AN: We are coming to the end. I think I will post the final three chapters next week. Thank you again for all the positive support.
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Chapter 61
The ladies had spent the morning ensuring that all was in order for the arrival of the Bennets. They wanted to do all they could to showcase Ambleside and decrease potential criticism from Mrs. Bennet. Shortly after noon, the Bennet carriage drew up in front of Ambleside. All three Bennet girls had been watching for it and immediately made their way down the steps to greet their family. Bingley heard the carriage and came from his study to greet their guests.
The footman helped Mr. Bennet out and went around to the other side to begin helping out Lydia and Kitty while Mr. Bennet assisted Mrs. Bennet. As he helped Lydia down, she was saying, “Lord, Jane, but you have done well. This is such a nice looking house. It looks even bigger than Longbourn.”
Jane blushed at that and a deeper red as her mother said, “You are correct, Lydia. With both of your sisters married so well, they will be able to throw you in the path of other rich men. You will all be very well situated. Well Jane, so you’ve been making some changes to Ambleside have you? You must show us everything. Have you already updated the nursery? It must be prepared for your child. Is one on the way?”
Mr. Bennet kissed each of his daughters on the cheek, saying in Elizabeth’s ear, “I have missed your sense. Your younger sisters have improved somewhat, but I fear for my sanity.”
Elizabeth whispered back, “Perhaps you will be visiting the rest of us regularly then.”
He added, “I suppose it is past time that I start calling you Elizabeth instead of Lizzy, isn’t it?”
Elizabeth smiled at him, “I would appreciate it. I have moved beyond childhood, after all.”
“I will try. I suppose I should at least think about Kitty becoming Catherine sometime in the near future.”
“I am sure that would not hurt either.”
“How the time has flown.”
As they mounted the stairs, Mrs. Bennet continued to gush about the stature of Ambleside and Jane’s situation. Mary and Elizabeth fell in step beside their younger sisters. Mary said to Kitty, “I have missed you. I want your suggestion about adornment for my dress for the wedding. Your eye is much better than mine.” Kitty preened under the praise.
Bingley greeted them all as they mounted the stairs. “We are so pleased to have our family join us here. I hope you find Ambleside comfortable.”
Mr. Bennet replied, “I am sure it will be excellent.”
Elizabeth said to Lydia, “How was the journey? Did you enjoy the scenery?”
“It was lovely. The ride was not too bad, but apparently the vegetation in one stretch did not agree with Kitty. It caused a great deal of coughing and sneezing which really bothered Mother. However, today has been beautiful. The countryside hereabouts is wonderful.”
“We shall have to ramble together to thoroughly explore it.”
“Will you have any time for that? Are you not very busy with wedding planning?”
“Not really. I have shared my wishes with Mr. Darcy’s aunt, Mrs. Williams, and with Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper. They are doing all the work. If you can still rise early, we might take a nice ramble together tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you Lizzy. I have missed you and our rambles. Kitty hates to rise early so I must go alone or not at all.”
Once they were all in the foyer, Jane said, “Mrs. Harmon will show you to your rooms. Once you are refreshed, we have tea waiting in the parlor. The maids or footmen can show you the way. We are very happy to have you here in Ambleside.”
Bingley added, “Do not hesitate to let us know if we can make you more comfortable during your stay.”
The Bennets followed Mrs. Harmon up the stairs while the girls three made their way to the parlor and Bingley returned to his study. Elizabeth sighed. “I always forget how much unpleasantness comes out of Mother’s mouth. I guess I do not want to disrespect her, so I choose not to remember the inanities and vulgarity.”
Mary patted her hand. “Do not fear. Mr. Darcy already met her and still wants to wed you.”
Elizabeth chuckled, “And the same is true for Mr. Musgrove. It is true that I will not die of embarrassment although that was always my fear once I came out into society in Meryton. I fear this will feel endless.”
Jane smiled. “You will be happy enough at the end of it that you can endure anything.”
“That is true.”
