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Posted on Tuesday, 28 March 2006
I am afraid my London acquaintance is scant with the details on the young gentleman accompanying your daughters. No doubt they prefer not to become gossips, which of course is a noble decision. I am unsure anything I may impart to you would not be already known. Colonel Fitzwilliam is the second son of the Earl of Matlock. The Earl holds extensive lands in Derbyshire, as well as lands in West Riding and Lancashire; there are many other smaller holdings in the South, acquired over the years. The Earl believes in diversification and owns business unattached to land in the North, and has an estate in India managed by a cousin. However the Matlock fortune is entailed, so no part of this can go to the Colonel, whose future support will depend on his brother, a legacy from an elderly cousin or his marriage. The elder brother, Lord Ashbourne, is sadly not of a sickly disposition, so Colonel Fitzwilliam’s prospects are poor, despite his many other attractive qualities. Neither is his family likely to support such a match, like the Darcys they are known for their pride.
Mrs Bennet sighed. Lady Lucas’ note which had come that morning did not contain a scrap of information that Mrs Bennet could not have discovered herself. Not wishing to gossip indeed! It was more like Lady Lucas’ ‘London Acquaintance’ did not move in such circles and thus knew nothing. Mrs Bennet ignored the fact her own acquaintance was equally as ignorant.
Neither could Lady Lucas ferret any information out about Mr Bingley and his failure to propose! It was most vexing. Of course Lizzy would insist upon having the Colonel and living as poor as a church mouse with him. She could not ever be practical that girl. Never mind what his family wanted, if Lizzy wanted something she invariably got it.
Mrs Bennet sat in the parlour, one of the parlours, at Netherfield as boxes and trunks were brought in around her. Mr Bingley had very graciously invited her inside and had seen to her every comfort.
Clara on seeing her sister-in-law, declared, before even setting foot on the ground, her desire to remain at her own home, instead of joining the crowded carriage to Longbourn.
“Ma’am, are you quite comfortable?” asked Mr Bingley, solicitously bringing Mrs Bennet a cup of tea.
“Thank you sir, now this is my idea of gentlemanly behaviour. I wish I had brought my girls!”
“Mama!” exclaimed Lizzy. “It is almost a mad house already!”
Mrs Bennet’s eyes narrowed. She had greeted and welcomed all her girls equally, well in her eyes she had; in reality she had fawned all over Jane and complimented her good looks. But Lizzy was proving as objectionable as ever. Why must she spoil all her mother’s plans?
“I am sure Lydia or Mary would not have added much to the confusion,” soothed Jane.
“There, you see, Lizzy?” replied Mrs Bennet, before she eyed the new young lady.
Miss Darcy was slim, tall and young. She did not seem in any way to be a rival to Jane, though given how she clung to her cousin the Colonel, Mrs Bennet wondered if Lizzy was not to have what she wanted after all.
“Miss Darcy, what do you think of my sister’s house? Very fine is it not?”
“Mama,” hissed Lizzy to her right.
“It is very lovely, exactly how it has been described to me,” answered the young lady in her soft voice and Mrs Bennet had to be satisfied.
“I am not so old and crotchety that I must have you fussing over me,” exclaimed Clara as she finally entered the room on the arm of the last stranger, whom Mrs Bennet did not know as he had not been on the proposed guest list.
“But, Ma’am, you insisted,” exclaimed the gentlemen.
“You have a lot to learn, Ash!” replied Clara in an exasperated voice. “If a women of my years asks for assistance you must humour her and make her believe she does not need it.”
Mrs Bennet’s ears pricked up. Ash? Lord Ashbourne. Well, here was a turn up! Ignoring Lady Lucas’ note that had warned of the Fitzwilliam pride, she wondered which daughter would please the viscount. Previously she had dismissed his lordship, he did not seem to feature prominently in any accounts from London and certainly appeared to hold himself aloof unlike Kitty’s in-depth commentaries on other gentleman like Lord Ffourkes and Mr Gilmore. But if he was here in Meryton then surely one of her daughters, under their mother’s guidance, should take a chance.
Kitty pulled off her bonnet and looked at her old room. Sharing with Lydia, again. But it was home. And she would miss it.
Miss it! Kitty sat down on her bed and let out a deep breath. She had no time to think since yesterday afternoon, little time alone….she was engaged and she was the happiest person in the world.
But she would have to leave Longbourn, and as much as she never thought she would miss it, looking at even the walls of her room, she realised that she would. Not having Lydia to giggle with, not having Lydia tell her she looked plain in everything, not having Lydia monopolise every man in a twelve mile radius’ attention, perhaps she would do well without her!
“Kitty, child, where have you gone?” shrieked her mother.
“Here, Mama!”
Mrs Bennet bustled into the small room, followed by Jane, Lizzy and Lydia. “Now what a to do!”
“Mama…” started Lizzy.
“Shush! I must think. Now obviously this new gentleman - A lord! Gracious! - will make my table all uneven!”
“Table?” asked Jane.
“Oh yes, Mama is having everyone to dinner tomorrow night and then there is the ball,” laughed Lydia.
“Ball?” exclaimed Lizzy.
“I organised one, a Meryton Assembly for Saturday Night; Sir William was most happy to oblige when I told him it was for Mr Bingley.”
“Tomorrow? A dinner and a Ball?” exclaimed Kitty. Tomorrow was her birthday! Her other sisters, apart from Lydia, looked aghast that their mother would plan a ball for somebody else, especially since Mr Bingley had not mentioned a Ball.
“Hopefully we shall have something to celebrate!” exclaimed Mrs Bennet.
“Mama!” said Jane, looking concerned.
“Your engagement with Mr Bingley!”
“Mama!” chorused Jane and Lizzy, both mortified. Kitty just felt a sense of emptiness at the fact her mother seemed to have forgotten her birthday, she expected it but to actually have it occur!
Lydia sat down on the bed and groaned. “Stop bleating ‘Mama!’ every five seconds! Gracious!”
“Yes, I have worked my fingers to the bone so we shall not all be turned out in the hedgerows and no one respects me! Even if there is no engagement tomorrow I know that Mr Bingley will have a dinner for us all on Monday, so the Ball will be your chance, Jane!”
This, thought Kitty, would be the moment to announce her engagement, but she felt so angry at her mother that she did not wish to reassure her; neither did she want her engagement to be sullied by the idea of securing the family’s fortunes.
By this time Lizzy had sat down as well. “Mama, we shall not be turned out into the Hedgerows. At the very least, Charlotte would not let that happen.”
“Charlotte! Do not talk to me of those artful Lucases. I wrote to Lady Lucas asking her most politely if she could provide some information about the Colonel and ….” Mrs Bennet threw up her hands. “Most likely she wishes to catch him for Maria!”
“Colonel Fitzwilliam?”
“Yes, Lizzy, do not be dense, of course one of the other gentlemen would be a much better match for you but if your heart is set on the Colonel what am I to do about it; your Charlotte told her mother about your little walks together! Walks! And not even engaged.”
“Mama!” exclaimed Jane, causing Lydia to flop back on the bed theatrically.
“Do not ‘Mama’ me, Jane, you spent weeks in London! Weeks! And are you engaged? No! Why did God give me such unresourceful and undutiful girls! And Kitty! Months away and no proposals whatsoever, surrounded by eligible gentlemen and nothing!”
Kitty who might have been tempted to assure her mother that one of her daughters was not undutiful, bit her tongue. She wanted her mother to be proud of her irrespective of any gentleman. It was unlikely to occur but Kitty held onto her hope.
“Now, since none of you pleased this Lord Ashbourne, then it must be Lydia.”
Lydia sat bolt upright and smiled.
“Lydia?” exclaimed Kitty, looking in horror at her sister.
“Why not me, Kitty?” asked Lydia innocently.
“Yes, why not Lydia?! My outgoing girl! I am sure she could capture any man’s attention.”
“Of course, I could, Mama!” Lydia bounced on the bed. “I should like to be Lady Ashbourne.”
Kitty stared, incapable of speech, at her sister and mother. Lizzy and Jane merely rolled their eyes and excused themselves, no doubt to talk about how they could protect the party at Netherfield from such unmannerly displays.
