Chapter 11

E lizabeth watched Mr Kettering direct two of his men to gently place her sister's mortal remains into a coffin.

When she and the Gardiner parents followed the men carrying Jane's remains out of the suite, they were greeted by the sight of Messrs Bingley, Hurst, and Darcy standing in the hallway, heads bowed. Jane's fiancé, albeit for only a few hours, his brother-in-law, and Mr Darcy all fell in behind the Gardiners. The hall was lined by servants as was the way to the front doors where the two Nichols stood.

Between Bingley and Hurst, they had decided Mrs Hurst would remain out of sight until Miss Bennet left the estate. Even though it was not her who had done what her younger sister had, she had not stood up to her. Not even when it had been obvious to her Miss Bennet was becoming very ill.

There was no doubt had Elizabeth Bennet seen the youngest Bingley, she would have at best verbally berated her, and at worst physically assaulted her. The truth was no one would have blamed Miss Bennet. Caroline, with her horrendous actions, could very well have provided the final pieces which had ensured the late Jane Bennet did not survive her illness.

Mrs Nichols had had some of the maids dye one of Miss Bennet's dresses so by the time she departed Netherfield Park, the oldest surviving Bennet sister was in mourning clothes already.

Before Elizabeth climbed into the lead Gardiner carriage, she looked around and saw all the signs that Mr Bingley had put his house into mourning. All the men, residents, butler, and servants alike, wore black armbands. Aunt Maddie and her cousins each wore a dyed dress. Mr Kettering signalled he was ready to proceed. After sincere thanks to those at Netherfield Park for all of their consideration, Elizabeth and the Gardiners mounted the two conveyances, and with Nellie tied to the rear of the second carriage they were off.

When they turned onto Meryton's main street, it was plain to see word of who was in the back of Mr Kettering's carriage had spread. Those out and about paid their respects by standing reverently still, the men all removed their hats or caps. Like the citizens, the officers stood to attention and held their hats under their arms.

When word of why Jane had ridden out that fateful day was made known—by now Aunt Hattie, the biggest gossip in Meryton, had been told all by her husband—Elizabeth had a feeling her mother would not be looked upon with a friendly eye any time soon. Soon enough, the cortege turned at the other end of the main street as they made for Longbourn.

Bennet and the three daughters at home were waiting in the drive when the carriages came to a halt. Standing behind them were the Hills and all the servants, along with many tenants. His wife had been administered laudanum by Mr Jones who had stopped at Longbourn to speak to Bennet after his departure from Netherfield Park. Mrs Bennet had been in the middle of a hysterical episode which had led to her being dosed with the drug.

Elizabeth and her sisters hugged one another as tears fell freely again. The former greeted her father tersely but no more than that. She was not unhappy her mother was not present to try garnering all the attention for herself.

Everyone stood to the sides as the undertaker's men carried the coffin into the house. Hill directed them to the parlour which had been prepared to receive the body. There was no fire in the grate, and the windows were cracked open, so that the room would be kept cold. Once the coffin had been placed on the table in the centre of the room, the lid had been removed.

While her father and younger sisters were with the body, Elizabeth went up to the chamber she had shared with Jane. As soon as she closed the door she almost collapsed as the realisation that she would never share the room or the bed with Jane again slammed into her. She threw herself onto the bed and cried with great big wracking sobs. She could feel Janey's presence in this place, but she would never see her again, except in her dreams and one day when she was called home, that is if she gained entry into heaven.

Someone was rubbing her back just like Jane would at times. Elizabeth froze. Then she slowly moved and saw none other than Mary sitting on the bed next to her, her cheeks were also tear stained.

"Lizzy, no one can ever replace Jane, and I would never attempt to, but if you will allow me, I would like to be your friend," Mary proposed softly.

Pulling Mary into a hug, Elizabeth replied. "I think I would like that, thank you, Mary." She paused as she remembered how Mary had just rubbed her back. "How did you know Janey used to soothe me like that?"

"You do not think you are the only observant sister in this family, do you?"

"No, I suppose I am not." Elizabeth looked at Mary earnestly. "Do you know why Janey was on Nellie?"

"Yes, we all do. What will you do? If anything?"

"Now is not the time. Until after the interment, I will hold my peace." Elizabeth thought for some moments. "Mary, will you share this chamber with me once Janey's things are sorted through. Until then, may I share with you?"

"Of course, Lizzy. My chamber is not as large as this one, but we will make do."

