Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley

by Fenella J Miller

  ‘I agree, it will be pleasant not to have to sit out quite so much when we attend the assembly in Meryton. I believe it will be the liveliest winter we have known for a long time in this neighbourhood.’ Jane blew out her own candle and settled down, but it was some time before she fell asleep as her thoughts were so full of Bingley.

  * * * *

  Several days later Jane was in the drawing-room with the rest of her family whilst her younger sisters could talk of nothing else but officers. Mr Phillips had met most of them and was in a position to introduce his nieces when they appeared every day at his house. They had no further interest in Mr Bingley, or the Netherfield party; all they wished to talk about were the captains that they met.

  After listening all morning to their effusions on the subject, Mr Bennet coolly observed. ‘From all I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be to the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but I am now convinced.’

  Kitty was disconcerted and made no answer, however Lydia, with perfect indifference, continued to express her admiration of Captain Carter and her hope of seeing him in the course of the day, as he was going the next morning to London.

  ‘I am astonished, my dear,’ said Mrs Bennet, ‘that you should be so ready to think your own children silly. If I wish to think slightingly or anybody’s children, it should not be of my own however.’

  ‘If my children are silly I must hope to be always sensible of it.’

  ‘Yes… but as it happens, they are all of them very clever.’

  ‘This is the only point, I flatter myself, on which we do not agree. I had hoped that our sentiments coincided in every particular, but I must so far differ from you to think our two youngest daughters uncommonly foolish.’

  Jane listened to this exchange and wished that instead of talking about Kitty and Lydia’s silliness, her father might consider doing something about it. It was with some relief the exchange was interrupted by the entrance of the footmen with a note for her. Quickly she opened it.

  ‘Well, Jane, who is it from? What is it about? What does he say? Well, Jane, make haste and tell us; make haste, my love.’

  ‘It is from Miss Bingley, ma’am, I shall read it to you.’

  My dear friend,

  If you are not so compassionate as to dine today with Louisa and me, we shall be in danger of hating each other the rest of our lives, for a whole days tête-à-tête between two women can never end without a quarrel. Come as soon as you can on the receipt of this. My brother and the gentlemen are to dine with the officers.

  Yours ever, Caroline Bingley

  Jane could hardly believe she had been so favoured. It was no matter that Mr Bingley was away dining elsewhere, she would enjoy the company of his sisters.

  ‘Can I have the carriage?’

  ‘No, my dear, you had better go on horseback because it seems likely to rain; and then you must stay all night.’

  ‘That would be an excellent scheme, if you are sure that they would not offer to send her home.’

  ‘Oh! Lizzy, the gentlemen will have Mr Bingley’s chaise to go to Meryton; and the Hurst’s have no horses for their carriage,’ Mrs Bennet replied.

  Jane did not wish to go even such a short distance on horseback when the weather was likely to deteriorate. Then she would be obliged her to stay overnight and might not be a welcome guest. ‘I should much rather go in the coach.’

  In spite of her entreaties Mr Bennet was not to be moved; the horses were needed on the farm and if she wished to visit Netherfield she would have to go on horseback. As her family waved her off she felt the first few spots of rain and was tempted to return. The heavens opened when she was no more than halfway there and by the time she arrived at Netherfield she was drenched to her skin and heartily regretting her decision to come.

  Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst were amazed to see her on horseback. ‘My dear Miss Bennet, we had no idea you should be obliged to ride. Come in at once and we shall find you something dry to wear.’

  ‘Miss Bingley, you are too kind. Mr Bennet could not spare the horses and as you had been so particular in your wish that I come and join you this evening I did not like to disappoint.’ She stood in a growing puddle in their hall and was glad that Mr Bingley was not there to see her in such disarray.

  ‘I shall take you at once to a guest chamber,’ Miss Bingley cried. ‘I believe that you are of a similar size to me and my gowns should fit you best.’

  Jane dripped her way up the stairs and along the spacious corridor to the room that was to be hers. ‘Thank you, Miss Bingley, I must apologize for being such a trial.’

