P&P The Untold Stories: Jane Calls on Caroline and Louisa

Jane Calls on Caroline and Louisa

January 10, 1812

Jane found herself sitting in the parlor at the Hurst’s home on Grosvenor Street waiting for Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst to appear. Perched on a velvet covered chair, she felt a little uncomfortable and out of place. The house was not large, but almost everything about it was pretentious, as if designed to impress visitors with the financial standing of its owner. Jane deemed the decoration of this particular room much too formal and stuffy for her taste. The only personal touch was a small grouping of miniatures on a nearby table.

Examining the tiny portraits more closely, Jane recognized Caroline and Louisa. Both appeared to have been painted when they were about fifteen or sixteen years of age. The artist had generously rounded out some of the sharp angles of Caroline’s features making her appearance softer than it was in person. Jane smiled to herself noting how he had also considerably reduced the size of her nose.

The miniature that interested Jane the most, however, was of Charles Bingley. As she picked up the tiny portrait to examine it more closely, she involuntarily took a quick deep breath, exhaling it slowly with a quiet sigh. She had spent many weeks denying how much she felt for this man, but seeing his likeness brought it all back in full force causing that now familiar empty feeling to return. Jane lightly touched her finger to the painting as if she could actually stroke his face. All the pain of loss she had been holding inside now threatened to rush out. She would not allow herself to cry. It would not do to let anyone, especially his sisters, see how much she was hurt.

Mr. Bingley was everything she had ever hoped for in a suitor, and that made his loss all the more difficult to bear. It was not his fault his friendliness and charm had caused her to misinterpret his attentions. He was, after all, known for his good manners and friendly mien. Jane had been so certain he was developing an attachment to her and that his affection equaled hers. When he did not return to Netherfield, she had been forced to awaken from the delightful dream of becoming his wife that she had created for herself. She knew in the future any man who sought her attentions would be compared with him—her first love. The sad truth was Charles would marry someone like Georgiana Darcy and forget he had ever known Jane Bennet of Longbourn. She had just been an amusing diversion during his stay in the country. Jane thought she had no one to blame but herself for thinking it was more than just a flirtation. If his heart had been truly engaged, he would never have left without a word. In spite of what happened, Jane still hoped she would be able to continue her friendship with his sisters that had begun so promisingly in Hertfordshire.

Before Jane left for London, she had written to Caroline and Louisa informing them of her arrival in Town, and also giving her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner’s direction so they could write in return or come to call. More than a week had passed, but she had heard nothing from her friends. Jane was certain if Caroline had received her most recent message, she would have replied. The silence could only mean the letter had somehow been lost. That thought was what had prompted Jane to take the initiative of calling on them first.

“I cannot believe she has actually called upon us!” moaned Caroline. She and Louisa were still in her dressing room freshening up to meet their guest. “I thought my letter made it clear she should not hope for more from Charles.” Caroline was very unhappy she would be forced to be pleasant to Jane Bennet. Whatever would she say to that country bumpkin? Caroline intentionally had not answered Jane’s last letter with the hope of avoiding just this very situation, but she had come to call on them rather than taking the hint. Caroline was certain she had done everything she could to imply that Charles’s affections were otherwise engaged.

“Should I send word I am indisposed with a headache?” Caroline asked her sister.

“Do not be silly. We cannot both claim a headache, and I am not meeting with her alone,” Louisa replied. “Caroline, she is a sweet girl. I believe we must see her.”

Caroline let out a snort of disgust.

“You know it would be unforgivably rude not to at least spend a few minutes with her,” Louisa counseled.

“Then we must have a plan for cutting her visit short. What should we say?”

“I have no idea. You are the one who excels at making up excuses,” said Louisa absently as she checked her hair once more in the mirror.

“I shall instruct Graves if we have not emerged in ten minutes, he should come to the door to remind us we must leave almost immediately for our appointment.” Caroline frowned as she smoothed imaginary wrinkles from her dress.

“Oh, stop fussing,” said Louisa slapping at her sister’s hand.

Caroline jumped back and threw Louisa a nasty look. “Do not do that! You are not Mama!”

Louisa rolled her eyes, and then focused her attention on their problem again. “You could also inform her Miss Darcy is dining with us this evening,” she said slyly.

“Perhaps that will provide sufficient discouragement,” Caroline replied.

Just as they were ready to exit the dressing room, Caroline put a hand on her sister’s arm. “Oh, dear! Louisa,” she said with a look of horror on her face, “courtesy will require us to make a return call. I am not sure I can bear the thought of going to…to…”

“Cheapside!” they moaned simultaneously as if the very word was disgusting to pronounce.

“If you recall, I warned you this might happen! Next time Charles gets an idea in his head to pay attention to someone as unsuitable as she is, we must put a stop to it much sooner,” said Caroline as she linked arms with her sister.

