Saving Jane

by Martin Hunnicutt

  “Then I shall make every effort to find good husbands for my nieces.”

  Turning at the sound of footsteps on the stairs, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner watched Jane come down the staircase with a satisfied smile on her face as Elizabeth walked down, lovely in the fresh, pale yellow gown with her hair up and a few, narrow, yellow ribbons woven into the braids.

  “You are lovely Lizzy!” Mrs. Gardiner told her niece just as Mr. Gardiner turned toward the window, hearing horses and a carriage in the drive.

  “Mrs. Gardiner, I believe our guests have arrived for tea.”

  “Guests? Who have you invited for tea, Uncle?” Elizabeth asked. “I doubt we have new tea leaves for the afternoon and nothing more than biscuits to serve.”

  “Come and wait with me,” Jane said leading her sister into the parlour where Mary prepared to play the pianoforte at her aunt’s request. There were voices in the hallway, ones that Elizabeth knew she should recognize but they were muted behind the walls and doors of Longbourn.

  “Come this way and meet my nieces,” Mr. Gardiner said opening the door and leading his guests into the parlour.

  “Mr. Darcy! Georgiana! How did you come to be in Meryton?” Elizabeth exclaimed as she hurried across the room where she hugged Georgiana and almost reached for Mr. Darcy before remembering herself and dropping in a curtsey with a bright smile on her face that was reflected by surprise and pleasure in the gentleman’s face.

  “I am certain you remember my niece, Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy,” Mr. Gardiner said with a touch of false gravity that did not match the twinkle in his eye.

  Leaving Mr. Darcy with her aunt and uncle for a moment, Elizabeth took Georgiana to meet Jane and Mary and left her there to talk of music while she stepped to the hall to find Mrs. Hill and request tea.

  “Oh miss, your Aunt Gardiner already ordered the tea. We have her gift of fresh tea leaves, and cook’s hot apple tarts and fresh biscuits for the guests.”

  “Thank you Hill,” Elizabeth said before she returned to the parlour. When she stepped through the door, Mr. Darcy stepped away from her uncle and aunt to address Elizabeth directly.

  “Miss Elizabeth, I am pleased that as the second daughter, I must not call you ‘Miss Bennet’ during our visit. I have been jealous of my sister being able to call you ‘Elizabeth’ so freely in London.”

  Blushing furiously, Elizabeth dipped her head and asked, “May I introduce my sisters, Mr. Darcy?”

  “I would be most pleased, Miss Elizabeth.”

  Leading the way to the pianoforte where Georgiana and Mary were sorting through the sheets of music, Elizabeth turned to Jane first.

  “Mr. Darcy, may I present my eldest sister, Jane Bennet.”

  “Miss Bennet, it is a pleasure to meet you. Miss Elizabeth has spoken of you with great affection several times.”

  “It is an honour to meet you Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth has spoken of your sister...” Jane paused glancing significantly at Elizabeth, “...and of yourself with great admiration since her return from town.”

  Blushing once again, Elizabeth thought that Mr. Darcy’s face reflected pleasure hearing Jane’s words.

  “And brother, this is Elizabeth’s next younger sister, Mary. We have been speaking of music and problems with fingering through the same pieces.”

  “Miss Mary, I am pleased to make your acquaintance though I believe Georgiana plans a complete concert with you this afternoon.”

  “It is very nice to meet you Mr. Darcy,” Mary replied turning back to Georgiana.

  “And where are your mother and other sister?” he asked.

  Elizabeth smiled politely when she said, “They are out making calls. My aunt gave them new gowns for Christmas and my mother wanted to display them for our Aunt Phillips who lives in Meryton.”

  “I am sorry to miss the introduction,” Mr. Darcy replied politely though from Elizabeth’s comments, he had expected them to be less than properly behaved. “And will you remain in Hertfordshire for the winter Miss Elizabeth?”

  Elizabeth replied honestly when she said, “I do not know sir. If I can guard my tongue regarding Mr. Collins and my parents forcing my sister to accept his marriage proposal, I may be permitted to remain. However, it is more likely that I shall express my opinions too strongly, pique my mother’s temper and once again be exiled to Grace Church Street.”

  “And our company is a great punishment...” Aunt Gardiner commented dryly making Elizabeth laugh.