“You must wear your new dress and shoes….” Mrs Bennet trailed off, “What am I talking of you shall know just what to do, it is Jane I should speak to! That girl does not know how to display herself.”
Once their mother had left the room Lydia turned to Kitty. “How romantic, I bet he falls in love with me on sight. And charges off with me on his beautiful Andalusian mount, emerald signet ring blazing in the sunlight, to the romantic parts of Derbyshire.” Lydia laughed. Kitty ground her teeth. “Oh do not be angry Kitty, you are far too obvious.”
“Obvious?”
“Honestly if I had to hear one more word about your darling Lord Ashbourne I may possibly have wanted to chew off my own foot. I do hope he is as handsome as you say.”
“I did not speak …” Kitty stuttered, she had purposely not spoken much of her gentleman friends, especially of Ash.
“I am not stupid. You very carefully did not speak of him in your letters to Mama, but in your letters to me…”
Kitty frowned. “I am sure I did not.”
“I am sure you did. You may of course renamed him, but only a fool would have been misled. Your romantic hero Mr Fairfax, very different from the original story but very clearly based on a real person….” Kitty rolled her eyes. “Now of course if you cannot managed to attract him then of course I shall set my cap at him; after all if he is such a paragon...”
“Do not you dare, Lydia!” Kitty lunged at her sister who slipped out of her grip.
“Why should I not, Kitty?”
“Because, “hissed Kitty, “as your elder sister, I say so!”
“Bah! That will not dissuade me.” Lydia picked up Kitty’s discarded bonnet and placed it on her head. “How fashionable, but I look far better in it.”
“Lydia!” Kitty was this close to resorting to the childish technique of either chasing her sister around the room or tackling her to the ground.
“Now, Kitty, you should not stand in your sister’s way.”
Kitty suddenly realised how absolutely ridiculous she was being. “Fine. Do not make a fool of yourself.”
Lydia stamped her foot. “Kitty, you were supposed to tell me to stay away.”
“Stay away.”
“That is better. So has he proposed?” Lydia looked impishly over her shoulder where she was still admiring herself in the mirror, having pulled a cloak from Kitty’s trunk.
Kitty now knew she would not miss this. Well she would, but she certainly could cope. “Yes.”
“Really? Of course you will invite your favourite sister to come stay with you in London.”
“Yes, Mary would enjoy the concerts.”
Lydia rolled her eyes as she pawed through Kitty’s trunk discovering the white boots.
“I thought you wished to go to Brighton.”
“I think perhaps Lords are better than soldiers,” replied Lydia. “Plus everyone fawns over Wickham, when anyone can see what sort of man he is! I should not have been fooled by him even without your warning!”
Kitty was not so sure. “You will not tell anybody, will you, Lydia?”
“About your invitation to London? Or about Wickham?”
“No, and I haven’t and I won’t! I meant my proposal. And Wickham.”
“Is it a secret?”
“No, my engagement is not a secret, I just have not told Mama yet, only Papa and Aunt Clara know.”
Lydia shrugged and then smiled; she liked a secret.
“How shall we endure it!” cried Lizzy.
“Lizzy, there is little to endure; our mother means well, at least she has not…”
“What? Decided to match me with Mr Darcy? I could possibly bear that more.”
“I thought you could not…”
“Jane, at least I would know that he would know and he would know I would know how silly it all is!”
Jane sat down, “Lizzy ,you are making little sense, sit down, I am sure it will not be as bad as you think it will be.”
“I am sure it will not be as bad as you think it will be,” reassured Bingley as they rode towards Longbourn.
Darcy rolled his eyes. They had left Netherfield in a shambles. Caroline and Louisa had made it plain that they had had to be dragged to Netherfield, they had let out their frustrations the minute the Bennets had left; ignoring the fact Mrs Sutton was still present.
He felt bad about abandoning Georgiana to them, but Mrs Sutton had indicated they would go for a walk around the grounds.
Darcy should have gone with them. The Colonel was clearly having difficulties with his loyalties, to his brother or to his cousin; Bingley was engrossed in the desire to be near Miss Bennet again, but also distracted by something else Darcy could not quite place and Ash was looking supremely unruffled, even though he had met Mrs Bennet.
“I am not thinking anything, Bingley, I am just wondering if visiting not more than three hours after we arrived is mannerly. I am sure after being away for so long …”
The Colonel laughed. “It cannot be any more of a mad house than Netherfield! And Longbourn does have more attractive features than Netherfield.”
“Five of them!” said Bingley, jovially and then remembered and mouthed ‘sorry’ at Darcy.
Great, thought Darcy I am an object of pity. They all pity me because I have to sit in the same room as a woman who despises me. No…more than one woman who despises me.
Mrs Bennet had made it clear in her conversation that morning that she desirous of her daughters’ marriages as much as she ever was, but Darcy was left out of those desires. He had blotted his copy book, and somehow he could have coped better if she was throwing daughters at him, than being regulated to a gentleman not worth her daughters’ attentions.
“Sit up straight, girls! You should have worn your blue dress, Jane! Lizzy, sit still!” Mrs Bennet quite theatrically shushed herself as the door opened.
“And here are my daughters…and my wife,” commented Mr Bennet ushering the four visitors into the room. He had been unsurprised at the haste in which the gentleman had arrived at Longbourn; he had spent the day in the carriage with Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst.
“Mrs Bennet, I do not think introductions were done quite properly at Netherfield, may I introduce you to Lord Ashbourne, and Colonel Fitzwilliam. Lord Ashbourne, Colonel Fitzwilliam, my wife. My daughters you know, apart from Mary and Lydia.”
Once the introductions were all done, the gentlemen sat at Mrs Bennet’s bequest. “I do hope you all come willing to dance! A Meryton Assembly will be held tomorrow, and you of course are all invited to dine here beforehand.” Mrs Bennet smiled knowingly before continuing. “I expect some of you will be quite desirous of attending.”
Ash gave Kitty a questioning look, to which Kitty had to shake her head and try to surreptitiously indicate Mr Bingley.
“Kitty, child, what are you doing, shaking your head at me.”
“I was not shaking, Mama, my earring became caught,” said Kitty while her mother frowned at her.
Mrs Bennet went back to smiling at Mr Bingley. “It is so nice and we are so crowed in here that perhaps you may all go for a walk?”
Mr Bingley, who had barely lifted his eyes from Jane, nodded his ascent vigorously.
Mrs Bennet accompanied her daughters, and the gentlemen to the door trying to direct the party into little groups. “Jane, I expect Mr Bingley would like to see the Hyacinths, they were not in bloom when he was here before and they have just started.” Mrs Bennet knew that Lizzy would not listen to any instruction from her, but was pleased to hear the Colonel offer her his arm and ask for directions to the Hyancinths. “Mary, I remember Mr Darcy speaking of his rose garden and Lydia, my love, I am sure Lord Ashbourne would wish to see our pretty little wilderness.”
“Oh yes, my lord, I expect you do wish to see our wilderness.”
“I came into Hertfordshire with no other intention, Miss Lydia,” responded Ash, earning a beaming smile from Mrs Bennet. Lydia grabbed Ash’s arm and marched him off in the direction of the walled garden. Kitty sighed and turned to follow.
“Kitty!” hissed Mrs Bennet. Kitty turned back to face her mother. “Come inside!”
Kitty rolled her eyes and picked up her skirts to run after the couple.
By the bemused look on Ash’s face, Kitty could guess what her sister had been saying, but did not expect what she heard.
“So you see, I would make a much better wife. After all, Kitty likes soldiers, I am not so fussy.”
“Lydia!” spluttered Kitty. “Who is it that likes soldiers?”
“You.”
“I think Denny, Chamberlayne, Sanderson and Carter would name somebody else!”
Lydia turned and put her hands on her hips. Kitty glared at her sister.
“Ladies, please! Have you forgotten, my dear, that I too am…was…a soldier, so you may like them as much as you please.”
Kitty laughed. “As many as I please?”
Ash frowned. “That I did not say.”
