Page 4 of Heiress of Longbourn (Pride and Prejudice Variations)
Longbourn
Tuesday, 12 th November, 1811
Morning
Elizabeth lifted a cup of hot chocolate to her lips and took a long, luxurious sip. The weather was cool, and the clouds were threatening rain, but she had managed a brisk walk this morning along the southern path of the estate and now felt pleasantly exercised and ready for a comfortable day of reading by the fire when the inevitable rains came.
Mr. Bennet was seated next to her, silently eating his own breakfast, while Mrs. Bennet chattered happily with her two youngest daughters on the subject of handsome officers. The door opened, and Mrs. Bennet broke off her speech at the arrival of a footman, who carried a sealed wafer in his hand for Miss Bennet.
“Who is it from, my dear?” the mistress of Longbourn demanded sharply.
“It is from Caroline Bingley,” Jane said and read it aloud.
My dear friend,
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 on the receipt of this. My brother and the gentlemen are to dine with the officers.
Yours ever,
Caroline Bingley
“Oh, Mamma!” Jane cried, lifting cerulean blue eyes to her mother’s face. “May I go? Mr. Bingley will not be there, after all, and I would like to know Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst better.”
Mrs. Bennet’s nostrils flared at these words, and she shook her head. “My dear Jane, as much as I wish you could go, it is threatening to rain, and I believe the horses are busy at the farm, are they not, Mr. Bennet?”
Bennet frowned at his wife, looked out the window, sighed, and turned to his eldest daughter. “Jane, your mother is right. The horses are needed for the farm, and given those heavy clouds, it would not be safe for you to ride. You would almost certainly be drenched, and it is chilly outside.”
“And windy,” Elizabeth remarked.
“Very well,” Jane said in a disappointed tone. “I will send a message back giving my regrets.”
***
Longbourn
Two Days Later
Morning
Elizabeth rested her chin on her loosely curled fist, elbow propped on the windowsill, her gaze on the damp muddy landscape beyond. Spindly gray branches bent and shivered in a cold pervasive breeze, their leaves stripped away the previous day by harsh rains and constant wind. Now their roots were covered in a sodden carpet of fallen leaves, dull and brown, their vibrant colors faded away.
The weather had been wretched for more than a day, and even now, when the rains had stopped, the paths were dreadfully muddy. It was not propitious for walking, and Elizabeth was confined inside for the day. The enforced stillness was getting on her nerves. She longed to be outside, walking briskly through equally brisk weather, and taking deep breaths of crisp damp air and watching the water drip from the evergreen needles, but the mud daunted even her. It would not be fair to the maids for her to track in half a yard’s worth of wet soil for her own pleasure.
A soft snore from the couch beside the fire drew Elizabeth’s attention. Mrs. Bennet was dozing in the welcome warmth, her shawl wrapped about her shoulders and her head tipped back. The rest of her daughters had absconded to other parts of the house to occupy themselves with their own pursuits, leaving the room quiet save for the crackling of the fire and the occasional moaning of the wind at the eaves.
Elizabeth sighed deeply and looked back out the window. Movement from further down the lane caught her notice, and her brows crumpled together as she watched. Moments later, a carriage became plain between the wet-streaked tree trunks, and Elizabeth leaned forward slightly to see better, her curiosity piqued. The familiar carriage rounded a curve and Elizabeth’s heart lifted with this promise of a distraction.
“Mamma, someone from Netherfield is here,” she announced, leaping to her feet. “I will tell the others.”
Mrs. Bennet, who had woken with a start, squinted and said, “My dear, it is not necessary for all your sisters to be here. Jane was looking a trifle wan last night and might well be coming down with a headache, so you need not fetch her.”
Elizabeth nodded and left the room without speaking, and ten minutes later returned with Jane and Mary in tow, to discover Mrs. Hurst, Miss Bingley, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Bingley already settled on chairs and couches. The gentlemen stood up and bowed, and Elizabeth noted during her curtsey in return that Mr. Bingley’s eyes immediately went to Jane’s lovely countenance.
“Sit down, my dears,” Mrs. Bennet said. “Lizzy, perhaps you would care to sit down on the loveseat?”
This was, of course, near Mr. Bingley, and Elizabeth merely nodded, took Jane’s hand, and guided her to the same seat, whereupon both ladies sat down across from Jane’s admirer.
Mrs. Bennet’s skin tinged pink with outrage, but fortunately Miss Bingley spoke up.
