Beginning, Previous Section, Section VI, Next Section
Mama claims her nerves prevent her from writing, and since Lydia declared her refusal to assist Mama on the grounds that there was nothing really preventing Mama from writing, and that she had already written one letter this week, it falls to me.
I may assure you, Papa, that all runs smoothly here at Longbourn, nothing has occurred to upset out quiet spirituality, though Lydia does her best! Mama merely wishes to ensure that you will write of any eventuality.
From this I gather she means any suitable attachment my sisters have made, she finds it surprising that Kitty can spend five months from home without discovering a young man; even more that Jane and Lizzy can spend six weeks from home without such. After all, Mama bemoans, how can six weeks in the company of Mr Bingley bring naught? Although she bids me to write that Lizzy who no doubt has the talent of attraction mixed with the ingratitude of refusal, surely must see it her duty to find a husband, one much better than Mr Collins and she would expect you to write to her of a refusal, so she may know whether Lizzy is to remain her daughter or not.
It pains me to write such words, but I promised to write faithfully to you all that she said. Her belief that she is being excluded chiefly lies with Lydia's laughing whenever she mentions young men and London. I suggested Mama simply read Kitty's letters but apparently this is too much effort for Mama....
Jane showed the letter Mary had sent to their father, to Clara who cleared her throat in annoyance that Mr Bennet had forgotten this correspondence that morning. Clara would have to speak to the footmen to impress upon them the notion that as mistress of the house she must know all particulars that happened under her roof.
"Do you think Kitty has written of anything to Lydia?" said Jane in a hushed voice.
"Well I should hope she has, otherwise it's an expensive exercise to be sending blank pieces of paper across the countryside!"
"Aunt, you know what I meant."
"Yes I do, Jane, and I am not convinced that Kitty would write anything of that nature to her sister, but it is entirely possible she betrayed herself without intending to do so."
Jane smiled. Even she had caught herself writing far too much about Mr Bingley when she had only meant to briefly mention his name.
Clara re-read the pertinent parts of Mary's letter and returned it to Jane, "Have you shown Elizabeth? She has just finished speaking to Lady Matlock."
Jane took the letter to her sister, and Clara watched as two high spots of colour crept into Elizabeth's cheeks as she no doubt read the part directed at her. Clara mused at this further proof that her surmise of what happened at Hunsford was correct.
Clara turned to observe Kitty, Georgiana and Annabelle giggling in a corner, before Kitty stood up and went to speak to her aunt Gardiner.
"Well, Clara, a delightful informal dinner," said Lady Matlock as she moved to take a seat beside Clara.
"Of course, did you expect anything else?"
"Perhaps," replied Lady Matlock, "though that was more to do with the guests rather than you!"
Clara smiled.
"They think I am oblivious to everything!"
There was no need to ask who 'they' were; 'they' were always the young.
"It gives us ample time to observe, I would not complain," replied Clara, mildly.
Lady Matlock laughed, "Oh I am not complaining, I am just surprised that my daughter is the first to straighten out all life's confusing tangles, I would not have expected it. Though I should not count my blessings of such an uneventful dinner, the men have still not returned from their port."
Darcy had dreaded this moment. It was difficult to sustain his calm demeanour while sitting opposite the woman he had hoped to call his. To attempt to conceal his desire just to sit and stare, lest he arouse the suspicion of Annabelle, his uncle and Mr Bennetl
But now that the ladies had left, this left no one between him and a man who had quite possibly, last Tuesday, almost called him out.
Instead of Mr Fancot moving up one place, as Mr Bennet and Lord Matlock called for the gentlemen to move closer to the port, Bingley moved around from the opposite site of the table to claim Annabelle's vacated chair.
This left Miles to take Elizabeth's chair and be harangued by his soon to be Father-in-law.
Bingley took the opportunity of the loud conversation between Lord Matlock and Miles, and between Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Gardiner to whisper to him.
"Darcy, I am no longer angry at you for what you did, if I was not so weak and able to be led then no harm would have come of it. I understand your feelings and while I do not agree with them I respect them, and I hope you come to realise how your own passions have clouded your judgement." Bingley paused. "I am sorry for your disappointment."
Darcy stared at his glass of port, unsure of what to say. "Bingley, it is I who should have come to you to apologise for my behaviour. It was not as it should have been. I had convinced myself I was protecting you, but it was only myself that I was protecting."
"Then I have your blessing?"
"Do you need my blessing?"
"No, but I should like to have it all the same."
"Then of course you have my blessing, just do not ask me to stand up with...."
Bingley smiled, "I would not worry; I think you have time to make amends."
Darcy frowned. Time? Why would he have time? Surely Bingley was not going to wait to ask Miss Bennet to marry him? They were talking of Miss Bennet were they not?
However before Darcy could clarify, his cousin captured the attention of the table by asking them what they thought of the riot at Macclesfield and the latest news from Cadiz regarding the fall of Valencia, much to the disappointment of two men who had been actively eavesdropping on the conversation.
It was Lizzy's certain conviction that when the gentlemen returned from their port, that her Father and Mr Bingley would dawdle behind. While she knew Mr Bingley had not asked Jane to be his wife, it was possible that because of his previously being swayed from her by his friend he would wish to be correct in all his behaviour and ask permission first.
This was dashed by her father being first into the room, looking very jovial and treating Lord Matlock as if they had been friends for life.
Mr Bennet was having a much better time than he expected. He had found in Lord Matlock someone who was nothing like his nephew, an open man though one who it would not be wise to cross. He had spoken to Edward as an equal and told Mr Bennet of the use Edward had been in a recent business engagement. Not what he had been expecting from a peer of the realm; indeed Mr Darcy had interrupted to congratulate them on such a successful partnership.
Mr Bennet was coming to regard Mr Darcy as nothing more wicked than your average rich man who was used to getting his own way. And, if he had heard accurately then Mr Darcy had recently been denied his own way, which would explain any sourness of temper. Yet Mr Bennet had seen little, Mr Darcy was open in discussing his opinion of crop turning, and of the canal system. Neither he nor his uncle found being contradicted a trial too great to bear.
Perhaps Meryton had wronged Mr Darcy and, by association, his family. The Colonel seemed a sensible man, though Mr Bennet had to hold his untimely interruption against him; Lady Annabelle was vivacious and not above teasing her cousin, who he noticed bore that quite well. Mr Darcy's sister Georgiana seemed a shy young lady, quite the opposite of the proud haughty creature she was gossiped to be!
He had also taken the time to observe Mr Fancot; he had thought perhaps this was the young man that Kitty had an inclination for but both his daughter and Mr Fancot had divided their time equally, talking animatedly to all around them. There seemed to be no particular attachment there. Despite his lack of interest in his younger daughters he did know how they acted when they fancied themselves in love!
Of course, this could be a more grown up love, where his daughter realised that it behoved her to actually recognise people existed outside her beau. Yet, if Jane had not quite mastered that, Mr Bennet had seen them at the far end of the table barely exchanging three words with anyone else, it would be a miracle that his penultimate daughter had mastered it.
In fact if Mr Bennet was truthful to himself, the only person Kitty could be in love with would be the Colonel. After all he was the only man in regimentals! Mr Bennet gave up; somebody would inform him at some time or other.
Jane seemed unconcerned, merely happy that Mr Bingley had walked straight to her and engaged her in conversation once he entered the room.
Lizzy could not be so unconcerned. Was this not the perfect time? Under the cover of a dinner party?
Why was everyone acting in a manner so opposite to what she expected? By everyone she of course meant Darcy!
She had watched in amazement as he had conversed with her father, had borne the teasing of his cousin when she briefly joined the conversation, and had even spoken words to her when she had ventured to enter the conversation. Perhaps he did not just perform for strangers, and needed a subject with which he was conversant.
She had even seen him smile. It had been hard not to stare at such a novelty, especially when she had finally seen an attractive quality in him. More than one attractive quality - his attention to his sister! He truly was a protective and caring brother. She had seen it on the picnic but to have it confirmed again! Perhaps she should consider what other people who knew him best said? She had seen him restrain himself admirably when Miss Darcy had replied in quite a flirtatious manner to Mr Fancot who was opposite her.
