Page 59 of Resilience
Tuesday 28 April 1812
“Mrs Collins, and Miss Bennet,” a young maid announced them to the parlour of the Misses Jenks.
“Mrs Collins and Miss Elizabeth Bennet, madam,” Miss Jenks corrected her maid, rolling her eyes heavenward. “Good afternoon, ladies. Miss Bennet, we were positively overjoyed to hear your news read out in church on Sunday. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Elizabeth said. “I am happy to be visiting Lambton so that I could finally repay your call from when I was here visiting the parsonage before. I hope that you are both well.”
“Oh yes, we are very well.” Miss Matilda was quick to say. “Will you be in Lambton long?”
“Until Sunday.” Elizabeth accepted a cup of tea from Mrs Jenks. “We agreed that the Dennys and I would travel to Lambton to hear the first and last banns read in Lambton’s church, and the Darcys will travel to Kympton with me on Sunday to hear the second banns read in Kitty’s church.”
“That is very proper, to be present for the reading in both parishes, if you can.” Miss Jenks nodded approvingly. “Will you be married soon, or wait for the summer?”
“Mr Darcy says that the only wedding he cares about is the one that will make me his wife, and in all of the arrangements, I must please myself.” Elizabeth blushed faintly. “Like most young couples, now that we have decided to do it, we are keen to be about it, so it will not be long after the banns are read. We are to determine if everyone that we wish to invite can travel before we set the date. I may not be nearby to deliver the invitation in person when they are ready, but I do hope that you will attend.”
“Of course,” Miss Jenks was pleased. “We will be delighted. Mrs Collins, how is Mrs Bingley?”
“The tea you recommended helps, but she is still ill each morning. It is improving, though,” Mary informed her. “We have hopes that she will be entirely well quite soon. The Bingleys have had to delay their journey north for far too long. She sends her regards.”
“You must give her ours in return.” Miss Jenks sipped her tea. “How is your other sister? The one in the north?”
“I believe she is managing, though her husband is an officer, and I expect her household is very different than it was at home.” Elizabeth said. “I think my sister has a great deal to learn in Newcastle. In fact, it was only Friday that Mrs Denny and I found some linens in the attic at Hawthorne Vale that Lydia might find useful, and a fine cloak, slightly aged, but it is done up in a very attractive fashion that would suit our youngest sister well in the damp of the far north. We have a chest filled with items prepared to send, but you know how expensive the post can be, so it must wait. We do not wish to burden her with the expense. It is too bad that Newcastle is not closer to Scarborough, for then we might have asked Mr and Mrs Bingley to deliver it.”
“It is kind of you to worry about your sister. I hope she knows how fortunate she is in you.” Miss Matilda said. “Deborah, did we not hear just yesterday that Jem Heard is to travel to Newcastle to deliver something for Mrs James?”
“Indeed we did.” Miss Jenks eyes lit up. “Let me call Martha, perhaps Jem would–”
“Miss Jenks, before you offer a favour, I must be entirely truthful with you, for I have no desire to lie by omission, that our youngest sister is Mrs Wickham,” Elizabeth interrupted. She had by now heard of most of Wickham's misdeeds, though she understood there was more that was not Darcy’s business to tell. She knew enough. There was not a single person in Lambton who did not revile the name of Wickham, and she and Mary agreed that if they hid it from Miss Jenks for very long, she would not respect them later when she learned of it, so they had agreed to let the information drop the moment it was appropriate.
“Mrs Wickham?” Miss Jenks was quite obviously shocked. “I see. Your candour is appreciated, Miss Bennet. That was brave of you.”
“This village is to be my home. There is no use trying to keep secrets. I am certain there will be those that will not like it, but Mrs Wickham is my sister.” Elizabeth was explicit.
“What is Mrs Wickham like?” Miss Matilda asked curiously.
“She is very young,” Elizabeth emphasised. “A few months younger than Miss Darcy, but without her advantages, or older brother to protect her.”
“The poor dear,” Miss Matilda tutted. “That is very young.”
“We cannot hold her entirely blameless, but she was too young to understand her choice,” Mary tutted. “She was tricked by Mr Wickham, who used her affection and lack of worldly knowledge to gain a dowry from our family.”
“In any case, Lydia will live if she waits a few more weeks for her trunk,” Elizabeth said. “When I am wed, I will have the ability to have the chest of linen and anything else I like sent by messenger.”
“I fear that if your sister is a very young girl, who is far from her home and family, and relies upon Mr Wickham for her support, then perhaps she had better receive any assistance we can give, as soon as we can muster it.” Miss Jenks rang the bell. When Martha entered, she said, “Martha, deliver a message to Jem Heard asking him to call on us later today when he has the time.”
“You are very generous.” Elizabeth was surprised.
“We are to be neighbours, Miss Bennet. It is appropriate to aid one another.” Miss Jenks was firm.
Tuesday 28 April 1812
Dear Kitty,
Please send the chest for Lydia with the messenger. There is someone from Lambton travelling to Newcastle in two days who is willing to deliver it. I thank you for allowing me to send it to her, even though I know you have no desire to do so. I wish you would include a letter for her. Just a few words?
Lizzy
The late afternoon light glowed gently through the narrow window of Elizabeth’s bedchamber at Lambton Parsonage, shining on the polished wood of the small dressing table and the neatly folded shawl across the foot of the bed. Elizabeth had just set aside her bonnet and was preparing to dress for dinner when she heard the door open softly behind her. She had no need to turn to know who it was. She had been expecting this visit for two days.
