Jane clucked her tongue. “The only thing you have any intention of learning by coming on this walk with me is gossip you can spread around. Why, you already showed that when you accused me before hearing all the facts.”
“I did not know Mother would be okay with it!” Lydia exclaimed as if that would exonerate her from her bad manners.
“So you told Mother thinking that she would be unhappy with me about it? How rude, Lydia. No, you cannot come on the walk with us. I want to talk to Lizzie. She knows more about the world than you do.”
“But I…”
“Enough bickering, girls,” Mrs. Bennet spoke up. “Lydia, pick up your sewing and finish what you started working on. Kitty, you sit down, as well. You let the older girls have their time together.”
“When I am older, I am not going to tell you any of my secrets, Jane. None of them.”
Jane laughed and tugged on Elizabeth’s hand. “When you are older, Lydia, I will be married and probably have a child or two. Come, Lizzie. I want to tell you about Bingley.”
They went through the parlor door and practically ran to the front door. They spilled out onto the porch, both going through the door at the same time. They fell into laughter.
“Oh, Lizzie,” Jane said breathlessly. “I cannot believe Mother was not more upset about this!”
“Well, the Bingley family are well respected by most of the people in Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas.”
“By everyone but my family. Why does it have to be that way?” Jane shook her head.
“Well, it does not seem to matter, anyway. Mother did not forbid you to see Mr. Bingley and if she is persuasive enough, Papa will not either.”
“Do you think she will succeed?” Jane covered her mouth with both hands to keep in a giggle, her eyes wide and sparkling.
Elizabeth could not help laughing. “Oh Jane, you are so excited! I am excited for you. Tell me, was he very kind to you? Did he speak with sweet words?”
Jane began to walk to the edge of the porch, Elizabeth coming up behind her. “He did not really speak with sweet words. He was very kind, though. We spoke of the masquerade ball and how odd it was to dance with someone without knowing who they were. He said he feels like that at every masquerade ball he attends. It is somewhat uncomfortable for him.”
“That’s exactly how I felt!” Elizabeth exclaimed.
Jane nodded. “And me, as well. I told him that. He said we had common ground then and next time there was a masquerade ball, we would have to make the other one aware what we were wearing so we would not feel quite so uncomfortable.”
“Surely he knows who his friends are. He shouldn’t feel lonely. It sounds like he just wanted to show his interest in you.”
“He told me something else that was very interesting, Lizzie, and why I did not want Lydia to come with us out here.”
“What’s that?”
“He said that you danced with his friend Mr. Darcy. And Mr. Darcy enjoyed it thoroughly.”
Chapter 11
It was a month until the harvester’s ball, which was one of Elizabeth’s favorite parties. The treats that were offered were some of the most mouth-watering she had ever tasted. It was held at an estate called Crackenfeld, which was only a short walk from Longbourn, though they would take the carriage, as it would not do to walk across the fields in their ball gowns and slippers.
Mrs. Bennet had given Elizabeth permission to go with Charlotte into town and look at some of the latest dress fashions. Charlotte’s benefactor had kindly offered to pay a small sum toward buying new dresses for both the girls. Mrs. Bennet accepted his generous offer and sent Elizabeth on her way.
Elizabeth and Charlotte could not have been more excited about the prospect of seeing and buying beautiful new gowns.
“Oh, I wish the harvester’s ball was tomorrow,” Elizabeth said, grabbing Charlotte’s arm and squeezing a bit too hard. Charlotte gently pulled her arm away, smiling at her friend.
“Yes, it is exciting, is not it? But then if it were tomorrow, there would be no time to have our dresses made.”
“I cannot wait to see what kind of material there is to choose from. I have not had a brand new gown in at least a year!”
“Your father does try to keep all five of his girls in the latest fashions though.”
It sounded like Charlotte felt the need to defend Mr. Bennet, but Elizabeth understood her intention. It was a compliment and nothing else.
She nodded. “Yes, he does.”
