by M-C Ranger
‘I am in full agreement. But that is not what I wanted to talk to you about. In fact, I need your advice.’
‘I am all ears,’ teased Elizabeth.
‘I am a bit angry at our mother,’ Jane began, her eyes on her work. ‘It’s not that I wish to criticise her for her actions and mannerisms, but at times…’
‘Oh Jane!’ interrupted her sister, ‘do not excuse yourself. We know all too well what is at issue when it comes to Mother. Come, tell me instead what irks you.’
Jane smiled at her; everything was always easy with Elizabeth. And then she reached into her embroidery basket and withdrew her anthology, opened it, and gave her sister the folded piece of paper that was inserted within its pages.
‘First, read this letter. I shall explain to you afterwards what it is that is troubling me.’
Elizabeth took the letter. The slightly scented quality letter paper intrigued her. She read:
Netherfield Park, the 15thof November 1810
Dear friend,
If you do not indulge me by coming to dine with the Elliot ladies, Louisa, and myself today, we are at risk of quarrelling for the rest of our days; you will thus avoid insipid gossip and internal disputes. Come as soon as you have received this missive. My brother and his friends shall be dining with the officers.
Most sincerely,
Caroline Bingley
She smiled maliciously and returned the letter to Jane. She was not mistaken about this dear Miss Bingley; the style and tone of the message confirmed the opinion she had made as soon as she had met the new neighbour’s sisters.
‘I suppose that you would like my opinion regarding this letter. Well, the tone seems rather affected…’
On seeing the look of dismay on Jane’s face, Elizabeth made her suggestions somewhat more nuanced. She had no wish to alarm her sister; on the contrary, it was clear that she had to accept the invitation. It was the only way to enter into the circle of acquaintances of the new tenant of Netherfield.
‘Jane, I was exaggerating. This invitation is a fine one, and I encourage you to accept it; to refuse would probably greatly trouble one of the residents, don’t you think?’
Jane blushed in response to the allusions made by her sister, but she did not feel she should hide the interest she had in the young man from her sister.
‘This calls for some reflection,’ she said, smiling.
‘Well, do me a favour and make your reflections quick!’
Then, in a more serious tone, Jane added, ‘What bothers me is the reaction of our mother when she read the letter.’
‘Pardon me? Mother read it?’
Jane lowered her head, troubled at having to disclose the lack of tact exhibited by Mrs. Bennet. Mrs. Hill delivered the letter directly to Jane, but when her mother saw that it was from Netherfield Park, she did not even give Jane a chance to read it.
‘Do you mean to say that Mother practically tore the letter from your hands?!’
‘She justified her actions by explaining to me that it was important, that it had to do with my future. Oh, Lizzy! Sometimes I find all this lack of restraint discouraging. And yet you know how much I love our family!’
‘Jane, there is no need for you to feel badly, I understand completely, believe me! And you accepted, did you not?’
‘Yes, but our mother decided that I should go there on horseback.’
‘On horseback?! Come, Jane, this is ridiculous. After all, it will soon be raining.’
‘Exactly therein lies the problem.’
‘Do you mean to say that Father did not offer you the use of the carriage?’
‘Mother stopped him and he preferred to comply, rather than contradict her. She added that it was very well thus; the rain would oblige me to spend the night in Netherfield.’
‘No! How is it that we have a mother such as this?!’ cried Elizabeth, angered by such audacity.
‘Shush! Lizzy, I have no wish to create conflict in our home. There is already enough with Kitty and Lydia. But good lord, how much I would prefer that our mother meddle herself less in our future!’
‘And that is an understatement! But Jane, are you not looking forward to this invitation? Besides, Miss Elliot and her sister Anne shall also be there. The more I think about it, the more I tell myself that Miss Bingley has ceded to the insistence of her charming brother.’
‘Come, Lizzy, you only wish to tease me so that I might blush!’
‘And I see I am succeeding wonderfully, my dearest Jane, wonderfully!’ Elizabeth said, laughing.