  ‘Think nothing of it, Miss Bennet. Louisa and I are delighted to have you here.’

  A maid servant was waiting to assist her and Jane was happy to remove her sodden garments and be enveloped in a large bath towel. She was warm and dry and sitting by the fire in a borrowed robe when Miss Bingley hurried in followed by a second girl carrying an armful of gowns.

  ‘Here we are, Miss Bennet. I shall leave you to make your choice. Betty shall bring you down when you are ready and I have ordered tea to be served in the small drawing-room.’

  Jane selected the plainest of the gowns, it was of fine wool in a pretty shade of blue. She thought the high neck and long sleeves would be warmest and she was feeling decidedly chilly. She sneezed several times whilst she was dressing and was obliged to ask for a clean handkerchief as her own was too wet and of no use at all.

  Downstairs the ladies greeted her warmly, and now she was warm and dry she no longer felt regret at making the journey in such inclement weather.

  ‘It will not be possible for you to return this evening, do you wish me to send a footmen to Longbourn to inform your parents?’

  Jane shook her head. It was far too wet to expect anyone, even a servant, to venture out on horseback. ‘Thank you, Miss Bingley, but that will not be necessary. I am certain that my parents will understand it is impossible for me to return tonight. I must apologize again…’

  ‘Please do not, my dear Miss Bennet, the weather is no fault of yours, after all. Now, shall I pour you some tea?’

  The evening passed pleasantly enough, the dinner was elegant, but Jane found her appetite had deserted her and she could do no more than push the food around her plate. Her throat was sore and she had recourse to use a handkerchief on many occasions.

  ‘I am feeling a trifle unwell, pray excuse me. I think it would be wise for me to retire.’

  ‘Of course, I believe that you might have caught a chill.’ Miss Bingley pulled the bell strap and when a footman appeared she sent him to fetch Betty to escort Jane to her chamber.

  Jane bid Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley goodnight, glad that the gentlemen had not returned from their dinner engagement to see her distress.

  * * * *

  Mr Bingley hurried through the rain leaving his friends to follow as they would. A footman was waiting to open the front door and he walked in shaking the rain from his beaver. ‘Here, take my coat, it is decidedly wet.’ He turned as Darcy arrived in the hall. ‘That was a splendid evening, was it not? Shall we go and join the ladies?’

  As he headed for the drawing-room he heard Darcy suggest to Hurst that they repair to the billiard room for a brandy. He smiled, did his friend find Caroline’s particular attentions too much?

  ‘Good evening, ladies. Have you had a pleasant evening?’

  Caroline looked up as he walked in. ‘Charles, we have such bad news for you. Miss Bennet rode over to join us for dinner and was caught in the storm. She was unable to return due to the inclement weather.’

  He was at a loss to know why this should be bad news; he was delighted to think of Miss Bennet staying under his roof. She must have gone upstairs and would be returning at any moment. There was nothing he would like more than the opportunity to further his acquaintance with her. He was about to say so when she continued.

  ‘She had to retire early as she felt unwell. We are both most concer
ned; but we are hoping it is no more than a head cold.’

  ‘I shall go at once and speak to Mrs Nicholls. I wish she had not ridden, if I had not gone out she could have used our carriage.’

  ‘Charles, if you gentlemen had remained in, we should not have felt it necessary to invite Miss Bennet in the first place.’

  With these words ringing in his ears he hurried to the housekeeper’s room and was relieved to find she was still at her desk preparing the menus for the following day. ‘Nicholls, I am most concerned to hear that Miss Bennet is unwell. I wish to make sure that you are taking proper care of her. Does she have an abigail to attend her?’

  The housekeeper, who had stood up politely on his entrance, nodded. ‘Yes, sir, that has been taken care of. I also went up myself with a soothing drink. She has a pitcher of fresh lemonade at her bedside and I have instructed the girl to sleep in the dressing room on the truckle bed so that she can hear the bell and attend to Miss Bennet immediately.’

