Page 6 of Five Gentlemen at Netherfield (Pride and Prejudice Variations)

Mary bit her lip, her eyes fixed on the fire, and said, “I am worried about Kitty and Lydia.”

Elizabeth frowned. “Why?”

Mary took a deep breath and turned her gaze toward her sister.

“Surely you saw how they acted last night at Lucas Lodge? They have long been boisterous and flirtatious, but they were, I believe, safe enough before the militia officers came to Meryton. The few young men among our neighbors will not take advantage of their recklessness. But we know nothing about the officers, Lizzy, nothing at all. Our younger sisters are very foolish and unaware of the schemes of men, and I fear … I fear they will ruin themselves and, by extension, us.”

Elizabeth considered Mary gravely. She had, of course, always loved her next younger sister, but Mary had long been overly serious as she labored over her accomplishments in a largely vain hope of winning her parents’ approval.

Mr. Bennet preferred Elizabeth over his other daughters, and he found Mary’s attempts at scholarship to be more amusing than inspiring.

And Mrs. Bennet, while she was vaguely pleased at Mary’s diligence in study, deemed beauty far more important than abilities, and Mary, while not ugly, was not as handsome as her sisters.

Everything had changed a few months previously when the family had learned that Mary was the recipient of a genuine fortune from their Aunt Amelia.

Now Mary’s position in the household was substantially different, as Mrs. Bennet assumed her third daughter would one day care for her after Longbourn was lost to a distant male cousin.

It occurred to Elizabeth that she had been silent too long, and she said, “I agree with you that Kitty and Lydia do not behave well in company and that the militia officers are a danger, but we can do nothing about it, after all. Father will not stir himself to check either of our younger sisters, and Mamma encourages them in their folly.”

“I was thinking,” Mary said, “that perhaps we could hire a governess using some of the interest from my money.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “Those are your funds and ought not to be used to pay for a governess. Indeed, I am confident my uncles would not permit you to use your money in such a way. It is our father’s responsibility, not yours.”

“If a governess would help keep us safe from scandal, I am convinced they would,” Mary said drily.

“Moreover, you know perfectly well that our father has saved nothing, and Mamma spends all that we have. I am the only one who can pay for a governess, and it would be well worth it if our sisters can be looked after more carefully and thus prevented from ruining the entire family.”

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair, her brow furrowed.

A governess would be useful for her sisters, but her mother would likely protest a need for such a woman, and her father was apathetic.

The only way to bring about such a change would be to think of a way to convince her father.

But perhaps Mr. Bennet would simply go along with such a scheme so long as he neither had to pay for it nor had to make appropriate arrangements.

“I will think about all this at greater length,” she promised.

“Thank you,” Mary replied gratefully.

***

Louisa’s Dressing Room

That Evening

Louisa Hurst stretched her feet toward the fire, relishing the comfort of her night attire and the pleasure of warmth on a chilly evening.

She was not enamored with living in the country, but she preferred wood fire to coal, even if the latter burned brighter and hotter.

Wood was cheerful and smelled pleasant, and Netherfield was blessed with plenty of logs for the fires of the manor.

There was a firm tap at the door, and she turned in surprise and called out, “Come in.”

The door to her dressing room opened to reveal her sister, still dressed in her evening gown. Louisa’s heart sank at the expression on Caroline’s face; the younger woman did not look happy, which boded ill for a peaceful hour before bed.

“Sit down, Caroline,” she suggested.

Caroline did so and sighed with pleasure at the heat emanating from the fireplace.

“Do you wish for a shawl?” Louisa asked, eyeing her sister’s bare shoulders with concern.

“I am well enough now that I am near the fire,” Caroline replied.

“You ought to wear a shawl to dinner,” Louisa said. “The dining room is drafty.”

Caroline shook her head, her smile smug. “I have no intention of hiding myself beneath a shawl, Louisa, not with such highborn men at my table.”

Louisa suppressed a sigh. She was a moderately ambitious woman and was pleased to have married a gentleman who was heir to a small estate in Leicestershire. She had never thought of reaching into the nobility itself, though, and she rather doubted that her sister would succeed.

However, there was no point in arguing with Caroline.

“You do look lovely in that dress,” she said, considering the ivory silk creation with care.

“I know,” Caroline said calmly. “But enough of that. We need to speak of Jane Bennet.”

“What about her?” Louisa asked.

The younger lady grimaced and said, “I fear that Charles is far too interested in her. He spoke of her a great deal at dinner tonight.”

Louisa shrugged. “It is not a tremendous surprise, Sister. He has always been attracted to blue-eyed blondes, and Miss Bennet is genuinely very handsome, along with being kind and well mannered.”

“Yes, and we do not want him to make her an offer of marriage.”

“I hardly think we need to worry about that, at least not yet,” Louisa said.

“Why not? She is, as you said, incredibly lovely, and she is also exactly the kind of woman who appeals to Charles in that she is cheerful and courteous. I am genuinely worried about it, Louisa. We must do something.”

Louisa did not think that the matter was one of great concern, but she found it easier to go along with Caroline most of the time.

“What do you suggest?” she asked warily.

Caroline leaned forward a little and said, “The first thing to do is to learn more about the Bennets and their vulgar relations, so that we can use that information to discourage Charles.”

“But surely if you do not wish for Charles to fall more in love with Miss Bennet, we should not bring them together deliberately?”

“No, of course we will not do that. The gentlemen of the house often have dinner with the officers and other gentlemen of this benighted place, and while they are away, we can invite the three older Bennet daughters to Netherfield, subtly interrogate them, and make sure they have returned to Longbourn before the gentlemen return home.”

Louisa nodded and said, “That sounds like a good idea.”

