Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley (11 page)

The pianoforte was opened and conversation ceased. When she and
Elizabeth retired after the tea tray had been circulated, she knew herself to
be almost recovered.

‘I think it is time that we returned to Longbourn, Lizzy. We must not
outstay our welcome here.’

‘I agree. We shall send a note asking for the carriage to come and
collect us tomorrow.’

However, the message was returned from home that the carriage was not available
until the following Tuesday, which would have meant, Jane realized, her
spending an entire week at Netherfield. Elizabeth did not require much urging
to ask Mr Bingley if they could possibly use his carriage and return to
Longbourn immediately.

Miss Bingley immediately remonstrated. ‘My dear Miss Bennet, could you
not be persuaded upon to stay? We shall be bereft of company when you have
gone, and surely your parents could spare you both for just
one
more
night?’

Jane looked helplessly at her sister who shrugged in resignation. ‘If
you insist, Miss Bingley, then we can do nothing but agree.’

When she met with Mr Bingley in the drawing-room later and told him that
she intended to leave the following morning he was dismayed. ‘My dear Miss
Bennet, you are hardly recovered yet. I know that you believe that you are, but
you are still too pale, it would be much better if you stayed several days
longer.’

‘I shall do no such thing, Mr Bingley, but thank you kindly for
requesting it. It is time that I returned, my sister and I have presumed on
your generosity for far too long already.’

Jane knew that she was right, her every inclination was to agree, there
was nothing she could like better than to stay indefinitely at Netherfield in
the company of a young man she had come to love. However, she knew where her
duties lay, she would not stay a moment longer than the following morning.

On Sunday, after morning service, they said their goodbyes. Miss Bingley
embraced her most tenderly, and promised to come and visit her at Longbourn.
When they entered the carriage Elizabeth appeared in the liveliest of spirits.

As the vehicle pulled away she settled back on the squabs and smiled at
her sister. ‘I am sorry to be going home in some ways, Lizzy, but I believe we
had begun to outstay our welcome. I do not know why you and Mr Darcy seemed so
set on arguing.’

‘We are not arguing, my dear, merely exchanging opinions in a lively
way. I, for one, am happy to be returning. I do not feel comfortable anywhere
else but Longbourn.’

The coach trundled up the drive and Jane was expecting to be greeted
with delight by her mother. In this she was to be disappointed, as her mother
thought they should have stayed longer. Mr Bennet, who was usually very laconic
in his expressions of pleasure, appeared really glad to see them both.

‘I am so glad to be home, Papa. I
am still not quite recovered, but it would have been wrong to have stayed at
Netherfield once I was almost well.’

‘I am happy to have both of you
back here. The place has been the poorer for your absence.’

‘Come and sit down in the
drawing-room, Jane, and tell me everything that Mr Bingley said to you. I am
certain that his feelings are engaged, his attentions are so particular
whenever he is next to you.’

Jane glanced despairingly at her
sister. She had no wish to be interrogated on this subject; she was not going
to build up her hopes or encourage her mother’s aspirations to have a rich
son-in-law.

‘Jane, you do not look at all well.
I believe the carriage ride has caused you to start a megrim.’

‘It has, Lizzy. I had much better
go to my bed and lie down for a few hours.’

Not allowing her mother to argue
she was willingly bundled upstairs and into the bed chamber she shared with her
sister. ‘Do I have to actually retire to bed, Lizzy? I should much rather
remain as I am.’

‘I shall close the shutters and the
door; that should be sufficient to keep out unwelcome visitors.’

Jane removed her slippers and
pelisse and settled comfortably on the bed whilst the shutters were closed. ‘I
am sorry to leave you to our mother’s questioning, but…’

‘I understand exactly; I am quite
capable of resisting the most strenuous of interrogations. I promise she will
not hear anything
you
would not like from me.’

