Chapter 20 #3
“Yes, but not with water. Mine was while my mother was working in her rose garden. She told me to put my hands in the newly tilled ground, so I laid my hands on top of the soil. “No, into the soil,” my mother instructed. I pushed my hands into to the soft dirt and instantly felt the same tingling you experienced. Then, I too felt the power rising up in me, but I did not want the ground to swallow my hands. Instead, I looked to one of the rose bushes that seemed lifeless and wished it would begin to form leaves. Only moments later, little leaves began to form on the bush. My mother pulled me toward her, making my hands come out of the ground, and hugged me. “You feel the power,” she said. I could hear the pride in her voice and felt pleased by her comment.”
“Please, Mr. Darcy, you are only making that up to humor Miss Eliza,” Miss Bingley sneered aloud. “It is very kind of you, but she needs no encouragement.”
“Miss Bingley,” Darcy snapped, “I abhor deception of any kind, and I would never encourage or support it in someone else. Everything I have related is the absolute truth, and I knew Miss Elizabeth is also speaking honestly. That you choose not to believe our personal accounts or about the presence of the power is your prerogative, but it does not make it any less true.”
“You cannot be seriously telling me you believe all the mumbo jumbo about magic and unseen powers. Next you will be telling me you can see these brownies everyone claims inhabit this house” Miss Bingley contemptuously declared.
Mary gave a slight smile, noticed only by Lizzy, knowing Miss Bingley would soon suffer the retaliation from the brownies standing beside and behind her. She knew it was not a Christian response, but still, she felt the lady would deserve what would happen as result of her malicious comments.
“Miss Bingley,” Darcy began slowly, “you have no idea of what exists unseen in this world, but I caution you, beware of what you say, it might come back to haunt you.”
“Miss Elizabeth and Darcy are correct Caroline,” Mr. Hurst spoke up for the first time. “My family are landowners, and we have been able to draw on the power for many years.”
“You never told me that, Herbert!” Mrs. Hurst declared. “Do you see brownies also?”
“There are three standing next to Caroline, and they are not pleased.”
“You are only trying to please Mr. Darcy by agreeing with him,” Miss Bingley haughtily declared.
Softly, so only her husband could hear, Mrs. Hurst said, “May we speak of this later when we are alone?”
Mr. Hurst gave an almost unnoticeable nod.
Bingley, desiring to bring the conversation back on less hostile ground, asked, “Miss Elizabeth, is it possible for someone who does not have a family history tied to this supernatural power to be able to somehow tap into said power?”
“In all honesty Mr. Bingley, the possibility exists. At least, according to my grandmother it does; however, there would be two requirements to even begin to discover if it is possible.”
“What might those be?” Bingley asked eager to discover if it might be possible for him.
“First, the person would have to be willing to develop a close relationship to nature, and the second, they must develop an intimate connection to the Creator. This is easier said than done for many people have no desire to interact with nature. My sister Lydia, for example, has no desire to be out in nature unless it is walking to Lucas Lodge to visit her friend, and even then, it must be a sunny warm day. Then you will find there are those people who really spend little time thinking about God or religion and only attend Sunday services on special days or to make themselves appear virtuous so as to impress others,” Lizzy explained.
Lizzy paused before she comprehended just what Mr. Bingley was asking.
“I can honestly say I have never met anyone whose family did not have prior experience with using the power who has been able to develop an affinity to use that power. Are you wanting to . . .”
“No,” Bingley hastily interrupted. “It was just a thought. I am not sure I am a nature kind of person,” he added with a slight chuckle.
“Lizzy,” Mary quietly said, “I think it is time for Jane to retire for the night.” Mary had noticed Jane beginning to hide her yawns, but she knew Jane, even though mostly healed, still needed extra rest.
Lizzy looked to Jane and saw the tell-tale signs of weariness.
“Yes, I believe you are correct.” She then rose and walked toward her sister where she was joined by Mary.
“If you excuse us, we will help Jane prepare to rest and then retire ourselves,” Lizzy added before she and Mary escorted Jane out to the room where the footman was waiting to carry Jane upstairs.
Just before the door closed behind them, the three sisters heard Miss Bingley say, “What a lot of nonsense,” and then the door closed.
As the sisters were walking up the stairs, helping support Jane so she did not put much weight on her still healing leg, Mary said, “I fear Miss Bingley is in for a few turbulent days. Did you notice the brownies who were around her?”
“Yes,” Lizzy replied. “Only two at first, but then more began to join them.”
“Poor Miss Bingley,” Jane opined. “She needs speak more cautiously.”
“Unfortunately, she does not believe there are brownies in the house,” Mary added.
“Not only in the house, but she does not believe in their existence,” Lizzy added.
Mary and Lizzy began to laugh, but Jane, feeling sympathy for the lady, said, “I wish I could request the brownies to be easy on her. It is not her fault she never heard about their existence before she came here.”
Mary and Lizzy remained quiet on the subject as she reached Jane’s door. For the next half hour, the two sisters focused on helping Jane prepare for bed before they finally tucked her in for the night and then retired to their assigned rooms.