Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
A Pocketful of Power Lore
After breakfast, the following day, Lizzy spoke to Butterbell before she set out for Netherfield.
“I want you to help Tiddle teach Robbie how to handle his ability with the power. He needs to learn to control what he is capable of without accidently harming anyone or himself. I know Tiddle is able to train him, but I would like your help to monitor the lessons,” Lizzy informed the brownie.
“Must I start now? I know you leave to help Miss Jane, and I wish to go too,” Butterbell stated.
“No, you can start when I come home. I have already spoken to Tiddle and Robbie, requesting they wait until I return home before there are any more lessons.”
“Good. We go now?”
Lizzy chuckle at Butterbell’s eagerness.
Without saying anything, Lizzy motioned for Butterbell to follow her, and the two joined Ben who was waiting for them at the family’s coach.
As soon as Lizzy arrived at Netherfield, she requested Ben to return to Longbourn with the family coach. Then, she made her way to the house.
As she entered the front door of Netherfield, she addressed the butler, Mr. Nichols. “I would like to speak to Mr. Bingley,” she requested.
After handing her outerwear to the maid standing off to the side, Mr. Nichols replied, “If you follow me Miss Elizabeth, I will announce you.”
Before he could move, Lizzy asked, “Are his sisters with him?”
“Yes, Miss,” he replied.
“Then might you show me to another room, and then quietly inform Mr. Bingley I wish to speak to him. I would also prefer a maid to be present in the room.”
“It can be arranged.” Mr. Nichols turned to the maid still present in the hall. “Alice, you will accompany Miss Elizabeth to the east sitting room and remain in the room while she speaks to Mr. Bingley.”
“Yes, Mr. Nichols.” Alice then said, “This way Miss Elizabeth.”
Alice ushered Lizzy into the room and then took a seat off in the corner while both awaited the arrival of Mr. Bingley. Lizzy was pleased he arrived only moments later.
“Miss Elizbeth,” Mr. Bingley greeted with a bow, which Lizzy accepted with a curtsey. “Nicholas informed me you wished to speak to me.”
“Yes, Mr. Bingley. Will you take a seat,” she indicated to the chair across from where she sat down.
Once he was seated, she began. “My brother and Jane have both voiced the opinion that I should help,” she could not say protect, so she chose, “care for my sister while she is recovering from her break. As master of the house, I thought I would request your permission to stay with Jane.”
“I will gratefully offer you a room so you may be with your sister. Might I, however, ask why you did not seek my sister’s permission.”
“Mr. Bingley, let us be honest with each other. Your sister is not fond of me.” Lizzy saw Mr. Bingley was about to speak, so she held up her hand to stop him.
“You and I both know she resents my presence because Mr. Darcy speaks to me more than to her. Simply, she is jealous. Moreover, your sister does not like my family, and I have noticed she is trying to draw you away from my sister. In addition, she would be happy to return to London and have all of you accompany her. Besides, as head of your family, I felt it was your permission I should seek.”
Mr. Bingley gave a soft chuckle before replying, “In the matter of honesty, I too will be honest. Caroline is hopeful Mr. Darcy will propose to her, but most of those in residence in this house know it will not happen. I have spoken to my sister about the matter, but she will blindly believe only what she wants to believe. As to returning to London, she is not enjoying her stay at Netherfield.”
“Might I enquire if any unusual events have occurred?”
“Miss Elizabeth, what you said earlier about the brownies, is it true they can be mischievous?”
Lizzy refrained from smiling for she had an idea of what types of events might have occurred. “Not only mischievous but also vindictive. They do not appreciate those who speak negatively about them or their home. I take it something has happened to Miss Bingley.”
Lizzy saw the man holding in his smile. “Yes. Last week, Caroline found a frog in her bed. The entire household heard her screams. Three days ago, an opal ring came up missing from her dressing table. Of course, she blamed her personal maid and promptly fired the girl. She insisted I search the girl’s room before she packed her belongings and left.
I did search, but only because my sister stood in the doorway and watched.
I found nothing. Caroline left in a fury.
When she was gone, I offered the girl another position in the house.
One which keeps her out of my sister’s sight.
” This time, Mr. Bingley did laugh. “That evening, Caroline found her ring in her dessert. She was not pleased.”
Although Lizzy found all of Miss Bingley’s trials humorous, she refrained from laughing. “I did try to warn your sister about offending the brownies. She is lucky it was only one frog in her bed and only one piece of her property she found missing.”
