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Chapter Sixteen

Posted on 2013-06-06

Kitty's ankle was an excuse for the young ladies to discuss the picnic within the relative privacy of Kitty's bedroom. Lydia, despite having no particular friends at the picnic, took up the lion's share of the conversation.

"And did Mr Darcy, in the end, have a pleasant time?" Kitty asked, partially desperate to turn the conversation and partially out of curiosity.

Lizzy it seemed did not know where to look, before she attempted levity. "No he did not. I am not sure what he does enjoy. He does not enjoy balls; he does not enjoy picnics."

"Lizzy that is unkind; you wrote how well he appeared in his own house amongst his own people. He is perhaps uncomfortable - "

"Perhaps, Jane, but does he have a reason to be uncomfortable here?"

Jane looked as if she wanted to say something. Kitty thought it was most likely regarding Mr Darcy's rejected proposal since that was something that could genuinely excuse discomfort.

"Lord, no!" cried Lydia. "Such a proud disagreeable man. He does not improve on closer acquaintance, always lurking and looming about, judging everyone he sees."

"Lydia, I think that is unfair!" cried Jane.

"It is perhaps true," said Lizzy quietly. "His relations are very different; they do not seem displeased or judgemental!"

"He is still a good man," insisted Jane, "I shall not let anyone dispute that."

"No one is disputing that, Jane, but he is not even tempered! He is charming and all that is good in Derbyshire and all discomposure and stiltedness here. We are not so shocking that he cannot bear to be about us. He only has the Bingley sisters to support him in that opinion!"

"You do not know what his opinion is! Perhaps he is ashamed of ever holding such an opinion!"

Lizzy, it seemed, could not continue the argument and left the room, with Jane swiftly following her. Kitty wondered if they had spoken much on this topic before. If they had, she wagered they had spent most of their conversation talking in circles. Lizzy did not know what to think or what she wanted and Jane was determined to think well of her Mr Bingley's closest friend.

Mary also watched their departure with a curiosity Kitty knew she'd never own; Lydia was the only one oblivious.

"We did not even miss you," said Lydia pulling at the fringe of the bedspread. Kitty yanked it out of her hand. "I did not mean that in a cruel way! There was too much excitement! I expect Lady Lucas will be here in the morning!"

"It is Sunday tomorrow, Lydia," reminded Mary.

"Why should Lady Lucas calling be any great matter?" Kitty was intrigued.

"Well, we all managed to hide ourselves when the gentlemen came; Emma could not!" There was clearly more to this story, but Lydia could not talk for laughing as she tried to recall it.

All Mary and Kitty could discover was that Lizzy and Jane had not been present to witness the hilarity.

Kitty's ankle was entirely healed, if it had ever been injured to begin with but, she still stayed home from church the next day. Her mother had encouraged her to do so, and Kitty did not want to give rise to the belief that she had counterfeited an injury in order to be alone with Lord Ashbourne. She salved her conscience by spending the time she would have been at church reading serious works.

"I wish Mr Rogers would die, so we could have a new rector," said Lydia storming into the parlour and throwing her bonnet upon the floor.

"Lydia, you bought that in Brighton!"

Lydia just huffed at her, "What does it signify as I have nowhere to wear it and you were stupid enough to twist your ankle and thus Mr Fitzwilliam spent the picnic making eyes at Emma Lucas."

Kitty was very happy for Emma Lucas, if she could like so ridiculous a man as Mr Fitzwilliam. He did very well as a friend or a brother, but as a lover? However, since no one would believe her, Kitty remained silent.

Lydia teased her a little more about Mr Fitzwilliam but Kitty could see that Lydia had something else upon her mind; Kitty, however, had no chance to discover what it was because Lydia premonition about Lady Lucas turned out to be correct.

"I do not know what she is thinking, arriving so soon after church; we have hardly had time to take off our jackets. Look Jane is still in her bonnet," said their mother bustling into the room to look out at the Lucas party walking up the drive.

Lady Lucas was followed by a shamefaced Emma and Maria.

Lydia and Mary excused themselves and Kitty would have done so too if she thought running upon her ankle would not cause remark. Jane and Lizzy clearly stayed out of some sense of martyrdom and belief they had been the responsible chaperones of the trip.

Neither Mrs Bennet nor Lady Lucas seemed to gain much from the interview. Mrs Bennet was annoyed that it had not been her daughters who had exposed their ankles and calves to the young gentlemen, and Lady Lucas, who was mortified that such fine gentlemen thought her daughters hoydens when it was always the Bennet girls influence, did not receive so much as an apology from Mrs Bennet. From Jane and Lizzy, certainly but that was not her object.

Lady Lucas's visit burned the picnic from their mother's mind and it was all she could talk of for the rest of the day.

"Such impudence! As if my daughters did not know how to behave!"

"They certainly have learnt from you, my dear," Mr Bennet responded at the dinner table, and the next morning at the breakfast table when the same thing was said to him again.

"Well, I should not go walking to Lucas Lodge so often if I were you, girls! The young gentlemen will never visit them when they can visit here, so they will soon learn their error when they are left to languish. Who would visit such plain girls?" Mrs Bennet declared when the ladies retired to the parlour for their morning activities.

"Mama!" remonstrated Jane.

Kitty distracted herself by looking out the window and thus was the first to see the curricle sweep into the drive.

She had not bothered to put on shoes as it was doubtful she would go anywhere, now this seemed a terrible mistake.

"Mary! Fetch my shoes, please? They are just at the top of the stairs." Kitty begged and luckily Mary was obliging. More likely she did not wish to be badgered until Kitty got what she wanted.

Mary did not even dawdle and Kitty took no notice of her lecture about the proper place to leave things so they would not cause an accident.

"Lord Ashbourne, ma'am," said Hill ushering in the viscount.

Mrs Bennet had been too preoccupied being contemptuous of the Lucases to have noticed his impending arrival and was disconcerted to find herself with sewing still in her hand.

"My lord! You find us all …" words failed Mrs Bennet.

"Industrious?" supplied Lord Ashbourne.

"Yes! I would not have had you see this for the world!" Mrs Bennet liked to pretend her girls were not required to do anything whatsoever in the household. Miss Bingley and her sister contributed nothing to do the running of their household and they were the epitome of gentility for Mrs Bennet.

"I apologise for interrupting."

"Oh, you are always welcome here."

"I came to inquire of the patient."

"Oh, yes!" It was evident that Mrs Bennet had forgotten about Kitty. Her disappointment that Kitty had not pressed her advantage with Mr Fitzwilliam had been swallowed by her annoyance over Lady Lucas's lecturing. "I am so grateful for your rescue of my darling girl."

"It was no great matter. I also came to inquire whether Miss Catherine would wish to take the air, if she is recovered?"

Kitty stood up with some alacrity. "I am quite recovered."

"Of course she will take the air," said Mrs Bennet her eyes gleaming.

"Kitty…" said Lizzy in a low voice, "you cannot go alone."

Lizzy could not mean to prevent her going! Their mother had no difficulties and Lord Ashbourne was surely no Mr Wickham.

"There is space for a third, if one of your sisters should like to accompany us?" said Lord Ashbourne and Kitty was not sure whether he had heard Lizzy's comment or not.

"Mary!" said Kitty immediately, "Mary should like to take the air."

Mary most decidedly did not wish to take the air, but Kitty would not go with Lydia. Kitty would not mind Jane, but Jane would hardly wish to be away in case Mr Bingley called, or worse still their mother made some decisions about the wedding or Jane's situation after the wedding. Lizzy would be perhaps the worst choice for she would be pleasant, but Kitty would not feel able to speak in front of her wittier sister, who would no doubt trade barbs and bon mots with Lord Ashbourne.

As expected Mary began to decline, but Kitty took the opportunity to whisper in her ear that now they shared the same room Mary should be obliged check her bed more often -- perhaps for frogs. If that threat did not work, Kitty also urged Mary to think of the likelihood that she would be forced to sit and listen to more of Mrs Bennet's ruminations.

"You may think solemnly much better in a curricle."

Mary protested no more and went to fetch their bonnets and after another whispered conversation she fetched something else.

"I am glad your ankle has recovered, Miss Bennet," said Lord Ashbourne as soon as he had navigated them from Longbourn's gate.

"Yes, I think it is remarkably miraculous, do not you?" said Kitty with a smile.

"Clearly, the prompt attention was beneficial."

His face really did not betray anything, thought Kitty, and she decided to let the matter drop.

