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Chapter Nineteen

Dear Jane,

I am sure you have already heard from your sister of her safe arrival to our little parsonage here at Hunsford. Be assured that she is well, well as well as anybody could be in the circumstances. I am afraid that her enjoyment has been slightly curtailed by the arrival in our little neighbourhood of Lady C's two nephews, one of whom is known to you. So perhaps I should say L's enjoyment has increased, since we know how fond she is of teasing and watching human folly. Colonel Fitzwilliam is a pleasant charming man and I should like to know him better, and so should L, but sadly anything more than that is out of the question being a second son. You will be interested to know that the other gentlemen continues his attentions to your sister, though she denies it is any such thing. She has already questioned him about seeing you in town, to which he replied he had no idea you were in town....

"What am I, pray?" exclaimed Kitty after putting the letter down.

Jane smiled.

"I am serious Jane, he saw me at the Opera, I know he saw me, and even if he did not...Mr Bingley - oh..."

Kitty had betrayed herself.

"Mr Bingley ... what Kitty? You did not say you had seen him before Lady Matlock's ball."

"Isn't this a fascinating letter, though I have to agree with Lizzy that I am sure Mr Darcy is not paying her attention, at least not in that respect. I am very glad to know that Colonel Fitzwilliam is an amiable man, because between Mr Collins, Lady Catherine and Mr Darcy I am sure they would find more cheer in a graveyard!"

"Kitty." Jane rarely scolded in a serious tone, but this was one of these times.

"Oh yes, fine, Jane. I did know Mr Bingley was in town, what of it?"

Jane frowned. "Did you compel him to meet me again?"

"Compel him? I'd hardly say he minded considering the moment he saw you he could not drag himself from your side even to greet his hostess!"

"Kitty..."

"I merely made sure you would both be at the same event. What happened after that was entirely of both your makings....well apart from the dancing, but you already knew I orchestrated that!"

Jane put down her sewing unsteadily. The sisters were enjoying a comfortable coze in Mrs Gardiner's parlour, while Clara and Mrs Gardiner were on some errands, and the children were quiet.

"Kitty, I - "

Kitty decided to cut Jane off from whatever she was about to say; after all was not attack the best form of defence?

"What do you feel about Mr Bingley, Jane?"

"I - He is the most amiable man of my acquaintance and the renewal of our friendship has only made that more ... but, Kitty, I do not know if he was -"

"So easily persuaded to leave you?"

Jane blinked, "I do not think... he could have decided that I was - "

"Jane, no one could decide that about you; you are far too beautiful, kind and elegant, not to mention his reaction to you when he first saw you again! No, he was persuaded to leave you, by whatever means...I do not blame you for being wary..."

"You do not? I do ...care...very much for him, and I do hope that ...for I could not see myself...But you do understand that I do not wish for him to offer marriage to me now? If he is so changeable and persuadable then I may find myself...."

"In a marriage too similar to our parents?"

"Yes, but worse...in a marriage where I have all the feeling and I could not bear that, Kitty. I do so want to marry for love..."

"And so you shall, and I promise to do everything to forestall Mr Bingley."

Jane smiled, "I think we are presuming too much; he may not - "

"Jane, we are not presuming. I never saw a man so in love, he did not speak more than five words with anyone else the entire evening... he spent it gazing at you!"

"You exaggerate, Kitty! But I do so hope - "

"So do I. But he does love you and he will prove to you that he does. Just as long as you don't reject him!"

Jane smiled. "I do not think I would have the heart to do so even if he did offer for me now. I shall just have to rely upon my friends to make sure it does not happen until I am sure."

"You will have my help, and Aunt Clara's...not to mention I am sure Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst will help!" laughed Kitty.

Jane frowned. "I do hope they just wish to see their brother happy, whatever he chooses."

"No, they wish to see themselves happy, regardless of their brother's feelings, and for them happiness appears to be entirely Darcy related."

This elicited a giggle. "Indeed, I wish I could feel worse about dashing all their hopes."

"Oh it shall not be you, Jane, I have more than a feeling that it will be Mr Darcy and Georgiana themselves who dash all their hopes."

Jane just resumed her sewing.

"Besides, there is one good thing about Mr Bingley being so persuadable!"

Jane looked at her sister quizzically.

"Well, if he had not been persuaded away then you would have had to continue your courtship under Mama's watchful eye! You would have had no opportunity to look at leisure!"

Jane smiled in agreement.

Kitty looked out at the weather. It was not going to hold. They were certainly not going to Richmond, but at least that allowed them to attend Lady Peppertree's rout, which they could not have done if they were so exhausted by a trip to Richmond in the morning.

However it did mean that before her was an entire day with the Bingleys in their townhouse. At least in Richmond she could have escaped. And Clara had the headache.

Kitty suspected it was more a Bingley-ache than a headache. They had seen Miss Bingley in the park on Monday and at a drum that same evening and she had managed to tease Clara into a foul mood.

Clara had even twice thought about insisting Mr Morris tear up Mr Bingley's lease, or at least add to it the fact his sister was never to set foot in Netherfield again.

Kitty did not know exactly what Miss Bingley had said to Clara, but she had a feeling it had been about her.

Kitty wished that Miss Bingley would say something to her face, and then perhaps she would be able to say a few choice things back.

She was distracted from thoughts of putting Miss Bingley in her place by the doorbell. It was Ash and Georgiana ready to escort her to the Bingley's.

"You will never guess, Kitty! No, you won't so I shall just tell you! Miles finally proposed!"

Kitty blinked at Georgiana. "And she accepted?"

"Of course she accepted!" Georgiana looked delighted and far more animated that she usually did.

"And my mother is in a foul mood," injected Ash.

"Why? Because he did not do so before the ball, where it could have been a formal announcement?"

"You are very perceptive, Miss Bennet," smiled Ash.

Georgiana frowned and stepped in front of Kitty, blocking her view of Ash. "They are to be married very soon!" With this she compelled Kitty to sit down with her on the sofa so they could discuss the event.

"So that my sister does not get any idea about crying off."

"Ash, stop being so unromantic!"

"Yes, my lord, it has been quite a romance, of course it must finish with a hasty wedding," said Kitty archly.

"Well not hasty...but at least very soon!"

"I like to think, Georgie, that it was my organising of them to dance the Boulanger together that was the final straw."

Ash rolled his eyes, from the seat he had taken. "Save me from matchmaking!"

Kitty frowned. But Georgiana claimed her attention again, "Ignore him! Now I have to tell you how he proposed!"

There was a groan from the opposite chair.

Kitty laughed, she was glad to see Georgiana was finding happiness in her cousin's engagement; as far as Kitty could tell it showed that she was not as wounded by Wickham as she had once been.

"My darling Annabelle, I have loved you from the moment I saw you, let us ignore the fact that I first knew you were you were only a baby."

Kitty turned to laugh at Ash, who had risen dramatically.

"Everybody knows that clearly I made friends with your brother for no other purpose. I have courted you expertly, have made no mistakes, and I know of at least five other gentlemen following the same tactics to woo their brides."

Ash had crossed the room and held out a hand to Kitty. Laughing, she took it and found herself tugged upright, pulled flush against him as he put one arm around her waist and flung out the other as though he was on the stage giving a compelling soliloquy .

Kitty giggled as she looked between Georgiana and Ash's faces.

"So of course when I proposed I compared your eyes to limpid pool of midnight sky and your hair to flaxen wheat that had been dyed black by dancing fairies and waxed poetical on your ankles... how could you say no?"

Kitty was almost overcome by giggles. "But my lord, perhaps I played a much better strategy in letting you think that your plan was working? Indeed I knew I wished to marry you the moment I saw you, I remember it clearly as I lay in my cradle and I bided my time, teasing you until you could bear it no longer!"

"But let us not quibble over such things my dear, all that matters is that we shall be married, and soon because I am not so in love that I do not know you are flighty!"

With that Ash leant down and Kitty, giggling, ducked out of his embrace.

Georgiana clapped. "Bravo! Very like the theatre. But not I am sure how it happened!"

Kitty caught her breath and clapped too. "Have you thought of a career on the stage?"

Ash looked sardonic, "I do not think I would be very good."

At least the news of Annabelle's and Miles' impending marriage, made known to the Bingley sisters by the method of gossip (how it worked so effectively no one ever knew), gave them all something to discuss during their morning engagement.

Kitty sat demurely on a chaise slightly removed from the rest of the party, she was just happy to watch Miss Bingley attempt to throw Georgiana and her brother together and Georgiana almost as firmly resist any such attempt. Georgiana clung to Jane's side, being quite happy to be ignored by both Jane and Mr Bingley; at least then she was not being talked at by Miss Bingley who confused and scared her.

Ash had fallen victim to both sisters the moment he walked in the door, being teased about how he would be the next to be married, and wouldn't that lady be very lucky.

Kitty didn't notice he had escaped until he came to sit beside her.

"Why did I ever agree to this?"

"Because you are a good cousin?"

"No that is certainly not the reason. I think I was acting out of some misguided sense of duty...."

"Towards whom?"

"I cannot tell you."

Ash put one hand over his face, sighing.

Kitty tried not to laugh at the too obvious self-pity. He could easily rebuff Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst if he tried, but it was either too much effort, or the grossest incivility, something he would never do.

