Chapter 6
“A letter from Netherfield?” Mrs Bennet screeched.
“Yes.” Jane smiled, “it is from Miss Bingley inviting me to come and have dinner with her and her visitors.”
“Just you?” Her mother asked, “How odd that she should excluded the rest of us.”
Elizabeth laughed, “I do not think it is odd, Mama, for the woman has shown no inclination to get to know any of us including you, Jane. I must say I am surprised at this invitation.”
Jane blushed, “I agree, Lizzy, more so that you were not included in the invitation, since I daresay the only real friendship between Longbourn and Netherfield is between the Darcy ladies and yourself, not me.”
Mr Bennet lowered his newspaper, “I do not believe that the Darcy ladies know of this invitation, but I would wager that Miss Bingley’s intention was to actually snub you Lizzy, for the impertinence of becoming friends with the two ladies; the two noblewomen who are her guests and higher in society than she will ever be. ” He winked at her.
“Poor Miss Bingley, if her intentions are to offend me, she is taking an awful lot of trouble for nothing, since I do not think about her at all.”
“But she does not like you, Lizzy.” Lydia said loudly. “Whenever you enter a room she becomes as red as the feathers she wears on her turban.” Lydia laughed.
Elizabeth sighed and looked surprised that selfish Lydia, of all people, had noticed that. “Oh well, as I said, what a waste of time and energy disliking me.”
“But returning to my letter,” Jane interrupted, “may I have the carriage, Father, to go to Netherfield?”
“The carriage? Certainly not,” her mother squealed, “you will go on Nelly.”
“But Mama, it looks like rain is coming.”
“That is exactly why you will go on horseback.”
“Mama?” Jane said in confusion.
“It will most certainly rain, Jane, and you will be forced to stay overnight under the same roof as Mr Bingley.”
“Mama!” Jane gasped in horror, “whatever do you mean?”
“Nothing so outrageous, child; I just wish for you and Mr Bingley to have a little more time together than you have been afforded so far.”
“He is not even going to be there tonight, he is dining with the officers.” Elizabeth said reading the letter herself.
“In that case, it is even more important that Jane should remain for breakfast tomorrow. If it is still raining then, I will send the carriage for your return… after you have seen the gentleman and spent a little time talking to him. He may even offer to bring you back himself in his carriage, in which case you must accept it.”
But as Jane was getting ready to go, the heavens burst and she was forced to delay her departure.
Once there was a break in the clouds, Lady Anne and Georgiana arrived for a visit citing a desire to spend time with the Longbourn ladies.
Once the ladies sat for a cup of tea, Lydia cried loudly, “Now you can go with Lady Anne, Jane. There is no need for you to get wet in order to see Mr Bingley.”
All eyes turned to Lydia who basked in the attention.
Mrs Bennet nearly died of embarrassment, “what do you mean child? Jane was going to supper with the ladies, not visit with Mr Bingley! What a notion,” Said the mother looking at her youngest with fury in her eyes.
But Lydia, accustomed to say what she wanted whenever she wanted, looked at her mother in confusion, “I thought you said this morning, that Jane must go on horseback so the rain would prevent her from coming back and forcing her to spend the night at Mr Bingley’s house.”
Mrs Bennet looked at Lady Anne in utter consternation whom in turn flattened her lips in disapproval.
Elizabeth’s gaze dropped to the carpet and refused to meet her visitor’s eyes. If her mother was foolish enough to say such stupid things in Lydia’s presence, she might as well face the consequences... alone.
“Mrs Bennet,” Lady Anne said gently, “I was not going to say anything until I knew your family better, but Miss Lydia forces my hand.”
“Yes, my lady,” Mrs Bennet said, “I apologise for my youngest child’s frivolous words, she is just a bit lively, that is all.”
Lady Anne looked at Lydia and shook her head, “I am sorry, Mrs Bennet, but let me ask you, is it your wish to see your elder daughters well settled with good husbands?”
“Yes, my lady, above all else.”
“In that case, madam, Miss Lydia will prove to be a great impediment to your wishes.”
Lydia gasped, “What does she mean, Mama? For all she knows I will be the first to marry, since I am the prettiest and tallest of all my sisters.”
“And also the most foolish,” Lady Anne looked directly at Lydia.
“I beg your pardon, my lady, but all my girls came out into society at the age of fifteen; I think Lydia will mature with time as the others did.”
Lydia harrumphed, “Why should I not have my share of society and amusement? Should I miss out simply because Jane and Lizzy have not attracted a husband yet? In my eyes, the last born has just as much right to the excitement of youth as the first.”
