6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Early the next morning, Lizzy stirred and saw the first rays of dawn peeking around the edges of the drapes. With a yawn, she slipped out of bed and stretched deeply. She took a deep breath and smiled. That dreadful cough is gone! No more need for that horrid infusion! Her stomach grumbled loudly. I need to break my fast. But I am sure I need to feel the sun on my face even more! I dare not go out for a walk. I do not wish to worry Papa that way. But the morning room opens onto the garden, and there is a bench just outside the door. Surely I can sit there for a few minutes without risking anyone's distressed.

She dressed quickly, glad to find her own morning dress in the wardrobe. I do not feel like myself wearing someone else's clothes! Jane is so very considerate. She fastened the last of the small buttons and pulled a warm shawl from the chair. Wrapping it around her shoulders, she quickly slipped out the door.

The household was quiet as she made her way to the morning room. Cheerful sunlight streamed through the windows, and the garden door was ajar. She pushed it further open and paused to savor the smell of the morning air. Closing her eyes, she allowed the cool air fill her lungs. A peaceful smile lit her face. With a content sigh, she dusted off the bench and sat down. Leaning back on her hands, she shut her eyes again and listened to the sounds of the morning: birds twittered and warbled, a horse nickered, and cows lowed.

Footsteps approaching drew her attention back. When she opened her eyes, she expected to see one of the housemaids, but saw, instead, the looming form of Mr. Darcy.

"Miss Elizabeth, are you well? Should you be out in the morning air?" he asked, pausing at the garden bench.

"Mr. Darcy! Thank you; yes, I am quite improved this morning." She smiled softly.

"I am sure your father will be most pleased to know. He has been quite concerned."

"I am dreadfully sorry to have worried him so." She rose gracefully. "Were you riding Surtur this morning?"

"Yes, I was." He quickly looked away.

Clearing her throat, she put her hands on her hips. "You were seeing to Toppur as well." She cocked her head waiting for an answer. "You had to see if you could approach the horse that none of the grooms could." Her eyes narrowed as she stared into his eyes. "And you were successful as well. Our stallion accepted you…and you were not bested by a country maiden. Your reputation as a horseman remains secure." Her eyes twinkled gaily.

Darcy rolled his eyes and huffed. "You are just like your father!"

Lizzy laughed merrily and sat back down. "I suppose his ways do rub off when one spends enough time with him."

Darcy sat down beside her. "I feel sorry for your sons, madam, for they shall get by with nothing. A boy should always be able to have some small concealment from his mother."

She looked away. "I shall never have sons, so your fears are for naught."

"How can you predict the future? Though your mother had none does not mean that you will not. Besides, does not every man wish for an heir?" He peered at her carefully.

Her shoulders drooped and she blushed, feeling his eyes on her. "I shall have no sons for I shall never marry."

Darcy drew in a sharp breath. "But…"

Elizabeth turned to look him in the eye. The early morning sun glistened off the unshed tears in her eyes. She quickly blinked them back. "I find that I must be a realist, sir. It is what has kept my family through all that we have experienced. My mother pushed us all to do what we must to keep body and soul together, and we have. My father has the dignity of being respected in our community and running his own estate. My sisters are respectable girls with sufficient dowries. My family needs me to make sure all of that continues.

"But that has left me something no respectable man would desire, dowry or no. What gentleman wants a wife accustomed to managing an estate herself? Much less, one that races an unmanageable stallion, riding astride at dawn? A gentleman does not wish for a hoyden as a wife." Tears filled her eyes again, and she turned her face away. "But, I have accepted what must be and will continue to do what must be done, though it means I will have no sons… or daughters." Her throat tightened and choked her voice. "Excuse me, I should go back inside." With a swish of her skirts, she was gone.

Darcy stared at the empty spot on the bench. I had no idea. That is a conversation I did not expect to have. Never have I had a woman tell me she did not consider herself a parti(1) I have become so accustomed to defending myself on the marriage mart that I have always expected women to look at me that way. How odd to find one that does not. He lifted his hat and raked back his hair. I dare say she is right though. There are few gentlemen I know who would welcome a wife who could manage their estate better than they. Though, I know a few estates that would be better off under her management. The first circles would never accept her; she could not marry among them. Then again, Bingley's sisters censure her and her sisters strongly, too. I fear many of the lower gentry would shun her as well. In all likelihood, the only ones who would accept her are those here in her community. I cannot imagine there would be many here who would appreciate her tastes in reading, if her father's tastes are any indication. The cold of the stone bench had seeped through the buckskin of his breeches. He pushed himself up heavily. Alas, it is a shame that she should pay so high a price when she has done nothing wrong and everything right; yet, I may be able to protect Georgiana from the effects of her very real folly. He grumbled deep in his throat. Miss Elizabeth is such a strong woman. Surely her children would have her strength. If only Georgiana had had such fortitude. He blew out a deep breath, straightened his coat and returned to the morning room.