Kitty was betting it was the former rather than the latter, and she was not going to indulge him! However the glimmer of the signet ring he always wore on his left hand distracted her.

Ash looked at her. "It's an emerald."

"It doesn't look like one."

"It's a rare type, also very hard to shape, would you like a closer look?"

He eased it off his finger and handed it to her.

Kitty examined it, it was very beautiful, she slipped it on her own finger and admired it.

"Not a piece of jewellery for a young lady," commented her companion as she handed it back to him. But instead of taking it from Kitty, Ash held out his left pinkie finger and allowed her to slide it back on, curling his fingers over hers, in some sort of sign that Kitty was not entirely able to decode, especially since Caroline Bingley, suddenly realising Ash's desertion, insisted on his rejoining the main party.

Not long after this the gentlemen excused themselves on the pretence that there was something of great import in Bingley's library. In truth two of the gentlemen wished to escape the inanity of the conversation and the third, being the host, could not refuse them.

"Miss Darcy, are you like me in forever trying not to laugh at the attempts of all the young ladies to induce your many handsome and rich relations into marriage?"

Georgiana stared at Miss Bingley. To hear such a thing from her mouth!

"I confess I do not pay any attention; I am not out, so where would I see such things?"

"Well, those young ladies who are vulgar enough to set their caps at young men tend to indulge in such activities everywhere," smiled Mrs Hurst.

Jane wondered very much if they were speaking about her, and chastised herself for being obvious, for she had not meant to be.

Kitty bit her lip in an attempt to stop herself from saying something about Miss Bingley's behaviour to certain gentlemen. But as she had only heard of such things from Georgiana, and only seen for herself what she felt was a toned down performance she decided it would be best not to say anything.

"And men are so very cruel over it. They place bets over which lady they can make fall in love with them."

Miss Bingley said this with an arch look in Kitty's direction, so that Kitty could no longer be quite as blind as to what they were referring.

Jane was shocked. "Surely that would be - "

"Oh it is often done, Jane," interrupted Mrs Hurst. "I am glad I am married so that my name would not appear in such a light! One should take care one is not made a fool of. Especially since London tends to gossip about these things very readily, so it is not just the gentlemen who would be making sport of one! "

Mrs Hurst also turned her gaze towards Kitty, who found to her disgust that she was blushing.

Kitty did not know what to say to defend herself, she was not even entirely sure whether they did mean her? And if they did what had she done wrong, she could think of nothing. She was not setting her cap at anybody!

"That is very good advice," was the only thing she could think of saying.

Chapter Twenty

...and you asked me to write if I discovered the cause of D's unfortunate temper. I believe I have even found a name for his temper, the condition has been confirmed as la Bennet. If one were going to describe la Bennet, she would be of average height, very pretty, very impertinent, and most of all does not seem to care for D at all. The effects of la Bennet seem to be the insertion of one's foot in one's mouth, unusual sullenness, brooding and staring. I could not be more delighted as I know you will be too, dearest brother. Of all the young ladies D could have found appealing he has chosen one who could not care less for his money, breeding and manners. It is a pity, because she is a very handsome woman and I believe under different circumstances...

Ash folded the letter up and returned it to his desk. How very like Darcy, to on the one hand be pining, well at least in some Darcyfied way, for a Bennet sister, while on the other be plotting to separate his best friend from another Bennet sister. Ash was not stupid; Bingley was a man in love and could only have been separated from his love for three months by either the gravest of circumstances or the influence of Darcy. How Darcy managed to have that much sway over Bingley, Ash never did understand, how could anyone allow themselves to be influenced so greatly by another person?! It was not a credit to one's character to be so influenced, just as it was no credit to be incapable of listening and accepting a friend's opinion.

He wondered briefly at Richard not mentioning this strange chasm in Darcy's logic and behaviour. However Richard knew more of Darcy and was more in his confidence, perhaps he did not wish to betray Darcy's follies to him.

Ash frowned.

"Well this is very amusing."

Ash turned and shot an exasperated glance at his friend. "I do not believe I invited you, Miles, you are quite welcome to leave."

"That would be very rude considering you are soon to be my brother."

"Something I am infinitely glad you did; you were becoming a dead bore. Now is this the part where, since you are going to be joining the family, you disclose all your debts for me to settle?"

"Now that you mention it, I do owe you a monkey, so if you would be so good as to consider it settled."

It was Ash's turn to look quizzical. "My lamentable memory..."

Miles smiled. "Well if you don't remember...you were properly shot in the neck, too much Blue Ruin. We had a bet on whether my mother would race back from Bath in record time when she heard the news. I foolishly thought that perhaps she wouldn't, would not wish to look unseemly and cause tongues to wag all over London."

Ash smiled. "You really should not have bet against your mother wanting to throw all considerable weight behind any effort to release you from your engagement."

"You would think she would be glad! Any other mother would be, to be so happy that I have finally chosen to end my bachelor days!"

"I believe if it were any other girl..."

Miles looked rueful. "I foresee many scenes between my wife and my mother..."

"I foresee many scenes between your wife and yourself."

Miles smiled. "Well, shall we go?"

Lady Matlock may have been prevented by timing from celebrating her daughter's engagement by a ball, but an impromptu rout, just before everybody left for the country for Easter, was not out of the question. Well she was telling everyone it was just a little party, quite on the spur of the moment, very informal.... Those who came, and they were many, would have been very interested to see a party of Lady Matlock's that was formal, planned and not little.

Kitty sipped her punch as she listened to Lady Goodwin's idle chatter. Lady Goodwin was an elderly lady, a friend of Lady Matlock's aunt and while not deaf, was hard of hearing, short sighted and often confused people.

Kitty had met her several times, but was surprised when she was hailed as a dear girl and invited to sit next to her upon the sofa. Kitty was quite sure she was being confused for someone and wondered how she could inform the baronet's widow who she really was.

She had seen other ladies yell into Lady Goodwin's ear something like "I'm not your daughter! I'm Mrs Salisbury!" or "No, no, I'm Arabella, not Jane!" but Kitty did not feel up to either.

"Ah there is Mrs Sutton!" exclaimed Lady Goodwin.

Kitty saw an opening. "Yes, Mrs Sutton is my aunt."

"Oh she is a friend of your aunt?"

"No, Mrs Sutton is my aunt."

"Oh they are very close are they? Mrs Sutton is very close to Lady Matlock - "

"I know - "

"Don't interrupt me gel! What was I saying, Mrs Sutton...."

"Mrs Sutton, my aunt," prompted Kitty.

"No, I was speaking of Mrs Sutton not your aunt. I don't know who your aunt is! I did not think you this tiresome Sarah!"

"No, I'm - "

"Never mind that! I was speaking of Mrs Sutton, she has brought a rather pretty niece to town this season and ....well!" Lady Goodwin looked at Kitty, in a prompting fashion; as if she should be able discern her unspoken meaning.

Kitty was torn, did she try to convince the old lady she was the niece in question, or did she let the woman speak and hear whatever gossip may be circulating about her?

She did not have the chance to decide, as Lady Goodwin started talking again.

"Yes, it is a pity that Mrs Sutton's fortune is entailed away, or left to her for her lifetime only or something like that. It must be so for Mr Sutton despite his grandfather being a merchant would not be stupid! Do you know what that means?"

Kitty blinked. "Yes, my father's land is ..."

"Ah poor thing, so her niece I suppose comes to get a good match. I hope for her sake she does have a respectable fortune, or that she makes some man fall very deeply in love with her, because she seems a nice enough girl. She'll make a match of it with Mr Fancot, I knew his mother, a lovely gel, and he deserves a nice wife. Yes, I dare say they will make a match of it, he is forever with her, and she does not mind it"

Lady Goodwin took a sip of her punch and then waved the cup around in front of her. "Better him than have her die of a broken heart! Fancy, Lady Jersey, who heard it from Lady Sheringham, the dowager that is, was telling Lady Sefton that the poor girl thinks she could have Lord Ashbourne! Lord Ashbourne! I mean he does seem to be displaying far more interest in her than any other young lady I have seen him do, but well what does that mean? Not much since he is hardly likely to make a cake of himself, and I am quite sure he does not mean to marry just yet. He is so rich and connected he can wait as long as he likes! And be as disagreeable as he likes."

Kitty found grasping her punch increasingly difficult as her ladyship continued.

"Not that he is disagreeable; I daresay any betting going on about Miss Bennet dying of a broken heart will be kept away from him, because he is a gentlemen and would not wish to inflict such damage. But like most men, my dear, like my own John, god bless his soul, he has no idea what he does to female hearts! At least she has not fallen victim to that poetry fellow; I expect he would feel obliged to marry her, I mean of course Lord Ashbourne not that George person, I expect he has no morals to speak of! Who speaks of concubines and carnal companie? If he, Lord Ashbourne, I mean, felt he had injured her in any way! But that is supposing he is not making a May game of her, which would be too bad, and too like his set. No it would be much better for her to marry that nice Mr Fancot."

Kitty could only manage a gurgle in the back of her throat as a response.

"Do you know how rich the Matlocks are? I have always wondered... that Miss Bingley, now there is a woman who cannot see more than two feet in front of her own nose, always tells me that their cousin Mr Darcy is worth ten thousand a year, but that is a paltry sum, do not you think, Sarah?"

"I think - " Kitty struggled to speak, "That I see my aunt, I must go to her."

