She did not purposefully jump into puddles and mud, but she found an abundance of both along her path. Her worry for Jane drove her on. Less than two hours after leaving Longbourn, Elizabeth arrived at Netherfield Park. By some perverse luck, who was the first member of that party she met? None other than the hateful, insufferable, arrogant Mr. Darcy, who it seemed was an early riser like herself.
Chapter5
“Miss Elizabeth, good morning,” Mr. Darcy bowed. “I assume you are here to see your ailing sister?”
For a moment Elizabeth was dumbstruck. Mr. Darcy was being pleasant to her and did not seem the same haughty man who had insulted her twice. “Will you show me to her, please?” she responded curtly, somewhat confused by the contradiction which was Mr. Darcy.
Darcy gave her a quick nod and turned towards the house; Elizabeth followed him. Unfortunately for Elizabeth, who hoped to reach her sister’s side without being seen, given the mud caked onto her boots, petticoats, and the hem of her dress; it was not to be so. Miss Bingley had decided she and the rest of the household should wake earlier to be in Mr. Darcy’s company when he broke his fast, although this was much earlier than the Town hours they preferred to keep.
Hearing voices from the breakfast parlour, there was no polite way to enter the house without acknowledging the master and mistress of the estate. “Miss Eliza, what brings you to our doorstep so early?” Miss Bingley asked with a sneer.
“We received the note stating Jane is ill, so I am come to check on my sister and see if she needs anything,” Elizabeth responded after she greeted the diners.
“You need not have bothered to ride all of this way for a trifling cold,” was Miss Bingley’s snide comment. “By the looks of your clothing, the horse splashed in every mud puddle between Longbottom and here.”
“It isLongbourn,Miss Bingley,” Elizabeth returned firmly. “I walked; Nellie is here since Jane rode her to Netherfield Park yesterday.”
“Walked? How provincial, Miss Eliza! No wonder your petticoats are six inches deep with mud. Members of our social circle would never demean themselves thusly,” Miss Bingley asserted in her grating voice.
“Really, Miss Bingley? I am astounded you would say that; I have relatives in trade as your father was and brother is and I have seen them walk often,” Elizabeth responded innocently.
Darcy tried his best to stifle the guffaw which tried to surface. It took all of his vaunted self-control to not show the amusement he felt as he watched this slip of a young woman put Miss Bingley in her place without being vicious.
Miss Bingley took on a decidedly purple hue. Before Caroline could explode, Bingley summoned his housekeeper, who was standing just outside the breakfast parlour, and asked her to show Miss Elizabeth to her sister’s chambers.
“How dare she speak to her betters in such a way? Who does that lowborn hoyden think she is?” Miss Bingley blustered.
“Miss Elizabeth was perfectly polite and never said one word that was not true. You, sister dear, are the only one who was rude,” Bingley corrected. “Did they not teach you how guests in one’s house should be treated in that fancy seminary you are always going on about?”
Miss Bingley ignored her brother’s words; she had an enormous capacity for hearing and seeing only that which was convenient to her. “Surely, Mr. Darcy, you would not allow dear Georgiana to speak to her betters in that way,” Miss Bingley tried to coo although the tension was very much evident in her voice. “Surely your admiration for Miss Eliza’sfineeyes and pretty face have been diminished by her unmannered display here? She was wearing more mud than fabric.” Miss Bingley tittered at her supposed witticism.
“First, Miss Bingley, neither I nor my sister have ever given you leave to address her so informally,” Darcy began his reply. Miss Bingley sucked her cheeks in as her lips were pinched in a fashion which made one think of a fish. “Second, your brother has the right of it. As I am sure you learnt at your seminary, the daughter of a gentleman is above the offspring of a tradesman, so Miss Elizabeth was not addressing one above her in society. Last, I thought the exercise only enhanced her eyes and looks.”
Miss Bingley was seething within but she knew she needed to control her reaction with Mr. Darcy looking on. “How can that be, Mr. Darcy? As much as it pains me to disagree with you, I have twenty thousand pounds for my dowry while that wild Miss Eliza has a pittance.”
“Money has nothing to do with it. Social order is set based on birth. Anyone born a gentleperson would know how vulgar it is to bring up one’s money,” Darcy stated—hoping, but not confident, the harpy would know he meant her.
“But the conceited independence she displayed! I am sure you would not allow dear… Miss Darcy to walk three miles unaccompanied,” Miss Bingley pressed.
“What I saw was concern and love for a sister. I encourage my sister to caremoreabout others than her selfish feelings. If it were in the service of another as Miss Elizabeth’s mission was today, I would not object,” Darcy replied directly.
Miss Bingley decided it was time for her to stop speaking; it seemed each time she opened her mouth she offended the last person in the world she wanted to. If Mr. Darcy did not get to the point, sooner rather than later, she would be forced to compromise him. The more public, the better.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Lizzy,” Jane croaked as she opened her eyes and saw her sister sitting next to her. Elizabeth was holding her hand and, for once, Jane was genuinely happy her younger sister was with her.
“My poor, dear Jane,” Elizabeth said as she leaned forward and touched her sister’s forehead. Jane was very hot. Elizabeth requested the maid find some ice she could place inside the cloth she was using to wipe Jane’s sweaty face. She felt Jane needed something cold to bring her fever under control.
When the maid returned with a bowl containing chunks of ice, Elizabeth asked her to request the master meet her in the sitting room between the two bedchambers. Not many minutes later there was a knock on the door which led to the private sitting room.
When Elizabeth walked in, she had to school her features as Mr. Darcy was present alongside Mr. Bingley. What could he mean by accompanying his friend? Notwithstanding his seeming friendliness when she arrived, he was not someone she desired to see.
“How may I assist you, Miss Elizabeth?” Bingley asked.
“Jane’s fever seems worse to me. Would you please have Mr. Jones summoned?” Elizabeth requested.
“Should I ask my physician in London to come examine Miss Bennet as well.” Bingley enquired.
