Page 30 of Brighton Rescue (Pride and Prejudice Variation #23)
“Mr. Bingley!” Sir William Lucas enthused, surging forward with his hand held out. “Well, this is an unexpected pleasure! I had no idea that you had returned to Netherfield, sir!”
“I arrived only this morning, Sir William,” Bingley explained, shaking the man’s hand. “My housekeeper told me that there was an assembly in Meryton tonight, and I could only rejoice at the opportunity to renew my acquaintance with many of my old neighbors.”
“Oh, Mr. Bingley,” Lady Lucas exclaimed, bustling up with her daughter Maria. “Oh, how delightful to see you again!”
“Mr. Bingley returned only this morning,” her husband informed her jovially. “We are very pleased to see you, sir, very pleased indeed!”
“I am delighted to be here,” Bingley said and turned to Maria. “Miss Lucas, might I have this dance?”
“Thank you, sir,” Maria responded shyly. Together, the couple walked out onto the dance floor, causing Lady Lucas to squeal in delight. “Sir William, how wonderful that Mr. Bingley has returned, and at such an opportune time!”
“In what way is it particularly opportune? ”
“Why, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth are away, and I heard from Mrs. Long that Miss Lydia, while she has returned from Brighton, is unwell. I daresay we will have only Miss Mary and Miss Kitty in attendance tonight, and they may not come at all if there is illness at Longbourn. What a fine thing for Maria! Oh, if she could capture Mr. Bingley, I would have nothing more to wish for!”
Her husband, while he might deprecate his lady’s strident tones, could not but be struck with the truth of her words.
“Why, you are entirely correct, my dear, we are fortunate indeed! I believe our Maria is the prettiest woman in attendance right now, and Mr. Bingley has long had an eye for handsome ladies.”
Fifteen minutes later, a thoroughly ruffled Mrs. Bennet hurried into the assembly with an unhappy Mary trailing behind her.
Lady Lucas, rendered enthusiastic at the sight of only one Bennet daughter, and the plainest one at that, hurried up to her friend and rival and inquired, “How are you, Mrs. Bennet and Miss Mary?”
“We would be better if we had arrived on time,” Mrs. Bennet said irritably. “Lydia insisted on curling Mary’s hair and it took a very long time.”
By this time, Lady Lucas had assimilated the appearance of Miss Mary, and felt her heart sink. The girl might not be as beautiful as her sisters, but she actually looked remarkably attractive. “Mary, is that a new dress? ”
“Er, yes, that is,” Mary began nervously.
“Yes it is,” Mrs. Bennet finished, “and Lydia is correct, the color does bring out the blue in Mary’s eyes. Indeed, she looks quite well. Is Mr. Porter here, Lady Lucas?”
“Mr. Porter? No, he is not, but Mr. Bingley is!”
“Mr. Bingley? Oh, Lady Lucas, you must be teasing ... oh, Mary, oh, it is Mr. Bingley! What dreadful luck that Jane is in Brighton! How long has Mr. Bingley been back at Netherfield, do you know?”
“He only arrived this morning and rushed here immediately this evening to spend time with his old acquaintances. It is such a pity that four of your girls are not here tonight, Mrs. Bennet.”
“It is,” Mrs. Bennet agreed mournfully and said, “Now Mary, if Mr. Bingley asks you to dance, be certain to tell him that Jane is in Brighton but will be home soon. Oh, your father must recall her at once! I do not care if Lizzy is being courted by a thousand gentlemen, Jane must return!”
Mary, caught between embarrassment and confusion, was entirely taken aback when Mr. Bingley and Maria appeared at her elbow.
“Oh Mary!” Maria gushed enthusiastically. “How well you look tonight. ”
“Thank you,” Mary said uncomfortably.
“Miss Mary, might I have the honor of the dance after this one?” Mr. Bingley asked genially.
“Of course, Mr. Bingley.”
/
The sun had crept behind the distant horizon and the first evening stars were shining in the night sky.