Lydia groaned and went to sit on one of the stone benches. “Well, I shall play propriety and be chaperone.” Lydia laughed at this, as if she realised the ridiculousness of her playing chaperone. “But I shall face the other way.”
“Well, my lord, how many soldiers may I like?”
“This many,” replied Ash, kissing Kitty fiercely. Kitty smiled and wound her arms around his neck and was glad when he lifted her off the ground as standing on her tiptoes was not conducive to comfort.
Lydia turned and sighed, torn between disgust at such a romantic sight not involving herself and admiration that her sister, who Lydia had always thought would not amount to much, had caught herself such a man, any man even!
Lydia had been surprised that he was as handsome as Kitty had described. When Harriet Harrington had fallen in love with a visiting curate, Mr Bobbin, or Robbin or Tobbin or something, Lydia had paid little attention, she had told all the young ladies of Meryton that he was an incomparable. When the curate had presented himself at one of the parties thrown by the officers’ wives, Lydia had been surprised by his short, stout and thoroughly gouty appearance. Love certainly had blinded Miss Harrington, until her friends had laughed heartily at her stupidity.
Lydia would not have been surprised at Kitty doing something similar, but apparently she had not, at least not on the outside. No doubt there would be something wrong with him. Lydia had found, after learning of Wickham’s inconsistency that there was always something wrong with men. It just depended upon a woman’s being willing to overlook the faults. She suspected Lord Ashbourne’s fault would be a teasing disposition, over-protectiveness and a desire to know everything. Lydia was sure Kitty could cope with that! Lydia was even certain that Lydia could cope with that.
“Any particular reason you have not told anyone of our engagement.”
Kitty did not lift her head from Ash’s shoulder. “Have you met my mother? ”
“She seemed quite reasonable to me. If a little overzealous in the direction of Bingley, which is not surprising! Whatever is keeping the man?!”
Kitty did lift her head to look at her fiancé in surprise. “My mother…reasonable?”
“Did you wish me to find your mother unreasonable? Comparatively to mothers she is reasonable. Perhaps a little unsubtle, but then with unsubtlety you do know where you stand.”
“Then why do you not practice unsubtlety?”
“Why practice what you preach?” asked Ash innocently.
Kitty rolled her eyes.
“A man after my own heart,” laughed Lydia, shamelessly eavesdropping. “Should we not return to the house? Mama will be pleased to know you have asked me to dance, Lord Ashbourne.”
Kitty’s hands clenched in Ash’s coat.
“Of course, it would be very impolite not to dance with you.”
Lydia left the walled garden, skipping down the steps as she went.
“Your sister is a shameless and heartless minx,” said Ash with a smile.
Kitty smiled. “You realise this from one meeting? Are you sure you did not meet her when you were in Meryton for the Colonel?”
“I was incognito. I met no one but the Colonel and the inn keeper who directed me to him.”
“Meryton is a very suspicious place.”
“Are you doubting my abilities?” asked Ash in mock annoyance.
Kitty ignored him, “Lydia wishes me to invite her to London, that is if she cannot steal you away from me.”
“Maybe that would be wise, or perhaps Darcy should invite her,;he would probably keep a far better eye on her, better than she gets here.”
“Darcy and Lizzy? Or Darcy and Mary?” questioned Kitty pointedly, “And how shall you ever know if you do not ever speak to him again.”
“I have spoken to him. I said I disliked his cravat. It is now up to him to make the next move.”
Kitty, who had her arms around him, squeezed. “Stop being so silly.”
“I have been told that it is impossible…unless I change my sex.”
“Who told you such a thing?”
“Your aunt, right after she told me men can never be unsubtle.”
Kitty laughed, even happier she had not answered his question about her opinion on his abilities at being incognito. “I wish Aunt Clara was here, she would know how to tell Mama, but I should wait until after the ball, perhaps Bingley and Jane will become engaged; even if they do not then at least you will be spared any undue attention from the entirety of Meryton society.”
“I am not Darcy, I am sure I could stand it.”
Kitty smiled ruefully. “But I could not.”
Settlement made previous to the marriage of Horatio Fitzwilliam, Viscount Ashbourne and Catherine Bennet; April 1812
First Party: Thomas Bennet of the Parish of Longbourn, Hertfordshire, Esq.
Second Party: Catherine Bennet, fourth daughter of (1).
Third Party: Clara Sutton of Cavendish Square, Middlesex, widow. (widow of Fredrick Sutton, deceased)
Fourth Party: Horatio Fitzwilliam, Viscount Ashbourne.
Fifth Party: Frances Bennet, wife of (1)
Sixth Party: Edwin Fitzwilliam, Earl of Matlock.Covenant by (1) to assign to (2) the one fifth share of the sum of £5000 payable upon the death of (5). Covenant by (1) to pay an annuity of £100 in trust for (2) during the lifetime of (1). Arrangements for the securing or payment of the sum of £10 000 by (3) to (2). Covenant by (2) to assign all monies to (4) in trust for (2) on the decease of (4) for the use of (2) and any children….
Ash’s eyes glazed over as he reached the complicated provisions relating to the period during and after marriage, especially with regards to children and property. He had attempted to read it last night; he had blamed the candlelight for the density, now he just blamed the lawyers. He would understand it, but it was not necessary to do so quite yet. Clara had brought it to him, her lawyers had clearly moved fast, perhaps even pre-emptively.
But at the moment Ash would rather escape the house. Miss Bingley had been no less sour during dinner. It was clear she resented leaving London for Netherfield, but would have never let her brother come on his own, or probably more accurately, she would have never let Darcy come on his own.
Taking less care than he usually would with his clothing, after all it was rather early in the morning and he would be tramping through the countryside, Ash dressed. He had no idea what was taking Bingley so long to propose to Jane Bennet. It was not as though he was not in love with her. It was also not as though his sisters (or Darcy) were putting up any real opposition, they had all but given that up.
Running down the stairs of Netherfield, surprising a few maids, and out onto the drive, Ash was surprised to see Bingley already up and talking in-depth with some gentlemen, who he recognised as belonging to the house and its lands.
“Bingley?”
“My lord!” exclaimed Bingley. “You are up early.”
“So are you.”
“Yes, well, lord of the manor, well, renter of the manor!” Bingley looked a bit fidgety.
Ash turned at the sound of footsteps on the gravel.
“Bingley, I think it would be best to – “the gentleman stopped short. “Ash!”
“Sir Christian,” replied Ash baffled by the baronet’s sudden appearance. “Forgive me, but I did not know you were … familiar with this part of the country, or were planning to become familiar with it.”
Bingley looked slightly sheepish. “I have asked for Sir Christian’s assistance on a matter of some…delicacy.”
Sir Christian smiled in a fashion that ladies would deem roguish; Ash thought he looked pleased with himself.
“I was not even aware you knew Sir Christian, Bingley? He is certainly the man for delicacy. Gentlemen.” Ash bowed. He did not know what Bingley and Sir Christian were up to and he really did not want to know.
“It is really nothing of import!” cried Bingley. “Nothing to speak about!”
“Then I shall not speak of it to anyone,” called Ash over his shoulder.
Kitty looked at the ceiling. If she knew her sister, any sort of movement in the room would cause great distress to Lydia, and Lydia’s great distress tended to be spread liberally.
Today was her birthday! Eighteen! Her excitement would explain her early awakening; she could hear no other rumblings in the house. Of course some of the maids would be toiling away, but none of them would come upstairs until a more reasonable hour.
Or was it her fear that caused her early awakening? A dinner and ball was not something to fear, but as Kitty closed her eyes the night before, the spectre of Wickham had arisen. Certainly Ash had warned him, and the presence of Darcy and the Colonel would certainly deter him, well it would deter her, who knew what went on in the head of such a man, but that did not mean her mother had not invited him and that he would not accept.
Kitty knew she should simply go and tell her mother of her engagement, but it was not quite as simple as that. After the gentlemen had left the previous night, Kitty had tried at every opportunity to bring up the subject. But Kitty had been sent rushing all over the house to iron out details of the dinner, and been reprimanded at every turn. Not that this was behaviour particularly levelled at Kitty; Jane and Lizzy had been equally reprimanded and been subjected to a lecture about their joint effort to break their mother’s heart. Kitty would have spoken up, the tirade was directed at her as well, but every time she did her mother would shush her.
