With his sister asleep from the opium laced narcotic, she would not start spouting nonsense about the reason Darcy was accompanying them to London. Bingley needed his friend to make the introductions he required to be permitted to apply to place his sister atThe Sanctuary.
The previous evening, not long after his coachman drove his coach back to his leased estate, Bingley visited Miss Bennet who was seated in the sitting room between her andher sister’s bed chambers with her legs covered by a blanket. Miss Bennet had Miss Elizabeth and a maid as chaperones with her.
Bingley explained he was to escort his younger sister to London, but he would return in about a sennight, or less. He had not said it to them, but he would no longer allow Caroline to affect the direction of his life. He assured Miss Bennet that no matter what, he would be back, and he would call on her soon after he arrived—with her permission of course—which was bestowed with alacrity. He also informed the Bennet ladies that after consulting his older sister, he had asked her to organise a ball for the neighbourhood for Friday, the thirteenth day of November. Bingley very much wanted to request at least two sets from Miss Bennet, but he decided it was not good form to do so before she was healthy and while she still resided under his own roof.
“Darcy, will you call on Matlock House while we are in London?” Bingley enquired.
“We both will. It is my uncle who has the connection to those who admit patients to the asylum about which I told you,” Darcy averred. He was looking forward to seeing Gigi and hopefully seeing some evidence of her improvement. He so hated to see his sister in such a state as she had been when he departed London. Her eyes were always downcast and since Ramsgate she had not been able to look anyone in the eye.
“Will I need to accompany my sister to Jersey?” Bingley wondered aloud. He would if he had to, it was after all his duty, but his preference was to return to Miss Bennet’s side in Meryton without delay.
“From what I understand, no. The reason is that if a member of theTondisappeared from society for an undetermined time, the gossips would not rest until they knew why, and in the absence of the truth, they would make up a reason from whole cloth,” Darcy explained. “Once Miss Bingley is accepted, they will take her from you. If youwanttoaccompany them, you may.”
“Let us see if she is accepted first, then I will know how to act,” Bingley decided.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“I feel badly for Mr Bingley having to commit his sister to a sanatorium, but I am not unhappy Mr Darcy accompanied him so he is not here to accost me at every turn,” Elizabeth stated with relief.
“Are you so prejudiced against Mr Darcy that you cannot own his going to assist Mr Bingley shows a good character?” Jane probed.
“It could, but I am sure it is just so Mr Darcy can direct his friend’s actions.”
“You said he only looks at you to find fault, did you not?” Elizabeth nodded emphatically. “Is it not you who seeks to find fault in everything he does? What about Mr Bingley? What have you seen that tells you he would allow anyone to decide what he should do? From what I have seen he is a resolute man and is not easily led.”
“I suppose you have the right of it,” Elizabeth admitted grudgingly.
“It is not for me to pardon Mr Darcy’s words to you at the assembly, that is something only you can do. Is it not our Christian duty to forgive those who trespass against us?”
“It is, but how can I forgive a man who has not repented and asked for said pardon?” Elizabeth looked smug thinking she had won this disagreement.
“Lizzy, how can a man issue an apology to you if you will not allow him to say more than two words to you?” Jane quizzed. “Have you not spoken of a few times when Mr Darcy has attempted to converse with you? Is that fair to claim he has not made his amends when you will not allow him to do so?”
“I am sure he is far too proud to make an apology toone who is tolerable and not handsome enough to tempt him,” Elizabeth bit back. She did not tell her sister she was following her father’s advice.
Jane understood that Mr Darcy’s words, on top of the untruths which flowed from their mother’s mouth as she denigrated Lizzy’s looks, had hurt her sister far more than Lizzy was willing to own. As such, Jane decided she would not push on this subject any longer.
“Lizzy, I am fatigued, I think I will seek my bed to rest for a while,” Jane dissembled, well partially. “It is a nice day today. As there has been no rain for some days now, why do you not take a ramble in the park? You have been tethered to the house since we arrived here, and I know the outdoors is calling your name.”
“Janey if you are certain, I would enjoy sometime in the park. I will not take one of my long rambles over hill and dale, so I will be close if you need me,” Elizabeth responded thankfully.
As soon as Jane was in her bed, with the coverlet pulled over her, and the maid seated in the room, Elizabeth made for her bedchamber and changed into her half boots. She took one of her warm pelisses and made her way to the front doors. As would be expected, Mr Nichols was at his station, close to the doors.
“I will be walking in the park around the pond. If Miss Bennet needs me, please send a footman to notify me,” Elizabeth told Mr Nichols. The butler replied that it would be so.
As soon as her outerwear was in place, Elizabeth exited the heavy oak front doors and crossed the stone veranda. Once she had descended the stone steps and crossed the gravel drive, Elizabeth sped up her walk until she was walking at a comfortable—for her—fast pace. The park, although much larger than Longbourn’s was not very large in the scheme ofthings.
As she walked, Elizabeth played Jane’s words over in her mind. ‘Janey does not have the right of it!’ she tried to convince herself silently. ‘He is a man who lives in the world, if he intended to make any sort of an apology, he would have found a way before now.’ The voice of her conscience screamed she was prevaricating to herself, but Elizabeth shut that contrary voice out, and refused to consider the truth of her own actions.
By the end of her three quarters of an hour exercise, Elizabeth had convinced herself she had behaved in a proper fashion, just like Papa had told her she should, and all of the fault lay with the tall, hateful, proud, arrogant, insufferable man. When her conscience attempted to assert itself, she simply ignored what did not fit with her version of events.
Chapter 13
Sunday, which happened to be the first day of November marked a little more than a day that Jane had no fever. Hence, she sent a note home telling their mother she and Lizzy would return to Longbourn with their family from the church.
Had Mr Bingley still been resident at the house, Fanny would have made her vociferous opposition to Jane leaving Netherfield Park, which in her view would have been too soon. As it was, she accepted the fact her most beautiful and troublesome daughters would be home that day.
After the service, the Hursts stood with the two Bennet sisters who had been hosted at Netherfield Park while one of that estate’s footmen moved the small trunk from their coach to the Bennet carriage.
