Page 5 of Saving Jane
Mrs Bennet was unable to speak, not knowing what to think or do about her youngest daughter’s outburst.
Jane stepped close to her mother and whispered into her ear. Suddenly Mrs Bennet wavered on her feet and Jane helped her mother to a nearby chair while Lydia rose from her seat and fled the room.
“What has Lydia done?” Mary asked Elizabeth.
Kitty leaned close and said, “She and Maria Lucas were kissing Freddie Taylor and Tom Barstow last night at the assembly.”
“When?” Mary asked. “I tried to keep an eye on her all night.”
“We cannot watch Lydia all the time,” Elizabeth replied, appalled to hear what her youngest sister had done. “Now, Mamma will be sick with worry over this.”
“We are ruined! The son of a blacksmith and the son of a shop owner! What shall we do? All my daughters are ruined!”
Mrs Bennet’s voice grew louder and louder until Mr Bennet came to the parlour.
“Cease this caterwauling! How is a man to have time to think with such noises within his house?” he demanded to know. When his wife managed to stop crying, he noted the absence of his youngest daughter and asked his eldest daughter.
“I do not know where Lydia fled Papa, she ran out of the room when...” Jane could not finish the story.
“Tell me,” Mr Bennet ordered his daughter. Mrs Bennet began crying quietly as Jane explained Lydia’s actions at the assembly ball the night before.
“And who saw your sister and Miss Lucas kissing these two young men?” Mr Bennet asked.
Jane blushed. “Everyone in the refreshment room at the time Papa; myself, Lady Lucas, and Mr Blackstone.”
“The parson saw this public display?” Mr Bennet asked and when Jane nodded, her father sat down beside his wife and took her hand.
“The parson will preach sermons for the next month on immorality.”
Mrs Bennet said, “I thought there were a few smirks in town today when Mary and I were shopping for the muslin for her new gown, but I did not pay them close attention.”
“Lady Lucas will not say anything to anyone,” Elizabeth said to bolster her mother and sister. “She will take Maria in hand.”
“But Mr Blackstone will tell a few ladies who will tell everyone in their acquaintance,” Mr Bennet said. “The whole of Meryton will know that Lydia was kissing young men at the assembly as though she were a...”
“Mr Bennet!” his wife admonished him.
He took her hand and sighed, “My dear, we were wrong to let her out into society so young. Now she is ruined.”
Mrs Bennet began crying again and Elizabeth asked, “Father, I know she shouldn’t have kissed those boys but how is she ruined? It was just a kiss.”
“Good young women do not kiss anyone except their fiancé after the engagement is announced,” Mary replied. “And perhaps...”
“No Mary, say no more,” Mr Bennet ordered. After a moment’s thought, he looked at his eldest daughters. “Jane, Mary and Kitty; I want you to find Lydia and bring her here to the parlour. Elizabeth, find Mrs Hill, tell her to bring a pot of tea and some spirits to the parlour and then to keep all the maids in the kitchen until we are done.”
“Yes Papa,” the girls agreed and scattered through the house to find Lydia. Elizabeth returned with the pot of tea and the spirits first. She was shocked as her father gave his wife a small cup of whiskey and he poured the tea for himself.
Jane and Mary brought Lydia to the parlour and Elizabeth hurried upstairs to find Kitty who was staring out the window at the road.
“Come Kitty, Papa wants to speak to us all.”
Sighing with great exaggeration, Kitty replied, “Lydia will get another lecture and new bonnet. Mamma always buys Lydia a new bonnet after Father lectures her.”
Once Elizabeth closed the parlour door, Mr Bennet stood up and moved in front of the window. Elizabeth knew that he did this to keep his daughters from seeing his face and knowing who he was looking at while he talked to them.
“Lydia, your mother and I have heard that you were kissing two boys at the assembly ball last evening. You were seen by Lady Lucas, and by theparson, Mr Blackstone.”
“It was just a couple kisses,” Lydia said. “We did not have the chance to do more.”
