One Word From You: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation

by Natalie Penna

  “Helping.”

  “I don’t need help,” I snapped at him, “Let go of me!”

  “Don’t be so bloody stubborn! Just hold onto me, and I’ll get you back to the dorms.”

  I didn’t know what was more humiliating.

  The fact that the hateful boy was assisting me, or that he had seen me in my pyjamas.

  Chapter Five

  I have pleasure in many things.

  The boys weren’t meant to go into a girl’s room, for fairly obvious reasons, but I thought it was wise to ignore that rule for the sake of getting Jenny to bed. We couldn’t avoid waking up the others as we came into the room. I was glad that it was relatively tidy, with no underwear flung on the floor, or bras being hung up to dry.

  “What? Fire?” Chrissy asked in a daze as the door banged open.

  “Go back to sleep,” I told her.

  “Which one’s Jenny’s bed?” Charlie asked.

  At the sound of his voice, Lisa sat bolt upright. She reached out to turn on the bedside lamp, and then squealed, “There are boys in here! Oh my God! Beth, what is this? A secret date?”

  I tried to disentangle myself from William as I hurried to explain, “No! It’s not a - God, you are stupid! Jenny’s is that one,” I pointed out to Charlie, “William, let go of me!”

  “You can’t keep walking around, you’re exhausted and soaked through,” he told me, aiding my journey to my bed, and carefully easing me down until I was sat on the edge.

  I muttered a bitter, “Thank you,” to him, and rubbed my arms to warm them up.

  “We should call for a teacher,” Charlie decided.

  “I’ll go. You stay with her,” William ordered.

  It might just have been that William couldn’t stand being in my company any longer than he had to be, but I thought he really knew that Charlie would hate to leave Jenny’s side when she was so ill. She hadn’t opened her eyes since he’d carried her inside, and my heart was thrumming wildly in my chest with panic and concern.

  He held her hand tightly in his, and pressed the other against her cheek. His voice wavered when he said, “She’s so cold.”

  “We should have called an ambulance,” I said, rubbing my sleeve over my face in an attempt to dry it. It would have helped if I wasn’t wearing soaking clothes in the first place. All I did was make it worse.

  Meg peeked out from under her covers, “Is she hurt?”

  “Just sick,” I said, “Pretend to be asleep, all of you. I don’t want you getting in trouble for this.”

  “What, and miss something?” Chrissy asked.

  “Do it!” I snapped.

  The girls settled just in time, because the boarding mistress soon arrived. She was in a hideous thick night-gown, and had pulled a gaudy pink robe over it to protect some of her modesty. Ms. Weatherby ushered Charlie away, and then checked Jenny’s condition without uttering a word.

  “ What on Earth were you girls thinking by playing out in the rain at this time of night?” she demanded of me.

  “Sorry, Miss,” I said, not inclined to correct her assumptions of the situation, “It was my fault. I didn’t think Jenny would get so sick.”

  “You’re lucky you brought her inside when you did. I dread to think - well - she’ll have to go to the hospital.”

  “I can call an ambulance,” Charlie volunteered, “Can I go with her?”

  “It’s bad enough you boys are in this dorm!” she exclaimed.

  “That’s my fault too, Miss,” I lied, “I asked William and Charlie to help with Jenny.”

  William didn’t say a word, and it was hard to discern what he thought of me when I covered for him. The thing of it was, they both had parents who could potentially harm me, the school, and maybe Jenny if I got them into trouble. My father wasn’t worried about upholding his reputation or position in society, and I could be transferred to another school and not feel I was suffering for it. I had the least to lose by taking all the blame on myself.

  “ Elisabeth Blake, I will make sure someone has a very serious conversation with your father about this. For now, you boys go back to your rooms,” she said sternly, “I will see to the girls. Elisabeth, apologise to them both before they go.”

  I forced myself to my feet, and bowed my head to the pair of them. As sincerely as I was able, I said, “I am sorry for causing you both so much trouble. It won’t happen again.”

  “Beth -” Charlie began.

  “Leave, both of you,” Ms. Weatherby barked, “If I catch either of you in this dorm building again, it will be a month of detention.”

  “Yes, Miss,” they said in unison. William had to drag Charlie out by the wrist, his eyes still lingering on poor Jenny as she wheezed and groaned on the bed.

  Whatever the consequences might be, I would accept them all graciously. So long as Jenny was well again, then I could be kicked out of the school, and I’d make my peace with it.

  But I wasn’t.

  Given the circumstances, and the fact that Jenny regained consciousness long enough to tell her mother the truth of what had happened when she rushed to the hospital to be with her, I was spared punishment. I really should have been pulled up on lying to a teacher, but Jenny’s mother liked me enough that she talked them out of sending me to detention.