"Well I should at least return your cravat. It has been laundered. I asked especially, although I was not quite sure ... "

Mary handed Kitty the snowy white cravat from her reticule and Kitty displayed it proudly.

An expression she was not sure quite how to identify flickered across his face and Kitty dropped her hands back to her lap, "Have I ruined it?"

The viscount recovered swiftly, "Not at all."

"I think you are being kind. How are you supposed to treat them? Or are you a true fashionable gentleman and do not know what your valet does?"

Lord Ashbourne coughed, "If anyone but your fair self had asked such a question, I should consider it an affair of honour. The fabric must be starched and ironed. Your father does not adhere to the niceties?"

"Oh, I expect he does, but I did not say this was a cravat, they thought it a bandage."

This teasing of one another looked as if might continue for some time except Mary coughed.

"Miss Mary does not approve of our trivial conversation."

Kitty wanted to say that Mary did not approve of any conversation, but she bit her tongue. She did not have to say everything she thought.

"If one or other of you would reach to the floor, you will find something that may turn our minds to a more educative bent."

It was an Atlas and Lord Ashbourne brought his horses to a very mild walk, as Kitty opened it carefully without her elbows causing Mary to tip out of the curricle.

Even Mary could not feign disinterest as the two girls found India and under the guidance of Lord Ashbourne naming places for them to find, traced his time in the army. Then it was Europe's turn to be conquered.

"And I have only been from here to here," said Kitty tracing Hertfordshire - Meryton was not even large enough to be shown upon the map - to Brighton.

"You should remember that others have not even had the benefit of that journey," said Mary in a quiet voice.

"Where should you go if you had the opportunity?" said Kitty feeling for her sister as she never remembered doing so before. It must be difficult to be so overlooked and then see her two younger sisters sent on an adventure and come home disgraced. Mary would never disgrace herself in that way.

"London or Bath."

Kitty was astounded she would never have picked such places of pleasure for Mary.

"Beyond the usual fascination with shops, fashion, and society, do you have any particular reason for London or Bath?" asked Lord Ashbourne.

"I should like to see where Reverend Fordyce gave his sermons and where he lived the last years of his life."

Kitty gave a sigh of relief; that was the Mary she knew.

"I was given to understand you enjoyed Mary Wollstonecraft? How do you reconcile Miss Wollstonecraft to Fordyce?"

Mary had never been asked such a question and it was not one she was capable of answering. Their father often teased Mary with such questions and then did not give her a chance to answer them, so Kitty waited to see if Mary could speak.

She could not, so Kitty spoke instead.

"I think it is very possible, if one applies one's own thinking. Perhaps Fordyce gives some acceptable advice and Miss Wollstonecraft champions the ability to be able to question it. After all, I am sure I do not agree with every word either says, but I have not studied either to any great extent."

"What have you been reading, Miss Bennet? Surely not the Orphan of the Rhine again?"

Kitty shook her head, "No I was trying to discover who you may have meant when you said your father was involved with revolutionaries. I have been reading some memoirs. I do not profess to understand everything I have read."

"Then you prove yourself smarter than the majority of people, and I do not think we should keep calling them revolutionaries! I should not like my father to come under suspicion, let us merely call them thinkers, of perhaps the radical persuasion."

They spoke at length about what she had read and Lord Ashbourne suggested some books that might not prove to be quite so chemically minded - Kitty thought if she would be a philosopher, she would not be a natural one.

It was Mary who recollected them to the time and Kitty realised how long they had been away. She did not wish to return to Longbourn, but one could argue that there was such a thing as too much fresh air.

Chapter Seventeen

Posted on 2013-06-15

They had not made definitive plans, but Kitty could not say she was surprised when at the same hour the next day a curricle swept up their drive.

Kitty dragged Mary away from the pianoforte.

"Cannot - " Mary protested.

"No," Kitty interrupted, pushing Mary into the foyer and shoving her pelisse and bonnet into her hands, then she grabbed her own.

She tried to look innocent when Hill opened the door to admit Lord Ashbourne.

"Should I perhaps just wait in the curricle next time?"

Kitty curtseyed, "It would be more expedient."

Once they were safely in the curricle, Lord Ashbourne looked in askance at them. "Are you perhaps escaping?"

"It is less than two weeks until the wedding," answered Kitty. "Mama is beside herself." Kitty stopped. "Not that I blame her, I think she is more upset by the idea of losing Jane than she cares to admit."

"Netherfield is not so far away."

"But I do not think Mr Bingley will choose to settle there permanently."

"She has still four daughters for consolation."

Kitty sighed, "Jane is her favourite, for the moment, it is always between Lydia and Jane for mama. So she only has one daughter for consolation really."

"And your father has the other three?" laughed Lord Ashbourne.

Kitty looked down and tried to lighten her tone, but it was difficult. "Oh Papa only has one, Lizzy. So you see, Mary and I are quite superfluous to requirements."

She had hoped when Mr Bennet had taken some difficulty in showing her what books to improve herself with, that this would usher in a new regime where Kitty would be a favoured daughter. But after that initial push, Mr Bennet had waved away her questions, consigning her back to the silly child who only wished to talk about handsome men.

"So we are underfoot at home, you do a charitable thing in taking us away."

Kitty could not identify the look in Lord Ashbourne's face and hoped it wasn't pity.

"Well then, if this is charity I must do as I am commanded. Where should you like to be taken?"

"I have no preference, do you, Mary?"

Mary had no partiality for bowling about the countryside, so she did not wish to go anywhere, but Kitty thought she was gratified to be at least asked.

"I wonder if Mr Bingley and his family are as concerned about the wedding - I mean, not about the marriage, but about the wedding."

"I think the groom's family is historically not as involved in the planning of the ceremony. But Mr Bingley will not be a distant groomsman."

"No, he is all amiability."

Lord Ashbourne looked sideways at her. "You think that his sisters are unhappy? I assure you, they are the type who would be unhappy with any choice that was not their own."

"And Miss Darcy? I heard Lizzy say she was expected, and ... "

"Georgie? Did Miss Bingley really think that Georgiana and Mr Bingley? Darcy would - well perhaps he did plan, he does like things tidy." Lord Ashbourne shook his head. "Georgiana is sixteen. I hope you will be kind to her when she arrives, she needs more female companionship. I do not expect she will marry for some time."

"Sixteen is not so very young," said Kitty.

"Is it not?"

Kitty bit her lip. He was telling her that she was too young and she was, perhaps not only in years.

"Georgiana is a particularly young sixteen. She is very shy, another reason why she needs more companionship."

They continued on in some silence and Lord Ashbourne, seemingly for no other reason than to break the awkwardness, took a small path. It was very narrow and had probably only ever been used for carts, but he navigated it with supreme skill until the rut filled with water.

Kitty tried to keep a straight face as the viscount looked displeased that he should be defeated by some mud and in front of ladies as well. It had only rained very briefly overnight, Kitty thought, so it was not surprising that the possibility of muddy ground would not have crossed his mind.

"I am afraid you will have to get down," said Lord Ashbourne after surveying the damage.

They complied, and Kitty took a better look. "Will you unhitch your horses? If you do, can you hitch them again?"

Lord Ashbourne gave her an exasperated look - "I may require some small rendering of assistance."

Mary held the horses, most unwillingly, but she did not complain, even though Kitty was sure Mary detested horses.

After watching for a moment - "Would it not be easier, my lord, if I helped?" Kitty did not wait for him to answer and stepped forward to help push the curricle out of the rut.

"Miss Bennet, you will …" Mud splattered up her dress and Kitty saw that his breeches were no better.

"Well, better a little mud than a walk home," said Kitty. It was not her favourite dress and she would sacrifice her entire wardrobe to spend more time with Lord Ashbourne and prove that she was not so silly and useless as she feared he might think her.

They took the opportunity to manoeuvre the curricle until it was facing the way they had come, and then under a great deal of guidance, Mary and Kitty assisted with re-hitching the horses. When it looked as if Mary would baulk, Kitty reminded her that they were showing that females were just as capable as men, even if not in the manner prescribed by Fordyce.

By the end, the three of them were hardly fit to be seen and Kitty thought her hair was almost completely undone. She pushed it up into her bonnet as a temporary solution.

"I cannot think of many women of my acquaintance that would have assisted me so," said Lord Ashbourne.

"Then you cannot know many women," said Kitty primly.

They returned to Longbourn chatting, all the way.

