Christmas passed quietly at Netherfield, as is proper in a house of mourning. The same could be said of Longbourn, though that house enjoyed two things which eased the natural sorrow of their first Christmas without Mrs Bennet—firstly, the presence of the Gardiner children, who were the main source of the adults’ lightened hearts, dear and lively as they were; secondly, the delivery of an entire crate of ripe oranges, compliments of Mr Darcy. Mr Bennet’s dilatory habits could not endure in the face of such a treat at such a time, and he insisted that the Netherfield servant who performed the delivery wait, with a cup of hot ale to warm him, while he wrote a note of thanks to the gentleman.
Boxing Day passed more quietly still, as the servants enjoyed their liberty and both households made do with bread, cheese, cold meats, and the leftovers of their Christmas feasts. The day following brought early visitors to Longbourn, in the form of Charlotte Lucas and her sister Maria.
The younger Lucas instantly ran to Kitty and Lydia, and for a moment the parlour was filled with the happy babble of three young friends separated for many weeks. Elizabeth waited to join in conversation with Charlotte and Jane, wishing to ensure Lydia’s confidence in company.
“My goodness, Maria, you have been fortunate,” Lydia remarked artlessly. “You have only a few scars on your face. In a year or two they may not be noticeable at all.”
Maria took no offence, Elizabeth was happy to see; the girl’s sense of her own good fortune likely had been brought to her forcefully by seeing others who had recovered, including Jane, at church the last several weeks. “I am sorry it went so hard for you, Lydia,” she replied. “I heard you nearly died!”
Lydia looked away and nodded. “It is true.” She took a deep breath and raised her face to her friend again. “But I am getting better. I hope to begin going about occasionally in the next week or two.”
Heartened by Lydia’s response, Elizabeth turned back to Charlotte and Jane, who were discussing their holiday celebrations. Suddenly Charlotte broke into a broad smile and communicated that she and Mr Jones were now engaged. Her friends were, of course, very happy for her and offered every genuine felicitation.
“Papa was a little reluctant to give his blessing,” she confided, “but when we told him our plans, that I should help in the shop when Mr Jones is with patients, and that we wished his advice on making it more profitable, he warmed to the notion. And when Mr Jones told him that he is saving to finish his training, all objections were entirely forgot. He is positively dancing with anticipation of the day he may speak of his son-in-law, the physician.”
Elizabeth could not but join Charlotte and Jane in laughing at this accurate portrait of Sir William, who liked nothing better than to speak of the good fortune he had known in his life.
* * *
Over breakfast, Bingley asked if any of them should like to join him in his call upon his particular friends, the Bennets of Longbourn, later. The colonel rapidly agreed, for he understood from conversation in the drawing room the night before that the house contained several amiable and lovely ladies. Darcy was amenable to the visit if his sister would also come, but Georgiana felt that it would be rude to abandon her hostess on her first morning in the house. Mrs Hurst, however, had at last been convinced that in the country a widow might call upon particular friends after the first several weeks of her mourning had passed, and announced that she would be joining in the call. Reassured, Georgiana agreed to the scheme, and at Bingley’s insistence they departed as early as proper.
As the carriage bore them towards Longbourn, Darcy reminded his cousin and sister that Mrs Bennet had been lost to the recent epidemic, and that Miss Bennet and Miss Lydia had been ill but survived, information he had previously conveyed in his letters. This served also to inform Mrs Annesley, his sister’s companion.
Arriving not long after the Lucas sisters departed, they entered the parlour at Longbourn to find the entire family assembled there, Mr Bennet reading to his daughters as they attended to their handiwork. Bingley made the introductions, and though Colonel Fitzwilliam was at ease in any company (and particularly that of amiable ladies), Georgiana was quite overcome by shyness. Nonetheless, she was soon eagerly participating in a conversation upon the subject of music with Miss Elizabeth and Miss Mary. Darcy, who had been watching his sister with some concern, knowing her diffident nature, saw that it had all been Miss Elizabeth’s doing—she had taken Georgiana’s measure in a moment and set about making her comfortable.