  She even got me some time off my afternoon classes so I could visit her during her stay in the hospital.

  “I feel like some terminally ill patient,” Jenny complained a few days later.

  I closed the book I had been reading aloud, a copy of A Room With A View, and reached out to flick her cheek gently. She pouted, and I said, “You’re fine. Before you know it, you’ll be back at school, and seeing Charlie again.”

  “I know,” she said, and spared a blush, “But I meant because you keep coming to read for me. It’s like you think I’m never getting out of here. Don’t you have anything better to do?”

  “Nope. Like I said, you’re stuck with me.”

  Jenny reached out to take my hand, “I’m sorry that you were almost in trouble because of me.”

  “You should be sorry for getting so bloody sick in the first place.”

  “Well, I am,” she said, “Hospital food is disgusting.”

  “I doubt that...”

  She was in a private room, with highly paid doctors and nurses checking on her almost hourly. There was nothing disgusting or cheap about anything that happened in the hospital. Had she been in the care of a government institution, she might have been forced to suffer some very questionable meals indeed.

  “Could you do me a favour?” she asked.

  “Depends on what it is.”

  “Can you smuggle me some chocolate from the vending machine, please?”

  “I think I can manage that,” I laughed, “But if I get caught, it was your idea.”

  I didn’t like leaving her, but what was I meant to do? She was the one sick in bed, and I was at her command until I headed back to school. I set the book down in my chair once I had vacated it, and left the room. I thought she might get bored on her own, but it wasn’t worth bringing in hundreds of things for her to do, not when she wouldn’t be there for more than a week. Besides, she was supposed to be resting.

  I glanced at the clock on the way to the nearest waiting room. Classes would have concluded, and usually Jenny and I would be chatting on my bed, or I would be teasing her about her feelings for Charlie. Well, so long as she wasn’t off with Chantelle anywhere. I didn’t like that she’d let Jenny go off on her own in the rain. In fact, I really rather blamed her for the whole incident. She’d invited the girls out in the first place, even though the weather was going to be foul.

  She was so bloody stupid.

  “Beth!” Charlie greeted as he crossed the waiting room.

  I turned away from the vending machine, where I was pondering over which lump of sugar Jenny would prefer. I looked him up and down, and asked, “What are you doing here?”

  “I - I thought that I would
check up on Jenny. How is she?”

  “She’s a little better,” I said, “But I think it’ll be a few more days before she’s back. Are you here on your own?”

  “No, I brought Chantelle and William with me.”

  Crap.

  I forced a smile, “Well, she’ll be happy to see them. I think I’m boring her.”

  “I can’t imagine that’s true.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve been reading to her, and it’s a classic book. She’ll probably enjoy something a little different.”

  “Well,” Chantelle said as she sauntered over, “I can’t say I’m surprised. You’re so boring, Blake. You only like sticking your nose in books, and nothing else at all.”

  I raised a brow, “I like a lot of things. I’m not one track minded, unlike some other people I could mention.”

  Charlie cleared his throat quietly. To ease the mounting tension, he asked, “Where’s her room?”

  “It’s down the hall, number forty-two. Make sure you knock before you go in, okay?”

  “You’re not coming with us?” he asked.

  “No, but take her this,” I selected a chocolate bar, took it from the machine, and then pushed it into his hand. She would probably prefer it if Charlie was delivering it. In fact, she would forget all about the sweets if Charlie was going to see her, I was sure.

  Chantelle linked arms with her brother, and led him away at a brisk pace. She must have thought that spending too much time in my company would be a bad influence on him, And she’d have been right. I would teach him all manner of terrible habits, like thinking for himself, and disregarding class divides.

  I was a demon in a teenager’s body, for sure.

  There wasn’t a lot to do in the hospital, and I was thinking about heading back to the school. That was when I turned, and noticed that William had lingered. Awkwardly, I rubbed at the back of my neck. When he continued to stare, I demanded to know, “What are you looking at me for?”

  “No reason,” he said, “What are you planning on doing?”

  “None of your business.”

  “Fine. I guess we’ll both sit here in total silence then, shall we?”

  “Who said I was going to sit here with you?” I asked, “I’m going to get a coffee. Do whatever you want.”

  I was becoming something of a regular in the hospital cafeteria. I smiled at the young man behind the counter, and he knew immediately what my poison was without so much as a word. As he clattered the porcelain cup into a saucer, I dared a glance over my shoulder. Upon seeing William had followed me, I rolled my eyes pointedly.

  “You said I could do whatever I want,” he reminded me, “And I wanted to go here.”

  “You wanted to follow me,” I muttered.

  “What was that?”

  “Nothing.”

  “No charge,” the man said as he handed over my drink, “You’ve bought enough the last few days that you deserve one on the house.”