Kitty fled into the hallway, down the stairs and opened the first door she saw; it was Lord Matlock's library.

Kitty leant against the door and took a deep breath.

Well at least she now knew what Miss Bingley had been accusing her of. How could anyone think - and ten thousand pounds paltry and - betting books - and Giles? What was Aunt Clara going to say when she realised that she had caused so much gossip! She had not meant to, Kitty could think of nothing she had done!

Kitty could not think full stop. She took refuge in a deep armchair and wondered if she could stay in there until the party was over.

It was dark, with only the moonlight illuminating the room; it was peaceful which was in direct contrast to Kitty's feelings.

Her first instinct was to dismiss it all as the ramblings of an old woman, indeed it was! Kitty had heard many ladies both in Meryton and London do similar things, taking the smallest thing and turning it into a topic of conversation that could run for months.

No, she had done nothing wrong, she had not behaved improperly now that she examined her actions, and all she could do was continue as she had done. Though how she was going to face everybody knowing they were speaking of her was something she was not at all confident she would be able to do.

Friendship, that was all it was, of course that was all it was, after all, Kitty was not so stupid to think that anyone could be so interested in her! Especially if they were handsome, dashing and ....

It was probably wise to stop thinking right there. Kitty hugged a cushion to her chest, and then turned towards the door when she heard a noise.

The door swung open. "Miss Bennet?"

Kitty rolled her eyes, perfect timing, now all the old tabbies needed was to see her 'luring' Lord Ashbourne away into a darkened room.

Kitty stood up and wondered what she was going to say to him, but she did not have to find out. Hard upon his heels was Giles who looked most concerned.

"Kitty, are you unwell? Let me fetch you a doctor immediately! Indeed you must be unwell, do not just stand there, my lord."

"Oh for heavens sake, go away, both of you!"

Giles looked hurt and turned on his heel and marched out of the room.

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Now I shall have to apologise, won't I?"

"Well, he did only have your best interests at heart."

"And you did not?"

"Of course I did not," retorted Ash. "I was merely wondering what was so fascinating in my father's study, and you know I cannot bear it if I am missing out on something."

"Well unless you call listening to very enlightening gossip and escaping from i, fascinating, you have not missed anything, my lord."

"Enlightening?" Ash looked interested.

"There was nothing flattering to you in it!"

Kitty swept by him into the hall and made to return to the party.

"You mean it was unflattering to me? Who is this blackguard sullying my name?! I shall challenge them to a duel!"

Kitty turned on the stair to look down at him, watching the footman and the butler studiously ignoring the scion of their household and her having a most interesting conversation, in their foyer.

"If you did so my lord, she would probably think you had offered her a ride on your mule, so I would be careful."

It was only the work of a moment to realise that apologising to Giles, no matter how particular it would look to everyone else was of paramount importance. Friendship was far more important than what people said of one.

Giles was skulking in a window enclosure. It was not shut off from everyone else, but the heavy set curtains provided a modicum of privacy.

"I am very sorry that I was so rude to you, I just - Lady Goodwin confused me for someone else and told me a great deal of gossip that involved me, and it upset me."

Giles turned from the window and gave an understanding smile. "And it was about me as well?"

Kitty looked at the floor. "Yes."

"I am sorry for that..."

"No that does not bother me, well it does, but I am not going to let it annoy me. After all what are we doing that is wrong? I enjoy your company and you I hope enjoy mine..."

"Of course I do," smiled Giles.

"Then everyone else can hang! If they all have commonplace minds it is hardly our fault! Now let us talk of pleasanter things, we should make some gossip ourselves! I could talk for example of Miss Bingley and her ever present plans to entrap a husband. She has moved, I believe, to Ash! That should keep the gossips quiet for a while, even though he tries to run out of the room whenever he sees her! What do you think of that?"

Giles took a step forward with his hand outstretched, but whatever he was going to say was forestalled.

"Kitty?" Georgiana had been allowed to be present at the rout as it was an informal celebration.

She peeked her head around the curtains and her eyes widened when she saw Giles. "I hope I am not - "

"Interrupting? Of course not!"

"It is just Annabelle wishes to speak to you!"

Annabelle looked like the proverbial cat, she could not stop smiling.

"We are to be married at the end of April. We decided to have the ceremony here in London and then we shall retire to Carlon. I wish it was possible to travel for our honeymoon but it is not possible due to the war, and Miles says he will take me to the Great Lakes in the summer."

"Have you told her yet?"

Annabelle frowned at Georgiana. "Told her what?"

"That we are going to Carlon for Easter and she is to come with us!"

"Am I?" asked Kitty, confused.

"Yes, everyone leaves town for a little while during Easter. Parliament is adjourned and everything. We shall be such a merry little party - well we should be if Lady Upton had not returned! But I expect she will feign an illness and stay in town!"

Georgiana giggled and then looked repentant. "You should not speak of her so, Belle; she is to be your new mother!"

Annabelle rolled her eyes and ignored her cousin. "Carlon is in Cambridgeshire, near Huntingdon. It is to be a family affair! "

Kitty smiled. But could she trust that Jane and Mr Bingley would use their time in London properly?

No, surely she could trust that Bingley would not be swayed from Jane if she only was mere streets away!

"Yes, Giles?"

Kitty looked up, at Annabelle's greeting, to see that Giles had approached.

"Miss Bennet..." Giles ignored Annabelle.

"Yes?"

"Your aunt has informed me that you will be out of town for Easter..."

"Yes! I was only just informed of it! Well I suppose I am at my aunt's beck and call, she can do with me as she wishes."

At that point both Annabelle and Georgiana's attention was claimed by a well wishing relation, so Giles seemed to take advantage of that, to sit beside Kitty and to take her hands.

"I wish you were not going!"

"But I understand that most people are leaving London for a short while, there are going to be hardly any parties!"

"Kitty... are we not friends?"

"Of course we are friends." Kitty was confused. A separation of less than a week was hardly of any import!

"Then can I say, as I wished to before, that I wish that your name was not being bandied about, and that I would, if I could, anything to have it cease to happen. I do not know what Lady Goodwin told you but ...it is not just my name..."

Kitty giggled. "I know that it is not! I should be flattered should I not? Or maybe I should not be since the on-dit hardly places me in a flattering light. It is all nonsense though!"

"Yes but people, do talk and it does place you in a very unflattering light...and I wish it was not so but people will judge you, even those mentioned with your name, and thus should know the truth."

"Who will judge me?" Kitty was starting to get a headache.

"Kitty, I wish you would - "

"You are not beginning to tell me what to do again are you?"

Giles fell silent, and Kitty realised her hands had still been claimed, she removed them. "Will you speak plainly?"

Giles looked away.

"Well if you cannot speak plainly then, all I can say to you is I shall see you when I return from Carlon."

Chapter Twenty-one

Kitty, I wish that I could speak to you plainly. I have no desire to remove from you your innocent view of the world. But I would warn you... No, I must not. Not yet. I know I have no right to speak to you thus, or to tell you what to do, and I have no wish to do such a thing. I only wish to protect you, a feeling that is prompted by the most noble of sources. When you return from Carlon I wish ....I must close now before I betray myself. Giles.

Kitty closed her fingers around the folded piece of paper, hidden in her reticle, as she looked intently at the passing landscape.

That morning, a young maid had nervously shuffled into her room and, hand outstretched, had bobbed a curtsey and whispered "Miss...please, if you would read this?" Then, when Kitty had taken the screwed up note, she had fled.

Kitty had received notes from gentlemen before in the past, slipped to her by the gentlemen themselves, by blushing maids or sometimes by bold maids, but this was different.

While she had spoken to Clara about what Lady Goodwin had said, she had not told her of this note. Kitty felt protective of Giles; it would hardly be very ladylike to expose his folly...and folly it was! Well at least in Kitty's opinion. It was a note designed to scare a young lady off! Though Kitty did not know what she was going to do when Giles did finally 'betray' himself. Slapping him out of this silly gothic romantic hero role was certainly a possibility.

But she was also flattered; any attention given to her in the past had been dried up by the presence of her far lovelier sisters. Or else the gentlemen themselves, of course only those brave enough to ignore Lydia in her favour, often were only playing at love.

Kitty could not tell if Giles was only playing at love; she rather thought perhaps he was, or that whatever he had persuaded himself he felt was much less than he realised, for he was playing the dramatic role again. She had a feeling this was how he had acted when he had thought himself in love with Annabelle. Kitty knew how that had ended!

She had no wish to be sitting at the theatre with Giles and herself hissing their Christian names at each other.

Why did he have to be quite so silly about it? Although Kitty was flattered she was overwhelmed; though Giles had said nothing to her directly, this note implied that he would and if he said such things to her as....! Kitty did not know how she would react, she had had little time to examine her feelings since being in London, indeed she liked it that way.

Perhaps in this case absence would make the heart realise what a fool it had been, or perhaps the note, as Lizzy often joked, would starve the love away.

Kitty returned to gazing out the carriage window, thinking of the previous night when she had finally sought her aunt's advice.

Clara had laughed when Kitty had told her of the gossip swirling about London.

"London envies, thinks well of and despises all at once a young lady who comes from nowhere to catch the interest of any attractive single gentlemen. And by attractive I am talking about the full range of possibilities - rich, handsome, good breeding...and so forth."

Clara had pulled her robe around her at that stage and walked over to stoke the fire.

