Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley (8 page)

Darcy put down his newspaper. ‘Then I shall come with you, there is
nothing worth reading in here, and I have finished with this.’

‘Are neither of you going to join us in a hand of cards?’ Mr Hurst
enquired as they walked past the card table.

As it was perfectly clear that they were not going to do so, Charles did
not bother to answer. Two footmen hurried ahead of them in order to light
candles in the library. He frowned, why had Darcy chosen to accompany them? He
was already monopolizing Elizabeth and their scholarly talk on the merits of
books he had never heard of would not help him choose something suitable for
her sister.

Then, to his consternation he heard a trill of his sister’s voice.
‘Please, allow me to accompany you, there is nothing I like better than to
spend an hour or so in the library.’ This was the outside of enough! ’Caroline,
the last time you opened a book it was full of fashion plates. I do not believe
you have ever read an entire novel in your life.’

His sister stopped in the passageway and her eyes narrowed. ‘If you
would prefer that I did not come, you only had to tell me so, Charles. There
was no need to be offensive.’ She turned and stalked back into the drawing-room
leaving him feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

‘Never mind, Bingley, I shall go back and smooth her ruffled feathers. I
can select a book for myself tomorrow.’

‘Mr Bingley, this is a delightful room. I am certain we shall find
exactly what Jane likes best.’

Twenty minutes searching produced a gothic novel and two beautifully
illustrated books on the wildlife of Scotland. ‘Thank you so much for your
assistance in this matter, I do so wish Miss Bennet to be comfortable whilst
she is here. I feel responsible for her illness.’

The young woman whom he was beginning to like very well, smiled warmly.
‘Good grief! There is absolutely no need to blame yourself. Important as you
are in the neighbourhood I do not believe you have power over the weather, Mr
Bingley.’

He chuckled at her wit. Her sister did not have such a facility with
words, but he did not consider it necessary to be erudite in order to be
interesting. Being able to converse on commonplaces was far more important in
his opinion.

‘I shall not come back into the drawing-room, sir, I have been away too
long from my sister. I must go up and see how she is.’

He watched her run lightly up the wide oak staircase and thought how
pretty she was; not as lovely as her sister, of course, but with a ready wit
and fearless disposition she would make someone an excellent wife. He was
smiling as he returned to the drawing-room and Darcy caught his eye, raising an
eyebrow in characteristic fashion.

 
He grinned and walked across to
join him, speaking quietly so that they would not be overheard. ‘I have been
enjoying a pleasant interlude in the library with Miss Elizabeth. She has taken
up the books I selected, but shall return with news on how the patient does.’
He waited for his friend to comment but was to be disappointed on that score.
‘No doubt there is an extensive library at Longbourn and she has learnt to love
reading from being there.’

‘Very possibly; however she would do better to listen more and voice her
opinions far less.’

 
‘By that, I must assume
that she did not defer to you?’

‘No, she did not.’

Bingley was not sure from this conversation whether his friend was
attracted or repelled by the Elizabeth’s outspokenness.

 
He joined the card game, but was
interrupted when Elizabeth returned to say Jane was far worse than that she
could not leave her alone.

‘I shall send for Mr Jones at once, it does not matter how late the
hour, I shall not rest easy until I know that Miss Bennet is in no danger.’

‘I do not think that a local apothecary shall do in this case, Charles.
Rather send to London for an eminent physician tomorrow.’

‘Oh no, Mr Bingley, Miss Bingley, that is too kind, but quite
unnecessary. Mr Jones will do very well, and could be sent for in the morning,
if my sister is not decidedly better.’

Charles no longer had any pleasure in the evening. He felt miserable at
the thought that the young lady, who had become dear to him, was tossing and
turning in discomfort upstairs whilst they were enjoying themselves below. His
sisters agreed that it was a wretched business, but soon repaired to the
pianoforte to sing duets. He would go to find the housekeeper and give her
directions that every possible attention must be paid to the patient and her
sister.

He left the drawing-room in search of Nicholls. During that time he had
spent in the library he had learnt a deal about Jane’s preferences. He would
order her the food she liked, that was the least he could do in the
circumstances.

Knocking on the housekeeper’s door
he waited until it was opened to him. ‘I was about to come and speak to you,
sir. Miss Bennet has taken a turn for the worse, I have sent up cool water to
bathe her temples and a tisane to help reduce the fever.’

‘Excellent; however I wish you to
note down a list of Miss Bennet’s favourite food. She likes scrambled eggs, but
not soft boiled; she prefers tea to coffee and hot chocolate not at all. Her
preferences are sweet rolls and fresh butter and honey, and sometimes she
enjoys a muffin toasted at the fire.’

‘I shall ensure that she gets tea
on her tray in future, and as soon as she is able to eat I shall make sure she
has the things you mentioned.’

‘Good. As to other meals, a
nourishing fresh vegetable soup is a great favourite of hers. As soon as she is
well enough I wish her to be given breast of chicken with lemon sauce and
potatoes mashed with butter and cream.’ He rubbed his chin; had he recalled
everything he had been told? Yes; the housekeeper would not wish to know that
she did not sketch but played the piano, although he had been pleased to glean
these details for himself.

‘Jane, I am going to write a note to Longbourn and ask our mother to
visit and then she can decide if you are well enough to leave.’

‘I am so sorry to be a nuisance, Lizzy, such a lot of trouble. I am
feeling hot, but a little better than I did last night.’ Jane wished that her
family were not obliged to come to Netherfield. Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst were
everything that was kind, but she knew they found Mrs Bennet and her younger
sisters rather too lively.

‘I shall get dressed this morning, I have no wish to receive visitors
lying in my bed as I did yesterday.’

‘I shall allow you to put on your robe and sit in front of the fire in
the parlour, but dressed you shall not get.’