The windows of the drawing room at Hartford House were open, and Lady Amelia, leaning back in her favorite chair, enjoyed the chirping of crickets, the croaking of frogs, and the scent of roses riding inside on the cool evening breezes.
Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth had, as usual, taken their places near one another at one end of the room; on the other end, Gabriel was paying court to Miss Bennet.
Lady Amelia herself was without a conversational partner, as Colonel Fitzwilliam had gone out this evening to consult with the military authorities regarding the execution of George Wickham.
She did not mind; she was grateful that she had been able to assist in rescuing Lydia Bennet and was thoroughly enjoying the romances playing out before her interested eyes, but she was tired.
All of this dashing to and fro was quite outside her usual experience !
“Miss Bennet?” Gabriel asked softly, his eyes fixed on the lady’s winsome countenance.
“Yes?”
“We have spent a few days together now. I wished to say that ... that if any time you wish to discontinue our courtship, you need only to speak. I mean, I would not wish to opportune you.”
“Mr. Hartford,” Jane said firmly. “I am thoroughly enjoying our courtship, I promise you.”
/
“It is delightful to see you again, Miss Bennet,” Mr. Bingley said, moving gracefully down the line of dancers across from his partner.
“Thank you, Mr. Bingley,” Mary returned uncomfortably.
She was not used to being asked to dance, and especially not by a truly eligible gentleman.
Of course, her more handsome sisters were not present tonight, and Mr. Bingley had been pursuing Jane last autumn.
He probably wished to hear about that Bennet sister.
“My sisters Jane and Elizabeth are visiting friends in Brighton,” Mary volunteered .
“I know they are,” Bingley responded, keeping his smile firmly in place. “I was in Brighton only two days ago, and I met both Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth there.”
“Truly? I had no idea!”
To Mary’s relief, the movement of the dance separated them, and when they came back together, Bingley introduced a new topic of conversation.
“I regret that I have been absent from Netherfield for many months, but I intend to settle here until at least Christmas and will be working with my steward, Mr. Ayles, to ensure that the tenants are well.”
Mary said, “I know of one family that is not doing well, sir; the Audleys, who work one of the Netherfield tenant farms along the southern border of Longbourn, have had a wretched summer. Mr. Audley was kicked by a cow and broke his leg six weeks ago, and thus has been unable to do much work. His sons, who are fifteen and thirteen, are doing their best, but they are behind on the farm work, and it will be impossible for them to bring in all the harvest. Mrs. Audley is expecting another baby, which means she is not feeling entirely well either.”
Bingley gazed at his partner in surprise. “How do you know all this, Miss Mary?”
“I have visited them several times, sir, to bring them baskets of food. ”
“That is very kind of you.”
“It is my duty as a Christian.”
“Yes, of course,” Bingley responded, even as he mourned inwardly. While he had been carelessly amusing himself these last months, his neighbors had been forced to care for his own tenants. “Do you have a suggestion as to how we can assist the Audleys in bringing in their harvest?”
Mary smiled at this, and Bingley noted with some astonishment that the combination of a cheerful expression, a new hairstyle, and an attractive dress, had rendered the ‘plain’ Miss Bennet quite attractive.
“Money is always welcome, sir, and the Simpsons, who are our tenants, have been blessed with a family of strapping sons. I am confident that you could pay the Simpsons to assist the Audleys.”
“That sounds like an excellent plan, Miss Mary.”
/
“Elizabeth?” Darcy asked.
“Yes?” Elizabeth replied, squinting up into her beloved’s face. The couple was walking along the beach and while she relished the sound of waves, the smell of salt, and the sight of the unending deep, the sun was rather too bright in her eyes.
“Mr. Hartford and I spoke last night. I am eager to speak to your father and ask for his blessing on our engagement, and Hartford gave careful instructions to his steward and servants at Beehaven during our sojourn there; thus, he is able to follow us to Meryton to continue his courtship of your sister while his retainers oversee his estate.”
“Where will you stay?” Elizabeth asked worriedly.
“There is a decent inn in Meryton, I believe?”
