Page 27

At the window that overlooked the road into Meryton, Kitty and Lydia stood, hopeful of spying any traveller on the road. When the weather was nice, they would run down the drive to the road and question farmers, carriages, and men on horseback as to their destination and business hereabouts.

This morning, the voices in the parlour grew louder as the two youngest Bennet sisters exclaimed, “That is Mr Bingley’s carriage! And there are trunks atop the carriage! He is leaving for London!”

Rising from her seat and hurrying to the window, Mrs Bennet did not catch a glance of the carriage.

She heard her daughters speaking of the fine carriage Mr Bingley had ridden around the neighbourhood on many occasions since he arrived in September.

Pressing her daughters for more information, Mrs Bennet asked, “Are you certain it was Mr Bingley?”

Kitty replied, “Bingley’s coachman wears that top hat with feathers. He is the only coachman to wear feathers in his hat around Meryton.”

“Are they turkey or goose feathers?” asked Lydia, thinking of the feathers she had seen on various hats that autumn.

“Mr Hill said the man told him they were eagle feathers from Scotland,” revealed Kitty.

Leaving her two youngest daughters behind, Frances Bennet went in search of her eldest daughter.

She found Jane with Elizabeth and Mary in the dining room sewing a quilt as a wedding gift for Charlotte Lucas.

The sisters worked on a quilting frame to stitch the two pieces of cloth and batting together.

Mrs Bennet’s frown deepened to be reminded that Charlotte Lucas would shortly be married to Mr Collins and someday replace her as the mistress of Longbourn.

“Everywhere I look, there are disappointments today!” she declared.

“What do you mean, Mamma?” asked Mary, only glancing up from her stitching. “What disappointments?”

Elizabeth’s hands paused for a moment as she could not deny her own disappointment with Mr Darcy’s refusal to speak about Mr Wickham and his business with the gentlemen in the neighbourhood.

She thought, ‘But I shall not dwell on it. He may be correct, and Mr Wickham’s business practices are beyond my understanding, but he was wrong not to speak… I dread the next time we meet.’

“First, Mr Bingley leaves Meryton, and then I see you working on the gift for Charlotte Lucas, the wanton woman who will sleep in my bed someday!” Mrs Bennet declared.

“Charlotte Lucas? You believe Charlotte to be wanton?” asked Elizabeth, moved to defend her friend from such characterisation.

“What do you mean? When did Charles leave Meryton?” Jane asked, the surprise evident in her tone of voice.

The surprise in both daughters’ tone did not make Mrs Bennet rein in her temper, “That old maid lured Mr Collins into an engagement that will make her mistress of Longbourn when your father dies. And just now Mr Bingley has fled back to London, no doubt taking Mr Darcy with him.”

The matron pulled out a chair and sat at the table in a huff of breath. “Three eligible…no, four eligible gentlemen appear in Meryton this autumn, and Charlotte Lucas is the only woman to be engaged to one of them before they vanish.”

The look of confusion on Jane’s face faded, and she remained silent. However, Elizabeth spoke up, “Mamma, I remember we discussed mythical rich men, and I said they do not exist in Meryton.”

Mary asked, “Who is the fourth gentleman, Mamma?”

“Mr Wickham was the fourth bachelor! He is undoubtedly as wealthy as my brother Gardiner and would make one of you a good husband!”

Elizabeth fell silent and determined not to participate in any discussion concerning Mr Darcy, Mr Wickham, or Mr Collins. Gently, Jane contradicted her mother, “Mamma, I do not believe Mr Bingley has left. Charles would have said something or sent a message.”

“A message? A note?” Mrs Bennet asked while ignoring her daughter’s use of the man’s given name. Rising from the chair, she hurried from the room, saying, “Yes, I shall speak with your father and see if he received a letter from Mr Bingley.”

Mary and Jane resumed sewing while Elizabeth stared out the window momentarily as she wrestled with memories of Mr Darcy and attempted to bury her feelings. Then she said, “Jane, you are not affected by Mamma’s claim that Mr Bingley has left the neighbourhood.”

