Saving Jane

by Martin Hunnicutt

  Elizabeth remained in the parlour with the guest and the children while her aunt hurried into the kitchen where Jane was speaking with the cook.

  “Jane dear, has anyone taken a tray up to Miss Bingley this morning?”

  Glancing at the housekeeper and the cook who both shook their heads, Jane turned back to Mrs. Gardiner.

  “I do not think anyone has heard from our guest. Her maid came down early to break her fast with the servants but she indicated that her mistress generally stays abed until noon.”

  “Noon?” Mrs. Gardiner shook her head. “Have you kept back some foods for her?”

  Now Jane frowned – something most unusual and seldom seen. “I have asked Mrs. Morris to prepare something for Miss Bingley when she awakes today but I shall speak to our guest and remind her that this is not a manor house. We eat together or we do not eat.”

  “Mr. Bingley has come to call,” Mrs. Gardiner explained and Jane’s face grew brighter. “He asks after his sister.”

  Jane hurried to remove the apron over her day dress and check her hair in the reflection of the kitchen window. Then she followed her aunt back into the parlour. Mr. Bingley rose and approached Jane when she came into the parlour.

  “Good morning Miss Bennet,” he said, bowing slightly as she curtsied.

  “Welcome Mr. Bingley,” Jane replied. “We did not expect you this early but we are always glad to have you in company.”

  “Mr. Darcy and the steward were dealing with a matter with Lady Catherine this morning so I determined to walk over and visit with my sister. But Miss Elizabeth tells me that Caroline has not been below stairs yet this morning.”

  “No sir. Her maid has been to the kitchen but Miss Bingley has not requested a tray as of yet this morning.”

  Charles blushed, not knowing what to say next when Elizabeth interrupted. “Mr. Bingley, perhaps you would read with Edward until Miss Bingley joins us? My cousin is reading very well but usually his father sits with him each day to read and Mr. Collins has not...”

  The ladies blushed now and Mr. Bingley turned to the boy. “I should be honoured to read with Master Gardiner.”

  Jane and Mrs. Gardiner took out sewing and Elizabeth continued lessons with Emily for another half hour until they heard a light step on the stairs as Caroline joined them.

  “Good morning, Charles!” she called brightly to her brother. “Miss Bennet, I am famished – how soon can we sit down to break our fast?”

  Jane smiled and explained, “Miss Bingley in the country we break our fast very early in the morning. The servants have so many tasks that we do not keep the dining room staffed for...”

  “You mean you cannot feed me?”

  “Your maid was kind enough to inform the staff this morning of your habit of rising at noon and I asked cook to prepare breakfast for you at your call. A tray is waiting to be filled and brought to your room.”

  “But I do not wish to eat alone,” Caroline complained. “Charles, attend me in the dining room. Miss Bennet, have the maid serve me there.”

  She turned to leave the parlour but had to turn back around again to ask, “Where is the dining room?”

  Elizabeth rose from her seat. “Miss Bingley, Mr. Bingley if you will be so kind as to follow me, I shall show you to the dining room.”

  Jane rose from her seat and said, “I shall ask cook to send the tray to the dining room. Mr. Bingley, would you be in need of a cup of tea this morning?”

  He smiled thinly and nodded. “Thank you Miss Bennet. That would be most appreciated.”

  In the dining room, Caroline sneered at the small size of the room and the quality of the furniture. Shortly thereafter Jane led a maid carrying a tray from the kitchens and the girl set the tray on the table in front of Miss Bingley before she curtseyed once and returned to the kitchen.

  “Is no one going to serve me?” Caroline asked staring at the tray as though she had no idea how to pour tea or spread jam on the toast.

  “Caroline, I am certain you can manage a breakfast tray,” Charles said as he stood to take the tea cups and saucers, pour tea and then sit down forcing his sister to fill her own cup, and fix her toast.

  “I shall ask cook to prepare a tray for you tomorrow morning at nine,” Jane told Caroline.

  “Why would I want a meal in my room so early in the morning? This is the time of day that folks in town are rising and breaking their fast.”

