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Chapter 3
Strains of music rang throughout Longbourn House. It was always the first sounds heard each morning, as Mary faithfully practised on the pianoforte. As poorly executed as was her performance, it was lovely to Elizabeth’s ears. It enveloped her with a sense of being at home.
Never ones to be bothered by consequential matters, Lydia and Kitty barely partook of the spread of freshly baked loaves of bread, a cornucopia of seasonal fruit, and meats of the finest cuts that characterised Mrs. Bennet’s breakfast table. The two were always engaged in frivolous, girlish banter on one inane topic after another. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and the eldest daughter, Jane, were also seated around the table. Mr. Bennet had his head buried in his paper. Jane tried her best to appear attentive. Mrs. Bennet could not help smiling with delight at her two younger daughters. Their antics recalled her to the way she and her own sister had behaved in their day.
The two girls carried on about the newcomers at Netherfield Park, and how their father’s visit must have increased the chances considerably that the owner might fancy one of them. Most importantly, they rhapsodised over the assembly which was to be held that night, for Mr. Bennet confirmed that Mr. Bingley indeed would attend.
Before long, their chatter intruded upon Mr. Bennet’s enjoyment of his paper. He stood and folded it before neatly tucking the paper under his arm and heading for his library. He turned at the doorway to look at the daughters who had so rudely interrupted his morning activity. “You two are the silliest girls in all of England. My greatest hope is the amiable Mr. Bingley will take either of you off my hands. What a blessing it would be if his mysterious guest fancied the other one of you as well.”
Far from being embarrassed, his pronouncement only served to bolster the girls’ hopes. They stood from the table and danced about the room in jubilation.
“Though I would rather marry an officer, for I greatly favour a gentleman in a red coat, Mr. Bingley is sure to prefer me,” said Lydia.
“No, he shall prefer me, for I am the oldest!”
“But I am prettier and more popular than you!” Lydia boasted.
“Which of us do you believe he will choose, Mama?”
“I shall be quite happy should he choose either of you girls!”
Lydia recalled herself to an unanswered question to her eldest sister. “Oh, Jane, I wish to wear your yellow gown. It will surely enhance my chances of capturing Mr. Bingley’s fancy.”
“No, Jane, allow me to wear it. I should do anything you wish as repayment for your generosity.”
Jane’s astonishment showed on her face. She tried unsuccessfully to satisfy her young sisters in a manner that did not increase their exuberance. The girls eventually sought their mother’s advice to settle their dispute. Mrs. Bennet recalled the surprise awaiting her two young daughters. She prevailed upon them to join her on a trip to Meryton to attend to some last-minute shopping at the dressmaker.
Wholly distracted, the girls danced merrily out of the room behind their mother to don their bonnets and coats. They barely gave any notice at all to their sister Elizabeth as they passed her in the hallway. Elizabeth had just come from the kitchen, where she had seen to it young Ben had a proper breakfast before he began his day of adventure about the estate grounds.
Elizabeth was pleased to find Jane alone in the breakfast room. She took a seat across the table from her dearest sister and proceeded to fill her plate. She was glad to have been spared her younger sisters’ company. Elizabeth remarked, “Though I can find very little to agree on with my father of late, I must reaffirm his sentiment as regards my youngest sisters.”
Jane said, “Yes, they are very silly. I fear they are bound to make our family ridiculous with their plans for this evening.”
“What are they about now?”
“Both Kitty and Lydia are determined they should earn Mr. Bingley’s fancy at the assembly tonight.”
“Is it a certainty he will be there?”
“Oh, yes! Our father confirmed it just this morning.”
“Perhaps you should keep a close watch over them to make certain they do not cause too much damage to the Bennet name.”
“I am of a mind to skip the assembly.”
“Why should you not go?” Elizabeth asked. “Are you not interested in earning Mr. Bingley’s esteem?”
“I have no reason to suspect he will be different from any other man of my acquaintance. I believe even my Mother has given up on matchmaking for me.”
“I suppose that to be a good thing, dear Jane. I contend Mama is part of the problem and warrants the greater share of the blame for any disenchanted suitors you may have had. Let her push Lydia and Kitty towards Mr. Bingley and his mystery guest. It can only make you look better by comparison.”
Though Jane would never admit it, she had grown quite gun-shy, especially in the aftermath of Mr. Collins’s visit to Longbourn. She might have actually welcomed his attention. Geoffrey Collins was tall, handsome, and though a bit taciturn, he was a kind and respectable gentleman. The fact that he preferred Elizabeth over all the other Bennet daughters, from the moment of his introduction, was clear and somewhat disconcerting for Jane, who was always thought of as the beauty of the family.
Jane certainly harboured no resentment towards Elizabeth. She knew Elizabeth was only doing what she felt she must in consenting to marry Mr. Collins. Elizabeth studied the concern in Jane’s face and interpreted it as thinly disguised indecision.
“You should go, Jane,” Elizabeth insisted. “I have a good feeling about tonight. It is your night.”
“I will consent to go on one condition. You must agree to go as well.”
