Page 118 of A Most Beloved Sister
Elizabeth looked at him in surprise.
He gave her a wry smile. “There was more to your mother than just her looks, you know. But once she became a mother, she just… changed. With each confinement, her nerves became more and more delicate. I suppose I could have done more, but it was easier to mock her rather than help her.” He laughed at her widened eyes. “Perhaps I have indulged a bit too much today, Lizzy, for my mouth has quite run away with me. Never you mind the ramblings of this old man. What’s done is done, and it is done for the best. Your mother has been well-provided for, as have you girls. Hopefully that knowledge should keep her satisfied for quite some time.”
Before giving her a chance to respond, Mr. Bennet gave his daughter a small wink, then walked away with a wobbling step. She extended her hand to help him, but he waved it away and continued on.
Shrugging her shoulders, Elizabeth then moved amongst the guests. She spent the majority of her time with Charlotte Lucas, who was enjoying pleasant conversation with Dr. Carson. The good doctor was still residing at Netherfield to care for Jane in her final days and brought such a sense of relief and peace they could never have afforded on their own, even with Jane’s portion of the dowry.
Occasionally, Elizabeth thought she could hear what sounded like stomping feet and shouting coming from upstairs in the direction of the nursery. Fortunately, all the four and twenty families with whom the Bennets usually dined had been invited to the wedding breakfast, as well as most of the officers. The noise and conversation from so many people drowned out any tantrums that might have been coming from a spoiled fifteen-year-old upstairs.
When the last congratulations had been made and the last farewells had been said, the residents of Netherfield made their way home. Elizabeth was relieved that everything had gone so smoothly, especially with Lydia’s unpredictable temperament.
Now all there was left to do was wait.
Wait for Jane to die.
∞∞∞
Less than two days later, Elizabeth and Georgiana were in the music room playing a duet. Rather, Georgiana was attempting to play, and Elizabeth was performing as poorly as possible on purpose to make her soon-to-be sister laugh.
Georgiana’s brow furrowed as her fingers flew effortlessly over the ivory keys. Beside her, Elizabeth struggled to suppress a mischievous grin as she watched her friend’s concentration. With each passing measure, she found herself growing more determined to break through Georgiana’s serene composure.
As they reached a particularly intricate passage, Elizabeth seized her opportunity, deliberately playing a wrong note. Georgiana glanced at her in surprise, but quickly regained her focus and continued playing.
Determined, Elizabeth did so again. Then again. Then again.
“Lizzy, are youtwyingto wuin our duet?”
Elizabeth feigned innocence, her fingers hovering over the keys. “Me? Sabotage our duet? Perish the thought, dear Georgiana! I am simply adding a touch of spontaneity to our performance.”
Undeterred, Elizabeth pressed on, her fingers tripping over the keys in a playful imitation of the melody. She shot Georgiana a playful look, hoping to elicit a smile or a laugh from her normally reserved friend.
Georgiana pursed her lips and fixed her eyes on the sheet music as she tried to ignore Elizabeth’s antics, her fingers moving swiftly across the keyboard to maintain the rhythm of the piece.
But Elizabeth was relentless, her determination to break Georgiana’s composure only growing stronger. She played louder, more boldly, her fingers dancing across the keys in a flurry of playful dissonance.
Finally, unable to contain herself any longer, Georgiana’s lips twitched into a small smile, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she glanced at Elizabeth. “You are tewwivle!” She threw her hands in the air, declaring, “I give up!”
Mrs. Annesley smiled over at the two girls from her place near the fire, where she was stitching a sampler. “I’m afraid that MissBennet is a terrible influence on you, Miss Darcy. I’ll have to speak with your brother about this.”
“Oh, no, don’t speak to Mr. Darcy! He’s so frightening!” The mock terror on Elizabeth’s face set all three women off into another peal of giggles.
The door opened, and the housekeeper rushed into the room. “Miss Bennet, Miss Bennet!”
Elizabeth shot to her feet. “What is it, Mrs. Nicholls?”
“Mr. Bingley says to come to the missus’s chambers immediately. It’s time.”
All humor instantly faded from Elizabeth’s face. She turned to take her leave of Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley, but she was shooed away. “Go to your sister, Miss Bennet,” the companion said.
Lifting her skirts, Elizabeth dashed out of the room, through the halls, and up the stairs. She arrived, panting, at Jane’s room and entered through the open door. Inside were already Bingley and Dr. Carson, and the room was filled with a somber silence.
After going to her sister’s bedside, Elizabeth sank to her knees on the floor. She clasped her sister’s hand gently, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Jane’s hand felt like ice, and the tips of her fingers were entirely blue. Her breathing was shallow and labored, with her chest rising and falling in a slow, uneven rhythm.
On the other side of the bed, Bingley sat in a chair, his face lined with grief as he stroked Jane’s hair tenderly, his heart heavy with the impending loss. Dr. Carson was at the foot of the bed, his expression grave as he made notes in his book.
And then, in the quiet stillness of the room, Jane took one final, shallow breath, her chest rising for the last time before falling back, still and silent.
Elizabeth gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Her most beloved sister was gone. She laid her head on the bed and wept silently, her body shaking with her sobs.
