Chapter 40
“Eliza Bennet!” Elizabeth heard the strident exclamation of her name, or rather a nickname she had never given Caroline Bingley the permission to use, and turned to see that lady at the entrance to the modistes.
Miss Bingley had not yet noticed that the other patrons of the shop were all her family, but before Elizabeth could acknowledge her, she seemed to recognise Jane, and then the rest of her family.
“Miss Bingley,” Elizabeth said her name by way of greeting, but only because manners required that she recognise the acquaintance.
In Meryton, Miss Bingley had given Jane some attention until the Bingley party left the neighbourhood without any farewell, but in London, the sneer on her face showed that no such attentions would be paid to Jane now.
“Madame Lanchester,” Miss Bingley addressed the modiste, ignoring everyone else in the shop, “I beg that you would not allow these people to inopportune you; they are not the sort of customers you want to be associated with,” she explained, her distaste with the Bennet family’s appearance obvious in her tone.
Jane gasped, but she did not have time to react further before Miss Bingley continued.
“In truth, I feel it necessary to inform you that it is very likely they will be unable to pay their bill,” she said, her tone sickly sweet.
Elizabeth’s fist tightened; she was in great danger of punching the woman, but before she did, the modiste responded.
“You are entirely incorrect,” Madame Lanchester responded.
“These ladies are the sort of customers I most welcome. But, given your apparent dislike of my patrons, I suggest that a different modiste would be more to your taste.” Madame Lanchester made this reply in an even and polite tone, but the meaning was clear. ”
Miss Bingley made a moue of distaste. “You are correct, another modiste would suit me better,” and with those words, she turned back to the door.
Elizabeth thought that was the end of it, but as she exited, she said, “I will ensure that all of the ton know of your fall from grace,” and with those final words, the bell at the entrance rang again to mark her departure.
Then silence reigned, but only for a few moments.
“Please accept my apologies that you had to experience such unpleasantness in my shop,” Madame Lanchester said.
“Think nothing of it,” Mrs Bennet replied. It was only then that Elizabeth wondered how her mama had managed to remain silent in the face of such poor behaviour. “I hope that she will not cause you any trouble?” she asked.
“No, indeed not,” Madame Lanchester replied.
“I may be only a modiste, but my connections in the ton are many times more substantial than those of a daughter of a tradesman, no matter how wealthy he was,” she explained, which drew a giggle from Jane, and when Elizabeth caught her eye, she blushed at her reaction.
“Money and class are not quite the same thing,” her mother pronounced to the astonishment and amusement of all her family.
Sometime later, Elizabeth had time to wonder if the scene with Miss Bingley might have turned out quite differently if not for two facts that lady had been unaware of.
Firstly, that the Bennet family was now very wealthy, and their father had provided a substantial line of credit with the modiste, and secondly, that they had just been noticed by Lady Matlock and Lady Howard, two of the great dames of the ton.