Chapter 4
“Do lay on your side Mary,” Elizabeth cajoled.
“I cannot sleep on my side,” Mary complained.
“You had much better sleep with me Lizzy,” Jane offered. “None of us will get much rest if you and Mary are uncomfortable all the night.”
“If we are to share then it had better be you and Mary who swap places as this is the larger of the two beds,” she reasoned. Admittedly, larger in this instance was a very marginal fraction. Mary huffed but got out of the bed and swapped with Jane.
“I’m not sure that it will matter, so much has happened,” Mary said, “I am sure that I for one will not sleep a wink.” Neither sister replied to this statement, but Lizzy agreed and Jane gave a mmph which Lizzy interpreted as agreement. But they were all to be proven wrong as not a ten minute had passed but they were all blissfully asleep.
The days that followed settled into the return of a normality of sorts. The family arose at the standard country hours. Mrs Fitzherbert, Mrs Cavendish and the Physician all joined the family to break their fast. The Prince Regent’s valet delivered all his meals to his room. No member of the family or household staff approached the Prince Regent’s chambers.
The ladies of the royal household joined the Bennet ladies for the hours following the morning meal. Mrs Cavendish enjoyed walking and joined Elizabeth foran occasional ramble. But Elizabeth’s jaunts around the countryside of Meryton were largely shortened.
Mrs Fitzherbert divided her time between sitting with the Prince Regent and joining Mrs Bennet in the drawing room.
The Prince Regent’s men of business had arrived, together with additional burley footmen. All the additional royal staff were housed in the local inn. Their arrival had at last revealed the identity of the secret guest at Longbourn.
Dinner on the fifth night was attended by all in the household, save for the Prince Regent. The party of the Prince’s men of business, all of whom had been frequent visitors to the manor house, also attended that evening. Elizabeth had been thankful that the shock of the Prince Regent sleeping in her husband’s bed had been sufficient to put a halt to her mother’s matching tendencies. As although, all the gentlemen were personable and not in any way lacking in manly charms, Elizabeth was not interested in gaining any of them as her husband. Jane and Mary had likewise confided similar sentiments to her. Her mother had not even questioned whether they were single or married. But Mrs Cavendish had told her that Mr Talbot was courting a lady in town. And Captain McMahon was married with one young son.
“I believe,” Mrs Fitzherbert intoned, looking to the Physician as she continued. “That the Prince Regent will be sufficiently recovered to join us to break our fast in the morning room on the morrow”.
Elizabeth saw her mother twitch at these words. She thought mayhap her mother had hoped that the Prince Regent would not dine at table during his stay. And indeed she believed that only good manners held her mother in place at the dining table. Otherwise, Elizabeth was sure that she would have risen immediately to seek out Hill and Cook to consult onthe breakfast offerings. Her mother had not needed to worry. The choices at every meal since the arrival of the royal party had been so lavish that nothing could be added which did not already have its place at table.
Mrs Fitzherbert noted her mother’s nervous reaction and addressed her.
“Do not make yourself uneasy. The Prince Regent is most charming and his famed for his condescension.
“He will, I believe,” Mrs Fitzherbert went on, “join us for the midday meal and dinner tomorrow evening, as well.” Mrs Bennet twitched again. “And,” she looked once more at the Physician, “all going well, I trust that we will depart your estate,” she said, looking to the physician who confirmed.
“On the overmorrow”.
Mr Bennet and his wife both made the expected, denials. Which she accepted as the polite response to this news. She then looked to Mr Bennet.
“That being so Mr Bennet, the Prince Regent will require the use of your study for the day tomorrow,” she explained.
“Indeed,” Mr Bennet acknowledged with a bow.
After dinner, the gentlemen joined Mr Bennet in his study. Not the normal room for gentlemen to retreat to. But the seams of Longbourn were bulging and this was the only additional family room available.
