Chapter Five
London
Mrs. Gardiner arrived in London a few days after her nieces; she had remained in Meryton long enough for Mr. Phillips to help her finalize the sale of her house in Gracechurch Street.
She meant to take her time in purchasing a new home, and for the present she was content to accept an invitation from Mrs. Jennings, while her daughter Julia remained at Longbourn with the Bennets.
Jane kept off her ankle for the remainder of the day that she injured it and all of the following day, but by the third day abed, even patient and serene Jane grew restless.
Through that natural sweetness which made it nigh impossible for Elizabeth to refuse her anything, Jane assured her sister and their hostess that the alternating of hot and cool prescribed by Mrs. Hatchard had worked wonders on her.
They were persuaded to help her downstairs, where she made herself comfortable with a blanket and a cup of tea.
She reclined against a thick cushion on the window seat, her ankle propped up, and she was so intent on watching the goings on in the square that Mrs. Jennings began to tease that Jane was perhaps not only on the lookout for her aunt’s arrival.
“You are hoping for a visit from your heroic Mr. W, and I am very keen to set eyes on him myself! Well, he would be a fool not to honor his word, though the young men these days are always flitting about, forgetting the promises they have made! Oh, your poor cousins!”
Elizabeth was inclined to share Mrs. Jennings’s view of things, for Jane had dressed with great care before coming down.
And not an hour later, just after taking a fresh dose of the elixir the doctor had given her for the pain, Jane smiled dreamily out the window and gave a gentle wave.
“Oh, Lizzy, he has come!” A giddy laugh burbled from her lips.
Elizabeth joined her at the window, and she could barely make out Miss Hatchard and her brother coming up the lane. Elizabeth eyed her sister warily; Jane may later repine receiving such an anticipated guest just after the dose of medicine. And then, a carriage stopped in front of the house.
Mrs. Jennings was below stairs, engaged in her weekly meal planning with the cook, but Elizabeth made haste in greeting her aunt in front of the house. She threw her arms around her Aunt Madeline, and then explained that Jane was too injured to receive her in their usual style.
“And here comes her handsome savior now,” Elizabeth said, subtly indicating the gentleman and his sister as they strolled up the street. They had tarried at the corner, and it rather looked as if they were quarreling.
Mrs. Gardiner glanced that way and then gave Elizabeth a look of glee. “Oh my! If he had an older brother half as dashing, I might consider throwing myself in front of a carriage!”
She screwed up her face, as if suddenly struck by a grim reminder that she had lost her husband, and then cast another sideward glance at Mr. W. “What a fine thing for Jane! Tell me truly, Lizzy – it cannot be possible Mr. Bingley was as good looking as that.”
“He is pleasing to look at because his manners are pleasing, but no, Mr. Bingley is not nearly as handsome as Jane’s new conquest. Indeed, I begin to recall Mr. Bingley as being very ill-featured!”
“Well, I do wish he would make up his mind.”
In the end, Mr. W waved as he looked up and caught Elizabeth’s eye. His sister came forward, though he reached out to stay her, but she darted out of his grasp and hurried to meet Elizabeth at the steps.
Elizabeth introduced her aunt to the cheerful girl, who told them, “I must apologize – John says it would be terribly rude to impose upon you when you are receiving another visitor – we guessed you must be family. I hope I was not wrong to push in.”
Miss Hatchard held out a bouquet of flowers with one hand, and a small stack of books in the other.
“These are from John, though I am supposed to say they are from Mamma, for propriety. I helped him choose the most romantic flowers, but his taste in poetry is superior to anybody! And Mamma did say that it would be a fine thing for Miss Bennet to have something to read while she is recovering.”
Elizabeth accepted these offerings with a bright smile.
“I know Jane will be touched by such thoughtful gifts; please give your brother – ahem, your mother – our thanks. I ought to invite you in, but Jane has just had some of the doctor’s special elixir, and it has made her a little silly.
” This last she whispered with a playful wink, and she gestured to the window, where Jane had laid her hand against the glass, grinning idiotically.
Mrs. Gardiner nodded approvingly, then turned and gave Mr. W a cordial wave. “Your brother is very circumspect, but it is good of you to pass along his well wishes for Jane. She will be ever so pleased. I hope you shall call again in a few days.”