"It is a rule that a young lady must marry above herself, or at least at the same level, but only if one talks of wealth and rank. Then you have done very well for yourself and for your family. However, if like me, you marry a man who is wealthier than you but not quite of your station then you are considered either mercenary or a martyr to your family's greed. "

"Or incredibly romantic..." added Kitty.

"Yes, or incredibly romantic..." Clara returned to her seat, clutching her robe to her chest. "Yes, romantic...." There was a brief moment where she almost felt herself growing sad again but she shook it away.

"And, heaven forbid, if you marry a poorer and socially inferior man, then you have married to spite your family and are incredibly selfish. Or you are considered a fool."

Kitty picked at the tasselled fringes on the chaise covering. "What about the men? Or are they, as usual, allowed to do as they like?"

"That is the irony of the whole situation. Men marrying women below them either in wealth or rank, are considered fools, or, worse, brain-addled by love."

"So in London no one can marry anyone else without criticism being levelled at you? Unless you find someone of exactly the same rank and fortune?"

"Yes, and you thought London was a sensible place."

Clara looked at her niece and wondered if this was the right time to ask whether Kitty was upset by such rumours because of what it might make the gentlemen involved think of her. And whether there was more feeling for one or the other.

Kitty knew that while Clara was serious, she did not mean that Kitty should take any of what she said seriously. It was ridiculous the gossip and the skewed perspectives and logic that occurred in such a select group of people.

Anyway Kitty was resolved not to think of it anymore, she was determined to not think of anything unpleasant while she was at Carlon for Easter. People could think what they liked.

In fact she hoped they did and they thought she was going to Carlon to win Miles away from Annabelle, or that she had set her cap at Lord Matlock and was plotting to poison Lady Matlock in her sleep, the more ridiculous the more amusing.

One of the ladies in question was fast asleep in front of her; how Lady Matlock could sleep with the rocking of the carriage Kitty did not know, it was not of a lulling nature. Annabelle was in the other carriage with Georgiana, Mrs Annseley, Bents and Lady Maltock's maid Yardsley.

Clara had her spectacles on and was perusing a recently published book of poetry that was causing a sensation in London.

Kitty leant forward and struggled with the window; she managed finally to slide it down.

"Are you unwell?" Clara looked up at her niece.

"No, I just felt like some fresh air...I did not realise it was raining though."

"Only slightly, nothing of importance."

"But the gentlemen will be wet!"

"They are of a hardy sort, they will survive," smiled Clara ,returning to her book.

Kitty, however, leant out of the window to look for the gentlemen. The three gentlemen accompanying them were riding behind the carriage.

"Should you not be riding ahead of us, my lords? To protect us!" she called out.

"Protect you from what?" asked Lord Matlock, spurring his mount to bring himself level with the carriage.

"Bandits, ruffians..."

"This is England, Miss Bennet, not the Peninsula," was the reply.

Kitty pouted.

"Do not pout at me! You are nice and warm in my carriage...."

Kitty laughed. "Well I could ride, and you could take my place?"

Lord Matlock's eyebrow rose. "Can you ride astride, Miss Bennet?"

"I can do anything." Kitty proclaimed cheekily.

"I am quite sure you can, now if I were you I would sit back and not expose yourself to this rain. I would not wish to have you faint."

Kitty looked amazed. "I may look delicate sir, but I do not faint!"

"That is not what I hear," smiled the Earl.

"I must protest at what I have reason to believe your son told you! I told him that story in good faith, I am ill used! Not to mention I am sure he told you the story all wrong, and misrepresented me shamefully!"

"I assure you my son never misrepresents, and thus am sure disclosed the story admirably. If it was at all proper, I would wish to see you further your acting, if only so I could be tutored in the art of escaping something I do not wish to do. I would like to practice it on my sister."

Kitty frowned, but gave the Earl a wink as she closed the window.

Carlon was actually a comfortable residence that had been much restored since its original construction after the earldom was created by Elizabeth I.

Miles told her and Clara, the only two guests that had never visited Carlon before, the history of the place and its surrounds and how, if they found anything uncomfortable, they should remember at least it was not his Grandfather's place.

His grandfather, Lord Rupert Mayfield, lived in the remnants of a Scottish castle, an entirely damp and inconvenient domicile, which his nephew, the current duke, had entirely abandoned to him after stigmatising it as an offensive crumbling building.

Kitty laughed at the stories of a young Miles pulling out bits of stones and being soundly told off by his grandfather for chancing the entire structure to fall around his ears.

"My grandfather loves the place though, as barren as it is; he is not a people person, unless of course he knows he can torment them that is! He loves the place so much that I know he tried to convince my cousin that the place was haunted, I saw him trying on the sheets to prove it."

Kitty smiled, "Well your cousin allowed him the house so it did work."

"Yes, but I have no ghosts here."

"If I saw one I would hit it with the bed pan...." announced Kitty loudly.

"What a pity..." Ash approached up the Great Portrait Hall. "I was so looking forward to terrifying you with my headless Baron. Has Miles been boring you with talk of his ancestors?"

"No, it has been very interesting," Kitty smiled at him.

"I hate to inform you, but none of them are actually his ancestors, all of his are such ugly brutes that he bought all of these portraits at Somerset House."

Miles rolled his eyes. "At great expense I am sure..."

"Of course, do you want cheap ancestors?"

"Is there a time when you are both serious?" asked Kitty.

"I am always serious, Miss Bennet. In fact I am very serious now, when I say that you should all come to tea which is being served at this moment."

Curled up by the fireside that night, Kitty felt curiously disinclined to do a thing. She did not wish to read, or play cards, or do any sort of needle work. She was feeling drained not only from the journey, but from her London adventure, and from what she was told that was not likely to become less tiring once they returned.

Kitty wondered when her aunt would tire of London, or tire of her, after all she would have to return to Longbourn sometime.

Perhaps with her sisters when Lizzy returned, would she return home. Kitty was not looking forward to it; she was having too much fun, even if it was tempered by the occasional incident.

In addition she had never been closer to Lydia now that distance had separated them, the letters they exchanged twice weekly were costing her father and aunt a fortune, but providing both sisters with more amusement than should occur from a crossed piece of paper.

Lydia would know how to deal with a love-sick gentlemen, or a gentlemen playing a being a love-sick gentlemen, whichever Giles was. Kitty however would still rather stick herself with a needle than ask Lydia for assistance.

"Are you thinking of anything in particular, Miss Bennet? You are gazing most intently."

Kitty looked up at her companion who had taken the other fireside chair. She could hardly speak to Ash of what she was thinking.

"I was thinking of the fire, sir."

"A topic worthy of meditation."

"Yes, how is it that a tinderbox creates it? Also what causes it in nature and why?"

Ash looked bemused. "Er..."

But he valiantly struggled with the topic, first in his attempt to find a way of not talking nonsense, and then in the attempt to make Kitty understand what he meant.

At the end of the rather involved conversation, Ash leant back in his chair and sighed. "I should have just told you it was stolen from the Gods..."

Kitty laughed.

"Is there any other topic you wish for enlightenment? Please bear in mind that I did leave Oxford! Miles however struggled there for many years..."

"Well I shall pick something that you should know? I wish you would tell me more of India, I know you have already spoken to me of it, but it was so long ago and you did not go into very much detail."

"I was afraid I would bore you."

"Well, I promise I will tell you if you start becoming a bore..."

"Very well let me think of something interesting; well once there was this elephant -"

Kitty put her hand over her mouth and yawned.

Ash responded by throwing a cushion at her.

The next two days were occupied by Easter Activities, including of course Church. The church at Carlon was a chapel of the most romantic having been built around the remains of an older church. Kitty teased Miles about his Gothic ruins and how he must have come out here to weep and rail against humanity while he felt his pursuit of Annabelle was futile.

Miles disclaimed ever doing any such thing, but Annabelle became so enamoured of the idea that he had, she almost decided to change the entire wedding plans, simply so they could be married in this church.

Annabelle had been easily distracted by the promise of a ride to much more picturesque locations, or even a ride to see where Oliver Cromwell had been born. That plan was abandoned as too much of an arduous ride, especially when Annabelle realised she had never liked the Earl of Sandwich.

Instead on Monday they (being the younger members of the party, excluding Georgiana who preferred to stay indoors and practice her music) took a gentle ride around the park.

Well it was not so gentle with Kitty having to cry off the ride once they returned near to the house. Kitty was no expert rider and was still tired from her London exertions, though while she claimed this as her excuse, she really had gained a headache from being in the saddle, trying to keep up with the other riders.

Kitty slipped in a side entrance into the small room that was being utilised as both a morning room and a secondary library. A house that had so many books there was more than one library, both Lizzy and Mary would truly be at home here!

Kitty had slipped in this way to remain unnoticed, no mean feat, after convincing her companions to continue their tour of the park. She just wanted to be alone. She did not know what had come over her but she was just so fatigued. Annabelle's prattling about London society during their ride had just reminded her of Giles' note and then Lady Goodwin's gossips and then of Clara's strictures.

She untied the laces of her bonnet, and sat down on the day chaise. She wondered whether this room was used often, she had only entered it during Miles' tour when they arrived.

The likelihood was slim, so she pulled off her boots and stockings and thus free from restraints lay down on the chaise. Her riding gown was not the most comfortable gown in which to lie down, but weighing up the for and against of going upstairs to change, the chaise won.

