Free I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison Page A

and her mother partnered with someone like Gilbert East or Tom Fowle, looking as if she was really enjoying herself. I must say that for her age she danced in a very sprightly fashion.
    ‘A supper dance!’ I could hardly breathe with excitement. Mrs Austen smiled at the look on my face and Jane took hold of both my hands and whirled me round the hall until we were both dizzy.

Friday, 11 March 1791
    Something very exciting happened today. Just before supper Jane was looking out of the window and she gave a shriek.
    ‘A donkey! Oh, a lovely donkey! Frank’s got a donkey!’
    ‘What?!’ Mr Austen got out of his chair. ‘He hasn’t broken the knees of his new pony!’
    ‘No, he’s riding the pony. He’s just leading the donkey.’ Jane rushed out and I went with her and the rest of the family followed.
    ‘It’s for Jenny,’ Frank said when he dismounted. ‘William Chute gave it to me. He said that Jenny could learn to ride on a donkey. He said that …’ Here Frank frowned a bit, but then said gruffly, ‘He said, “She’s a bit shy and nervous, that pretty little cousin of yours. She’ll be better with a donkey until she gets a bit of confidence.” ’
    I blushed, but no one took any notice. They were too busy inspecting the donkey, stroking him, looking at his feet, passing hands down his back and estimating how old he was by looking at his teeth. Mrs Austen gave me a sharp, appraising sort of glance — rather like the way that everyone was appraising the donkey, I thought — but no one else seemed to find it strange that a young man should send a present like that to a girl he hardly knows.
    * * *
    After supper when Jane and I were clearing away the plates Mrs Austen came in, closing the door behind her with a firm bang. Jane raised her eyebrows and said, ‘Uh-oh,’ under her breath.
    ‘Jenny dear, it was very kind of William Chute to send you a donkey, and I suppose you may keep it, but in general it’s not a good idea for a young girl to accept presents from a young man who is not related to her, unless, of course, they are engaged to be married.’ Mrs Austen’s speech came out in her usual rush of words.
    I felt my cheeks turning scarlet with embarrassment.
    ‘A donkey!’ said Jane contemptuously. ‘Who cares about a donkey? It’s not as if he sent her an Arabian mare. Donkeys are two a penny around here.’
    ‘Now, Jane,’ said Mrs Austen crossly, ‘don’t be ridiculous. I’m talking about the propriety of accepting a present from a young man. Young girls like you two have to be immensely careful of your reputation. Nothing scares off a good matrimonial proposal like rumours about a girl being fast.’ She lowered her voice to a hissing whisper. ‘Men talk together in card rooms and drinking places about girls like that.’
    I told her that I didn’t mind giving it back. I could hear my voice shaking. Her words made me wonder what she would say if she knew I had walked alone at night with a strange young man through the streets of Southampton. I could even feel my ears burning as I thought of how he had looked at me so gentlywith his beautiful brown eyes and how he took my hand and tucked it through his arm. Would Captain Thomas Williams talk about me in card rooms and drinking places?
    Mrs Austen was looking at me so piercingly that I was afraid that she could read my thoughts. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.
    ‘You’re upsetting Jenny,’ said Jane. ‘Anyway, if you send the donkey back you make a big fuss of the whole thing.’
    Mrs Austen turned her attention from me to Jane. She took a deep breath and I thought she was furiously angry, but then she surprised me by saying, ‘I suppose that might be true. Well, I’ll get Mr Austen to write a note to William Chute thanking him for the donkey and saying that the two girls will enjoy it. In that way it will divert attention from Jenny. Don’t be upset, dear. I have to tell you these things since your poor mother is