  ‘Excellent. It would appear that you have done everything necessary. I shall speak to you first thing to ascertain how Miss Bennet is.’

  He left Nicholls satisfied that everything had been done as he would have wished. He did not want to join Darcy and Hurst in the billiard room, but neither did he want to sit and chat to Caroline and Louisa. He would go to the library; he would be private there.

  The sconces were still alight and it the work of moments to kindle a candlestick and take it with him. There was no fire lit, but it was not unduly chilly. He sank into an armchair and tried to make sense of his thoughts.

  He had only known Jane Bennet for a few weeks, but already he knew himself to like her above all others he had ever met. The moment he had seen her standing with her sister at the first Meryton assembly he had been drawn to her. He smiled; she was by far the loveliest woman in the room and if he was honest that is what had attracted him initially.

  Her nut brown hair, perfect oval face and sparkling eyes had enchanted him; but it was her sweet smile, her gentleness and ease of conversation that had held him at her side. He had learnt since that, like him, she preferred to be outdoors and on horseback rather than on foot. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift back to the various conversations they had shared.

  She was not especially witty, unlike her sister Miss Elizabeth, but had a lively sense of humour and was ready to share a jest as long as it was not at anyone else’s expense. He recalled having told her about a young lady of his acquaintance who had an unfortunate encounter with a flock of geese.

  She had laughed at his description but had then said how she hoped the young lady had not been too frightened by the experience. What other woman would have such a kind heart? Caroline and Louisa certainly did not; they were always quick to criticize and laugh at another’s misfortune. But then, one could not choose ones relatives, only one's friends.

  The sound of laughter coming from the drawing-room told him that Darcy and Hurst had changed their minds. He supposed he had better join them; it would look decidedly odd if he was the only member of the party missing.

  ‘Oh, there you are, Charles. We were about to send out Mr Darcy as a search party. I have sent for coffee and a supper tray, you must come and join us.’

  He took his drink and sat facing the piano forte whilst Caroline took her seat and began to play a sonata for their entertainment. She played well, but he had heard it so many times before he could nod and smile at the appropriate places and she would not know he was not giving her his full attention.

  When he had heard that Miss Bennet was unwell and had made him realise that he was becoming seriously attached to her. She was everything a young lady should be; she had a natural reserve of character that he could not fail to admire. He might wish that Mrs Bennet and her younger sisters were the same. But were her unfortunate relatives a barrier to him pursuing Miss Bennet seriously?

  He had imagined himself in love before, and was certain that other young ladies had imagined themselves in love with him, but this was different. His lips twitched as he remembered a particular young lady whose designing mother had pounced on him on his first appearing in society. This poor girl had been pretty enough, if one liked a Dresden miss, but she was unable to utter a word without dissolving into giggles and simpering at him from behind her fan. He did not believe he’d had a sensible conversation with her all evening.

  Miss Bennet was to that young lady as chalk is to cheese; he could talk to her all night on any subject without feeling he was being pursued. In fact, despite the obvious drawbacks to her background he was forced to admit that he was beginning to feel that his sentiments were serious. He hid a yawn behind his hand. Anyway, whatever Caroline and Louisa liked to believe he was well aware that their fortune came from trade. The Bingley background bore no comparison to Darcy’s. For him it would be a downward step indeed to ally himself with a family such as the Bennets.

  Chapter Four

  Mr Bingley was so early downstairs that he was obliged to step over maidservants, sacking tied around their waists, scrubbing the vestibule floor. He picked his way through them, too concerned with the health of his guest to bid his usual cheery good morning. As on the previous evening, he found his housekeeper in her room.

  ‘Nicholls, have you heard from Miss Bennet’s room?’

  ‘I have just sent up, the girl will be down directly with the information, sir. I shall come to you at once - where will I find you?’

  ‘I shall be in the library. Have coffee sent to me as soon as it is made. Also I should like flowers picked from the hothouse, and any fruit available from the orangery; these must be prettily arranged and sent up with my compliments.’