  “Mr. Darcy,” said Uncle Gardiner. “Come sir, I must make one more introduction.”

  Elizabeth turned toward the door to find her perplexed father standing in the hallway but Mr. Gardiner smiled and led Darcy over.

  “Gardiner, I did not know we were to have company this afternoon,” Mr. Bennet said.

  “Brother, I would like to introduce you to one of the brightest young men in the kingdom, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Derbyshire,” said Mr. Gardiner before he turned to Darcy and continued. “Mr. Darcy, may I introduce you to my brother, Thomas Bennet, master of Longbourn.”

  “I have many connections to Mr. Darcy with my business and Elizabeth has formed a great friendship with his sister, Miss Darcy. And as he and his sister were headed north to Derbyshire today, Mrs. Gardiner and I invited them to stop on their journey and refresh themselves with tea and conversation.”

  Extending his hand, the young man shook hands with Mr. Bennet as Mrs. Hill brought in tea and Mrs. Gardiner took command, directing her nieces and guests to chairs, placing Mr. Darcy between Elizabeth and her father, with Mr. Gardiner on the other side of Mr. Bennet and Georgiana on the other side of Elizabeth. Mary and Jane served the tea, tarts and biscuits as the assembled family and friends began an animated discussion on the war with the French and the resulting impact on trade, the roads north of Hertfordshire, and the length of the coming winter.

  ++**++

  Darcy had been nervous during the trip from London though Georgiana had laughed and chattered most of the distance, pleased to be on the way to see her friend and excited to be in league with her brother as well as Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner in planning to surprise Elizabeth.

  “Do you think she will be at home? She may be walking and we shall miss her completely.”

  Georgiana thought for a moment and then answered her own question, “No, Mrs. Gardiner is a sensible woman and she will have found a way to keep Elizabeth at home.”

  “What do you think her sisters are like?” she asked without waiting for her brother to answer. “Shall I play on the pianoforte if they ask?”

  Suddenly Darcy chuckled and then laughed aloud, smiling at the perplexed look on his sister’s face. He hugged her close for a moment and said, “Miss Bennet has certainly helped you find your voice.”

  “Elizabeth is a very accomplished woman, brother. I hope to be just like her someday,” Georgiana said most seriously. “And please remember you must smile and talk with everyone. It is important her parents like us so that she can visit me at Pemberley next summer.”

  “Pemberley?” Darcy asked. “Would you like Miss Bennet to visit with us next summer?”

  Smiling slyly, Georgiana said, “Yes, next summer for certain. And one more thing William; today you must call her ‘Miss Elizabeth’. At home her older sister Jane is ‘Miss Bennet’ and so today, even a gentleman may call her by her given name.”

  Darcy blushed under his young sister’s smiling gaze but rather than tease, she merely leaned in and returned his hug as they passed through Meryton.

  ++**++

  “And when you read the classics, had you mastered Latin?” Mr. Bennet asked his young visitor.

  “Indeed sir. My professor Daniel Carson demanded we read in Latin and translate into English line by line.”

  “Bah, the line translations ruin the work,” Mr. Bennet said to dismiss the notion of reading a work of literature one line at a time. “I knew Carson in school and he never appreciated any book as a whole. He dissected Shakespeare to the point the letters fell off the
page.”

  Darcy laughed and asked Mr. Bennet for his impressions of Mr. Johnson’s writings while Elizabeth and Georgiana began a discussion of Macbeth that soon pulled in Mr. Bennet and Mr. Darcy.”

  “Macbeth is a political play,” Mr. Darcy said as Mr. Bennet nodded in agreement.

  Elizabeth argued, “I cannot believe that the play was written to curry favour with King James.”

  “It was a very different time then,” Darcy responded. “The king’s power was almost unfettered and men could be imprisoned for their writings or religious beliefs.”

  “It took civil war and revolution to begin the ascension of Parliament over the crown,” Mr. Bennet added. “My direct ancestor, Captain Malcolm Bennet received this estate from the hand of Charles II for services during the restoration.”

  He glanced at Darcy and asked, “You say your estate is named Pemberley. How long has your family held the land?”