“There is, but it seems a pity that you must stay at an inn. However, Netherfield is obviously not a possibility with Mr. Bingley not in residence – perhaps you could stay at Lucas Lodge.”
“Mr. Hartford and I are quite indifferent as to living arrangements, my love. Keep in mind that he is a former soldier and accustomed to living in tents on occasion, and I love you so much that I would gladly sleep in a ditch so long as I was near you.”
“The Pig in the Poke is far better than a ditch, my dearest love,” Elizabeth said with amusement, and then she turned to stare out over the open waters, which were rougher than usual.
“I relish returning home and beginning arrangements for our wedding, but I will miss the ocean. It is wild and free, immense and extraordinary.”
“I would be delighted to take you wherever you wish to go on our honeymoon, Elizabeth. There are many pleasant seaside towns.”
“Oh no, my darling, more than anything I wish to see Pemberley! Unless, that is, you would prefer to go somewhere else.”
Darcy looked down adoringly. “No, Elizabeth, I can think of nothing better than beginning our new life together at Pemberley.”
/
“I do hope you will find the Pig in the Poke comfortable, Mr. Hartford,” Jane fretted as she and Gabriel, chaperoned by Lady Amelia and Colonel Fitzwilliam, strolled along the brick pavement of Steyne Park.
Gabriel said, “Firstly, Miss Bennet, I would gladly sleep in a hovel with a leaking roof in order to continue our courtship. Secondly, I have lived in crude quarters as part of my military duties. I am certain that the colonel will agree with me that a pleasant English inn is heaven compared to some of the billets in Spain.”
“What did you say?” the colonel inquired, having lost track of the conversation.
Gabriel repeated himself patiently, and Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed. “Oh yes, Miss Bennet, I assure you that English inns are indeed paradise compared to a frozen tent on a battlefield. But come, I see Prinny on horseback and he is moving this way, so prepare yourself for an introduction.”
Jane flinched and looked anxiously down the green, noting the approach of a group of horsemen led by a corpulent gentleman of some fifty years. Lady Amelia placed a reassuring hand on her arm and guided her into a position which allowed the Prince and his retinue to pass by with ease.
Jane hoped that His Royal Highness, the Prince Regent of England, would merely ride by, but it was not to be. The Prince, having spied the party, halted his horse next to the group. The ladies curtseyed deeply to the de facto ruler of England while the gentlemen bowed appropriately.
The Prince waited for the formalities to be completed and then said jovially, “Mr. Hartford, Colonel Fitzwilliam, I did not know you gentlemen were acquainted! ”
“Our friendship is a new one, sir,” Fitzwilliam declared, “but most pleasant. I hope you are well, your Highness?”
“I am well indeed!” the man responded, his fleshy face brightening at the sight of Jane. “I know Lady Amelia, of course, but am not acquainted with your other companion. Will you not introduce me?”
“Of course,” the son of the earl said calmly. “Your Royal Highness, Miss Bennet of Hertfordshire.”
Jane curtseyed again deeply and when she stood up again, she observed with embarrassment that the Prince’s eyes were fixed intently on her face.
“Charming!” he declared. “Utterly charming. Lady Amelia, is Miss Bennet staying with you at Hartford House?”
“Yes, your Highness.”
“I will send an invitation along for a party at the Pavilion one of these days.”
“Thank you, your Highness.”
One of the prince’s courtiers murmured something softly into his liege’s ear, and the prince sighed. After a courteous nod to his subjects, he urged his horse onward. The entire retinue was soon far enough away that Jane could safely speak without being overheard .
“What does that mean?” she asked anxiously. “Must we wait in Brighton so that we can attend the Prince at the Pavilion?”
“No, my dear, there is no need,” Lady Amelia said with another reassuring pat of the girl’s arm.
“If he had ordered us to the Pavilion tonight or tomorrow night, we would have been required to go. But a vague invitation is of no concern. I do believe we should depart for Hertfordshire soon, however; the Prince has an eye for beautiful young ladies, and he may stir himself to send a more specific invitation soon.”