She sensed he had recognised that his sister was a young lady, not a child, and had hardly meant anything by such a response, and that Mr Fancot had known as much. Indeed he should be happy that she could respond to a gentleman in that way after what had happened with Wickham.
Having no desire to sit, unattended to next to Jane and Mr Bingley, Lizzy went to help with the coffee.
"Ah, Miss Elizabeth, are you enjoying your London stay? I do hope it is of a long duration."
Lizzy smiled at Lady Matlock. "I am, my lady. I am not sure however of the length of my visit, while my father can come to town if he misses his daughters, my mother cannot, " Lizzy paused. This was not entirely true; it was more like if they did not go home soon, their mother would storm up to town demanding to know what was happening.
"Of course, your mother will wish to hear all your news in person! Letters cannot compensate for everything."
"No, especially if my father is an indifferent writer."
"And her daughters choose not to say all they feel in a letter home." Lady Matlock smiled so knowingly that Lizzy almost gave a start. Lady Annabelle had been so very blatant in her belief that her cousin was attached to her, that of course she had told her mother! Lizzy coloured.
She was prevented from replying to Lady Matlock by the presence of the only person who could make the situation worse! Darcy had upon entering the room ensured that his sister was comfortable and enjoying herself. Now he loomed over her.
"Miss Bennet - I - "
Surely he was not going to say something with his aunt standing in such close proximity! Lizzy almost sighed in relief when Lady Matlock picked up her coffee and went to talk to Aunt Clara but this was still neither the time nor the place.
"Miss Bennet - I - "
"Yes, Mr Darcy?" Lizzy was not sure whether anxiousness or annoyance showed more in her voice.
"I would like some coffee."
"Some coffee?" Lizzy blinked at him.
Darcy indicated the pot she was holding. "Coffee?"
"Of course, Mr Darcy!" Lizzy tried not to roll her eyes at her own stupidity as she poured him a cup. "I hope you are enjoying yourself?"
"Yes, thank you I am, your aunt has a very comfortable home here."
"I believe she has done a lot to it, since arriving in London."
"She shows a great deal of talent in that direction."
There was an uncomfortable silence.
Kitty sat with her aunt and Lady Matlock discussing recent gossip surrounding their acquaintance.
"Mrs Sutton, I have neglected to speak to you on a most important matter."
Bingley drew up a chair.
"A most important matter, Mr Bingley?" Clara smiled.
Kitty thought it must be most important to leave Jane to talk to Giles!
"I had no idea, no idea at all, that it was from you I was leasing Netherfield! I only found out some days ago and I tried to think of the best way to bring up such a subject."
"Well, this is an excellent way, Mr Bingley."
Bingley looked slightly confused, "Is it? I thought it was quite rude!"
"I do not think you could be rude, Mr Bingley," added Kitty.
Bingley smiled, as both Clara and Lady Matlock commented that such a handsome man could never be in fear of causing offence.
"But yes, Mr Bingley, it is my house. I hope that knowing the owner will not make you treat it worse? Or even better, because that implies you have not been treating it well!"
Bingley blushed. "I have been there so little, but I do think it is the most happily situated house!"
Kitty wondered what the most attractive feature of the landscape was to Bingley. She thought she could guess!
"I confess it has been so long, I shall have to take you on your word. It was a lovely house when I was last there, but no doubt so many things have changed."
"I doubt it, Clara, I remember thinking of my little village in Sussex! I was sure it would be so very different, yet it had not changed a jot! Though if we came from the North, I expect we would see a great different wrought in a year, rather than a decade!"
"Perhaps you would like to come down to Netherfield, ma'am, as my guest?" Bingley paused as he realised he had invited a lady to her own home.
"What an excellent idea, Mr Bingley! I do hope you mean to invite more than Clara?" questioned Lady Matlock.
"Undoubtedly! We could make quite a journey of it!" Bingley wondered what exactly he had just done!
"Georgiana, my child, come here!" Lady Matlock called to her niece. "I expect you would like to see Netherfield! Mr Bingley has proposed a trip, though I think that for myself and my lord, I will decline! Let it be a young person's trip!"
"Are you accusing me of being young, Harriet?"
"Chaperone, my dear, quite a different thing, you hardly need more than one of them!"
Clara thought that for such a group, more than one chaperone was certainly needed.
"Do you mean it, Charles? All go down to Netherfield? Fitzwilliam, do say we can go!"
Darcy moved towards the group frowning, Kitty thought he was probably thinking of the same thing she was - Wickham.
"When would we go?"
"Oh quite soon I think!" replied Bingley warming to the idea, "Perhaps at the end of this week? Friday? We could spend the weekend or longer! I was thinking of going to Netherfield myself quite soon, so I would enjoy the company!"
The rest of the party became aware of the idea and either voiced their desire to attend, or disclaimed it. Mr and Mrs Gardiner had prior engagements; so did Giles.
"I am afraid I have made plans to go to Dorset this weekend." Giles said placing his hands on the back of the sofa that Kitty was sitting upon.
"Dorset?" Kitty turned to him, "Are you bringing your mother and sisters back with you?"
Giles smiled. "Yes. It will only be a short season for them, but it is the least I can do, at least I am doing something."
"Hardly a short season, Mr Fancot, the real fun has barely started!" exclaimed Lady Matlock."
Kitty smiled and pressed Giles' hand pleased, that instead of wallowing that he was actively doing something. He smiled at her and leaning forward to whisper to her - "Thank you."
But apart from that, everyone desired to go, well almost everyone.
"Are you quite sure that this weekend is not too soon? Perhaps some time in the summer we could visit Mr Bingley?" said Darcy hopefully.
Kitty now knew he was certainly thinking of Wickham. She was surprised when Lizzy added her entreaties to postponing such a visit, which made Kitty suspect that Darcy must have told her of Wickham's wickedness. This would also explain the slightly alarmed look on Jane's face.
"The Summer! No, Fitzwilliam! I am sure the Miss Bennets wish to see their mother again, and she would wish to celebrate Kitty's birthday with her! Not to mention that Mrs Sutton has not seen Netherfield for ten years!" exclaimed Georgiana.
"There is hardly an incentive to visit Meryton now," commented Colonel Fitzwilliam, "It is practically a garrison town, with the militia there, I am sure it will be very uncomfortable." The Colonel realised how silly his argument sounded especially in the face of a reunion between mother and daughter on such a special day, however he felt it was his duty to attempt to protect Georgiana.
At this point Kitty observed that Georgiana realised why everyone was suddenly thinking of reasons not to go, she did not blush or stammer or even pause; "I should like to see a garrison town. Soldiers do not scare me, how could they when my cousin is one of their number? And such a handsome one!"
"Well then it is settled!" cried Mr Bingley. "Apart of course from my sisters who may wish to come, indeed I shall need a hostess, unless Mrs Sutton wishes to take up that role?"
Clara wrinkled her nose, but whether it was from the idea of playing hostess or the possibility of Caroline Bingley making one of the party was unknown.
"I shall come back to town with Aunt though, Papa," said Kitty hoping to forestall any idea of her returning home more permanently. She would not mind celebrating her birthday at Longbourn with Lydia, Mary and her mother. But she knew her mother would hardly pay her any attention even it was her birthday, after all she would not be bringing a Mr Bingley home, or a Colonel! Kitty knew her mother would assume the Colonel was Lizzy's new conquest.
"Of course, you will. Thomas would not wish to deprive me of company! And I doubt Fanny would wish for me as a houseguest and I can hardly impose on Mr Bingley."
So it was settled to everyone's satisfaction, or at least as best as it could be. Kitty noticed that Darcy took his sister aside, no doubt to ensure that she did understand there was a possibility of seeing Wickham. Though Kitty meant to do everything in her power to prevent such a meeting and no doubt she had allies in the Colonel, Mr Darcy, Lizzy and Jane.