When Mrs. Bennet joined them in the parlor, her first comment was to Mary. “Your hair is different. You almost look pretty. However have you managed that?”
As Mary blushed, Mr. Bennet replied, “Mary has always been quite pretty, Mrs. Bennet. You just fail to see it.”
“Thank you, Father. Elizabeth’s new maid has been trying out different hair styles with me, Mother. This is the one I like the best, so far.”
Mrs. Bennet ignored Mr. Bennet and continued, “Well, that is good. So, you have your own maid now, Lizzy?”
“Yes, Mama. Her name is Dawson. She has been here for some weeks now. I have been sharing her with Mary so that Dawson can gain some more practical experience while we are less scrutinized here. She is new to being a lady’s maid. I know Mrs. Reynolds will continue her training, but Jane’s maid, Smithers, has been of immense help to her.”
Mrs. Bennet sniffed, then turned to Jane. “Well, have you done your duty yet? When am I to have a grandchild? You must not delay.”
“Mother, it is still quite soon. I think you will have to exercise some patience. We are ready for whenever the time arises. ”
“Well, you do not want to put it off or Mr. Bingley may change his mind about you and look elsewhere.”
Mr. Bennet stepped in, “Mrs. Bennet, I do not think we need to question Jane about the state of her relationship with her husband. That is between the two of them and has nothing to do with us.”
With a sigh, Mrs. Bennet then turned her attention to comments on the house. She asked details about the changes that had been made. Jane winced only when her mother asked about the costs of various items. “Let us put that aside. You need not concern yourself with what any of the refurbishments cost. They were reasonable.”
“But I need to be able to share all the details with our neighbors at home. They will want to hear.”
“They do not care how much it cost to reupholster the cushions, Mother. They might want to know what was done but cost is irrelevant. Now, please tell us about your journey. Did you enjoy it?”
As Mrs. Bennet complained about the inconvenience of travel, Kitty and Lydia enjoyed the variety of biscuits and fruit that Jane had spread before them. As Mrs. Bennet finally wound down in her recitation, Jane said, “Well, tomorrow we will host the Darcys, Musgroves, Hursts and Findlays in a dinner so you can all become better acquainted with our families. I know Kitty and Lydia will enjoy it as the Musgrove girls and Miss Darcy are the same age. I can even serve the five of you separately if you wish. You could eat in the old nursery. We have not updated it, but you might find it more congenial than our dinner conversation.”
Kitty replied, “If the room is not bad, that might be fun. What do you say, Lydia?”
“We could certainly talk more freely. Yes, please, Jane.”
After the tea, Jane took her family on a tour of the house. Her father left the tour when they arrived at the library. She said, “It does not match Longbourn’s, but I think you can find something to please you.”
Elizabeth added, “I have found a few gems, Father. Enjoy yourself.”
“Thank you girls, I shall.”
As they viewed the rooms, Mrs. Bennet kept up a monologue of questions and comments, rarely allowing Jane to do more than introduce a room. After half an hour, Kitty and Lydia excused themselves to go to the music room with Elizabeth and Mary joining them.
As they walked down the hall together, Mary explained, “The piano was just tuned and sounds lovely.”
Kitty said, “I would like to hear it. Lydia doesn’t like the music so much as the distraction from Mother, but I have started enjoying it.”
Lydia agreed, “I know I must play for when I will exhibit. I do not enjoy it as Kitty does. However, Mother enjoys it even less and leaves me alone when I practice. Some days, it is the only peace I see.”
Kitty added, “Mother seems to require our presence more and more for entertainment. She does not understand when we want to visit friends or sit quietly and read. I think Jane deflected her before, but with the three of you gone, it has been up to the two of us to keep her happy, and we are just not able to do so.”
Elizabeth smiled ruefully, “I do not think anyone could. Happiness comes from within, and Mother has not yet cultivated the resources to find it within herself. As we leave home, she will probably have to find a way to do so or grow ever more unhappy.”