She spoke truthfully. Louisa did not want Jane Bennet to marry her brother, but Charles fell in and out of love quickly and thus she was not very worried.

A visit from the three older Bennet ladies, who were by far the best of a bad lot here in Meryton, would provide some pleasant conversation, and Louisa, who found Caroline a wearying companion on occasion, would doubtless enjoy it thoroughly.

***

Library

Longbourn

The Next Morning

The library smelled of leather and paper, wood and wood smoke, all familiar scents and deeply appreciated ones.

The volumes sitting around were as well-known to Bennet as the face in his looking glass and held much dearer.

The library was his favorite room in the entire world, his haven from the foolishness of his wife and daughters, his gateway to other lands, both real and imagined.

He enjoyed his time here, allowing only a select few visitors into his sanctum, which was carefully curated for his own comfort.

He was not feeling comfortable or happy at the moment. One common and welcome visitor was, in fact, being quite the irritant today.

“Your mother will not like it,” he said to his favorite daughter.

Elizabeth shrugged and said, “It does not matter, does it? You are the master of Longbourn, and the money to pay the governess will come from Mary’s fortune. If we tell Mother that Mary wishes for a governess to improve her own accomplishments, I do not think she will mind a great deal.”

Bennet lifted his right eyebrow. “But how will a governess be helpful in restraining Lydia and Kitty if she is merely intended to assist Mary?”

“I hope that we can find a lady who can assist Mary with her music, along with providing some direction and oversight for our younger sisters. Kitty, for example, is quite good at sketching but has never received training. As for Lydia, she really is gifted at decorating bonnets and adding lace to gowns. I hope a governess can encourage all of us to improve our abilities in such areas.”

Bennet considered and then nodded. “If you are willing to make the arrangements through your uncles, I do not mind at all.”

“Thank you, Father,” she replied, rising to her feet.

Bennet watched her depart and then turned his attention back to The Odyssey by Homer. He knew that it was really his responsibility to hire and pay for a governess, but he was far too indolent to bother with it if someone else was willing to do the necessary work.

***

Breakfast Parlor

Morning

Six Days Later

28 th October, 1811

Breakfast in the Bennet household was generally a noisy and boisterous affair, and today was typical in that respect.

Only the head of the table was an island of silence as Mr. Bennet, absorbed in his own thoughts, worked his way through a plate of bacon, ham, rolls, and eggs.

No one took notice of him as Kitty and Lydia chattered loudly and at length, their plates piled high with diverse pastries and meats and fruits.

Elizabeth took a bite of a well-baked roll, which was much more modestly buttered than Lydia’s.

Elizabeth did not stint her appetite, but she did wish that Mrs. Bennet would not order quite such a variety of dishes for every meal, especially daily and unremarkable family breakfasts.

But no gentle suggestions or hints made any dent in Mrs. Bennet’s spending, and as a mere daughter, there was nothing that Elizabeth could do.

“Mamma,” cried Lydia, “my aunt says that Colonel Forster and Captain Carter do not go so often to Miss Watson’s as they did when they first came. She sees them now very often standing in Clarke’s library.”

Mrs. Bennet was prevented from replying by the entrance of the footman with a note for the three eldest Misses Bennet, which came from Netherfield. The servant gave it to Jane and stepped back against a wall to wait for an answer.

“Well, Jane, who is it from?” Mrs. Bennet asked eagerly. “What is it about? What does it say? Make haste, my love.”

“It is from Miss Bingley for me and Elizabeth and Mary,” said Jane, and then she read it aloud.

My dear friends,

If you are not so compassionate as to dine today with Louisa and me, we shall be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our lives; for a whole day’stête-à-têtebetween two women can never end without a quarrel.

Come as soon as you can upon receipt of this.

My brother and the gentlemen are to dine with the officers.

Yours ever,

Caroline Bingley

Mrs. Bennet frowned. “The gentlemen are dining with the officers? That is a pity.”

“Do you wish to go to Netherfield?” Elizabeth asked, looking first at Mary and then at Jane.

Jane sighed and said, “Not especially. I…”

“Go to Netherfield?” Mrs. Bennet interrupted. “Why of course you, at least, must go, Jane. Mr. Bingley is obviously halfway to being in love with you, and it behooves you to be on good terms with his sisters. Moreover, you must ride.”

Jane blinked. “Ride? Why?”

The mistress of Longbourn turned toward the window and said, “Because it looks like it will very likely rain, and then you will be forced to stay all night.”

Jane shook her head decisively. “I do not wish to go without Elizabeth and Mary, and Elizabeth does not ride.”

“Then she can stay behind,” Mrs. Bennet said waspishly. “It hardly matters.”

Jane cast a pleading look toward Elizabeth, who said, “Why does it not matter, Mamma? I rather like Sir Quinton, after all.”

Mrs. Bennet wrinkled her nose and said, “But if you return home before the gentlemen arrive back from Meryton, you will not see Mr. Bingley or Sir Quinton at all! Besides, Mr. Bennet, the horses are wanted for the farm, are they not?”

Mr. Bennet, who had been listening with an amused expression on his face, said, “The newer horses are, but Rosemary and Thyme are still well able to pull a carriage.”

Mrs. Bennet huffed at this, and Elizabeth suppressed a sigh of relief. They had acquired a pair of sturdy geldings only three months earlier, with the permission of her uncles, who had agreed with Mary that another pair of horses would make it far easier for the Bennet ladies to travel at will.

“I will not go without Lizzy and Mary,” Jane said with surprising determination.

Mrs. Bennet looked aggrieved, but she finally capitulated. “Oh, very well. I will call for the carriage to be readied.”