"How fares your sister this morning?" Bingley asked as he served himself a plate for breakfast. "Your father said that she came below stairs earlier."

"Lizzy is doing better today, thank you. She came down and found a little fresh air before the exercise became too much for her and she had to return to her rooms. When I left her, she was sleeping again. I have hopes that she might yet be able to join us for a bit later this afternoon. But I fear she is not ready to be moved home just yet. We must impose on your hospitality for a little while longer," Jane replied as she buttered her muffin.

"You are no imposition at all. In fact, I find the company quite invigorating. Your father is quite an amiable fellow."

"He is indeed." A comfortable silence fell for a few minutes until Jane observed, "It seems the weather has become very fine today. I should visit Longbourn."

"The weather has turned, though I fear that the road will be quite sodden and in no condition to be trod on foot."

"Might I trouble you, sir, to send a servant to Longbourn to summon our carriage? Papa wishes for me to check on my sisters. They are not accustomed to being left to themselves."

"Louisa asked me to take her into town today. Would it be agreeable for you to accompany us in our carriage? We can take you to Longbourn on the way into Meryton and then return for you when we are finished." Bingley blinked hopefully.

"I do not wish to be any trouble, sir…" she protested softly.

"It would be our pleasure indeed. Perhaps on the way, you can instruct Louisa on the best shops in town."

Nearly an hour later, Jane departed for Longbourn with Bingley and Louisa. In the absence of Caroline, the conversation was congenial, and the time passed very quickly. Soon she left the carriage and lighted on Longbourn's doorstep. Mrs. Hill immediately greeted her and took her wrap.

Rapid steps down the stairs echoed in the foyer. A moment later, Mary's face appeared. "Jane!" She hurried to embrace her sister. "Jane! I am so glad you are here!" She gulped back a little cry.

Jane gasped under the force of her sister's hold around her waist. "Mary, dearest, what is wrong? Where are Kitty and Lydia? I was certain they would be below stairs by now."

"That is why I am so glad you are here. They rose early this morning and went into town," Mary explained, wringing her hands.

"Come, sit down and explain everything to me." Jane led her to the parlor. "Now tell me, why you are so troubled by their early journey this morning. Did they not have some useful purpose?"

"They did, I think. I cannot be sure now. You know how Lydia can be. Once she starts talking she just keeps going, and sometimes I lose track of what it is she has said. I find myself agreeing with her just so she will be quiet again." A little sob escaped as she chewed her knuckle.

"Mary, what do you suppose they are doing in town?"

"They have spoken of nothing but officers and the regiment since you and Papa have been gone!" Mary cried, clutching at her skirts, and crushing the pale blue lawn in her hands.

"Surely they are not disobeying Papa, not after he was so very clear with them the other night?" Jane rose and walked to the window. "No, that cannot be. Surely they could not be so determined to disobey him."

"I did not believe so, but Jenny, the new maid, told Missy that her sister told her that Lady Lucas had a tea for Colonel Forster and his wife, and they brought several of the officers with them."

"I do not understand why that is a problem."

"Because Missy said that Jenny said that her sister had seen Kitty and Lydia there as well." Mary shook her hands in frustration. "I knew they would do something untoward! I should not have let them go…"

Jane placed a calming hand on her sister's shoulder. "Stop blaming yourself, Mary; they are responsible for their own conduct. Are you certain, though, that it was them at Lady Lucas's?" Mary nodded miserably. "Then there seems only one thing to do. I shall take the gig and fetch them from town. Clearly they cannot be trusted on their own. They shall not be permitted to go out unescorted as long as the regiment stays."

"What shall I do whilst you are gone?"

"Pack a small trunk for me. Give me a moment, and I shall make you a list. There are a few things that would be a comfort to Lizzy…."

"Oh, Lizzy! How horrid of me not to even ask!" Mary covered her face with her hands for a moment. "How is she?"

"She is better, but not yet herself. She was out of her rooms for a short bit before I rose this morning. By the time I went to check on her, she had already returned as quite a brown study(2), which is entirely unlike her. I do not know if it was the effects of the fever or perhaps she just tried to do too much. I would like to bring a few things that might soothe her spirits."

"And Papa?"

"He is well; surprisingly well, in fact. He seems to get on famously with Mr. Darcy, Lizzy's black stallion . He even permits Mr. Darcy to guide him about Netherfield. It is the most singular thing. I thought he would be sick with worry for Lizzy, but he seems to have found his equanimity directly."

