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Jane waited with the patience which had so often induced Elizabeth to explain what she would rather have laughed away.
“It is a great deal at once,” Elizabeth admitted. “I knew what I ordered. Mrs. Mercer repeated it all. Yet I have never had so many things made for me together, or so many people considering whether a sleeve pleased me.”
“You had no need of them together before.”
“That is true.”
Jane looked at the blue gown. “Would you rather it had not come?”
Elizabeth shook her head.
“Then do not be sorry that it has.”
Her sister’s advice was perfectly reasonable. Elizabeth kissed her, helped her rise, and went with her to the door. Charles appeared at the other end of the passage and came forward at once to offer Jane his arm.
“I have been told you were resting.”
“I have been sitting very comfortably.”
He looked past her into the room, where Sir had stretched himself along the window seat. “I see you had an excellent example.”
“He required no encouragement,” Elizabeth replied.
Charles took Jane to her room, and Elizabeth returned to the blue silk. She held it against herself in the glass while Sally smiled behind her.
Yes. She would wear it that evening.
After lunch Jane went upstairs to rest properly, and Elizabeth fetched from the library the book her sister wished to have with her. She was passing the morning-room door when Caroline’s voice reached her.
“I should not have thought it necessary to argue over such a trifling sum.”
Elizabeth would have continued at once, but Charles saw her through the open doorway.
“Lizzy, is that Jane’s book? Thank you. I will take it to her.”
She entered and gave it to him. Caroline stood beside the window, a folded letter in her hand.
“Miss Bennet will naturally be of your opinion,” Caroline said. “She has no occasion to consider the difficulty.”
Elizabeth looked at Charles, who closed his eyes briefly before answering his sister.
“Her clothes have nothing to do with your account.”
“It is impossible not to observe the difference in our treatment. We are both obliged to remain here for the winter.”
“You are welcome to remain here. You are not obliged to do so. If you would rather visit Louisa, I shall arrange the journey.”
“I have no wish to leave Jane.”
“Then I am very glad. But it does not follow that you require another order from London.”
Elizabeth began to regret choosing this passage on her way upstairs. Caroline turned the letter between her fingers, making the paper crackle.
“You can hardly suppose I came prepared to remain until February.”
“You brought clothes which will serve you very well until then. You also exceeded your allowance before we left London, and I paid the difference because you assured me it would not happen again this year.”
“You make it sound as though I asked you to discharge a tradesman’s bill every morning.”
