‘Immature. Puppyish even,’ supplied Elizabeth who had no such scruples.
Mrs Bennet gave her second daughter a pinched look. As much as she loved all her daughters, Elizabeth’s sharp wit and even sharper tongue irritated her. But after a moment she relaxed and sighed. ‘As much as I hate to agree with you, Lizzy, Mr Bingley did seem rather… ah… enthusiastic.’
‘I think it would be adorable to have a man trail after me like a puppy. I could tell him to sit and stay, or fetch me whatever I desired at the time,’ Lydia managed to catch her breath long enough to say.
‘At least I do not feel like he is undressing me with his eyes,’ murmured Jane, too soft for anyone but Elizabeth to hear.
~T~
An invitation to tea was duly received at Longbourn since Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst wanted to see at first hand why their brother was in such raptures over a country nobody.
Mrs Hurst, who was better at getting information from the servants, discovered that the Bennets were what she considered to be poor and that they had relatives in trade. Both circumstances made the sisters predisposed to object to their brother’s latest infatuation.
Punctually at the suggested time, Mrs Bennet and her three oldest daughters arrived at Netherfield, where they were cordially greeted by Mr Bingley who introduced the ladies to his family.
Even though Miss Bingley hoped that her brother would leave the ladies to get acquainted after making the introductions, Bingley was determined to enjoy the company of the exquisite Miss Bennet.
Jane smiled politely although internally she sighed. She had hoped for the opportunity to converse with everyone, but Mr Bingley did not give her a chance. Admittedly he was charming and his conversation pleasing but he was relentless in his attentions to her.
Miss Bingley, having been thwarted from speaking to her brother’s latest angel, set herself to confirm the information they had gathered as much as she could from Mrs Bennet and the other young women. Sporting a pleasant, if somewhat haughty expression, she began her inquisition of the ladies who were much as she had expected… country mushrooms with no sense of style or sophistication.
Mrs Bennet thought that their hostess and Mrs Hurst were indeed most elegant and was anxious to ensure that the visitors to their county should feel welcome. ‘I hope that you will enjoy your stay in the country. I am sure that you will discover that our neighbours are most pleasant and welcoming to people from all walks of life,’ Mrs Bennet declared with a pleased smile. ‘But it is such a pity that you did not arrive a week earlier. You just missed our monthly assembly, where you could have met us all at once.’
Caroline felt that this speech was an intentional slight about her antecedents. In an attempt to shift the focus to the low connections of their visitors she asked Mrs Bennet, ‘Is it true that your brother is a solicitor?’
‘He is indeed. If your brother has any need for legal advice, I can highly recommend him.’ Mrs Bennet preened a little as she was very fond and proud of her sister’s husband.
‘Is not Mr Bingley already aware of this since my Uncle Phillips deals with the lease of this estate?’ asked Elizabeth, who, unlike her mother, had perceived Miss Bingley’s intent.
‘In that case you are fortunate indeed that your neighbours do not hold your connection to a tradesman against you,’ said Miss Bingley, glad to be able to put down her visitors.
Instead of responding directly to this slur, Elizabeth smiled and said, ‘Pardon me for correcting you, but the law is a gentleman’s occupation, quite the same as the church or the military. All of which are acceptable occupations for the younger sons of the nobility. Naturally, they rank beneath the landed gentry, but they are still classed above tradesmen.’
Mrs Hurst’s enquiry about the Bennets amongst the servants had discovered another connection. ‘But your other uncle is unquestionably a tradesman.’
‘Certainly. And he is very proud of that fact.’ Elizabeth paused for a moment before she added with a bland smile, ‘Much of his success is due to the investments by many members of the nobility.’
‘Well, we have no need to invest in trade, I am relieved to say,’ Miss Bingley said, irritated that this chit had an answer for everything. Before any of the Bennets could raise the fact that the Bingley fortune had been made in trade, she changed the subject. ‘Do you go much to town?’
Mrs Bennet answered, ‘Personally, I prefer to remain at home, but my girls frequently visit. They love the entertainments available in town.’
For the rest of the visit, the ladies were content to canvas this safer subject.
~T~
As soon as the Bennet ladies departed Netherfield, Miss Bingley was in full voice disparaging their neighbours.
‘My dear,’ she addressed her sister. ‘Did you see how dreadfully unfashionable they were. I swear that their dresses were at least two seasons out of date. And those colours, how insipid. No lady in town would be caught dead wearing such rags.’
Before Mrs Hurst had a chance to respond in a similar vein, Mr Bingley interjected. ‘I thought the ladies were rather elegant. At least it did not hurt my eyes to look at them. And I thought that they were quite charming.’
‘Surely you cannot be serious. Did you not hear. They are proud of the fact that they dine with four and twenty families. Four and twenty! We see that many people in a day when we are in town. Yet they think that there is a cachet in having such a limited number of friends,’ Miss Bingley refuted her brother.
‘At least those local friends are gentry, but those Bennets are related to tradesmen.’ Mrs Hurst at last had an opportunity to add her opinion. ‘Would you believe that Mrs Bennet’s brother lives in Cheapside.’
‘If they had enough relations to fill Cheapside, Miss Bennet could not be any less charming.’
‘I am sure hers is a most practiced charm, designed to ensnare any man who can offer her a comfortable living. Did you not see that mother, examining everything as if she was judging its value.’
