Create Your Own JAFF Adventure – Post 18

Thanks for joining me on our Create Your Own JAFF Adventure! Just starting? You can catch up on previous posts collected here: https://austenvariations.com/category/sarah-courtney/ .

Feeling a little lost?  You can read a summary of what has happened so far in the story here: quick summary.

Last post, Elizabeth told Jane about the plot against Mr. Darcy and their concerns about the Netherfield party. Jane even had a good suggestion that the pool of potential villains may be larger than anticipated. The evening of the plan to expose the villain finally arrived, and all seemed to be going according to plan–until Lydia pointed out that she had seen a soldier watching the house. It’s up to Elizabeth to laugh off her sister’s comment before the guests make too much of it.

If you’d prefer the third person version, you can read it here. There’s a link at the bottom of the intro part that will jump you to the newest part. Just don’t forget to come back and comment to tell me what Elizabeth should do next!

“Lydia will see soldiers everywhere!” you say with a light laugh. “I saw a parade of them near Regents Park the other day, although they were in their redcoats.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Miss Darcy fidgeting with a bracelet. It reminds you a little of Mrs. Hurst, but on Miss Darcy it looks like the anxious movement of a young girl. What has sent Miss Darcy here alone at such an odd hour?

“I saw one at the park as well,” Lydia admits. Unwilling to allow you to direct the conversation, she goes on, “But—”

“Now, Lydia, let us leave the talk of officers to Meryton,” Aunt Gardiner says swiftly.

Before you can say anything more, the door opens and the gentlemen join you. You watch their faces as they enter, hoping none have heard Lydia speak of the man outside.

Lydia knows Mr. Wickham well. If she had seen him watching the house, she would have identified him by name. No, surely it must be one of Uncle Gardiner’s men. But you cannot be easy about it, and Uncle Gardiner has taken a spot too far across the room for you to ask.

Miss Darcy has jumped to her feet when the gentlemen entered, and she now stands watching her cousin. Colonel Fitzwilliam makes his way toward her, and she takes a step in the direction of her cousin and the door as if she expects to join him in the passage to discuss whatever secret concern has led her here.

You freeze. There is too much planned for anyone to be in the passage right now, even for the private conversation you can see the girl wants to have with her cousin. She might catch a glimpse of whoever has been set up to watch the cup. Wouldn’t that be a disaster!

Colonel Fitzwilliam offers his cousin his arm, but he leads her instead to the back of the room near a window. Miss Darcy’s brow furrows, and to your shock, the girl’s hands look to be trembling. The two engage in a whispered conference.

“Miss Bennet,” Miss Bingley says in a drawling tone, and you look to see that Miss Bingley has placed herself between her brother and Jane, both of whom look rather put out at the situation. “I cannot tell you how pleased I was to discover you here in Cheapside. It must be such a delight to escape—” She titters. “Oh, dear. I mean, to have an opportunity to spend time in London, away from your family.”

“I am very pleased to be in London with my sisters,” Jane says softly.

The maid enters with the coffee, and you find yourself holding your breath as the tray is arranged. You are not created for this sort of subtle business, that is certain. A quick glance at Colonel Fitzwilliam reveals that he is far better at it. He has finished his conversation with Miss Darcy, who still looks distraught, and he has taken a seat with Uncle Gardiner. A line creasing your uncle’s forehead reveals that he, at least, worries about what is to come.

Aunt Gardiner’s face is pale as she approaches the maid, and you cast about for a topic of conversation to distract the Bingleys. “Do you intend to return to Netherfield for Christmas?” you ask. “I have always enjoyed Christmas in the country. The yule log, pine boughs, mistletoe, garlands.”

“Oh, but it cannot compare to Christmas in London with all of the festive parties and shops!” Miss Bingley exclaims.

Aunt Gardiner pours out the first cup of coffee and then speaks too loudly. “This cup is for Mr. Darcy. Would you take it up to him, Daisy?”

You swallow. It would have been more natural for the last cup to be for him, after those present had been served, but Aunt Gardiner must have been too anxious.

“Where is my coffee?” Lydia demands, standing. “I am ever so parched.”

“Yours will be soon.” Aunt Gardiner is flustered, as the maid is nearing the door. “Forgive me, Daisy, but I just thought of something.”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“I can just get my own,” Lydia says, approaching and picking up one of the empty cups. “We are all family, or as good as family, are we not, Mr. Bingley?” She shoots Mr. Bingley a winning smile, which he returns awkwardly. “We need not stand on ceremony.”

“Lydia!” you say sharply. “Please.”

“Lydia, if you cannot wait patiently, then you will have to go without.” Aunt Gardiner speaks sharply. “Children do not need coffee. Go on to bed, Lydia.”

Lydia stares at her in shock. “Pardon?”

You try to catch Lydia’s eye, but you cannot. Jane, too, is staring wide‑eyed at the younger girl.

“Ma’am?” Daisy asks, shifting slightly in the doorway.

“Ah, yes. Would you just leave the coffee on the table in the passage for a moment and go down to ask Cook if she has the tray ready for Mr. Darcy? He asked for a few things to settle his stomach.”