  “But this is the country, Miss Bingley,” Jane politely explains. “We have many more tasks to complete each day - the servants had extra washing today with your arrival.”

  Ignoring her hostess, Caroline turned to her brother and admonished him, “Charles, we must escape from the country and return to town today!”

  “We must wait until my carriage comes to Kent before we can travel anywhere. I sent an express this morning instructing the stables to send the coach tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow? Will we return to town tomorrow? The company in Kent is so rough – I feel as though I am among barbarians here in the country.”

  Charles glanced at Jane and Elizabeth who both blushed at the woman’s words and turned to leave the unpleasant company. At the door to the hallway and Elizabeth said, “We shall wait in the parlour until Miss Bingley finishes her meal.”

  “Thank you Miss Elizabeth, Miss Bennet. We shall join you shortly.”

  He bowed before returning to the table with his sister where he began the discussion of her summer by saying, “We cannot go to town Caroline. There is no house or rooms waiting for us in London but I believe you can make your way in Bath this season. From reading the papers, it seems a large party of your acquaintance is there.”

  “What allowance will you give me in Bath?” Caroline asked as Elizabeth closed the door behind her. They did not hear Mr. Bingley’s answer but the raised voices were noticed throughout the house.

  After breaking her fast, Miss Bingley returned to her room above stairs and Mr. Bingley returned to the parlour. His colour was high and he excused himself from staying longer.

  “Mr. Bingley, allow me to walk to the door with you,” Jane said as she took his arm and directed him to the front door.

  Mrs. Gardiner sent her children to the garden with Nanny Brice before she turned to Elizabeth and said, “My dear, why anyone would want to join the ton is beyond me. We have not met any of them who appear to be happy or satisfied with their lot in life.”

  ++**++

  That afternoon, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy called at the parsonage for tea. Mrs. Gardiner remained close to Jane throughout the call as the Darcy brother and sister commanded all of Elizabeth’s attention and Mr. Bingley balanced his attention between Miss Bennet and his sister.

  After the guests had left, Caroline addressed Elizabeth directly. “I noticed the way Mr. Darcy looks at you Miss Elizabeth. He is a great man and will require the daughter of an Earl as his bride.”

  She preened for a moment before saying, “Do you expect he will offer to make you his mistress?”

  Jane and Elizabeth were shocked by the guest’s question, but their aunt turned the full force of her gaze upon the woman.

  “Miss Bingley, have you taken leave of your senses?” asked Mrs. Gardiner. “I understand you are disappointed in your hopes but if you persist in this lack of manners and decorum, I shall turn you out of this house and you can sleep in the stable!”

  Miss Bingley sneered, “My brother will never allow...”

  “Your brother is to be much pitied!” Now Mrs. Gardiner stood over Miss Bingley. “I no longer wonder that your brother has been unable to arrange a marriage of any kind. Apparently twenty thousand is not a large enough inducement to young men in want of a wife after they have met you.”

  Caroline stared at the woman – the wife of a tradesman – speaking thusly to her.

  “And I remind you of your place Caroline Bingley – your father was a tradesman the same as my husband. My nieces are the daughters of a gentleman and placed much hi
gher in society than you. They take precedence over you in any procession to dinner or a ball!”

  “I...”

  Leaning forward, Aunt Gardiner warned the younger woman thusly, “If you continue in this manner Miss Bingley, you will be alone and friendless in rented rooms somewhere without family or friendly faces for the many years of your life. I suggest that you not drive your brother away as you have your sister and her husband.”

  Without a word, Miss Bingley rose from the sofa and removed to her room upstairs.

  ++**++

  Chapter 28.

  Mr. Darcy’s Visit to the Parsonage

  The next morning, Elizabeth and Jane exchanged sighs of relief when the maid informed them that Miss Bingley would break her fast in the privacy of her room. The housekeeper mentioned to Jane that Miss Bingley’s maid had again this morning requested the assistance of the maid-of-all-work to iron Miss Bingley’s garments.