*****
And so Jane Bennet left Longbourn on her steed, following one of the paths that skirted the estate to make her way to Netherfield Park. She was both upset with the way in which she had to get there, and happy to be held in esteem by such distinguished young ladies. She struggled to banish from her mind the fact that two of these women had a brother of whom she was growing increasingly fond. But was it not simple pretention on her part to think that a young man such as Charles Bingley could truly be interested in a young lady from the country? Her thoughts were interrupted by a clap of thunder, immediately followed by a heavy downpour, and she was only halfway there.
‘How wretched! How can I possibly present myself in a state such as this? What will they think of me?’ Jane asked herself unhappily, attempting to wipe away the rain pouring down her face with her gloved hand.
At last, she was able to see the residence through the curtain of rain. With relief, she saw one of the servants rush to help her dismount. Her clothing soaked through and through, she had barely reached the stairs leading to the entrance when she was overcome by a wave of shivering. She was almost in tears when she presented herself to her hostesses.
If any of the ladies surmised the manoeuvre Mrs. Bennet was responsible for, they did not show it, and poor Jane was warmly welcomed, particularly by Miss Anne, who noticed her distress.
*****
The rain could still be heard hitting the window panes when Mrs. Bennet, seeing the message that Jane had sent to Longbourn through her younger sister, interrupted her daughter’s thoughts, saying, ‘Lizzy, don’t concern yourself with such a trifling matter, your sister has caught a cold and she will soon recover. It will just be a matter of days. Trust my years of experience!’
Elizabeth preferred not to answer. In any case, what could she say in response to a mother who was capable of schemes such as this in the interests of advancing her daughter! And Caroline Bingley had most likely been quick to bring this maternal strategy to light. The mere thought made her shiver. But to abandon poor Jane to this nest of vipers – the longer she thought about it, the less she felt she could allow such a thing occur. She unfolded the letter and reread it:
… do not worry about me; my migraine, my sore throat and my fever are doubtless temporary. I shall return as soon as possible…
‘I’ve decided. I shall go to Netherfield Park to see how Jane is feeling,’ Elizabeth stated firmly, on coming into the dining room, where the rest of the family had already sat down to a meal.
‘Lizzy, you have absolutely no business there!’ Mrs. Bennet exclaimed indignantly. ‘I am certain that our Jane is receiving the most attentive care. Besides, it is raining and your father cannot hitch up the carriage for you.’
‘No, my dear, you are mistaken,’ her husband interrupted curtly, ‘do not have me say something I did not. This carriage could have been used yesterday, and it can also be used today.’
‘How contrarian you can be at times! It will be of no benefit to your second daughter to present herself at Netherfield without having received an invitation.’
‘Mrs. Bennet, please know that certain people with whom you are acquainted are able to act without having an ulterior motive as to how their actions can be “beneficial”, as you so clearly state. Lizzy, my child,’ continued Mr. Bennet, turning towards his daughter, ‘I can make the carriage available to you.’
‘We can take advantage of this to get to Meryton,�
�� suggested Lydia, stealing a complicit glance at her sister.
‘It’s true, Lizzy, use the carriage and we shall accompany you part of the way,’ said Kitty. ‘We can go see if Catherine would like to join us on a walk.’
‘And we may chance upon a few officers. It seems that a final party of Colonel Forster’s regiment has just arrived!’
Mrs. Bennet smiled indulgently at her two youngest daughters while her husband took no pains to emphatically declare that he had the misfortune of having the two most foolish girls of all of Hertfordshire under his roof.
‘Father, you are most kind,’ said Elizabeth, giving him a reassuring smile, ‘but since it has stopped raining, I shall go on foot and …’
‘On foot! Come, Lizzy, what a silly idea! It is more than three miles,’ interjected Mrs. Bennet.
‘Mother, I have made up my mind and I shall be leaving right now. This way I shall be back before day’s end.’
‘Come, Kitty, let us get ready too!’ Lydia exclaimed, jumping from her chair.
