Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (101 page)

“Guests?”  Caroline took off her hat and glanced at herself in a mirror.  “Who is it?”

“Miss Bennet, her sister and aunt.”  Caroline stared and Bingley’s eyes widened. 

“
Miss Bennet
?”  Jane’s hand went to her mouth at the surprised tone of his voice and looked at Mrs. Gardiner, who smiled encouragingly.  Leading the way up the stairs Bingley arrived at the drawing room door.  “Miss Bennet!  It
is
you!”  He walked in with his mouth agape and delight on his face.  

“Mr. Bingley.”  Jane blushed and forced herself not to look down. 

“I . . . I . . . what a pleasure.”  He stood still for a moment, drinking her in, and then walked straight to her.  “A great pleasure indeed. What wonderful chance brings you to London?  I had no idea you were here!  How excellent this is!  Are you just arrived?  How long will you stay?”  He stopped himself when he noticed the others.  “Where are my manners?  My mother would be mortified!”  Bowing, he smiled to them all. 

“You remember my sister and my aunt?”  Jane turned to the women. 

“Your . . . Oh, Mrs. Gardiner!”  He beamed.  “I hope that you bring good news of the Darcys?  I have had few letters since my friend married; perhaps you have had better luck with his wife?”

“I have heard from Lizzy, yes.  They are very happy at Pemberley.”

“Good, good.”  Turning he bowed to Mary, “Miss Mary, may I offer you my felicitations; I understand that you are to marry Mr. Collins?  I saw the announcement some weeks ago when your name jumped off the page.  Your mother must be very pleased.  I remember how keen she was to see the match when we all danced together at Netherfield.” 

“Yes, thank you, Mr. Bingley.”  Mary blushed.

Turning back to Jane he moved to her side.  “Was it only a month ago?  It seems a lifetime, now.”

“It was six weeks.”  Jane smiled.

“Six weeks, November 27
^th
to be exact, and I had thought I would have returned long ago, I should have, there is nothing in Town but my sisters’ desire to shop.  In fact, I just wrote to Darcy last week telling him of my plans to leave.  However, my sisters are demanding we attend a masque ball tomorrow for Twelfth Night and . . . well as the shops around here are picked clean I thought to stop in here and collect Louisa for a trip to the warehouses in Cheapside.”  He turned to Mrs. Gardiner.  “Of course I remembered your address and thought I would pay my respects and,” he turned to Jane, “see if there was news of my neighbours.”

“And here we are.”  Jane smiled. 

“Indeed.”  He finally took a breath.  “You look well, Miss Bennet.” 

She blushed with his admiration.  “So do you, Mr. Bingley.” 

“Why don’t we take our seats?”  Louisa suggested.  “It seems we were destined to meet today.”

Mrs. Gardiner had been watching the icy expression on Caroline’s face.  “I wonder at your not knowing that Jane was in Town, Mrs. Hurst.  She sent a note to Miss Bingley a week ago, suggesting that they meet.” 

“You sent a note to Caroline?”  Bingley’s brow creased and he turned to his sister.

“Imagine that.”  Hurst murmured and exchanged looks with Mrs. Gardiner.

“Did you receive Miss Bennet’s note, Caroline?  You did not mention anything of it, and you know that I would have been most interested in hearing about it.”

“It must have been lost; you cannot count on the servants for anything.”  Caroline glanced at Louisa.

Jane said softly, “That is why we did not come sooner, I . . . I was wondering if I should arrive uninvited . . .”

An uncharacteristic frown was on Bingley’s lips and he was watching his sisters.  “I would have been very disappointed if you had not.” 

“We went for a drive today, to see Lizzy’s new home and to do a little shopping on Bond Street . . .” Jane’s voice drew Bingley’s eyes back to her.

“They are buying things for Miss Mary’s wedding.”  Louisa said quickly and looked away from Hurst’s displeased expression.

“Of course, you would want better things than are on offer in Meryton.”  Caroline noted unkindly.

“Lizzy had all of her things made up by a French modiste when she was here, but as the wife of a minister, I do not require so many fancy things.”  Mary looked over Caroline’s expensive but gaudy gown, “I prefer modesty to show.  Lizzy will have to attend balls and parties I suppose, as accord with her husband’s position in society.” 

Mrs. Gardiner leapt in.  “Yes, she is in a whole new sphere now, do you remember her speaking of meeting the duchess one day, Mr. Bingley?”

