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“That is as maybe, but we are delighted that you escorted her to church this morning. It is most excessively kind of you.”

Bingley preened before their eyes.

“It was the least I could do.”

“Charles, I think it time we returned to Netherfield Park.”

Elizabeth suppressed a chuckle. Miss Bingley was incapable of remaining silent for long.

“Yes, yes, Caroline. In a minute. I have been thinking about holding a ball, to thank everyone for welcoming us to the neighbourhood. Mrs. Bennet, Miss Bennet, do you think a ball would be well received?”

“Mr. Bingley that would be most prodigiously generous. It has been many years since a ball has been held at Netherfield Park.”

Mrs. Bennet was in full gushing mode. But Mr. Bingley was more concerned with the response of Jane Bennet. She blushed under his scrutiny but quietly confirmed her support.

“That would be most hospitable of you Mr. Bingley.”

“It is settled then. Once the date is set I will deliver the invitations personally.”

As the parties separated Elizabeth was puzzled. It was as if the previous evening had not occurred. Jane had. Elizabeth stopped. Jane had done what? Ignored the fight, dismissed the fight, taken the side of Miss Bingley? Elizabeth lagged behind the rest of her family, Robert and Claire once again silent sentinels. Elizabeth realised that Jane had taken the side of Mr. Bingley, not Miss Bingley. It appeared that loyalty to family only went so far.

--

Elizabeth escaped Longbourn Manor and went to the stables with Mary. It was the only place they could talk with any expectation of privacy. They were aided by Robert who was grooming Buttercup after the journey back from Netherfield Park. Elizabeth told her tale, it did not take long as there were only half a dozen interactions with any of the residents, four of them the short breakfast meetings. Mary was quiet, even during the recitations of the two evenings.

“You let your temper get the better of you Lizzie. But given the provocations it is hard to be censorious of you. It seems that Miss Bingley is a tinder-dry hayrick and you are an unguarded flame. When you come together the result is an inferno.”

“I will accept most of that Mary. But I went out of my way, to use your analogy, to guard my flame. Miss Bingley went looking for trouble both evenings.”

Mary pursed her lips, before nodding in agreement.

“Yes, I can see that. Do you have any idea why?”

“I can only presume that she just does not like me. At an instinctual level. Until I arrived on Wednesday morning I had not spoken to her. Yet on Wednesday evening after dinner she was attacking our family.”

“Attacking Lizzie?”

“You heard her questions. She was pretending concern but there was no mistaking her gloating at our misfortune.”

“She would do well to heed the Book of Proverbs. ‘Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth’.”

Elizabeth smiled.

“I can always rely on you to provide an appropriate quote. It still does not explain why.”

“You are the one who has lived in London, been exposed to that society. Is she not typical?”

Elizabeth considered the question.

“That is the issue, there are lots of social climbers, it is the major pastime in the city. But her actions, her behaviour here, seems to be so bad as to border on caricature. She attacked our family for having uncles in trade. And yet I talked of her own uncle in trade, I had even been introduced to him. She mocked us for Longbourn being entailed. But when I asked her which estate she grew up on she looked like her head was going to explode. I have had tougher debates with our young cousins. And the snide continued use of Eliza after I asked her to refrain? I just do not understand her. Did she think herself Lady of the Manor, able to get away with anything she did, and not be called out on it?”

“There may be some truth to that. Her last sally was disgusting. And Mr. Bingley said nothing?”

“I do not think he caught the start of it. Claire informed me that she had been interrogating the servants, finding out as much as possible. Miss Bingley learned I had been away in London. She knew this already, I had owned it three nights earlier. She could not fluster me, she could not get me to react. She is so deathly afraid of the stench of trade that she expected me to react the same way. When I did not she crossed the line.

“I think that is the part that I struggle with. Uncle Philips is the leasing agent for the Uptons, he is the local solicitor and everyone knows Aunt Philips and Mrs. Bennet are sisters. Similarly Edward Gardiner grew up in the area and, again, is known as their brother. So even if our family were similarly minded to Miss Bingley, it could hardly be ignored. Mama and Papa have their issues but there has never been even a moment when they have not acknowledged Uncle Gardiner. Or indeed Uncle and Aunt Philips. They are part of our family, our closest family other than the seven of us here at Longbourn.

“Part of my problem with Caroline Bingley is that we are completely different when it comes to family. The Gardiners and the Philips’ will always be part of my family.”