"He has great faith in Mr. Palmer's preparations," Mary noted, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.

He seems to have great faith in Mr. Darcy as well, though I am not certain I understand. "Let me prepare that list for you so that I can go on to town. The Bingleys are to return for me later this afternoon, and I do not wish to be out when they arrive."

A quarter hour later, Jane called for the gig to be readied, and a quarter of an hour after that, she was on her way into town. The week's storms had taken their toll on the road. Many new ruts and hollows had opened up, each filled with mud, so her progress what much slower than she had desired.

Now where to begin looking for them? Perhaps Aunt Philips would know; but if I go there, I will be obliged to stay for a visit, and I do not have time for that. Perhaps the milliner's shop, as that is Lydia's favorite. Jane drew the gig to a stop besidethe small shop and jumped down to inquire of the shopkeeper. Her sisters had indeed been there much earlier that morning, but she had no idea of where they might have gone. Jane thanked her and left, struggling to contain her frustration.

Visits to the draper, the lace maker and the hosier produced similar results. The shoemaker, though, had overheard them saying they were fagged and planned on visiting the tea shop next. With a heavy sigh, Jane took off in that direction. Although they were not in the tea shop, the serving girl had just seen them on their way.

"Yes, ma'am, dey was jes' 'ere," the girl said as she curtsied. "Whilst dey was 'ere, two officers came ta join dem, dey did. Dey said dey was meetin' dere friend at da pawnbroker."

Jane huffed and rolled her eyes. She withdrew a penny from her purse and pressed it into the girl's hand. "Thank you, that is very helpful." She hurried out of the tea shop only to step into a deep puddle. "Bother!" she hissed, jumping back and trying to shake the mud from her skirts and half-boots, but the nankeen had already soaked through, the cold water now chilling her foot. Jane grumbled under her breath. With a final flip of her skirt, she continued on her trek.

Though she knew its location, the pawnbroker was not a place she had ever visited. It sat at the end of a narrow, dark alley that her father insisted she and her sisters avoid. A gin shop occupied the space nearest the main street; several rough looking men and a farmer Jane recognized stood outside its doors. She tensed uncomfortably as she noticed the looks they cast her way. The used clothes merchant who stood at the doorway to his shop on the other side of the street gave her a similar appraisal. She shuddered and hurried along, trying not to see the bawdy illustrations in the window of the print shop. Despite the effort, she felt herself blush at the images of the bare-breasted women. Oh, Lydia, what have you done? Kitty, why have you followed?

She heard Lydia's high, tittering laugh, and felt weak with relief, nearly running the rest of the way to the pawnbroker. Kitty and Lydia stood outside with two men in regimentals. A uniformed man exited the shop, wearing a satisfied smile.

"Jane!" Kitty gasped, blanching at her sister's angry expression.

"Oh, Jane!" Lydia cried and waved her sister toward them. "Come meet our new friends."

Jane glowered and stalked to her sister's side.

"Jane, meet Lt. Carter and Lt. Denny," she said as she wound her hand into the crook of the third's elbow, "and this is Lt. Wickham." She smiled up flirtatiously into his face.

"And this is no place for a young lady!" Jane snapped, reaching for her sister's arm. "Good day, gentlemen. You will excuse us; my sisters are needed at home immediately." She grabbed Kitty's arm with the other hand and pulled them toward her.

"But, Jane, we were…" Kitty protested.

"You cannot do this! You are embarrassing me!" Lydia shrieked.

"You have done this to yourself," Jane hissed. "Now be quiet and do not cause any further scene. If you continue to fuss, you will only look worse." Her grip on their arms tightened, but they did not struggle. Jane hurried her sisters down the alley and back out into the main street. Once there, she breathed a sigh of relief and released their arms.

"How dare you—" Lydia began angrily.

"Hold your tongue." Jane whirled on her. "You have disobeyed father not once, but twice. He forbade you from having anything to do with the regiment, and he told you never to go down that alley. What can you possibly say for yourselves? No, I do not wish to hear it! Both of you, up in the gig, now!" Her face was flushed, and her hands shook as she tried to untie the reins.

"But the gig is only meant for two," Kitty whined. "Let us walk home; it is better than squashing up."

Jane threw her an icy stare. "You were permitted to walk into town, and look what happened. I will not allow you out of my sight until we are back at Longbourn. Now get in."

"Have a care, Kitty, you are crushing my bonnet," Lydia squealed as Kitty pushed her way onto the seat of the gig.

"Then scoot over and give me room!" She pushed her sister's shoulder.