Mr. Bennet returned Elizabeth’s smile and then looked skyward, sighing. All that was missing was the sound of Mary emphatically hammering out some chords on the pianoforte to cause him to rush back to the refuge of his precious library. Indeed, he reached it just before Mary began attacking one of Clementi’s sonatas.
The walk did Elizabeth a great deal of good, as she always found it difficult to remain confined indoors for longer periods. Living with a mother such as Mrs. Bennet had caused her to develop a keen interest in nature and long walks. She was therefore surprised when the rooftops of Netherfield Park came into view before she even felt the least bit tired. However, she was less surprised when she saw the state of her boots and her petticoats, which were caked in mud. The paths were full of ruts and the fields were still very wet, what else was to be expected? She attempted, unsuccessfully, to put back in place several strands of hair, unruly in the wind. She dropped her hands in resignation; her attempt at making herself more presentable had been in vain. The thought brought a smile to her lips, as she was already picturing the look of horror on the faces of the ladies of the house, for whom appearance was paramount. Then her thoughts turned to Jane, and everything else lost its importance.
In the semi-darkness of the bedroom, Elizabeth leaned over the bed and, using a cool cloth,wiped her sister’s forehead, which was bathed in sweat. Gratefully, Jane gently squeezed her arm.
‘My dearest Jane, I know that you wished for me to come, but that you did not dare ask in your letter. How can our mother show so little sensibility? I am absolutely mortified.’
Jane’s eyes shone a little brighter; it was most likely due to the fever, but Elizabeth understood that her older sister shared her sense of humiliation. She, so discrete, had become the centre of attention in the household; she was causing everyone so much trouble. These thoughts were not the least bit conducive to her recovery, but when she saw her dearest sister at her bedside, she began to relax. She must have dozed off for a short time, because when she awoke, she heard the voice of Anne Elliot, who had come to inquire as to her state of health. To assure her visitor, she endeavoured to turn her head and smile slightly.
‘Miss Bennet, I hope I did not wake you? I have come to check on your condition. You appeared to be in such ill health yesterday that I took the liberty to come and disturb you. Please excuse me.’
‘You are truly kind, Miss Anne, to come to my sister’s bedside. All I can tell you is that her fever and her migraine do not really appear to be improving. Perhaps things will be better at the end of the day.’
‘I must admit that I am not alone in my concerns. Mr. Bingley, who was not entirely satisfied with the responses given by his sisters with regard to Miss Bennet’s condition, took me aside and discretely asked me to come see her and to truthfully tell him how things are.’
Then, turning to Jane and addressing her warmly, she added, ‘I can truly understand your discomfiture at finding yourself ailing so far from home, but rest assured that Mr. Bingley is a very attentive host.’
‘Miss Anne,’ Jane replied, swallowing with difficulty, ‘I am deeply touched by your kindness. I am sure I shall get well soon, do not worry yourself.’
Elizabeth, happy to see that inquiries made into her sister’s health were so affectionate, smiled tenderly at her sister while covering her back up. Jane continued, her voice faltering, ‘Could you please tell Mr. Bingley that I am most appreciative of his solicitude regarding my health and that I hope I am not causing him too much trouble.’
Exhausted from the effort, she closed her eyes. The two young women left her bedside to allow her to rest. They conversed for a few minutes, and then Anne Elliot left the room, after recommending that Elizabeth present herself to the drawing room so as to be the one to deliver the news regarding Jane’s health to Mr. Bingley. It might be necessary to call an apothecary if Jane were still so feverish come evening. Elizabeth could only agree with this suggestion, relieved to have found such a sincere ally in this young woman. The alliance would sadly only be a brief one, as the Elliot sisters were to return to Kellynch Hall the next day.
*****
‘Anne,’ Elizabeth said sharply, drawing her gaze away from the countryside rolling past them, ‘you should not have mentioned that we have financial problems, you have caused us embarrassment.’