It was too frustrating. But at some point today she had to find a way to tell her mother.
On a good note, the weather seemed almost perfect, Kitty smiled as she looked out of the window. Someone had opened the shutters which was probably what had awoken her. A ladder loomed, but Kitty turned over and snuggled back into her pillow hoping that whoever was washing windows at this hour knew better to than make the slightest amount of noise.
Thunk.
Kitty groaned and tried to pull the covers over her head, when the noise predictably made Lydia sit bolt upright in her bed and look murderous.
“Who is making that noise?” Lydia said petulantly. “How am I supposed to entertain the officers today if I cannot get a wink of sleep – “ Lydia paused in her rant. “Kitty, I think it is for you.”
Kitty pulled down the covers and blinked at Lydia before turning towards the window. Meanwhile Lydia had almost leapt out of bed, pulled on her dressing gown, and thrown Kitty’s at her.
It took Kitty a moment to realise that Lydia was not excited to see a gardener on top of a ladder, but Ash.
“Should you be climbing into naked women’s rooms?” asked Lydia pulling the sash up and leaning on the windowsill.
“Naked?”
“Well, as far as you are supposed to see, yes. You should have seen Mr Collin’s reaction to seeing me in my shift. “
“I have a great desire to meet Mr Collins,” replied Ash.
By this point, Kitty had pulled on her unfashionable but warm dressing gown, “I can assure you that you do not wish to meet Mr Collins.”
Ash shrugged instead of answering he held out his hand. “Come with me.”
“Are you eloping?” asked Lydia in interest as Kitty found her slippers.
“No!” exclaimed Kitty, trying to look disapprovingly at her sister, but realising doing this yet still climbing out of a window with a man who was not your husband was most definitely not consistent.
“I am glad” replied Lydia. “Because it’s not very romantic.”
Ash looked quizzical.
“Well, where is the carriage with six white horses? And what are you wearing?!!”
Kitty saved Ash from having to reply to this aspersion on his fashion sense and romantic tendencies by climbing out the window.
They made it to the rose garden without being seen, or at least Kitty hoped they had but as there were no shrill shrieks and demands for smelling salts it had to be assumed they had.
Kitty half expected some sort of admonishment for the fact that they had to meet in secret, but Ash said nothing but wish her happy birthday. It was most likely only Kitty’s guilty feelings that made her feel thus.
“Is Netherfield so very bad that you had to escape so early in the morning? Or am I so very hard to part from?”
Ash looked as though he was thinking quite intently about the answer before smiling, “Both? I have not seen either Mrs Hurst or Miss Bingley this morning but their behaviour at dinner last night was nothing less than excruciating.”
“They are not still attempting to sway their brother’s feelings are they?” Like Ash Kitty was at a loss to explain Bingley’s reticence in asking for Jane’s hand.
“Nothing but sly comments, designed I expect to make my cousin think more highly of them. Though, I think Bingley had his mind on other things, so much so that he forgot he was host a number of times. Richard had to hunt down a footman for port himself…”
“Was he thinking of Jane do you think?”
Ash frowned, “Last night I would have said so but this morning I am not quite sure.”
As Ash went on to describe his curious meeting with Bingley and Sir Christian, Kitty felt something tingle when she realised she was not just anyone, for Ash would not break his word.
“Any thoughts?”
“Well I have no idea what kind of business Mr Bingley would need Sir Christian’s advice on….unless it was a gaming parlour?” mused Kitty.
They both mused on the rather interesting image of Bingley opening up a gaming parlour with Jane running the EO tables.
“I just wish he would propose! Jane cannot wait forever!”
“And perhaps that would give you the courage to speak to your mother,” countered Ash.
“Tonight…after the ball, my mother will make such a fuss…” Kitty paused, “ and do not take that as a compliment, she was all a dither over the prospect of Lizzy marrying Mr Collins!”
“I wish I had gone to my Aunt’s at Easter…I see now I have been denied the prospect of meeting a truly great man.”
“But then you would have never met me!” cried Kitty. “You would have instead fallen madly in love with Lizzy and fought a duel with Mr Darcy over her.”
“Your sister, charming though she is, has one very grievous fault I would find hard to overlook.”
Kitty rapidly mentally listed her sister’s faults, even those she had in small doses; her prejudice, her temper, her being quick to judge, her teasing nature, her self-righteousness… all faults indeed but surely not grievous!
Before Kitty could ask exactly what Lizzy’s fault was, Ash kissed her. “She’s not you,” he whispered drawing back only slightly. Kitty laughed, her laughter vibrating in her throat as she was being kissed again.
“Happy Birthday, but I expect you should be getting back. I am surprised your sister has not raised the alarm. After all she is an excellent chaperone.”
“You did not get me a present?”
“Am I not present enough?”
“You have a sister and you must ask this question?”
Ash reached into his jacket and pulled out a small packet. Inside was a pendant. The pendant was made of the same gemstone as Ash’s ring. Kitty looked on the back and engraved there was a ‘K’ and an ‘A’ intertwined. “You must have had this made before …”
Ash smiled; perhaps it wasn’t only Clara that had moved pre-emptively. “I was going to tell you it stood for, I don’t know…”
“Amazing Kitty?”
“Something like that.”
Kitty smiled. “I should go; I expect most of today will be preparing for the dinner this evening and the ball.”
Although it was some time later that Ash watched her safely climb back into her room.
“Girls! Girls!” Mrs Bennet cried much later that evening as they were trying to dress for the dinner and the Ball.
Lizzy attempted to block her out as she gazed at herself in the mirror. Had it really been less than six months since she sat preparing for the Netherfield Ball? Her mother telling her she would never be as pretty as Jane but she looked very well and Lydia admonishing her for planning to dance all night with Wickham!
How things had changed and yet had not! Her mother was still worried about Jane’s prospects and sidelining her other daughters in order to capture Mr Bingley but Lizzy would have to be paid all the money in the land, and perhaps even more than that, to dance with Mr Wickham!
Lizzy was surprised Lydia had not come to tell her that since she had been away that Wickham was rightfully hers to dance with. Not that Lydia had paid any attention to such claims of precedence at Netherfield!
The whole party from Netherfield was expected. In addition to Longbourne’s residents this would certainly be enough to expect for dinner! But Mrs Bennet insisted on squeezing as many people into her dining parlour as it could hold and had invited some gentlemen to make up her table.
To be specific, her mother had invited the officers to dinner; Colonel Forster (whose wife was indisposed), Captain Carter and Lieutenants Denny, Sanderson and Chamberlayne. Her table had been evened up by Wickham sending his particular regrets.
Lizzy could not believe that Wickham had intended to inflict them with his presence, leaving it til the last moment to send word that he would not be able to attend. No, now she thought of it more she could believe it of him.
The officers were clearly invited to entertain Lydia, to converse with Colonel Fitzwilliam, to distract Miss Darcy from any of the gentlemen her mother had reserved for her daughters and if Lizzy knew her mother at all to annoy Mr Darcy. Lizzy could only hope it was not a recipe for disaster.
“Lizzy?”
Lizzy turned to see Jane looking radiant in a cream gown. “You look lovely, Jane. You will quite outshine all of us!”
Jane shook her head. “Lizzy, you know you are very pretty yourself!”
“Not as beautiful as you! I shall be spinster Aunt Lizzy teaching ten very radiant children to play their instruments extremely ill!”
“That all depends on my receiving a proposal, Lizzy.”
Lizzy could have bit back her words when she saw Jane’s fallen expression.
“I am sure he has a reason for not proposing,” she attempted to reassure her sister.
“That he does not love me? That he thinks I am a flirt?”
“No, Jane, no one who knows you could think you anything less than an angel, and I have heard Mr Bingley himself describe you as such!”
This sisterly conversation was brought to a close by their mother insisting they come down stairs to greet the guests.