  He paced the library waiting for the sound of footsteps bringing him the news he hoped would be good. He had been waiting so long he decided to go to the breakfast parlour and see if his sisters were down. He met Caroline in the passageway and they walked together discussing the health of their guest. He was drinking coffee when the housekeeper eventually bustled in.

  ‘I apologize for keeping you waiting, Mr Bingley, but Miss Bennet had finally fallen asleep just as the message arrived. Betty, the girl who is looking after Miss Bennet, thought it best to let her sleep.’

  ‘But she is awake now? How is she, tell me at once, we have been most anxiously waiting for news.’

  ‘Miss Bennet is decidedly poorly, she has a high fever, the headache and sore throat.’

  Mr Bingley turned to his sister. ‘Caroline, you must go up at once and see how she is. She must not think of going home. Give her my best wishes for a speedy recovery.’

  * * * *

  Jane woke for a second time and she knew herself to be too ill to ride home. She could hear Betty conversing quietly in the dressing room with the girl who had brought up the tray.

  ‘Betty, I fear that I am in decidedly poor health. I have a fever and headache as well as a sore throat. Please inform Miss Bingley that I shall require a message to be sent to Longbourn asking for the carriage to be sent for me.’

  Scarcely fifteen minutes had gone by before Miss Bingley appeared in person. ‘My dear Miss Bennet, we shall not hear of you returning until you are fully recovered. My brother is most concerned that you are unwell and blames himself for having taken the carriage and obliging you to ride to Netherfield.’

  It was too painful to talk but Jane managed to whisper her thanks and ask for pen and paper in order to write a note to her sister.

  My dearest Lizzy,

  I find myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose is to be imputed to my getting wet through yesterday. My kind friends will not hear of my returning home until I am better. They insist also on my seeing Mr Jones, the apothecary, therefore do not be alarmed if you should hear of his having been to see me. Excepting a sore throat and headache there is not much the matter with me.

  Yours, &c.

  The note written, there was nothing else she could do apart from sip the soothing tisane that the housekeeper ha
d sent up. She settled back amongst the pillows, the comforter pulled up to her chin, and listened to the rain falling outside and the crackle of the fire in the grate.

  * * * *

  Charles was in the breakfast parlour with Mr Darcy and his sisters when a footman announced an unexpected visitor. To his astonishment Elizabeth Bennet stood there, her face glowing with good health, having obviously walked the three miles from Longbourn to Netherfield.

  He jumped to his feet and heard Mr Darcy doing the same. ‘Miss Elizabeth, good morning, I am delighted to see you here. It was my intention to send the carriage for you later this morning. I had no idea that you should walk when the weather is so unpleasant.’

  ‘I enjoyed the walk, thank you, Mr Bingley. How is my sister? I could not rest until I had come to enquire for myself.’

  ‘We are most concerned; she has spent a restless night and has a high fever.’ He turned to his sister Caroline who was exchanging glances with Louisa. ‘Caroline, Miss Elizabeth wishes to be with Miss Bennet immediately. Surely you could show her upstairs yourself?’

  He remained on his feet until Caroline had escorted their visitor from the room. ‘Darcy, I am most impressed by this determination to come and nurse her sister; I hope that Mr Jones, the apothecary, shall not be late in coming this morning. I shall not be at ease until he has examined Miss Bennet.’

  Mr Darcy resumed his seat and picked up his discarded cutlery. ‘Bingley, I am certain that Miss Bennet has contracted a cold, nothing more alarming than that. It seems to me a trifle excessive to walk three miles in the mud rather than wait to come in a carriage. Come now, my friend, finish your meal and allow Caroline and Louisa to take care of the patient and her sister.’

  ‘I think it shows that Elizabeth Bennet is a loving sister. I cannot see either Caroline or Louisa doing the same.’ He saw his friend smile slightly at the image of either of these elegant young ladies appearing as she had.

  ‘I would like to think that someone would walk to my bedside if I was unwell,’ Bingley went on. ‘And anyway, you must admit that Miss Elizabeth looked well in spite of her long walk.’