Page 63 of New World Tea Company
Elizabeth and Mary nodded in agreement with their father’s reasoning, and thus Kitty and Lydia would begin reading the newspaper in the parlour with the rest of the family.
‘I wonder Father thought of this stratagem to get my sisters to read. He is an intelligent man without a doubt,’the second daughter decided. When the family rose and left the table to allow the maid to clear the dishes, Elizabeth found a quiet spot in the parlour to plan what she would write in the letter to Charlotte.
‘Charlotte will share my letter with Mr Collins, so I must write only the kindest comments,’Elizabeth decided.‘And I shall consult Father’s almanack to determine the best days fortravelling through London. Should I spend a night in London with the Gardiners? Not on my departure, but I shall write to Aunt Gardiner about visiting with them for two days when I return.’
With the letter’s topics in her mind, Elizabeth found the lap desk in the parlour and took out a sheet of paper, the ink pot, and a quill. The pen did not need to be trimmed, and she dipped the tip into the ink pot to begin writing. When finished, the page was filled with her acceptance of the invitation and her selected day for travel. She asked for a reply that confirmed her date to arrive in Hunsford.
Mary read her sister’s letter and confirmed it was acceptable in composition and grammar. The middle sister asked, “Do you remember the letter Mr Collins wrote to our father? It was one long sentence.”
“Oh dear,” Elizabeth declared. “Visiting in Hunsford means I shall listen to Mr Collins preaching from the pulpit on four Sundays.”
“Father will find your stories amusing,” Mary replied. “But perhaps Charlotte has improved Mr Collins.”
“Perhaps,” replied Elizabeth though she did not sound very convincing.
~~~
While she waited for a reply from Charlotte on a suitable date for travelling to Hunsford, Elizabeth spent time with her three unmarried sisters. One morning without rain, the four sisters walked the paths from Longbourn to Netherfield.
“Will Jane be at home?” asked Kitty. “She has a carriage at her disposal and can call on any family she wants despite the weather.”
“Jane is at home and expects our visit this morning. Yesterday, when Bingley spoke with Father about workingtogether on the fences Longbourn and Netherfield share, he agreed to deliver our message,” Elizabeth replied. “She expects us this morning.”
When they walked out of the orchard where sheep grazed quietly on the spring grass, the Bennet sisters found their new brother, Charles Bingley, walking from the far fields of Netherfield with John Lucas at his side. Mary stepped forward to speak to John while Elizabeth held back Kitty and Lydia.
“Mr Lucas, I am pleased to see you this morning,” Mary said to their neighbour.
“Good morning, Miss Mary,” John replied with a genuine smile.
Charles said, “Mr Lucas was here on business today, Mary. Sir William sold me a heifer who is soon to drop a calf. John walked her over this morning.”
“When she has the calf, her milk will come in, and you will have more for tea and butter,” said Mary.
“Why are you selling a heifer in spring, Mr Lucas?” asked Elizabeth. “We only sell cattle in the fall before we have the expense of feeding them over the winter.”
“My father needs money to pay taxes,” John admitted. “We are short of coins this spring, and the taxman demanded the payment before the quarter day when we can collect rents from the tenants.”
The young farmer glanced at Charles and said, “Mr Bingley was overly generous with his payment.”
Elizabeth and Mary exchanged glances–Charles Bingley had proven to be a considerate neighbour on more than one occasion since his arrival in Meryton. Jane’s happiness with her husband was evident to everyone, and family and friends affirmed the man’s good nature.
Being aware of Mary’s interest in the young man, Charles invited John to join the party in the house. However, John refused the invitation politely, “Thank you, Bingley, but I must return to Lucas Lodge. There is ploughing to oversee, and soon, we will begin spreading fertilizer from the barns.”
“I understand that is an unpleasant task,” Charles admitted as he shook hands with his neighbour one last time.
“Good day, Miss Mary,” John said before he tipped his hat to the other sisters and headed down the drive toward the road.
“Sisters, Jane waits for you in the house,” Charles said as he led the four young women toward the front door.
~~~
Chapter 27.Storm in Gravesend
Elizabeth’s trip from Meryton to Hunsford began quietly with the trip from the village in Hertfordshire to London. But the difficulties began in the capital, as the stagecoach arrived in London, one of the horses went lame, and the driver demanded a new pair of horses.
Outside the inn, Elizabeth heard the man arguing with the blacksmith who ran the stagecoach service. The coachman’s face was quite florid when he’d shouted, “You can’t put just any horse into the harness! You need a pair beside each that knows the other! Horses don’t want change no more than men do!”
“But another team has to come from across the city, and you’ll never make Dover tonight,” complained the blacksmith.