“I told you, Mr Bingley, all those months ago that you should dine with us!” exclaimed Mrs Bennet.
“Well I am a man of my word, Mrs Bennet,” replied Bingley.
“Are you a man of your word? I am very glad to hear that!” cried Mrs Bennet, making Bingley’s face crease with confusion.
“Stop confusing the gentlemen, Fanny,” interjected Clara, “I am sure Mr Bingley would prefer to speak to one of the young ladies, not one of the ancient ones…”
Bingley took that opening and beat a retreat, not before hearing Mrs Bennet exclaim sharply, “Speak for yourself!”
While he did not make it to one of the young ladies, he did make it to the relative safety of Darcy who was standing in the middle of the parlour. Despite the crowded nature of the room, he was an island of space.
“Darcy!” Bingley dropped his tone. “Why are you not speaking to anyone?”
“No one is speaking to me,” replied Darcy sullenly. Bingley winced; Darcy had been in a sullen mood since returning from his walk with Mary Bennet the previous afternoon. She was a rather serious young lady, but surely nothing she could have said would have affected Darcy so!
“Well…I am sure you had a conversation with Miss Mary yesterday, perhaps you would like to continue it?” Bingley knew he was grasping at straws but he could not help it.
“A conversation about the evils of pride?”
Bingley winced. Mary Bennet had chosen her homily well. He was unsure of what to reply to this so he remained silent. Some moments passed before he realised how ridiculous and how rude he and Darcy must have looked standing in the middle of a gathering not speaking a word to anyone…or each other.
“Mr Darcy,” Bingley turned in gratitude to see Miss Kitty. “Perhaps you would like to sit on the sofa?”
Darcy bowed his acquiescence and allowed himself to be guided to the sofa. Bingley followed as he was too much of a gentleman to abandon a young lady to Darcy in one of his moods.
“I think this is shaping up to be a lovely evening,” said Kitty but Bingley thought he detected a false note in her tone.
“Yes,” replied Darcy shortly. Then he seemed to shake his head as if to clear it. Clearing his throat he continued. “I mean yes, it does. I am sure dinner will be excellent and the ball also…with such company how can I be anything less than very happy.”
Kitty raised one eyebrow, in a manner very familiar to Bingley but he could not quite place it. “If this is you in a happy situation, Mr Darcy, may I beg to see you in an unhappy situation?”
Darcy, instead of glaring as Bingley expected, actually had the beginnings of a smile. “I am afraid I am poor company.”
“You seem to me to be always poor company,” replied Kitty and Bingley had to turn his head not to laugh. It would not do to laugh at his friend so lately suffering a disappointment, no wonder he was poor company!
“Perhaps I have my reasons,” replied Darcy shortly.
“Your sister is being very well taken care of; you can have nothing to worry about there.”
Darcy looked intently at the young lady by his side before turning his gaze to Georgiana who was with Colonel Fitzwilliam and one of the officers. “Then I am just naturally bad company.”
“I have been told by others that you are not.”
At this point Bingley chimed in, “Yes, Darcy! A Ball, a nice dinner and such pretty company, what more can you ask for? I know you can be satisfied by that!” Bingley hoped his tone conveyed his plea for his friend to act more sociably despite his heart-ache. Darcy could be satisfied by such he had seen be so him before!
“And if you are not satisfied by that then you know who to speak to,” replied Kitty before excusing herself.
Bingley blinked after her, wondering if that meant Darcy’s heartache was known generally.
TO be LET with immediate possession a desirable FAMILY HOUSE , Purvis Lodge, in good repair situated not five miles from Meryton, Hertfordshire, containing two sitting rooms, seven bedrooms, kitchen, dairy, pantry, cellars, large attics together with large garden and well stocked fruit trees. Apply by letter, post paid, to Mr Thomas Carter, gentlemen, Meryton Hertfordshire.
Somebody had cut parts of the paper out and pasted them onto the walls of one of the antechambers at the Meryton Assembly rooms. Normally Darcy would have made some comment about the bucolic nature of such a way of passing information, but it gave him something to read as he hid.
And....he noted with some amusement that the house he had heard Mrs Bennet so eloquently pressing onto her sister-in-law, in order not to make Bingley homeless, should she decide to return to her home county was being advertised as having large attics, when Mrs Bennet had held forth for several minutes on their being dreadful.
He had been trapped at dinner between Mary Bennet and Mrs Sutton. He had hardly wished to speak to Miss Mary in case she continued her stern lecture on what befell people who gave in to the base sin of pride. He was already well versed on what befell such people – they were considered contemptible by the woman they loved and shunned quite rightly by their family and everyone else!
Mrs Sutton however had been unable to prevent herself from being drawn into Mrs Bennet’s rather loud conversation, and thus could not converse with Darcy either.
There had been an amusing interlude as she had hissed at him, “I do not know why she seated me so close to her! She knows we have nothing polite to say to one another!”
Darcy had been unable to prevent himself from saying, “Perhaps she wishes to keep an eye on you?”
Strangely Mrs Sutton had laughed and asked “If so, what have you done to warrant needing to be kept an eye on?”
Darcy had been unable to answer her. He doubted Mrs Bennet had any plan when he seated her between her daughter and her sister-in-law, merely that there he could not interfere in any planned matches. He had been after all placed some distance from Miss Bennet and Bingley.
By design or by luck Darcy could not help but notice Kitty and Ash had been seated together and spent the entire dinner talking closely and laughing, with the youngest Miss Bennet joining in when she could spare her attention from the lieutenant on her other side.
He was quite sure that their engagement was still not general knowledge; Mrs Bennet would surely not have remained silent on that matter but surprisingly she had not seemed to notice the obvious attachment and regard and had insisted that Miss Lydia be the first led out onto the floor by his cousin.
Darcy did not quite know what to make of Kitty’s strange conversation before dinner; he did admire her for her frankness. After all he could not love it in her sister and hate it in her, and she had been far more circumspect than he could or should have hoped for! In fact it was good of her to speak to him and attempt to save him from the officer’s gossip that he did in fact think himself above his company.
“Mr Darcy – I – I “ Darcy turned to see he had been joined by Lizzy. “I did not know anyone would be in here – “ She turned to leave.
“Please do not leave on my account, Miss Bennet. If you wish to be alone, please let me leave…”
“No. I should not want to – “
“Forgive me.”
Lizzy looked startled as if she did not know precisely what Darcy was asking her to forgive him for, but before she could answer someone passed closely by the door. Suddenly realising the impropriety of being alone in a room with him she gave a quick curtsey before fleeing.
Darcy tried to restrain the feeling he should hit his head against the wall and after a discreet interval left to try and be sociable; he had too many people to atone to, to spend the rest of his life hiding.
“What is your friend about, Darcy?” asked Colonel Fitzwilliam, “and more to the point where have you been? You have not danced once!”
“Which friend?” asked Darcy.
“Bingley. But never mind him, I am sure he is just working up the courage, but you should dance, Darcy. A ball passes a lot quicker if you dance!”
“In a society such as this? One that I am sure does not wish to inflict me upon any of its daughters?”
“Buck up man, you still have £10 000 a year; I am sure there will always be families willing to have you inflicted upon them.”
“I feel very reassured.”
“Well I do not think I should be reassuring you because I do not understand this behaviour!”
“He had no way to make up for it, that is the problem,” came a third voice as Ash joined them.
“Is it?” replied Darcy calmly.
“Well, how to prove to everyone you are not as arrogant as they think? There are no damsels in distress, nothing for you to come to the rescue for; you shall have to prove yourself far more prosaically.”
“I know.”
“Then do it, “chorused the brothers. Darcy rolled his eyes, it was not the first time his cousins had spoken in chorus but he was surprised Ash would wish to give him any advice considering his behaviour.
As if he had read Darcy’s mind Ash spoke, “I do want you to know that I am acting purely selfishly. You are my cousin and I do not wish to have a bad one. I have not forgiven or forgotten.”
Darcy sighed, and watched the viscount’s retreating back. “It’s not only Mertyon society I have to prove something to.”