My wife has written to your daughter Lydia inviting her to Brighton in June as our particular friend. As you are from home I thought it best to write directly to you in London to ask your permission. Although you are more than likely to return to Longbourn before our departure, I believe this is a subject that does require your early attention.
I caution you, that while my wife and myself would make every provision for your daughter and provide her with the same protection she would receive at home; Brighton may not be the place for a single young lady who prefers the company of soldiers...Mr Bennet,
Mr Bennet frowned at Colonel Forster's letter. Writing in April! When they would not be departing until June! It seemed a waste of paper and time to be discussing it so early.
Though Mr Bennet knew the outcome; Lydia would never be easy until she had exposed herself in some public place and Mrs Bennet would not rest until one of her daughters followed the eligible young men to Brighton. He imparted as much to his sister over the breakfast table, adding his surprise that Mrs Bennet's letter entreating his permission had not Lydia's entreaties added to it.
"Go to Brighton? Under the care of a Colonel we know little about, and what appears to me to be a flighty young wife? Nonsense! If Lydia wishes to expose herself in a public place she can come to London and visit me. When she is older and wiser of course."
Kitty saw her father's surprise and wondered at whether Lydia would be happy exchanging a certain journey to a camp full of soldiers for a trip to London some time in the future. She doubted it.
"You will write your refusal, will you not, Thomas?"
Mr Bennet coughed and wished he had never brought the matter up.
Kitty took pity on her father and asked whether they would be attending the Mitchells' ball.
"Indeed, Sir Stephen and Lady Mitchell have extended the invitation to the ball to your father and sisters, although only you and I have been granted the honour of being invited to dinner."
"Such a grand honour, Kitty!" exclaimed Mr Bennet voice laced with amusement.
"Well it's not actually; I went to school with her, and she has invited me purely to demonstrate that she is a Baronet's wife, while I'm apparently moments away from ...as your dear wife would put it...the hedgerows. It will consist, I am sure, of the most boring moments of my life."
"Then, Clara, why go?"
Clara smiled at her brother. "You have a lot to learn about women, Thomas."
He had no response to that.
The Mitchells' townhouse was, if Kitty was quite honest with herself, exactly what she had imagined every haunted house to look like when she was reading her gothic romance novels.
It was not in a fashionable part of town, but it was certainly still in a first class area. However Lady Mitchell had clearly seen the possibilities in her house and had dismissed all her outdoor cleaners, giving the house that authentically musty and dusty look.
Inside it was clean, but dark and imposing. Kitty did not wish to see the ballroom; she had a fair idea that it would not be decorated in the current style of flowers or silk.
Both Kitty and Clara looked apprehensively at their surroundings.
"Perhaps we should have been ill?" whispered Kitty.
Clara made no comment, but on surveying who was invited to dinner realised the extent of her hostess' machinations. Clearly Lady Mitchell was somebody in the ton, even if it was as the latest eccentric whom everyone laughed at behind her back.
While Clara knew the reason for her invitation, she had no intention of refuting any of the gossip swirling about her, unless it seemed to be harming her nieces' interests. At the moment refuting any gossip would serve no purpose; it would be accepted or rejected and then forgotten, it would hardly create a stir itself, and it was a stir that was needed to damage those who had been the instigators of the scandal in the first place.
"Ah, Mrs Sutton, how are you? How we have both changed since school!"
Clara smiled at Lady Mitchell and introduced Kitty to her.
"Ah, Miss Bennet, how delightful! I do hope you are keeping your Aunt company during these trying times?"
"I keep my aunt company through all times, Lady Mitchell," replied Kitty sweetly.
"Like such a good niece. And now I believe your sisters are staying in Cheapside! With an aunt and uncle who are in trade? How delightful."
"Is it, Lady Mitchell?" Kitty tried to ignore the insinuations.
"Well, I suppose it is for ease of shopping!"
"Indeed, Lord and Lady Matlock were just saying how much of a comfort my aunt and uncle were in helping in a recent business entanglement. I believe it was quite a successful partnership." Kitty smiled even sweeter than before.
Lady Mitchell suddenly realised she had other guests.
"Well done, Kitty," said Clara.
Clara was proud of her niece's handling of the situation; a put down without being rude was a very difficult thing to master.
"Clara!" Lady Sefton sailed up to them. "I am surprised to see you here."
"Lady Mitchell and I attended school together," replied Clara.
"That is why I am surprised to see you here."
Clara turned the subject, "And why are you here?"
"I unwisely invited her to dinner, and it was only polite for her to issue a return invitation and if I did not accept this invitation I would just have to accept another. Unless I wished to cut her completely and it has not come to that just yet." Lady Sefton looked around, "But the company is not so bad, ah, look Lord Ashbourne has returned to town! There now, there is attractive company."
Kitty would have liked to have said she turned her head elegantly, but the truth was she had never turned so fast in her life. She was glad no response was needed from either Lady Sefton or her aunt.
They had been almost immediately ushered into dinner, with strict protocol followed, this was no informal dinner where guests could converse across the dinner table and precedence was ignored.
Kitty and Clara were clearly then at the non-titled end of the table. Clara was placed between two callow youths and Kitty between too elderly fat men.
Kitty was proud she had spent less than a minute trying to see around a giant Epergne, the side of which was displayed to Kitty, involved a snarling tiger in the act of springing on his prey. 1 It was impossible to see anything around something like that.
It certainly could have made dinner uncomfortable, if Kitty had given into her feelings. She had certainly seen other women do so, publicly calling to account gentlemen who had suddenly cooled in their attention. There was already enough gossip swirling around London about her, Kitty did not need to add to it by a breach of propriety.
So Kitty reasoned with herself that any feelings of anger were unjustified and that no explanation was owed to her. She did not quite convince herself, but she could objectively realise that he had done nothing wrong.
This objectivity was sorely tested by the gossip swirling about when the ladies withdrew after dinner. It had taken a great deal of will power not to attempt to make eye contact with anyone, as she left the dining room and followed the other ladies upstairs.
Kitty did not listen to the gossip about an irreconcilable difference between Mr Darcy and Ash. Well, perhaps she listened a little; Kitty had wondered whether that would make public gossip. It was interesting to note that Mr Darcy's servants were not as close-mouthed as their employer might have hoped. From the ladies' talk they were much annoyed to have to find out about it from the servants' grape-vine instead of from their husbands, who apparently did not deign to answer their wives' questions. As Kitty knew slightly more about the incident than they did it was amusing to listen to their conjecture, but Kitty wished to know where the husbands came into the story.
But it was not only the argument that was food for thought; the gossip appeared to be based on the fact that the ladies were certain, Lady Mitchell especially, that Ash had left town to meet with his betrothed, a young lady chosen for him by his family. Whispers were that the young lady was the cause of his argument with Mr Darcy, as Mr Darcy was violently in love with the young lady, and that the argument had started at Mr Darcy's club, Whites, with his expressing such violent emotions.
Kitty could not give any credence to the part about Ash's family choosing a young lady; she knew enough of him to know he knew his own mind, but the gossip about the existence of a young lady sounded true enough. Well, not the part about Mr Darcy displaying affections for her, because even Mr Darcy could not propose to one young lady and not a fortnight later brawl with his cousin over another young lady. Unless the young lady was Lizzy, but that was stupid because Ash had met her once. Kitty understood where the husbands came in when the women talked a great deal of club sources; those that would talk of course. Kitty surmised that they must be the most hen-pecked and submissive of husbands and sons.
The talk about club sources made Kitty wish most fervently that Giles had not left for Dorset. She knew she could have wrung from him more information about Whites which she knew was a motivation for Ash's bizarre behaviour. Though if most other men were not speaking to their wives about whatever had occurred at Whites, then perhaps she would not have wrung anything from Giles.
But why would Giles involve himself if Ash's affairs involved another young lady? And why did she not have a name? Why were those at the scene apparently not talking? Surely they would have more exact information, like a name, that would dispel such gossip that had to be untrue?
