The next day, Lydia and I happily made our way to our aunt and Uncle Philips’ home, with eagerness and anticipation. Between the five of us, Lydia and I were the most frequent sisters to go and visit our aunt.
Aunt Jane Philips was my mother’s older sister, by about two years. Their closeness in age let them be childhood friends, like Lydia and I were, and I always marked the parallel. They were one of three. Their oldest sibling, and only brother, was Mr. Edward Gardiner. He lived in Cheapside, London, on the same street of the textile factory that he owned. Our Uncle Philips fell in love with our aunt when she was in her twenties. They have one son, our cousin Arthur, but he was too lively and active to follow in his father’s footsteps. Rather than being an attorney as well, Arthur decided to pursue a life in the Navy. He took a commission as a midshipman, serving under Captain Benwick, on the ship, The Dartmoor.
Often, Arthur was away from home for months at a time, and this led to Uncle Philips looking on his clerk, Mr. Atkins, as a young man who could fill the gap of the father-son relationship that he missed. As for our Aunt Philips, she always wanted daughters, but never was given the chance of having one, while our mother wanted sons, and only had daughters. Yet, both Gardiner sisters never despised each other for their reversal of fortune and our Aunt Philips was only too glad to look on us nieces of hers as being a proper substitute. Lydia and I spent as much time with her as we did at home.
This relationship had manifold advantages, however, and Lydia and I received benefits from it as well. Besides that, our Aunt’s cook was better at making cakes than our mother’s, Aunt Philips was a clever woman, who made herself indispensable to us at Longbourn—because she had the incredible ability of learning fresh gossip and new ‘news’. Thus, as another maternal model—who I sometimes liked better than our mother, because she favored each of us sisters equally—she was invaluable. As a source of new information, she was invaluable. As a relation who might be there to help us if our family ever lost Longbourn, she was invaluable. That word covered her identity very well.
Thus, when Lydia and I went to visit her that day, she didn’t disappoint us. First, she had information about Mr. Bingley’s family.
“Here is the family history in full, unless I was told the wrong information,” Aunt Philips said as her servant, Miss Bell, brought the tea and cakes in.
“Oh, do tell us, Aunt,” Lydia cried, eager as ever. “We want to know everything.”
“Yes,” I supported, “hold back no news. We must return to Longbourn knowing something that everyone else does not.”
“That would be such a good joke!”
“Very well,” Aunt Philips said, merrily. She was always so happy. In that moment, I was resolved to never be any different than that, for the rest of my life. We all ate cakes and drank our tea as Aunt Philips unfolded her new morsels of knowledge.
“Mr. Johnson has just visited Mr. Philips this morning. Before he set out to go shooting with Mr. Atkins, he stopped in to tell me the news before they set out to catch some birds.”
“Is this Mr. Johnson the accountant or Mr. Johnson the farmer?” I asked.
“The accountant. Well, he learned something very interesting from Netherfield’s proprietor. You see, at the assembly, I was wondering how two such different gentlemen, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, are such friends. After all, their tempers and habits are so very different.”
“And by that, you mean that one is all kindness and the other all pride,” I said, rolling my eyes when I thought of Mr. Darcy.
“Yes, and it has all been ironed out and laid flat. You see, Mr. Bingley inherited property to the amount of nearly a hundred thousand pounds from his father, who had intended to purchase an estate, but did not live to do it. Mr. Bingley intended it likewise, but he had to wonder where the ideal place was to do it. When he saw Netherfield Park, he was so taken with it, that he didn’t want to look any further. So, by renting Netherfield, he fulfilled his father’s wish. Now provided with a good house and the liberty of a manor, it is unknown if he will want to live here permanently.”
“Oh, I do hope that he stays forever,” I said eagerly, then I suddenly felt naked, as if I had exposed something wrong. I didn’t want them to know that I took a fancy to him. I didn’t want ANYONE to be aware of this. Therefore, I wracked my brain and thought of a proper excuse. Quickly, I was able to fall back on a reality that would shield me from the unwanted exposure. “After all, I believe it would make Jane happy. She enjoyed his company.”
“Yes,” Aunt Philips said, grinning, “she would like his permanent residency, above all things, I believe. His unmarried sister, Miss Bingley, serves as the head of the household, and presides at his table. Despite that his older sister, Mrs. Hurst, is married to Mr. Hurst, she has a love for often visiting her brother.
Mr. Bingley had not been of age two years, when he was tempted by an accidental recommendation to look at Netherfield House. According to Mr. Johnson, Mr. Bingley saw it, praised every room, and took it immediately.”
“But what about Mr. Darcy and him?” Lydia asked, impatient to get to the heart of the subject. “Aunt, I cannot stand the suspense of it all. I must know. I must.”
