Chapter Eighteen
Eating Bread and Honey
Four days after the Lucas party, Jane received an invitation from Miss Bingley to dine with her and her sister.
Lizzy was unsure of the reception Jane would receive from the two ladies because she already suspected neither wished to see their brother married to Jane.
Moreover, they would have heard the Bennet daughters only had doweries of five thousand pounds; the neighborhood did not know the true extent of the doweries.
Instead of sharing her doubts about the ladies, Lizzy helped Jane prepare for the upcoming visit.
With the weather turning colder and threatening rain, Lizzy requested the coach prepared for her sister, and she assigned Joseph to accompany Jane.
Miss Bingley’s letter informed Jane that the gentleman would not be in attendance as they were dining with the officers of the militia regiment which had taken up residence in Meryton.
Although the officers appeared to be a boon for the community, all the merchants agreed to limit any credit given.
Moreover, all the young girls in and around the area were warned about the danger of becoming too friendly with the officers and enlisted men.
The men might be military but not all of them were gentlemen, and most were second, third, and fourth sons with very little to support them other than their monthly pay.
It pleased Lizzy that Lydia and Kitty were not out and never entered town unless accompanied by Mrs. Martin.
Mrs. Martin would never allow the girls to act or behave in a manner which might result in them being harmed.
Moreover, since the night of the dream visited upon Lydia by Peachy, Lizzy had noticed several times that Lydia would pause before making rushed decisions.
Lydia’s actions seemed more reserved and thoughtful than they had been in the past. Although Lizzy did not know the content of Lydia’s dream, she was sure Peachy would have made it serious enough to make Lydia realize the consequences of her actions if Lizzy and Mary did not intervene to save the Lucas boy.
If Lizzy had known the extent of the dream, she might have considered it too serve.
As to Miss Bingley’s invitation, Lizzy did offer, “Jane, I hope you enjoy your time with Mr. Bingley’s sisters, but should anything occur to upset you, Joseph will be at hand to bring you home as soon as you request it of him.”
“Lizzy, I will be fine. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst have always been friendly towards me. I do not foresee any problems. Besides, if Mr. Bingley is serious, then now is a good time to become better acquainted with his sisters.”
Lizzy wanted to reply, ‘it is never good to become better acquainted with vipers,’ but she knew her sister would not appreciate the response. Instead, Lizzy walked her sister to the coach, watched her being helped in by Joseph, and then waved her sister off.
Later that evening Lizzy became worried when neither Jane nor the coach arrived home, but she blamed the weather for the absence of both.
Soon after Jane left, the skies had opened.
It began with a light rain which increased and soon turned to sleet because of a sudden drop in the temperature.
Lizzy went to bed believing Jane was fine and had been requested to stay the night at Netherfield until the weather improved the following day.
Lizzy had no word of her sister until she sat down to breakfast the following morning. A footman delivered a note from Netherfield addressed to Mrs. Bennet who quickly opened it and began to read the contents.
“Oh!” Her mother exclaimed causing anxiety around the table.
Lizzy wanted to ask what the note contained but politely and apprehensively waited for her mother to share the news with the family.
When her mother finally spoke, her words surprised Lizzy. “Lizzy, Mary, you are both needed at Netherfield immediately.” Without another word, Mrs. Bennet turned to a servant. “Have a coach readied and brought around to the front door, as soon as possible.”
Mr. Bennet, seeing his wife’s agitation, rose from his chair, walked around the table, and laid a hand on his wife’s shoulder. “My dear, why do you not tell us what was said in the note.” He spoke calmly hoping to sooth his wife’s distress.
Mrs. Bennet looked up questioningly at her husband.
“Why must Lizzy and Mary go to Netherfield as soon as possible?”