Kitty played with the fringes on her chair. No, she must stop this; she could not, without direct application, discover the truth, and to sit and ponder on such a subject would only cause pain.
The entry of the gentlemen caused more confusion, because Lord Ffourkes and Sir Louis entered the room first and flattered her by seating themselves beside her.
Kitty reminded herself that she should be flattered. It was a sign of attention; unmistakeable attention, and a sign that both men had decided the rumours surrounding her were untrue. Kitty had noted that any cooling on the part of her gentlemen friends had ceased over the last few days and they were just as friendly as ever before. Still they, none of them, were serious pretenders to her hand.
Kitty listened to their gossip and their rattling commentary on dinner and its presentation.
"I can hardly believe, Miss Bennet, that you approve of such a style?" said Lord Ffourkes.
"Such a style?"
"Yes, the gothic style - all very well in a book, or left to those with some taste for parody."
Kitty smiled and asked Sir Louis his opinion.
"Ah, Miss Bennet, I would wait til I see the ballroom before I make any judgement on whether my sensibilities are offended."
"Then, Peppertree, I foresee your sensibilities will be much offended." Kitty turned at the baritone voice and looked at its owner who had come to stand behind the sofa.
"Do you, Ashbourne?" Sir Louis looked rather ill.
"I do. I was seated next to Lady Mitchell's cousin who took in delight in describing the visual joy we will be astonished with. Miss Bennet." Ash bowed in Kitty's direction.
Kitty was torn between laughing at the horror on both Lord Ffourkes' and Sir Louis' faces and focusing her attention on the gentlemen behind her.
Ash walked to stand in front of them, thus saving Kitty from any permanent neck strain. "I hope I am not too late to claim a dance, Miss Bennet?"
Kitty suppressed a tiny urge to claim her dance card was completely full. "No, I am quite abandoned; no one has asked me for a single dance!"
"Then I can ask for the first?"
"You can ask, but whether I will grant you a dance is not certain, "said Kitty archly. She did not mean to be flirtatious but she could hardly help it.
Ash merely smiled.
"What has Ashbourne done to deserve such treatment, Miss Bennet?" asked Lord Ffourkes.
Kitty's eyes widened; how to answer that!?
"I am afraid, Ffourkes, that I am proof that you should never suddenly leave a lady with an uneven table. Has Mrs Sutton forgiven me, even if you have not?"
"My aunt has forgiven you and so have I. I was only teasing, my lord. After all, we did not need you at the dinner; my father came to town unexpectedly."
"May I then have the first dance?"
"Yes, you may."
The gentlemen on either side of her took this as their cue to ask for their dance, since Miss Bennet appeared in a generous mood.
"Was your time in Hertfordshire productive?" Kitty asked the question as they passed each other in the dance.
"Yes." Ash paused. "At least I hope that it is; I am afraid I may not see the fruits of my labour for a little while."
"Labour?" Kitty smiled. She had no doubts that Ash was addicted to physical activities, but she the word labour brought to mind the very proper Lord Ashbourne with a hoe or a rake in hand.
Ash sensed the reason for her amusement. "I would have you know, Miss Bennet, that I am quite at home in the fields."
"Without your horse?"
"Even without my horse. I would have you know I once set a record for ploughing!" The dance separated them, "But I was ten, and it was a competition with my brother." The dance separated them again, and when they passed Ash whispered to her, "I only won because Richard cheated and was caught, and we quite destroyed the field according to my fathers' steward."
Kitty laughed, and it was only when they were half way down the dance that Kitty realised he had managed to evade any further questioning of what he was doing in Hertfordshire and by the end of the dance when she had a chance to resume the conversation he had made her completely forget the subject. She only remembered it on the way home. The ball had been so crowded that Kitty had not even seen her sisters or her father, indeed she had forgotten they were even supposed to attend the ball.
Kitty lay on her bed the next morning idly flipping through magazines and dressmakers samples.
But her attention was not on the newest fashions or fabrics; she could not stop thinking about the confusing tangle London had caused her family.
Jane, it was true, was closer to becoming Mrs Bingley than she would be at Longbourn, but six weeks and still no proposal? Everyone had assumed, especially Sir William, that a proposal was imminent at the Netherfield Ball and Bingley had only known Jane a month then! He now knew her twice as long! Had something occurred to make him think Jane was not the right woman to be his wife?
Kitty picked at the embroidery on one of her pillows, glancing at the door when she heard a rap from downstairs. As no one came to fetch her, Kitty decided it had either been someone only leaving a card, or someone for her Aunt.
She resumed her thoughts, Lizzy. Kitty would never have believed Mr Darcy to be in love with Lizzy! Certainly, not enough to ask her to marry him! Kitty felt for Lizzy; it would be difficult to refuse a proposal from such a man. Before visiting her Aunt, and London, Kitty would have wondered at Lizzy being able to refuse such a rich man, but having seen the fruits of unhappy marriages based on nothing more the transaction of a fortune, Kitty would not find it difficult. If she had opened her eyes more she would have realised the difficulties of marriages based on superficiality were shown much closer to home. There was no fortune, in her parents' case, but the ideal of that marriage had been beauty which had faded too fast.
Kitty wondered if Mr Darcy was a good man, Georgiana thought so, but she was biased. He was protective of his sister, but Kitty felt he was so protective he failed to see the trees for the forest. He missed what his sister really needed.
It was still shocking that he should be in love with Lizzy. Kitty would have thought that her lively sister would be the last woman that such a grave and serious man would wish to have as his wife. Perhaps he was not so grave and craved some lightness in his life.
Ash had told her of Mr Darcy's mother's constant illnesses and fragility and of his father's long protracted death. He had not been ill with anything a doctor could diagnose or cure, but Ash told her that his death had begun with the death of his wife. It had not been romantic like in novels where couples who pledged their eternal love for each other died together. Kitty could feel pity and sympathy for a young man whose mother had passed away while he was at Cambridge, and who had been left to raise a sister twelve years his junior when he should still be amusing himself.
He should however have set his sights on someone else but her sister, if Mr Darcy wanted a biddable wife and a comfortable life! Kitty was almost tempted to think of Miss Bingley, she would be biddable if she had access to all she desired, but Kitty would hardly call a life with her comfortable. Her sharp tongue would cause all sorts of upsets. Perhaps Lizzy was the wife for him then! But Kitty was not sure what Lizzy needed in a man though. She had never discussed it with her sister and was not about to start now!
That left her. Kitty pushed her pillow away from her before she undid all the effort put into creating the design on the case. Kissing men she did not love, not kissing men she did love. It was very trying.
Kitty had not indulged in her own fantasies. Lydia and Maria Lucas had written to her of the latest fashion in Meryton which was to giggle over all the incidents that occurred between themselves and men. Both had pressed her to write to them of hers, so they could share them with the group. Kitty had no intention of doing that! Besides compared to the Goulding sisters who if what they had revealed was true, and they had been caught would have been forced to marry at least four times over, Kitty had little to recount.
What had she to tell? She could of course talk much of the men she had danced with, who had brought her drinks and talked gaily with her, that would satisfy the young ladies, but it would not satisfy her. She had tried ever since that day when she had realised so suddenly her own heart and mind, not to dwell on something she thought she could never have, but it was becoming harder and harder and what should certainly be distracting her was not doing so any more.
...Sitting on a floor looking at an atlas, discussing chimney sweeps, riding, playing cards for questions, playing the faithful attendant, flowers with playful notes, snuff at the opera, dancing, parodying a proposal, examining a signet ring, talking of fire, that moment, realisation, discussion of tactics, causing injury, eating off the knife....
A list like that would make any woman smile if she had not equal cause to think of less hopeful things; his family, his position, mystery women, everything implied nothing explicit.
Kitty was ashamed to find that she was on the verge of tears.
"Kitty?"
Kitty had not heard her aunt enter. "Yes, aunt?"
"Are you quite well?"
