by Anne Morris
The next morning, Jane received an invitation to dine at Netherfield. No such summons had ever been issued from that estate. It came from Miss Bingley, but its wording indicated that the gentlemen were not to be home, nor was Elizabeth or any of the other sisters invited to dine. Elizabeth was not surprised she had not been invited, given how jealous Miss Bingley was of Mr. Darcy’s attentions to her.
She was surprised that they were reaching out to Jane at all.
Neither of the ladies at Netherfield valued Jane or any of the Bennet sisters, but neither did they truly appreciate any of the Meryton residents. Perhaps they thought Jane the best of a bad lot. The letter to Jane indicated that they were faced with the prospect of an entire day home alone and with only each other for company and that they needed some relief.
Their stepmother encouraged Jane to go, though Jane protested. She expressed concern because she was feeling under the weather due to their walk home in the rain the day before. Mrs. Bennet was able to convince Mr. Bennet to allow Jane the use of the carriage, so off to Netherfield Hall went Jane, while the family waited to hear how the visit went. She was to send a note home when the carriage was needed, but word came that Jane had taken ill and was to remain under the care of her hostesses and would not return that night.
Elizabeth was concerned as at home, Mary and Catherine had also taken to their beds with colds. It was only Lydia and Elizabeth at Longbourn to care for them.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
In the morning, Elizabeth received a letter from Jane stating that Miss Bingley was insisting on her remaining where she was and that her hostess was insisting on sending for Mr. Jones, the apothecary. A step their stepmother had not taken at Longbourn; apparently, Mrs. Bennet was well used to caring for sick children.
Elizabeth wondered if Jane’s venturing out when the others had remained home had compounded her cold. She was determined to see for herself how Jane fared. As she was no horsewoman, Elizabeth set out on foot to walk the few miles to Netherfield Hall. She admitted that it surprised her that Miss Bingley was caring for Jane. Elizabeth had a poor opinion of the lady, but Caroline Bingley was not a monster and could care for her fellow creatures in some fashion, it seemed. Perhaps it was the influence of the brother and showed Mr. Bingley’s preference for her sister? Elizabeth had been distracted by Mr. Darcy, so had not entirely noted Mr. Bingley’s attention to Jane.
For the most part, she kept to the roads which had dried from the rain, but Elizabeth did cut through a field or two to shorten her hike. And though she hitched up her petticoats, Elizabeth could not help the hem of her skirts getting dirty in the process. When she arrived, she was shown into the breakfast parlor where Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst were still lingering over a late breakfast.
“The men have gone shooting,” Miss Bingley declared immediately, after acknowledging Elizabeth’s greeting.
“How has Jane fared?” countered Elizabeth. She was disheartened to hear that Jane had not done well during the night, was still feverish, and kept to her bed. Though her hostess offered her tea, Elizabeth declined the cup and asked to be taken to Jane’s side immediately.
Jane was sleeping, and Elizabeth sat with her, bathing her forehead, and straightening her sheets if they became dislodged. It gave her time to consider both her sister and her own prospects. How much did Mr. Bingley admire Jane? Their cousin had been marked in his attentions to Jane, and Mrs. Bennet—while not actively encouraging such a connection—had not discouraged any attentions by Mr. Collins to her husband’s eldest daughter. Would their father sanction such a match? Elizabeth had no idea how much Mrs. Bennet wished to be rid of her stepdaughters if she would push them on any prospective gentleman.
But Mr. Darcy’s attentions to Elizabeth had been so marked that her stepmother had spoken to her about them. Elizabeth wondered if she would see Mr. Darcy during her visit to Netherfield. The men had gone shooting which sometimes occupied them all day. He might not return until the end of the day, and Elizabeth would need to leave before darkness set in to allow her sufficient time to return home.
Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst came to check on the patient, though they first saw to their toilettes. By the time they appeared, Jane was awake and glad to have company. She rallied her spirits with visitors to cheer her into good humor, and perhaps attempting to cheer her into good health so that she could leave. Elizabeth thought that Mrs. Hurst showed kindness and concern toward Jane, but Miss Bingley showed only an insincere consideration towards the patient. She wondered if that stemmed from Miss Bingley’s jealousy.