“Please do,” Elizabeth agreed. “Our friend Mrs. Jennings is keen to meet you both – and your mother, as well.”
“I am looking forward to it already,” Miss Hatchard said brightly before taking her leave.
They went inside, and Mrs. Gardiner observed with bemusement as Jane exclaimed over her suitor’s offerings, while Mrs. Jennings teased her boldly.
Elizabeth took in the scene with delight, for Jane appeared ludicrously happy, and not only because she was heavily dosed with laudanum.
After the insidious remarks of Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst, and of course the sudden abandonment of Mr. Bingley, Jane had been in dire need of such kindness.
Elizabeth approved of the mysterious Mr. W already, for he had been attentive in the midst of their crisis, even endeavoring to secure the return of Jane’s reticule and sending for his physician.
He clearly admired Jane without knowing anything of her fortune, and his flirtation had done more to lift Jane’s spirits than anything else her relations had attempted in the last six weeks.
His affectionate mother and sister were also a mark in his favor, for surely no villain could be so beloved by his female relations.
Even his taste in poetry spoke well of him. Elizabeth was impressed by the selection of volumes, and Jane was so eager to acquaint herself with them that she remained in her window seat, reading with great dedication as the other ladies conversed.
Mrs. Palmer and Miss Steele called, and Mrs. Jennings had just rung for tea when Colonel Brandon was announced. Elizabeth was vexed at the sight of Miss Steele, and rather envied that Jane’s dose of laudanum had rendered her entirely unbothered by their cousin’s rival.
But Miss Steele would not be satisfied until Jane was bothered. She singled Elizabeth out, sitting very near to Jane, and began to expound at length about the visit she had received the previous day from her dear new friends, Caroline and Louisa.
“They are so attentive, and so very fashionable! You ought to have invited Miss Bingley along when you went shopping – your new clothes are very fine, but her superior taste would have only enhanced what you have spent such a grand sum on! Oh, Eliza, I do hope your fortunes and gowns can catch you a man, as you desire. Mrs. Hurst is indeed set upon finding me a beau, and I suspect she means to put her brother forward. I have seen his portrait, and he is handsome, I suppose, but I cannot bring myself to tell my new friends that my affections are already engaged elsewhere.”
Elizabeth ground her teeth as she refilled her teacup, wishing it was brandy or perhaps poison that she poured into her cup as she endured Miss Steele’s prattling. Across the room, Colonel Brandon offered her a smile of commiseration.
Miss Steele leaned in closer, affecting a shy smile though her eyes gleamed with malice. “I suppose your cousin Elinor has told you my secret….”
Elizabeth stared blankly at her. “If you have told Elinor something in confidence, she has not repeated it to me. Marianne may be prone to repeating whatever she overhears, but Elinor is entirely virtuous.”
Miss Steele furrowed her brow as she considered this. “Well, since my confidante is not presently in London, nor my dear sister, I must tell somebody that I am secretly engaged,” she whispered.
Elizabeth arched an eyebrow. “Are you not at all concerned about it remaining a secret?”
“I know you will keep my secret, for you must be just as obliging as your cousin. And it has been such a burden these four years! Edward and I have scarcely had any opportunity to see one another, and even now that we are both in town, I daresay it remains a challenge. But you may be of some comfort to me, for at least I shall hear of him from you – you are to meet him when you dine with his family tonight! It is Edward Ferrars, you see, to whom I refer.”
“I am acquainted with him already,” Elizabeth replied, relishing the meager triumph of Miss Steele’s surprise.
“Oh! Did you visit Norland while he was there?”
“No, though I understand he spent a great deal of time there while my cousins resided at Norland. But I met him not a fortnight ago, at the party Mrs. Jennings hosted on Christmas Eve. He was already delayed on his journey to London, but he would not be deterred from visiting my cousins.”
It was perhaps ungenerous of her, but Elizabeth savored Miss Steele’s displeasure at this news.
If this jealous, petty creature could revel in ruining Elinor’s hopes, and make sport of Jane’s ill-usage, she deserved a little taste of the same treatment.
Elizabeth smiled and pressed on. “Are you not to join us?”
Miss Steele let out a huff of exasperation. “Mrs. Palmer has accepted an invitation to attend the opera with Mrs. Larson. It is dreadful luck, for I know Edward longs to see me as much I do him.”