Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley

by Fenella J Miller

  ‘Oh! My dear Mr Bennet,’ her mother trilled as she rushed into the drawing-room. ‘We have had a most delightful evening, a most excellent ball. I wish you had been there. Jane was so admired, nothing could be like it. Everybody said how well she looked; and Mr Bingley thought her quite beautiful, and danced with her twice. Only think of that to my dear; he actually danced with her twice; she was the only creature in the room that he asked a second time. First of all, he asked Miss Lucas. I was beside myself that he stood up with her; but, however, he did not admire her at all; indeed, nobody can, you know; and he saw our Jane as she was going down the dance. So, he enquired who she was, and got introduced, and danced with her next. He also danced with Miss King, with Maria Lucas, and the fifth with Jane again, and the six with Lizzy, and than the boulganger…’

  ‘If he had any compassion for me,’ her husband said impatiently, ‘he would not have danced half so much! For God’s sake, say no more of his partners. Oh! That he had a sprained his ankle in the first dance!’

  ‘Oh dear,’ continued Mrs Bennet, ‘I am quite delighted with him. Mr Bingley is so excessively handsome. His sisters are charming woman; I never in my life saw anything more elegant than their dresses. I daresay the lace upon Mrs Hurst’s gown… ‘

  Here she was interrupted again as Mr Bennet protested against any further descriptions of finery. As he refused to listen to any thing more about clothes she regaled him in great detail about the rudeness of Mr Darcy and how everyone had thought him proud and far too high in the instep.

  When Jane and Elizabeth were alone in their bedchamber, Jane, who had been cautious in her praise of Mr Bingley before, expressed to her sister how very much she admired him.

  ‘He is just what a young man ought to be, sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! So much ease, and with such perfect good breeding. Did you not think so, Lizzy?’

  ‘He is also handsome, which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete.’

  ‘I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment.’

  ‘Did not you? I did for you. But that is the one great difference between us. Compliments always take you by surprise, and me never. What could be more natural than his asking you again? He could not help seeing you were about five times as pretty as every other woman in the room. No thanks to his gallantry there. Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him as much you wish. You have liked many a stupider person.’

  Jane leant forward to squeeze her sister’s hand. ‘You are dear, Lizzy. And so funny. I do wish you had had a better time yourself.’

  ‘I did enjoy myself, Jane. But you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see fault in anybody. All the world is good and agreeable in your eyes, I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life.’

  ‘I would wish not to be hasty in censoring anyone; but I always speak what I think.’

  ‘I know you do; it is that which makes me wonder. With your good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough, one meets it everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or design - to take the good of everybody’s character and make it still better, and never say anything of the bad - belongs to you alone.’ Elizabeth turned so that Jane could begin to undo the buttons at the rear of her gown. That done Jane carefully slid the dress over her sister’s shoulders and held it so that it could be stepped out of without damaging the delicate material.

  ‘Thank you, Jane. Now, let me do the same for you.’

  Being tidy girls they didn’t drop their ball gowns upon the floor but carefully took them into the closet to hang them up. Although they shared a maid servant, Sarah, who would have done the task for them in the morning, they had no wish to make extra work.

  ‘I am not at all fatigued, shall we go down and make ourselves a drink of milk? I believe I heard our parents retiring a short while ago.’

  Jane thought this an excellent notion. ‘Yes, I am far too excited to sleep at the moment. My head is buzzing with the delights of the evening, I have never met anyone like Mr Bingley.’

  Her sister sniffed. ‘And you like this man’s sisters too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his, you know.’

  ‘They certainly were not, at least not at first. However, they are very pleasing women when you converse with them privately. Miss Bingley is to live with her brother and keep his house; and I am much mistaken if we shall not find a very charming neighbour in her.’

  ‘I am not so sure, Jane. They were certainly not deficient in good humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of being agreeable when they chose to, but I believe they are both proud and conceited. We must enquire further about them and also Mr Bingley and his disdainful friend. I am certain that both Mrs Long and Lady Lucas will know everything there is to know about the Netherfield party.’