Elizabeth and Jane blanched in embarrassment.
“Be quiet, child.” Mrs Bennet hissed at her daughter, “apologies, your ladyship,” she turned and looked at her visitors feeling uncommonly embarrassed.
“Mrs Bennet, let me tell you with kindness but with all the frankness that this case requires; if your youngest daughters are left to continue in the manner I have seen them acting in society, they will, before long, disgrace the family name and ruin the chances of all your daughters. No young man of respectable family will have anything to do with any of them, despite the fact that Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth are delightful.”
Mrs Bennet sucked in a breath and looked as if she might faint. But there were no theatricals, no calls for salts, no screeching for attention and definitely no waving of handkerchiefs in an attempt to gain sympathy.
“But I fear we have outstayed our welcome.” Lady Anne said getting up, “come Georgiana, it is time we leave these good people to get on with their lives.”
“Not at all, Lady Anne,” Mrs Bennet said recovering and also getting up, “you have been a true friend, my lady. I thank you for your honesty. I wish my own neighbours could have been half as kind as you.”
“Would you have listened, Mrs Bennet?”
Mrs Bennet blanched, one more time.
“No matter,” Lady Anne touched Mrs Bennet's arm gently, “I say these things for your own benefit, madam, and all your daughters. I have nothing to gain from the improvement of your family. But I pray that especially Miss Lydia will benefit from a little discipline.”
“I understand, my lady.” Mrs Bennet said squeezing the lady’s hand in gratitude. “Now, if it is not too much to ask, would you be able to take Jane to Netherfield in your carriage as she was invited by Miss Bingley to dinner tonight?”
“But of course. But only Miss Bennet was invited?”
“Yes, my lady,” Jane responded. “It was a little odd of Miss Bingley to leave Lizzy out.”
“Yes, very odd and very rude.” She said looking at Elizabeth with warmth, “but I will not propagate Miss Bingley’s rudeness, I will only take Miss Bennet if Miss Elizabeth agrees to come as well.”
“But she was not invited.” Lydia screeched, “If Lizzy goes, I must go too.”
Mrs Bennet turned to Lydia and grabbing her by the ear dragged her out of the room almost lifting the girl in her anger, “Enough of you, stupid girl. Why did I not notice how rude and ungovernable you had become?”
As their voices faded, Elizabeth turned to her visitors shaking her head with shame, “I apologise, Lady Anne, Miss Darcy, that you had to witness such a display of bad behaviour.”
“Do not worry, Miss Elizabeth,” Lady Anne said with a chuckle, “as a mother and a sister, I have witnessed more than my fair share of bad behaviour. If you only knew my own sister, you would not apologise for yours. At least your sister has the excuse of youth; Cathy has none of it... not anymore.”
The lady laughed and the effect of it was immediate as all the others followed suit finding humour in the midst of their embarrassment.
Jane asked Elizabeth to come with them. To see Jane happy, Elizabeth would do a lot more than just accept an invitation to dinner.
So to Netherfield Park they went as the rains recommenced with thunder and lightning and the heavens burst once again.
***
The gentlemen had just lit the cigars and the port had been poured when a servant arrived to inform Colonel Foster that the rain had taken out the bridge to Netherfield Park and the gentlemen would either have to go around the long way through the small town of Harpenden or stay in the Meryton inn overnight.
Darcy, Bingley and Mr Hurst immediately got up and said their goodbyes.
They would not stay at an indifferent inn unless they had no other option.
The long way around through Harpenden was only seven miles and with the good horses they rode and the woollen greatcoats they wore, they were confident that they would not come to any harm.
They arrived back at Netherfield Park just before midnight. It took them almost three hours to cover the seven miles distance and they were frozen stiff. It had been a horrendous traverse and they regretted not staying at the inn.
Lady Anne had waited anxiously for her son’s return and when they informed her that the reason they took so long was because the bridge was out, she said uneasily, “the Miss Bennets are trapped here then.”
Bingley looked at her in confusion, “the Miss Bennets?”
“Yes, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth came to dinner, but the rain was so furious that I insisted that Miss Bingley put them up for the night. Little did I know that their stay would be of some duration.”
Darcy looked at his mother and raised his eyebrows.
Lady Anne sent him a challenging glare, silently saying, I dare you to contradict me.
Darcy went to his bedchamber feeling confined with the bewitching Miss Elizabeth under the same roof. Bingley, on the other hand, went to his daydreaming about the beautiful Miss Bennet and the good fortune of sharing the same roof.