"I think perhaps I should not deliver you right to the door. If your mother sees the way that I have returned you, then I think I will be forbidden from darkening your doorstep."

"I think you would have to be ruined and stripped of your title before that should happen, my lord, as you well know. I hope you will make this trip up to us tomorrow?"

There was no response to that, only a smirk.

Despite Kitty's insistence that no blame would attach to Lord Ashbourne, she was not so certain for herself, so they went in the side door, and Kitty ran up to their bedroom, trusting Mary was behind her.

"Oh Mary!" Kitty slumped against their door, feelings welling up and she almost fancied herself lightheaded

"My hair is ruined."

If anything was to make Kitty stand up and almost forget Lord Ashbourne entirely, it was Mary professing such a feminine fixation as worrying about her appearance.

Lord Ashbourne presented himself promptly the next morning, and was not kept waiting a moment. Mrs Bennet had spent all of breakfast discussing what changes she wished to make to Netherfield and Kitty was heartily sick of the possibility of new curtains.

"Kitty!" Lizzy called after her, but Kitty did not wait to hear what her sister might say, instead calling for Mary.

"Why have you brought such a large reticule?" said Kitty with a frown once they were underway. "Do you think we shall become stuck again and you have brought provisions?"

"We shall not become stuck again," was Lord Ashbourne's pronouncement and he did not even wilt under Kitty's look.

Mary did not answer Kitty, and instead pulled out some netting she had been working on. No inducement would make Mary explain herself so neither the viscount nor Kitty pressed her.

Instead they happily conversed and ran into no ruts or mud.

"What say you to an impromptu picnic?" said Lord Ashbourne as they turned down a lane, a much larger lane than the previous day. "To make up for the one that your injury prevented you from enjoying."

"When?" Kitty did not really wish for a picnic that would no doubt involve the others. Although her sisters most likely would clamour to escape, and Mr Bingley would support any plan that allowed him more time with Jane.

"Tomorrow? I'm sure there is a pretty prospect hereabouts."

"Oakham Mount?" said Kitty, "It is not too far and you can see quite a way. Should we invite the Bingley sisters?"

He would probably deny it, but a look of distaste crossed his face. "An impromptu picnic does not include invitations, surely."

"Very politic, but my answer is yes."

"Miss Mary?"

"I would prefer to stay home and practice the pianoforte," said Mary.

"That is admirable," the viscount sounded sincere and engaged Mary in a conversation about music, where she was forced to think of her own opinions.

Kitty wished at that moment that she too was musical, but she was not and it seemed a little late to start now. It took her a moment to realise that she was jealous, but it was silly to feel jealous of Mary. Not because Mary could not attract a man, although Kitty was doubtful that Mary should wish to attract a man such as Lord Ashbourne. She should not feel jealous, because if it wasn't meant to be, it was not meant to be, and she should always feel happy for her sister. But she still felt subdued for the rest of the morning.

Before Brighton what had Kitty's life consisted of? Nothing! Now she read, certainly, but little else. Her magazines made it quite clear what was expected of an aristocratic wife and Kitty only but rarely visited the poor. Her mother rarely did either, nor could Kitty think of Lady Lucas being particularly charitable.

"Kitty, are you quite all right? You have been staring at your hands for a quarter of an hour," said Jane gently. Jane had not been idle; she was sewing, part of her trousseau no doubt.

Kitty shook her head, and then realised that would be taken as a sign that she was not all right and Jane would no doubt question her further. "I am perfectly all right. I was just thinking about our all possibly driving, or walking, to Oakham Mount tomorrow. Lord Ashbourne suggested it."

"That was very kind of him," said Jane. "Have you been enjoying your excursions?"

Kitty could not help smiling. "Very much so!"

There was no chance for them to talk further, because Mrs Bennet came down from her room.

"There you are, Kitty! I am very cross with you!"

Kitty could not understand what could have upset her mother, unless it was the mud that she and Mary had tracked in the day before.

"You have been neglecting Mr Fitzwilliam! You have abandoned him!"

To drive out with a viscount, thought Kitty; surely that if one was mercenary, that was better. "Mama, I do not think you could call it abandonment!"

"Perhaps Kitty does not care for Mr Fitzwilliam anymore!" laughed Lydia.

"Now, Kitty, I know that Lord Ashbourne is a much better looking man than we had been led to believe. I do not trust that Mr Darcy as far as I could throw him. But you cannot be a simpleton. Mr Fitzwilliam is a certainty, my dear. You capture him now, before he's had time to look about!"

Kitty did not have to object to this, as Lizzy was quite happy to do so on her behalf.

"Mama, Kitty is eighteen, there is time enough yet for her to …"

"I was eighteen when I was married. Lydia would have been sixteen if not for unfortunate circumstances. You only think it very young because you will be one and twenty soon, and what have you to show for yourself? You refused Mr Collins, and it is only due to the good nature and beauty of your sister that we are not all to be in the hedgerows."

"If Mama thinks you a simpleton, then you truly must be one," said Lydia, perched on Kitty's bed waking her up. It looked as if dawn had not even come, which surprised Kitty because Lydia was never an early riser.

"Do go away, Lydia."

Lydia laughed, "I think you like the viscount, and I heard the others talking of it! He's separating you from Mr Fitzwilliam. Distracting you. Isn't it a joke! That you would think it was not charity!"

Kitty did not find it a joke at all. Perhaps it was Lydia's way of revenging herself upon Kitty, but she sounded as sincere as Lydia could be, yet it was exactly what Kitty feared and Lydia always managed to know her darkest fears.

She also did not find it funny that it was raining.

It was raining no less heavily when she looked out of the dining room window either.

"Perhaps it will ease," she said hopefully to the room.

"Ease? Of what are you talking?! I expect it will rain for three days, and we shall see no one," complained Mrs Bennet.

Mr Bennet consoled with her. "I know, a veritable torrent of eligible young gentleman and our girls are unable to set their caps because of a little rain."

"I knew you would see it my way, Mr Bennet," replied Mrs Bennet.

Kitty just stared despondently out of the window, praying for the rain to break and only changed locations not activity that morning. That was until Mary pushed a sewing basket into her hands. Mary was pleased for the rain; it allowed her to practice instead of being jolted around every country lane from here to goodness knows where and back. No one else was pleased, as Mary had just begun to learn a new piece. Kitty looked up from the basket and saw that everyone else had deserted the parlour: no doubt to find somewhere quiet.

"Be useful. Is that not what you want to become?"

Kitty took a deep breath and admitted that she had to try.

Chapter Eighteen

Posted on 2013-06-22

The rain did not let up the next day, and Kitty had run out of mending jobs in the sewing basket.

The only luck was that Lydia had decided such a day required her to spend it in her nightgown in their mother's room. Longbourn was decidedly small when Lydia was bored and prowling around.

"If you are looking for something to do, Papa needs some more shirts," said Jane, looking up from her embroidery.

"Do you not wish to practice for Mr Bingley?" said Lizzy with a sly smile. "Or do you think you shall have plenty of time for that?"

"Lizzy! Of course I shall sew my husband's shirts, but he is not my husband yet."

"No, much better to finish embroidering your night gown."

"Lizzy!" Jane was scandalised and turned bright red. Lizzy looked as if she might have said something further but Kitty and Mary's presence restrained her. However, Kitty understood to what she referred, at least in vague terms. She had Harriet, Mrs Sharp and Brighton to thank for that, and Lydia's lack of propriety. Not to mention there was the home farm. Lizzy needn't cease speaking for her sake.

It seemed that neither sister was going to speak, and Mary just continued with her piano, so Kitty went in search of Hill and fabric.

Both were easy to find; they were together, but Hill was distracted.

"If you wish to make Mr Bennet's shirts, there is the fabric I bought in Meryton," she waved at the shelf.

Kitty took the linen and was about to turn away. "Could I help you, Hill?"

"Oh, Miss Kitty! It is this wedding!"

"Are you not excited?"

"About Miss Jane, yes. About the wedding breakfast, and the trousseau and…well…"

"My mother. I understand, Hill, but have you not asked Lizzy or Jane?"

Hill gave Kitty a look that told her in no uncertain terms that this was a silly question. Of course, Lizzy and Jane had too much to do already. "Elizabeth and Jane will not be here soon."

"Lizzy is not engaged and I do not think she will stay for a visit at Netherfield, it is only three miles!"

"Perhaps she is not engaged now," said Hill in a curious tone.