  “She insists that her undergarments be ironed each morning so they are warm when she slips into them, miss,” the housekeeper explained. She nodded toward the maid and said, “Mary’s becoming a good girl but she’s working hard to keep up with Miss Bingley’s maid’s requests for assistance.”

  “It should only be for another day,” Jane replied. “Mr. Bingley is to take her to town or to Bath as soon as his carriage arrives.”

  “Forgive me miss but tell ‘im to not spare the whip and get them horses here!” the housekeeper said loud enough for Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner to hear. The three ladies shared a glance and turned their attention back to the meal. Mrs. Gardiner and Jane’s efforts in the parsonage paid off with a better performance by the cook and the maids, a cleaner dining room, brighter windows, and much improved tea and toast.

  “I shall spend the morning with cook and show her how to make proper strawberry preserves,” Mrs. Gardiner said. “Do you feel you can entertain the gentlemen without me this morning?”

  “What gentlemen Aunt?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Why Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, of course,” Mrs. Gardiner replied. “Or did I forget to mention they were coming to call this morning?”

  “Aunt!” Jane fussed but Elizabeth focused on her toast while her aunt watched her very carefully. As soon as the morning was old enough, there was a knock on the door and the maid escorted Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley into the parlour.

  After the proper greetings were exchanged, Elizabeth asked, “Did Miss Darcy not wish to visit this morning?”

  “She felt as though she should spend the morning practicing the pianoforte,” Darcy said.

  “And avoid my sister,” Bingley whispered.

  Hearing the sound of men’s voices below stairs, Caroline came below stairs wearing a day dress. “The rooms in this parsonage are horrid. This is just primitive – a hovel. Miss Bennet, I cannot imagine how you will live here.”

  “Caroline, I believe that this much like our home in York where we were born; it certainly has more rooms than we had when we were children.”

  “We never lived in such a place!”

  Charles retorted, “Until you left for school at twelve years, our home was much like this. Father only bought the fashionable house in York when you were four and ten years.”

  Darcy turned to Elizabeth and asked, “Shall we walk out this morning?”

  Shortly thereafter, the party left the parsonage to stroll about the park; Charles walked between Caroline and Jane ahead of Elizabeth and Darcy.

  Caroline turned to Jane. “Miss Bennet, I hope you intend to improve the parlour and other rooms in the parsonage when you marry Mr. Collins.”

  “I believe that the parsonage belongs to the glebe that supports the parson and his church; only the patron can order improvements in the buildings.”

  Glancing at the Bingleys, Elizabeth asked, “Have you found it challenging to raise your sister, Mr. Darcy?”

  “I believe the upbringing of any child is challenging. I confess I have struggled with my sister’s trials and am thankful for your influences upon her.”

  “Miss Darcy is a sweet, intelligent young lady.”

  “I believe that you and Miss Bennet both are perfectly well-mannered young women. Your parents are to be congratulated,” he continued.

  Elizabeth noted that they were far enough behind the others to speak freely. “Mr. Darcy, the differences in personality and temperament are responsible for behaviour in some instances. I have three more sisters who are in some ways very different than Jane and myself. My youngest sister turned out very wild.”

  “Ah, yes, Miss Lydia. I believe she has settled near Bath with a husband who owns a tavern.”

  Dropping her head, she answered, “Yes. My father was fortunate to locate a man willing to take my sister and her unexpected guest.”

  “Has she reached the end of her confinement yet?”

  “I have no news of her but I understood the child was due soon. My mother has not shared any news from Lydia in her letters though she and my sister are both poor correspondents in the best of times. I fear we shall have to wait for Mr. Henderson to write to my father with news.”

  “As an older sister, did you model proper behaviour?”

  Elizabeth admitted, “Perhaps I should have insisted on Lydia copying my behaviour more than I did.”

  “Nonetheless, it was your parent’s responsibility to guide all of their daughters, not yours.”

  “My parents... my parents made the engagement between Mr. Collins and my sister Jane,” Elizabeth said.

  “I find my hopes to influence the man have dimmed during my visit.”