Clara tried to look interested. She had a feeling it was not working. She had attempted to corner Colonel Fitzwilliam in order to speak to him. Well what else would she corner him for… though, she mused, he was not precisely handsome but he had a charm about him! She had attempted to corner him alone so she could speak to him about his cousin. Mr Darcy was clearly not speaking to Ash, or indeed anyone else and he seemed to either gaze at or studiously not gaze at her niece, Lizzy. Clara had thought there was some attachment there but now she was certain of it, and it was up to her to interfere before Fanny did.
However it had not gone to plan; Colonel Forster had decided it was imperative he speak to his counterpart on military matters. Other officers had joined him and where other officers went apparently so did half the young ladies. Clara found herself hemmed into a corner with little chance of escape without appearing abrupt and rude.
She would have gladly been abrupt and rude, but Lydia had made one the party of girls and Clara wished to observe her youngest niece properly.
“So you are to go to Brighton for the Summer?” asked Colonel Fitzwilliam of Colonel Forster.
“Yes. Yes. I have given my officers here some good training in society that will stand them in good stead when we are encamped there! I am sure there will be balls enough to satisfy them and with experience found here they will not shame his majesties government.”
“I hope they have not forgotten their primary duty of protecting the populace, Colonel!” replied Clara acidly.
“Of course not dear lady!” laughed Colonel Forster.
Clara was certainly about to say something rude, when one of the officers broke in to ask some inane question about the regulars and the Horse guards.
Lydia, who had been listening to the men talk, moved to Clara’s side. “I have decided not to go to Brighton.”
Clara turned her head sharply, “And why not?”
“If this is what the men are like when one new officer comes amongst them, what will it be like with a whole camp full of new officers? What do I care of the Horse Guards? As long as they defeat the French and wear such handsome uniforms?”
Clara was distracted from saying anything, especially voicing her surprise that her niece was not a complete ninny, by a commotion at the door.
Sir Christian Montgomery had graced them with his presence. This was strange, Clara had no idea what charm Meryton would hold for him, but what was stranger was Mr Bingley immediately greeting him and appearing to be hissing at him sotto voce. What on earth was the man up to?
“Sir Christian! What are you doing here?” hissed Bingley.
“You expected me to stay in the Inn?”
Bingley was rendered momentarily speechless as he opened and closed his mouth trying to think of what to say.
“I have just been assaulted by a woman!” added Sir Christian.
Bingley looked horrified. “You did not assault her first….??”
“Of course I did not, Bingley! She ran into me and then after I solicitously asked after her health she hit me with a book! Who brings a book to a ball! When you asked me to come I did not expect – “
At this point Bingley shushed Sir Christian and drew him out of hearing distance.
Ash rolled his eyes and tried not to notice his previous conversationalist was now staring curiously at the odd couple in the corner. It allowed him to look around the room at leisure and as a result put out an arm to restrain Darcy who with a confused look on his face looked like he was about to approach his friend.
“Should you ask questions I am quite sure you do not want to know the answer to?”
Darcy stared at his cousin. “But what on earth is…”
“I ask again do you truly want to know?” It was Ash this time who manoeuvred himself and his cousin away from curious onlookers.
“He could be spending time with Miss Bennet and yet he is….doing…talking…!”
“It is best not to plumb the minds of others too far, Darcy…”
“She would say yes, and yet he will not ask?”
“Why do you not tell him to hurry up?”
“I have decided that giving advice is not my place.”
“Very wise.”
“Are we speaking again?”
Ash glared at Darcy. “If you are asking whether this conversation is a figment of your imagination then no, it is not; if you are asking if I have forgiven you the answer has not changed since half an hour ago! I am merely trying to be civil. I have not and I will not forget the aspersions you cast on both myself and my future wife. How you could forget yourself in such a manner is beyond me! How you could assume such a thing of any young lady is beyond me? I must say I have wondered where you picked such notions up? Who have you been associating with, Darcy?”
With that Ash walked off and Darcy sighed. Ash was certainly being slightly childish, but he had not himself apologised for suggesting Kitty was a fallen woman or that Ash himself would offer a carte blanche to a gentleman’s daughter.
Despite her mother appearing not to have noticed that eighteen years ago precisely she was in what appeared to Kitty’s knowledge to more than likely be a very uncomfortable position; Kitty’s birthday was going swimmingly.
All of her sisters had brought her presents; Jane’s practical new husewife, Lizzy’s pretty fabric, Mary had been shocked that Kitty had actually appreciated Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica and Lydia had given Kitty her old bonnet back, though embellished with ornamants that actually suited Kitty.
Even her father had caught her in the mad rush to finish organising the dinner and given her a leather bound copies of all of Shakespeare’s plays. He had whispered confidentially that he was sure in one of her fiance’s many houses there was a similar collection but that she deserved her very own copy and indeed Kitty’s name had been embossed in the opening leaves. Her father must have had it done in London and Kitty was touched. Though seeing her name gave her a twinge that she would so soon be resigning it!
The servants had given her their tokens and in what Kitty could only describe as the result of mind reading Hill had told her that for her present she would engage to collect some cuttings for ‘the young miss to take to her new establishment.’ Hill had winked at this and just as Kitty was about to grab onto this lifeline and question Hill she had been called away by her mother. Kitty still did not know if Hill had been referring to her new establishment with her aunt..or her new establishment. And if it had been the latter, how did Hill know? More importantly how would Hill break it to her mother if it were her?
Though Kitty suspected Hill would not have given an answer to that question beyond a – Lud Miss,I break it to your mother that I be getting married? She would think it very odd as I am married already!
There had just not been a moment to break anything to anyone, well apart from stopping Sarah from breaking the good china! Not to mention upsetting her mother’s nerves even in a positive way did not seem a wise idea considering the tense feeling of the household.
It was much better now that they were at the Mertyon Assembly Rooms. Easy to avoid their mother’s machinations and Kitty could see that Lizzy especially was wearying of it even though she played little role in it beyond being encouraged to speak with the Colonel and Kitty did not see that as a hardship!
“Kitty! There you are my child!” Speak of the devil, Kitty turned to her mother. “I saw you dancing with Lord Ashbourne!”
“Yes Mama.”
“Did you speak to him of Lydia? Did he speak to you of Lydia?”
Kitty rolled her eyes and looked to the dancefloor where Lydia was doing her best to flirt shamlessly with Ash. But what to say to her mother? “I do not believe we spoke of Lydia!”
“Kitty!” wailed her mother despairingly. “I gave you the gift of life…eighteen years ago and you cannot do this one thing for me?”
Kitty blinked, her mother remembered her birthday? It was so like her mother to remember but it to be incidental to her daughters’ marriage!
“All my girls! I have a daughter who is twenty-three and is she married? Is she any where near being married?”
”Mama!” Kitty did not know what to say.
“I mean what is my business in life? My daughters! Their happiness, their futures! But I cannot be expected to do the thing all by myself! What does Jane wish me to do walk up to the Altar myself!?”
Kitty sighed. “Mama, we know you love us but sometimes it is very difficult…”
“Difficult to what?” Mrs Bennet looked agrieved.
“Difficult to help you when you are so…” Kitty tried to think of a word “ Mama, you should not be so forward.”
“Forward!?!”
“Ordering this Ball…everything…” Kitty could see her mother was about to exclaim so she cut her off, “Surely you know how men are, they need a nudge but they need to think it’s their idea. You are very good at the nudging, perhaps a little too much..”
Mrs Bennet looked outraged but then a thoughtful look came across her face, replaced by another outraged look. “Men!”
Kitty tried not to snort.
“If only I had been able to have sons! Then I would have no problems!”
Kitty was not sure whether this meant that her mother would have understood men more, or been able to breed perfect men…or what …but she just nodded.
Mrs Bennet looked at the clock. “There precisely eighteen years ago my fourth undutiful daughter was born!”
Kitty hugged her mother impulsively. She was after all her mother and somehow the ‘undutiful’ seemed almost a carressing adjective. “You remembered?”
“When you have children you too will remember the exact moment!”
Kitty laughed. It was on the tip of her tongue to blurt out to her mother how happy she suddenly was when Lady Lucas and Mrs Long swarmed up.