Kitty wondered what Hill had heard. Though she was practically a member of the family, she was still their housekeeper and as such many things might be said in front of her that otherwise would not be. Certainly, Mrs Bennet often confided everything in Hill; she certainly knew about the aborted elopement and had not looked at Lydia or Kitty any differently.

"Well then, I could help?"

As it turned out, Kitty could help. Mrs Bennet's normally good household management had subsided in standards since Jane's engagement. Jane was distracted, and Lizzy was distracted in making sure Jane was not allowing every single one of her wishes to be contradicted by Miss Bingley and their mother.

The week's menus (which were spoiled by the laziness of the grocer of Meryton, and the collusion of the butcher) were easy to fix. It of course meant that all of Kitty's favourite dishes that could be made up with what they had would happily find their way onto the Bennets' table.

Then it transpired that the kitchen maid did not at all like the new scullery maid and there had been some contre-temps between them that Hill did not feel capable of resolving without assistance from the lady of the house. Mrs Bennet had never been one to do so, but once Jane had become old enough to induce servants into harmony by her relentless goodness, Hill's responsibility in this area had diminished. She was no longer used to sorting out such matters alone.

Privately, Kitty thought it was ridiculous to summon the two young ladies to the housekeeper's room to face her. She told herself over and over again that if she was to have her own establishment, no matter how big or small, she must become accustomed to such things.

First, she was sure was to listen to both women equally. Kitty hated it when Lydia managed to get her version of events in first; no one ever wanted to then listen to hers. She was surprised that it sounded much like the kind of squabble that would occur between sisters, indeed Kitty had had similar arguments.

She had only, it seemed, to allow them to complain equally and they were happy to go back to work and within half an hour, Hill confided that they were laughing together and everything had been forgot.

Buoyed by this success, Kitty turned her mind to the shirts. They could not be so difficult.

They turned out to be more problematic than Kitty expected and thus she was half glad for the next two days of rain, and then when it ceased that it was a Sunday and all they were expected to do was go to Church.

The stitching was laborious and it gave her a great deal of time to think. She presented them to her father after dinner.

"Well! I shall look very fine in these. I do hope they are not designed to make me go out more in society."

"You shall have to do so, Mr Bennet! Our eldest may soon be married, but you must endeavour to assist me in finding husbands for all our girls."

"I thought that was to be Jane's role in life," said Mr Bennet drily.

"Well if she is here at Netherfield, she can hardly do so! And she may only take one sister at a time to London."

"Only one?" Mr Bennet was surprised. "Why not take all of the girls, Jane?"

"Papa!" protested Jane.

"He is not serious, Jane," said Lizzy, looking up from her embroidery.

"Am I not, Lizzy? Am I not? Although now that I think of it, we have three eligible gentlemen at Netherfield, we need only find a fourth and then the problem is settled."

"Mr Bennet, how can you talk such nonsense? Mr Fitzwilliam will do for Kitty; indeed she is already in love with him and him with her, but Mr Darcy! I should not want such a man as my son in law."

"And Lord Ashbourne? I understand your objections to Mr Darcy, but what is the difficulty there?"

"I expect he is already engaged, or it has been arranged. These things are often the case. I have read about it in novels. In his cradle, I expect."

"Mama, those novels are hardly realistic," said Lizzy. "Although I expect you are right, Mama, and the young lady who will be the Countess of Matlock is not going to be a young lady we know."

"So I must find three more gentlemen?" said Mr Bennet. "Cannot be done, seems a hopeless business."

With that remark, Mr Bennet took himself off to bed. Kitty went thither, too, but with more thoughts.

She was in love with Lord Ashbourne, that much had become clear to her. She was not just attracted to him; he was necessary to her happiness. Yet there was so much that they had not spoken of, and so much was between them.

"Papa, is that my shirt?" said Kitty, looking up from the breakfast table. She had never been so excited about an item she had not sewn for herself.

"It is indeed," said Mr Bennet, coughing. "Let me take off my dressing gown and display myself."

Mr Bennet did and Lydia burst out laughing.

"Lydia!" Jane was often to be found exclaiming her sister's names in various tones of shock. "It is a very fine shirt, Kitty."

"Indeed, it has two arms and a hole for the neck," said Lydia, tears in her eyes.

Lizzy looked as if she was also trying not to laugh.

"I am afraid, my dear, that you have made these shirts for a somewhat taller man, who is, I fear, far more athletic than myself."

Indeed, Mr Bennet looked comical in the tight long shirts.

"But they are well made?" said Kitty.

"Oh yes, the stitching and seams are perfection. But may I be permitted to change?"

"Sorry, Papa," said Kitty.

"It was a very fine effort, Kitty," said Jane. "I should have helped you with the proportions."

"Whatever, or whoever, were you thinking of?" giggled Lydia.

Kitty blushed but she did not miss the concerned expression pass between Jane and Lizzy.

"I see it no longer rains," said Mary, who had been entirely composed through the proceedings.

"I expect we shall see Mr Bingley here very shortly," said Lizzy. "I am surprised he did not ride through the rain for you, Jane."

"Lord, Lizzy, they are engaged now; he is secure of her, he does not have to dance such attendance," said Lydia, biting into her toast.

Lydia might be right that Mr Bingley was not obliged to wait upon his fiancée as often as a undeclared man, but he was a man who wanted to see his fiancée at every waking hour and so he did come with the rest of the Netherfield party. Well, all those that counted to the Bennets, which meant the gentlemen barring Mr Hurst.

Although Bingley's arrival did not hurry Mrs Bennet, who was still abed,; Kitty thought this very peculiar, especially with the presence of the other gentlemen and their conversation the previous night.

"Jane!"

"Charles!"

Kitty tried to look interested in this affectionate greeting, but all she could think of was walking out, away from Longbourn and prying eyes and ears.

Luckily, Lizzy would never support being cooped up in the house for longer than she must. "Shall we not walk in the garden? Three days of straight rain and four sisters, I find drive me quite wild to be outdoors."

They were not freed before Mrs Bennet made an appearance and came out onto the lawn.

"Lord Ashbourne, should you not like to walk in the direction of the home farm? You may find it interesting," said Kitty with a hopeful smile.

"Might I? Then let us of course proceed in that direction."

Kitty's plan was spoiled by her mother.

"Mr Fitzwilliam, do go with them to the home farm. I expect you will see many similarities with your fine estate at Cheveley. You may even bring some cheese back for lunch. They do a prodigious cheese."

"I should be delighted," said Mr Fitzwilliam as he began to dog Kitty's and the Viscount's steps.

Kitty's only hope was a significant glance at Mary, who just sighed and engaged Mr Fitzwilliam in conversation about sonatas or Fordyce or whatever Mary liked to discuss with gentlemen. Kitty would have to find out at bedtime what Mary preferred to converse upon, but for now she had another goal.

Mary and Mr Fitzwilliam walked faster, once they had rounded the corner and were out of sight and range of her mother.

"You can see the farm from here," said Kitty, walking to a low hedge that overlooked the farm.

"Indeed you can." This was not a promising start, thought Kitty.

"My lord, I wished to say something to you privately."

"I did not think you that excited for a farm you have known all your life."

"I did thank you at the time," Kitty was not quite sure how to say what she wanted so frankness seemed to be called for. "But we have not discussed it since.'It' of course being my sister's aborted elopement and my shameful part in it."

"I do not believe there is anything to discuss, Miss Bennet."

"I was so stupid. I thought Wickham was in love, and that he was a gentleman. I based this on his appearance, I did not think of his behaviour. He deserted us for Miss King and her inheritance and then when she was whisked off to Bristol he returned. He deserted us in Brighton, and then came amongst us as if he had not done so. He spoke ill of your cousin after swearing that he should not do so. I think his ill words were even the first thing he ever said to Lizzy, a young lady he had never met before. But I am not sure of that." Kitty was rambling and she only stopped when Lord Ashbourne took her hand.

"Miss Bennet, it was misjudgement of character. We have all been guilty of that. You were presumed upon by a man with great address, and you lacked knowledge of the world. Luckily, knowledge can be acquired."

"But we almost eloped," said Kitty. "I did not even think that was very wrong."

"Romantic, misguided romance but…" he shrugged. "If this is your only youthful mistake, Miss Bennet, you should congratulate yourself. No one except Mr Wickham was much discomposed."

"You do not think that I …" Kitty did not know how to vocalise her fears.