Once Georgiana had been sufficiently plied with tea and talk of her favourite subject, Miss Elizabeth began drawing others into their circle and allowing the conversation to range more widely. In time, the talk naturally turned to Mrs Gardiner’s former residence not five miles from Pemberley, and Darcy’s sister eagerly soaked up stories of her mother’s charitable work with the Reverend Mr Cole and his family.
Mrs Hurst, for her part, seemed pleased to make the acquaintance of Mr Gardiner, and upon discovering that his business included the importation of drinking chocolate, engaged him in a rather intense conversation on the qualities of different varieties.
The upcoming wedding of Miss Lucas to Mr Jones formed a large part of the general conversation, as such an event will in a small neighbourhood. The engagement was news to Darcy, and apparently to Bingley also.
“Mr Jones and Miss Lucas?” his friend exclaimed. “My word! But now that I consider for a moment, they are remarkably well-matched, are they not? Well, I do wish them joy, and shall be sure to tell them so.”
Miss Elizabeth turned to Darcy. “You seem a little disconcerted, sir. Is aught amiss?”
“No…no. I am not disconcerted, only surprised, as Bingley was. Were they much acquainted before the epidemic?”
“I do not believe so. Certainly they knew each other, but I do not think they had had much opportunity to converse before they were required to meet daily at Maria’s bedside. It seems that was enough for each to recognise the other’s excellent qualities. I know that Maria was still confined to her bed when he first asked Charlotte if he might call.” She shrugged, smiling. “A sickroom is not, perhaps, the most romantic place to come to know the companion of your future life, but they are both so dear that one can only be delighted they found each other, however oddly it came about.” She turned her attention then to something Miss Catherine was saying, and Darcy allowed the animated chatter to wash over him as he contemplated what he had just heard.
He knew quite well that Mr Jones had been run ragged during the sickness, yet somehow in the midst of it all he had, apparently, recognised a lady both well-suited and attractive to him and set about pursuing her. And now, less than a fortnight after the epidemic had been declared ended, he was engaged to her. How could he be so certain of his course, having come to know Miss Lucas so recently? It was likely that he had known her better by reputation than by experience, living in such a small community; thus, he would have had few concerns about her character, but it still seemed to Darcy to be almost heedless to decide and arrange the entire course of one’s future with such speed.
While his rational mind fixed upon the dangers, he could not help but feel a certain admiration for Mr Jones’s decisive action. In the midst of tragedy, and despite poverty, he had seen a chance at happiness and seized it with both hands. It spoke of a certain courage, and a definitive understanding of his own desires—something Darcy wished he could claim for himself.
When opportunity presented itself, he discreetly asked Miss Elizabeth, “How will they get on? Mr Jones does not seem to have much income.”
“Oh, they will be rather poor at first, I expect,” answered she, “but Mr Jones is saving to complete his training, and Charlotte intends to help him in the shop, so they have every expectation that their situation will improve in a few years.”
“That is well, I suppose, though one wishes the period of poverty were not necessary. He deserves better than his current situation, as does your friend.”
Elizabeth gave him a warm look that made him feel the intimacy of their conversation. “I can only agree, but they are very much in love and surely that will ease their burdens until their fortunes rise. She is as determined as he, in her way, and no doubt their friends will help them along with frequent invitations to dinner.”
Darcy nodded, but before he could think of a response, he saw that Georgiana was quite caught by the romance of it all—a young couple, desperately in love but short on funds, resolved to work together to better themselves—and spent the rest of the visit gleaning every detail she could about Miss Lucas and Mr Jones.
Later that evening, Darcy would recall Miss Elizabeth’s words, ‘their friends will help them along’, and begin to consider a plan which might be most easily solidified in town.
* * *
“How amazing that I should meet someone who knew my mother in a county I have never before visited!” Georgiana exclaimed during the ride back to Netherfield. “I liked all of them very much, Brother, but Miss Elizabeth and Mrs Gardiner particularly. Though I hope to know Miss Lydia better, as we are of an age, but she did not seem much inclined to engage with me today. Is she shy?”
