He is to remain for some unspecified duration. Charles had invited him to freely join us any time he wished. Is that not very like Charles? To invite everyone, without consulting the comfort of anyone else in doing so.
Colonel Fitzwilliam has been assigned to — or assigned himself to — some duty involving the training of the militia quartered in Meryton. I cannot help but think that his chief aim is to merely be hosted in a fine estate without the annoyance of dealing with his father, the earl.
I, beyond any doubt, am delighted by a happenstance that might provide pleasure to Mr. Darcy, but for my own part I consider it likely that he will make the company too crowded.
In the first proof of this supposition, my brother and the gentlemen are to dine with the officers, and they have taken the carriage. My suspicion is that we shall not see them till quite late in the evening.
If you and Jane are not so compassionate as to dine today with Louisa and me, we shall be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our lives, for a whole day’s tête-à-tête between two sisters can never end without a quarrel. Come as soon as you can on the receipt of this.—Yours ever,
C Bingley
Upon reading this note, Elizabeth immediately handed it to Jane, remarking to the table, “The gentlemen have been so gauche as to leave Caroline and Louisa alone — without the carriage.”
“Shocking,” Mr. Bennet laughed. “Out to dine? Gentlemen dining with other gentlemen — where shall it end?”
“With noise, drink, smoke and billiards no doubt — apparently Mr. Darcy’s cousin has joined them. The son oftheearl,” Elizabeth replied. “The fear though is what will happen with the ladies in their absence.”
Mr. Bennet grinned across the table at Mrs. Bennet. “Another eligible gentleman in the neighborhood. I told you we have no need to go to London.”
“Oh, Lord! That does not signify at all.” Mrs. Bennet said placidly, “I could always convince you to take me up to town, if I really wanted to go.”
“At this rate,” Mr. Bennet replied, “there will soon be twenty such eligible gentlemen.”
“It would be a great burden on you, if you were forced to visit them all,” Mrs. Bennet replied unperturbedly. “But it does not signify forusas my excellent husband has ensured that none of my daughters need worry about how well she shall marry.”
And Mrs. Bennet gave her husband one of those glowing looks of approbation, the acquisition of which had likely been Mr. Bennet’s aim in teasing her so.
“It was all for the purpose of advancing the progress of the sciences, arts and manufactures of England,” Mr. Bennet said with some satisfaction.
His lady replied, “Just so dear. Pass me the butter would you?”
Jane put down the note, and said, “We are to go over to see Louisa and Caroline.”
Mrs. Bennet stood from the table and walked over to the window, and with a frown replied, “Seems like to rain. You must take the carriage.”
Joining her by the window, Mr. Bennet put his arm around his wife, and said, “Don’t you think it would be better if we send them by horse — then if itdoesrain they will be trapped there until the gentlemen return. Three eligible fellows — two if we admit that we know Charlie too well to be impressed by his fortune. One of them is thesonof the earl.Theearl, note you. Not an earl. Buttheearl.”
Elizabeth laughed at her father. “I am not certain that was actually Caro’s phrasing.” She held out her hand to Jane to take back the note.
With a laugh Mr. Bennet said, “Now, now, Lizzy — since your mother will not do the duty of a woman desperate to marry off her daughters, I must take the part. Do you not wish to marry the son oftheearl?”
“It was how Caroline wrote it.” Elizabeth said with a laugh. “Theearl. Apparently the rest have left the kingdom — but I believe from something I heard once that he is thesecondson, the one who went into the army.”
“Oh.” Mr. Bennet airily waved his hand. “Nothing about it then, of course you do not want to marry him in that circumstance. Only the heir will do foryou. You may have the horses for the carriage then — though they will be dearly needed at the farm.”
“Are you certain, Papa?” Elizabeth replied. “You have five daughters, surely one can be wasted upon the second son oftheearl? — if the horses are so badly needed today, that is.”
“Of course you will go by carriage,” Mrs. Bennet said, clucking her tongue. “If you were caught in the rain you or Jane might catch a cold — though it would be Jane. With your constitution I never worry aboutyou.”
“I would not,” Jane replied laughing. “I do not get sick any more often than Lizzy does.”
Twenty minutes later, the carriage had been hitched and brought around. Elizabeth and Jane sat opposite in the amply sized, well sprung vehicle. Papa had made the purchase a few years before when he returned to Hertfordshire after he sold out his interest along with managing the sale of Charlie's portion in their manufactory after Uncle Bingley died.
This visit was very much in a way Elizabeth visiting Caroline and Jane visiting Louisa.
While Elizabeth and Caroline were the same age — Caroline had been born only four months before Elizabeth — there was a gap of five years in age between Louisa and Caroline.
When they had grown up together, Jane and Louisa were the closest of friends, like Caroline and Elizabeth were, while Charlie served to be the happy bridge between both groups of girls, dragging them into scrapes, messes, muddy ponds, and games of sardines.