Left alone in the gloom Jane closed
her eyes and let her mind drift back over the private conversations she had had
with Mr Bingley. She sensed that his friend, Mr Darcy, did not approve of their
intimacy. She prayed that this formidable gentleman would not influence Mr
Bingley against her. She smiled; at least she knew that both Miss Bingley and
Mrs Hurst would take her side, they had shown themselves to be good friends to
her. Had they not given her a pretty scarf as a parting gift?

She knew that
she
loved him,
she was almost sure that he returned her affection, but until he made it clear
she must keep her feelings to herself. There was nothing she disliked more than
a young lady who wore her heart on her sleeve. If her mother had the slightest
inkling that she might become Mrs Bingley the news would be all over the
village and into Meryton in no time.

This would not happen. Until
Charles…she believed she could call him that to herself now… until Charles made
an offer, or at least spoke of having a future with her she would insist that
she was merely a friend of his sisters and nothing more. It would be easier
that way.

Jane went down for breakfast secure in the knowledge that her sister had
answered all her mother’s questions about their visit to Netherfield. She took
her place at the table, about which the rest of her family were gathered, glad
that no one remarked on how little she had put on her own plate.

Mr Bennet rested his arms upon the table and gazed at his wife. ‘I hope,
my dear, that you ordered a good dinner today, because I have every expectation
there shall be an addition to the family party.’

‘Who do you mean, my dear? I know of nobody that is coming I am sure,
unless Charlotte Lucas should happen to call in, and I hope my dinner is a good
enough for
her
. I do not believe she often sees such a thing at her own
house.’

‘The person of whom I speak, is a gentleman and a stranger.’

Mrs Bennet’s eyes sparkled. ‘A gentleman and a stranger! It is Mr
Bingley I am sure. Well, Jane, you never dropped a word of this; you sly thing!
Well, I am sure I shall be extremely glad to see Mr Bingley. But, good Lord!
How unlucky! There is not a bit of fish to be got today. Lydia, my love, ring
the bell. I must speak to Hill this moment.’

Jane put down her knife and fork leaving her coddled egg and slice of
ham untouched. She knew it was not to be Mr Bingley, for he would have
mentioned it when they were talking last night. She waited, as eager as the
others, to know to whom her father was referring.

‘It is not Mr Bingley. It is a person I never saw in the whole course of
my life.’ Eventually her father explained that he had received a letter a
fortnight before from his cousin, one Mr Collins, who would inherit Longbourn
after his death. Jane knew, as did they all, that Longbourn was entailed, but
this was the first time she had heard mention of the man himself.

Both she and her sister had attempted to explain to their mother the
nature of an entail. However, it was a subject upon which Mrs Bennet was beyond
the reach of reason; she continued to rail bitterly against the cruelty of
settling the estate away from a family of five daughters, in favour of a man
whom nobody cared anything about.

Her father then proceeded to read out a very long letter from Mr
Collins, who it seemed was a clergyman who had just moved to a living under the
patronage of someone called Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Jane was relieved when
the letter came to an end.

‘At four o’clock, therefore, we expect this peacemaking gentleman to
arrive. He seems to be a most conscientious and polite young man, upon my word;
and I doubt not will prove a valuable acquaintance, especially if Lady
Catherine should be so indulgent as to let him come to us again.

There is some sense in what he says about the girls however; and if he’s
disposed to make many amends, I shall not be the person to discourage him.’

Jane had heard this part of the letter without understanding exactly
what Mr Collins had meant. ‘It is difficult to guess in what way he can mean to
make us the atonement he thinks our due, but the wish is certainly to his
credit.’

Elizabeth was disgusted by the manner in which Mr Collins deferred to
Lady Catherine. ‘He must not do, I think, I cannot make him out. There is
something very pompous about his style; what can he mean by apologizing for
being mixed up in the entail? We cannot suppose he would help it, if he could.
Do you expect him to be a sensible man, sir?’