"I have none!" Lydia scolded, returning the shove.

"Stop it, you cap pulls!" Jane flicked the reins, and the bay took off at a rapid clip.

The younger girls quarreled all the way, shouting and grumbling over every rock and hollow in the road. By the time they were at Longbourn, Jane's head ached from clenching her jaws the whole way home. "Get down, now."

Kitty and Lydia quickly obeyed and dashed into the house. Jane took a deep breath before accepting the groom's hand down from the gig. Mary met her at the door. "It was what you expected," Jane said softly, squeezing her hand briefly.

"I told them to wait for you in the parlor," Mary said, squeezing back. Together they walked into the house.

Kitty and Lydia sat on opposite sides of the room, arms crossed and pouting. They both stared at Jane as she entered. As if on cue, they began talking at once.

Jane lifted her hand, palm up. "I do not want to hear."

"You must listen!" Lydia insisted.

"You always listen. You always hear both sides…" Kitty added.

"There is nothing you can say that will make this any better. You can have no possible excuse, aside from your own willfulness, for disobeying Papa so completely." Jane lowered herself slowly into a chair while Mary stood behind her shoulder.

"You are not being fair! You must hear us out!" Lydia sprang to her feet and stomped.

"You both have proven that you are not trustworthy, so you shall be treated accordingly," Jane declared levelly. "Neither of you is permitted to leave Longbourn until Papa returns. You may not so much as go out into the gardens unless Hill or Wallace accompanies you. You will not go near the stables, ride, or drive the gig. You will not receive company of any kind."

"No, no, no!" Lydia stamped her foot with each word. "We promised Lady Lucas—"

"You most certainly cannot attend any more teas with Lady Lucas." Jane clutched her temples, groaning softly.

"But it would be rude not to be there; we already promised!" Kitty begged. "You are making a Cheltenham tragedy(3) of this!"

"You think that this is nothing? It bothers you to be rude, but you feel no remorse in disobeying Papa?" Jane huffed out a deep breath.

"How would you understand? You are already an old tabby! We are young and pretty. We need to set our caps before we become ape leaders(4) like you and Lizzy!" Lydia tossed her head scornfully.

"Better that than the bacon-brained chits you seem to have become," Jane snapped. Her sisters all stared, wide-eyed, mouths agape. She immediately regretted her harsh words and sagged back in her chair. "We shall have no more discussion on this matter. Both of you go upstairs while I instruct Hill and Wallace. I will be on my way back to Netherfield shortly." She turned to Mary. "Hill and Wallace will help you to enforce what I have set down. Do not hesitate to ask for their assistance."

"We are not children to be bossed about by servants!" Lydia took several steps toward Jane.

"Your behavior says otherwise. Now go upstairs before I ask them to assist you in doing so." Jane's voice was barely a whisper.

Gulping back a sob, Kitty rushed from the room, her heavy footsteps loud on the stairs. Her slamming door echoed through the house. Lydia and Jane stared at one another for a long moment. "Mary, get Hill."

Lydia stomped out of the room and upstairs. A short time later, Hill and Wallace returned with Mary. Jane quietly explained their new duties minding Lydia and Kitty. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she dismissed them.

Only Mary remained, a pained expression on her face. "I am so sorry, Jane; I should have found a way to keep them home."

"Short of tying them to the bed posts, you could not have kept them if they were not willing to be kept." Jane patted her shoulder. "It is not your fault, but I need you to send word to me immediately if you find them unmanageable again."

"I will, Jane, I promise."

"I will go to Papa's study now to retrieve his correspondence and watch for the Bingleys. I do not wish for them to have to wait for me."

"Of course. The trunk you asked for is waiting beside the door." Mary bit her lip. "When do you expect to come home?"

"If Lizzy continues her recovery as she has, perhaps two days. But if you need me, I shall see if Papa is willing to allow me to come home sooner. He seems so comfortable with Mr. Darcy that he might be willing." Jane rose gracefully and, with a squeeze to Mary's shoulder, left the room.

She walked stiffly down the hall to her father's study and shut the door behind her. In the privacy of the book room, Jane began to weep.

1 parti : A person considered as a matrimonial match. From the French meaning party or match.

2 brown study : Said of one absent, in a reverie, or thoughtful. From the French expression "sombre réverie." Sombre and brun both mean sad, melancholy, gloomy, dull.

3 To make a Cheltenham tragedy : out of something is to make a big deal out of nothing, or blow a situation out of proportion. This may be a reference to the melodramas that were performed at Cheltenham spa.

4 ape leader : A spinster or old maid. According to an old saying, their fate is leading apes in hell.