“My dear Miss Bennet, I was so disappointed that you were not able to visit us two days ago. Such a pity that you do not have enough horses to pull the carriage whenever you wish. It must be a dreadful inconvenience!”
Mrs. Bennet turned an astonished look on her guest, and Jane flushed miserably at this subdued insult, while Elizabeth glared at Miss Bingley and said, “It is occasionally an inconvenience, but it would be foolish for us to house and feed and care for horses which are used only rarely. We are close enough to Meryton to walk if we wish to, and the horses are needed only during planting and harvesting seasons and for pulling loads.”
Miss Bingley tilted her nose higher and said, “I see. Well, perhaps my brother ought to acquire another carriage so we can assist our neighbors in the future.”
“We would require additional horses as well, Caroline,” Bingley remarked, and turned his gaze on Darcy. “What do you think? Would it be wise to acquire another carriage and horses?”
“Perhaps?” Mr. Darcy replied. “As Miss Elizabeth said, it is expensive to care for horses, especially ones whose only purpose is pulling a carriage. If you do wish to purchase, I would suggest Cleveland Bays or Suffolk Sorrels which can also be used on the Home Farm of Netherfield, assuming you wish to bring that out of its current state of neglect.”
“Home Farm?” Caroline repeated, her brow furrowed.
“Yes,” Elizabeth said patiently. “The farm and kitchen garden to the northwest of Netherfield provide much of the food for the mansion and its occupants. As Mr. Darcy said, the Home Farm has been neglected for many years.”
Miss Bingley sniffed and said, “I had not thought that a lady would concern herself about such things, but perhaps this is common in the country?”
“It is the responsibility of any mistress of an estate to concern herself with such matters,” Darcy said in his deep voice.
“Yes, and my Lizzy is well known for being the cleverest of my girls,” Mrs. Bennet said, turning hopeful eyes on Mr. Bingley. “She knows everything there is to know about being mistress of an estate, and especially how to manage the kitchen gardens and the like.”
Elizabeth blushed with embarrassment at her mother’s obvious attempt to shove her toward Mr. Bingley and said, “I do enjoy learning about harvests and soil and livestock, but Jane and Mary and I take turns visiting the tenant families as needed, and that is more important than knowing about crop yields and wool.”
“Does Longbourn have flocks of sheep, Miss Elizabeth?” Darcy asked.
“Yes,” she said, turning toward him. “We primarily raise English Leicesters, though my father has purchased some other breeds based on Mr. Bakewell’s experiments. What of Pemberley? Do you have many sheep?”
“But of course he does,” Miss Bingley scoffed. “Pemberley is so marvelous and extensive that I am certain it has many flocks of sheep. Is that not true, Mr. Darcy?”
Darcy grimaced and said, “It is true, but I do not pretend to be an expert on sheep, though I have read some of Bakewell’s treatises.”
“Have you also read Coke of Norfolk?” Elizabeth asked curiously.
“I have!” Mr. Darcy replied. “I find his discussion of grasses and livestock to be of notable interest, especially as Pemberley is hillier than this area of Hertfordshire, and much of the land is not suitable for grazing. We have introduced cocksfoot and Lucerne to improve the pastures for our livestock…”
Elizabeth did not particularly care for Mr. Darcy as an individual, but he was obviously an intelligent man and well versed in domestic flora and fauna. Thus, she found the rest of the visit thoroughly enjoyable as the two discussed estate business and crops, while Jane and Mr. Bingley spoke to one another and Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst largely remained silent, occasionally exchanging quiet words.
When the visitors rose to leave, Elizabeth and her relations rose with them, and Mrs. Bennet said, “Thank you for visiting!”
“Mr. Bingley,” Lydia said from the corner of the room, causing Elizabeth to turn in surprise. She had been so engrossed in the conversation that she had not even noticed her youngest sister enter the drawing room.
“I did not realize you were visiting,” Lydia continued. “Is it true that you are thinking of hosting a ball at Netherfield?”
“Why yes, Miss Lydia!” Mr. Bingley replied with a bow. “I think that would be a delightful experience, if you all would enjoy it?”
“We would enjoy it above everything!” Lydia cried out, and Mrs. Bennet declared, “It would indeed be very kind of you, sir. Our daughters all enjoy dancing, especially Lizzy.”
“We all enjoy dancing,” Elizabeth said, her embarrassment returning.
“Well then, as soon as Nicholls has made enough white soup, we will have a ball. How does that sound?”
“That is wonderful!” Lydia squealed. “Thank you, Mr. Bingley!”
