Chapter 5
Breakfast Parlor
Longbourn
The Next Morning
“But my dear Lizzy, Lady Lucas and her daughters will be visiting us this morning to talk about the assembly last night,” Lady Bennet said indignantly. “Surely there is no need for you to rush off to see your uncle Phillips this very morning?”
Elizabeth hesitated and looked at Jane, who said, “I am certain that Charlotte would like to spend some time with you.”
“Very well,” Elizabeth said with a nod, which provoked a happy smile on her mother’s face.
She was eager to speak to her uncle Phillips, who served as solicitor for the Bennet family, but the Lucases would not stay for more than a couple of hours, and she could take the carriage to Meryton afterwards.
Moreover, Charlotte Lucas was her closest friend outside her family, and it was true that Elizabeth had not had much time to speak with her friend since she had returned to Hertfordshire less than a fortnight previously.
She had been busy with checking the books, and consulting with Longbourn’s steward, Mr. Wallace, and approving the purchase of gowns and fencing, and the like.
It would be enjoyable to spend a cozy morning with her friends.
***
Breakfast Parlor
Netherfield Hall
Darcy knew that he slept better in the country than in noisy, crowded London, but it took a night in a country manor to remind him just why it was so infinitely preferable.
Instead of the sound of jarveys and horses, low-bred boys jeering and drunken young men-about-town boxing the Watch, one heard crickets and roosters and owls and the wind in the trees.
Netherfield Hall was one of the more comfortable manors in which Darcy had stayed, and the staff was attentive.
His sheets had been clean and aired and ironed, and they had been heated by warming pans just before he climbed into bed the previous night.
Darcy had passed a most excellent night in deep and peaceful repose, and he had not woken until much later than his usual hour.
His subsequent good mood had been only slightly impaired by arriving to breakfast concurrently with Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. It helped a little that Bingley was still at the table, but nonetheless it was tiresome to be regaled with a thorough criticism of the local society along with his coffee and ham.
“My dear Charles,” Miss Bingley said in a whining tone, “I do wish you had consulted Mr. Darcy before taking the lease on Netherfield. The society hereabouts is dreadfully unrefined, and I have no desire to attend an event like last night again, not for the rest of my life. They have little beauty and no fashion and are entirely uninteresting. Do you not agree, Mr. Darcy?”
Darcy took a sip of coffee and then said, “Regarding the society, I rather do agree, but your brother’s intention is to learn to manage an estate, and Netherfield Park seems a good choice on that score.
The house itself is well maintained, and I have not observed any flooded fields.
Moreover, the estate is most convenient to London. ”
Bingley had been listening to his sister and friend with a deepening frown, and now he said indignantly, “Surely neither of you would claim that Miss Bennet of Longbourn has no beauty? I declare she is quite the loveliest woman I have ever seen in my life.”
“She is very pretty,” Darcy acknowledged, and Miss Bingley sniffed and said, “Yes, she is the best of a bad lot. Indeed, I suppose if we are going to be here for some weeks, it behooves us to develop our friendship with Miss Bennet so that we have someone to visit.”
Bingley’s expression relaxed noticeably, and he began briskly cutting up his ham.
“I think that would be delightful,” he said cheerfully. “Moreover, I will point out that Miss Bennet’s mother is wife to a knight, so the family is at least somewhat distinguished.”
Darcy considered his friend curiously. “What do you know about Lady Bennet’s husband? Have you met him?”
“I have not,” Bingley replied and then took a bite of ham, chewed, and swallowed before he continued. “Sir William Lucas mentioned that Sir Thomas lives near the sea for much of the year. Perhaps he is sickly?”
“Perhaps,” Darcy agreed.
***
Drawing Room
Longbourn
The room was full of ladies, and Elizabeth was glad that she had opted to delay her trip into Meryton to spend time with their friends.
The Lucases, who made a habit of visiting Longbourn the day after every assembly, were now ensconced in the drawing room with tea for a nice comfortable gossip.
