleasure in Miss Bennet’s coming to visit them.
“Jane! How good of you to call. Louisa, you see that it is Miss Bennet and…and her sister, come to pay a call on us. Is that not quaint?”
Mrs. Hurst nodded, her brows raised a little enquiringly.
“How do you do, Caroline? Good morning, Mrs. Hurst.”
“Miss Bennet, how surprised we are to see you here in London. We had no notion you were in town. Have you come for the season, perhaps?” A smile was exchanged between Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley at this. “You are a little late for the start of it, but then so were we.”
“We were buried in the wilds of Hertfordshire, Louisa,” cried Miss Bingley, arranging her train as she sat down. “It is hardly our fault that we were not here for the Moult-Hargrave ball. My dear friend Lady Briarcliffe tells me it was spectacular. A sea of the most fashionable people in England. But Jane, how could you neglect to inform us of your being in town? Are you residing very near us? And Miss Eliza, it is of course always so interesting to see you, as well. Looking so refined — I should have hardly known you.”
Elizabeth and Jane remained standing, too polite to sit without being invited. What Jane might dismiss as an oversight on Miss Bingley's part, Elizabeth saw as a deliberate insult. “My sister wrote you a note on our first full day here, Miss Bingley — how strange that you should not have received it. Well, one cannot boast that London is wholly superior to the country after all. Why, I do not think that we have known more than two letters go astray in the last ten years, have we, Jane? We are staying with our aunt and uncle. You will forgive us for not having come to call sooner. I am sure you know how it is in town, so very busy — but Jane was adamant that it would shame our family name to neglect to call upon an acquaintance.”
“That is well said,” came a voice from behind her in the doorway. “I waved away the butler, Miss Bingley. I did not think you would mind my coming in myself — I have little patience for grand announcements at my age, and far too many calls to make this morning to be bothered with it at each house. Good morning, Mrs. Hurst.”
An elderly lady, small and exquisitely dressed, made her way into the room. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst rose. “Mrs. Houghton. What a delight to see you.” Here Miss Bingley's greeting was everything polite. “Was it not a splendid rout party last evening? I am certain that you are still reeling from the success of it all.”
Mrs. Houghton nodded fractionally. “You left your gloves in my ballroom, Miss Bingley, and as you see I have come to return them. It is astonishing what one finds left behind the morning after entertaining. I decided that since I meant to call upon Lady Lyons, who is a near neighbour of yours, I gather, that I should bring them to you personally. I need not stay long — I see you have friends here already.”
Mrs. Houghton waited expectantly and Miss Bingley hesitated, obviously reluctant to perform an introduction. “May I present the Miss Bennets to your notice, ma'am. Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth Bennet. They live in Hertfordshire. We met them from time to time when my brother leased a house there. I daresay he will give it up now, however; he is much occupied here in London now.” Then, looking at Jane and Elizabeth, “This is Mrs. Houghton of Houghton Park. Shall we all sit down, perhaps? ”
Jane and Elizabeth made their curtseys and Mrs. Houghton nodded to them before they sat. “Pretty county, Hertfordshire — my mama had a house there, a little way from St. Albans.” Mrs. Houghton surveyed the two young ladies clad in white. Genteel certainly, with one of them a veritable beauty.
Jane smiled a little. “Papa's estate is nearer to Hertford, Mrs. Houghton. We have occasionally travelled to St. Albans. My sister Elizabeth,” she said with some effort, feeling the older lady's eye fixed unnervingly upon her, “enjoyed seeing the cathedral.” Miss Bennet did so dislike being an object of scrutiny.
“Will you remain in town for the season?”
“We mean to be here only a short while. In general, we prefer the quiet of the country.”
“A pity. With a face like yours and with that air of elegance…I should have found great amusement in seeing our famous London beauties tear at their locks. Well, Miss Bingley, I have returned your gloves and shall be about my day. Good day, Mrs. Hurst. Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, I trust you will enjoy your time in town. A pleasure. Give my regards to your brother, Mr. Bingley.”
Elizabeth rose. “We had better be on our way also, Jane.”
“Yes, you had wanted to go out this afternoon. It was a pleasure to see you, Caroline, and you also, Mrs. Hurst. Do give our regards to Mr. Hurst and Mr. Bingley. ”
Mrs. Houghton quit the room after a final glance towards the Miss Bennets.
“Certainly we will, Miss Bennet — but in truth, it is a challenge to even see Charles for five minutes at a time since we came back to this house.” Miss Bingley smiled, and said confidingly, “He is either visiting friends — the Darcys, you know — or going on expeditions and appearing at any number of balls and parties. Thank you for calling. ”
A slight bow was made in their direction by Mrs. Hurst, and Jane and Elizabeth left the room. Mrs. Houghton was drawing on her gloves at the door when they descended the stairs. The gloves were a particularly fine pair, tinted in rose, which perfectly matched the tall hat the lady wore.
“What plans do you have this afternoon, Miss Bennet, that made your younger sister's eyes light up at the mention of them? Come now, it must be something particular.”
Elizabeth laughed, quite at ease under the old lady's attention, and answered for her sister. “I have been bribed, Mrs. Houghton, with an hour at Hatchards wherein I may search the shelves to satisfaction. We had thought we might walk in Hyde Park after that, but not, of course, if it rains.”
“Bookish, are you? It is not fashionable in the least but something tells me you do not care overmuch for that.”
“Certainly not,” replied Elizabeth promptly. “My sister and I are more in the way of setting fashions rather than following them.”
A gleam entered Mrs. Houghton's eye, and she cast her eye over the pair of them once more before she nodded once more and entered her carriage .
“Lizzy, what can you have meant by saying that to Mrs. Houghton? I do not know that we have set fashions. I do not reproach you, for she did not seem to be offended — rather amused in fact, but it sounded very bold. ”
“Had she asked me for evidence of my claim, I should have honestly told her that once you began playing with a hoop as a girl in Meryton, they became all the rage there, and for two weeks complete they were not to be had from any of our shops!”