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

That afternoon the calls to come and condole with the Bennets began. First to arrive were the Phillipses and Lucases. Based on the way the callers treated the master of the estate, with barely concealed disdain, it was just as well the mistress of the house lay in a drug induced sleep in her bedchamber.

Once they had spent time in the parlour with the body, and after passing on their sympathies to the Bennet sisters, Sir William and Lady Lucas joined the Gardiner parents. Similarly, once Hattie had hugged and cried with her nieces, she joined her husband with the rest of the adults.

After she had spent some time with Jane's remains, Charlotte Lucas who had been best friends with the two eldest Bennet sisters could not stop herself from crying when she embraced her best friend. "Eliza, I have no words, I cannot believe it is true, yet after seeing her mortal remains, I know it is. When I saw Jane at Lucas Lodge that night, I never would have imagined it was the final time I was to see her alive. It is too much." Charlotte stopped herself as she looked into her friend's sad emerald green eyes. Normally Eliza's eyes shone with humour and intelligence. Now they were dimmed; only sadness was to be seen within. "Listen to me going on about myself. It may be a trite question, but how do you do, Eliza?"

"I feel like my whole world has just shattered and collapsed on itself," Elizabeth said, barely above a whisper. "I do not know if I will ever get over this."

"You remember my Grandmama Lucas, do you not?" Elizabeth looked confused as she nodded. "It is not the same as a sister, but she was like a second mother to me. She was close to all of her grandchildren, but she and I shared a deep and special bond. Do you remember how I was when she passed away when I was seventeen?"

"Yes, you thought your world had come to an end…" El izabeth stopped as she understood what Charlotte was saying. "How did you know when it was time to begin to live again?"

"That is a question only you are able to answer for yourself. Eliza, you will know when you are ready. All I wanted was for you to realise the pain will lessen. You will get to a point, in your own time, just like I did, when your sadness will no longer consume you. Just like I have never, and will never, forget Grandmama Marianne, you will never forget Jane. At some point, when you are ready for it, she will be a part of your past, not a presence which devours your present. She will always be in your heart, just like my Grandmama is in mine."

"Did you try to deny the truth of her passing, and then feel anger? I even tried to bargain with God for Janey's life," Elizabeth wondered.

"Yes, all of that, not to mention great sadness before I was able to accept the new reality that Grandmama Marianne was truly gone and would never come back," Charlotte confirmed. "I am not trying to tell you moving on will be easy, or be of a short duration, that is why I said I cannot predict how long it will take you. Each of us mourns in his or her own way."

Elizabeth leaned forward and hugged Charlotte to herself. "Thank you my friend, you have gifted me something invaluable. I will mourn my sister, but now I know at some point I will be able to move on with my life."

"Eliza, there is talk in the community that your mother demanded Jane ride the horse even though it was clear it would rain, and your father did not stop it. Is that true?"

"There is some validity to what you have heard," Elizabeth replied with a hard edge to her voice. "Now is not the time or the place. We will speak about this after Janey has been laid to rest."

Charlotte nodded. She would not push her friend now; it was not what Eliza needed. She would supply her friend with whatever support she desired.

The Lucases remained for about a half hour. Before they left, Sir William and Lady Lucas hugged Eliza to themselves and allowed her to cry quietly for some minutes. The Phillipses remained, and the stream of callers had only just begun.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Through the weekend, including church services on Sunday, Fanny Bennet remained ensconced in her bedchamber. She had thought to come down on Saturday two days after her daughter's death, but the setdown her older sister had delivered still rung in her ears. Hattie had expressed disgust with the forcing of Jane to ride, and no excuses Fanny attempted to deliver had been accepted. Worse, Hattie had told her younger sister of the anger in the area over what she had done.

The sad thing was none in her family repined her absence, not even her youngest daughter. With Madeline Gardiner ably carrying out the duties of hostess and mistress, the house remained calm as would be expected of a house in mourning. None of the neighbours who came to condole with the family commented on Mrs Bennet not being present.

Between Mr Pierce, Bennet, the Gardiner parents, and the Phillipses, it had been decided to hold the funeral service on Tuesday upcoming.

Knowing the time the body would be lying in repose was limited, Elizabeth had spent hours each day sitting and speaking to Jane. She knew there would be no answer, but it made her feel closer to the sister she had lost. It was noted she was becoming rather listless so Madeline told Mary it was time for her and her sisters to walk into the town.