Still flustered, Mrs. Bennet replied, “I am sorry. The letter shocked me more than I thought.” Taking a calming breath, like her mother-in-law taught her, she said, “It seems like Jane was walking up to the door, and she slipped on a patch of ice. Mr. Jones thinks she might have broken a bone in her ankle, but he is not sure. He bound the ankle up as tight as possible and spent the night at Netherfield in case Jane needed him. He now requests Lizzy and Mary to help determine if a bone is broken and to help mend the injury.”
Lizzy rose from the table, saying, “Come, Mary. We need to go as quickly as possible. We do not want Jane to suffer any more than necessary.”
Mary nodded in agreement as she too rose from the table.
The Bennet sisters spoke little as they traveled to Netherfield. Ben had taken a seat beside the driver for he insisted on accompanying the sisters. Lizzy wanted him to feel needed, so she did not refuse his request.
As soon as they arrived at Netherfield, Lizzy noticed a slick spot on the step.
Turning to Mary, Lizzy said, “Odd that there is still ice on that step.” She carefully walked up to the spot and instantly felt the magic imbedded in the ice. “This is not natural. Someone created this on purpose.” Turning to Butterbell, she said, “Find out who created this.”
Butterbell needed no other directions for he knew what to do, and Lizzy trusted he would find the creator before she left Netherfield.
“Careful, Mary,” Lizzy warned. “We do not need another sister laid up with an injury.”
“Who would do such a thing, Lizzy? Was it intentional or a prank?” Mary asked. “It seems like something Lydia would do as a joke, but when one is injured, it is no longer a joke.”
“I agree,” Lizzy said before approaching the door.
The butler instantly opened the door before either sister could knock.
“Hello, Johnson. Mary and I are here to see to our sister’s injury,” she greeted the gentleman. Lizzy had known him since he was a footman at Netherfield.
“Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary,” Johnson greeted them in return. “Alice will show you up,” he indicated a young maid standing off to the side.
“Are you not Mr. Jamison’s oldest daughter?” Lizzy inquired. The young girl nodded. “How is your mother and baby brother?”
“They are well, Miss.”
“Good. I will pay your family a visit later this week.” As expected, Lizzy knew all the Longbourn tenants, but she also knew all the Netherfield tenants.
It took nearly an hour before Mary and Lizzy were satisfied with Jane’s partial healing. Mary was able to locate the small fracture and begin the mending process, and Lizzy helped alleviate the pain in Jane’s ankle.
“It will take at least five days before you can begin to walk on it,” Mary informed Jane, “but until then, you will need help getting around. You can be carried downstairs if you wish to dine with the Bingley family but do everything in moderation.”
“I think I have woven enough magic around you to keep the pain minimal, but I can come back and redo the magic if your pain becomes unbearable,” Lizzy told her sister.
“Will you not be staying with me?” Jane specifically asked Lizzy.
“No, dear. Mary will remain. She is much better at healing than I am. She will monitor your ankle to make sure it is mending properly.”
Jane frowned, and Lizzy smiled at her sister’s disappointment.
“Am I such a poor nurse?” Mary asked donning her own frown, but more exaggerated, which caused Jane and Lizzy to chuckle.
“No, Mary. You are a fine nurse. I am just used to Lizzy being around when I am sick.”
“Sick, yes,” Lizzy replied. “This time, however, you have a broken bone.”
“Semi-broken,” Mary added. “I did speed up the healing, but it will still take time to fully heal.”
“In the meantime, I suggest you eat lots of honey and bread,” Lizzy joked.
Jane smiled. “Do you think the kitchen staff would mind if I repeatedly asked for honey and bread?”
“I will remind them that it is your favorite food whenever you are ill,” Mary assured her sister.
Everyone in and around Meryton knew of Jane’s love for fresh bread slathered in honey. Jane claimed honey helped to cure anything.
“I am leaving you in skilled hands, Jane, but now I must go and find Butterbell. We have some unfinished business to attend to,” Lizzy said with a cheerful smile. She did not inform Jane about the ice being magically placed on the steps in front of the main door.