Elizabeth glanced toward the card table, where her mother had drawn in her aunt Gardiner, Kitty and Mary for her amusement. “I think I must rather take care to preserve my energies and not become entangled in my own tasks. I fear once the gentlemen join us, the remainder of my evening will be spent in exerting myself to save your many guests from Mama’s questions in regard to their portions.”
Jane laughed. “There are only six gentlemen, three of whom are married and quite safe! As for the remaining gentlemen, I believe they expect some questions from Mama. There is only one among them all whose familiarity with you is so slight that he should be surprised to see you engaged in some task, even during a dinner gathering.”
“Do you not think your Mr Bingley knows me well by now?” Elizabeth asked in mock innocence.
Jane giggled. “He certainly does. Charles adores you! He compares you to an angel.”
“I thought that was his name for you. He must not know me as well as he believes.”
“Oh, I did not say it was justanyangel,” Jane blushed.
Elizabeth raised a brow. “To which of these cherubic creatures does he ascribe a resemblance?”
Jane could contain herself no longer. She made a most indelicate noise in her throat as she sang out, “Michael! The one with the blazing sword!”
“Charming,” Elizabeth retorted drily. “Is that to be my occupation tonight then, to place myself between this strange gentleman you have invited to dine and his Eden?”
“Oh, you needn’t be concerned about Mr Gray. The parish is not large, but he can comfortably afford a wife, and I thought Mary rather taken with him. I think he will be quite well suited in our little neighborhood, do not you?”
“I am sure that Mama is greatly in your debt for inviting the gentlemen to round out our party. Such a merry gathering we are!”
“Someof us are,” Jane tilted her head significantly. “You hardly spoke two words to poor John Lucas. I always thought you rather friendly with him.”
Elizabeth lifted her shoulders. “John is as pleasant as a young man may be.”
“And you have known him since we were so young. I was glad he could complete our table this evening. Think what bad luck if we had an uneven number! I was sorry Lydia wished to remain at Longbourn with our young cousins, but in truth, a party of thirteen would have proved most awkward. Lizzy, tell me truthfully; what do you think of John?”
Elizabeth stared blankly. “There is nothing to think. He exists, I suppose. I hardly troubled myself to be offended by him. He is neither agreeable nor disagreeable. He is… innocuous.”
“Oh. Oh, dear, that does not sound very promising,” Jane sighed.
“Jane, I beg you not to match me up with a suitor, particularly not John Lucas.”
Jane smiled; the weak, tenderhearted expression of the disappointed, and took her sister’s hand. “I would wish you to marry for love, Lizzy, but finding love requires talking to men. You will have to attend balls more often this winter. You know how you can outshine any woman in the county—”
“Save for you!”
Jane was not to be deterred. “You must stop using Lydia as your excuse for remaining away from company. Of course, she needs a confidante, and who better than my dear Lizzy, who soothed all my own heartaches and nurtured my hopes? But, Lizzy, I am afraid for you. You have not been yourself. Even Papa is noticing.”
“Papa spoke to you about me?” Elizabeth raised a sceptical brow. “You may have embellished your entreaty a little too far, for now I no longer believe you.”
Jane glanced over her shoulder to the laughter emanating from the others at the card table, then her voice dropped seriously. “He rode over last Tuesday, Lizzy. He made as if he only wished to pay a sociable call on Charles, but he spent most of the time talking about you. I promised I would not reveal what was said, but look for words from Papa in the very near future.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “So, I am to have a suitor arranged whether I like it or not? Or does he propose again to send me to London with Aunt and Uncle after Twelfth Night?”
“You know Papa would never force you against your wishes.” Jane paused, permitting herself a little smirk. “It would be far too much effort for him to match wills with you!” She giggled softly, encouraged by a warming of Elizabeth’s smile. “Lizzy,” she continued, leaning closer, “it breaks my heart to see you downcast. Save for Charles, there is no one dearer to me, and when I am so full of joy, it pains me that you should not be.”
“You deserve your happiness, Jane, and ought never to be ashamed. Do not allow your concern for my present melancholy to dim your joy in the least measure.”
Jane drew her shoulders back, a welling up of the great tide of happiness she longed to share. “Lizzy…” her voice dropped to a whisper now. “I have a secret!”
Elizabeth’s lips parted, amazement dawning over her face as she searched her sister’s jubilant expression. “Jane, are you—” she hesitated, sweeping her gaze again over her sister’s form. “Can you be certain?”
Jane was nodding nervously, biting her lip but nearly bursting with tearful elation. “I believe so!” she breathed. “I told Charles yesterday. Oh, I know it was not fair of me to tell him so soon, but I was feeling so ill, and I was so deliriously happy, and he deserved to know for Christmas! I told him I wished to share the news with you, and he agreed, but we must not tell Mama just yet. Oh, Lizzy, please be happy with me!”
Elizabeth was numb. She swallowed, her ears pounding with the echo of her throat and her own drumming pulse. Jane’s joyous tears slowed like golden honey, glinting off her cheeks in the firelight as each of her words dropped with the weight of iron.
Jane. Dear, lovely Jane, for whom Elizabeth would jealously have claimed all the blessings the world had to offer, had been granted each one of her heart’s desires. She should be contented for her. Satisfied. Overjoyed!