‘No, my dear; I think not, ‘ Mr Bennet replied. ‘Upon my word I find him
quite the reverse. There is instability and self-importance discernible in his
letter which promises well. I am impatient to see him.’

Later on that day she and Elizabeth escaped the chaos of preparation for
this unexpected, and unwanted visitor, by taking a walk in the park. ‘Lizzy,
why do you think that Mr Collins has come at this time? Papa is still in the
prime of his life, I do hope he is not coming in the expectation of moving into
Longbourn at any time soon.’

‘Of course he is not, but I have no idea why he is coming today. We must
wait until he arrives and then no doubt he will tell us at great length and in
interminable detail. I am as eager as Papa to see if he is as ridiculous as his
letter.’

At four o’clock Mr Collins duly arrived at their door. Jane was
introduced after her mother, and Mr Collins seemed to take a particular
interest in her which she found decidedly uncomfortable. He was a tall, heavy
looking young man of five and twenty. His manner was grave and stately and his
speech very formal.

He had not been sitting long with the family before he began to praise
Mrs Bennet for having so fine a family of daughters. Jane exchanged a glance
with her sister who raised an eyebrow and hid her smile behind her hand.

 
During dinner her father scarcely
spoke at all, but when the servants were withdrawn he turned to their guest.
‘Mr Collins, it would seem from your letter that you are very fortunate in your
patroness, Lady Catherine De Bourgh.’ He could not have chosen a better
subject, Mr Collins was eloquent in her praise. In fact by the time he had
finished his discourse, Jane felt she knew as much about his patroness as he
did.

 
Lady Catherine had a sickly
daughter, her estate was called Rosings, and a great deal more that she had
already forgotten. When it was time for tea her father seemed glad to take his
guest into the drawing-room again and when the tray was removed he invited Mr
Collins to read aloud to the ladies. Their guest immediately said that he never
read novels, much to the disgust of Kitty and Lydia. Other books were produced
and after some deliberation he chose Fordyce’s sermons. She saw her younger
sister’s horror as he opened the volume and before he had, with monotonous
solemnity read even three pages Lydia interrupted him.

‘You know, my Uncle Philips talks of turning away one of his men. My
aunt told me so herself on Saturday. I shall walk into Meryton tomorrow to hear
more about it, and ask when Mr Denny comes back from town.’

Jane was scandalized by her younger sister’s incivility. ‘Lydia, hold
your tongue, have you no manners at all?’

Lydia seemed almost surprised by Jane’s reprimand. However, Mr Collins
was very offended, and laid aside his book with a heavy sigh. Then followed a
homily about poor manners and everyone was much relieved when their guest
agreed to play backgammon with their father. Even her mother apologized most
civilly for Lydia’s rude interruption and promised that it should not occur
again, if he would resume his book. Jane was delighted that he preferred to
play backgammon.

That evening, as she and Elizabeth were preparing to retire, Jane
finally had time to discuss her sojourn at Netherfield. ‘I am glad to be home,
Lizzy, but I must say that I did enjoy being with Mr Bingley. Did you not think
he is so good-natured, so affable, with all his staff? I do believe I never
heard him say a cross word the whole time we were there.’

‘Which is more than I can say for his friend. Mr Darcy had nothing good
to say about anyone, he is so high in instep I am surprised he can walk at
all.’

‘I cannot imagine two men so dissimilar; I wonder how they first came to
be friends.’

‘Perhaps Darcy is so proud he has made no friends and therefore when Mr
Bingley came his way he snatched at the chance of having someone so affable to
talk to.’

Jane smiled. ‘Well, Mr Darcy cannot be all bad if Mr Bingley holds him
in such high regard. And do you not think that both Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst
are kind as well? Think how they looked after me when I was ill, and they are
so experienced in the ways of the world we could both learn a lot about society
from being in their company.’

‘What those two ladies could teach us is something I would rather not
learn. I know that you like them both, but I think they are shallow. Their only
good points are that they appear to enjoy your company and wish to be on
intimate terms with you.’