“I understand Mr Bingley is to shoot partridges with Papa today,” Jane replied. “And I trust Mr Bingley’s word.”

A few minutes passed before the sisters heard indistinct voices coming from the front of the house.

Then the sisters heard their mother greet Mr Bingley coming through the front door of Longbourn.

The smile on Jane’s face proved infectious, making her sisters smile.

Through the open door, they heard snippets of conversation as their father and the gentleman exchanged a few words with Mrs Bennet about coaches and departures.

Then the front door closed, and silence reigned in Longbourn for a brief moment.

“Hill! Hill! We shall be one more for lunch today!” Mrs Bennet declared as she swept down the hallway from the front of Longbourn toward the kitchen. “Mr Bingley will dine with us.”

After her conference with the housekeeper in the kitchen, Mrs Bennet returned to the dining room and once again sat while her daughters continued sewing.

Kitty and Lydia wandered into the room, and while Kitty joined her sisters at the quilting frame for a time, Lydia played with a spool of thread and pulled off a length to tie into knots.

Taking the spool from her youngest and straightening the thread once again, Mrs Bennet explained, “Mr Bingley cleared away the confusion at the door before leaving to shoot birds with your father, girls. His carriage did appear in front of our house on the road to Meryton this morning, but it carried his sisters and Mr Hurst to London. They are to open the Hurst home on Olive Street and spend the winter there.”

Mary asked, “Did Mr Bingley mention Mr Darcy? They are always in company when Bingley visits Longbourn?”

“Oh, what did Bingley say?” Mrs Bennet asked herself. “Yes, Mr Darcy left this morning, but he is headed north to spend Christmas and the whole winter with his sister at his castle.”

“His castle?” asked Lydia. “Does Mr Darcy live in a castle?”

Noticing Elizabeth did not comment, Mrs Bennet returned to speaking of Mr Bingley’s favourite dishes.