‘Come, Eliza,’ her sister said, in an attempt to placate her, ‘I did not go into great detail, I only hinted at it, in order to explain why we were leaving for Bath…’
‘No, you do not understand,’ her older sister said impatiently, cutting her short. ‘The thought that this might reach the ears of their brother did not occur to you. I would like to point out that he would be a suitable match, despite the source of his fortune.’
‘It’s rather obvious that Mr. Bingley’s attentions are directed at an entirely different person.’
‘This alliance shall never be, believe me!’
‘And what causes you to say that?’
‘Caroline shall make sure of that. I know of this from a reliable source. Miss Bennet, in case you did not know, does not have a fortune, and has very few relations. She can truly not aspire to a marriage such as this.’
‘Mr. Bingley, however, appears to be deeply smitten. Can one not hope, in this day, to marry for love?’ inquired Anne, lowering her voice as though she were talking only to herself.
‘Come now, I hope you are not still thinking about this frigate’s captain? What was his name, again? Indeed, this is no longer of any importance. Fortunately, everything was settled years ago. Perhaps you should have accepted Charles Musgrove’s proposal, and then you would have well and truly forgotten this captain what’s-his-name!’
‘Eliza, I forbid you to speak to me in this way! You will never understand, so do not make judgements,’ retorted Anne, her eyes brimming with tears.
‘After all, dear sister, you are the one to have followed the advice of Lady Russell. So have mercy, and do not lecture me,’ Elizabeth Elliot exclaimed, exasperated.
The carriage was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Anne picked up her book again, so that her sister would not see the degree to which she was affected by her sister’s comments regarding her unfortunate story of love. It had almost been seven years…
‘You could at least have kept quiet in front of Caroline and her sister,’ continued Miss Elliot, ‘because Mr. Bingley means nothing to me. However, his friend, Mr. Darcy, could be a very compelling match. Naturally, I shall have to ignore the interests of Caroline Bingley.’
‘Eliza, how can you dream of treating your friend Miss Bingley in such a way, after she so kindly welcomed us into her family?’ asked Anne, taken aback by the statements made by her older sister.
‘In my opinion, as the daughter of a baronet, I have a bigger chance than she,’ continued Miss Elliot, ignoring her sister’s interruption. ‘Admittedly, he is haughty and austere, but what are minor flaws such as this when one considers his fortune
, his estate, his London residence… Yes, he would be the perfect match.’
‘You are correct, a perfect match, nevertheless…,’ said Anne Elliot, ambiguously.
‘What is it that you are trying to imply?’
But her younger sister had reimmersed herself in the poetry of Coleridge. As it was clear that Miss Elliot had seriously lacked any tact in the conversation that had just taken place, she was under no illusion as to what her sister might have replied; she felt slightly resentful. Anne could be so vexatious.
*****
It wasn’t until the end of the third day, several hours after the visit from Mr. Jones, the apothecary, that Jane’s fever dropped and she began to feel better. She was at last able to take in a clear broth. Elizabeth, to distract her, told her about what had happened since she had arrived to take care of her.
‘First of all, I must tell you that I made an entrance that caused tongues to wag.’
‘How so?’ asked Jane, curious.
‘Imagine, I had just traversed the three miles between Longbourn and Netherfield Park on foot, through the mud, as you can surmise, after the rainstorm that you had to brave. In short, my petticoats were covered in mud, at least the bottom six inches, and one could have sworn that I had not coiffed myself at all, as the wind had wreaked such havoc on my hair. Imagine, I presented myself, without prior warning, at the hour when our hosts were in the dining room. How I would have loved for you to see the look on the faces of these ladies. Who would have thought they could open their eyes so widely! I believe that my behaviour shocked more than one person – more than one lady, to be precise.’
‘You are unbelievable! I can picture it perfectly. This wouldn’t be the first time for you to return from a walk, your petticoats and the bottom of your dress completely soiled!’
‘It’s true, but in this case, I was not at home, facing one of our sisters or our father, believe me! I made an extremely poor impression, but I care not – I came here to see you. Deep down inside, I knew I was arriving in enemy territory.’