"No. Do I think you were extremely fortunate? Yes. Do I think that you should have others to guide you, others who have already made their mistakes, or learnt from others? Yes."

"But I must have some share of the blame," said Kitty. "I think only children can be blameless and I am not so very young."

"Very well, you may take whatever proportion of the blame you choose, as long as you remember that the vast majority is not yours." He released her hand and they started to walk towards the farm.

"Oh, I know that Mr Wickham imposed upon us, and that Lydia…she should take some of the blame but she will not."

"Passion will make many do strange things," said Lord Ashbourne.

"You do not know my sister," said Kitty. Lydia's elopement had not been all out of her love, or her imagined love of Mr Wickham, of that Kitty was certain.

"I bow to your better knowledge, but she is a sixteen year old girl who has seen little of the world outside novels, and it is a truth universally acknowledged that a man in a uniform is more attractive than his sadly un-uniformed brethren."

Kitty laughed, "But Lydia does not refine on what happened, not that I think she should do penance every day, but some indication she would not run off with the next officer who asked her would be acceptable."

"Some hope and some guidance would not go astray," replied Lord Ashbourne, "But you should not equate your behaviour with anyone else's. They do not reflect upon you. You must forge your own path, you are very ... "

"If you say young, Lord Ashbourne, I will not be held accountable! You seem determined to say that about me every time we meet. I do know my own mind, and my own faults."

"Indeed you do."

"Then I shall hear no more about my youth. You must recognise I have not once mentioned your advanced years and how they must make it difficult to hear and walk and so forth."

Kitty looked at him to see his reaction and was put out by the fact that only a glimmer of amusement showed upon his face.

"Well then, Miss Bennet, you must give me your arm in support if we are to make it to the home farm and its prodigious cheese."

Chapter Nineteen

Posted on 2013-06-28

The good weather held the next day. Mrs Bennet fretted that it might not hold, so forbade them from going any further than Oakham Mount, which was lucky because that was their destination.

"You will not be able to recover from a cold, no matter how trifling, in less than a week, Jane!"

Mr Bingley, remembering Jane's mortal illness at Netherfield and his own torments, suddenly declared he had no desire to go on a picnic and would much rather stay indoors and read a book, or listen to Mary play the piano.

Kitty thought Jane was too lenient with Mr Bingley. She just gave him an indulgent smile and disclaimed any desire to venture forth, although now she would be condemned to their mother's anxiety over the wedding.

The others however were happy to go, excepting Mary, who was now needed to display her talents to Mr Bingley, and they chose to walk. Two simple picnic baskets and some rugs were easily conveyed the short distance.

"Jane should have not deferred to Mr Bingley; she is not so prone to catching cold, and it really does not look like rain."

Lizzy, who was walking with Kitty and carrying one of the rugs, laughed. "Jane has not your temperament, or my temperament. She is happy to defer to others if it does not materially disadvantage her."

"Mama discussing the wedding breakfast for the twelfth time today is a very great disadvantage," said Kitty.

"Oh I agree, but we must remember our mother is happy. She will not achieve her greatest happiness until we are all married, but perhaps Jane's marriage will calm her."

"That is not likely!" replied Kitty.

Lizzy shook her head. "No, it is not likely is it?"

"And Jane living so close!"

"You should not wish to live close when you marry?" said Lizzy.

"I should not wish to live in isolation, but walking distance …" Kitty wondered to what end her sister questioned. "I think you should wish the same, Lizzy."

"Indeed. Mr Fitzwilliam is very handsome."

Kitty agreed with this non sequitur as it was very true.

"His brother is also very handsome," continued Lizzy.

"Mr Darcy is very handsome." Kitty thought it was unfair that Mr Darcy should be left out of the conversation and the colour that suffused across Lizzy's face was worth it. "I think he is a little less disagreeable than before."

Lizzy had nothing to say to that, and thankfully did not seem to wish to continue questioning Kitty. Kitty had nothing to confide in her sister, or nothing she wished to confide.

Lizzy's attention was soon claimed by Lydia, and Kitty was allowed to quicken her steps to join the two brothers. Mr Darcy was lagging somewhat behind.

Kitty was surprised he had agreed to come on this venture, but perhaps he felt that a picnic was a better prospect than a small room containing Mrs Bennet.

"This looks like a good spot," Lizzy stopped as they came to the crest of the hill. "The ground is not so wet here."

The gentlemen had never seen the view from Oakham Mount, so they climbed a little further to see the best view. Kitty was left to spread out the rugs, as Lizzy accompanied them and Lydia scampered off to do what Lydia liked best, which was not assisting.

Lord Ashbourne returned, as did Mr Fitzwilliam and the two of them sat down with Kitty, to look at what had been put in the baskets. That had been a hurried conversation Kitty had had with Hill.

Their housekeeper had been disgruntled by the request to provide picnic baskets. Kitty could not blame her; the weather had not improved the situation of the pantry as it had disrupted visits to Meryton and Mrs Bennet would not hear of simple food being provided for such illustrious guests.

Kitty thought that was ridiculous and that if they wished for extravagant food in a field they might as well retire entirely from Hertfordshire.

"Ah, cheese!" said Lord Ashbourne and then he sounded delighted to find bread.

"You do not object to the simplicity?" said Kitty.

Mr Fitzwilliam, wielding the cheese knife, shook his head, "Gentlemen are notoriously not fussy. As long as you provide for us, we are happy."

"Unless it is of course peas," said Lord Ashbourne.

Mr Fitzwilliam made a face. "Cannot abide them."

"You are safe," said Kitty. "Did Mr Darcy and Lizzy not wish to come back?"

Her sister and Mr Darcy were walking in the distance, stopping every now and then to speak or point something out to each other.

Lord Ashbourne shook his head. "They were discussing the view quite intently."

"There is not much to discuss, unless they are arguing over whether it is Haye-Park or Purvis Lodge they could see, and Mr Darcy cannot expect to be an expert over such matters."

"Darcy expects a great deal that he should not," said Lord Ashbourne, stretching himself out. "This will be the last of the good weather. We have been lucky to have it hold out so well."

Kitty regarded her companion as he lay propped on his elbows, face towards the sun, and legs crossed elegantly at the ankle. She could watch him because he was not looking at her. When he did look she pretended she had been watching Lizzy walking with Mr Darcy.

"Why does he not propose?"

They had only spoken of Mr Darcy and Lizzy a little, and not so bluntly, but Kitty had decided that she would rather be frank with him than not. Only Mr Fitzwilliam could hear what she was saying, so she hoped it would not be thought impolitic or forward.

The Viscount laughed, "A gentleman, particularly one like my cousin, who has been refused, is reluctant to burn himself again, and I suspect a young lady who has changed her mind is reluctant to allow said gentleman the opportunity to revenge himself upon her."

Kitty wondered that he took it for granted that she should know about the proposal. He had siblings, and yet he still thought that all of the Bennet sisters confided in one another. She envied that sense of family.

"So one should never refuse a proposal?" She tried to speak lightly.

"Lord, no, young ladies should probably say no as many times as they can. I imagine Darcy had his whole perspective of the world turned on his head. My cousin is not a man who finds his will thwarted often. It will take some getting used to, but it will do him good."

"Whereas you are very used to getting your will thwarted," retorted Kitty.

He laughed again, smiling at her. "No. I find it extraordinarily easy to get my way."

"Presumptuous," was her response, she wanted to add 'and true' but could not, although she suspected he knew it already.

"Indeed. But you should not think Darcy and I have been made better by our privilege." He turned away, and played with a blade of grass. "Before very recently I had never even thought it could be necessary to think about whether what I wanted, would be best for others. For personal matters I mean, for matters of business, or for our tenant farmers that is a given, but personally, why should I worry about whether my desires might be … "

Kitty thought Lord Ashbourne had said more than he meant to say.

"You are patient to listen to me run on."

She wanted to tell him she'd listen to anything he'd care to say. "In under a week my sister will be married."

"But not so very far away," said Lord Ashbourne idly, picking at the petals of a flower.

It seemed distance was on everybody's mind today.

"Perhaps too close. Mama will not keep her distance." Kitty shrugged. "She will be Jane Bingley, and belong to his family."

"She will always be a Bennet, and your sister," was Lord Ashbourne's reply.

"Not by name she will not, and somehow that makes a difference. At least, I think Lizzy and Mama fear it will."

"When you have a great deal of names, you realise they are worth little to who you truly are."

"You don't believe in the honour of a name?"