Kitty said, “I have a question for the two of you. I have noticed that you now refer to Lizzy as Elizabeth even to her face. Why is she no longer Lizzy? Should I be saying Elizabeth instead of Lizzy?”
Jane answered, “Society has expectations about that. As we become adults when we come out, we drop the use of childish nicknames and assume our true names. It is an acknowledgement that one is adult.”
“So, I will become Catherine once I come out? Oh, I remember, Jane was sometimes called Jenny. It was so long ago I forgot all about it.”
“Yes, she was. Since she was fifteen when Mama started taking her into society, she dropped Jenny about five years ago. We would expect to start calling you Catherine when you come out,” answered Elizabeth. “It does take a little time to become accustomed to the change, but it is gratifying to be acknowledged an adult.”
Lydia surprisingly replied, “Well then, we should try. I am sure I will forget on occasion, but I will try to call you Elizabeth. At least I will not need to change like Kitty will.”
Jane added, “Since mostly the family called me Jenny, it was not too difficult to become Jane. It helped give me some confidence too since I really did not want to be an adult just yet.”
Kitty said thoughtfully, “I can see how that might help. Maybe it will be nice to become Catherine in a few years.”
After playing for a while, the four sisters ventured out into the gardens. Lydia chose not to go further than the patio, but the other three went on a ramble through first the reclaimed flower beds, then on into the woods. Kitty appreciated the time with her older sisters. She had missed them greatly, far more than she had anticipated when they left in January. Now, Elizabeth was never coming home again, and Mary was engaged to marry. She had always considered Mary the least likely to capture someone, and she had done so just after turning sixteen!
At dinner, Mrs. Bennet continued to comment on the household: the food, the cutlery, the china, the silver, the crystal, and the serving staff all required her scrutiny. Jane was grateful that this was not done with an outside audience. Dinner tomorrow would be a challenge. She was pleased that her mother was not critical of the cooking. Upsetting the cook would have been more than she could bear.
Mrs. Bennet managed to contain her comments on Elizabeth’s situation until after dinner. Once they were settled in the parlor reading or embroidering, she finally could keep silent no longer.
“So Lizzy, you have done very well for yourself, you sly little thing. You never said a word about Mr. Darcy in any of your letters. Good gracious! Lord bless me! only think! dear me! Mr. Darcy! Who would have thought it! And is it really true? Oh! my Lizzy! how rich and how great you will be! What pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! Jane's is nothing to it—nothing at all. I am so pleased—so happy. A house in town! Everything that is charming! Three daughters married! Ten thousand a year! Oh, Lord! What will become of me? I shall go distracted. My dearest child," she cried, "I can think of nothing else! Ten thousand a year, and very likely more! 'Tis as good as a Lord! You should have had a special license. My only regret is that you left me nothing to do to assist. At least Mary cares for my nerves and will let me help plan her wedding."
“You would not want me to postpone the wedding, would you Mother? I want to be able to assist Mary in her season. Mr. Darcy and I will host Mr. Musgrove as he escorts Mary. We could not do that if we were not already married. Just think of the fun Mary’s wedding will provide you. There was no need for a special license as we have had plenty of time to read the banns.”
“I suppose that is true. But all of you are leaving Hertfordshire. However will I be able to give you suggestions about your homes and making your husbands happy? None of you will be close enough for advice. However will you manage?”
Mary replied, “You have trained us all well, Mother. We will not need to turn to you for advice because you have spent our lives instilling your wisdom and insight into our very beings. We are as if an extension of you.”
Kitty smothered a laugh while Lydia rolled her eyes. However, Mrs. Bennet preened and agreed, “Why yes, that is true, isn’t it?”
Elizabeth added, “Yes, it is. You have already taught us everything we need to know. Our lives should be a demonstration of how well you have done. You have every right to be very pleased.”
“So, you must show me your dress. I am certain you have made it quite plain. There is still plenty of time to make some little alterations to improve it.”
“It is already stowed away awaiting the day, Mother. It is not here.”
“Not here? What do you mean? You delight in tormenting me.”
