Free Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley by Fenella J Miller

I
came out in a rash. It was all you could do to persuade me to accompany you.’
    ‘I can recall you spending the entire evening hiding behind your fan
whilst I enjoyed the dancing. It all seems so long ago, and now our sisters are
following in our footsteps.’
    Elizabeth removed the remains of the breakfast tray and joined her
sister in a second cup of tea. ‘I could wish that Kitty and Lydia were more like us. They have little reserve and although we had our come out early,
I do not believe we have ever behaved as they do.
    ‘What about that young man we met when we were staying in London who
fancied himself in love with me and wrote me poetry?’
    ‘Yes, it was execrable. What I remember particularly is that we were
walking into Meryton and I was reciting parts to you when the very gentleman we
were laughing at popped unexpectedly out of the general stores.’
    ‘I was never so embarrassed in my life; In my shock I stepped sideways
and was up to my ankles in a puddle and covered you in muddy water.’
    Her sister laughed out loud at the memory. ‘It was no more than we
deserved. He was a pleasant gentleman; I wonder what happened to him?’
    ‘And what about the young man who was staying in Meryton two summers
ago? He was madly in love with you - he was forever calling at the house. I believe
that our mother thought you had made a match of it.’
    ‘The man was a simpleton - he could scarcely string a coherent sentence
together.’ She smiled at Jane. ‘But I must admit he was prodigiously handsome
and according to Aunt Philips had a fortune of three thousand pounds a year!’
    ‘Not enough to tempt you, Lizzy.’
    ‘Absolutely not; only love would make me contemplate giving up my
independence to any man.’
      Jane felt her throat protesting
at all the talking and laughing she had been doing. ‘I agree, I shall never
marry either unless I am in love - nothing else matters in my opinion.’
    She felt too fatigued to continue and closed her eyes allowing herself
to daydream about marrying a man she loved. She was almost certain that she had
found him already; she would talk to her sister about it when she felt a little
better.
      * * * *
    Charles was waiting anxiously for news of the patient. ‘How is Miss
Bennet, this morning, Nicholls?’
    The housekeeper smiled happily. ‘The young lady has eaten breakfast and
much enjoyed it, sir. I believe she is feeling a lot better.’
    ‘I am relieved to hear you say so; and was most concerned when I saw
that a note had been sent to Longbourn.’
    He strolled back to the breakfast room where Darcy and his sisters were
gathered; Hurst rarely appeared before noon. ‘Good morning; Miss Bennet is
feeling much better, but I have still sent for the apothecary. I do not intend
taking chances in this matter.’
    ‘I saw a note addressed to Mrs Bennet waiting to be delivered when I
came down earlier,’ Caroline said, ‘are we to expect a visit from that
delightful lady?’
    Darcy looked up. ‘Well, Bingley? Are we to have that pleasure?’
    ‘Do not look so appalled, my friend, you may make yourself scarce. I am
sure that Mrs Bennet will be coming to see her daughter, and shall not stay
after.’
    He had not long left the breakfast room when Mrs Bennet, accompanied by
her two youngest daughters, was announced. Immediately Mr Bingley went out into
the hall to greet them. He nodded and smiled and allowed her babble to pass
over his head. While Caroline was giving up to date information about the
patient he had leisure to examine Jane’s mother.
    Underneath the plumpness of her cheeks he could detect a physical
resemblance to her eldest; it was impossible to see the colour of Mrs Bennet’s
hair as it was hidden under a spectacular turban of purple silk extensively
decorated with matching feathers. However, the colour of her eyes was exactly
the same mix of green and brown as those that he admired so much.
    Mrs Bennet suddenly turned back and addressed him directly.