“Where’s the coffee? It’s a long hour until all the strumming, thumping, and other notorious shakers. I need something to keep me awake until then” comments Mr. Bennett taking a donut from the Welcome Table in the foyer and heading toward his adult Sunday school class.
Lydia flips her long hair behind her shoulder with a side glance for glamorous effect just in case anyone should happen to be watching while she enters the corps. She picks up the recent Northern News on the table outside the chapel to see if any of her friends are mentioned in the articles from around the territory.
“Kitty, did you see this? There are lots of pictures from this year’s territorial music institute. You’re in it! But, what are you and Maria doing?” curiously asks Lydia “Your mouth is so huge!”
“Oh, let me see!” Kitty grabs the newspaper out of Lydia’s hand pulling it towards her to get a closer look. “I think that is when Maria Lucas and I were pretending to be opera singers in the amphitheater after band rehearsal. Maria can really hit a high note!” Kitty mimics some of her imagined vocal agility for Lydia with a series of ‘Tra la la la las’ from “Carmen”.
“Shhh girls! Sunday school is starting” talking rather loudly Mrs. Bennett turns around motioning for them to be quiet with her finger over her lips. She is gossiping with Mrs. Lucas about the adventures of last night’s activities and is typically running a little late for class herself. “They might hear you.” The girls giggle and head off to class to find their best friend Maria.
As others listen, Charlotte reads the Scripture for the class with emphasis and interest. The words come to life as she pronounces each word with purpose providing audible deeper meaning within the text.
As questions are asked by Mrs. Lois Hill, a mentor who has taught the girls for years and at her request has moved to the next class as the girls have matured and promoted through school, each considers what practical application the Scripture has for them today. Mrs. Hill is sensitive and skilled as she encourages reflection and relativity rather than accepting simple pat answers. As a teacher, she has loved and provided kind support in the many experiences along their journey into womanhood. She is respected and admired for her friendship and guidance both by the girls and their parents.
Offering an insightful prayer, Liz sincerely recalls with thankfulness all the things that God has brought into their lives and also for allowing those things which cause them to grow. Silently, Jane closes her Bible and is particularly thankful for the friend that she has met the night before.
Walking into the chapel carrying notebooks of her favorite music to cover ten hours of playing for the preliminary worship time, Mary trips and the stacked notebooks with daisies and polka-dots fly across the foyer landing at the feet of Bingley and Darcy who have just entered the corps for the morning service. Mary hysterically shreiks,“Oh no! Freeze! Don’t Move! Don’t step on my music!”
“I’m so sorry!” apologizing Bingley bends down to help her pick up the disheveled photocopied papers scattered about the entrance.
Walking up behind Mary who is nervously trying to collect her sheet music, Liz catches Darcy staring at her while immobilized by the chaotic scene in front of him. Liz glares in return feeling that Darcy is not much of a gentleman in that he hasn’t yet offered to help.
After realizing Liz’s response, Darcy realizes what is happening and carefully picks up the plastic notebooks. Mary angrily snatches the colorful notebooks out of his hands while trying to carry the large quantity of shuffled sheet music. She stomps off towards the chapel entirely disgusted that her music is no longer organized in loud to soft order which will take hours to redo.
Ready for the service to start, Liz and Jane find a comfortable place in one of the pews near the center of the chapel and save a seat for Charlotte who plays the guitar in the Praise Team. Bingley waits to see where Jane is sitting and then chooses the pew directly behind her. Upsetting Mrs. Olsen who has sat in the same place for thirty-two years, she gives him daggers from across the aisle in her new unwanted pew seat. Darcy notices Bingley’s miscalculation and suggests that they move to another pew. Bingley lost in his own admiration of Jane subconsciously rationalizes that they are only visiting this week and it is worth the wrath to smell the sweet heavenly scent of Jane’s perfume.
As the music begins, Bingley concentrates on listening to the melodic tones of Jane’s voice that carries across the chapel. He thinks that he has never heard anything more enchanting. Darcy notices Bingley’s infatuation and wonders just how much it will take until his friend makes a fool of himself. He has seen Bingley fall many times before when a pretty girl has come his way. Darcy wonders how long Bingley’s current awe of beauty will last until some reality is revealed.
Listening to the spontaneous and relaxed service, Darcy feels that this isn’t quite what he is use to at Netherfield where everything is timed from the special music by the band and songsters, the offertory, to the length of the sermon to ensure that each week’s worship time only lasts one hour and ten minutes. Today it appears the service has an undetermined length and a varied program as Mr. Bennett stands up to take the offering beginning with a Christian anecdote in regards to tithing that he found on the internet earlier that week. The congregation appreciates the joke and laughs heartily and with ease as the weekly humor is a typical part of the worship meeting. Darcy is unused to this type of dialogue and contemplates how this might work at Netherfield.
Appearing to watch the path of the offering plate, Liz slyly leans turns behind her and observes Darcy taking in the service but assumes that he is criticizing her father as he fails to laugh at her father’s wit and charm. “He’s such a snob!” Liz thinks to herself.
Trying to minimize her fury, Liz stretches her arms to find her purse on the floor. She places her tithe into the offering plate as Mary stumbles through the verse of a difficult praise song forgetting what key she is in and playing some peculiar notes with an original rhythm to a well-known song. Feeling under critique, Liz sighs hoping that there are only two verses this week.
As the doxology begins following the offering, Bingley loudly sings with a bit of spring “Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow . . .” Jane smiles back at him and he continues to sing with much gusto. Darcy watches him and can’t help but be amused at Bingley’s obvious enthusiasm and attraction to Jane.