Sleep failed to come, however Kitty kept her eyes closed in the vain hope that it would. Instead she ran her mind over all the events of the last months, all the beautiful dresses she had seen, and worn. All the dances, how jealous her sisters would be of her, well, how jealous she hoped they would be of her. It was all so vivid before her that she almost believed herself asleep and dreaming.

She remembered sitting outside with her sisters when she was very young, at Longbourn, both Lydia and herself playing idly on the swing while they tried to overhear Jane, Lizzy and Charlotte's conversations.

Their conversation had revolved about gentlemen and kisses, they spoke in hurried whispers and under voices, Kitty could hardly remember how old they had been and whether there had even been any kisses.

She wondered what being kissed would be like. Lydia of course had been kissed, she said it was a most pleasant experience, but Miss Gould had told her the gentlemen in question had accosted Lydia and kissed her roughly and ran off. That did not sound at all pleasant.

Kitty had read enough novels to know how hers should go. Now if only her imaginings would clear enough so she could see who he would be, rather than the situation that it would happen in.

Kitty frowned; something was tickling her face and distracting her from her pleasant thoughts. She moved her head slightly and tried to remember of what she had been thinking. Whatever it was, was still there so she batted it away.

Her hand met someone else's.

Kitty's eyes flew open and she sat up, shocked, her hand still grasping the other.

Kitty blinked as Ash smiled down at her; he was not in his riding dress which indicated that some time had passed, and he was standing awfully close to the chaise. She was not sure what she should do; she was sure her hair was all in disarray not to mention she was half undressed, well at least less clothed then she should have been.

"My lord..."

Kitty stood up and realised that this, while mitigating the height difference somewhat, might not have been the most intelligent move.

She dropped her hand from his, which had moved to pinch her chin, while he smiled down at her.

Kitty expected him to drop his hand and then tease her for being surprised in such a fashion, but he did not. Instead he somehow managed to close even the small gap between them and draw her face towards his. Kitty's eyes widened as she took a deep breath.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Rental and account book for the Netherfield estate, Hertfordshire; 1800-1811
Cash account (receipts and payments) 30 June-29 Aug. 1811; account of arrears of rent at Michaelmas 1810; annual rental account of the Netherfield estate ;account of Land Tax allowed the tenants at the audit held on 30 June 1811; account of land tax, poor rates, church rates, tithes, window tax etc. paid; accounts of bills paid tradesmen and workmen for material and repairs at Netherfield, and on the stable, farm and house accounts; account of payments for materials and wages in the gardens; account of servants' wages and board; account of arrears of rent at Lady Day 1810; general statement of account of Mr Morris for the Netherfield estate, Lady Day 1811. ¹

In a second the moment was gone, because the door opened and Clara walked in carrying a pile of ledgers and papers.

Kitty saw that her aunt almost lost her grip on the papers, but what she could have seen Kitty did not know, considering it was with almost superhuman speed that Ash had managed to place himself some feet away behind a chair.

He looked embarrassed which confused Kitty. Perhaps he had made a mistake? Or had she misread the situation?

"My lord, I thought we had an arrangement for you to examine my accounts?"

Clara was torn between laughing at the expression on Ash's face and feeling indignant on behalf of her niece.

"Of course, Mrs Sutton, I have not forgotten. I am most ready to serve you in that respect." Ash sounded stilted and not at all himself.

Kitty looked between her aunt and Ash and realised that neither of them were going to mention what had just happened. Which was strange to Kitty, did that mean it had not happened?

Kitty was used to situations like this, well not situations like this, but situations where she was doing something she perhaps should not have. However her sisters tended not to ignore it; instead they would, depending on what age they had been, pull her hair and snatch their possessions back, or simply snatch their possessions back. If it was Lizzy biting words would occur, moralising if it was Mary, and if it was Lydia...hair pulling was still an option.

If they were going to ignore it, then so would she. "Are you going to help my aunt?"

"I am, Miss Bennet."

Kitty looked slyly towards her aunt, but Clara waved a hand at her as she deposited the papers onto a small table in the corner of the room.

"Yes, Kitty, I am quite able to check these accounts myself, but a second pair of eyes and opinion is always a good option. In business and in fashion."

Kitty pouted. "How did you know what I was going to say?"

Clara simply smiled and sat down at the table. "Well, my lord?"

Ash gracefully sat down next to Clara and seemed to grimace at the organisation or lack thereof of the papers.

"Are you tired, Kitty?"

"No, aunt, I'm very well rested."

"I am glad to hear it." Clara turned back to the papers.

Kitty walked towards the table and sat down on the other side of her aunt.

She pulled a piece of paper towards her. "So what do all these numbers mean?"

Kitty pulled on her dress for dinner and wondered why she had not received a visit from her aunt.

Leaving the small study, after struggling and giggling over the account books, she had expected her aunt to follow her, chiding her for her state of undress or her actions.

Or more probably both.

But Clara had remained behind and showed no sign of coming to speak to Kitty before dinner.

Did this mean her aunt thought nothing of what had occurred and therefore it was nothing?

Kitty was confused. First the letter from Giles which may or may not mean anything, and then this which may or may not mean anything.

Kitty was almost certain that both did mean something, because well she was neither stupid nor blind, but there was an element of doubt.

When she had been fourteen, a young man had come to Meryton to take a position with her Uncle Phillips. He had been tall, slim and beautiful. Of course all the girls, of an age, had fallen in love with him (well apart from Mary who found him lacking in studious qualities). Better yet, Lydia had only been twelve and still at that point found climbing trees and playing with the local tenant children of more interest than young gentlemen who did neither.

Kitty had convinced herself that Mr Marshall's actions towards her betook his undying love, repressed of course, as he was a gentlemen, so it could not be outwardly spoken. But he spoke so kindly to her and every time he saw her in the village he would offer to carry her parcels. He asked her questions about Longbourn and would tell her she was very pretty.

Kitty at this stage was not out in a formal sense and did not go to many of the nightly activities of the town, but Lizzy and Jane would talk of him when they returned, Lizzy especially would tell her every little detail, Kitty hung on every word. In retrospect Kitty should have realised, but it had been a shock when she walked into Meryton, taking the longer route to prevent the muddy short cut spoiling her dress, and saw on the village's outskirts her sister and Mr Marshall.

The way Lizzy looked at him and the way he looked at her; Kitty had felt her heart break.

Kitty was not sure she wished to make a similar mistake, even if she was three years older than she had been then. Of course she didn't feel the same way about either of the two gentlemen than as she had about Mr Marshall.

At dinner Kitty was sure.

She was sure she was right not to jump to conclusions and push everything to one side.

She was also sure that no one else at the table was feeling at all awkward. Except for her.

So she suppressed those feelings and refused to be silent at the table.

The eight of them had sat down at the greatly reduced table for normally it could be used for large, important dinners.

Mrs Annesley had been invited to dinner, but she had preferred to dine with Yardsley and Bents, as Mrs Yardsley was a cousin of hers. Thus it was an informal party with no attention paid to precedence in the seating arrangement.

Kitty sat between Georgiana and Miles, the latter only having eyes for his bride-to-be who was directly opposite him. Georgiana, however, was bubbling away about a recent letter from her brother.

It was surprising to see Georgiana thus. When in the bosom of her family and closest friends, her shyness melted away; she was still reserved in comparison to other young ladies but it was not painful for her to talk.

"Fitzwilliam writes to me that he may have a surprise for me when he returns to London? What could it be, Kitty?"

"I have no idea," Kitty replied, wishing that she was not sitting opposite a certain gentlemen who was making her resolve to act naturally weaken.

"If it was a gift he had brought in the North he surely would have given it to me when he was in London, would he not have?"

"That would be the sensible thing to do."

"But what is there to buy in Kent? And he already has given me so many presents and..."

"Perhaps it is not a surprise in the sense that you are thinking, it may not be a present," interrupted Ash from the other side of the table.

"A surprise that is not a gift? What else could a brother surprise a sister with, sir?" replied Kitty.

"Frogs in her bed?" was the response.

Annabelle who was seated on her brother's left, glared at her brother, then her gaze softened. "No, that was not you was it? It was Ricky!"

Ash placed his fork on his plate. "I'm afraid though that I told him to do it."

Annabelle snorted. "Yes, but we aren't talking about my abominable brothers, we are talking about Darcy. He would not do such a thing, and even if he did, he would not be stupid enough to announce it in a letter before hand."

Georgiana giggled. "No, I do not think Fitzwilliam would put frogs in my bed!"

Clara smiled at Lord Matlock at the head of the table closest to her, "Is this how you raised your children? To terrorise their sisters?"

Lord Matlock sipped his wine. "Of course, I terrorised mine, except for Catherine; no one could terrorise her!"

"Lady Catherine!" exclaimed Kitty, causing everyone to look at her. Kitty blushed. The mention of Lady Catherine had reminded her of a letter she had received from Lydia where Wickham had told Lizzy and herself that Anne de Bourgh was to marry Mr Darcy. But perhaps she should not say so, considering how trusted a source Wickham was!

"I was just thinking aloud." She clarified.

"Well continue thinking aloud!" rallied Lady Matlock. "I do wish to know what you were thinking! I shall never get to bed if I cannot think of what this surprise is!"