  Indeed that was the case, and when Charlotte and Maria Lucas arrived with their mother the following morning to discuss the details of the ball, Jane was able to ask them, without appearing too bold, for the information she desired.

  ‘Oh yes, Jane, we know everything about the Bingleys,’ Charlotte told her eagerly. 'His sisters were educated in one of the private seminaries in town, and they have a fortune of £20,000 each. They are used to associating with people of the highest rank. They must, indeed, find us poor company after that.’

  Jane shook her head. ‘I am certain they do not, after all why should they choose to come and live amongst us if they thought that?’ She didn’t like to enquire directly about Mr Bingley but Elizabeth was not so inhibited.

  ‘What about Mr Bingley? What have you discovered about him?’

  This time it was Maria who replied. ‘Well, Lizzy, it seems that Mr Bingley inherited property to the amount of nearly £100 000 from his father, which will bring him five thousand a year from his investments. His father intended to purchase an estate but did not live to do it. Mr Bingley cannot make up his mind where he wishes to settle, and he is, as it were, trying out Netherfield to see if this is where he wishes to live. It is possible, of course, as he has such a favourable lease, according to my Papa, that he will not bother to purchase, but merely rent.’

  Jane waited for her sister to enquire about the tall, handsome man who had snubbed her so rudely, but she remained silent, her eyes sparkling with humour. ‘Charlotte, what about the married sister, Mrs Hurst? Mr Hurst did not have a great deal to say for himself, I do not believe he danced more than twice the whole evening.’

  ‘Neither did he, Jane. I believe that he is not especially wealthy, and therefore is quite happy to be a house guest with his brother-in-law at every opportunity.’

  Jane strolled across to the window of the upstairs sitting-room she shared with her sister. The autumn mist had cleared, the trees glorious in their golden raiment. She sighed. ‘It is a lovely day; I am so happy to be here, surrounded by my friends, and with so much to anticipate in the future.’ She could not help but think about Mr Bingley when she spoke those words.

  She turned and a speaking look passed between her and Elizabeth. ‘Well, Lizzy, if you shall not ask about him, then I shall do it for you. I am certain that you wish to know more about Mr Darcy and why Mr Bingley has such an objectionable friend.’

  Maria clapped her hands. ‘I am so glad you have mentioned him, I heard my mother talking to Mrs Long last night. I have ever so much to tell you about that gentleman.’

  ‘He must be as rich as Croesus; no man could feel himself to be superior to everyone else unless he was.’ Elizabeth said dryly.

  ‘He is indeed, Lizzy. He has a huge estate in Derbyshire, called Pemberley, I do not know how many thousands of acres, but I expect it is several. I believe he has £10,000 a year, and there was mention of a younger sister, but I do not know her name. It would seem he has been friends with Mr Bingley for a consid
erable time and Mr Bingley relies on Mr Darcy’s judgement and opinion in everything.’

  There was the sound of footsteps approaching the door and the four girls looked up, their conversation interrupted. The door burst open and Lydia stepped in.

  ‘Mama demands that you girls come down. She says it is impolite of you to be closeted up here alone, you must come and join in the conversation directly.’

  Jane held her hand out to her sister and pulled her to her feet. ‘Come along, Lizzy, it will not be so bad. Cook has made sweet pastries and she promised we should have them this morning.’

  Downstairs the two older matrons could be heard conversing volubly about the previous night’s entertainment.

  ‘Charlotte, we were just talking of you. You began the evening well, you were Mr Bingley’s first choice.’

  ‘Yes, but he seemed to like his second better.’

  Mrs Bennet simpered. ‘Oh! You mean Jane, I suppose, because he danced with her twice. Be sure that did seem as if he admired her, indeed I rather believe he did. I did hear something about it, but I hardly know what, something about Mr Robinson.’