Posted on Tuesday, 28 March 2006
My dear neighbour, I cannot tell you how delighted I was at the ball tonight! I am so very glad your wife made the suggestion of holding it. Our little society quite excites at a ball and with such company! Such very superior dancing is not often seen. It is evident that our friends from Netherfield belong to the first circles. Allow me to say, however, that your fair daughters do not disgrace you, and that I must hope to have this pleasure often repeated, especially when a certain desirable event, or perhaps should I say certain desirable events, shall take place. What congratulations will then flow in. And they are most certainly well deserved, my dear sir! 1
Mr Bennet smiled at the note from Sir William. Sir William was such an affable man and Mr Bennet wondered if he had been perceptive enough to notice that there was more than one desirable event on the cards. No doubt he had, but whether he, unlike Mrs Bennet and the wives of Meryton, had made the right connections in his head, was debateable.
Mr Bennet had noted quite clearly the attention that his daughters were receiving, and not just from the young men, but also from those whose daily sport was watching young men giving attention to young ladies. He trusted they would not be disappointed, by last night’s festivities or by any revelations that might come from it.
But while he was sanguine his wife was not.
She had risen from her bed clearly not recovered from the exertions of the ball and was being most petulant towards her daughters especially Jane.
But her monologue was neither as piercing nor as critical as he would have expected. He saw her glance at Kitty several times which made him wonder if his daughter had taken her mother to task. She clearly had not divulged her own engagement for he doubted Mrs Bennet would think twice about Mr Bingley if presented with a Lord Ashbourne.
“Mama!” injected Lizzy, “If we do not make haste we will be late for church!”
Mrs Bennet opened her mouth to make some blasphemous statement such as ‘Hang the Church’, when she reconsidered. Her absence from church would be food for the gossips and she would not have it said that Mrs Bennet was repining for her daughters’ failures!
She dared anybody to say, to her face, that her daughters were failures!
Only she could insinuate that!
Jane as the centre of her mother’s worry was unconcerned. Well, she was perhaps not unconcerned, but she had not expected a proposal at the Ball.
She did, however, in general, at some point in time, obviously one convenient to Mr Bingley, expect a proposal and while Lizzy had soothed her worry and Mr Bingley’s kind and solicitous attention had pushed her fears further away, she could not help but think she was destined to be a spinster. Especially when even she could not explain the sudden appearance of Sir Christian and his seeming closeness to Mr Bingley – everyone had expected her to know the answer, but he had not confided in her!
But she should not be thinking such things in Church. She should be attending to the sermon not the back of a gentleman sitting several pews in front.
Lizzy was more concerned for her sister and so very confused about the ball she could hardly keep it out of her mind.
Mr Darcy had seemed so different when she had met him in the alcove. His whole manner had changed and she had felt so unequal to being in his society. She wished that feeling would vanish; she had felt it ever since she had read his letter. The heartfelt words of a man spurned, perhaps bitter in parts, but he spoke so much of the truth that Lizzy had found herself reading his letter again and again.
His words about her family, her feelings about them; it was all so disordered in her head that she was not sure what to think. But she was certain that she should be paying more attention to the sermon.
And when Jane and Lizzy were determined they were determined; so Misters Bingley and Darcy were forgot.
Until of course they exited the Church.
“Miss Bennet,” smiled Mr Bingley, walking over to their party, “I am very glad to see you are all so well recovered from the ball.”
Lizzy laughed. “Are we such delicate creatures to be tired from a little dancing then, Mr Bingley?”
“Well my sisters are unwell, indeed so very knocked-up they could not attend church!”
Lizzy bit her tongue which was itching to ask in a very caustic tone if this meant Mr Bingley compared them to his sisters!
So she turned to the Colonel, “Colonel Fitzwilliam, do you think us such paltry creatures?”
“No, indeed I do not. You know that I have heard so much of your intrepidness to think you equal to anything!”
Lizzy could not help but glance at Mr Darcy and then blush when she realised Colonel Fitzwilliam was looking at her so very intently.
The awkward moment was broken by Mr Bingley. ”Darcy and I rode here,” started Mr Bingley looking at the assembled party, “and Mrs Sutton came in a phaeton, perhaps we should go for a little tour of the Park? It is such a fine day, I feel we should not waste it.”
“Oh yes indeed!” exclaimed Mrs Bennet turning from Mrs Long, who had stopped to talk of the ball. “It would be nothing to go and fetch horses for the girls!”
Lizzy disclaimed any desire to ride and was offered a seat in the Phaeton with Miss Darcy and Aunt Clara.
There were not enough horses, or indeed suitable horses, in the stables for Lord Ashbourne or the Colonel, as they too had come in the Phaeton, so they were to return to Netherfield and meet the party in the Park.
Lydia claimed the last seat in the carriage, as Jane was helped onto Nelly and Kitty rode a fidgety horse named Phoebe.
The party set off at a leisurely pace, with Mrs Bennet heard exclaiming that if only Mr Bennet would call for their farm horses, who could not be wanted on the farm on a Sunday, then she too could enjoy a drive.
Georgiana was glad for Mr Bingley’s suggestion; although she wished to speak to Kitty about the Ball, she was happy enough to exchange Kitty for Lizzy.
With Kitty she would have to speak in low tones and riddles in order not to reveal Kitty’s secret. Yet, with Lizzy, Georgiana felt she could have some fun, just how Georgiana did not know.
Georgiana had been allowed to attend the Assembly but had danced only with gentlemen that she knew, allowing Clara and the Bingley sisters to inform people that she was not properly out. She hoped none of the Meryton men thought that she thought herself above her company! But to dance with those she did not know still made Georgiana uncomfortable, especially if they were officers who knew Wickham!
Though as Fitzwilliam and Cousin Richard had made very clear, in their separate dashes across the ballroom, Sir Christian did not count as one of the gentlemen she knew!
Georgiana thought it a pity because while Sir Christian could be very warm he was also very amusing.
Georgiana had been happy enough to watch the proceedings and took particular notice that, for however brief a time, Lizzy and Fitzwilliam had been alone in the same room! Both had exited looking flushed! Georgiana knew it was for reasons of embarrassment but it still amused her that her brother could be so dense!
Above else the ball afforded her the pleasure of knowing that her brother was beginning to see her as an adult and treating her as such! One of the pleasures of feeling like an adult was finally seeing her brother without the filial layer. Six months ago Georgiana could not conceive of thinking her brother dense, or wishing to see if her suspicions about the young lady of his choice were correct.
But Georgiana had never felt better.
“Should we not slow down, Aunt? Jane and Mr Bingley have quite fallen behind!”
Clara looked at Lizzy witheringly. Clara was not Mrs Bennet but she was not above pushing people together!
“Indeed,” exclaimed Georgiana, looking behind them, “I cannot see them at all!”
“I am sure Mr Bingley will be looking after Jane very attentively.”
Lizzy frowned, but turned her head away.
“Lord, Lizzy do you not want Jane to become engaged? How can Mr Bingley ask her if they are not alone?”
Lizzy blanched and turned to ensure Mr Darcy was not in hearing distance, she looked relieved when she realised he was some distance from the carriage.
“Lydia, you should not speak of such things, “said Clara sternly.
“Are you to tell me that no one else is thinking such a thing!”
“I did not say that, Lydia, but thinking is very different from saying.”
“That is just hypocrisy!”
“No, hypocrisy would be saying we did not think such things. No hypocrisy in simply knowing that we are all thinking something!” retorted Clara.
Lydia frowned, but Georgiana broke into the conversation. “Indeed I shall risk Mrs Sutton’s displeasure and say I was thinking of such a thing! I do hope Mr Bingley proposes soon because it is so obvious he thinks the world of Miss Bennet and she of him.”
Clara smiled at Georgiana and squeezed her hand. “I think we are all of the one mind in this carriage!”
Georgiana saw that her brother was still riding some way from the carriage and smiled. “Do you not think my brother is a fine rider? I envy him for I am terrified of horses!”
The ladies turned to observe their gentleman escort.