***
Bingley Carriage
Caroline waited only for the door to the carriage to close and the horses to jolt into motion before turning a basilisk glare on her brother, who was seated across from her with a mawkish smile on his lips.
“Charles, are you actually meditating a dance at Netherfield? I would advise you, before you determine on it, to consult the wishes of the present party. I am much mistaken if there are not some among us to whom a ball would be rather a punishment than a pleasure.”
Bingley turned confused eyes on her, shook his head as if to clear it, and then said, “If you mean Darcy, he may go to bed, if he chooses, before it begins. But as for the ball, it is quite a settled thing in my mind. I am already looking forward to it greatly.”
“Brother, surely you are aware that Mrs. Bennet is eager to see you marry one of her daughters. By giving a ball, you are merely encouraging her!”
Bingley lifted his chin, and he said, “And what if I do wish to marry Miss Bennet? I admire her very much!”
This provoked dramatic gasps from his sisters, and Mrs. Hurst said, “Brother, you cannot be serious! Miss Bennet is a pleasant young woman, but hardly a worthy bride for you!”
“Why is she not?” Bingley returned indignantly. “She is a lovely woman, with charming manners, sensible, and intelligent. She is also an heiress of a fine estate.”
Miss Bingley’s eyes shifted to Darcy, and the lady cooed, “Mr. Darcy, will you not speak to my brother? Jane Bennet is indeed a handsome and gracious lady, but her mother is a solicitor’s daughter, and she has an uncle in trade. I am confident you believe as we do that she is not an appropriate bride.”
Darcy hesitated and then said, “I would not say that, Miss Bingley. Your own fortune derives from trade, after all, and I understand that the Bennet family has held Longbourn for more than a century. I am more concerned that you be certain of the lady’s interest in you, Bingley, though even there … she is the heiress of Longbourn, and there is no need for her to marry outside her own inclination.”
Caroline turned pink and said indignantly, “You cannot seriously imagine that Mrs. Bennet, with five daughters unmarried, would allow her eldest to turn down an offer from a wealthy suitor!”
Bingley frowned at his sister and said, “There is no indication at all that Mrs. Bennet is pushing me toward Miss Bennet, or her towards me.”
“If anything,” Darcy remarked, “Mrs. Bennet seems to wish Bingley to wed Miss Elizabeth, not Miss Bennet.”
Caroline’s eyes flashed fire at these words, and she said, “Miss Elizabeth? Why on earth would she … as much as I do not desire for Charles to marry Miss Bennet, at least Jane is very beautiful! Miss Elizabeth is not nearly as handsome or good natured!”
“I do not know,” Darcy said, returning her gaze directly, “but it is obvious that Mrs. Bennet compliments her second daughter far more than her first and has attempted to steer Bingley in her direction at every opportunity.”
Caroline’s eyes shifted to her brother and was not surprised to observe him wearing a confused expression, which likely matched her own.
“Miss Elizabeth?” Charles said blankly. “She is a charming young lady but far too intellectual and clever for me. No, it is Miss Bennet who appeals to me, and I mean to pursue a relationship with her, even if…”
“No!” Caroline cried out, turning a betrayed look on Mr. Darcy. “No, you cannot do that! Louisa, say something!”
“No, do not, Louisa,” Bingley said sternly. “You and Hurst are living partly on my largesse, and I have no interest in you interfering with my – I would not call it a courtship yet – my friendship , with Miss Bennet. Moreover, there is no need for you to give into hysteria. I have fallen in and out of love many times before, and perhaps I will again. Miss Bennet and I are merely getting to know one another better. One or the other, or both of us, may discover we will not suit, and that would be the end of it. Does that bring you peace? If it does not, I truly do not care. I have no intention of allowing anyone to chase me away from a lovely and elegant young lady.”
Caroline, nostrils flaring, sat back against the squabs and glared outside at the boring countryside. It was true enough that Charles had engaged in many a flirtation with other eligible young women, only to be bored after a few months acquaintance. The difference was that the previous dalliances had taken place in London and with eligible women. Miss Bennet might be a gentle woman, and an heiress, but her family had no connections to the haut ton and was therefore unsuitable.
Charles was obviously in one of his difficult moods, so she would be silent for now. But she was determined, whatever else happened, that her brother would marry well.
One thing she was certain of, there would be no more invitations for Jane Bennet to have dinner at Netherfield Hall. The woman was the best company to be had in this benighted county, but Caroline would make a sacrifice in order to discourage her brother from his pursuit of the handsome Miss Bennet.