“We shall invite him to family dinner at least twice weekly this winter, so we must plan the menus carefully. In fact, I am certain Mrs Hobbes will not cook, so we must invite Bingley to eat at least one meal at our table daily.”

~~~

Walking across the fields, Thomas Bennet learned more from Charles Bingley. The new neighbour explained, “I am a bachelor for the whole winter. My sisters, brother and friend deserted my house before Christmas.”

“Then you must come to eat with us on Christmas and Boxing Day,” Bennet said. “There will be gatherings aplenty.”

“I should like that, sir,” Charles said with a grin. He hurried along and asked, “And I should very much like your permission to court your daughter.”

“My daughter?” replied Mr Bennet as if in deep thought. “Well…I suppose that will be allowed. But I have one question, Bingley.”

“Only one?” asked Charles as he raised the gun again.

“Yes,” Bennet answered. He waited until just before his visitor pulled the trigger to continue, “Which one?”

Charles sputtered in momentary confusion, and his shot missed the birds entirely. Holding the gun awkwardly, Bingley declared, “Miss Jane…Miss Bennet.”

Mr Bennet smiled and pushed the barrel away. “Take care where you aim the gun, Bingley. I have no desire to wear birdshot in my face and coat today.”

The gentlemen continued their progress across the fields while they discussed how the weather would grow colder quickly. “Your tenants will work on repairs to the harness for the horses and ploughs, fashion new hay rakes, repair hoes and shovels, and entertain their wives now that they have time.”

Blushing, Bingley realised his host was intentionally teasing him. So, Charles returned the favour, asking, “Shall I hold another harvest festival for them one evening? Pay a fiddler from Meryton to play while they feast in the ballroom?”

“Without a lady in the house, you cannot host any entertainment,” Bennet replied confidently.

“Perhaps your lady might oversee…” Bingley asked with a smile on his lips.

“Do you want my permission to court Jane?” Thomas asked shortly, staring Bingley in the eye. The other man nodded, and Bennet continued, “Then do not mention the idea to my wife. My life…our lives would be misery for the next month.”

The two men returned their attention to the shooting and continued their walk across the fields while the gamekeeper flushed out partridges from the hedgerows. After collecting two dozen birds, they began the walk back to Longbourn.

“My wife will have luncheon on the table,” Bennet said. “Do we announce the courtship, or do you need to speak with Jane before we make my wife the happiest lady in Hertfordshire?”

Bingley replied, “Jane knows I planned to speak to you this morning. With my family absent, I do not have to listen to anyone’s differing opinions.”

“Even your dour friend Darcy? I have seen his frowns while he observes you with my eldest daughter,” smirked Bennet.

“Darcy has retreated to the north for the winter,” Charles nodded his head and explained. “He worried that Miss Bennet was mercenary in her attentions and not true in her affection for me, but I assured him she is the truest young lady I have ever met.”

“And what shall we do with Lizzy this winter without Mr Darcy to provide her with new books to read?” asked the older gentleman.

“Sir? New books?” asked Charles, not understanding his shooting companion.

“Bingley, I have five daughters and watch the young men who come around very carefully. You are an intelligent man of business, but I doubt that natural history is a subject of interest to you. I am certain that The Natural History of Selborne came from Mr Darcy’s hand.”

Bennet continued, “I shall never reveal that to Mrs Bennet for fear that she would place announcements of their engagement in the London newspapers. And I shall make it known to Lizzy only if necessary. Yesterday and today, Elizabeth has been very quiet, with a sad look in her eyes.”

“I have known Fitzwilliam Darcy for several years and until this autumn, never believed him to be a fool, Mr Bennet,” Charles said vehemently. “Heretofore, the man has never met a woman who could match him in arguments about natural science, Bonaparte, and parliament.”

“Is he promised to another young lady?” asked Bennet.

“No, he is free to take any woman he wishes to be his bride.”

“Does the great man need a bride with a large dowry…larger than your sister’s dowry?”

Shaking his head, Bingley said, “Darcy does not desire more wealth. He spends his days now directing stewards, attorneys, and men from the government in many different endeavours.”

“Longbourn consumes enough of my time,” Bennet admitted. “I cannot imagine dealing with a great estate or other business concerns.”

“I encouraged him…” Charles began to say but then paused. After collecting his thoughts, he continued, “I warned him off causing Miss Elizabeth any hurt. My friend does not see others sometimes and forgets that we mere mortals have feelings.”

“Does he worship his gold? Is it his idol?” asked Mr Bennet, seeking to understand the absent gentleman who might someday return into his daughter’s life.

“No. Of that, I am certain,” Bingley replied without hesitation. “Fitzwilliam Darcy sees his wealth as a tool to strengthen the kingdom and provide a living to the thousands on his estates. But he does not love money.”

As they approached the kitchen door of Longbourn, Thomas Bennet decided he would reserve judgment on Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy. Still, he believed that Mr Charles Bingley was a man he could welcome into his family.

~~~

One consequence of the departure of both ladies from Netherfield was that Mrs Hobbes released Alice Hill from employment at the manor house.

Mr Bingley was unaware that the girl was gone until he discovered her working at Longbourn.

He did not attempt to hide his confusion and asked for an explanation.

“We have use for Alice here, Mr Bingley; do not concern yourself,” Mrs Bennet said. “Jane and Elizabeth have taken an interest in Alice, and they will train her to be a lady’s maid.”

“How is a lady’s maid different from a chambermaid?”

Jane explained, “Alice has a remarkable talent with her needles. We shall teach her to handle a lady’s gowns and how to dress our hair. A lady’s maid must have valuable talents and be available at all hours.”

“My sister insisted on having a lady’s maid, but they never stayed with her for more than six months,” Charles revealed. “The lady’s maid working for Caroline quit the day before we left for Netherfield.”

The gathered members of the Bennet family exchanged glances but did not make comments. Mr Bingley continued, “I am certain my sister is interviewing new maids in London.”

~~~