Georgiana at this point looked quite red, she had only meant for it to be a topic of conversation between Kitty and herself! She was sure her brother had meant it only for her ears!

"Aunt, I do not think my brother would - "

"Oh nonsense, your brother is a great deal too proud and private for his own good, we are his family! We are entitled to know his nearest concerns - and - oh dear I just sounded like Catherine..." trailed off Lady Matlock, laughing.

"Well, Miss Bennet?" asked Miles turning to face her, "what is your opinion?"

Kitty ate a bit of the buttered crab before answering. "I wish I had not said anything, but perhaps it is a surprise in the form of a new sister...that would be a surprise that is not a present in the usual sense."

Miles choked on his wine and exchanged a speaking look with Ash, who had very carefully placed his glass back on the table.

"A sister? But who in Kent is there for him to propose to?"

Georgiana's eyes had widened. "Please let it be someone from Kent if it is so!"

"Well there is your cousin," remarked Kitty.

Lord Matlock rolled his eyes. "Ah Anne, yes my beloved sisters' only wish, that their son and daughter be united. I think that perhaps Catherine has forgotten what Anne, my sister Anne that is, would have truly wanted."

"Which was?" asked Clara.

"For both her son and niece to be happy...and I doubt my nephew and niece would be happily married."

"Then perhaps there is your sister, Miss Bennet, she is at Hunsford at present..." smiled Ash.

It was Kitty's turn to cough, she had seen just before leaving London another of her sister's letters which condemned Mr Darcy so very roundly...

"Lizzy?" she managed to squeak. "I do not think Mr Darcy would find her ....she is not ...no."

"No?" asked Miles laughingly. "Perhaps you do not understand what gentlemen like in ladies..."

Kitty blushed and fixed her eye on her plate.

"Yes, but that is not a weakness of only ladies, like Miss Bennet; I for one have no idea what you see in my sister."

This earned Ash a slap on the arm from his sister but a laughing salutation with a wine glass from his soon to be brother.

Kitty brushed her hair that night and plaited it before getting into bed. They would be returning to London tomorrow night. She hoped she would be able to either forget about what had almost happened or at least be able to clarify...

Secondly she hoped that Giles had forgotten all about his letter, and she would find him when she returned completely back to normal.

There was a knock on her door. Georgiana's head peeped around the corner.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course."

Georgiana shivered in the cold air and took the opportunity to huddle under the covers with Kitty.

"You did not mean it when you said my brother's surprise may be a sister?"

"No, well..." Kitty paused. "Wickham told Lydia and Lizzy that your brother was expected to marry his cousin Anne de Bourgh...."

Georgiana shivered again but not because of the cold. "Well that was not a lie, but he is only expected to marry Anne by my aunt!"

"Well then I doubt he will be proposing..."

"Yes but - I did not..." Georgiana looked confused. "Do you not remember ages ago you asked about my brother and his letters?"

"Yes." Now it was Kitty's turn to be confused.

"Well I did not want to, but now - I think my brother does like your sister. You spoke teasingly of it before, but I think that it is true."

Kitty snorted. "Oh dear."

"Oh dear? We could be sisters!"

"That would require Lizzy to accept him, and I am afraid she does not have a good opinion of him at all..."

"Well we shall have to help her see that - for I should dearly love you as a sister..."

"Lizzy will have to persuade herself I am afraid...it would be no good to convince her because she never believes anyone but herself!"

Georgiana pouted.

Kitty put her arm around Georgiana and squeezed. "Do not worry. We do not have to be real sisters to be sisters."

"If it is not Lizzy, though..." Georgiana paused. "Who could it be? Miss Bingley is the only other option and I do not wish to be rude but ....I hope that it is not!"

"Georgie, I am quite sure that when Mr Darcy returns it will be with an overly expensive case of sheet music and you will laugh at how silly we have all been."

"You are right. But I do hope he does not like your sister, if she does not like him...but then how could anyone not like Fitzwilliam? He is so good and kind and... but he would not propose if he did not know, without a doubt, the young lady's feelings... no man would even if they were a scoundrel!"

With that Georgiana gave Kitty a quick kiss on the cheek and scrambled off to her own room.

It left Kitty with much to think about. Did that mean if she wanted a man to propose to her she had to be obvious in her feelings? But that would leave her open to embarrassment if the man she thought had feelings for her did not...

Kitty pulled the sheets over her head and wished fervently she could wake up and everything be solved.

The next day Kitty found no opportunity to be alone with either her aunt or Ash. None.

Everyone else she managed to see on their own and be dragged into all sorts of useless conversations with, but the two people she did wish to talk to ....

It made her quite cross, though she could always corner Clara when they returned to London.

But the gentleman. She was most seriously displeased. How could he just not speak to her?

1. Names and Dates changed from the Duke of Portland's Estate Papers

back to story

Chapter Twenty-Three

As per your instructions, I have sought clarification from Mr Bingley. I wrote to him to inform him that my client had received worrying information about his intentions regarding Netherfield. I also expressed to him that both our concerns were that Netherfield has languished without a permanent resident, something that my client could not achieve, and had assumed that he as a single man of large fortune would be in want of a wife and thus settle the matter. To the contrary of rumours circulating amongst his acquaintance and Hertfordshire, Mr Bingley visited me promptly, instead of writing, to impart his desire to remain at Netherfield for at least the remainder of his lease. So I hope that lessens your concerns, though I believe your concerns are less monetary based. My brother-in-law's brother is Mr Bingley's solicitor, which as you know is how Mr Bingley discovered Netherfield. Mr Barron has told us that his client's sisters are all in uproar over the inappropriateness of a young lady from Hertfordshire, whom Mr Bingley intends to make his wife. Sincerely, your servant, Mr Morris. P.S If this marriage should eventuate I think it would not be long before you needed to find a new tenant!

Clara refolded Mr Morris' letter and smiled.

She looked over at her niece who had a wan expression on her face.

"Are you feeling quite well, Kitty?"

"No."

"Would it be best if you did not come with me today?"

"No."

"You are contradictory today, or perhaps it should be 'in agreement' since you have said the same word. What is the matter?"

"I - " Kitty paused, and took a deep breath before continuing. "You have not said anything to me of what happened at Carlon."

Clara raised her eyebrow. "I was not aware anything did happen at Carlon; did I miss some excitement? I wish you had told me of it sooner!"

"I was referring to what - what happened - what may have happened between - " Kitty's voice failed her.

Clara took pity on her niece. "If you are referring to an interlude I interrupted, I would not refine too much upon it, at least with me. I will not, firstly, because I know that you understand that anywhere else, and indeed if it had been anyone else but me, it would have been a scandal. Secondly, I know that you are not blind, or stupid. I am sure you know what occurred and what it means. But more importantly, lastly, because I know you, and I know that my advice at the moment would only confuse you further."

Kitty closed her mouth which she had opened to retort. The one thing she disliked was when people were so detestably right all the time!

Kitty pushed her plate away from her. Why did things have to be difficult? Should she sit down, think of nothing else, and write little lists to help her? They were not doing any such things and she was sure they probably delighted in tormenting her.

Well she was only a woman, in these matters it did not signify what she wanted! Of course she had the opportunity of declining, or accepting but apart from that! And if her father, or more likely he at her mother's behest, decided to contradict her response, she had no say in that either.

So they could bother with the messy thinking part of it. Kitty was going to go shopping and buy a bonnet.

Jane fingered the delicate lace. "It is very lovely and not at all dear, though this place is crowded, Kitty."

Kitty squeaked as a matron of indiscernible age jostled her with a sharp elbow to the ribs. "Well, it is a place for bargains!"

Jane managed to serenely part the women clambering for service as they made for the street, after they had made their purchases.

Clara's footman's eye's widened when he noticed the array of packages about to be handed into his care. He wondered how he was supposed to walk protectively behind the two young ladies if he could hardly see for paper.

Kitty looked apprehensively at the servant and tried to keep a couple of parcels for them to carry but had them forcefully removed.

They strolled arm in arm, along Bond Street towards Oxford Street, and Clara's home in Cavendish Square.

"So, " started Kitty, trying to sound innocent and nonchalant.

"Are you going to ask me about Mr Bingley?"

"Of course not. I was going to point out that nice hat."

"Kitty, I have known you all your life."

"Fine, I was going to ask about Mr Bingley. After all you are desperately in love with him."

Kitty shot a look at her sister to see how she took the teasing, Jane smiled and tried to hide it.

"I knew it! Did he propose?"

"Oh no, but, Kitty," Jane tightened her hold on Kitty's arm, "we spent almost every day together, he was very attentive and ... no, I must not get ahead of myself, I wish to make sure it lasts."

"Be careful Jane..."

"You do not think me in danger?"

"Yes, I think you very much in danger that you will find yourself trapped in a closet, while Mr Bingley proposes because he could find no other way."

Jane looked shocked. "Kitty! I..."

"Though I expect you would refuse him because if he did that you would think him deranged."

Jane giggled. "I am sure Mr Bingley is much more of a gentlemen than that...but I have been trying to make him aware that I am not adverse to him. I sometimes think perhaps Charlotte was right in saying perhaps he did not see my heart. I know that to others, I may seem very reserved."

Kitty stopped walking. "What have you been doing, Jane?" Her mind boggled at what Jane would do, that Jane would think was 'obvious' yet still within the bounds of proprietary.