Kitty dried her eyes with the corner of the pillow case, glad to see that in the reflection of her dressing table mirror, it appeared she had not managed to turn red. "Of course, a little tired perhaps."
"You have a visitor." Clara closed the door behind her.
Kitty stretched as she forced herself off the bed; no doubt it was Georgiana, which explained her aunt's reluctance to accompany her to the drawing room. Clara claimed giggly girls aggravated her rheumatism. They had much to talk about with regards to their trip to Hertfordshire the next morning. Kitty wished Clara had not left so fast, otherwise she would have asked her aunt to fetch Georgiana to her room.
Kitty picked up some of the samples and drawings that she had decided in her half-hearted perusal would suit Georgiana better than her.
But it was not Georgiana who awaited her in the drawing room.
1 This lovely Epergne comes from Georgette Heyer's 'A Quiet Gentlemen' my favourite GH novel.
Real Scotch Marmalade, an excellent substitute for butter at Breakfast. It is particularly recommended to Mothers for the use of the Nursery, being easy of digestion, and very nutritious. Persons of weak constitution and such as lead sedentary lives would find great benefit from the use of this marmalade, instead of that animal oil, termed butter, which never fails to create bile on the stomach, the forerunner of flatulency and its attendant evils... 1
Ash felt ill; he had had butter for breakfast, now he wished he had not, though marmalade, no matter how well made for journeys, was not attractive either. This was hardly the start he wished to make!
Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Ash hurriedly shoved the paper that Clara had thoughtfully left him under a nearby cushion.
Walking to stand near the windows, Ash tried to straighten his cravat which had unaccountably become far too tight. Striding to the fireplace, where a mirror hung, Ash peered at his cravat. It looked fine, but it certainly did not feel fine, and this was hardly the moment to be in disarray.
Turning away from the mirror to look nonchalant, leaning against one of the chairs, Ash caught sight of an errant curl; turning back to the mirror he hurriedly tried to poke it back into place.
"Ash?"
Damn. Ash turned, "Ah. Miss Bennet. Good Morning."
She looked at him as if he had two heads. He felt as if he had two heads.
Kitty put the samples down on a nearby table before greeting her guest more fully. Kitty was surprised not to see Clara, since she had constantly emphasised the utter scandal of being alone with a man. She decided not to wonder at why Clara had left them alone. After all, there was more than one reason for that to occur; it was entirely possible that it was for one of those other reasons.
"Are you satisfied with your appearance?" she teased, after inviting him to take a seat. Kitty was amused to see when she entered that his impassive façade had faltered. Though, she noted, he regained it remarkably.
"Of course, do you find some fault?"
Of course she did not, but she could not say that. On closer inspection she did notice a slight bruising on his jaw, something the candlelight had disguised the night before.
"I see that Georgiana was not lying."
Ash was not thrown by her response; instead he rubbed his jaw ruefully. "I suppose it was too much to hope that the story had not got about - at least I would have hoped that the true story would not be generally known."
"I was not aware I did have the true story."
Ash smiled. "I fear I cannot say anything for fear of incriminating myself."
"Mr Darcy told Georgiana that your disagreement was over Wickham."
"Ah, I see my cousin has realised the importance of the truth."
"But not the whole truth, Georgiana is hardly a child to be shielded from the truth, nor is she easily fooled, at least not now."
"Perhaps my cousin is protecting someone else's secret by concealing the true reasons for the incident?"
"Brawl, you mean, and you do realise that it would have to be your secret he was protecting."
"I avoided your questions about Hertfordshire last night."
Kitty frowned at his avoidance of her implication, by bringing up his prior avoidance. "I did notice, but it is of no consequence."
To Kitty's satisfaction there was a momentary look of surprise that flitted across Ash's face.
"Of no consequence?"
"No, because thinking about it more, it is clear what your purpose was."
"I should have known."
"Ah, so you do accept that you are not as successful with being inscrutable as you think you are?"
"I have never hoped to be entirely inscrutable."
Kitty, a little nervous, stood and to disguise her feelings focused on rearranging the household accounts that Clara had left on one of the small tables. Considering what happened last time Clara left such accounts lying about, Kitty thought it was very careless of her aunt.
But it did give Kitty something productive to do as she tried to ascertain exactly what was happening. The options were rapidly narrowing.
"Miss Bennet?"
Kitty turned. "You went to see Wickham? I had thought perhaps you were going to take my advice and sabre him. But as I see you are almost entirely uninjured and certainly not in gaol so you must have either warned him that you knew about his behaviour or warned Colonel Forster. "
Ash smiled.
"I have not finished yet," Kitty reproved, "You must certainly have decided it was your duty to do so, whatever you did because it must have given you some pleasure to prevent your cousin from doing so himself and it gave yourself a timely excuse to leave town."
Ash laughed. "You do know me too well. There is little that can be done about Wickham without harming Georgiana. He would be disbelieved if he told his story, but the merest whisper of scandal ... I was more angry with my cousin for allowing Georgiana to think ill of herself. He kept her so very sheltered, and it is her nature to be retiring, so much so that she could not think that anyone so beloved by her father could wish to lead her astray."
"At least her own feelings prevented her." Kitty stroked the pages of one of the books idly. She wondered whether, if she had been presented with such an opportunity to run away with a handsome man at Georgiana's age, or indeed not six months ago, she would have prevented herself.
"If you could not entirely prevent Wickham, what did you do?"
"Spoke to Colonel Forster in such terms that Wickham will not be able to put a foot wrong, and certainly the Colonel will warn any family with eligible daughters that Wickham appears to have designs upon."
"Jane would say that perhaps he wishes to reform, and we should not make him desperate."
"If he wishes to reform then he shall not have anything to worry about from a little scrutiny."
"You do realise your argument with Mr Darcy has been given an entirely different motive..." Kitty turned her head in time to see a slight inflexibility come into Ash's face.
"People will gossip."
"But people are not gossiping, apart from some murmurings, and the gossip of Mr Darcy's servants; those who were privy to any more public disagreement have been silent. The women, from these slender pickings have decided that Mr Darcy and yourself are in love with the same woman."
"Interesting."
"You have never found yourself in such a situation? I always do."
"Falling in love with the same woman as my cousin?"
Kitty laughed. "Liking the same gentlemen as my sisters."
"Then you must like Mr Bingley? Or my cousin?"
Kitty giggled. "Elizabeth, do you mean?"
Ash stood and joined her at the table, leaning against it so he could partially face her. He partially supported himself on his hands rather than subject the table to the entirety of his weight and Kitty could not help but notice how close his hands were to her own. She removed the temptation by picking up one of the ledgers flicking through it before placing it down again, this time far away from any warm hands.
"My cousin has very different ideas about what it means to demonstrate affection."
Did he mean different from himself? Or different from most men? Kitty bowed her head briefly, before looking back up to respond to Ash. "I do not know many of the particulars; I figured it out and Jane confirmed it."
"Richard told me. I am not sure I wish to know the particulars."
"Lizzy does not love him, she refused him."
"She will be in love with him. My cousin is quite tediously full of surprising virtues, just designed to surprise and entrap women."
"Jealous?"
"Of virtues? I do not think I have quite so many surprising ones."
"You do have many virtues that are just as attractive as any surprising ones" Kitty blushed as she realised what she had said. "But we were speaking of Wickham."
"Were we? Such a tedious subject."
"But not when you hear what I am about to tell you."
"I am all ears." Ash crossed his arms.
"We are to go to Hertfordshire tomorrow, to spend the weekend at least...it is my birthday on Monday, but I will be coming back to London with my aunt..." Kitty tried to keep the reassuring tone out of her voice, as she was not sure who she was reassuring.
"By we I assume Georgiana is involved?"
"Yes, so Wickham, sadly, becomes once more important. She thinks it will be fine; it is everyone else that is worried!" Kitty paused and bit her lip.
"Do you want to ask if I will make one of the party?"
"To protect Georgiana? I am sure that she will be well protected; what with your brother and Mr Darcy and I'm sure Lizzy and Jane also know the truth." Kitty paused again and felt a little bolder. "I would like it if you came for other reasons."