“Especially his little beauty, his little Lizzie.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Oh, Charlotte. You do so love to tease me about that. It seems everyone is having a laugh at my expense when it comes to my father’s love.”
“We cannot be happier for you, Lizzie, and you know it. Even your sisters are accepting of your papa’s favoritism.”
“He does nothing more for me than he does for all of my sisters,” Elizabeth insisted.
Charlotte giggled, breathlessly. “Yes, but what he does is done with more concern and thought.”
“Oh dear, that does not make me feel good. Let’s change the subject. What color do you think you will choose for your dress?”
“I am thinking either a pale gold or silver, with an empire waist and capped sleeves made of lace.”
“I am sure Mrs. Haypenny has many colors for us to choose from, Charlotte. I am only looking for a specific color, a green that I like very much. I hope to find one in the perfect shade of green. The color makes my skin look so fresh and clean, as it should. And it makes my hair shine more.”
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this, have you not?”
Elizabeth laughed. “I certainly have. Have you not?”
Charlotte shrugged. “I am waiting to see what is offered before I decide. I may choose something I never dreamed I would purchase if the opportunity arises.”
Elizabeth nodded. “Keeping your options open, then?”
“Yes, I am.” Charlotte smiled at her. Charlotte’s footman helped them down from the carriage and they began to walk down the main street, where most of the shops were. The bank, office buildings and gentlemen’s clubs all lined the opposite side of the street.
“Tell me, Lizzie,” Charlotte said in a low voice. “What is this I hear about Jane and Mr. Bingley? Is he courting her?”
“I do not think they have met but the one time, when they walked through the park together.”
Charlotte clucked her tongue. “I would have thought Jane would be smarter than that, to be seen with someone in public that she knows her family is not on good terms with. It creates a divide.”
“I know that. However, the Bingley’s are an upstanding, reputable family. And Jane did have Catherine with her, so there was nothing untoward taking place. It was merely a walk in the park. Besides, he is the one she danced with at the masquerade ball, the one she liked the most.”
“Being a good dancer does not mean you are a good person,” Charlotte remarked, “though I do admit Mr. Bingley does not have a bad reputation, as you’ve mentioned. He is well liked in many circles. It is only with your family that there is bad blood.”
“It irks me, Charlotte. The Bingleys only attachment to this whole mess is through Mr. Darcy, who is a friend of theirs.”
“But he is not just a friend. They have associations beyond being neighbors and friends. If your father is thinking the way I think he is, he probably feels that it is a shadow on the Bingley’s being so closely associated with the Darcys and they must also be swindlers, as well.”
“I dislike that phrase. I do not believe people should have to answer for the misdeeds of their ancestors.”
Charlotte nodded. “I know. I feel the same way.”
“Look. What do you think of that?” Elizabeth gestured to some fabric displayed in the window of Mrs. Haypenny’s shop in front of them. “I think that would be a lovely shade of silver on you.”
Charlotte scanned the material with appreciative eye
s. “It is beautiful, is not it?” she breathed.
“It is.” A voice behind them caught their attention.
They both spun around to see a tall gentleman behind them, gazing at the fabric. He looked down at each of them, tipping his hat twice, once in Elizabeth’s direction and once in Charlotte’s.
“I could not help but admire it myself, though it is surely not a shade I would ever wear myself.”
Elizabeth and Charlotte both smiled at the handsome stranger. “I think you would look quite comely in it, sir,” Charlotte teased. “It would bring out the color of your eyes.”
“Yes, I would not need any face make-up, would I?” the stranger fluttered his eyelashes, making both Elizabeth and Charlotte burst out laughing.
He looked at Charlotte directly. “I think it would look lovely on you, miss. And it would look equally as lovely on you.” He turned his eyes to Elizabeth.
“Well, that does not help us make a decision, does it?” Charlotte smiled. “We are back to the beginning.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “No, I was not considering the color for myself. I said it would look lovely on you.”
The three of them laughed again.