  “The d’Arcy family came over with the Conqueror, served in the crusades and held different estates. We received the lands around Pemberley from the hand of Henry VII in 1497. It was my grandfather who built the current house about sixty years ago.”

  “And what are your ambitions, sir?” Mr. Bennet asked, noticing Elizabeth’s face when he asked his question. “Do you intend to live on your lands?”

  Darcy considered his answer carefully. “I want to help build Great Britain. Once the French are settled with, I must do my best to leave the kingdom stronger for my children and grandchildren.”

  ++**++

  Just as the tea was finished, Georgiana sat up and said, “Forgive me, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Gardiner but I must speak with my brother.”

  Pulling Mr. Darcy to the door, Georgiana whispered into his ear and he nodded before stepping into the hall.

  “Where has Mr. Darcy gone in such a hurry?” Mrs. Gardiner asked.

  Georgiana smiled, “I had forgotten that we brought gifts.”

  “Oh Miss Darcy, that is not necessary,” Mrs. Gardiner replied but she joined in the delight when Mr. Darcy and his footman carried in a large box that held sacks of candies, oranges and a few wrapped gifts.

  “Where are your children?” Mr. Darcy asked Mrs. Gardiner. “My sister picked out gifts for your daughter and babe, while I selected a book of tales from Sherwood Forest for young Edward.”

  Georgiana had sheet music for Mary, a pretty box for Jane to use for jewellery, and a similar gift for the missing sister. For Elizabeth, Georgiana had a pair of books with the plays of William Shakespeare and a new novel by an author her brother allowed her to read.

  “Oh Georgiana, thank you,” Elizabeth replied. “But I have nothing for you today. I sent my gift in the post the other day.”

  “Your company today is the best Christmas gift I could receive,” Georgiana replied. “And I was happy to conspire with my brother to arrange this visit.”

  “Your brother?”

  Nodding her head, Georgiana whispered, “He spoke to your Uncle claiming that he worried that my spirits would need to be lifted and this surprise would please both me and you. But I believe he wanted to see you as much as I did.”

  Elizabeth caught Mr. Darcy’s eyes just as Georgiana confessed her brother’s role and her smile triggered his own with a wink that left her blushing once again.

  Mr. Bennet caught his brother and sister’s eyes at different points during the visit but they both smiled serenely and confidently in return at each of his glances so he sighed and played the role of host and father.

  Young Edward and Emily were summoned to receive candies and oranges, and the book for Edward and a doll for Emily. Georgiana had included a smaller doll of the baby and she was pleased by the gratitude of the children to be remembered.

  When time for the tea to end came about, and the guests were bundled up to return to their carriage, Mrs. Hill provided heated bricks for the well of the carriage and a basket with biscuits and tarts to last them until supper at an inn hours later along their road.

  “We shall write this winter,” Mary assured Georgiana. “Elizabeth and I will master these new pieces before spring and when next we meet; we will have that concert you mentioned.”

  “Miss Darcy, will you allow me to escort you to your coach?” asked Mr. Bennet in his most charming manner. Smiling with delight to be noticed by her friend’s father, Georgiana replied and took Mr. Bennet’s arm.

  “Lizzy, why don’t you walk out to the carriage with Mr. Darcy so his arm is not bare this afternoon?”

  Glancing only at Mr. Darcy who smiled and offered his arm, Elizabeth took it and followed her father and Georgiana out into the cold.

  “Your family has been most welcoming this afternoon, Miss Elizabeth. I believe I can enjoy the rest of Christmas just remembering today.”

  “Your visit is a Christmas gift I shall cherish, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth replied.

  After handing Georgiana into the carriage, Mr. Bennet turned to Mr. Darcy and said, “You have very good horses sir. I believe you can make Shrewsbury Inn in Buckinghamshire before dark with that team. Our weather has been dry and the roads hereabout are passable for this time of year.”

  “Thank you Mr. Bennet,” Darcy replied before he turned to Elizabeth and took her hand. Glancing once at Mr. Bennet who smiled and nodded with permission, Mr. Darcy brought Elizabeth’s hand to his lips for a moment. “I hope to see you in town in the spring, Miss Elizabeth. Please write to my sister as often as you wish.”

  Mr. Bennet took his daughter’s hand and placed it on his arm as they stood and watched the gentleman climb into the carriage. Then the coachman set the horses in motion and when the coach reached the road to turn north, Mr. Bennet turned his daughter around and led her back into the house.