"Any in particular?"
"Well Mr Bingley is coming and my mother associates him with Jane, she has despaired of Mr Darcy so he is out of it that leaves your brother. The Colonel will be of course Lizzy's new beau, a vast improvement on Mr Collins, though because he is a younger son perhaps not for my mother! If you were to come, then she would have to assume that one of the young men is my conquest!" Kitty felt slightly out of breath but rattled on. "My mother will ignore Georgiana and Miss Bingley as reasons for a single gentleman's journey, so she is bound to think I have caught somebody!"
"Does it matter whom?"
"Not where my mother is concerned," replied Kitty blithely.
"I meant, would it matter to you?"
"Of course it does! Imagine if she thought about Mr Darcy in that manner."
Ash uncrossed his arms and put one palm back down on the table surface; Kitty was once again aware of its closeness to her but tried to ignore it.
"If it does not matter, then perhaps Lord Ffourkes would like a sojourn into the country?"
Kitty was powerless to conceal hurt and anger from her glance in his direction.
"Kitty."
Kitty turned surprised. Ash brought up his free hand and cupped her face with it.
"I will come to Hertfordshire under one condition."
"Condition, sir?" Kitty tried to sound her archest, but since she was having some difficulty breathing she doubted it sounded at all pert.
"Surely I have not been as inscrutable as that?"
"Perhaps not, but assumptions ...." Kitty could not quite finish her sentence as Ash moved his hand to cover hers on the table, his fingers slightly curling over her hand filling the space between it and the table.
"I will come to Hertfordshire, if I am not going as a single man."
"I'm sure Miss Bingley would oblige. I am sure she even has a special licence." Where Kitty found the ability to put words together she was never quite sure.
Ash removed his hand from the table and brought it to join his other one. "Is that a no?" he said looking down at Kitty.
"No."
"Is that a yes?"
"That depends on the question."
"Will you consent to be my wife?"
"Now that is a yes," Kitty replied.
Smiling, Ash brought his face to Kitty's and kissed her.
Kitty had no problems kissing back, and her feelings were nothing like those when she kissed Giles. Giles!
Kitty reeled back. "I can't marry you! I love you!"
Ash looked confused. "Surely that is a not a very good reason to not marry somebody."
"But Giles!"
"Giles?"
"You can't marry me! I kissed Giles! Well he kissed me but I did not reject him!"
"Recently?"
"Just after Carlon, is that recently?"
"I would say not."
"Oh." Kitty paused. "What do you mean "recently"?"
"Well if it was not recently, I would say you were a decisive woman able to tell who you - er - liked - loved and thus why should it matter?"
Kitty was not convinced; there was a slight furtiveness in Ash's eyes. "You knew."
"Perhaps...I may have..."
"May have what? Had a conversation with Giles about the women he kisses?"
"No gentlemen speaks of such things, unless the lady has given him permission."
"Is Giles not a gentleman, then?" Kitty had turned and faced Ash and stood almost glaring into his cravat. She hoped she would not have to stamp on his foot.
Ash looked slightly sheepish, he held up one hand - "I may have coerced him, but just a little."
"Into telling you?"
"Well, confirming."
Kitty felt slightly confused.
"It was rather obvious that he liked you very much, I was not quite so sure about how much you liked him."
"Did he tell you?" Kitty looked up questioningly.
"He is a gentleman."
"Is that all of an explanation I am to get? Nothing about what you said to each other."
"I could not. It is not just my story to tell."
"You are a gentlemen," stated Kitty. "I hurt him badly. I did not even realise until it was too late."
"Because you were charmingly - "
Kitty interrupted. "Innocent, naïve, stupid?"
"- charmingly deceived in your own self worth," finished Ash decisively.
"So you do not mind?"
"Do you mind that I have kissed other women?"
Kitty smiled. "Recently?"
"Definitely not recently," replied Ash.
"Then why should I mind?" Kitty reached up on tiptoe and placed her hands on his shoulders. "But truly you do not mind what is being said about my aunt? Her finances and how we girls are all on the hunt for fortunes? Or my behaviour of setting my cap at you and others?"
"The others I could have done without," teased Ash. "I know the truth, everybody who matters knows the truth, and by wiping away one rumour with the display of truth, it tends to taint any other gossip. So do not worry. I have a far worse reputation than yours."
"With?"
"Breaking hearts, apparently. I am not quite sure why this is so, as I have never, apart from my salad days, given rise to any such thoughts in anyone..."
"Not that you are aware of. You could be cross-eyed, with a limp, squinty eyes and a bad skin condition and your title would almost certainly label you a breaker of hearts, the causer of declines."
"You will save me from this awful affliction?"
Kitty answered by kissing him.
It was some time before Kitty was capable of rational thoughts, let alone rational speech. Ash ended the kiss, but left his hand under her chin, which in Kitty, stirred some memories.
Kitty reached up to catch his hand in hers. "Did you mean to kiss me at Carlon?" she said only slightly blushing.
Ash moved away from the table towards the sofa, their linked hands impelling Kitty to follow. Ash sat down and looked up at her. "I did not plan to."
Kitty gave her best mock pout before laughing, Ash's response was to pull her to him, leaving Kitty no option but to sit on his lap. She was surprised at how comfortable she felt; "It would have saved a lot of trouble."
"Where is the fun in that?"
Kitty frowned. "Fun?"
"I was afraid." Ash was as much surprised by his directness as Kitty was.
"Of me?" Kitty's eyes widened in mirth.
"You are very scary," responded Ash with aplomb.
Kitty laughed. "No, what were you afraid of?"
"That it would not be true, that by declaring myself, far too openly it would not be your true choice."
"What would I be swayed by?"
"It is possible to feel more for someone because you have experienced something with them, than you truly feel."
Kitty's fingers were still entwined with Ash's as she brought his to her lips. "Silly. Or course experiences play a part, you cannot love somebody you do not know."
"It is possible. Perhaps not wise, but it is possible."
"You did not love me the moment you saw me."
"No, it was the chimney sweep that was the cause."
Kitty giggled, "And I thought more of your horse than you the first time I saw you."
"Was a horse the way to your heart then?"
"Cleopatra? But you -" Kitty paused and laughed. "Subtle. Too subtle. You wonder why I was not obvious, how could I be so? I swore after Mr Marshall, you see, not to take any signs for granted."
Ash looked slightly bewildered. "Mr Marshall?"
"I told you I admired the same men as my sisters. It is not a pleasant experience."
"Richard and I both liked Annabelle's governess...she thought we were both grubby schools boys and preferred the summer master Mother had employed to teach Richard how to write properly....he has the most appalling handwriting," Ash mused.
Kitty gave a little start, "Does that mean the gossip means me? I am the young lady that both you and Mr Darcy love? I am sure Mr Darcy loves such talk, considering what he thinks of me!"
"What he thinks of you?" Ash looked concerned.
"He does not think very highly of me and has told Georgiana so, not recently, but certainly in letters. Do you think he has changed his mind?" Ash was silent. "Ash?"
"I am afraid my cousin may not have changed his mind. Or at least not seen the wisdom of keeping his mouth closed."
"You keep saying 'my cousin', why do you not call him by his name?"
"Because if I keep reminding myself of my relation to him, I might not be so angry with him."
Kitty was not stupid. "He said something to you about me."
Ash reached up, wrapping one of Kitty's curls about his finger. "Something like that." He looked intently at her. "Do you want to know what he said?"
"Did he mean what he said? Did he truly mean what he said?"
There was a pause. "Honestly, I do not think he did. A man crossed in love is liable to be quite stupid."
"Then I do not wish to know what he said." Kitty smiled. "Are you going to speak to my father?" Kitty did not wish to dwell on the odious Mr Darcy any longer than she had to; she was, after all, the happiest woman in the world.
Kitty giggled as Ash declared he would of course leave this very instant if he wasn't being restrained by - he had stopped there and Kitty had challenged him to finish his sentence. He finished it without any words, which was far more agreeable to both parties.