“Whatever shade you decide on, I am sure it will only magnify the beauty the two of you already possess.” The man bowed to each of them. “It was a pleasure.”
He turned and casually walked away. Elizabeth and Charlotte stared after him and then turned wide eyes toward each other.
“Do you know who that was?” Elizabeth asked.
Charlotte shook her head.
“I am sure I do not know. I have not seen him before. You do not suppose that he could have been Mr. Darcy, do you?”
They both stared as the man crossed the street to a tailor’s and disappeared inside it.
They looked at each other. “Well, did he seem familiar to you?” Charlotte asked. “If he was the man with the pin, you would know, would you not?”
Elizabeth ran the man’s voice over again in her mind. “I cannot be certain. I do wish he could have introduced himself.”
“Yes, that would have been helpful.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Well, that is quite a mystery. Let us go in and see Mrs. Haypenny. I am so anxious to find something beautiful and elegant. I love dressing for the harvester’s ball. It is the highlight of the season.”
“I love to watch the leaves change colors. But I am not looking forward to the rainy season. It rains enough already.”
Elizabeth laughed. “That’s the way it’s always been. It will not change soon.”
“No, it will not.”
As they entered the shop, Elizabeth had a hard time taking her mind off the mysterious appearance of the strange man in the street.
Was it yet another coincidence, like Lydia’s dream? Such a thing had never happened to her before. She walked past the fabric displayed on the walls and on shelves around her, looking but not really seeing them. Her mind was elsewhere. The man in the mask with the monkey pin. The man in the street. Could they be the same man?
If so, Mr. Darcy was a fine-looking gentleman. He was tall, had broad shoulders and wavy brown hair. He was very stately and impressive. In fact, Elizabeth had no doubt many found him to be quite intimidating. She wondered what her parents would think if Mr. Darcy turned out to be the man in the mask. She was fairly certain he was, since Mr. Bingley had mentioned her dancing with his gentleman friend. The two men were often seen together and whenever Mr. Darcy was in town, he spent his time in the presence of the Bingleys.
“Do you remember those garish outfits the Bingley sisters were wearing at the masquerade ball?” Charlotte asked as they waited for Mrs. Haypenny to finish measuring another customer. She fingered some pale pink silk, and rolled her eyes. “Simply ghastly, if you ask me.”
“How do you know which one was which?”
“I did not need to know. I just knew they were the Bingley girls because of their outfits. I do not associate much with them, but I do know it is they when I see two girls dressed outlandishly, heavy with jewelry. I do not like it. I do not know why they do it. It is not attractive.”
“And yet they continue, do they not?” Elizabeth saw a sea green fabric on the opposite wall of the shop and went across to the shelf.
“Yes, they do,” Charlotte continued. “I am simply amazed by their lack of fashion sense. It seems they are confused about how to attract a good man. I have seen many men put off by their behavior and appearance.”
“They do not always dress that way. In casual society, they are less outlandish.” Elizabeth liked the word.
“Look. You must go with this shade, Lizzie. It will be beautiful on you!”
Charlotte had come up next to her and was looking at the same sea green silk she was. She smiled and nodded. “Yes, I do believe it will.”
Once Mrs. Haypenny had the ladies measurements, she promised to have the gowns delivered promptly in time for the ball. When they had finished, Elizabeth and Charlotte left the shop and continued to move down the street, perusing the various shops with hats, accessories, and shoes to complement their new gowns.
Chapter 12
The smell of freshly baked biscuits and eggs wafted up the stairwell to meet Elizabeth’s waiting nose. She breathed in deep and smiled. It was warm in the house that morning, but she still squeezed the robe around her neck tightly. She had chills of anticipation. The harvester’s ball was just around the corner and she could not wait to attend. She had the perfect dress. She was hoping to meet the perfect man, the man with the pin, at the harvester’s ball. Once she danced with him, she would recognize him. She was sure of it. Hopefully, he would feel the same way.
