“She is not a countess, but she is the daughter of an earl and a sister to Lord Matlock. Just wait until I tell Miss Grantly! She will be green with envy. The only reason they are having their aunt and dear Georgiana join us has to be that one of the men intends to offer for me. You have done well, Brother. I willneed the coach; this calls for a whole new wardrobe. I am sure my modiste will have everything ready before we depart in…when is it?”
“We move in on the final Friday of September, two days before Michaelmas.” Bingley did not mention that the friends would not arrive until the final day of September, which was a Monday and the day after Michaelmas. She was in too good of a mood now, so the last thing he wanted to do was to upset her. It was the same reason he did not disabuse her of the reason for Fitzwilliam and Darcy’s family joining them or the fact she had never received permission to address Miss Darcy informally. His friends’ warnings about what they would do if Caroline attempted to compromise one of them and the threat about their friendship if he supported her worried Bingley somewhat. He told himself Caroline would not sink so low, and if she did, regardless of what they had warned, one of the two friends would take her.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
A sennight after Papa told her that Mr Bingley had signed and paid for a six-month lease, Jane knocked on her father’s study door.
“Come,” Bennet called out. He was making sure all of his work was done, as he would be leaving on the morrow to convey James to Eton to commence his second year at the school. He smiled when he saw his eldest enter the study. “Janie, what may I do for you, dear?” Bennet indicated the chairs before his desk.
Jane sat and cogitated for a few moments before she spoke. It was her way of considering her words carefully. “Papa, may I write to Aunt Maddie and request that I come to them at the beginning of the final week of September, and that I remain with them until they come here for Christmastide?”
“You know your mother and I would not deny you, but why now, Janie?”
“I have been thinking about this Mr Bingley coming to Netherfield Park. As mortifying as it will be if he chases after me for my looks, as it is reported he will, it will be even more so when I reject him. If he is like a dog with a bone, then I will have to be rather forthright. If I am not here, neither he nor I will suffer the ignominy, which I am sure neither of us will enjoy.” Jane sat with her hands crossed in her lap.
“Janie, your mother will agree with me. If you feel you need to leave your home to escape the unwelcome and ineffective wooing by Mr Bingley, I will simply cancel his lease and return his money. Under the terms of the lease, I can do so any time before his six months begin.”
“I do not want to deny them enjoying the neighbourhood just so that I can avoid him. No, Papa, do not cancel the lease. You know how much we love spending time with the Gardiners. This way, I can then keep a promise to May. She will be eight, and I have vowed I would be in London for one of her birthdays. As much as I will miss all of you, it is never a hardship to be with my aunt, uncle, and cousins.” Jane paused as she thought of one thing. “I have not prepared Lizzy that I will be away. We will need to have Mary sleep in the chamber which Lizzy and I share until I return.”
“Not that your mother will say no, but allow me to discuss this with her first, and then we will make a decision,” Bennet decided. “For my part, I see no reason why not.”
Within the hour Jane had permission from both of her parents and sat down to write to Aunt Maddie.
12 September 1811
Longbourn
Aunt Maddie and Uncle Edward,
I know you said any of us may come visit you without a special invitation, but you know me; I like to ask.
May I arrive at 23 Gracechurch Street on 23 September and remain with you until you travel to Longbourn to celebrate Christmastide with all of us?
There are certain reasons why—reasons I will happily explain when I see you, but I would prefer not to commit to writing them down.
If you agree, I will be with you for May’s birthday on the 8th of October. As you know, she has been asking me to come to one of her birthdays for a few years now. I know she would like Lizzy present as well, but we know the limitation of one of us at a time. I will bring all of her presents from her family at Longbourn with me.
I will await your reply.
With love,
Jane
Once her letter was sanded and dried, Jane sealed it, wrote the direction, and placed it in the outgoing post salver. There was no need to spend the money for an express. As it was London, it would arrive the next day.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Two days later, Jane received an affirmative reply from her Aunt Maddie, not that she expected it to be anything but a yes. Now that it was certain, she sought Lizzy out to discuss her departure with her. She found her next younger sister practicing a duet on the pianoforte with Mary. Jane sat and waited until her sisters completed the piece. Every now and again giggles would erupt when one or the other would strike a discordant note, more likely than not on purpose.
Jane clapped when they came to the end.
Elizabeth and Mary looked up, not realising they had had an audience. They looked at one another and broke into giggles.
The age difference between Mary and her two older sisters did not mean they were not close; they were; all six of the Bennet children were. When Papa had left with James to return the latter to school, the other five Bennet children had been sad to see the eldest of their brothers leave.
“Lizzy, when you are finished being silly with Mary, may I speak to you?” Jane requested.
Elizabeth knew that Jane never asked to speak to her in that formal way unless there was a weighty issue they needed to discuss. “You know I always have time for my favourite older sister,” she quipped.