When Jane was settled Betty brought in a tray upon which was a small
portion of scrambled eggs, a single sweet roll, a pat of butter and small dish
of honey. The chambermaid followed with the tray of tea.

‘Lizzy! Look at this! It is all my favourites; how could the cook know
what I liked?’

‘Because Mr Bingley asked me last night. Which reminds me he also
selected three books for you to read when you are feeling better.’

She handed them to Jane who saw at once they were exactly what she
enjoyed. ‘How kind of him to think of me in this way. I hate being a trouble to
him.’

‘
He
is not at all put out by us being here; in fact you must stop
worrying immediately about putting him out in any way. He would not have spent
so long selecting your books and organizing your breakfast if he did not wish
you to be here.’

‘I am glad that he cannot come up and see me as I am. Is my nose very
red? I am sure that I look a sorry sight. I can not imagine what Miss Bingley
and Mrs Hurst must think of me. They are so elegant, do not you think so,
Lizzy?’

‘I shall not tell you my opinion of those two ladies - for you already
know it - although I am forced to admit they dress to advantage. However, I
must admit that Miss Bingley has appeared to be showing you the correct amount
of solicitude. I cannot fault her there.’

Everything on the tray looked so appetizing. ‘I believe that I shall try
this breakfast after all.’ After eating Jane felt a little stronger. She blew
her nose and sniffed loudly. ‘Do you remember, Lizzy, your first assembly at
Meryton?’

Her sister smiled. ‘I do indeed; I had my regulation white muslin gown,
had talked of nothing else for weeks and then on the morning of the dance I
came out in a rash. It was all you could do to persuade me to accompany you.’

‘I can recall you spending the entire evening hiding behind your fan
whilst I enjoyed the dancing. It all seems so long ago, and now our sisters are
following in our footsteps.’

Elizabeth removed the remains of the breakfast tray and joined her
sister in a second cup of tea. ‘I could wish that Kitty and Lydia
were
more like us. They have little reserve and although we had our come out early,
I do not believe we have ever behaved as they do.

‘What about that young man we met when we were staying in London who
fancied himself in love with me and wrote me poetry?’

‘Yes, it was execrable. What I remember particularly is that we were
walking into Meryton and I was reciting parts to you when the very gentleman we
were laughing at popped unexpectedly out of the general stores.’

‘I was never so embarrassed in my life; In my shock I stepped sideways
and was up to my ankles in a puddle and covered
you
in muddy water.’

Her sister laughed out loud at the memory. ‘It was no more than we
deserved. He was a pleasant gentleman; I wonder what happened to him?’

‘And what about the young man who was staying in Meryton two summers
ago? He was madly in love with you - he was forever calling at the house. I believe
that our mother thought you had made a match of it.’

‘The man was a simpleton - he could scarcely string a coherent sentence
together.’ She smiled at Jane. ‘But I must admit he was prodigiously handsome
and according to Aunt Philips had a fortune of three thousand pounds a year!’

‘Not enough to tempt you, Lizzy.’

‘Absolutely not; only love would make me contemplate giving up my
independence to any man.’

 
Jane felt her throat protesting
at all the talking and laughing she had been doing. ‘I agree, I shall never
marry either unless I am in love - nothing else matters in my opinion.’

She felt too fatigued to continue and closed her eyes allowing herself
to daydream about marrying a man she loved. She was almost certain that she had
found him already; she would talk to her sister about it when she felt a little
better.

 
* * * *

Charles was waiting anxiously for news of the patient. ‘How is Miss
Bennet, this morning, Nicholls?’

The housekeeper smiled happily. ‘The young lady has eaten breakfast and
much enjoyed it, sir. I believe she is feeling a lot better.’

‘I am relieved to hear you say so; and was most concerned when I saw
that a note had been sent to Longbourn.’

He strolled back to the breakfast room where Darcy and his sisters were
gathered; Hurst rarely appeared before noon. ‘Good morning; Miss Bennet is
feeling much better, but I have still sent for the apothecary. I do not intend
taking chances in this matter.’

‘I saw a note addressed to Mrs Bennet waiting to be delivered when I
came down earlier,’ Caroline said, ‘are we to expect a visit from that
delightful lady?’

Darcy looked up. ‘Well, Bingley? Are we to have that pleasure?’

‘Do not look so appalled, my friend, you may make yourself scarce. I am
sure that Mrs Bennet will be coming to see her daughter, and shall not stay
after.’

He had not long left the breakfast room when Mrs Bennet, accompanied by
her two youngest daughters, was announced. Immediately Mr Bingley went out into
the hall to greet them. He nodded and smiled and allowed her babble to pass
over his head. While Caroline was giving up to date information about the
patient he had leisure to examine Jane’s mother.

Underneath the plumpness of her cheeks he could detect a physical
resemblance to her eldest; it was impossible to see the colour of Mrs Bennet’s
hair as it was hidden under a spectacular turban of purple silk extensively
decorated with matching feathers. However, the colour of her eyes was exactly
the same mix of green and brown as those that he admired so much.

Mrs Bennet suddenly turned back and addressed him directly. ‘Mr Bingley,
Mr Bennet and I wish to thank you for taking care of our eldest girls; I am
sure that Jane is getting the best possible consideration at Netherfield and
that without your particular attention she would be far worse than she is
already.’

‘It is my pleasure, madam, and I am certain that both the patient and
Miss Elizabeth shall be delighted that you have come so promptly to visit.’

He wandered into the drawing-room to find his friend hiding behind a
newspaper. ‘It is quite safe to emerge, Darcy. They have gone upstairs for the
moment. However, when they come down I shall expect you to do the pretty and
not leave me on my own. I hope having both her mother and her two younger
sisters visiting will not cause Miss Bennet to have a relapse.’