“Very well. Between Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, there is a very steady friendship, despite great opposition of character. But Mr. Johnson has heard, from reports in London, that it was their contrast in character that have drawn them to each other. Mr. Bingley was endeared to Mr. Darcy by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper. From what I understand, both men were thrown together in an interesting way. Mr. Bingley is new money, and therefore has been raised to a sphere that he was not born into. This could only be fully successful if he had friends in the aristocracy who helped him with this transition. Therefore, when entering into society, Mr. Bingley’s gentle and charming nature helped Mr. Darcy become easily attached, while Mr. Darcy’s famous character, his illustrious background, and respect in society was enough to help Mr. Bingley. However, despite his hateful nature, Mr. Darcy is very much admired by Mr. Bingley, who trusts in his friend so implicitly. From the little that I have seen, Mr. Darcy is a sturdy and immovable sort of man, and maybe Mr. Bingley likes having a firm friend. He clearly values Mr. Darcy’s good opinion. Even though Mr. Darcy’s taste in dancing partners is wanting!”
Lydia and I chuckled. We both were aware that she was referring to when he had rejected Elizabeth.
“According to Mr. Johnson, however,” Aunt Philips continued, “Mr. Darcy is known for being the smarter of the two and being quite clever. I suppose he keeps that side of himself hidden. I do so despise when people pretend as if any good qualities within them don’t exist.”
“And that leaves me to not know if those qualities do exist in him,” I retaliated, “he clearly is haughty.”
“Reserved,” Lydia added, “fastidious, and his manners, though well-bred, were not inviting.”
“I agree, my dears. In that respect, his friend has greatly the advantage. I do not believe that anyone will like Mr. Darcy at all. By the end of the evening, he made enemies everywhere.”
“I can’t wait to tell Lizzy this,” I pointed out, “this will make her feel better. Mr. Darcy’s reaction to her clearly had nothing to do with her own inferiority but is merely Mr. Darcy’s strange perception of how he views the world.”
* * *
Our tete e tete was interrupted by our Uncle Philips, who came knocking on the window.
“Knocking on the window?” Aunt Philips said over her shoulder as she went to roll it up. “This is your uncle, dears. Yes, this is the man that I married!”
Lydia and I chuckled.
When she rolled up the window, Uncle Philips looked up at his wife.
“And what is this reasoning for not entering your own home, sir?” Aunt Philips asked.
“I traveled halfway to Cox’s lands before I realized that I left half of the ammunition that I need for the shooting. Ring for Dennison and tell him to bring me my extra set. He will know where to find it.”
“Very well.”
She left the room and wrung for Dennison, their chief manservant. While she was absent, Lydia and I rushed to the window. Uncle Philips was standing there, while Mr. Atkins stood a short distance away. Yet, when seeing our faces, Mr. Atkins’s expression changed, from a face of casual waiting to pleasantness. He came up to us and stood next to his employer, our uncle.
“Uncle Philips, when did you take it into your head to go hunting?” Lydia extoled, laughing. Our uncle was not the stiff sort and knew never to be offended by anything that Lydia or I ever said. He understood that if we were not complimenting something, we were only pleasantly teasing someone.
“Lydia, this is an indication of how little you understand your uncle,” Mr. Atkins remarked, his eyes continually filled with amusement.
“Very good, my trusty clerk,” Uncle Philips responded, lightheartedly. “You defend me properly. Lydia and Kitty, when I was a strapping young lad, like Mr. Atkins here, I was quite the oak of a hunter and rabblerouser. I took no scruples on knocking heads with the best of them. Every few weeks, I get to return to my youthful activities, and can leave the confinement of my study and offices. Mr. Cox and I have an arrangement. He allows Mr. Atkins and I to shoot birds on his estate, and in return, I give him free legal advice and never charge him for any sessions that he may ever need.”
“And how long has this been going on?” I asked.
“For two years now.”
“And you’ve been dragging your feet along?” I asked Mr. Atkins, in jest.
“I only drag the left foot,” Mr. Atkins responded, “the right foot remains safe and secure from my bumbling.”
“The life of a roaming fox?”
“The life of a roaming fox!”
“You must always have been elsewhere when we went on our trips,” Uncle Philips elaborated. “And to bring evidence before you, two weeks ago, when we ate the pheasant when you dined here… well, now you know how I got hold of it.”
Lydia and I both gasped.
“We ate food that you caught,” I responded. “Now that is too funny.”
“Would it have been more or less comical if someone else had killed the bird instead of your old uncle?”
“We shall never know,” Lydia said. “We both are so turned about.”
We were interrupted by Dennison, who joined the men, gave them the extra ammunition, and then they left. Having our fill of new information, or at least new enough to still be fascinating to Longbourn, Lydia and I departed and left for home.
* * *
When returning home, we found everyone in the sitting room, except for Father, who was reading in his study.
When we finished telling our hearings, they all reacted in the way that I expected.
Mama praised Mr. Bingley and was immediately preparing for a future where she might see Jane as mistress of Netherfield.
Jane was demure and said nothing.
Elizabeth lowered her stitchwork and had an arched look.
“Well,” she concluded, “I have always believed in first impressions, and your hearings have concluded what I have arrived at already: Mr. Bingley is sure of being liked wherever he appears, and Mr. Darcy may be continually giving offense. And I am curious if both men will not live up to their reputation. Or down to it. Either way, it will do something proper… it will amuse me.”
“One should never be too quick to judge,” Mary said, then went back to practicing on the pianoforte.