1 The Times, Thursday 23rd of April 1812. This is helping keep up with where I'm supposed to be day wise in my story, but I could not help it with the marmalade, they were good with the health sell even back in 1812!
...To more personal business, Mrs Bennet has exhausted the funds left to her on your departure to London. She and my wife, claim that it was unavoidable because of the plans they have in place for your return. She would have written to you herself of her displeasure at not being about to provide properly for Mr Bingley's return, but she does not have the time, what with organising a dinner and dance. I would suggest some additional funds may be needed from town, along with some fortifications, I find myself low on port...
Mr Bennet sighed at Mr Phillips' letter which had been brought by an express rider who had been bringing business letters to town.
It was not the financial and legal disclosures that made Mr Bennet's blood run cold; it was that his wife was apparently preparing celebrations on a massive scale. He doubted they were for Kitty's birthday, the only legitimate cause for celebration. Mr Bennet felt a stab of sadness when he realised that Mrs Bennet would consider Mr Bingley's return to the neighbourhood as far more important than a celebration for Kitty.
Mrs Bennet had insisted he visit Mr Bingley (well, he had only gone on Clara's behest but...) and that had come to naught! They were still not engaged - Mr Bingley had not asked permission and Jane would not secretly be engaged! As a result Mr Bennet could only assume his wife's plans were designed to display Jane, as well as possible, to secure a proposal.
And....if he understood Mr Phillips' letter which continued on to detail the plans that were being hatched, Mrs Bennet had some hopes of Colonel Fitzwilliam and Lizzy. Of course Mrs Bennet assumed Longbourn would be just as much as hostess to the London Party as Netherfield. He wondered what Miss Bingley and Mr Darcy would say to that!
There was a knock on the door. Mr Bennet frowned. There were very few people in this household who would bother to knock.
"Come in." Mr Bennet blinked when he did not recognise the gentlemen. "Er...Good morning?"
Mr Bennet stood as the stranger greeted him politely by name and handed over his card. He glanced at the owner, a tall dark-haired gentleman and then glanced at the card.
"To what do I have the pleasure...er...Lord Ashbourne?" Mr Bennet placed the name as Mr Darcy's cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam's brother and Lord Matlock's son. There had been occasional mentions of him in Kitty's and Jane's letters. Kitty's letters had been rather vague, but Jane's had been more meticulous with chronicling events and participants. Mrs Bennet had dismissed him as irrelevant and Mrs Bennet had an eye for these sort of things. Of course he was spoken of slightly at Clara's dinner as well...but that was all Mr Bennet knew of him! Well, apart from what he could gather from sight, which was the impression of a fashionable London gentleman who appeared, like his father and cousin, to be slightly forbidding ...or perhaps that was the result of his being stared at.
Lord Ashbourne bowed. "Mr Bennet - " before he could continue Mr Bennet remembered his manners and invited him to sit.
Strangely enough seated behind the desk, Mr Bennet felt oddly as if he was in the situation of being applied to, such as if one went to a bank or to their solicitors.
"I will come straight to the point, sir."
"Good. Good." Mr Bennet had no idea why the heir to the Earldom of Matlock would have any interest in private conversation with himself but tried to look interested.
"I wish to have your permission to marry your daughter."
If Mr Bennet had been standing he would have quite possibly fallen over. "My daughter?" He hoped this would lead to a clarification, but he didn't like to desperately say - I have five and theoretically and plausibly since he had just been in Hertfordshire, he could mean any of them!
"Catherine..." Lord Ashbourne said patiently.
"Kitty! Why?" Mr Bennet noticed the rather unpleasant look that crossed his visitor's face. "I mean, Why! My Goodness!... and other such exclamations..." Mr Bennet was not quite sure what he had just said, but the look on the viscount's face was priceless.
"Yes, Kitty." Lord Ashbourne cleared his throat, "And to answer your question, because I love her, which I think would be the kind of reassurance a father would need?"
"Of course!" Mr Bennet was all at sea in this conversation. This man wanted to marry Kitty. Not that anyone wanting to marry Kitty was a surprise...or it shouldn't be a surprise...after all Clara had said that there was somebody! Mr Collins had hinted at somebody. Now the question was....was Lord Ashbourne that somebody? "I presume you have spoken to my daughter?"
"Yes."
"Right and she said yes..."
"Yes." The Viscount looked slightly taken back, "Do you think I would ask your permission if she had not?"
Mr Bennet toyed with the idea of trying to explain Mr Collins and his wife...and realised he probably did not have all day, so he just shrugged. "Well of course if she has consented, then who am I to stand in your way?" Mr Bennet paused. "Do excuse me a moment."
Clara peered out of the dining room; she could see Kitty not so very successfully loitering just before the bottom of the stairs, leaning over occasionally to look at the closed morning room door.
Clara jumped back when she saw Thomas almost run out of the room, and head towards the dining room.
"Clara!"
"Yes, Thomas?"
"I have a Lord Ashbourne in the morning room asking to marry Kitty...."
"And you have left him there?"
"Well I gave my permission...I mean how could one not...quite an imposing fellow like his cousin...but then I remembered that you instructed me to ask you?"
Clara stared; she had not thought Thomas would take her so literally. "Ask me what?"
"You didn't specify; you just said to ask you if any strange young men asked to marry my daughters."
There was a cough behind them.
Clara rolled her eyes; it was Ash looking rather amused. "I had not thought I was strange."
Thomas made a strangled noise.
"Oh for heavens sake! Did I wander into a farce?" Clara threw up her hands. "Ash may not be a perfect gentleman. " Clara gave him a hard glare, to which Ash responded with a hand to his heart and a wounded look. "But there is nothing too fundamentally wrong with him."
Thomas seemed to look relieved but then a startled look crossed his face. Clara tried to suppress a giggle, she had not seen Thomas so startled since Elizabeth and she had told their governess that he was in love with her, and she had 'had a word' with him.
Clara did not have any more time to reflect on their childhood pranks, when Thomas pulled her aside and whispered. "I assume he knows that my estate is entailed and so forth?"
Clara snorted, "I am sure he is well aware of your inability to provide for your daughters."
Thomas looked offended. "Well is he aware of my extravagant wife? Not to mention Lydia and to some extent Kitty."
"I am not extravagant!" exclaimed an indignant voice. Clearly Kitty had tired of loitering on the stairs.
"Are you not? I am disappointed," remarked Ash.
"Are you? In that case I would like..." Kitty got no further in her planned list of extravagances because Clara thought it would be prudent to congratulate the couple in case such overt teasing turned out to be the death knell of her brother.
Thomas took the opportunity to hug his penultimate daughter. Clara could not tell what he whispered in her ear but her niece and brother excused themselves from the room.
"Happy?" asked Clara.
"Supremely."
"May I ask then why you felt compelled to play the 'increase love by suspense' card? My dinner party? Hertfordshire? Last Night?"
Ash smiled. "Last Night? I am surprised your Butler did not tell you that I did call here first."
"Ah. Acceptable."
"You question my motives now? You had ample opportunity when I arrived."
Clara smiled. "I question your method; I never questioned your intentions or your motives. They were rather clear."
Ash frowned. "I had hoped to be subtle."
"I am afraid Men do not do subtlety."
"Kitty, my child, are you happy?"
"Of course, Papa."
Mr Bennet looked keenly at his daughter. "It is just ... I am surprised." Kitty did not know whether to be offended at that remark, but her father realised his error and clarified. "I meant when you and Lydia liked a young officer we would hear about it constantly ...for days...weeks even, and now you are accepting a young man you barely mention in your letters?"
Kitty looked down at the floor before answering her father. "Perhaps my lack of openness proves my feelings?" To Kitty it did, she wished to protect herself and more importantly to protect him.
"Perhaps it does but you have placed me in a difficult situation!"
"I have?"
"Your mother!"