Hence, on Monday morning Elizabeth was convinced by Mary to join her, Kitty, and Lydia in walking into Meryton. The two youngest Bennets were allowed to accompany their older sisters on condition they behaved and remembered they were in mourning and no longer out, so flirting with officers was not allowed. Their father made it perfectly clear if they misbehaved or did not obey their sisters, it would be a very long time before they would be allowed back in the town. To ensure their safety, Longbourn's footman would escort the four sisters.

Since other than the day she had escaped her parents at Netherfield Park she had not walked out, Elizabeth had reluctantly agreed to accompany her younger sisters and be away from her vigil over Jane's remains for a little while. Mary had told her that she wanted to collect some new sheet music from the bookstore, and then they would pay a quiet visit to their aunt.

The walk was at a moderate pace, but nevertheless it felt good to be walking outside again. The day was cold, but not too much so. In addition, it was clear and Elizabeth enjoyed the weak warmth the sun was providing as she walked.

When they reached the main street of Meryton, the sisters, with the footman close behind, turned and headed for the bookstore. They stopped in their tracks as they saw what the merchants and residents of the town had done. Hanging on the doorpost of every business and abode was a black ribbon which reflected just how well loved Jane Bennet had been.

As townspeople passed them, heads were inclined, kind words uttered, and the men all doffed their caps or hats.

The sisters held each other's hands as they took in the tribute being paid to their late sister. None of them noticed the woman staring daggers at them from across the street as she stood in front of the Red Lion Inn.

Caroline Bingley was already angry before she saw the hated Miss Eliza and her sisters across from where she stood in front of the inn. It had been four days she had suffered in this hellhole of an inn, and still Charles had not called her back to Netherfield Park. Not only that, but regardless of the repeated notes to Louisa, she had not come to visit, had not replied, and had not sent any funds as had been demanded.

It was all that damned Eliza's fault. Until she distracted him, Mr Darcy had been about to offer for her, and she was sure it was the hoyden who had given Charles the idea to cast his own flesh and blood off. Well, she would not allow the doxy to go without excoriating her in front of all the people in the backwater who were treating the Bennet chits like royalty.

As it is said, angry people seldom make good decisions, and so it was with Caroline Bingley, who was not rational at the best of times.

She crossed the street and made for where the Bennets were standing and not moving. As she got close, Miss Bingley ripped the black ribbon off the nearest store. " This is all your fault !" she screamed at Miss Eliza. "If you had not turned everyone against me…"

It had taken Elizabeth some moments to realise that Miss Bingley was standing before her berating her. When she noted the way the shrew had disrespected Janey by tearing a black ribbon from the door post of the seamstress's shop, she became infuriated and did something she had wanted to since hearing of the way the woman had treated Janey. Elizabeth pulled her arm back, and with all of her might, she slapped Miss Bingley's cheek.

One second Miss Bingley had been castigating Miss Eliza, the next her cheek was stinging, burning, very sore, and she was sitting on the ground.

Elizabeth had not thought the power of her slap would knock the virago to the ground, but she could not repine the result. With hands balled up in fists she advanced on the shocked woman. She did not see them, but a large crowd was gathering and watching the goings on.

"How dare you speak to me. You are not worthy of walking on the same ground on which my sister used to walk," Elizabeth spat at the reeling woman. "Thanks to your mistreatment of my late sister, forcing her to stand in wet clothing, not allowing her to be put in a warm bath immediately, giving her a summer day dress when she finally was able to have a bath and dry off, making sure she had to wear her wet footwear, and then demanding she attend you for dinner after she begged to remain in bed, more than likely contributed to her death. You are very lucky we are not men as I would have called you out without a second thought."

The more those in the crowd heard Miss Bennet speak and relate how the Bingley woman had treated her late sister, the more the angry and disgusted looks were directed at the woman. The fact her cheek was already showing a handprint in red where she had been struck was heartily approved of by the crowd. She deserved that and so very much more! The seamstress stepped forward, pulled the black ribbon from Miss Bingley's hand, and handed it to her husband. He proceeded to place it back where it belonged.

Caroline Bingley was not so deficient of sense she could not see the crowd did not support her in the least, so rather than rebuke Miss Eliza for slapping her, she held her peace. She did not move as the Bennet sisters, first cut her, and then walked towards the bookseller's store; heads held high.

As she scurried back to the inn, she was cut by anyone who saw her. In addition, if looks had the power to kill, Caroline Bingley would have been a dead woman.