There was a pause while Bingley kept his gaze on Jane.  When she lifted her eyes to meet his, his remaining questions were answered.  A slow smile crossed his face and his good humour returned.  “Ah yes, she was rather amused, she compared her to a raisin.”  He chuckled and looked to his gaping sisters.  “She discovered that superiority is annoying whatever the person’s title, and makes them quite unattractive.”

Hurst nodded to Caroline.  “I daresay that pleases Darcy to no end; however I suspect that if they were not travelling this summer they would be preparing for her presentation.” 

“What a circus that was.”  Bingley grinned at Jane.  “Darcy sponsored me, did you know?”

She felt her smile growing to match his.  “No.  I had no idea that you went.”

“When I graduated from Cambridge, I was eligible, but . . . well I had no connections willing to vouch for me, so I put it off and put it off, and then Darcy took pity and against his better judgement, endured my endless insecurities last Season.”  He shrugged and laughed, “He was enduring quite a lot.  He was wife hunting at the time.”

“He was not!”  Caroline cried.

“Well, perhaps he did not realize it, but I think it was on his mind the way he was examining and dismissing every woman he saw.  I suppose that he just needed to come to Netherfield before he could look across a ballroom and spot the woman of his heart.”  Bingley’s eyes were fixed upon Jane.  “How long will you be staying in Town?”

She did not answer for several moments until Mrs. Gardiner delicately coughed.  “Oh, pardon me, just a few more days.  Mary’s wedding is at the end of the month and Mr. Collins will be returning to Longbourn after epiphany.”  She smiled at her sister.  “We took advantage of our aunt and uncle’s kind offer of transportation from home.”

“If you like, I can take you back.”  Bingley offered quickly.  “I said that I was returning after Twelfth Night, and although my sisters wish to remain here, I . . . well I really have no desire to stay longer.  I cannot seem to feel settled here on this visit.”

Hurst broke the silence that followed as everyone paid attention to the couple.  “You are used to hanging around Darcy’s home.” 

“Yes, that must be it.”  Bingley said without moving his gaze from Jane.

Jane felt Mrs. Gardiner’s foot nudging her.  “We would not like to impose on your generosity, Mr. Bingley, and I am afraid that with six of us, the carriage would be quite uncomfortable.”

“How fortunate then that my wife and sister will not be travelling with us.”  Hurst noted and met Louisa’s eye.  “Is that not correct, my dear?  You wished to remain to purchase a few new gowns before the Season began?”

“Oh!”  She smiled at him.  “Yes, as we discussed, Mr. Hurst.  And you wished to enjoy some more sport before we were to begin socializing.” 

Mrs. Gardiner smiled, “Well then I know that my husband and I will feel much better to have two gentlemen accompanying our nieces on the short trip home, especially you Mr. Bingley, as we are acquainted and you are such a great friend to the Darcys.  It will save Mr. Bennet from having to arrange for his carriage to meet ours halfway, as well.  This is very kind of you, sir.”

“But . . . but . . .”  Caroline spluttered and all eyes turned to her.  “It is improper for two unmarried women to travel with . . .”

“I am married and Miss Mary is engaged, I do not fear troubling propriety, do you, Miss Mary?”  Hurst smiled at her.  “You are to be the reverend’s wife, so you must have an opinion on the subject.”

Mrs. Gardiner spoke first, “We were going to send a maid along to travel with them before.  I think that her presence will provide enough of a chaperone.”

“I . . .” Mary looked at her aunt, who nodded.  “I think that it would be perfectly fine, sir.” 

“Well, why not send one of our maids, she can work at Netherfield until there is an occasion for you to return to London or for you to send us the carriage.”  Louisa suggested much to Caroline’s displeasure and Hurst’s approval.

“Excellent!”  Bingley cried.  “And since we are travelling together, perhaps we may enjoy the gaiety of the season?  Miss Bennet, we have been asked to a ball tomorrow for Twelfth Night, may I invite you as my guest?  Mrs. Gardiner and Miss Mary, you are of course also welcome.  It is quite a large event; extra guests will be no trouble at all to the host.” 

“I am afraid that I could not possibly consider it without Mr. Collins being here.”  Mary said with her chin up.

“It really is too short of a notice for us to prepare for such an event, and despite your assurances, I think that we could not impose on your host.”  Jane smiled and Bingley sighed.

“It is at St. James’s, Miss Bennet; I sincerely doubt that your presence would tax the king.”  His smile returned a little when her mouth opened in surprise.  “Very well.  I am chastised for my impulsiveness.  I suppose that bringing my sisters and Hurst is enough.”