Kitty tried to stifle a groan. She had wished to avoid her mother's matchmaking, but would it be worse now? The shock and surprise might silence her mother but...on the other hand, it might not.
"So, of course, you must tell her and explain why it is such a surprise."
"But Papa!"
"No buts, Kitty."
" But" continued Kitty stubbornly, "whoever tells her will be in her good books for months. I shall be anyway because she has always wanted a daughter married."
Mr Bennet frowned at the excellent point, his wife would be pleased with him and peace may ensue. No! What was he thinking: his daughter was engaged to the heir to an earldom, there would be no peace!
"Either way Papa, we need not think of it til tomorrow; we shall wait until we arrive."
"Shall you tell your sisters today?"
Kitty paused. "I shall tell everyone together! Easy! Lizzy and Jane are farewelling their friends today and I do not think a note is very sisterly."
"I could tell them." Mr Bennet sounded hopeful.
"Papa, you do not wish to stay here and dine with us? I am sure Ash will stay and you would wish to speak to him more."
Mr Bennet looked trapped. He could hardly refuse. Part of him wished to fly to his favourite daughters' side and have them explain things to him, but part of him did genuinely wish to stay and ensure his daughter would be happy in her choice of husband.
He stayed and by the end of the evening was certain he had made the right decision. He found his new son-in-law just as easy to converse with as his father. Clara invited the Earl and his family to take pot-luck with them. Mr Bennet was surprised by their acceptance under such short notice; he suspected that the declaration was not a surprise to them.
Mr Bennet felt a pang when he realised how Kitty appreciated and was appreciated by the Matlock family. To prefer to share her happiness first with them then her own family!
But he had no one to blame but himself and nothing to do but promise to himself to be a better father.
Kitty stared intently out of the carriage. Ash was riding near the carriage looking stolidly ahead, not far behind him was his cousin doing the same. Men!
Kitty turned back to the occupants of her carriage, she had been disappointed when Annabelle's grandmother had demanded her and Miles' presence in town for the weekend, but Kitty could hardly be disappointed that she would get the chance, at least, to show Georgiana her home.
Georgiana was sitting next to her asking constant questions about the countryside as they drew closer to Mertyon. Kitty had never seen anyone so excited about the prospect of seeing Mertyon!
Jane and Lizzy were unusually silent. More often than not Lizzy was staring out the window at a certain gentleman on horseback which made Kitty smile, and then she received a frown from Jane who was watching her watch Lizzy.
How could Kitty help it if her sister was so obvious about her clearly conflicted emotions regarding that gentleman?
Indeed there were many secretive glances in the carriage, with Georgiana giving Kitty knowing smiles, as well as directing some speculative ones at Lizzy.
"I am surprised Fitzwilliam would not come with us tonight!" exclaimed Georgiana as she removed her coat and hat in Kitty's room.
Kitty forbore from commenting that perhaps Mr Darcy did not wish to meet either the young lady he recently insulted or his cousin. Georgiana would not take her brother's behaviour well, and Kitty had no intention of removing Georgiana's rose coloured view of her brother. There was one way, certain to work, of distracting Georgiana.
"I received a proposal this afternoon."
Georgiana's eyes widened then she screwed them shut. "You are not going to tell me this and then in a moment tell me how poor Lord Ffourkes is disappointed are you?"
"No!" exclaimed Kitty, laughing.
Georgiana opened her eyes and shrieked throwing herself at Kitty. "We shall truly be sisters!"
"Georgie!"
Georgiana released her. "Obviously not real sisters, but cousins and that is close enough."
Kitty breathed a sigh of relief, even though her fear had been ridiculous. "I do not wish to even think of marrying your brother!"
"It does not seem as if any Bennet girl does!" Kitty paused waiting for Georgiana to continue. "My brother told me. I am sure he did not tell me the whole story, as I am now sure he did not do over the fight with Ash. I am now convinced that that did have something to do with you." Kitty turned her head away to blush. "But it is not your secret to tell me is it? I am not even sure I wish to know anything about my brother if it is so very bad. "
Georgiana sat down in an unladylike fashion on the bed. "Why he had to be such so unromantic in his proposal, I despair of him. He told me that even if it had been the most romantic proposal in the world your sister should still have refused him due to a misunderstanding, as well as his boorish behaviour. What am I to do with him?" Kitty giggled at the put upon look on her friends face. "Oh! Here I am talking about my brother, when there are far more important things to talk about? Was it romantic...my proposal was not very romantic. It was at the time, but now it ...."
Kitty hugged her friend before Georgiana could continue her train of thought. "It was not very romantic. I interrogated him about Hertfordshire."
Georgiana giggled. "I do not believe it; well I believe you interrogated him, I do not believe it was unromantic."
"I spoke of Giles."
Georgiana groaned and pouted. "It is a sad day when Annabelle is the only person of my acquaintance to receive a romantic proposal and even then you and Ash sullied it with your theatrics."
"Well you may go downstairs and take it up with your cousin."
"I do believe I shall!"
Darcy saw his sister constantly leaning to look out both windows of the carriage and smiled at her impulsiveness. He was glad to see that her natural curiousness, though tempered by shyness, had not deserted her.
He had overslept that morning and had barely managed to have his horse brought around in time, and they were the last to be collected. He had not even had a moment to look at himself in the mirror.
The gentlemen, apart from Mr Bennet who was riding in one of the carriages with Mrs Hurst, Miss Bingley and Mrs Sutton, had all taken their positions on the horses.
Darcy felt slightly off kilter when Bingley dismounted to help Georgiana into the carriage, oversee the strapping of the bags and reproved him for making them late.
There was no chance to speak to either of his cousins, though Darcy wondered if it was a good sign that, as they set off, Ash indicated that Darcy's cravat was a shambles.
Georgiana was his source of comfort at the moment. The day after Mrs Sutton's dinner party he had poured out all his feelings to his young sister. He had edited his remarks at Whites, partly out of protectiveness of his sister's innocence but mostly out of selfishness that he could not risk having someone else desert him.
But everything else he had laid bare. He had rendered Georgiana speechless. It had humbled Darcy; he had never seen his sister look at him as if he was just a man.However, Darcy could only be happy in it, for it did no one any good to make an idol of anyone else.
"Fitzwilliam!" Darcy looked up from his book as he heard his sister pelt up the stairs. She had not stopped to take off her pelisse or bonnet.
"Georgie?"
"You should have come tonight."
"I do not think I would have been welcome."
"Well if you are not whose fault is that?" retorted Georgiana. "But, listen! Ash and Kitty are engaged!"
Darcy closed his book. "I am very happy for them."
"Though you must not tell anyone, for Kitty wishes to tell her mother before it becomes more generally known, but since Aunt and Uncle are not coming to Hertfordshire..."
"Georgiana!" exclaimed Lady Matlock huffing into the room. "Gracious, did you think we were to drive off the moment we stopped outside the house? The way you leapt out!"
"Aunt," Darcy stood to hug his aunt. "I trust your evening was enjoyable."
"I am to gain a daughter! And since I soon shall gain another son, I am waiting for my last son to give me a daughter! And then I shall wait for you to give me a new niece!"
Darcy rolled his eyes. "You cannot be happy with two children soon to be married?" Lady Matlock laughed. "It is a pity that you are not coming to Hertfordshire, for I see you would have more in common with Mrs Bennet than I supposed."
Lady Matlock frowned. "You are determined to be displeased?"
Darcy shook his head. "No, you misunderstand me. I meant that what I thought was strange behaviour in Mrs Bennet was simply motherly behaviour. Of course I am pleased."
And Darcy meant it; he was pleased. If his cousin was happy that is what mattered. Neither was Mrs Bennet the harpy he had thought her, she expressed her feelings differently but her feelings did not make her a lesser person.
It was a thought he held onto very strongly when they drove up to Netherfield. The Bennets would then go on to Longbourn, but apparently Mrs Bennet could not wait she had come to meet the carriages.
Mrs Bennet looked the gentlemen all over speculatively, before spying her prey.
"Mr Bingley! How good of you to come!"