"I believe in the honour of a person. Should I be any different or act any different if I were the oldest son of a plain Mr Fitzwilliam? Actually, I should not be able to tell you as I cannot know. I hope I should not be."

"Plain Mr Fitzwilliam or not you would still be an elder brother," said Mr Fitzwilliam.

"I accept the compliment."

"It was not meant as such," was the reply.

"If you were plain Mr Fitzwilliam, then would your nickname be Fitz? Or would you be known by your first name? I think it is unfair that men should have such options."

"Says Kitty," said Lord Ashbourne drily.

"But that is only a corruption of my first name. My choices are my first name or a corruption. I do not have all these other choices."

"To be fair most of my brother's choice comes from the fact he has a title. Really though there is no choice: he has a rather ridiculous first name, and too many brothers and cousins also called Fitzwilliam. So really Ash is the only option."

"Only for my particular friends," said Lord Ashbourne.

"Of which you have many," said Mr Fitzwilliam.

Kitty interrupted this exchange which was likely to descend into bickering if Kitty knew siblings, "What does this leave you Mr Fitzwilliam?"

"Freddie, as the baby of the family, I must be so infantilised! Richard, or as I like to refer to him 'The Colonel', is usually meant when one says Fitzwilliam or Fitz. Although occasionally if one wants torment Darcy...."

Kitty had thought that Mr Darcy's first name was Fitzwilliam, but she had never been game enough to inquire if she was correct. "That is truly his Christian name? Although I suppose you, my lord, should not judge as yours is …" Kitty broke off. She did not mean to offend him.

"I do not blame you. I blame Horace Walpole," said the aforementioned Horatio.

Kitty stared at him. "You are named after the author of the Castle of Otranto?"

The next day was cloudy but still pleasant. Kitty's hopes that she should convince Lord Ashbourne to read the Castle of Otranto to them came to nothing. The viscount would not be moved. He had, however, suggested that they should go riding.

This plan looked as if it would come to nothing, for as Lizzy had reminded Lord Ashbourne walking back to Longbourn, the Bennet sisters did not ride and did not keep horses for themselves. However, Lizzy had forgotten that Miss Bingley and her sister kept horses for themselves, and Mr Bingley had already purchased a mare for Jane.

Mary had taken one look at the horses and declared her devotion to her instrument, leaving four sisters to take three places.

"If you will promise to keep to a slow pace, I am happy to walk beside the horses," said Lizzy.

"You do not ride, Miss Elizabeth?" said Mr Darcy stiffly, holding two sets of reins.

"I am afraid I had a fall as a child and as such am not fond of them. I admire them, but from a distance."

"Well I am not going riding," said Lydia, "How dull. I am going to Lucas Lodge and then to Meryton."

"That could be accomplished faster on horseback, Miss Lydia," noted Lord Ashbourne.

Lydia dismissed this piece of sense and scampered off. Lizzy looked mortified and Mr Darcy uncomfortable.

Lord Ashbourne just looked amused and Kitty wondered if that is what he had meant; the only behaviour Kitty could control was her own.

"Well, then we have the perfect number of ladies and horses, shall we be off? Bingley?"

Mr Bingley and Jane had been standing apart the whole time, and Kitty wondered when they should wish to spend any time with others. She understood love and romance, indeed she knew she was in love, but how she wished she spent her time was not how she spent her time. Kitty was not sure if this was by design or because of propriety, so she should perhaps not judge Jane and Mr Bingley.

"Oh yes, if we are all settled? Darcy, you shall look after Elizabeth, of course, and Kitty, I think Mr Fitzwilliam …"

"Do not entrust the care of a lady to me, sir!" cried that gentleman, who had not dismounted. "I am sure Miss Catherine will be the sort of rider who would annoy me most."

"What, a capable one?" was Lord Ashbourne's reply. "My brother rides all to pieces, I should not heed him."

"I never do!" was Kitty's retort as she was helped into her saddle. Was it her imagination that Lord Ashbourne held her closer than he perhaps should have? It probably was, a gentleman (barring her father when she was a child, which did not count) had never helped her into the saddle before and she did not know how it should be done.

Kitty, it turned out, was not a capable rider. Lizzy for all her complaints, or perhaps because her horse was the dullest (being Miss Bingley's) did not have as much difficulty as Kitty.

Kitty was informed that her horse was named Fortune and Kitty wondered whether Mrs Hurst or her husband named him. The mare was certainly not Good Fortune.

"Oh! No!" cried Kitty as Fortune found a hedge fascinating. She turned to see Lord Ashbourne laughing at her. "It is not my fault! Fortune does not seem to favour me."

That just made him laugh more. "She is a disagreeable mount, but she is untamed. Mrs Hurst has not ridden her once since she was here, and I understand she was brought down when they first came."

"Then why do they keep her?"

"It is very fashionable to keep a horse."

"And never to ride?" Fortune backed out of the hedge and then careened across the lane.

"Miss Bennet, perhaps I should lead you?"

"No!" cried Kitty, feeling mortified. "I am capable of riding slowly in a straight line, I assure you!"

Her mare, however, did not agree to displaying Kitty's true ability and began to prance about.

Lord Ashbourne dismounted suddenly and took hold of Fortune's reins.

"I think all that will happen is Fortune will take her chance to escape and you will take a tumble. How shall I explain that to your parents?"

Kitty felt entirely humiliated: what sort of gentlewoman could not even control a horse? But it would be stupid to be stubborn. Controlling Fortune was clearly not in her capability and to take the risk of injuring herself because of her pride…inconceivable.

Lord Ashbourne held out one arm as she slid to the ground; at least there was some benefit to her precipitous end to the riding excursion.

"I shall have to speak to sternly to Bingley; I do not know what he is about."

"We must apportion a great deal of blame to the rider. Lizzy did try to tell you that we are not horsewomen."

"Should you like to be a horsewoman?"

"Yes, I think it could be useful, as a method of transport and exercise. Although I very much doubt I'd ever need or be able to attain the skill to hunt."

"What about driving a team? Or even a gig? That might be more useful, if we are thinking in purely practical terms."

"Who should teach me?" said Kitty. Whom did he expect would be able to teach her, the coachman?

Lord Ashbourne just looked at her.

"You would teach me? Have you taught many?"

"You would like references? I am afraid I have none. I have never taught a young lady. I expect you would not wish to hear Freddie's opinion on my teaching ability. So shall it be horseback or the curricle?"

"Cannot I have both?" said Kitty.

"You drive a hard bargain!"

"I drive no bargain. I have just asked!" was Kitty's smiling response.

"Very well, but I feel the curricle should be first, until something other than this undertrained mare presents itself."

Chapter Twenty

Posted on 2013-07-09

It seemed that it was not only Lord Ashbourne and Kitty's horse riding expedition that did not prosper.

Lizzy had returned in a disagreeable mood and Kitty thought that Mr Darcy too was a little out of spirits, but with him he was so much never in spirits that it was hard to tell.

"I am sorry if you did not wish to ride," said Jane, looking distressed.

"It is not your fault, Jane," said Lizzy, sewing quite crossly.

"I know your dislike of ..."

"Jane!" Lizzy exclaimed. "Unless you are the reason Mr Darcy was born into this world, you are not the reason I am cross."

"Mr Darcy? I thought that you ..." Jane lowered her voice a little, but it was only the three of them in the parlour.

"I did, too, Jane."

"Was it Lydia?" said Kitty. "She was very rude, I thought."

Lizzy put down her sewing. "I am glad you saw that her behaviour was not as it should have been. That was only the start. If Mr Darcy was Mr Bingley, Jane, he should take you off to the wilds of the north and never allow you to see your family again. Except those he finds agreeable."

Jane did not seem to know what to say to that.

"Certainly you quit your house to become a man's wife...but that does not mean he has the right to dictate to one."

"I think that is precisely what a husband is allowed to do," said Jane.

"You say so because you know you are marrying a man who will deny you nothing."

"I do not think Mr Darcy a cruel man; you said yourself that his servants at Pemberley spoke nothing but praise for him."

"Oh, so a wife is to be a servant?" Lizzy put aside her basket with some force and left the room.

"That is not what I meant!" cried Jane.

"I think Mr Darcy and Lizzy are both very stubborn and set in their ways, they will never agree all the time. I think it does not help they cannot talk equally," said Kitty.

"Not talk equally?" said Jane.