“We will be in one of the lesser rooms, Miss Bennet.  I doubt that you are missing anything.  We are merely guests riding on Bingley’s coattails.”  Hurst looked sympathetically at his brother.

Jane’s eyes were on Bingley.  “It was a lovely thought, sir.” 

Mrs. Gardiner was watching Caroline fuming.  “I think that we have imposed long enough in your home, Mrs. Hurst.  It seems that we all have shopping to accomplish.”

“We will send around a note with the details of our travel.”  Hurst spoke as he stood.  “Will we not, Bingley?”

“Yes.”  Bingley found his smile when he rose to his feet and offered his palm to Jane.  “Very well, the merchants beckon.  I wish that you could join us, Miss Bennet, you might have chosen something that does not make me look too much the fool.”  Jane looked up to him and without a moment’s hesitation she slipped her hand into his.  A frisson ran through both of them as their hands clasped and he helped her up.  “I am so glad that you visited today, Miss Bennet.  If I had known you were in Town, I would have been at the Gardiner’s home long ago.”  Bingley raised her hand to his lips. 

“If I had known that I . . . I would have drawn up my courage to come much sooner.”  Jane blushed as his smile widened. 

“Really?  If I had known that . . .”

“If, if, if . . .”  Hurst laughed.  “Are we going or not?” 

 “MRS. MORGAN?”  Judge Darcy blinked open his eyes and sat slowly up in his bed. 

“Ah good morning, sir!”  His housekeeper smiled.  “It is good to see you awake!”

“Have I been sleeping long?”  Rubbing his neck, he looked around the darkened room.  “I feel . . . filthy.”

“It has been some time, sir.  Carson will be back before long and will have you bathed and fit for company.  He just went off to the apothecary for your medicine.”

“Medicine?  I have been ill?  I must have been; I feel like the very devil.” 

The woman laughed and plumped up his pillows.  “You have been asleep for the better part of a week, sir.  And certainly not feeling yourself for quite some time.  You ran out of your medicine yesterday and Carson was so worried how you would feel if you woke up too soon.  But just look at you!  Bright as a penny!”

He gave her a sceptical look as he felt the growth of beard on his face and the aching in his joints.  “What exactly was he giving me?”

Mrs. Morgan reached over to his bedside and handed him a brown bottle.  Judge Darcy took off the cork and gave it a sniff.  His brow creased and tipping it over; caught a lone drop on his fingertip and tasted it.  Immediately he spat it out.  “Laudanum!”

“Laudanum!”  She gasped with her hand to her chest.  “Oh sir, Mrs. Darcy said to never ever give you that!”

“Well who the devil decided that . . .” He squeezed his eyes shut and began to shake.  His arms clasped around his stomach.  “Oh Lord . . .”

“Sir?”  She backed away and he looked up to her.  

“Tell me, what have I been like, my behaviour, has it be erratic?  Violent?”

“Well sir . . .”

“Tell me!”

“Yes, sir.”  She whispered and gasped when he swore and threw the bottle into the fire.  “Was it the . . . the laudanum?”

“How long have I been taking that?”

“Well, I do not know but I have seen the bottles for months, sir, you have been so unlike yourself for so long . . . Carson would know . . .”

“Good God!”  His hand ran through his hair.  Standing shakily, he nearly collapsed, his bones ached so badly.  “I . . . Samuel . . . has he been here?   Does he know?”

“He went to Pemberley sir, for Christmas with Mr. and Mrs. Darcy?  Your nephew, sir.”  She offered cautiously.  “You had a dinner for them?  Perhaps you do not remember; it was a difficult evening for you.  But your nephew’s wife seemed to please you, she sang so beautifully . . .”

“Yes.”  He looked up suddenly.  “You made orgeat for them.” 

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh Lord . . .”  Staring at the fireplace he had a vague memory of burning a bag of almonds. 

“I have many letters for you from Mrs. Darcy . . .”

“Susan . . .”  Snapping back to life, he looked down at himself and up to his housekeeper.  “Please have bathwater sent up, I . . . I should be clean and properly dressed to . . . to read her letters, and . . . what day is it?”

“Epiphany, sir.”  She smiled, seeing the evidence of her long-absent master reappearing.  “Oh, the parties that have been going, sir!  Why just across the street, at Mr. Watson’s house?  They all spilled out, drunken fools in their finery and masks, dancing down to their carriages as dawn was breaking.”  Clucking she pulled a bell and went to open the curtains, allowing sunlight to spill into the room.  “What a to-do!”

“Parties?”  He blinked at the light.