The men returned from shooting early, and a servant came to inform the two Netherfield ladies of that fact. They excused themselves with the prospect of better company.
“Do you feel like you can be transported home?” Elizabeth asked her sister.
She saw Jane’s face go white before she answered, “no, I really am unwell. It was an unfortunate decision on my part to come when I was already feeling so poorly yesterday. I should have declined their invitation.”
“You have such a kind heart; I can understand you wish to come,” placated Elizabeth. “You did not wish to disappoint Miss Bingley.”
“No,” said Jane. “I did not.”
“And…were you able to see anything of Mr. Bingley before you took to your bed?” asked Elizabeth.
Jane blushed. “No. The gentlemen were out late, dining with the officers as Miss Bingley wrote in her letter. I have not seen anything of Mr. Bingley.”
“Mrs. Bennet shall consider this a wasted visit then,” teased her sister. “I believe she had some hopes for you in that quarter. Do you like him?”
“He is the most pleasant and well-mannered man I have ever met,” Jane allowed, who was often guarded about her feelings when it came to discussing young men. “His attentions to me are also quite…pronounced.”
“He is a friendly man, to be sure,” said Elizabeth. “He reminds me of our capable and always amiable neighbor, Sir William Lucas. But perhaps that is a poor comparison as Mr. Bingley does not wear a ten-year old wig?” They both laughed.
“He is…he makes something warm grow, right here,” declared Jane, who touched her chest. “Mr. Taylor never made me feel like that.” She smiled and looked away. “No man has made me feel warm inside, Lizzy.”
“I believe you may be on your way to being in love with Mr. Bingley if he makes you feel warm inside,” advised Elizabeth.
“Does Mr. Darcy make you feel that way?” asked Jane.
Elizabeth was sitting on the edge of Jane’s bed. She had been watching Jane, who looked even more beautiful as she described being in love with Mr. Bingley. It brought color back to her cheeks.
Elizabeth reached a hand out to her sister. “I feel such a flush of warmth and strength inside of me whenever we are together, Jane. I cannot tell you how difficult it was to leave London because I had to leave Mr. Darcy behind. But he is here, and I have such hopes!” Elizabeth squeezed Jane’s hand, “I have never considered marriage highly before as I only wished to marry for love, and our prospects here have never been great. But Mr. Darcy inspires me, Jane! I love him, and I believe that he is here to ask for my hand.”
“Lizzy!” cried Jane in return. The two sisters spent the rest of the afternoon pouring out their hearts to one another about their feelings for the two single gentlemen who currently resided at Netherfield Hall.
***
When Elizabeth felt it was time to go, she said goodbye to her sister and rang for a servant so her hostess could be informed. Miss Bingley went so far as to offer her carriage, which Elizabeth gratefully accepted. But as she stood in the vestibule waiting for it, Mr. Bingley came by and asked after Jane. When Elizabeth answered that Jane was still unwell; he expressed a great deal of concern for her.
“It is a shame you cannot stay to nurse her,” Mr. Bingley declared and looked pointedly at his sister. Miss Bingley was obliged to change her offer of a carriage to an offer for Elizabeth to stay at Netherfield. Th
e way Miss Bingley’s eyes narrowed as he made the suggestion, it was obvious that this was the last thing Caroline wished for. A servant was sent to Longbourn to inform their stepmother about these arrangements, and to ask for clothes. Elizabeth returned to Jane’s side.
The two sisters spent a quiet evening together. Jane was feverish and unable to take more than broth before falling asleep. Elizabeth was pleased she had been invited to stay as she felt that the care provided by Miss Bingley would not have been of the same caliber.
That lady barely mentioned their missing guests at dinner. Miss Bingley had ascertained how much her brother admired Jane Bennet, so did not dare say anything discouraging about her. She had many reproofs against Elizabeth Bennet, but her suspicions of Mr. Darcy’s admiration made her hold her tongue there. The most she was able to say were some general pronouncements about the family’s lack of consequence in the world as their dowries were known to be small, and who had ever heard of Longbourn estate?
