Mr Darcy's Christmas Carol

Part 4

"I'm really very much better," Jane said, with a wan smile.

"I might even believe that," Lizzy said, leaning forward and pressing a damp cloth to Jane's brow. "If you could utter the whole sentence without coughing."

"I did not say I was completely well," Jane acknowledged. "But compared to how I felt even two hours ago, there is much improvement." She reached for her sister's hand. "And all the more, for your company. Tell me, what on earth did you say to get Kitty and Lydia to stop squabbling?"

"I hardly know." Lizzy shook her head. "I think they tired themselves out. But as I left them bent over embroidery, I do not doubt another war will break out by the time I return."

Returning the cloth to its bowl, she moved back a little, straightening Jane's bedsheets, moving things so that they were easier to reach.

"Now, what would you like us to do?" she asked. "I could read a little if you wish, or we could talk -"

Another fit of coughing interrupted her.

"Or I could talk and you could listen."

Jane nodded, and Elizabeth made herself comfortable leaning on the pillows beside her.

"Did I tell you that I bumped into Mr Wickham yesterday on my walk to Meryton?"

Jane's eyes sparked with interest, which Elizabeth took as a silent encouragement to continue. "You know, he is a very interesting person. We walked part of the way together and had such a lively conversation that I wager him altogether more intelligent than I had been led to believe."

"On Lydia's authority," Jane put in.

"On Lydia's authority, quite right. She is not one for whom intelligence would ever rank as a particularly important trait. So I am pleased to acknowledge he has it and is quite able to converse warmly on any number of subjects."

"Such as?"

There had been a moment of silence before Jane's prompt, and Lizzy thought the interest in her sister's eyes not entirely as innocent as she made out.

"We discussed friends in common. He was pleased to hear of Mary and Mr Collins' engagement."

"Was he?"

Lizzy reddened. How was it possible that, despite sickness, her sister was still well able to deduce her moods from the very words she uttered or did not utter? An agreement? Well, that is very good news, Miss Elizabeth. I half-feared that you would be the one to accept his suit, however grudgingly...

"I rather think he mirrored my own feelings back to me, for you know I am relieved that it is Mary he is pledged to marry and not either of us."

"They are well suited," Jan said, struggling to sit upright. Lizzy leaned over and re-arranged her pillows so that she might be more comfortable.

"Perhaps too well suited," Lizzy remarked, with a grimace, and re-told Mary's sermon of the morning, which had been encouraged with unrelenting enthusiasm by Mr Collins. "Economy!" she declared, mimicking his querulous voice. "Must be the watchword of Longbourn now, as it has never been in times past."

"Oh dear." Jane smiled. "And how well did Father take such censure?"

"He recalled a matter of some importance in his study and excused himself immediately from the table."

"Poor Father."

"Poor nothing." Elizabeth frowned. "He might put a stop to it so easily by reminding Mr Collins - and Mary, for she is acting as if they are married already - that he has no plan to surrender his life just at present and so they have no right to discuss his estate before his face. They act as if he already had one foot in his grave."

"He is not as young as he was," Jane mused.

"Well, that is true of all of us!" Lizzy said, scornfully. "Here we have Christmas almost upon us, and -"

"And what a quiet Christmas it shall be!" Jane sighed. "Do you recall Mr Bingley's promise of a Christmas ball? How disappointing for the others that he was called away before he could put his plan in motion."

Lizzy held her breath, surprised to hear Mr Bingley's name on Jane's lips when her sister had so far been careful to avoid it. She, too, had studiously skirted referring to Netherfield or its occupants for fear of upsetting Jane further.

"Has there - has there been any word from London?" Jane asked, with an affectation of nonchalance that fooled Lizzy not one whit.

"Silence on all fronts," she said, folding her arms across her front. "But you know how Christmas is. Things always slow down in the countryside. The opposite is true in London, I wager, so perhaps Mr Bingley finds himself too busy to write."

"Oh, I did not expect him to!" Jane said. "I only thought his sister might send a note or two. We were growing quite close, you know..."

"Hmmm." Elizabeth's response was non-committal. She did not believe Caroline Bingley capable of closeness with another person unless they served some purpose. If she feigned a friendship with Jane, it was surely with the intent of being kept aware of any closeness developing between Jane and her brother, so that she might rout it at the first available opportunity. She had certainly never hidden her true feelings for Elizabeth. In fact, Lizzy was forced to own that she almost missed the verbal sparring matches she and Caroline Bingley had engaged in, both succeeding in sliding such insults under the veil of polite conversation. It had been a challenge and an entertainment to her, particularly when faced with Mr Darcy as an alternative companion. He would sit in silence, most often, scarcely offering a word that might be considered conversation. Yet he was gone to London, too, and Longbourn felt strangely bereft without any of the Netherfield party close by.

"I am sure you miss Mr Darcy, too," Jane said, her eyes sparkling with fun.

"You must be recovering," Lizzy countered. "For you have rediscovered your sense of humour." She frowned, affecting concern. "Or are you delirious, Jane dear, that you might make such a suggestion." She reached a hand out to Jane's forehead. "Yes, feverish! That will explain your error. If there is one person in all of Hertfordshire who I do not miss in his absence it is Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy. London is welcome to keep him forever, it makes no difference to me!"