  Lady Lucas intervened. ‘Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mrs Robinson; did not I mention it to you? Mrs Robinson asked him how he liked our Meryton assemblies, and whether he did not think they were a great many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the prettiest? And his answer immediately to the last question. ‘Oh! The eldest Miss Bennet beyond a doubt, there cannot be two opinions on that.’ ‘

  Jane felt herself blush, she wished everyone’s attention was not centred upon her, being pretty was hardly something to be proud of. It was God-given, having a kind disposition was, in her opinion, far more important.

  ‘Upon my word!’ Mrs Bennet exclaimed. ‘Well, that was very decided indeed. That does seem as if … but, however, it may well come to nothing you know.’

  Jane lowered her eyes and wished the conversation would move on to other matters.

  ‘My over hearings were more to the purpose,’ said Charlotte. ‘Mr Darcy is not so well worth listening to as his friends is he? Poor Eliza! To be only just tolerable.’

  Mrs Bennet interrupted with further instances of how disagreeable and top lofty Mr Darcy was. Jane felt her mother was being over strict in her censorship.

  ‘Are you quite sure, ma’am? Is not there possibly a little mistake? I certainly saw Mr Darcy speaking to Mrs Long, and you said that he didn’t speak to her at all.’

  ‘Aye, because she asked him how he liked Netherfield and he had no choice but to answer; but she said he sounded very angry at being spoken to at all.’

  ‘Miss Bingley told me that he never speaks much, unless among his intimate acquaintance. With them he is remarkably agreeable.’

  ‘I do not believe a word of it, my dear Jane. If he had been so very agreeable he would have talked to Mrs Long, now would not he? But I can guess how it was; everybody says that he is ate up with pride, and I daresay he had heard somehow Mrs Long does not keep a carriage, and had come to the ball in a hack chaise.’

  Charlotte smiled sympathetically at Elizabeth. ‘I do not mind his not talking to Mrs Long, but I do wish he had danced with Eliza.’

  ‘Another time, Lizzie,’ said Mrs Bennet said, ‘I would not dance with him, if I were you.’

  Elizabeth was openly laughing and Jane was relieved to see that she took the whole incident in such good spirit. She would have been mortified at being so slighted.

  ‘I believe, ma’am, I may safely promise you never to dance with him under any

  circumstances.’

  Charlotte helped herself to a second pastry. ‘His pride, does not offend me so much as pride often does, because in his case there is excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family fortune, everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, I believe he has a right to be proud.’

  Elizabeth chuckled. ‘That is very true. And I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.’

  Jane noticed that Mary was gathering herself to enter the conversation. ‘Pride is a very common failing I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed, that human nature is particularly prone to it, but that only a few of us who do not cherish …’

  ‘That is all very well, Mary, and I am sure you are perfectly correct, but I believe we have heard quite enough on the subject of Mr Darcy and his pride,’ Elizabeth interrupted.

  Jane waited for Mary to flounce off in a dudgeon but the moment was averted by one of the younger Lucas boys jumping up from the carpet where he had been playing spillikins with his brother.

  ‘If I was rich as Mr Darcy, I should not care how proud I was. I should keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottle of claret every day.’

  ‘Then you would drink a great deal more than you ought, and if I were there to see you I should take away your bottle directly.’

  This friendly argument between her mother and the child continued throughout the remainder of the visit, and Jane felt no need to intervene. When the Lucas party departed she was glad to have a moment to herself.

  ‘I’m going to change into my habit and take a ride around the park, I feel the need to clear my head, is that acceptable, ma’am?’

  Mrs Bennet beamed her approval. ‘Of course, Jane, my love; it is very possible you might meet Mr Bingley doing the same.’

  She returned from her ride, having met no one of interest, to find her mother and Elizabeth preparing to play a morning call at Netherfield.

  ‘Oh there you are, Jane. We have been waiting for you this age. How are we to go anywhere without the horse to pull our carriage?’