However, she could not help one small attack on Elizabeth. “Apparently she is a great walker which is not an accomplishment a lady should boast about—in my book. I am glad you were all out shooting and missed seeing her petticoat, it was covered in dust and mud when she showed up this morning.”
“It was indeed, Caroline,” agreed Mrs. Hurst.
“To walk about the countryside alone! What conceited independence, a countryish indifference to any sense of decorum,” asserted Miss Bingley
“It shows how devoted she is to her sister,” Bingley pointed out.
“I often had the pleasure of Miss Elizabeth’s company in London,” interjected Mr. Darcy. “Rather than drive in the Park, we would often get out of the carriage and walk. It was a pleasant activity which I enjoyed, and one others engaged in.”
Miss Bingley said no more about walking as something fit only for country bumpkins.
When Elizabeth had the comfort of seeing Jane asleep, she came downstairs to join the party. All five of them were playing at cards. Elizabeth looked at Mr. Darcy sitting in their company and wished he was free to sit with her.
“I will find a book,” Elizabeth declared as she stood just inside the door trying not to let the sense of disappointment show on her face.
“I wish my collection were larger for your benefit,” said Mr. Bingley. “But I am an idle fellow and do not have many.”
“I am astonished our father left you so few,” began Miss Bingley, who sat back as though she were to expand on some thoughts.
“Come and sit next to me,” declared Mr. Darcy, whose eyes had not left hers once they had found each other’s. “You can talk to me while I play.” Darcy went to fetch her a chair with Mr. Hurst complying and moving his over slightly, though the man grumbled a little about the interruption of the play. Elizabeth could not help but smile as her insides warmed. She took her place next to Mr. Darcy, though she glanced around the table. Miss Bingley had a dark look on her face while Mr. Bingley was merely looking at his cards. But his other sister, Mrs. Hurst, was looking back at Elizabeth with a frown.
The play continued.
“You have a magnificent library, don’t you Darcy?” purred Miss Bingley who put a card on the table.
“Yes, it has been the work of many generations,” he replied. Mr. Darcy glanced at Elizabeth who gave him a faint smile.
“I imagine I should be happy to examine its holdings,” remarked Elizabeth. “I am sure I could find many volumes to please me at …” She paused as Elizabeth had again forgotten the name of his estate.
Miss Bingley leaned over to stare at her. “Pemberley!” Caroline said, rather forcefully. “How is it that you do not know the name of Mr. Darcy’s estate?” She looked with a great deal of hauteur from Elizabeth to Mr. Darcy, intending to share in his outrage that this young woman did not know the name of his home. But Mr. Darcy was not looking back at Miss Bingley to share in any joke, or to share with her in being affronted. He was looking over at Miss Elizabeth with a smile she had never seen on his face.
“I hope someday you will get to see the library, and that you will find it to your satisfaction, Miss Bennet,” offered Darcy.
“Thank you,” replied Elizabeth.
“Charles,” said Miss Bingley looking at her brother. “When you purchase your estate, you should take Pemberley as your model. There really is no finer estate. I love to visit there.” Caroline looked pointedly at Elizabeth to see if she noted her comment. Elizabeth was looking only at Mr. Darcy and did not appear discomposed.
“Pemberley is such a fine place that I am not sure I could ever imitate it despite ten years’ worth of construction. It might be easier to purchase it outright than imitate with renovation and renewal.”
“You need to consider leaving off this lease in this far-away country corner and find a proper place to purchase an estate, Charles,” pronounced his sister.
“Most estates are in the country, Caroline,” was her brother’s reply.
There was a call from Mr. Hurst to pay a little more attention to the card game, and play went around quietly for many minutes. But Miss Bingley could not let silence rule.
“And how is dear Georgiana?” she asked.
“She is well,” replied Darcy who laid down a card and looked at Miss Bingley. “As I believe I have mentioned more than once.”
