Page 23 of Attempted Compromises
Elizabeth pushed her chair back from the table abruptly, her mind already made up. “Whether it is a slight inconvenience or not, I am going to her.”
Mrs. Bennet looked startled. “Go to her? But it’s so early, Lizzy! Surely they will send word again if she worsens.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “I cannot wait for more news. Jane may need me, and I won’t be kept from her.”
Mrs. Bennet blinked in surprise. “To Netherfield? But how? The carriage is needed today.”
“Then I will walk,” Elizabeth said firmly.
“Walk?” Mrs. Bennet looked aghast. “You cannot mean to arrive on foot! It is nearly three miles, Lizzy, and the roads will be wet from yesterday’s rain.”
“Nevertheless, I will go,” Elizabeth replied, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Mrs. Bennet opened her mouth to object but was swiftly silenced by the firm resolve in Elizabeth’s eyes. Without another word, Elizabeth left the table to prepare for her journey, wrapping herself in a warm cloak and sturdy boots before setting out.
The walk to Netherfield was brisk, the ground still damp beneath her boots, but the sky above was a soft and cloudless blue. Elizabeth’s mind raced as she hurried along the winding country road, her thoughts a jumble of worry for Jane and frustration with her mother’s flippant attitude.
The countryside was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves or the call of a bird overhead. Normally, Elizabeth would have found the solitude soothing, but today, her focus was fixed entirely on reaching her sister. She quickened her pace, her skirts brushing against the dewy grass as she cut across a meadow to shorten the journey.
The sun rose higher as she walked, warming her back and lifting some of her tension. As she neared Netherfield, the grand house came into view and her heart quickened. Jane needed her, and she hoped fervently that her sister’s condition had not worsened.
How ill is Jane, truly? Is the fever a passing inconvenience, or something more serious?
Her heart ached at the thought of her sister suffering alone in a strange house. Jane was the kindest and most selfless person Elizabeth knew, and the idea of her enduring discomfort without family by her side was unbearable. Elizabeth quickened her pace, her boots crunching on the gravel as she reached Netherfield’s long drive.
She hesitated only a moment at the steps of Netherfield to assess the state of her damp boots and muddy hemline, then knocked briskly at the front door. She could feel the flush of exertion on her cheeks, but there was no time to worry about her appearance. She knocked firmly on the grand door.
∞∞∞
Whilst Elizabeth was making her way to Netherfield, Caroline Bingley was scheming. Her attempts to entice Darcy by speaking to him about his son and spending time with Georgiana were having no effect on the man. Then an idea struck her at breakfast as she sipped her tea.
If I can show my maternal instincts, Mr. Darcy will see how perfectly suited I am for his family,she thought triumphantly.Surely it is easy to spend time with one. How much trouble can a two-year-old be?
Caroline rose gracefully from the table and made her way to the nursery, her skirts swishing with purpose. She had seen little of Andrew thus far, though she had been quick to assure Darcyof her fondness for children. Here, at last, was her chance to demonstrate it.
The nursery door was ajar when she arrived, revealing a small, well-kept room filled with sunlight streaming through tall windows. Andrew sat at a low table, a bowl of porridge in front of him, his dark curls catching the light. The nurse sat with him, helping the boy with his breakfast—a bowl of porridge that he was eating with enthusiasm, albeit messily.
“Miss Bingley,” the nurse said with a curtsy, surprised by her presence. “Good morning.”
“I thought I might spend a little time with young Master Darcy,” Caroline replied with an air of authority. “I so adore children. You may take a short reprieve if you wish.”
The nurse hesitated, her expression uncertain. “He is still finishing his breakfast, ma’am. He can be rather… spirited.”
Caroline dismissed the concern with a wave of her hand. “Nonsense. Run along; I will manage.”
The nurse, Rebecca, reluctantly stepped aside, glancing at Andrew, who looked up from his bowl with wide, curious eyes. “I will be just here, ma’am,” the nurse said, moving to the doorway but not actually leaving the room.
Caroline frowned.But having someone who reports to Mr. Darcy be a witness to my maternal instincts…
“You may stay,” she declared in a condescending voice before approached Andrew, her smile tight but determined. “Hello there, Andrew,” she said in the exaggeratedly bright tone adultsoften adopt when speaking to children. “What a clever little boy you are, eating all by yourself.”
Andrew looked up at her, his large eyes blinking slowly, his spoon momentarily forgotten in his hand. Caroline crouched down, her wide smile revealing perfectly even teeth, though her expression veered into something a bit too sharp, almost predatory. The boy’s gaze darted to Rebecca for reassurance, but the nurse had stepped back, hesitant to intervene.
“Do you know who I am, little one?” Caroline asked, leaning closer, her tone sugary. “I’m Miss Bingley. Your papa’s dear friend.”
Andrew shifted uncomfortably, his small legs swinging beneath the chair. He mumbled something unintelligible, his voice barely above a whisper.
Caroline leaned in further, her face now too close to his. “What was that, darling? You’ll have to speak up for Miss Bingley.”