Kitty was still attempting to work out what exactly Jane had been doing to be obvious when she was alighting from the carriage to attend Mrs Aylward's drum.

"Mind your dress!" called Clara as she adjusted her gold turban. "That Grecian Border, around the bottom will lose all its startling good looks if streaked with mud. Oh, listen to me! I sound like one of those magazines. It is all your fault, I have not opened one of those magazines in years and then you - "

Kitty smiled and shook her head at Clara.

It was a wet night, so they had to hold their dresses up high as they made their way into the townhouse.

"How pretty you look, Miss Bennet," smiled Mrs Aylward as she greeted them at the door.

Kitty curtseyed and smiled before thanking her hostess.

Leaving her aunt to properly greet the matronly ladies swarming around the entrance, Kitty gave them all a smile and a curtsey and moved further into the rooms.

She was looking for one person in particular; however she was stopped in her search by the arrival of Lord Ffourkes.

"Miss Bennet you look delightful this evening. I am the man of the hour managing to steal a march on them!"

Lord Ffourkes managed to part the crowds forming and find a deserted sofa. Kitty always found it miraculous that gentlemen could do that, just manage to find an empty sofa, to impress a young lady with.

It was not long before Mr Soperton descended upon them begging to be allowed to bring Kitty a glass of some refreshment.

Kitty tried to smile at both gentlemen, indeed she was very flattered, and if it had been under any other circumstance she would have been very happy to listen to their outrageous compliments.

It took her some moments to be able to be heard in their loud and jovial conversation that had drawn in some nearby bucks.

"Lord Ffourkes, do excuse me, but have you see Lord Ashbourne? I have something particular I must speak to him about and it would not do to forget it."

Lord Ffourkes smiled, and looked at several other of the gentlemen in a knowing way, which infuriated Kitty. She mentally noted next time she was dancing with Lord Ffourkes to tell him what she thought of people who believed such gossip.

Not that perhaps it was gossip. Was it gossip if it was true? Was it even true? Something was pushing away at her trying to tell her something but Kitty had a feeling she didn't want to listen.

"Miss Bennet? I was just saying I believe Lord Ashbourne to be spending the night at Watiers. Indeed I saw him there before coming here, I do not think he will be leaving the table before....dawn!"

Kitty tried not to grimace. "Oh well, I do hope I do not forget what I was meant to tell him. If I do it will be entirely his fault!"

"You speak a lot of Lord Ashbourne, Miss Bennet," smiled Mr Gilmore as he returned to Kitty with a drink.

"Do I? Are you sure? I hope I do not."

"Why, Miss Bennet? He is a fascinating subject."

Kitty looked at Mr Gilmore astonished. "I do not find him so."

"Well then why do you speak of him so often?"

"Well perhaps this evening, I speak of him because I am annoyed at him."

Mr Gilmore smiled. "But you speak of him often elsewhere, when I took you for a drive in the park, you could speak of little else. If your intention was to awake in my breast a feeling of jealously...I am afraid - "

Kitty almost glared at Mr Gilmore's smirk, but gestured him to go on.

"It did not work."

"Well since it was not my intention to awake any feelings in your - breast - sir, and certainly not my intention to talk often of any one particular gentlemen - "

"Really? It has been quite the tale around town. If you did not mean to awake any feelings, if not in me, or if you did not mean it to awake such feelings in anybody, then Lord Ashbourne must have some sway over you to make you talk of all his exploits in such a glowing fashion? Even my tiger, Luke, has commented upon it to me!"

Kitty took a sip of her drink and tried not to look bewildered. Was Mr Gilmore teasing her? Or did she speak too much of Ash?

No, she was sure she did not, or if she did it was only because she often was in his company being friends with his cousin and being much in the company of his mother.

"You, sir, are being quite ridiculous."

"Ah, so Lord Ashbourne is compelling you to make him look good."

"I do not believe he needs me to make himself look good, Mr Gilmore. He is a man who stands on his own merits. Are you perhaps jealous?"

"Of what pray, Miss Bennet? What startling qualities does he have that I do not?"

"Now you are asking for trouble!"

Mr Gilmore smiled and allowed Kitty at that point to turn away to speak to Sir Louis.

Towards the middle of the evening, Kitty finally spotted Giles. He had called the day they returned from London but Kitty happened to be upon the stairs and managed to signal to the footman to deny her and Clara.

It would be much safer to meet him in company.

"Mr Fancot, it is very good to see you."

Giles grasped Kitty's hand and kissed it.

Kitty wondered if this was a good sign or a bad one.

Most of the party had moved off to listen to the young ladies exhibiting their musical skill.

"Come and sit with me, Kitty; we shall sit here at the back, so we shall not appear rude."

Kitty followed him and sat down, the view of the musicians was obscured but the music was still audible. She could see, however, Mr Bingley and another gentlemen urging Jane to sing them a song. Kitty smiled. Mr Bingley and Jane had acted as if they were joined together the whole evening and the one time she had approached them, Mr Bingley had almost forgotten her name!

"Kitty?"

Kitty turned to her companion. "Oh I was just thinking about my sister!"

"Yes, Mr Bingley and she make a fine couple."

"Yes they do... Giles?"

"Yes?"

"Do I speak too often of Lord Ashbourne?"

"Lord Ashbourne?" Giles looked momentarily taken back. "No I don't believe I have noticed you speak of him ...a great deal ...no...why do you ask?"

Kitty rolled her eyes. "No reason, Mr Gilmore was funning with me earlier."

"No, Kitty, any rumour that has surfaced in that respect has not been fuelled by you! Your behaviour is exemplary."

Kitty giggled. "I do not think so! You were not at the Opera."

Giles looked slightly stiff. "I did hear..."

Kitty raised her eyebrows. "Gracious, is that considered something interesting to pass around to one's acquaintance?" Then she sighed, "No of course it is, I would have spoken of it!"

"But you were not to blame, others hold culpability!"

"No one does! Nothing that was wrong was done!"

"No, of course not."

Giles looked flustered and Kitty was sure she also looked as she had when she had gotten into her mother's rouge.

Giles stood up and walked into the next room and over to a window, he pulled aside the curtain and tried to open the window. He struggled pathetically with it until Kitty joined him.

"Some sort of man I am! I cannot even open a window!"

Giles laughed, but when he turned to her, Kitty realised that they were all alone together hidden from the rest of the party.

"Kitty - "

Kitty tried not to wince. Was this it? What was one supposed to say to their first marriage proposal? How was one supposed to react?

"I - "

Marriage proposals - if this was what it was - did not seem to be very coherent.

"I - " Giles stopped and started again for the fourth time.

"Kitty, I - you cannot be unaware, my note that I - "

There was a laboured pause. "Oh hell."

Giles lunged at her and kissed her.

Kitty gave a gasp of surprise, which made the situation become more complicated then she would have imagined.

This was not exactly how she expected her first kiss to eventuate! She had expected more - she did not know exactly what she had expected in terms of the kiss! She had dreamt on how it would come about, but not what it would feel like. Why had nobody told her?

Giles' fingers became entangled in her hair and her hands had flown up to rest on his chest.

And thus as it appeared quite easily done, Kitty found herself kissing Giles back.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Do not be alarmed, Madam, there is no ill intent in this missive. I hope I did not offend you last night with my teasing. It would be the last thing I meant for the world. You appeared pale last night soon after the young ladies exhibited their prowess at the various instruments of music. I noticed you did not display your talent, which I am sure you possess. I hope that your illness, whatever the cause, swiftly passes. Sincerely yours, Charles Gilmore.

"My word, you are popular," remarked Clara as Kitty put down the fourth bouquet of flowers she had received that morning.

Kitty placed Mr Gilmore's flowers with Sir Louis' flowers which were sitting with Lord Ffourkes' flowers. Each gentleman had been concerned about her 'health' which apparently had appeared to rapidly wilt away after the young ladies finished their impromptu musical performance.

The last bouquet of flowers, from Giles, was effusive in its apologies for taking liberties but also with its hints of pleasure and disappointment from being interrupted, which they had been.

No one had seen them, but it had been a near run thing.

Kitty had very soon after discovered she had the headache and had begged to be taken home.

"Kitty?"

"Oh yes, aunt, I'm very popular."

"You seem put out, nonetheless."

"No, of course I am not put out!"

Clara silently added to herself, "Of course you aren't, you silly girl, you just look as though you have eaten lemons!"

Kitty had had a very sleepless night; she was almost positively sure, no in fact she was sure that one was supposed to feel elated after one's first kiss, not slightly disappointed and vaguely sick.

Kitty was regretting her decision to kiss Giles; it was a spur of the moment decision based more on the fact that someone wished to kiss her than on who that someone was. It was a kiss based on friendship; Giles was such a good friend, and she did not want to lose his friendship. It could be more than friendship, Kitty knew, but that was not what she had been thinking at the time!

She hoped that Giles had taken it in the spirit in which it was meant. His note was ambiguous.

"Perhaps you should take your flowers upstairs?"

Clara had spent most of the morning watching her niece stare off into nothingness. From her pale complexion it looked as though she had spent most of the night doing it as well. Clara was very close to ordering from Kitty an explanation.

Kitty was saved from this fate by the entrance of a footman. "Lady Annabelle Fitzwilliam and Lord Ashbourne, ma'am."

"Ah, we missed you last night," smiled Clara.