“You would not send me to bed while we have guests!” Lydia’s face has reddened, and she looks one step shy of stamping her foot. “Aunt!”

“Yes, and if you expect to be able to join any future adult outings, you will obey me now.” Aunt Gardiner’s voice is harsher than you have ever heard her use, likely due to her worry over getting Lydia out of the way in time. You bite your lip. Will your aunt’s odd behaviour alert the others that something is going on?

Daisy, casting a shocked glance at Lydia, curtsies and leaves the room.

Lydia narrows her eyes, but to your surprise, she flounces out just behind the maid.

You breathe a sigh of relief and risk a peek at Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst, who are hiding their smiles at Lydia’s antics as they whisper together. Miss Darcy looks stunned, and Colonel Fitzwilliam bears a grim expression on his face. Mr. Hurst’s eyes are already at half mast. Perhaps he needs the coffee.

“Perhaps we might play at cards?” Aunt Gardiner says brightly, and Mr. Bingley cheerfully seconds the idea. The room then rearranges itself into two groups, with the Gardiners, Mr. Bingley, and Jane sitting down to Vingt-et-Un at one table, while Miss Bingley, Mrs. Hurst, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Miss Darcy begin a game of whist at the other, although Miss Darcy fidgets at her seat, her eyes flicking from her cousin to the door.

At least some are enjoying themselves. You smile to see Mr. Bingley and Jane wearing matching expressions of pleasure, and you take a position nearby to watch their game.

Mr. Hurst, at least, will be pleased with the cards. But wait. Where is he? He is not playing at the Gardiners’ table, and he is not with his wife and sister either.

Something cold grips at you. Is this, then, the answer? Is it Mr. Hurst? You hear nothing from the passageway—has he already been apprehended?

Catching your aunt’s eye, then Colonel Fitzwilliam’s, you make your way to the door of the room. Behind you, you can hear the colonel making his apologies to his table as he follows you.

The passageway is empty. You can see no one, not even the guard, although you suppose that is a good sign.

“Mr. Hurst,” you whisper urgently to Colonel Fitzwilliam as he joins you and closes the door behind himself. “He was not at cards.”

“I noticed,” he says. “Clever man, slipping out while the tables were being arranged, although I suppose that is why your aunt called for cards? To create opportunity?”

“It must have been, although I was not privy to that idea. But where is the guard?”

Colonel Fitzwilliam leads you down a few doors to where a door is partly opened into the sitting room. You step inside to see a man hiding behind the door and watching through the crack.

“Where is Mr. Hurst?” the colonel asks sharply, keeping his voice low.

The guard shakes his head. “He went looking for a place to relieve himself, but he did not touch the cup. I watched very carefully. I did not dare leave my post.”

You turn to Colonel Fitzwilliam in confusion. Could Mr. Hurst have truly left the room for some natural reason? It is true that three people had left the room last time, and unless they were all working together, at least one or two of them must have had other reasons.

“Colonel Fitzwilliam?”

The colonel steps into the passage, but you shrink back next to the guard to watch from your hiding place.

Mr. Bingley stands just outside the drawing room door looking down with an odd expression at the cup, but he brightens when he sees Colonel Fitzwilliam. “Fitzwilliam! Excellent! Miss Darcy was asking after you with concern, and I believe your table is awaiting your return for the game.”

The colonel half turns, but he does not attempt to catch your eye. “I will rejoin the game,” he says, “but I wonder if somebody ought to be sent to make sure Mr. Hurst finds the correct room this time. I gather he somehow became a little lost in the townhouse last time.”

Mr. Bingley nods. “Ah, yes.” He chuckles. “One would hope he has learned the route by now.” Both he and Colonel Fitzwilliam return to the drawing room.

You release your breath and step back into the passage. Should you go looking for Mr. Hurst yourself, or send the guard? But what if you send the guard and Mr. Hurst returns while he is gone? Mr. Bingley may have stepped out of the room for a nefarious purpose, after all. He might have called for Colonel Fitzwilliam to test whether the colonel was nearby before he dared touch the cup. And Mrs. Hurst is still inside.

“Are there more guards?” you whisper.

“There are two in front of the house and two in back,” he says softly, his eyes roving the passage. “One more watching from the study. And I believe at least one upstairs.”

You bite your lip. Should you ask the guard to track down Mr. Hurst? You could perhaps take his place for now, staying hidden behind the door to keep watch until the guard returns. Or should you leave him to his position and go yourself?

You could go back and convince the colonel to find Mr. Hurst—but it would be hard to do so without alerting the rest of the party that something is very wrong. Colonel Fitzwilliam has gone back at Mr. Bingley’s request, likely for that reason. You do not want to create a general alarm that would ruin their plot.

What should you do?

Should you:

ask the guard to track down Mr. Hurst, taking the guard’s place and keeping watch over the cup

or

go yourself—carefully—to see if you can find Mr. Hurst

or

go back into the drawing room and ask Colonel Fitzwilliam to find Mr. Hurst?

We’re coming up on the conclusion soon, so make sure to vote and to check back in a fortnight! Also, as before, you can offer any commentary you want to add, but please make sure your vote is clear so I know how to tally it. You have three choices this week!