Chapter 20 #2
Once they were seated, Mr. Bingley turned toward Lizzy and said, “I hope this is not an inappropriate question,” - Mr. Bingley’s curiosity was evident - “but could you explain how this magic thing works?”
Lizzy looked at Mr. Darcy displaying a slight smile.
“I do not mind you asking, Mr. Bingley, but I most clarify something. Magic conjures up the images of either witches or wizards uttering spells with words or brewing up some type of potions. What Mr. Darcy and I are able to do is not the result of magic.”
“Oh! So, you are not a witch! Because the Bible clearly states, ‘suffer not a witch to live’,” Miss Bingley exclaimed with a sneer. She then whispered to her sister, “Witch!”
Only Mary heard the comment since she was seated nearest the two sisters.
Lizzy returned the taunt with a smile. “No, Miss Bingley.” She then turned back to Mr. Bingley and continued. “What we are able to do is to tap into nature and draw from its supernatural substance.”
“Supernatural substance?” Bingley asked. “Could you explain that?”
“Mr. Darcy, would you share with the group if your understanding of this ability differs from what I am going to say?”
Darcy nodded his agreement.
Lizzy took a deep breath before beginning.
“It is best if I start at the beginning, and I do mean the beginning. As the bible says, the Creator brought everything into existence, even man. This means, He used His supernatural ability to create all we see in nature and, to some extent, in ourselves. Therefore, all of nature is filled with, and I might add retains, this supernatural power. At some point, man began to realize that this supernatural power of the Creator was accessible if one learned how to connect with nature and the Creator. Not everyone was capable or willing to build a relationship with the two.” Lizzy paused and looked to Mr. Darcy to see if he had anything to add.
Seeing the ladies inquisitive look, Darcy felt she was doing well, so he just nodded his agreement.
“My grandmother’s maternal ancestors were Celtic.
The Celtic people lived with the land, but to them, the Creator was Mother Earth.
Somewhere in the family history, one of my great-great-grandmothers questioned how Mother Earth could have created herself.
She pondered this question for many days and then shared with her tribe her belief that there was a Creator greater than Mother Earth, and this being brought Mother Earth into existence.
It would be many generations before my ancestors were introduced to Christianity, and they found it easy to accept the existence of God. ”
Lizzy paused to look around the room. She noticed Mr. Bingley intently listening to the story, as where Mr. and Mrs. Hurst. Miss Bingley, on the other hand, was sneering. Lizzy knew the lady would believe none of her story.
Again, Miss Bingley whispered to her sister, “An unlikely fairy tale,” and again, Mary heard the comment but remained quiet.
“Was it only your ancestor’s tribe who came to believe in a greater Being?” Mr. Bingley asked.
“No. According to the history my grandmother told, there were some other tribes who lived near my ancestors. When they first heard this new idea, some accepted it easily while others needed time to consider the idea. Of course, there were those who completely rejected the idea, but they were few and ended up wandering off to find another tribe to join.”
“Thank you,” Bingley said. “I had wondered if your ancestors shared the new idea. Please continue.”
While her brother was speaking, Miss Bingley whispered, “Please, do not continue. We do not want to hear any more fiction,” but her sister shushed her causing Mary to smile.
“It was my grandmother’s ancestors who taught their children how to connect with nature and the Creator.
That, however, is not the only reason my family has an affinity to nature.
My father’s ancestors came over during the Normandy invasion but were Flemish.
They also believed in the power of the Creator and the power of nature and learned how to connect with the supernatural powers that resided in nature.
His ancestors also passed down the knowledge through their family line.
” Lizzy looked to Mr. Darcy. “Does your family also have links to the Normandy invasion or Celts?”
“My ancestors did come over with William the Conqueror, and they were Norman. If I remember correctly, I did have a great ancestor who, during those earliest of years when my family was settling in England, married the daughter of a Celtic leader, but not much was recorded in our family history about her,” Darcy offered.
“What I learned, I learned from my grandfather, father, and mother.”
“How did you know you could use this . . .. Should I call it power?” Bingley asked.
“Power will work because it is a type of power, just supernatural,” Lizzy replied. “As to how I found out I could use it, that story is a little longer,” Lizzy added.