"No, because she knows he once loved her, and may love her still, but she cannot be so obvious about her feelings, whatever they may be. They certainly cannot speak of those feelings openly."

Jane sighed. "Yes, it is difficult not to be able to speak openly. How did you know that Mr Darcy once admired Lizzy?"

"Is it not common knowledge?" said Kitty.

"I do not think it is," said Jane.

Kitty did not wish to admit to eavesdropping, or betray Lord Ashbourne, so she focused on her improvements to their father's shirts.

"Lizzy could, in private moments, be more explicit in her feelings, whether to give him hope or not," said Kitty, attempting to turn the conversation.

"Accepting a gentleman is an important decision, perhaps the most important decision a lady can make. It is sometimes difficult to separate a mere fancy from the sort of respect and affection that a marriage should be composed of."

Kitty privately thought it had not taken Jane very long to discover that Mr Bingley was the partner of her fate. She was some five years older than Kitty, and had, at least according to Lizzy, liked many a gentleman. However, it had merely been like and Jane had never shown a great deal of that affection to society itself. Mrs Bennet had spoken more of those affections than Jane herself.

"It is very important to be respected," repeated Jane. "And to be steady in one's affections; after all, the heart can be changeable. I should have been hurt, but not surprised, if Charles had changed his mind while we were separated. Also young gentlemen have more freedom to be in love many times."

"Jane, Mr Bingley loves you. If you doubt his love in any way, you are blind. He loved you the whole time. He is just easily persuaded into actions, but not in affection." Kitty grasped Jane's hand to try and comfort her. "These are only silly fears before Monday, when you will be the happiest woman in the world."

"Oh yes, I will be the happiest woman in the world, but Kitty ..." Jane was unable to finish her sentence, and Kitty wondered what she had meant, because Mrs Bennet interrupted them.

Lord Ashbourne kept his promise and before long it was Kitty holding the reins. The Viscount did her the compliment of keeping a straight face, unlike Mary, who, Kitty noticed, gripped the edge of her seat with some strength.

"Come now, Miss Mary, your sister is a natural, and we are only walking. Indeed, perhaps something slower than walking..."

"But at least we are continuing in a forward motion and in a straight line," was Kitty's retort. "Perhaps you would feel safer if you took the reins, Mary?"

Mary looked horrified. "No, I am sure you are doing very well."

"Then we, Miss Mary, shall sit back and enjoy our excursion."

Lord Ashbourne was even complacent when his formidable greys were overtaken by a farmer's cart.

"No, I quite agree with you; mastering walking is the first priority before attempting anything else," was his response when Kitty apologised for the insult to his team.

They even came across Mr Darcy on horseback, who looked quite startled.

"Darcy! Are you off to meet the carriage?"

"Yes," was his short reply. It looked as if he would say nothing more, but then was prompted to exclaim, "And to what does this tend?"

"What does it look like, Darcy? I am being driven about the country."

Mr Darcy looked at the greys and then at Lord Ashbourne and at Kitty. "Well, if you think it best."

"I am very safe I assure you, Mr Darcy. You see I have not progressed beyond a very slow shuffle," Kitty retorted.

Mr Darcy tipped his hat at them and continued on his way.

"That was very well done," laughed Lord Ashbourne.

"Well, it is your curricle and your horses, and you are not five."

"No, we have established I am quite past my youth, have we not?"

"Whose carriage was he going to meet?" said Mary with unexpected curiosity.

"My cousin Georgiana's. She has come down for the wedding. There is one of her party that might particularly interest your sister, Miss Mary."

"One of her party?" Kitty could not think whom he meant. Did he perhaps mean Lady Matlock? Or his father?

"Her mare."

Kitty did not know what to say to that, except surely it was such an imposition of Miss Darcy.

"Georgiana is an indifferent rider, although she has had the best instruction and the best at her disposal. She will enter into all your concerns, and as I think I spoke of before she is shy; she will welcome the established conversation topic of loaning Adeline to you."

Any argument seemed churlish to Miss Darcy and they continued their drive.

By the end the team was even moving quite swiftly and quite without flaw, well in Kitty's determination she was sure others in the curricle would disagree with her.

It was not just Miss Darcy who was expected, but Charlotte Collins and the Gardiners.

Their aunt and uncle's visit was solely to attend the wedding. They were only upset that the length was not to be even a week. Kitty did not understand the particulars, but Mr Gardiner's business could not do without him so for so long.

Charlotte's visit had a dual purpose; Lady Lucas had been quite overjoyed at the idea of her first grandchild and the news had been spread far and wide. The only blight to welcoming Charlotte back for a visit was that she brought Mr Collins.

"I am surprised Lady Catherine allowed him leave for a service," said Lizzy.

"Two services," said Lydia. "For Emma told me they are staying two weeks at least!"

"Perhaps even Lady Catherine tires of Mr Collins," said Lizzy.

"Lizzy," said Jane, "you should be more charitable."

"You have not met Lady Catherine, Jane."

"And nor am I likely to," said Jane contentedly. "Lizzy, have you seen the lace that Aunt brought from town?"

"Yes it is very fine; you are too good to us Aunt,"

Mrs Gardiner laughed, "Why should I not bring you gifts from London? Is that not my purpose, to provide you all with London gossip and fashions?"

"I should hope we think better of you than that," said Lizzy.

Mrs Gardiner just smiled. "How does your mother do?"

"You will discover that for yourself very shortly," said Lizzy. "She is ecstatic and very insistent that everybody should know her happiness."

"And where will go on your wedding trip, Jane?"

"We go to Devon."

"Devon? Has Mr Bingley particular interest there?"

"Neither of them does, that was the design in choosing it," laughed Lizzy.

"Politic to the end, Jane."

Kitty was not particularly interested in Devon. She had read about Devon, but on questioning Mr Bingley it did not sound as if they were going to see any of its great beauties, natural or manmade. Instead, she looked out of the window and thus once again was the first to see the carriage.

"Oh, we have visitors!"

Mrs Gardiner joined her immediately. "Well, you did say there was a fine party at Netherfield, Lizzy."

A young lady was sitting in the curricle with Lord Ashbourne. Kitty tried not to feel jealous as it must be Miss Darcy.

"Is that lady Miss Darcy, Lizzy?" asked Jane.

"Yes."

"It is a great honour that Mr Darcy should bring her to call so soon; he makes a habit of it, I see," said Mrs Gardiner with some slyness, so Kitty could not help but giggle. "Are they often at the house?"

"Often at the house!" exclaimed Mrs Bennet, who had clearly noted their visitors from her rooms upstairs and had come to greet them. "Why sister they practically live here. I have quite some hopes from some of the party."

"Why not all of the party?" said Mrs Gardiner, and her nieces stared at her, wondering at her encouragement.

"My girls would do for anybody, but even I cannot expect such good fortune as to have them all marry my daughters!"

The party seemed a little discomposed to be intruding upon Longbourn so soon after it had received houseguests. Mr Bingley blamed his memory for not realising, but Mrs Bennet would not hear his apologies and waved them away.

"The more the merrier, Mr Bingley, and you have met my sister and brother in Derbyshire, have you not? They are old friends then."

Any necessary introductions were made, and Kitty had the leisure to observe Miss Darcy. If Lord Ashbourne had not said she was shy, Kitty might have thought her reserved. She sat by Lizzy, whom of course she had met before, and spoke quietly.

"Do you intend to say long in the neighbourhood, my lord, or do you and your brother depart after the wedding on Monday?" said Mrs Gardiner.

Kitty had not even contemplated that they might leave; of course, Mr Bingley and Jane would not be in residence, but surely that did not mean they would leave.

"I had not given it much thought, Mrs Gardiner," said Lord Ashbourne.

"You do not have many demands on your time?"

"Not especially, and if I were not here, I would be at my father's or some other friends taking part in their shooting."

"I hope that you intend to stay," said Mr Bingley. "My sisters and Mr Hurst are remaining at Netherfield while we are in Devon."

"You will not wish for a full house upon your return," said Mr Darcy suddenly. That gentleman had just taken his usual place in the window embrasure, and Kitty was sure that he and Lizzy had not resolved their disagreement with each other.

Mr Bingley seemed torn between bringing his bride home to enjoy Netherfield alone, and tossing his friends out into the cold.

"Do not fret, Bingley, you shall be gone for a fortnight, anything could happen," said Mr Fitzwilliam.

Mrs Gardiner smiled, and whispered to Kitty, "Mr Bingley is as amiable as I remember. Your sister does very well."