Just before they entered the room where Jane waited, Caroline took a deep breath and set a bright smile on her face.

“Oh, Jane, dear! How very lovely to see you!” she cooed in her sweetest voice as she floated into the parlor. “Why did you not let us know you were coming to Town?”

“I sent a letter a few weeks ago just before leaving Hertfordshire. Perhaps it was lost,” Jane offered.

Caroline thought it was so very like Jane to conveniently offer her own explanation. It saved Caroline the trouble of making something up on the spot.

“And is your family all in health?” Louisa inquired politely settling into a nearby chair.

“Oh, yes, thank you. Everyone is very well. And your family?”

“Yes, they are all well,” Louisa responded.

Jane looked down at her hands. “Is your brother also in health?” she asked tentatively.

Louisa and Caroline exchanged looks. “Oh, yes, of course, but we rarely see him these days. He has been spending so much time at the Darcys’ we are beginning to think he lives there,” Caroline responded with a forced laugh.

“And how are the Darcys?” Jane asked more out of politeness than actual interest.

“Mr. Darcy was somewhat out of sorts upon his return from Hertfordshire, but I believe he is feeling well enough by now,” said Caroline. After all, it was perfectly understandable. Being forced to endure the company of so many unpleasant people in Hertfordshire had made her feel ill, too.

“Miss Darcy is also in excellent health,” Louisa added. “She is such a lovely young lady. Who would not be taken with her beauty and accomplishments?”

Caroline brightened. Louisa had created the perfect opening. “Yes, we are looking forward to Miss Darcy dining with us this evening!”  She did not add that Charles would be out with Mr. Darcy at the home of an old school friend. It would not hurt if Jane assumed the gentlemen would be joining them as it would further the idea there might possibly be more than one union between the two families. Caroline still seethed with hatred for Eliza Bennet because of Darcy’s marked preference for her. She thought it would not hurt a bit if Jane wrote to that impertinent sister of hers that two of the Bingleys were on very intimate terms with the Darcys. Fine eyes, indeed! Let her be the one who was jealous!

An uncomfortable silence fell in the room. They really had so little in common other than their brief acquaintance in Hertfordshire.

“Have you been to any assemblies or balls since we left?” asked Caroline, stifling a smirk behind her hand.

Jane looked confused for a moment. “Oh, yes, we attended a wonderful ball on New Year’s Eve, and during December there were many parties and dinners in the neighborhood.”

“How lovely for you,” said Caroline. Louisa launched into a lengthy discourse about all the balls and dinners they had attended since returning to London. By describing in great detail some of the fabulous gowns and jewels they had seen at these events, she hoped to impress Jane and further emphasize the gap between the Bingleys and the Bennets.

As Louisa rambled on, Caroline frantically tried to think of another topic. Since nothing came to mind, it seemed as good a time as any to mention they must be leaving soon. A sudden inspiration hit, and she jumped into the conversation interrupting her sister.

“Mr. Darcy has been gracious enough to send his carriage for us so we may call on Miss Darcy this afternoon. I am afraid we only have a few minutes before it will arrive to whisk us away,” Caroline said with an artful swish of her hand. She thought it was especially clever of her to invent this little tale, as it was yet another example of the close relationship between the two families.

Just at that moment, Graves appeared in the doorway. Caroline rose immediately from her chair indicating the call was over, and Jane followed her lead.

“It is so unfortunate we will not return to Netherfield and will be robbed of the pleasure of seeing your dear family again. You must send them our regards,” said Caroline sweetly as they ushered Jane to the front door.

Even though she had already given her card to the butler when she arrived, Jane reached into her reticule and pulled out another card with the Gardiners’ direction. “I would love to have you call at my aunt and uncle’s home while I am in Town. Please come any time.”

Both Caroline and Louisa assured their guest that she would see them very soon. Once the door closed behind Jane, the Bingley sisters looked at each other and fell into fits of laughter right there in the hallway.

When Jane reached the sidewalk, she turned to look back at the house. Something did not seem quite right, but she just could not put her finger on what it was. Their promise of a return call sounded hollow and forced. They had not even offered her the courtesy of refreshments. Suddenly, it hit her. Why were the Bingley sisters going to call on Miss Darcy this afternoon if she was coming to their house for dinner that very evening? It did not make sense.

Although Jane puzzled over this all the way back to Cheapside and debated about seeking her aunt’s opinion, in the end she decided she must have misunderstood. Caroline and Louisa were her friends. Assuring herself that they would return her call very soon, just as they promised, she began to arrange her schedule so she would be at home to receive them when they came.

Note: Posted on behalf of Susan Mason-Milks, who is the sole author.

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