Page 36 of The Countess and Her Sister
“Lydia, dearest, you are not yet old enough to be out yet, if you had a hundred new neighbors,” Sir Edward reminded his niece. “Mary, Kitty, I hope you shall be better behaved than your younger sister if you wish to be in company with Jane’s friends.”
Lydia snorted. “Jane will not stop us from making friends! Mamma says of course we shall call on the new neighbors at Cameron Court – it is only four miles, and Jane cannot say who we visit.”
Jane sat up rigidly. “Lydia, I will only say that you will not be treated as out in my home, which is my right. Another of our party, Miss Darcy of Pemberley, is not out yet either, and I will treat her the same. It is not a punishment or a slight, only what is proper and expected of a countess.”
“Then I will call on Miss Darcy at Pemberley and we shall be friends, if we are the same age,” Lydia whined. “I shall have a new friend.”
Lady Gardiner made a droll face as she sipped her tea.
“Lydia, you would perish of boredom riding two hours in a carriage to Pemberley. But I mean to visit my native village of Lambton, which is five miles from Pemberley. If you behave well, I shall ask Mr. Darcy if his sister might take tea with us in the village. Indeed, if you all behave very well , you shall even have new dresses for the occasion.”
This eased Lydia’s petulance and Kitty’s preening; Elizabeth and Jane gave their aunt silent looks of gratitude, for the conversation took a happier turn.
The sisters spent an hour going over the house together, cheerfully discussing possible alterations, and then planned a shopping trip into the village for the following morning.
There was a little more sulking when Kitty and Lydia learned there would be no other guests for dinner, but young Thomas and the Gardiner children were included at the early dinner, and all of the party delighted in amusing their young companions.
After the meal, when the children were sent to bed, the rest of the family gathered in the drawing room, which had been deemed in want of the greatest improvement, and further discussion ensued.
But Rebecca was of a mind to meddle, and she began to suggest how the younger Bennet girls might divert themselves.
“If our friends were here, we might amuse ourselves with music. Do any of you play? Only you, Mary? We have been in mourning, and Lizzy taught Jane – why have you not instructed them? Or asked your sister to provide an instructor?”
“I have offered,” Jane said.
“I would just entertain the gentlemen with conversation and my pretty face,” Lydia laughed. “Let Mary play – I am the one they would want to dance with! I long for a dance!” She glanced dubiously at her stern-faced aunt. “I can draw a little,” she murmured.
“Well, that is something! Jane, come sit here, there is a little screen – Lydia, I will sit with you and berate you with riddles while you sketch your sister. I can guess what you may do with a fine silhouette, Jane!”
Elizabeth shook her head at Rebecca, hardly wishing her sisters to learn that Mr. Bingley might desire such a token. “I am sure we could get a pretty frame for it, while we are redecorating.”
She was pleased, however, by this turn of events.
Lydia obliged Rebecca, and nobody could deny she was adept at maintaining a steady stream of lively chatter as she sketched.
Kitty, never able to bear any praise of Lydia without some endeavor to garner approval, sat down beside Mary at the instrument, and entreated Elizabeth to aid in her edification.
Whether it was the temptation of traveling, new dresses, or the privilege of meeting new friends and handsome gentlemen, the three youngest Bennets seemed surprisingly amenable to obliging Jane with their behavior.
That night, all the sisters piled onto Jane’s bed as they had not done in four long years, and stayed up talking until they were nearly too tired to return to their own beds.
They spoke of the happier times at Longbourn, filled Jane and Elizabeth in on the latest neighborhood gossip, and desperately attempted to discover which of the gentlemen their sisters admired.
They went into the village together the next day and began looking at fabrics and upholstery, though Sir Edward promised that his warehouse was at Jane’s disposal.
She treated her younger sisters, including Elizabeth, to new gloves and bonnets, on the condition that each of the younger girls each choose a book and applied themselves to reading it.
“If you wish to meet Miss Darcy, you must know a little of reading or music to overcome her shyness, for she will not wish to hear you admiring her clothing and adornments the whole visit.”
Elizabeth happily answered all their questions about Miss Darcy and the other ladies of the party, though Jane had a great deal of praise to add of Lady Susan Vernon.