Georgiana continued, “Miss Elizabeth, do you not think he has a fine seat? My uncle says he has one of the finest seats of any man! Though my uncle does not include my cousins in that saying for he thinks it would be improper to praise his own sons, but indeed Fitzwilliam rides extremely well.”
Clara tried not to smile at the blush that spread across Elizabeth’s face. Clearly she was thinking a little too much about seats.
Indeed Lizzy was. She could hardly respond to Miss Darcy’s question without looking closely at Mr Darcy’s riding and now that she had she found she could hardly look away.
She did not know what she felt, but she this morning thought about Darcy and how strange it was that he had allowed his sister to attend the Assembly. Miss Darcy had danced only a little and was never without the company of one of her party, but she had attended.
Darcy had allowed his sister to attend a provincial ball and he towards the end of the evening had even condescended to dance. But it was cruel to call it condescension, after all he had looked uncomfortable during the early parts of the ball, not proud, almost as if he was afraid he would be refused if he had asked any young lady to dance.
She was not blind to Darcy’s virtues now. How could she be? But she was not blind to his faults either – oh she did not know what to think.
Her admiration of his fine form was suddenly terminated when he hared across in front of the carriage and a shriek from Lydia made her turn her head.
Kitty’s horse that had been plodding along behind the carriage had suddenly been spooked and had taken her down an embankment.
“Stop the carriage,” commanded Aunt Clara.
The occupations watched as Kitty came to an abrupt stop at the bottom of the hill. She did not fall, but it was clear she remained in the saddle quite tenuously.
Darcy reached her, and after dismounting he lifted her clear of the horse and set her on the ground.
Lizzy could almost make out what Kitty said to him as she was helped down – “Darcy, my hero.”
Lizzy was glad her sister appeared to have suffered no hurt, but was quite unable to account for the sudden stab in her chest even after it was clear Kitty was fine. Surely it was not that she wished Darcy would catch her around the waist?
No, what she was feeling was mortification that most likely Darcy would feel offended by the liberty of Kitty’s words.
Lizzy shook her head. They had been speaking of hypocrisy and it would not do to lie to herself, even in her own head, she was suddenly and inexplicably hurt by her sister’s ease with a man, and a man that Kitty must know did not esteem her, while Lizzy could barely be in the same room with without feeling overwhelmed by conflicting emotions.
“Darcy, my hero,” laughed Kitty as he dismounted to help her off her horse.
He did not speak until her feet were back on the ground.
“You have taken no hurt?” He looked at her searchingly.
“No, except my pride! I have clearly become the worst kind of female rider, one who feels she is excellent but is merely passable!”
Darcy clutched the reins of both horses in his hand as he ran his other through his hair. “Thank God.”
Kitty was taken back at his vehemence.
“My cousin would have me killed if you had come to any harm!”
“Oh no, “replied Kitty with a placidity she did not feel, “I am sure he would have paid you the complement of killing you himself.”
Darcy turned sharply to her. “I have offended you? I have! And I have tried so – “
“Could you expect any less, sir? I would give you some advice if you would let me.”
Darcy did not respond and Kitty took that as an affirmative response.
“You should not save young ladies from harm only to make them feel as if the only reason you felt they were worth saving was because of the fear of losing your own skin!”
“I did not – “ Darcy paused. “Of course that was not the only reason. I would have acted the same towards any young lady, but my impassioned outburst would not have transpired. Surely you realise it could not have been motivated by you, I barely know you. I do know and respect my cousin however.”
It was a halting speech but Kitty followed it well. “Indeed, sir, perhaps you will be so good as to help me back up to the carriage? I am not sure Phoebe wishes for me to ride her anymore today.”
Kitty turned to walk up the hill but Darcy’s voice made her turn back.
“I have behaved extremely ill to yourself and your family. I know this. I do not know how to amend for it, apart from what I shall say now. I do not know how much of this you know but I have spoken of you in an abominable fashion – “
“I did know that, Mr Darcy. I do not know the particulars, but I do know that Ash knows you did not truly mean what you said.”
Darcy paused. “He thinks this then why – “
“Perhaps because it is worse to say something you do not truly mean? That you should learn from your mistakes before you are forgiven them?”
“I - I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in principle. I was taught what was right, but I was not taught to correct my temper.” Darcy smiled, “I was given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit.”
Kitty’s eyes widened, she wondered what Darcy’s definition of a good principle was if he claimed to have always followed such principles however badly carried out. Though, she reflected, he seemed to often act from a motive of protection; protecting his sister, his cousin, even a failed proposal to Lizzy could have been motivated by protection though who Lizzy needed protecting from Kitty did not know. So perhaps his motivations and principles were not so very bad after all.
“Unfortunately an only son, for many years an only child,I was spoilt by my parents, who, though good themselves, my father, particularly, all that was benevolent and amiable, allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing; to care for none beyond my own family circle; to think meanly of all the rest of the world; to wish at least to think meanly of their sense and worth compared with my own. “
Darcy drew breath, “I do not understand how I came to even contradict that! To think meanly of my own family circle - a cousin who I have looked up to! But I have learned from it I assure you. I think you and Eli – your family – have been almost designed to teach me my faults!” 2
“We all have our faults, sir, yours make you no more grievous than the rest of us!” Kitty had caught his almost reference to her sister and realised his feelings ran far deeper than she could have imagined. Impulsively she caught his hand, “I certainly forgive you even though you have not asked it, and I know you have only to ask it to receive it from Ash.” Darcy shook his head at that causing her to stress again that he would, ”I promise you that, and then you have only to forgive yourself.”
“That will not – “
“Not bring forgiveness from my sister? It will be a start.”
“But I must speak to her to satisfy myself, you said so yourself, or perhaps you meant my cousin?”
“I meant neither! I meant yourself!” exclaimed Kitty. “Do you intend to figure yourself as a hero out of a gothic romance? You should not be telling me this!”
“I know you have just given me your forgiveness, but I must have you know that I am not a villain no matter how I have presented myself! I forgot myself in a manner that will always shame me to recollect, but I know nothing I said was true. I am sure at the time I knew it was not true, and any feeling I have had towards your family was clouded by my faults, not by yours or your family’s. I cannot even claim I was afraid by my feelings or any other such nonsense, because I was not. Even when I proposed to your sister, I guess that someone has told you of that, I was thinking of nothing but myself and even then I thought I could have Elizabeth without her family. I started off by asking you to think of me not as a villain, but I think I must have been one to think I could do such a thing not to mention my poor advice to Bingley! I could go on! – ”
Kitty squeezed his hand to silence him. “I do not think you are a villain, and I am to be your cousin and I am sure we shall deal very well together. But I will not have you say my family is without fault? After all you have met my mother!”
Darcy smiled. “I have known worse and Ash likes your mother.”
“Ash has a great desire to meet Mr Collins,” retorted Kitty, causing Darcy to openly laugh, and laugh a great deal more when he realised the subject of their exchange was riding down the embankment. They dropped hands to turn towards him.
“You are not hurt?” was the viscount’s first words as he jumped off his horse.
“No, I am unhurt. You however are not.”
Ash looked at Kitty and Darcy, confused.
“Your mind is disordered, cousin,” replied Darcy, before his cousin could retort he continued “Miss - er – Kitty has just informed me you wish to meet Mr Collins! The first sign of a truly disturbed mind.”
Ash rolled his eyes. “Nothing you say will dampen my curiosity of such a man; he has you all talking! Now I think it might be best to return to the carriages.”
Kitty took Ash’s arm, allowing Darcy to lead the three horses, but then she started – “carriages?”
“Yes, my dear.”
Kitty looked up. Her mother had been successful in bringing their carriage; there she was seated with Mrs Phillips and Mrs Long. Jane and Bingley had also clearly caught up with the party.
“Luckily we are quite out of hearing, but I am afraid your mother has just spent the last five minutes watching you clasping Darcy.”
At that Kitty at last placed the look on her mother’s face and suddenly felt a great deal of dismay.
1 Mainly Austen’s words, but I had a little fun with them.
2 Mainly Austen. Oh dear Darcy has used his great speech up before he has reconciled with Lizzy, but I could not help it ;)