  It took Elizabeth some time to respond but she finally said, “I fear that my sister’s situation will offer her no opportunity to be happy. Mr. Collins will not prosper as a landowner and Longbourn may even fail – he does not seem to understand that our tenants are not serfs.”

  “Serfs?” coughed Darcy. “My aunt has been talking with Mr. Collins again I fear.”

  ++**++

  Just after luncheon, a boy came to the parsonage with news that Mr. Bingley’s carriage had arrived at Rosings.

  “The gentleman says to tell his sister he’ll be here to pick her up in one hour. She is to be packed and waiting or he’ll leave her finery behind!”

  “Dolly! Pack my trunks!” Miss Bingley shouted as she ran above stairs.

  “Penny and I shall assist,” Jane told her aunt and Elizabeth before following with the maid-of-all-work.

  The ladies and maids had all three trunks packed before Mr. Bingley’s carriage arrived at the door. The footmen quickly loaded the trunks as Caroline and her maid hurried down the stairs with hat boxes and dashed out the door without thanking their hostess for her hospitality for two long nights.

  “Is Mr. Darcy not attending our departure, Charles?” Caroline asked before she climbed in the carriage without a glance back at the parsonage.

  Jane spoke to Mr. Bingley, handing him a basket of biscuits and rolls to eat on the journey. As the carriage pulled away, Mr. Bingley leaned out of the window and waved. Jane’s arm rose to wave good-bye and Elizabeth noticed the tear that rolled down her sister’s lovely cheek.

  “Mr. Bingley is a gentleman for certain,” Elizabeth said.

  “He is everything that a man should be!” Jane insisted.

  ++**++

  Chapter 29.

  Elizabeth’s Walk in the Gardens

  The next morning, when Elizabeth took her walk to the gardens at Rosings, Jane remained in the parsonage. Lost in her thoughts for a time, when she saw Mr. Darcy approaching her on the lane leading to Rosings, she felt her heart beat faster and a smile that matched her happiest feelings greeted the tall man. He stopped and stared for a moment before his face broke into a great smile as well. Tipping his hat in greeting, he came to stand beside Elizabeth as they began their morning walk.

  They spoke of flowers, tenants, crops, and spring planting; her hand took his arm naturally and his free hand reached over to cover hers. They walked a bit s
lower this morning, to make the private moment last. As they walked the circuit of pathways around the gardens, they came to the gate leading into the rose garden where they observed Mr. Collins and Miss de Bourgh walking close with Anne’s companion standing at the door to the house.

  Mr. Darcy halted and Elizabeth turned them to another pathway where they continued along silently for a moment. Finally, Elizabeth said, “I am certain your cousin and Mr. Collins are discussing some scripture or some directive from Fordyce’s Sermons.”

  Darcy smirked and Elizabeth continued, “And we should not be seen walking alone Mr. Darcy – it would appear improper.”

  Darcy chuckled. “Miss Elizabeth, if anyone questioned the propriety of our walking together, I should simply tell them we are engaged to be married and then bring you to the altar as quickly as I could obtain a special license.”

  Blushing Elizabeth raised her head to reply, “And if I was reluctant to become your wife Mr. Darcy? What would you say then?”

  He grinned. “I should ask for instruction on how to overturn your reluctance! I would summon my sister to address you and spend each day on bended knee until you agreed to be my wife.”

  “I am certain with such persuasions I could be convinced to consider your offer,” she replied. “But only after a great deal of thought and contemplation.”

  They came to a bench and Mr. Darcy moved Elizabeth to take the seat but then he knelt on one knee and took her hands in his own. Elizabeth smiled; this moment would be etched into her mind forever.

  “Elizabeth, I love you...” he declared and then blushed. “I mean...”

  Now Elizabeth grinned and said, “Such a heartfelt declaration is welcome Mr. Darcy but likely to scare many young ladies.”

  He grinned and cleared his throat. “I prepared a fine speech; let me begin again. Elizabeth, I find that I admire you above all other young women. You are kind and considerate of others, learned and sweet tempered. I must tell you that I love you most ardently – will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”