Of Miss Bingley they said little, though Jane and Elizabeth shared a wary look at the idea of the Bennets calling on her at Cameron Court.
They also said nothing of the gentlemen they admired; Elizabeth was sure her sister must share her apprehension at what mischief might arise should Mrs. Bennet take an interest in their attachments.
Jane and Elizabeth did not enter Montrose when they returned their sisters home.
Their plan was to continue on to Cameron Court, where Rebecca and Lady Augusta would travel with the Gardiners in their carriage.
The families at Pemberley and Matlock Hall had been invited to Cameron Court for a tour of the manor and an evening of diversion.
It had been agreed upon between them all that any visits between the three houses would include overnight hospitality, for the journey between each was an easy distance, though not so near as to be desirable more than once in the same day.
Perhaps Mrs. Bennet saw the direction then Fitzwilliam carriage was headed, or perhaps Mrs. Hill had a friend in the employ of Cameron Court, for no sooner had Bingley completed his tour of the house for those who had never seen the place, than Mrs. Bennet and her daughters were announced.
Elizabeth knew that Jane had told Mr. Bingley she had no wish to see Mrs. Bennet, and that after all Jane confided in him, he had promised to respect her wishes. Unfortunately, his sister spoke up before he could.
“Do show them in, Dawson. I have a great anticipation of meeting your mother, Countess! And all your sisters, excellent!”
“Caroline, I will decide which guests are admitted to the house. We have devoted today and tomorrow to the invited guests already present.” But Mr. Bingley was too late, for his sister’s command had inspired haste in the footman, and he showed in the additional visitors.
Mr. Bingley could only do what came naturally, which was to show his guests every civility; a scene might have been far worse.
He politely introduced his sister, Mr. Tilney, Mr. Darcy and his sister, and Lady Susan.
His manner was cordial, but not encouraging, and Elizabeth could sense his restraint.
“La! Miss Darcy,” Lydia cried. “You said she was not out, Jane! But if she attends your parties, I am sure I shall, too!”
“We are all family, in some form or fashion,” Mr. Tilney replied, and then winked at Bingley. “Or very soon shall be.”
Mrs. Bennet certainly took his meaning, and redoubled her interest in Mr. Bingley.
“You need not fear your family shall disgrace you amongst your fine friends, Jane! We are all neighbors, and sure to be very merry together. Is not Cameron Court a fine place, Mr. Bingley? Not so grand as Matlock Hall – but Montrose is very fine, and I am sure we shall have you for dinner some time! My dear girls do so love company!”
Mary and Kitty had the sense to look chagrined by their mother, though Lydia seemed more intent on determining which of the gentlemen had been claimed by her sisters, and which she might endeavor to beguile. She fixed her attention on Mr. Tilney, eliciting an evil grin from Rebecca.
Miss Bingley called for tea and invited the Bennets to sit and tell her all about the neighborhood; the lady appeared desirous of shaming Mr. Darcy for courting a woman of such connections, while contrarily attempting to help her own brother to do the same.
She encouraged Mrs. Bennet to pepper Mr. Bingley with impertinent questions, until Mrs. Bennet asked after their family estate.
Her demeanor altered when she discovered that the gentleman her eldest daughter favored was not the most eligible in the room, and then her attention was all for Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth and Jane had not yet spoken a word to their mother, who was giving them imperious looks throughout her inquisition. Elizabeth could only presume that Jane’s anger and dismay was even greater than her own.
Lady Augusta and Rebecca worked assiduously to separate Lydia and Kitty, thus diminishing their silliness, and Lady Susan took an interest in speaking with Mary, encouraging her to converse with Georgiana about music.
Mr. Tilney perceived Rebecca’s reaction when he flirted with Lydia, and thus he kept her well occupied with a conversation about muslin.
What might have been worse seemed rather well-mitigated thanks to Jane and Elizabeth’s companions, though Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy could not entirely conceal their displeasure at being scrutinized by a woman whose children had no wish for her opinion on their beaux.
Once Miss Bingley abandoned her attempt to stoke Mrs. Bennet’s effusions, there was a brief ebb in the panic Elizabeth shared with Jane.
Sir Edward had begun to manage his sister, speaking of Lady Thurston and General Tilney, and some of the other interesting acquaintance they had made in London, thus deflecting any further inquiry about those present.