“Will you share the story with us?” His curiosity prompted Bingley to ask.
Jane smiled at Mr. Bingley’s willingness to learn about the power found in nature. His inclination meant he would be ready to accept that she too could use nature’s power.
“Even as a small child, I loved nature. I saw it every day through the window of the nursery. On nice days, the nurse would open the window, and I would get as close as I could to the opening to feel the breeze blow in on my face. When I was finally tall enough, I would stand looking out the window, wishing I could go out of the house to be nearer to everything I saw outside. If a bird landed on the outside windowsill, I would talk to it. Many times, I felt as if the bird understood what I said.”
“She is crazy,” Miss Bingley whispered without realizing her sister was not listening. “Imagine, believing a bird can hear you.”
Mary only smiled; she knew her sister was not crazy, and she knew Miss Bingley would regret her rude comments because three of the house-brownies were standing next to the lady, closely listening to her insolent comments.
‘I would warn her that those disrespectful comments will cause her problems, but she would not heed my advice,’ Mary thought as she gave in infinitesimal shake of her head which was noticed only by Lizzy and Mr. Darcy.
Both wondered what caused the barely noticeable action.
While Miss Bingley had been whispering, Lizzy paused, smiling in remembrance, but she also saw the look of disdain directed at her by Miss Bingley. Looking over at Mr. Darcy, she noticed a faraway look in his eyes and wondered if he too was remembering his first time with nature.
Pulling herself back to her story, Lizzy continued.
“When I learned to crawl, I escaped the nursery and went to a glade where flowers bloomed and the brownies played, but it was not until I was three that I first manipulated the power. I was outside and down at the spring I heard my father speaking about that runs behind our orchard. Water always fascinated me, but I wanted to see what running water looked like. I remember thinking the stream looked like the most fascinating thing I had ever seen, and the bubbling of the water drew me down the banks of the spring. The desire to feel what the water was like caused me take off my shoes and stockings so I could walk in the water. As the water ran over and around my feet, I started feeling a tingling sensation that began to move up my legs. The tingling did not stop until it reached the top of my head.” Lizzy paused for a few moments.
In that pause, Miss Bingley whispered, “She most likely stubbed her toe on a rock.”
By this time, Mrs. Hurst was completely deaf to her sister’s whispered comments, but Miss Bingley, so wrapped up in her own belief, did not notice; however, Mary did notice Mrs. Hurst’s unresponsiveness to her sister’s comments.
Darcy could see Miss Elizabeth was in deep thought and wondered if her first moments were much like his, but he did not have his experience in water.
“I do not know how to explain this next part, but deep inside me, I felt the power. I knew I could make it do whatever I wanted, but the only thing I really wanted was for the spring water to run up my legs and swirl around them.” Lizzy chuckled as she recalled the event.
“It felt wonderful as the water did just as I wished it to do. It circulated around and up my legs soaking my frock, but I did not care because it was the feel of the water that entranced me. I could have remained there until the sun set. Unfortunately, I felt hands grab me and pull me from the water. Then I heard nurse’s voice.
First, she asked me if I was hurt, and then she told me how foolish I had been to go into the water.
The thrill of the water and prickling of the power I had used kept me focused only on that unique experience. ”
“Did you return to the spring?” Darcy queried.
“Many times, to the chagrin of my poor nurse,” Lizzy replied.
“How did you learn to use that power in a controlled manner?” Bingley inquired.
Lizzy looked over at Miss Bingley who was once again whispering to her sister. She briefly wondered if Mary heard what she was saying since she was not seated far from the Bingley sisters. Had she heard Miss Bingley’s comment and her sister’s response, she might have laughed.
Mary, however, did hear.
“She must be delusional believing water would move up her legs. Of course, only Eliza would make up such an implausible story.” Again, Mrs. Hurst, without looking at her sister, shushed her.
“When my grandmother discovered I could reach out and use the power, she began to train me.” Looking over at Mr. Darcy, Lizzy asked, “Who trained you?”
“Both my parents.”
“Did you have an experience like I had with the water?” Lizzy had noticed his far-off look while she related her experience.