  ‘I apologize, ma’am. I had no idea I had been away so long. It will not take me above fifteen minutes to change into something suitable and join you in the hall. By that time the groom should have time to put Sinbad between the traces.’

  Upstairs her maid was waiting, clean water in a jug, and a muslin gown, of the prettiest green dimity, hanging on the rail ready for her to step into.

  She donned her stockings and the necessary under garments, slipped into her dress, had her hair adjusted and was downstairs within her allotted time, only the last two buttons on her spencer to fasten.

  ‘There you are, you have made excellent time, my dear. Mary is about to practice on the pianoforte, and Kitty and Lydia have walked into Meryton to see Mrs Phillips. So it will not be uncomfortable in the carriage with only the three of us.’

  Jane exchanged smiles with her sister. ‘That gown, Lizzy, with the stripes in dark pink, is a great favourite of mine. And your bonnet, now it has the cherries on the brim, is a perfect complement.’

  There was no need to make conversation on the three mile journey to Netherfield, their mother filled every space of the carriage with her chatter. Jane had no time to worry about her second meeting with Mr Bingley for they with there before she had time to collect her thoughts.

  As their carriage trundled up the long drive the Lucas carriage passed them travelling in the opposite direction. Mrs Bennet craned out of the window and waved. ‘There, I knew we should have left sooner, Lady Lucas will already have asked them to dine. And I so particularly wanted them to come to Longbourn first.’

  Jane patted her mother’s arm. ‘I am certain they will have your invitation in mind, after all Mr Bingley spoke of it to me when we were in the second set last night.’

  Her mother looked sharply at her. ‘Why didn’t you think to mention it until now, Jane? Did he say when would be convenient for him?’

  Jane shook her head. ‘No ma’am, I said we would no doubt be calling to pay our respects and it could be arranged them.’

  ‘Capital news; then I shall invite him for the day after tomorrow. That is a reasonable time, don’t you think, Lizzy? I shall not ask anyone else apart from Mr Bingley and his party, it would be too many, and Mr Bennet does not like to entertain.’

  ‘
It is a shame, ma’am, but we have to ask the Netherfield party in its entirety.’

  ‘Lizzy, I am sure that Mr Darcy will be on his best behaviour. He can hardly behave in any other way if he is under our roof. I think that Mr Bingley’s sisters are not nearly so supercilious as you imagine. I am hoping that you will come to like them as much as I do.’

  They were received cordially by Miss Bingley and her sister Mrs Hurst, of the gentlemen there were no sign. It was not the done thing to enquire too closely after their whereabouts. However, the dinner date was arranged and they returned in the carriage twenty minutes later well satisfied with the visit.

  ‘I hope you shall be a little more forthcoming, Lizzy, when they come to dine with us the day after tomorrow.’

  ‘I find I do not like them, ma’am. However, as Jane is partial to all the Bingley’s, I promise I shall make every effort to be charming and witty and non-judgemental when they come.’ She looked across at Jane and shuddered dramatically. ‘Let us pray, Jane, that Mary does not wish to entertain us.’

  Chapter Three

  ‘Our guests shall be arriving imminently, girls, you will remember to behave prettily?’

  ‘Mama, we do not have to tell us how to behave,’ Elizabeth said. ‘It is the younger members of the family who need your correction.’

  Jane did not wish an argument to develop, she was so looking forward to seeing Mr Bingley again. ‘Lizzy, I shall attend to that, I shall go at once and speak to Kitty and Lydia, remind them to be on their best behaviour.’

  As she hurried back upstairs she could hear the sound of wheels on the gravel outside. The Netherfield party had arrived, the clock struck the hour, they were exactly on time. She abandoned the thought of going anywhere apart from to the drawing room in order to be waiting when they were announced.

  Miss Bingley and her sister were dressed in the first stare of fashion, she felt almost dowdy by comparison, then Mr Bingley caught her eye and she forgot everything else. After the necessary greetings had been exchanged she found herself seated with Caroline.