Page 6 of Resilience

“Oh, I insist you both call me Georgiana, or Georgie!” the younger lady exclaimed.

“Only if your guardian approves,” Elizabeth turned towards Darcy, who nodded his permission. “And if you agree to call me Lizzy.”

“I should like it very much if you called me Mary. I have never had a friend with whom I went by first names with, at least no one who I do not already know well from growing up with them in the village,” Miss Mary was quick to supply.

Darcy exchanged a glance with his cousin. Priscilla raised a brow. When ladies befriended Georgiana and asked her about Pemberley in order to get close to him, they did not begin by asking about the tenants. This alteration intrigued him. Priscilla informed him after the assembly the night before that Miss Elizabeth was an interesting young lady, and that she and Georgiana both anticipated the opportunity to befriend her.

This was high praise, indeed. Priscilla was cordial enough among other women her age, but Darcy had never heard her enthuse about the company of other young ladies before. Miss Elizabeth must be a singular individual.

After listening to Georgiana explain in detail the customs of Pemberley, Miss Elizabeth shared a little with the others about what was often done differently in Hertfordshire, then encouraged her sister to tell Miss Darcy what music she was practising at home.

In less than twenty minutes, the wagons and carriages had travelled into a small village of Longbourn’s tenant cottages. There was a green nearby with a tremendous sycamore in the centre. Women, children, and a few men bustled about, carrying pies, tankards, large platters, and crockery filled with food to and from.

Because the feast day fell upon the day of rest, the women were all busy doing as much of the preparation as possible today. The men and young people were out working, or attending the hiring fair, where they would seek new contracts for work in the upcoming year. The next day after church the estate village and farmers would celebrate the feast day together.

A boy ran up to Miss Elizabeth with a basket and cried, “Miss Lizzy, see ‘ere ‘ow many blackberries I picked!”

“The best harvest I have ever seen, Henry!” she exclaimed in reply. “Did you win the picking contest?”

“Yes, ma’am, I din’t leave a single berry for Ol’ Nick ta piss on.⁠1” The boy sped back to his mother as Elizabeth clapped a hand over her mouth to hold in her laughter.

The Bennet daughters gave a basket to each tenant, which, as Elizabeth predicted, was easy work, due to someone from nearly every family being present on the green. Darcy and Bingley, in a show of gratitude for the Bennet’s care of their Netherfield neighbours, gave each family a token gift of money. The Bennets and their new friends cried out their farewells as they boarded their carriages and made their way to Netherfield’s village.

The scene they found there was much the same. Darcy noted that Netherfield’s people were nearly as well cared for as those of Longbourn. Not as prosperous as the tenants of Pemberley, but few gentlemen were as good to their people as Darcy. He was impressed by the good gentlefolk of Meryton, who looked after the tenants of their negligent neighbours with such kindness.

In Netherfield’s tenant village, Darcy and Bingley handed out small purses of money, twice as much as they had given to the tenants at Longbourn, in a show of goodwill. Darcy noted Elizabeth encouraging exchanges of crops and vegetables between tenants, giving every family a generous share of a variety of foods that would take them through the winter.

Darcy observed as Miss Bennet introduced Bingley to some of his tenants with the serene self-assurance of one speaking with those she had known well all her life. Bingley was watching the young lady chat with the tenants about their harvests or their families as if she was a royal princess. The young lady blushed in quiet pleasure when she noticed, and though she gave no other indication of her feelings, she was obviously not entirely immune to Darcy’s friend.

He thought that if she was all that she appeared, Miss Bennet was a remarkably lady-like woman who could be an asset to Bingley. There may not be any obvious connections to make the match desirable, but from whispers he had overheard at the assembly, there was some dowry. Bingley rarely remained interested in a lady for very long, but perhaps now he would be different. He was in the country to learn if he would be any good at managing an estate; he was considering his future with great seriousness, and contemplating whether he would fulfill his father’s desire that he become a gentleman landowner. This new gravity might very well lead him to a lady who would be an advantage to that endeavour.

Darcy turned back to find his sister making corn dollies with Miss Elizabeth and Miss Mary. Suddenly, Miss Elizabeth’s head snapped up as someone walked by. She reached behind her and pulled her youngest sister’s elbow.

“Lydia!” Elizabeth handed the girl a small purse and nodded to a woman in her sixties. “There is Queenie.”

“What was that about, Miss Elizabeth?” Darcy asked curiously, as Miss Lydia raced after the woman.

“Oh! That is Meryton’s finest midwife, Queenie. Her husband twisted his leg terribly in a farming accident two months ago. He is nearly mended, but Queenie did not have money for the rent today.”

Miss Lydia pressed the purse into the woman’s hand, and the woman embraced the youngest Bennet with tears in her eyes, then approached Netherfield’s steward who was walking and talking with a farmer.

“You paid her rent?” Darcy said in surprise.

“It was only fifteen shillings.” Elizabeth blushed, and bowed her head modestly. “We all contributed. Since we were small girls, our Grandmother Bennet always required us to perform an act of generosity at Michaelmas. Since we are older and have our own pin money now, we put it together, to perform a greater act of giving than any of us could manage on our own. There are five of us, so it was only three shillings each, and we have saved for it all summer. We only wished we could pay their next quarter as well, to give them some further assistance, for by the time Mr Turritt is able to return to work, there will be little labour to sustain them, and they saved nothing for the winter due to his fall.”

“I should like to be of assistance!” Georgiana cried. “Please, allow me to contribute!”

“Peace, sister.” Darcy laid a hand on her shoulder. “I will take care of it.”

“It is difficult for her to contribute if you do it for her, Cousin. She will hardly be beggared by seven shillings and six.” Priscilla pulled out her reticule and began counting coins, as did Georgiana. “I have not made my usual charitable contribution for Michaelmas either, for I am not at Matlock this year. I am remiss. Thank you, Lizzy, for reminding me. Georgie, you and I may share the expense of their next quarter’s rent.”

Darcy waited obediently as his sister and cousin counted their coins carefully, and pulled out his purse as well. At his sister’s glare, he said, “I assume I might contribute something for their maintenance through the winter?”

“How kind.” Elizabeth was overwhelmed. “You are all very good to help a cottage couple you do not know.”

“Nonsense, deeds of generosity are the order of the day at Michaelmas. We must all do our part. If you believe they are worthy of your help, Miss Elizabeth, then they must also be worthy of mine.” Darcy left the ladies and followed Mrs Turritt to where she was conversing with the steward.

Elizabeth was gratified by the number of times she caught Mr Bingley staring at Jane and making her blush during the Michaelmas sermon. Mr Darcy looked exasperated by his friend, but not in an arrogant or disapproving way, more of an amused resignation.