"Well, my mother was feeling unwell; she is much better now and sends her regards! As for my brother's excuse..."

Ash bowed and took Clara's nodded offer of a seat. "I am afraid I was much occupied elsewhere."

"Losing a great deal of money?" commented Kitty, who tried to look as though she was focused on playing with her flowers.

Ash smiled. "No."

"Oh so you were not at Watiers?"

"No, I was; I just did not lose a great deal of money."

Kitty glared at him, but only got an amused smile in response.

Clara drew Annabelle into a conversation about her wedding plans knowing that the young girl could speak of little else, hoping that the other two occupants of the room would take the opportunity to speak. Clara was not above leaving them alone together but she was well aware of how that would look, even with the only other witness being Annabelle.

Kitty sat down on the chaise closest to the window and picked up some embroidery that she had been working on since Easter.

"I see that your tree is coming along nicely."

Kitty gave Ash a puzzled look and then realised he was talking of the apple tree she was currently creating.

"Not as quickly as I would like, but I lack the talent."

"I would say you lack the perseverance, and you have many other things to that better occupy your time."

Kitty rolled her eyes.

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

"Me, flatter?"

Ash's look of studied innocence was too ridiculous and Kitty burst out giggling.

Perhaps she was making too much of what happened at Carlon, and of what happened at Mrs Aylward's party.

Neither gentleman it appeared would refine upon it; well, Ash did not and he was the model of gentlemanly behaviour.

Clara could have kicked Annabelle when only twenty minutes later she announced her desire to go for a ride in the park.

Clara had been keeping one eye on the promising conversation that was happening on the other side of the room. There were bowed heads and muted laughter, all very promising signs!

However, while the understanding between the two did not seem to be broken by Annabelle's interruption the private conversation surely was.

Clara did not have anything to worry about; Kitty and Ash's conversation had not touched on any private topics by the design of both parties.

"Mrs Sutton, my mother is calling for us in a short while, perhaps you could take our seats in her carriage, and we could call for our horses."

Clara nodded her assent. "I'm sure that would be lovely Annabelle."

"Yes, I do wish to hear all the gossip about what happened last night!"

"You always wish to hear about the gossip," retorted her brother. "Why," he lamented, "can you not believe that because you were not there, that nothing interesting could possibly occur?"

"Is that what you believe, my lord?" remarked Kitty.

Ash smiled. Kitty had not noticed how particularly wicked he could look when he smiled. "Of course."

"I hate to contradict you."

"Well then don't, Miss Bennet, let me labour under my delusions."

"Very well, now if we are to go riding, I must go change."

Hyde Park was just filling up with all the fashionable personages of the ton. Kitty was wearing her blue riding dress and felt so confident sitting atop Cleopatra.

She had never seen herself ever being confident, not in these situations. She was completely comfortable with herself and with her companions.

Well almost. There was still a couple of issues to be cleared up, which Kitty would rather she did not have to think about. She was not Lydia; to fall in love easily and quickly and fall out of it just as quickly and easily was not her style. Neither was it her style to make men flirt and fall for her, and not care about their predicament.

She was also not as direct and as forceful as her sister, Lizzy, who would not let such a situation arise. She was sure that if it had or did come to it, Lizzy would tell Mr Darcy very clearly what she thought of him.

But it was not in Kitty, or at least she very much hoped she would not have to. Perhaps she would not have to, and perhaps Giles, as his letter indicated, would treat it as an occurrence and nothing more.

After all, they had had no time to talk.

Kitty blushed as she wondered how that conversation would go, how would she respond?

"Are you hot, Miss Bennet?"

Startled, Kitty almost dropped her reins.

"No, I am feeling very well."

"Forgive me, but you do not look it."

Kitty smiled at Ash's concern but shook her head. "I am fine. I promise."

At that point Ash's attention was claimed by Mrs Gresham who exhibited amazing horsewomanship by almost colliding with him. Of course after such a display it would have hardly been gentlemanly for Ash not to slow down to speak to her, even if everyone realised it was only a ploy.

Kitty was not left without a male escort for very long; Mr Gilmore pulled up his phaeton besides hers. It was not a smooth stop as his tiger, Luke, almost went flying.

Kitty giggled at the tiger's face as he swore profusely and fluently at his master.

Mr Gilmore, however, looked serenely unrepentant about it, merely remarking it was unlikely that he would ever join the Four in Hand Club.

"Miss Bennet, I do hope you enjoyed your flowers?"

"Yes, they were by far the most beautiful."

Mr Gilmore smiled. "Well I do have excellent taste."

"Miss Bennet, I overheard your comment and must protest that my bouquet was by far in better taste and more beautiful!"

Kitty turned her head to see the arrival of not only the indignant Lord Ffourkes, but Sir Louis Peppertree and Giles.

"Yours, my lord, were the most elegant, Sir Louis's were the most suited and Mr Fancot's were the most diverse."

"I am afraid, Miss Bennet, that we shall not let you get off so lightly, I demand you tell us now who the best bouquet giver is." Sir Louis on his dappled bay, tried to look and sound imperious

Kitty giggled. "I am afraid I shall have to answer none of you."

"Oh, do not say 'my father' or something equally as coquettish as that!" exclaimed Mr Gilmore.

"Oh no, I would never do that, but I have to say Lord Ashbourne."

Mr Gilmore gave Kitty a sly smile which she ignored.

"And what did he do?" asked Sir Louis curiously.

"I would have to say the note. It made me laugh."

At that point, Mr Gilmore's tiger curtly pointed out that his horses were becoming restless. Mr Gilmore looked sheepish and took his leave.

Giles snorted at Mr Gilmore's erratic progress. "Why he persists....I do not know."

Kitty giggled. "Yes, but Lord Ashbourne says he makes everyone else look good."

The gentlemen laughed, though Giles seemed more subdued then the others.

"That is very true, Miss Bennet," replied Lord Ffourkes.

It was difficult to ride four abreast, so Sir Louis and Giles fell behind, though Kitty made every effort to turn her head and engage them in conversation as much as possible.

"So Miss Bennet, much has been made of country girls when they come to town, what is your opinion on the subject?"

"Should I have an opinion on the subject?" Kitty raised one eye brow at Lord Ffourkes.

Lord Ffourkes laughed. "Well I can see who you have been taking lessons from!"

Kitty giggled and gave his lordship a quizzical look, "and who do you mean?"

"Lord Ashbourne of course."

"I would never take lessons! I am very proficient all by myself."

"Of course you are."

At this point Sir Louis managed to manoeuvre up beside Kitty and Lord Ffourkes was obliged to be gentlemanly and keep Giles company.

Sir Louis asked her very kindly if she was feeling better and Kitty told him that she was and how Ash had convinced her to come out riding.

"Very solicitous of your health," was his reply.

"Oh yes."

"I heard you scold Ffourkes for asking you a similar question, but you must tell me how the country compares to town."

"You must have a country seat!"

"Yes, I do. But I hardly spend any time there. I could hardly be able to compare living in town to the country!"

"And I should be able to compare seventeen years in the country to several months here in London?"

Sir Louis shrugged.

"Very well, I hate to disappoint you but society is very similar in country and in town. The events of course are different, but the way people interact and the kinds of people...."

Kitty paused as she thought. "Though there is better fashion in town. I have never seen a more well dressed man than Mr Brummel. Though I suppose Lord Ashbourne comes close, but he confesses he studies too much at it. Which Mr Brummel must do also so - "

"He confessed this to you?" Sir Louis looked astounded.

"Yes?"

Sir Louis shook his head. "No matter, so you are as happy in the country as you are in town, Miss Bennet."

"I would not say that. Town does have distinct advantages over the country."

"I believe I can guess what those are."

Kitty smiled, thinking of her four sisters and her mother, and how happy she was that not all of them were in town. Jane had clearly made her choice and was so ...so...Jane that she hardly counted in that respect.

A while later, Lord Ffourkes and Sir Louis were claimed by their respective families.

Kitty turned to Giles and smiled. He had been very silent.

"Thank you for your flowers."

Giles nodded.

"Ash commented on how much effort you must have gone to, to collect them all..."

"Well, you - " Giles paused and just looked away.

Kitty looked at him briefly with a puzzled look before her attention was claimed by Cleopatra. "I? You should not leave me in suspense. It is most unfair of you! In fact I think it is the trait of males to do such things. Can you believe that this morning Ash told me about the campaign on the Peninsular and then stopped! Stopped! So frustrating."

Kitty turned to look at Giles, who had suddenly stopped his horse. He had the strangest look on his face.

"Giles?"

"Is it too much to hope, Kitty, that when you are with Lord Ashbourne that all you talk of is me? After all, it was I who kissed you last night."

He turned to look at her directly and Kitty choked back tears which threatened, as she heard his strangled, hurt and bitter tone which matched the look in his eyes.

Kitty blindly whipped Cleopatra into action and rode across the park towards Lady Matlock's carriage.

Giles swore under his breath.

"I thought, Fancot, the object with young ladies was to keep them by your side, not send them careening off to the other side of the park, as fast as their horse will take them from you."

Giles tensed and moved to acknowledge Ash's presence.

"My lord." Giles made his bow and made to leave.

"A minute, Fancot, I am just now going to Manton's. If you would accompany me?"

"I am not in the mood for shooting," replied Giles, not telling the complete truth.

"It was not a request, Fancot."

Continued in the next section