“It is already at Pemberley. You will see it at the wedding. I am sure that will suffice.”
Mrs. Bennet continued to expostulate, her voice becoming louder and shriller each moment. Finally, Mr. Bennet intervened, “My dear, I think your nerves have overcome you. Let us get you to our room to treat them.”
“What? Oh, yes, you are correct. I am quite overset. A little tonic is just what I need.”
He followed her from the room, looking back at his girls with a sad expression. “We will see you all tomorrow.”
Kitty said to Elizabeth, “You see what I mean? That seems to happen regularly now-it has since the letter telling us of Jane’s betrothal. She has some nostrum that seems to settle her nerves. At least it makes things easier for us once she’s taken to her rooms.”
Lydia added, “Well, now the five of us can visit. You must tell us how you have managed this. It cannot be from following Mother’s advice.”
Mary laughed. “She has some good suggestions. However, our aunt had even better ones about first becoming friends with a variety of people. The betrothals just followed that.”
The girls spoke quietly together for quite a long time before finally heading to their own beds. They all found a great deal of pleasure. It was obvious that Lydia and Kitty had matured significantly and were truly a pleasure to be around now.
Chapter 62
Early morning found Lydia and Elizabeth traversing some of the wooded pathways near Ambleside. Lydia asked, “Are you really ready to marry? It was bad enough with Jane, but now you and soon Mary. Could you not wait a year or two?”
Elizabeth laughed. “Honestly, you know how difficult it would be at home if I changed my mind. I would never hear the end of it. Seriously though, yes, I think I am ready. Between Mrs. Hill, Aunt Gardiner, Mama, and the season in London, I think I have at least the rudimentary knowledge to be a wife and mistress of an estate. Do I know everything? Not at all. However, that isn’t important. I can be a true partner to Mr. Darcy. We have similar ideas and goals, just as Mary and Mr. Musgrove do. We will be able to work together to bring those to pass. If I should make mistakes, he will be able to help me rectify them.”
Lydia sighed. “You are probably right then that the time is right. It is just that Mama’s nerves seem to get worse and not better. You would think that with three of you already spoken for, she would relax and be happy. Instead, she seems even more upset than in the past, always on either Kitty or me about something. She is never pleased.”
“I am sorry about that, but there is little we can do to correct it. We must simply endure and learn from her unhappiness so that we become capable of building our own.”
“But why are her nerves so bad?”
“I do not truly know, but I suspect it has to do with her limited understanding. She knows Father would like her to be more something but cannot understand what that is. She then feels unappreciated and her nerves attack. He tries, but he does not know how to help her, so it becomes a cycle of unhappiness.”
“Is this why you have all tried to be friends before cultivating beaux?”
“Yes. The different friendships we developed have helped us determine what we want in a partner. Respect is something very important for us. I fear that Father has little left for Mother, and she feels that lack. However, she does not understand it and so cannot remedy her ignorance.”
“So, flirting is not the right way to attach someone as Mama suggests?”
“Not if you want a happy life. Flirting is just a fun little interlude. I believe a marriage needs much more than a slight attraction if it is to be successful. Even our tenants on the farms have respect for their partners. It is not limited to the upper classes.”
“Well, I do not think I am ready to think of all that yet.”
“Of course not. You are still a school girl. However, you did ask, so I was not going to condescend with a trite answer.”
“Thank you Li-uh-Elizabeth for treating me as an adult. I do appreciate it. However, I think I appreciate the ramble even more. There is time enough to be adult in a few years.”
They walked on a little further, and Lydia continued. “Oh, my, this is lovely.” They entered a glade in the woods that was filled with wild flowers. “Jane certainly has a beautiful situation here.”
“Yes, Ambleside is quite nice. I think Jane and Charles will turn it back into a very comfortable home. They are well on the way. Well, if Mother is getting more difficult, perhaps you can remove from the situation.”
“How? We are both too young for a season.”
“After you meet Georgiana Darcy and the Musgroves, talk with them about their school. Perhaps you could consider going to school instead of learning at home.”
