Elizabeth swiftly checked the contents of the valise. “Thank you for bringing some of my things, Jane. Now, what is the news from Longbourn?”
Jane had been studying every aspect of Mr Bingley’s study, but she immediately turned to sit in the chair opposite her sister’s and said, “I have to admit that I am very confused. Feel free to ask questions, and thus perhaps clarify things for both of us.”
Elizabeth nodded.
“I was busy in the still room, so Mama and Papa did not immediately ask me where you were. Neither bothered to search for me, and when I finally emerged from the room, and they asked me where you were, I told them what you had said about meeting with a tenant.
“Papa just laughed, sounding quite mean, so I was distressed. He said that it was a lie, and I told him that I was not lying—I was faithfully repeating what you had told me—but he said that it was you who lied. I could not refute that, so I just said that I did not know anything further, and I went to the dining room to eat before I came here.”
Elizabeth said, “I am sorry that someone has made our lives a bit more worrisome and argumentative than usual, Jane. I know how much you hate this sort of thing.”
“Well, I should hate even more to be the subject of lying rumours! The problem is certainly not your doing, Lizzy. I am just so sorry to be able to do so little for you. At any rate, as you can imagine, I could easily overhear Mama and Papa arguing. Mama said that you were out taking a long walk again, ruining your petticoats, your shoes, your complexion, and your?—”
The litany of complaints Mama made was so familiar, Elizabeth joined Jane in saying the last two words: “—marriage prospects.”
“But Papa said that you must have come to Netherfield Park, and he demanded that Mama get you. He was ordering the carriage, and Mama asked why he did not go instead, and he said something about how he had lost almost an entire morning of reading, and he deserved some time off from our troubles.”
Elizabeth raised her eyes heavenward. “Of course he said that,” she said with a sigh.
“Mama left,” Jane said, “and after a while Mr Darcy’s carriage arrived, and I was given a note to pack a valise for you. It made it quite convenient that neither Mama nor Papa was around to wonder why I got into a carriage with a valise. Just as we started out, our family carriage came back with Mama. I was relieved to see that she was not pulling you by your ear to report to Papa, and I was even more relieved that Mama seemed very happy about something. She just waved at me without even asking where I was going! It was all very confusing.”
“Well, I did not write the note about the valise—but I am glad that someone did, and I can guess who it was. As for the rest, I wish I had information that would make it less confusing, but I do not.”
The sisters decided that they must go back to the drawing room. Mr Bingley introduced Jane to Lord and Lady Matlock and to Georgiana. Tea was served, and the earl and countess asked Jane similar questions to those they had asked Elizabeth. Unfortunately, Jane’s honest answers made her appear to have no accomplishments at all. Still, being Jane, she continued to look imperturbable and her demeanour remained gentle and kind.
Because of Jane’s sweet behaviour, the couple’s attempt to catalogue her achievements and knowledge sputtered to a halt, and Elizabeth managed to steer the conversation to topics on which Jane had a great deal of knowledge. Soon Lady Matlock was asking about the scents Jane made in the still room, and Lord Matlock was impressed that Jane could prepare three different receipts for headache remedies.
Throughout the conversation, Georgiana remained quiet. Eventually Mr Bingley asked Jane to go on a walk with him, and Elizabeth and Georgiana gladly volunteered to chaperone the couple.
Once they were far from other people, Georgiana asked eagerly, “Shall Mrs Annesley and I accompany you to wherever you are headed?”
“Yes, Mrs Nicholls assured me that they will have plenty of room and had actually expected one of my sisters to come with me, so it was not even a surprise.”
“Well, the surprise will be that I am not one of your sisters.” Georgiana giggled and whispered, “Not yet.”
“What did you say, Georgiana? Are you going to start your own rumour?”
“I am merely building castles in the air.”
“Oh, how lovely,” Elizabeth said, smiling at her. “I have plenty of sisterly love for at least one more.”
They had walked another quarter hour when they spotted a footman striding towards them. They changed directions to meet him, and he said, “Ladies, before he left, Mr Darcy made arrangements for a lookout, and the lookout has now reported an older man approaching on horseback. For that reason, I ask you to promptly enter the carriage parked at the servants’ entrance to the manor house.”
“My father must be on his way,” Elizabeth whispered to Georgiana as they hurried along the gravel path, following the footman. He led them across the grass to the waiting carriage. They saw Mrs Annesley boarding and some luggage already attached to the top.
Clambering into the luxurious carriage, Elizabeth was a bit dismayed to be asked to lie on the floor, to be covered by a lap rug. But it made sense that she should be hidden. She laid down, laughing at the ridiculous situation.
“High treason in the Bennet household,” she mumbled. “Must go into hiding immediately!”
Her glance around the carriage made her shake her head even more decidedly. Innocent Becky sat on the rear facing seat, next to a young woman who was probably Georgiana’s lady’s maid. On the other side was Mrs Annesley and Georgiana. Everyone carefully placed their feet so that Elizabeth would have a maximum of space, and large lap rugs shared among the ladies would keep them warm as they hid Elizabeth.
The carriage began to move. Elizabeth felt the jolts, as the wheels encountered ruts, far more on the floor than she did while sitting, but the larger measure of discomfort was the feeling of stifling warmth from being entirely underneath blankets.
Georgiana said softly, “We are passing a gentleman on a horse. He looks…unhappy.”
Elizabeth said nothing, and she kept still, silent, and stifled with the overly warm rugs.
Finally Mrs Annesley said, “He gave a very careful look through the windows, but I think it should be safe for you to sit up now, Miss Elizabeth.”