If it did turn out to be Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth was going to have to tread carefully. She did not want to upset her father. But she also wanted to follow her heart.
After dressing for the day, she went down the stairs, heading straight to the dining room. It was nearly 9:30, and if she did not hurry, breakfast would be over, as her sisters would have devoured all of the food. She pushed the door open and went through. Her sisters, all except Jane, were there, staring anxiously at the hot biscuits in the basket. It was placed in the middle of the table and they were not allowed to get a biscuit until their mother joined them. Which was odd, because usually Mother was the first to arrive at the table. Mr. Bennet, of course, had eaten and left the house many hours before, though where he went, Elizabeth was not sure.
She sat and pulled her chair toward the table. “Where is Mother?” she asked. She did not know if she would be able to resist sneaking a biscuit before her mother came in.
“She’s coming,” Jane said.
“She had better hurry,” Lydia said, loudly. “I am about to perish!”
“I hardly think you will perish from having to wait a few extra minutes to stuff biscuits in your mouth, Lydia,” Mary said sensibly, though she was also looking at the biscuits as if she wanted to devour each and every one of them.
The door swung open and Mrs. Bennet came through. The moment she sat, all five daughters reached forward to get a biscuit.
“I am sorry for the delay, girls,” Mrs. Bennet said, not mentioning their quick grabs. She did not seem to notice them at all.
“Mother, may I ask you something?” Elizabeth said.
“But, of course, Liz. What is it?”
When her daughters were done filling their plates with scrambled eggs, slices of toasted bread and jam, and extra biscuits with fresh churned butter spread on top, Mrs. Bennet began to work on her own plate.
They said a blessing and Elizabeth continued, “I was wondering if you had a chance to speak to Papa about Mr. Bingley on Jane’s behalf?”
Jane’s eyes widened. She stared at Elizabeth. Their mother’s reaction was much the same.
“Why on Earth would you ask such a thing?” Mrs. Bennet almost sounded amused.
Elizabeth looked at Jane. “We… Jane and I…we’ve spoken about this and I am simply curiou
s to know if Papa is going to take the feud further or let it collapse under its own weight.”
Mrs. Bennet was quiet a moment, looking from Elizabeth to Jane. Finally, she rested her eyes on Jane. “Do you wish me to discuss this here?”
“They all know about it, Mother, you may as well say your piece.”
“I have spoken to your father about it. It makes him uncomfortable. He cannot give his blessing.”
Jane’s face fell softly. “Oh Mother! That is not what I wished to hear.”
“I know, my dear. But your father is simply not ready for such change. I will give you something positive to think about, darling, and it is this, although he said he cannot give his blessing, he said it in a way that made me feel his mind can be changed.”
Jane tilted her head to the side. “What do you mean? How?”
“I believe he will change his mind,” their mother repeated, lifting her shoulders. “I know my husband. After so many years of marriage, you begin to read the person like words on a paper. I do not feel he wants to continue this feud. So perhaps there is something that can be done.”
“Oh Mother!” Jane threw her arms around her mother’s shoulders and hugged her close. Mrs. Bennet nodded, hugged her back for a moment and then pushed away. She put her hands on each of Jane’s shoulders and squeezed.
“You remember, my dear, this might take some time. For now, your father does not wish for you to associate with them. I will continue to talk to him and hopefully he will change his mind by the time the harvester’s ball arrives.”
“But he may forget about me if I cannot even speak to him until then. Oh, dear!” Jane’s demeanor fell once again and she looked sad.
“Do not despair. I will see what I can do, all right? You stay calm and we will find a solution.”
“All right, Mother. Thank you.”
The four sisters had continued eating, watching the exchange with wide interested eyes. Lydia’s jaws worked on the food she bit off hastily. Elizabeth wondered if she took the time to blink as she was listening to their mother’s conversation with Jane. Mrs. Bennet turned back to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth and Darcy: A Romeo and Juliet Twist: A Pride & Prejudice Regency Variation Page 6