“That is something interesting to think about. What are they like?”
“I think you will enjoy them all. Georgiana is a bit shy but very nice once she knows you a bit. I will like having all of them for sisters and so will you.”
“Thank you so much for walking out with me. Kitty just hates waking early enough to walk with me. She will only do so later in the morning when I am usually already busy. I have missed you so much since January and will never have this again.”
“Oh, Lydia, you can have it any time you visit me. You do not think I will stop rambling, do you? We will always ramble together. Pemberley has some lovely walks for you to look forward to.”
“I guess I just don’t want all these changes. Why can’t we stay as we were?”
“Life doesn’t work that way, and you know it.”
By the time they had enjoyed a nice long walk, Lydia was reconciled to the upcoming changes. They enjoyed a quiet breakfast together with only Mary joining them. Jane was already busy preparing for the dinner party, and both Mrs. Bennet and Kitty were still asleep.
That afternoon, two carriages pulled up outside Ambleside. Darcy and Musgrove accompanied them by horse. The young ladies exited the first carriage along with Mrs. Williams. The Hursts and Findlays exited the second. Excited greetings and chatter ensued as the visitors were welcomed.
Darcy made an effort to become better acquainted with Elizabeth’s parents as the others swarmed around them exchanging greetings. They started off with discussion of the journey to Ambleside before Mrs. Bennet finally exclaimed, “Mr. Darcy, I am so excited for Lizzy. I have heard so much about Pemberley. I cannot wait to see it. It sounds extraordinary.”
Mr. Darcy smiled, “I certainly love it. I understand you are all coming over to tour it tomorrow. I hope it lives up to your expectations. And you will see it at its finest next week at dinner and then at the wedding. I trust it will not disappoint.”
Mr. Bennet replied, “I am certain Mrs. Bennet will enjoy all of the beauties of Pemberley. I have heard of the library. That is what interests me the most.”
Mrs. Bennet said, “Perhaps so, but you will see the rest of the house before you ensconce yourself there. You did not even see the rest of Jane’s house. I insist that you see Lizzy’s.”
“Very well, Mrs. Bennet, if you insist.”
While Darcy tried to visit with the Bennets, Caroline was talking with Jane. “Ambleside looks very nice. I look forward to our tour after the wedding. You have certainly given him reason to put down roots, Jane. Are you happy?”
“Yes, very. I hope you could tell that from the letters.”
“Well, one could write anything. I too am happy. I had expected to want to redecorate but find that my taste and Mrs. Findlay’s are similar enough that I want to change almost nothing. I did not know life could be so pleasant. However, you have had many changes to make.”
“Yes, Ambleside was quite neglected. However, we are making progress. It is quite pleasant to work together toward a common goal. I am glad my sisters could join us. Besides making their own matches, they have been of material assistance in our efforts.”
“Was the refurbishing difficult?”
“I would not say difficult, but it was certainly messy and inconvenient. It is not complete by any means. At least the parlor and dining room look much better. I am not very comfortable with the choices of my predecessors here and we are managing to update them.”
“I will keep that in mind should I finally decide to make changes.”
“I think it is good for the worst to take place when you have the chance to travel so you do not have to listen to the noise and live with the dust. We plan to have the bedroom painting and papering done when we travel north after the wedding.”
“An excellent plan.”
The gentlemen excused themselves from the tour of Ambleside. They retired to the billiard room to amuse themselves while the ladies toured and the young ladies visited on the patio.
Louisa and Henrietta did not allow Georgiana to retreat into shyness as they became acquainted with Kitty and Lydia. In spite of the differences in temperament, they found one another congenial company and looked with some complacency on the amount of time they would be spending together in the coming two weeks. Kitty and Georgiana were so comfortable together by the end of the afternoon that Kitty was already contemplating approaching her father about attending the school in Bath. She had never had a particularly close friend except for Lydia and foresaw such in Georgiana. For her part, Georgiana was pleased to feel the same. She enjoyed Louisa and Henrietta, but Kitty seemed to partake of a similar nature. She felt more at ease than she had ever anticipated. Lydia was also considering Elizabeth’s advice in light of the friendship that was developing.