Hearing the loud noise behind her, Liz takes a look to see Darcy’s smirk directed at his best friend. Liz wonders “Is ever nice to anyone?”
In return Darcy feels someone watching him and glances in Liz’s direction. Upon being unintentionally discovered staring at him and finding him smiling back at her, Liz sticks up her nose and quickly turns away. Embarrassed that she is caught, Liz pretends to be absorbed in the corps officer’s sermon focusing on loving your neighbor.
Watching Liz look at him, Darcy is pleased that Liz notices that he is there today. He doesn’t understand why Liz is not as friendly as she was last night. Everything seemed to be going well while they were alone talking at the table. He even mentioned to Bingley that he found her conversation to be rather insightful and intelligent which are rare qualities that he doesn’t encounter very often. “Most of the time, women seem more interested in agreeing with me than offering any true opinion of their own” Darcy thinks to himself “Liz is an interesting woman whom I would like to get to know better.”
After the service comes to a close followed by the long list of announcements for the week with a few random corrections offered from the congregation, Bingley meets Jane at the end of the pew. “How are you?”
“I’m well” blushes Jane “Did you enjoy the service? We’re a small corps but we are like a friendly family”.
“I enjoyed myself very much, thank you.” earnestly replies Bingley “You have a beautiful voice! I could hear you singing along with the praise team”.
“Thank you. Hopefully I wasn’t too loud. It’s good to see you again today. Dad told us that you are coming over to my parent’s home for dinner this afternoon. Do you want to follow us over to the house?” offers Jane.
“Sounds great!” exclaims Bingley excited that he will know where she lives and be able to spend the entire day with her “What car are you driving?”
“We took Liz’s car to church this morning. She has the electric blue Geo Metro next to the welcome sign” replies Jane as they walk into the parking lot. The car is a little worse for wear having kept “Maud” through college and a couple of years past finishing off her last payment on the loan. She bought her used because the car has really great gas mileage and quite affordable as a student with a low monthly payment. “Maud” feels like an old friend to Liz and it will be a difficult day when they have to part. “Which car are you in?”
“My sister helped pick it out as a birthday present last month. I think that we are parked next to you” replies Bingley heading toward the new red convertible BMW obviously out of place in the parking lot of Longbourn Citadel.
“What a nice car! I’ve always wanted to ride in a convertible” unassumingly shares Jane hoping for an invitation.
“I’ll have to take you for a ride. Are you busy tomorrow? I took the day off for a long week-end because of the wedding” asks Bingley hoping for a positive response and wanting to prolong his time with her.
“School is closed tomorrow because of the holiday so I’m free” replies Jane excited and grateful that holidays often fall conveniently on Mondays.
“What age do you teach?” curiously asks Bingley wanting to know Jane better “How many children are in your classroom?”
“I’ve been teaching kindergarten for five years at Longbourn Elementary. It is my favorite age” replies Jane “There are fifteen children in my class.”
“Maybe I can come by and visit some day” offers Bingley thinking that Jane probably makes and excellent teacher.
“That would be wonderful! Just let me know when you want to come” replies Jane.
“Are you ready to go?” asks Liz walking up to them hoping that the afternoon passes quickly.
“Yes, I invited Bingley and Darcy to follow us to the house” replies Jane suddenly realizing that Liz doesn’t seem too excited by this idea.
“Okay, but I’m leaving now” states Liz noticing that Bingley seems to be waiting on Darcy because Bingley is standing beside his car.
As Liz looks around, she notices that Darcy is still absorbed in conversation with the corps officer. “So typical to be so insensitive and keep all of us waiting on him” thinks Liz to herself and feeling satisfied with her assumption.
Walking across the parking lot, Darcy greets them with an informal smile and nod of the head. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting. We grew up together and I haven’t seen them in a very long time”.
“Jane has informed me that you are going to follow us to the house. I’ll try not to lose you, but that may be difficult. There are a lot of stop lights between here and there” states Liz but also adds “Try to keep up if you can. Don’t let ‘Maud’ deceive you, she moves faster than she appears.”
Standing next to her, Jane looks at Liz quizzically. First of all, it hardly seems likely that ‘Maud’ could move much faster than the speed limit let alone the convertible beside her. She knows that Liz is normally a very safe and conscientious driver. She hopes that losing them really isn’t what Liz has in mind even though she can be a bit directionally challenged at times.
Feeling Liz’s rivalry, Darcy smiles in return coolly stating, “I’m able to find my way around when I need to” liking Liz’s mock threat of intimidation as he opens the passenger door.
As soon as Liz determinedly starts the car, Jane concerned, turns and touches her arm which is firmly placed on the steering wheel “Don’t lose them. I like Bingley. He is really sweet. I want to spend the day with him - not wondering where he is.”
“Okay, but only for your sake. I guess I can “tolerate” Darcy for an afternoon so you can spend some time with Bingley” replies Liz with special emphasis on “tolerate” repeating Darcy’s tone of voice from the night before. In spite of herself, she is not entirely looking forward to the afternoon but not exactly regretting it either for some strange reason.
“I’m sure Darcy is a nice guy. Maybe you just need to get to know him better. Bingley is so nice, I’m sure that his friends are really nice too” suggests Jane “Darcy is his best friend. He can’t be that bad. You need to give him a chance.”
“I might consider it for your sake. We’ll see how this afternoon goes before I entirely make up my mind” Liz considers that perhaps Darcy might have some good qualities that she might have overlooked. There is something about him that is different from other men she has met before.
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