“Miss Elizabeth, I understand why you sought my permission, and I welcome you to my home. Should Caroline say anything, I will explain I am the one who requested you stay while your sister is with us.”
Lizzy rose. “Thank you, Mr. Bingley. Now, if you excuse me, I will join Mary at Jane’s bedside.”
Mr. Bingley also rose and bowed just before Lizzy turned and walked out the door.
Lizzy had entered Jane’s room with a wide pleasing smile showing her pleasure at Jane’s improved appearance.
Between the three sisters, it was agreed Jane could partake of the evening meal with the rest of the Netherfield residents.
Lizzy sent a note to Miss Bingley notifying her that all three Bennet sisters would come down for supper.
At the appointed time, Mary sought a footman to carry Jane downstairs.
“Miss Bennet,” Mr. Bingley rushed forward to greet Jane as she was carried into the drawing room, “I am pleased to see you well enough to join us.”
Jane smiled sweetly as Bingley rushed to her side and directed the footman to carry Jane over to the loveseat, which would allow Bingley to sit beside her. He also brought over an ottoman on which Jane could prop up her foot.
“How soon before Miss Bennet be able to walk again?” Miss Bingley disapproving stared at her brother.
“Tomorrow, Lizzy and I will begin to help her walk around her bedchamber. The following day, Mr. Jones will come and assess the healing process. We are hoping to return home the following day, if Mr. Jones allows,” Mary explained.
She and Lizzy had taken seats side by side, but not as near Miss Bingley and her sister as they were near Jane and Mr. Bingley.
Mr. Darcy also sat nearer Bingley than the gentleman’s sister.
As the company sat down to dine, Lizzy noticed they used the breakfast parlor for the meal, which seemed appropriate for so small a party.
She could not help but wonder if this had been Mr. Bingley’s choice, however, since the dining room would have meant more spaces between each diner.
Lizzy knew Miss Bingley would have preferred more space between Mr. Darcy and Lizzy herself.
As it was, Jane and Mr. Darcy sat on either side of Miss Bingley while and she and Mrs. Hurst sat on Mr. Bingley’s right and left. This left Mr. Hurst sitting to Lizzy’s left between her and Jane, while Mary sat between Mrs. Hurst and Mr. Darcy.
As the footman placed the soup before each of them, Miss Bingley began a running commentary on friends she left in town. After her second spoonful of soup, she complained, “This soup is extremely salty. I must speak to the cook about her heavy-handed use of seasonings.”
Miss Bingley complaints did not stop at the soup course. According to her, “The fish tastes as if sugar was used instead of salt,” another item she would scold the cook about. She ended her complaints with, “This pudding tastes grainy.”
Of course, no one else noticed anything wrong with their meal, but Rowan, standing just behind Mr. Darcy, chuckled about every complaint uttered.
Lizzy watched Mr. Darcy’s reaction to Rowan’s laugh and noticed the gentleman smiling at her.
It came as no surprise to either of them that the blame for Miss Bingley’s food did not fall on the cook but the brownies who tended the kitchen; although neither of them mentioned this fact.
Besides uttering complaints, Miss Bingley spoke about her anticipation for the upcoming season, the friends she could hardly wait to see, the shops she wished to visit, and the new wardrobe she would purchase.
Lizzy did not miss Mr. Bingley’s frown at the mention of so many gowns, and she wondered if he would be expected to pay for this new wardrobe.
That thought made Lizzy consider if Mr. Bingley would continue to pay for his sister’s purchases after he married.
Then she reflected on the allowance Miss Bingley must receive.
Surely, someone with a twenty-thousand-pound dowry could easily afford to pay for her own purchases.
If her brother did pay for them, then what did she do with her allowance? Lizzy wondered.
When the time came for the separation of the sexes, Bingley declared it unnecessary. Lizzy knew he wished to spend as much time with Jane as possible, and she found the idea pleasantly acceptable.
Once again, the same footman carried Jane into the drawing room where Mr. Bingley directed the servant to place Jane on a sofa near the fire. Mr. Bingley made sure the same ottoman was available for Jane’s foot and then took a seat next to Jane.
“They make a fine-looking couple,” Darcy said quietly to Lizzy.
Lizzy gave him a brief smile, but she noticed Miss Bingley’s frown. Darcy then offered Lizzy his arm, which she accepted, and he led her to a sofa near Jane and Mr. Bingley.