Page 39 of A Rational Man (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

A unt Beatrice arrived as she had promised. Mrs. Hurst showed her to an elegant room in the family wing, and told her that she had but to ask for anything she might require, and it would be provided at once.

“You are serving as mistress here, Louisa? Good, good. I could not imagine Caroline doing so.”

Mrs. Hurst bit her lip, but could not help asking. “Why is that, Aunt?”

“Why, she thinks of no one’s comfort but her own! No need to look sour, Louisa, you know it is true.”

Mrs. Hurst could not think of anything to say that was both kind and true, so she simply said, “Tea will be ready downstairs in twenty minutes’ time; does that suit you?”

“Quite well, thank you.”

Mrs. Armstrong came downstairs in exactly twenty minutes and was given the prized seat nearest the fire. She enquired after everyone’s health, thanked her nephew heartily for the invitation, and then peered around the room in some puzzlement. “I do not see Caroline. Is she not well?”

“She is – she is not feeling quite the thing, Aunt, and thought it better should she see you again when she is more herself.”

That subterfuge was used for the remainder of that day and the start of the next day, but by the next afternoon, Mrs. Armstrong demanded to know just what was going on. For, she added, “I may be old, but I have never been, nor am I now, particularly stupid.”

The whole thing then had to be explained to her – Caroline’s rudeness, Mr. Bennet’s ultimatum, Caroline’s tantrum that resulted in her voluntarily confining herself to her room.

Mrs. Armstrong listened in silence. At the end of the tale, she shook her head and said, “So that is why I was invited here for the holidays, is it? To take her to Scarborough with me?”

She pursed her lips as Mr. Bingley, stammering, sought to explain that no, he had very much wanted to see his aunt.

When he fell silent, she pursed her lips and said, “For the sake of family harmony, I will accept your explanation. But why on earth would I invite this – this harridan! – into my peaceful establishment?”

For this, Mr. Bingley had a ready answer, one which had come to him late one night after more than on brandy. “I am aware, dear Aunt, that your husband left you in somewhat straitened circumstances. Caroline would, of course, contribute to your household expenses.”

Everyone in the household held their breath, waiting to see if Mrs. Armstrong would take this monetary bait.

After a long minute, she began to laugh, saying, “Well, Charles, I see that you are not particularly stupid either. For you have hit upon the one thing that would tempt me to accept your proposal! I have turned down your generous offers of charity in the past, as you know, but this would not be not charity, as that money would be well-earned as well as hard-earned. Now tell me how you propose to get her to accept her new situation? Or do you plan to simply tie her up and toss her into my carriage when I depart?”

Mr. Bingley, to whom this comment had been addressed, looked abashed. “I hardly know, Aunt. In truth, she may refuse to go, in which case she will have to go to London and live on her own.”

Mrs. Armstrong shook her head. “That will not look good, Charles, particularly if you open Bingley House when you next visit Town and she is not part of your household. No, far better that she should come to Scarborough, though it will not be entirely pleasant for either Caroline or myself. Does she know that I am here?”

Mrs. Hurst answered, “She does, yes. She summons me to her room periodically to tell me how dreadful her situation is; then she asks for the news of the household.”

“You do not succumb to her importuning, I hope?”

Mr. Hurst said, quickly, “She does not, for I accompany her on these visits.”

Mrs. Hurst coloured and looked down. “My husband is right to do so, as I do not seem to have a good deal of ability to withstand my sister’s demands.”

Mrs. Armstrong sniffed. “I will not have that difficulty, I assure you. Let us turn to happier subjects – it is Christmas-time, after all! – when am I to meet your bride?”

“We shall dine with her family on Christmas day, but I had every intention of calling on her today. Shall you join me?”

Mrs. Hurst immediately asked to be present as well, admitting, with a red face, that she had not yet paid Miss Bennet the courtesy of welcoming her to the family. Her admission won her a stare of amazement from her aunt, who shook her head over the “dreadful behaviour” of her nieces.

***

“Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Hurst, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Hurst,” Mr. Hill announced.

Mrs. Bennet, Jane and Elizabeth were sitting in the parlour.

They exchanged quick, surprised glances; Mrs. Armstrong must be the aunt from Scarborough!

They rose and curtsied politely as the visitors came in.

Mr. Bingley introduced his aunt, and enquiries as to her journey, her health, and so on, were asked and answered.

Mrs. Armstrong had settled herself beside Jane, and made it her business to become acquainted with the young lady who would soon become her niece.

Jane did her best to meet the older lady’s frank questions with equally frank answers, though she was put to the blush more than once.

Finally, the lady said, “I understand that you will not marry my nephew unless Caroline is domiciled elsewhere; is that right?”

Jane hardly knew where to look; Elizabeth sitting on Jane’s other side, had heard the entire conversation and knew that her sister was at a loss for a reply.

She took it upon herself to lean forward and say, “Ma’am, my sister is too good and kind to answer you honestly; it was actually our father who laid this restriction on Mr. Bingley, but we all applauded his action.

Miss Bingley has been unwelcoming to my sister – indeed, to my entire family!

– and we heard a good deal about how her presence had altered her older sister’s character.

Our father would not countenance Jane putting herself into a situation in which she would not be happy. ”

Mrs. Armstrong nodded. “I applaud his decision.”

Jane now was able to respond, “Thank you, ma’am. That is gracious of you.”

“I have known Caroline all her life,” Mrs. Armstrong responded. “She has ever had an inflated opinion of herself, and thereby has felt entitled to think meanly of others.”

“So you will take her to Scarborough with you?”

“That is the idea, though I have no notion as to how we shall accomplish it.”

Mrs. Hurst now rose and crossed the room to Jane. “Miss Bennet, might I steal you away from my aunt for a few minutes? Perhaps a brief stroll in the garden?”

“There is not much to see in the garden just now,” Jane replied, smiling kindly. “But I would be pleased to walk with you.”

Once the two ladies were out of doors, Mrs. Hurst turned to Jane.

“I must apologise, Miss Bennet, most heartily. I have been bullied by my sister since we were children, and it has been my habit to follow her lead even when I was certain she was in error. As a result, I have been rude and inattentive to you, and I was wrong to do so. Please believe me when I say that I am delighted that you are joining our family, and will do everything in my power to make you happy with us. Please say that you forgive me!”

It would be impossible for a creature as gentle as Jane Bennet to resist such a plea; she was happy to forgive and forget. The two ladies returned to the parlour, arm-in-arm, discussing details of Jane’s wedding.