In the billiards room, Mr. Bennet was making an effort to draw out both Darcy and Musgrove in conversation. He hoped to sketch their characters more than he had in their earlier acquaintance now that they were to become his sons. Primarily, they talked of estate matters, which was a subject near to the hearts of all of the gentlemen. They had each approached estate management somewhat differently, so they were eager to share their experience and knowledge. All of their insights would be of assistance to Bingley in the future.
Mrs. Bennet enjoyed the tour for the opportunity it gave her to become more acquainted with Jane’s new sisters. She had spent very little time with them at the wedding and found them to be in fact very fine ladies with a happy sense of humor. Of course, they frequently made comments that she did not understand at all, but over all, she was pleased with them. They would be good sisters to Jane, and that was all she cared about. She could see that they were far better educated than she, but that sort of thing had never bothered her. She considered education for women a waste of time. It was fine for those who desired it.
The young ladies enjoyed their dinner in the former nursery. It had been cleaned up and freshened with flowers and greenery. They were able to chatter to their hearts’ content and not worry about what the others wished to speak of. They all had enough experience to know that, if they had eaten with the others, they would not have been able to speak at all. Most of the conversation concerned the school as both Kitty and Lydia were very curious about it.
Henrietta admitted, “At first, I was a little worried about school. So I delayed a year so that Louisa and I could go together. Now, I realize that I could have gone alone because it has been so much fun.”
Louisa added, “I was not quite prepared for a couple of the subjects, but for most, I was pleased to actually be ready to be there. My piano playing has certainly improved.”
Georgiana chimed in, “Like Henrietta, I was a little worried too. My first school was not very pleasant at all. There was not a single person there who was at all friendly. And the music teacher was not good at all-I already play better than she did. Mary Elliot, who I understand is your cousin, welcomed me very nicely, and within a very short time, both Louisa and Henrietta were close friends. This is a much nicer school.”
Kitty asked, “How do you like Bath?”
Georgiana answered, “It is definitely a city and not a village, but it is nowhere near as unpleasant as London. I hate the noise, fog, and smell of London. Bath is far superior in that regard.”
Henrietta added, “The school is on the outskirts of town, close enough that we can walk to shops when given leave, but out of the main noise and hustle. I have not spent time in London to compare. However, it certainly has more in the shops than our local village. That I definitely enjoy.”
Lydia said, “I am sure I would too. There is very little to choose from in a village shop. We have not been to London often, but the shopping was fun for Jane’s wedding. It is mean of Elizabeth to marry out here where there will be no shopping.”
Georgiana said, “There are market days. The shopping then can be fun, at least during the summer. You will enjoy that. Ask Mrs. Bingley to take you.”
In the main dining room, subjects ranged from the war, redecorating, estate management, sheep, crop rotation, and the wedding. Whenever Mrs. Bennet became too excited in wedding discussions, Mr. Bennet would change the subject to something on the estate. Once, they even discussed kitchen gardens. He did this often enough that Mrs. Bennet finally stopped the interrogation about the wedding plans.
During her mother’s questions, Elizabeth’s complexion took on a rosy hue which remained for the rest of the dinner. She noted that Caroline frequently had to cover her mouth to hide her amusement at Mrs. Bennet’s comments. While hearing Mrs. Bennet lament once again that her daughters would all settle so far away, Caroline thought it an excellent thing for Charles that his new mother could only visit rarely. Her constant presence would be quite a trial.
Midway through dinner, Mrs. Williams was able to deflect Mrs. Bennet by asking about Elizabeth’s favorite dishes, how they were prepared, the challenges of managing her staff, and other such domestic subjects. Elizabeth was grateful for the distraction and wondered how she would endure the larger company at the dinner next week. At least there would be others to help manage her mother, such as Mrs. Gardiner.