  “Well Lizzy, shall I place your hand on his arm in a more permanent fashion next year?” Mr. Bennet whispered to his daughter who smiled but did not speak. “Nonetheless, let us not tell your mother too much. She would bankrupt Longbourn with lace and material for a thousand gowns.”

  “Yes, Papa,” Elizabeth agreed though her eyes were still seeing Mr. Darcy’s face.

  ++**++

  In the carriage, Georgiana snuggled close to her brother for warmth.

  “Thank you, William.”

  “For what are you thanking me, my dear?”

  “For allowing me to wish Happy Christmas to my friend.”

  “It was no great effort,” he replied, a smile on his face. “And I was glad to wish the Gardiners Happy Christmas and to meet Miss Elizabeth’s father and sisters.”

  “I like Miss Elizabeth a great deal,” Georgiana said in a tone that would not brook argument. When her brother did not respond in any manner, the sister prodded his side. “Do you not think it very fortunate that your sister enjoys the company of Miss Elizabeth and can keep you apprised of all her comings and goings this winter?”

  “Where is my shy, respectful sister?” Darcy asked with a severe mask on his face that slid away in mirth as the good feelings from the afternoon filled his heart.

  Laughing Georgiana answered, “Miss Elizabeth has taught me to speak up.”

  ++**++

  Following the departure of their guests, Mr. Bennet gathered Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Jane, Elizabeth and Mary in the parlour.

  “Well, girls your Mamma will certainly regret missing this visit. What shall we tell her?”

  “There is nothing of a particular nature to tell, Papa,” Elizabeth replied shyly. “My good friend Georgiana Darcy stopped to call on her way north for Christmas with her family.”

  Mr. Bennet laughed. “Miss Darcy? I believe it was her tall, handsome brother who desired this call to meet your family.”

  Mr. Gardiner looked at his wife, “And my dear wife who suggested that Mrs. Bennet take Kitty to call on Mrs. Phillips to show off the new bonnets and gowns we brought them for Christmas.”

  “And it was Mr. Gardiner who convinced Mr. Collins that his place was with his parishioners in Hunsford and shared with him th
e best places to change coaches in crossing London,” Mrs. Gardiner added.

  Mr. Bennet laughed. “I did not see this plotting around me. Mrs. Bennet has met her match, Mrs. Gardiner.”

  ++**++

  “Lizzy, where did this fruit come from?” asked Mrs. Bennet late in the afternoon. She had arrived home an hour earlier and spent the time telling Mrs. Gardiner how Mrs. Phillips admired the gowns and bonnets before noticing that the curtains in the parlour were thrown open and the chairs were not in the desired arrangement.

  “My friend Georgiana Darcy stopped at Longbourn to refresh herself on her journey north for Christmas and she brought the fruit as well as gifts for my cousins and my sisters.”

  “She must be very rich to purchase gifts for so many people,” Mrs. Bennet observed.

  Mrs. Gardiner joined the conversation at that point, “I would say that the Darcy family is comfortable – Mr. Gardiner does a great deal of trade with Mr. Darcy.”

  “Do you refer to her father?” Mrs. Bennet asked innocently while examining the pretty boxes that Jane and Kitty each received.

  “Sister,” Mrs. Gardiner gently admonished. “Mr. Darcy is a pleasant enough young man though he can glower most effectively when he needs.”

  “But is he single and in possession of a fortune?” Mrs. Bennet insisted.

  At just that moment, Mr. Bennet walked into the parlour and demanded his wife’s attention.

  “Mrs. Bennet! I insist you come and read this letter from Mr. Collins. He has made demands of your dowry!”

  “My dowry, Mr. Bennet?”

  “Attend me in my library – we have much to discuss.”

  Elizabeth ignored her mother and father that the afternoon, thinking of Mr. Darcy – William – as Georgiana called her brother. He was very handsome and very kind with his family and good friends. She had seen his temper and his scowl aimed at others and wondered how she would feel if his temper were turned against herself someday.

  But most of all, she remembered his kiss on her hand and how it made her feel. ‘I wonder what his kisses are like... what it would feel like if he kissed my mouth?’