“How I long to see her! I have not seen her since the winter when we last visited Pemberley,” Miss Bingley smiled with a great deal of satisfaction as she leaned over again to look at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth failed to catch her eye and was looking across at Mr. Bingley just then. She was examining the young man who admired her sister Jane—a man whom Jane cautiously admired in return. He was handsome; they complimented each other. The couple was still in those early stages of discovery, and Jane was still discerning his character. He had better manners and a softer temper than his two sisters.
“I don’t believe I have ever met such an accomplished young lady,” stated Mrs. Hurst, who recalled Elizabeth back to the discussion.
“I have heard Mr. Darcy speak of his sister,” Elizabeth nodded, looking from Mrs. Hurst to Miss Bingley. That lady looked a little red about the cheeks, though Elizabeth could not decide if she was blushing in embarrassment or if she was angry.
“How I long to see her,” repeated Miss Bingley. “And is she truly at Pemberley all by herself?” She turned to look at Mr. Darcy.
“Mrs. Annesley is with her. Normally I’m at Pemberley in the autumn for the shooting.” Darcy turned to catch Elizabeth’s eye. “For any country gentleman likes to shoot.” He smiled at Elizabeth before looking back at Miss Bingley. “But I’m here with Charles, because of the lease you understand.”
“She is such a delightful girl,” said Mrs. Hurst. “Why did we not think to invite her?”
“Georgiana? With Charles just getting settled in the area,” replied Mr. Darcy, “she would have been called to be introduced to everyone at Meryton all at once. That might have been beyond her capabilities.”
“She’s shy then?” asked Elizabeth. “You have not explained that side of her.”
“She is shy, yes,” agreed Mr. Darcy.
“I’m afraid none of my sisters are shy, though I suppose Jane may be described as shyest among us,” she said looking at Mr. Bingley who nodded.
“Miss Bennet is a very sweet young woman,” confessed Mr. Bingley.
“Has Georgiana always been shy, Mr. Darcy?” asked Elizabeth suddenly.
Darcy stopped in the act of choosing a card to look at her, frozen for a second or two, before he looked at his hand, made a determination, and put his selection down. Then he looked fully at her. “Actually, no,” Darcy said at last. “It is only this last year or two.”
“Oh,” Elizabeth replied softly. “Perhaps then, she will be able to grow out of this shyness.” Mr. Darcy looked again at the dark eyes looking sideways at him as they played cards. He thought about Elizabeth contemplating his sister’s happiness, and Darcy consider
ed how much in love he was with Elizabeth Bennet.
When they finished their hand of cards, Elizabeth said farewell as she wished to check on her sister. Darcy indicated that he was done playing, though Mr. Hurst called him to task for quitting. There was nothing else for Darcy to do that evening unless he felt inclined to take up a book. He had an idea of walking Miss Bennet out the door but was not able to engineer it. When Elizabeth said her final goodbyes, he could only nod and say goodnight with the rest of the company.
Darcy lingered for a few minutes, for propriety’s sake, while the other four took up the game again. He went to examine that paltry selection of books in the room. Darcy finally turned and declared he had letters to read and would retire. As he walked down the hallway, which Elizabeth herself had just tread, Darcy walked past the rooms where he knew she was situated, he felt compelled to knock so he could speak to her again but carried on to his rooms.
Darcy admitted how powerfully attracted he was to her. How much he continually thought of her. It only wanted the time and the right place for him to declare his love. And with Jane Bennet’s illness, he had been afforded the chance. It had brought Elizabeth to Netherfield’s doorstep to nurse a sister, for Darcy to engineer some meeting to ask for her hand.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Elizabeth spent the night in Jane’s room. It was a difficult night, and her sister woke in the morning with a sore throat, a headache, and a slight fever.
An inquiry came from Miss Bingley about how the patient fared. Elizabeth could not report any improvement. The rest of the party were at breakfast, and Mr. Bingley expressed enough concern about Miss Bennet that he suggested that the apothecary be called in again. Caroline Bingley came up to Jane’s room to convey that recommendation, and Elizabeth was concerned enough that she agreed.