  I smiled, “Thanks, are you sure?”

  “Yeah, it’s not problem. What about you, kid?” he asked William, “You want anything?”

  “ No,” he said, “And don’t call me kid.”

  I didn’t want to linger and hear anything else William might have to say, and picked out a seat on my own. The annoying boy trailed after me, and settled down in the empty chair at my side.

  “Really?” I asked.

  “What?”

  “Can’t you just go and see Jenny? You’ve all been hanging around each other, lately. She’ll be happy to talk to you.”

  “She’s Chantelle’s friend, not mine.”

  “God, you’re such a bloody snob.”

  “Says the girl in a private boarding school.”

  Well, I couldn’t argue with that. Although I didn’t enjoy the same advantages as my peers, I was enduring the same education. I felt like it was a blessing and a curse. I would have excellent recommendations when I left the school, but it was a world away from reality, and from any career paths I might seek out when I had to make my own way. The school was more of a bubble that we were raised inside, protected from whatever lay beyond.

  “I’m not really like the other girls there, though.”

  “True. Most girls wouldn’t threaten a total stranger the first time they met.”

  I nearly choked on my coffee.

  So he had managed to pick up on the hint. I had wondered. Still, he didn’t really need to bring it up at that moment. He’d probably waited until I was swallowing to make that comment. I was sure I saw him smirk as I hurried to cover my mouth with the back of my hand.

  Git.

  Not to lose face in front of him, I asked, “Do you know a lot about girls, then? I guess you were popular at your last school.”

  “It was a boy’s school.”

  “My assumption still stands, just with the opposite sex.”

  “I’m not gay,” William said a little louder than was necessary.

  I giggled quietly. As much as I loved to laugh, I felt like I ought to stifle it in front of him. William blushed, and I felt I had a triumph over him. It was small, and petty, but it was still something. I chewed gently on my bottom lip while I waited for my drink to cool a little, and we sat in silence. For some reason, he was happy to just watch me as I curled my hair around my finger, and drummed my nails against the side of my cup.

  Finally, he commented, “You said you’d been reading to your friend.”

  “Yes.”

  “And you read a lot?”

  “I prefer music, not that I’m very good at it.”

  “Everyone’s good at something.”

  “Is that why you’re so good at being annoying?” I asked before I was able to stop myself.

  “Maybe it is.”

  “Maybe it is, what?” Chantelle asked.

  I hadn’t noticed her or Charles arrive. They took up the remaining seats, and had no qualms with butting into our conversation. It was probably for the best. I didn’t have much to say to William that could be considered polite. Not that I often had anything that nice to say to anyone unless they were a good friend. And Chantelle definitely didn’t fit into that category.

  “Jenny’s asleep,” Charlie explained, “We thought it was better to give her some peace.”

  “What were you talking about?” Chantelle pressed, “Alone. Together.”

  “Stuff,” I said, knowing full well that the lack of detail would drive her mad, “Nothing interesting. I should be getting back to school if she’s sleeping.”

  “Well, how about we give you a lift back?” Charlie asked, “I can get the car brought around. We’re all going to the same place.”

  “There won’t be any room,” Chantelle said, “Not with three of us already squashed in.”

  “Jenny’s Mum said she’d drop me back. It’s fine. She’ll be around somewhere.”

  “Are you sure?” Charlie looked concerned, as if I might be irrevocably offended if he came off as rude. He should have been more worried about the impression his sister was making. Not that Chantelle cared if I was upset. In fact, she liked it when I was.

  “Like I said, it’s fine.”

  “ You were reading A Room With a View, weren’t you? I saw the book in Jenny’s room.”

  “Yeah,” I shrugged, “Italy and all that. I love it.”

  “Oh, yes. We go to Italy all the time,” Chantelle boasted, “We have a holiday home there. Well, we have so many.”

  “Gosh, how awfully delightful for you,” I mocked, “You must be the toast of the country club!”

  “There’s no need to be snide, Blake,” Chantelle snarled, “Just because you can’t afford -”

  “ I think I’ve had enough coffee,” I interrupted, “It’s all starting to taste a little bitter.”

  Without a polite word of parting, I left the table, and stalked back through the corridors. It was at times like that I needed Jenny. She made me laugh at myself, and always put a smile on my face. I didn’t feel like the
re was a wall between me and my classmates when I had her, or the other girls, at my side.

  People like Chantelle went through their lives being proud of their conceited ways, and looking down on those they deemed less fortunate or less worthy. I didn’t think that I was either. No, I was perfectly happy being just who I was. I just wished she didn’t have to rub it in whenever she had something I wanted. And that wasn’t money, or power, or anything like that. But it was confidence, and respect.