When the gentlemen rejoined the ladies after the separation of the sexes, Darcy sought out Elizabeth. “You need not worry. I could see your discomfort, but honestly, I have encountered others who are far worse. After all, look at my own aunt, Lady Catherine. She will not cause me to change my mind.”
“Thank you. There are times when I feel she creates a spectacle just because she so enjoys one. I wish I had Jane’s serenity in the face of it.”
“You have nothing to fear except, perhaps, for a bit of embarrassment. We all suffer that from time to time, don’t we?”
“I am grateful for your support.”
He smiled at her. “It is what partners do.”
Just then, Mrs. Bennet asked him to join her. Darcy sat with her for a quarter of an hour answering questions about Pemberley and his family.
Elizabeth joined her father who said, “You will survive, my dear. I know it is difficult at times. However, you would not enjoy a husband who could not cope with your mother.”
Elizabeth sighed, “That is certainly true. After all, she is a part of my life and always will be.”
Mrs. Bennet had spent only a little time with Musgrove feeling that there was plenty of time to become better acquainted. That allowed Mary a little time with him.
“I hope you will not mind whatever it is that Mother plans for our wedding.”
“As long as you are there, the rest is irrelevant to me.”
“Good, because I fear that her lack of involvement in both Jane’s and Elizabeth’s means that she must go overboard with mine. Part of that is also that she never really expected me to attract someone and would have me around for years to come.”
“If she expected that, she did not know you very well. Had we not already come to an agreement, I suspect you would have found someone easily within your first month in town.”
“Well, we will never know. I have no desire to attract anyone else.”
When the visitors left, Kitty managed to catch Elizabeth alone for a moment. “Elizabeth, in talking with the Musgroves and Miss Darcy, Lydia and I have realized what a benefit it can be to go to school. She would like the socializing and friends. I would like the extra instruction. Do you think Papa would consider it?”
“I do not know why not. He is in the library reading right now. Why don’t you go ask him?”
“I believe I will.”
Mr. Bennet was alone with his book when Kitty entered. “Father, could I talk to you for a moment?”
“Certainly.”
She sat next to him on the sofa. “Lydia and I both asked a great many questions about the school the Musgroves and Miss Darcy attend. We both think it would be a good thing for us. She would like to have all the friends. I would like the extra instruction. I know it would be more expensive than just the instruction we had last year, but with Jane and Elizabeth gone, overall expenses should be about the same, don’t you think?”
Mr. Bennet looked at her with amusement. He was surprised that she was the one asking and not Lydia as she had tended to simply go along with whatever Lydia suggested. “Is this your idea or hers?”
“Mine. I do not think she would be happy at home alone if I were to go to school and she not. However, I know she would enjoy having so many people about. My correspondence with Elizabeth this past season has demonstrated to me the benefit of having a broader education, if only to have more subjects for conversation at table.”
“I will need to talk to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Musgrove about their impressions of the school and its costs. I will not either agree or dismiss it out of hand. I promise to have a decision for you within a few days, though. I take it you very much like your new friends.”
“Yes, they are very nice girls. Miss Darcy, in particular, seems to see things just as I do. That is a new experience for me, and I like it very much.”
“There are not many young girls your age in Meryton, are there?”
“Only Maria Lucas, and she is more friends with Lydia than me. Thank you for considering this, Father. It means a great deal to me.”
“You are maturing right before my eyes. Does this mean I should think about calling you Catherine?”
“I do not know that I am ready for that. Elizabeth explained about dropping the nickname when we come out. I would rather be Kitty for another year or two, please.”
“Very well, Kitty,” replied Mr. Bennet with a smile. He never would have expected such thought from Kitty. All these changes were going to be good for her. As he sat thinking when she left, he considered their current financial situation. With three of the girls settled, even though they would pay for Mary’s season, he thought they could probably afford school fees. After all, expenses would decrease at home with them gone, and he no longer needed to save for dowries for the older girls. Yes, if the fees were reasonable, he could send Kitty and Lydia. He would discuss this with Darcy the next day.