No gentleman who did not have honourable intentions would dance the 3 significant sets at a ball or be as publicly attentive to a lady as Mr Bingley was to me. That Mr Bingley is a good, upstanding man is something I am certain of. I cannot believe he could be so easily swayed from his purpose by others, as you claim he must have been.
Yes, you have pointed out the behaviour of our family at the ball, but was it really so very bad? And even so, would not a gentleman in love overlook such things?
I am confident that when Mr Bingley and Iare able to speak when we meet on Monday, all will proceed as it should.
Has it been snowing in Hertfordshire like it has here? Unlike at Longbourn, when the snow looks nice and pristine across the park and fields, thanks to the carts, horses, and carriages in London, it does not take long before the snow becomes dirty.
Our cousins are missing their forays to the park, so they can feed the few remaining ducks. I have not had the heart to tell them that I believe that the snow has chased the last few ducks away because the pond is now fully frozen over. At least the snow in the park will be more like we are used to at Longbourn.
If there is still snow on the ground when we return to the park, I will suggest the cousins make a snowman to distract them from the fact that there will be no ducks to feed.
As a treat, our aunt and uncle have said they will take me and the cousins to Hyde Park one day next week. They told us that there are large bodies of water there that do not freeze over, so there will be some waterfowl present.
You only have a little more than a month before you go and visit Charlotte. I am sure that you will enjoy Kent in the spring, and you will find places to walk and explore. Did not Cousin Collins say that Rosings Park is a large estate which borders his parsonage? If so, you will not have a shortage of paths to ramble over.
Your letters always cheer me up, Lizzy. Until the next one, I send you allof my sisterly love,
Jane
‘Janey, as much as I think you do not have the right of it, this is one time, for you, my dearest sister, that my prayer is that I am wrong about what you will experience when you go see the supercilious sisters. I know you do not want to see the evil in the world, but I fear you will be hurt,’ Elizabeth told herself silently. She folded her letter and secreted it in her pocket until she would be able to place it in the box which held all of her letters. It was in the bottom of her closet.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As the Gardiner carriage travelled towards Hurst House on Curzon Street, Jane was a ball of nerves as the anticipation of the upcoming meeting with her friends grew.
“It is a fashionable neighbourhood,” Jane observed as the coachman guided the equipage onto Curzon Street.
“Not nearly as much as Mayfair, or the other areas where members of theTonlive,” Maddie responded. She knew from what Jane had told her that the sisters had intimated that they belonged to theTon, something Maddie knew was not true. Given the way Jane saw things, Maddie had not pointed that out to her niece.
As the conveyance was slowing, Jane did not hear what Aunt Maddie had said, as all she was thinking about was the pleasure of seeing her friends, and of course, Mr Bingley, again. When they stopped before a townhouse which looked as nondescript as those neighbouring it, a footman in livery placed the step and opened the door.
The house, like most close to it, was faced with beige bricks. It was three storeys in height and not very large, just like Maddie expected to find in this part of London. The truth was that the Hursts’ house looked smaller than hers and Edward’s house in Gracechurch Street. When they were ready, Maddie led Jane up the four stone steps to the front door, whereshe lifted the knocker and allowed it to fall.
The butler opened the door. “Mrs Gardiner and Miss Bennet to see the ladies of the house,” Maddie stated.
“Please wait here,” the butler drawled as he indicated the entrance hall before he closed the door. He made his way up to the first floor to the main drawing room where Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley were seated. He announced the names of the callers.
“How dare that woman call on us?” Miss Bingley hissed. “Tell them we are not at home to them and will never be here if they have the temerity to call again…no, wait! Billings, send them up.”
After the mistress nodded her head, the butler, whose name was actually Benson, bowed and left to carry out his orders.
“Why are you allowing them to enter the house?” Mrs Hurst enquired.
“I want Miss Bennet to feel my disdain so that she will not darken my doorstep again,” Miss Bingley spat back.
Mrs Hurst said nothing about the fact that the house was, in fact, her husband’s, and her sister was not the owner nor the mistress. Like Charles, Louisa Hurst had long ago learnt that it was far better not to gainsay Caroline.
The butler showed the ladies in and announced them before he withdrew.
“Miss Bennet, why did you not write and tell us you were in the area? I would have written back to tell you how busy we are. As it is, we need to leave in just a few minutes,” Miss Bingley stated emotionlessly.
“But Miss Bingley, I did write; in fact, I posted three letters, the last of them being the one to inform you I would be in London and mydirection,” Jane responded.
“I received no such epistles, did I, Louisa?” Miss Bingley prevaricated.
“Indeed not,” Mrs Hurst managed. However, unlike her sister, she was not able to look the two ladies in the eye and dissemble to them.
Maddie knew the two ladies were not being honest, but she was too well-mannered to call them out on their dishonesty. It was harder to see with Miss Bingley but very easy to tell when Mrs Hurst was lying. She would gauge Jane’s reaction before saying anything to her.