Maria Lucas, the younger Lucas girl, had wasted no time in putting her head together with Kitty and Lydia under the closely watchful eye of Miss Fairchild, with their cups all but forgotten in their laps and occasionally in danger of spilling.
Jane had likewise taken up her usual role and sat dutifully close to her mother and Lady Lucas, taking demure sips of tea and quietly interjecting her own sensible comments in the lulls when one or the other Lady paused for breath or turned to solicit her opinion.
Elizabeth had observed these arrangements with gratitude before collecting her own cup of tea and moving to sit in the corner with Charlotte.
“Will Sir Thomas and Mary be returning to Longbourn soon?” Charlotte asked, glancing out the window at a maple tree whose leaves were now half green and half scarlet. “I know that they generally do not spend the winter on the island.”
Elizabeth took a sip of sweetened tea and said, “It is cold and damp during the winter months on Emerald Island, and my father’s rheumatism grows more uncomfortable in such bitter conditions.
I expect he and Mary will return by Christmas, but I am not absolutely certain of that.
Sometimes he is so excited by what is happening in the heavens that he does not wish to leave.
There is actually a new comet in the night skies, and both Mary and Father are ecstatic about it.
I might have to send Coachman Jack to Emerald Island to abduct them both and bring them here where it is warmer. ”
Charlotte looked upward at the ceiling, which was silly, of course, but Elizabeth had noticed that many people did exactly that when speaking of astronomy.
“A comet?” her friend asked. “That sounds fascinating. Do you know where it is?”
“I do,” Elizabeth said and also found herself looking at the ceiling, “but I confess I have been so busy since returning from the island that I have not bothered to look for it at night. I had the pleasure of seeing it through a telescope on the island. But if you wish, we can go outside some clear night and hunt for it.”
“Perhaps some evening, Eliza, but it is not incredibly important. You do look tired. I hope that your work is not too much for you?”
Elizabeth felt her throat clog up at the sympathy in Miss Lucas’s eyes.
Jane and Mary appreciated her faithful diligence in managing both estates, but most people took it for granted.
That was no particular surprise, as her mother was not particularly clever, and her younger sisters were too young to have much awareness of anything outside their own interests.
“It is not that bad,” she said and lowered her voice a little more.
“Jane does a marvelous job of being a companion to my mother, and Miss Fairchild is, as you know, an excellent governess. Mr. Wallace is a very competent steward, and I also have a reliable bailiff on the island. So, it is not truly that difficult.”
“I think it is,” Charlotte said. “I know you are used to carrying a heavy load, but perhaps Kitty or Lydia could assist you in some ways?”
Elizabeth frowned thoughtfully at this and then said, “Perhaps? Kitty is very gifted in mathematics, and at some point…”
“Lizzy, what did that dreadful Mr. Darcy say about you?” Lady Bennet demanded suddenly, and Elizabeth broke off her sentence and, after a moment to gather herself, said, “He said that I was not handsome enough to dance with.”
There were gasps from all the ladies assembled, and Kitty exclaimed, “That is dreadfully rude and not true. You are very handsome, Lizzy!”
“Sir William tells me that Mr. Darcy has an income of ten thousand pounds a year and is closely related to an earl,” Lady Lucas said. “I daresay he thinks that makes him better than all of us.”
“At least his friend is congenial,” Jane offered, and Elizabeth quickly chimed in, “Indeed, Mr. Bingley is all that is charming. As for Mr. Darcy, we should extend him some grace; perhaps he was tired or irritable for some other reason.”
“Perhaps,” Lady Bennet said with a sniff and turned her attention back on her fellow lady.
Elizabeth relaxed and turned back to Charlotte with a rueful smile.
She was vaguely annoyed at Mr. Darcy’s remarks about her person, but she found herself more amused than genuinely angry.
She knew from looking in the mirror that she looked well enough.
She was also intelligent and an heiress.
It did not matter in the least what tall, conceited Mr. Darcy thought of her.