Kitty had little part of the conversation until Miss Darcy with an awkward look, moved across the room to sit beside her.

"Miss Catherine."

"Miss Darcy," said Kitty encouragingly. Miss Darcy seemed so retiring, which was not a common attribute amongst the young ladies Kitty knew.

Miss Darcy looked at Lord Ashbourne and then at her brother before speaking again.

"My cousin says you are not - that is you are not fond of riding."

"Well I do not know if I am fond of it or not, I have little experience."

"I have the experience, but not the temperament. I do not like to ride alone and my brother is not patient enough to ride so slowly with me."

"But Lord Ashbourne says you have a pleasant mare, Adeline is her name, is it not?"

Miss Darcy smiled. "Yes, I had her brought from town. I had some thought that perhaps you might learn upon her."

That had not been Miss Darcy's thought, but it was good of her to claim it in company, thought Kitty. Miss Darcy was certainly more discreet than her other friends would have been.

"I should like to ride upon an Adeline. Is she named for the heroine of the Romance of the Forest?"

Lizzy, who had somehow felt the need to hover about them both, looked despairingly at Kitty, but what else was Kitty to think? She'd never heard of another Adeline!

"Oh yes! I do adore that book, although I am not supposed to as it is so very horrid."

That declaration removed all constraint from their conversation as Kitty and Miss Darcy discovered other novels they had been quite terrified by, much, Kitty was sure, to the dismay of Mr Darcy and Lizzy.

Monday morning dawned bright and calm, the perfect day for Jane Bennet to be united to Charles Bingley.

While Jane was serenity itself, the household was all a flutter and Kitty found it enjoyable to be so useful.

It was not so pleasant to be excluded from the whispered conversations.

"They are no doubt conversations that we should not be privy to," was all Mary would say, "at least until we are to be married."

"Which is not likely to be any time soon," sighed Lydia, lying upon all of Jane's new gowns which Kitty was trying to pack.

"But if you marry, Lydia, you must only think upon one man. Do you wish that to happen too early?" said Mary.

Lydia rolled her eyes. "Jane was almost an old maid! I should die to be her age and not be long married!"

Despite these caustic thoughts Kitty was sure she saw a little tear in Lydia's eyes when Jane stood up beside Mr Bingley. Kitty lent her a handkerchief and was not rebuffed.

"I should not like to marry him, but he will do very well for Jane," said Lydia as they came out of the church.

Lizzy was behind them and laughed. "I am sure Jane is glad of your approbation, and now there are four." She threaded her arms through her sisters'

"One daughter married, Mr Bennet! Let us hope we are future blessed, and soon!" was Mrs Bennet's first concern as they set off back to Longbourn for the wedding breakfast, and all her unmarried daughters could not help but giggle.

Chapter Twenty-One

Posted on 2013-07-20

Kitty had not made a sound in a full fifteen minutes. Sewing a shirt should be a quite simple task, and indeed she had come a long way since her first effort. She intended to be much more refined than her first efforts and indeed for them to fit! She determined to think of her father's proportions.

It must have been her silence and her focus on her task that caused Charlotte Collins' and Lizzy's voices to rise.

Looking up briefly, Kitty saw that Charlotte had her hand protectively upon the swell of her stomach and she looked a little restless. Marriage to Mr Collins clearly prospered, but Kitty could not imagine Charlotte had much love or respect for her husband. Even her home could not be comfortable. Marriage was not a decision one could draw back from.

"Well, this was certainly the last time I could travel in my conditions," said Charlotte," though I will own it was a fortuitous time to leave Hunsford."

"I am surprised Lady Catherine can bear the loss of Mr Collins for so long as a fortnight."

"I quite insisted. I wanted time to talk to you privately, Lizzy; I am afraid I forgot myself."

"You? Forget yourself in front of Lady Catherine? Never!"

"Not in front of Lady Catherine, Lizzy, in front of Mr Collins. I was speculating after Jane's engagement and I did not perceive that Mr Collins would not understand it was the fancy of a friend. He, of course, spoke to Lady Catherine. She was highly displeased and I am surprised she only decided a letter was to the purpose."

Lizzy shifted in her seat, and was so engrossed in her conversation she had not noticed Kitty had not moved her needle in quite some time.

"Why should this concern me, Charlotte?"

"Confess, you know my thoughts about you and Mr Darcy. Now that I am here, I think it less idle speculation and am sorry if Lady Catherine's letter should dissuade him."

"Mr Darcy and I?" Lizzy tried to laugh, but it was false. "Oh Charlotte. I confess my opinion of him has changed so completely. But I do not know what to think, or what to do."

"Then let me repeat to you my advice of November last: you had better show even more affection than you feel to leave him no doubt."

"He has already proposed, Charlotte, at Hunsford, and he was refused. I cannot show so much affection and be rebuffed. Particularly when I am not so very sure! Indeed, he has a very pleasant house and his manners are extremely charming when around his intimates. But he has returned to Hertfordshire and the worst of his manners are still there. He is silent and grave. I cannot say that I am in love because of his well situated house?"

Kitty was curious as Lizzy did not mention Mr Darcy and her disagreement. Perhaps it had just been a lovers' tiff.

"There are many baser reasons, Lizzy! You will be well situated. If you like him, then why should you not be happy?"

"But is he really the man I could esteem higher than all others? Would the loss of him be really too great to bear? Several pleasant dinner parties and realising his goodness - is that love? I wish his aunt would come and cause trouble, then I should know whether his presence was necessary to my happiness. That and his opinion of my family...he seems determined to think ill of them."

This conversation had become much too touch too personal for Kitty, so she folded up the half finished shirt, and packed away her sewing basket. She left the room, but could not help pausing at the door in case they should say something about her. She was rewarded and punished.

"Your sister follows my advice."

"In showing more affection? No, she shows just the amount of affection she feels."

"I mean in leaving the gentleman in no doubt of her own feelings. I thought perhaps it was just my mother's idle gossip. After all, it seemed as if Mama was promoting Mr Fitzwilliam and then it was his brother. I understand she now has hopes for Mr Fitzwilliam and Emma." Charlotte spoke lightly.

"That, Charlotte, is the problem, her initial inconsistency! And now she has her pinned her hopes where she will be disappointed and in the meantime is thinking herself above her other friends."

"Perhaps not, and she is being productive. There can be nothing lost in her devoting herself to tasks that will materially improve her situation in life."

Kitty could not see, but she thought it was likely that Lizzy; was giving her friend a look.

"I am all seriousness, Lizzy; these little tasks she has set herself can only recommend her to other gentlemen."

Kitty moved away then. She did not wish to hear about other gentlemen.

She wondered if she was indeed losing her friends' regard; so when Lydia announced she was meeting Maria and Emma Lucas and walking to Meryton, Kitty said she would go too and she tried not to think about whether Lord Ashbourne would call in her absence.

Kitty found she did not miss Lydia's company as much as she thought she would have, if not six months ago somebody had told her they would have a falling out. But Lydia was still her sister and the only sister who could enter into all her concerns with enthusiasm.

The four of them had a lively walk to Meryton, where they met the Miss Harringtons who had spent the majority of the summer away at Harrowgate, which Lydia certainly thought sounded very dull in comparison to Brighton.

She held her breath for a moment or two to see if Mr Wickham would be mentioned, but it seemed that Lydia truly had forgotten him. Her disappointment was in being able to lord it over her sisters rather than about Mr Wickham himself, and with other young gentlemen paying her attentions and their father forgetting his strictness, Mr Wickham faded from view.

The return of the Harringtons also had the benefit of Lydia being able to relive Brighton, everybody else having grown tired of her stories. Here she had the opportunity to boast about how she had danced at the most balls, receiving the most favours and having the most desired dress. Miss Harrington took it for granted that Lydia should eclipse them, but Pen Harrington drew Kitty aside.

"Do not believe my sister; we had as many smart beaux as Lydia did! Do you remember when we dressed Chamberlayne up in my old gown? We had many a joke like that - " She broke off to address Lydia with the same request. Maria and Emma Lucas looked shocked; they had not romped with the officers and their only attempt at the picnic to be daring had caused them to be much lectured by their mother and had left Emma embarrassed.

Lydia laughed, "Oh, we played many a good joke." Kitty had thought them good jokes at the time, but in the light of how others had perceived them in Brighton, and Lydia's aborted elopement, she was not now sure.

She wished she could ask the advice of ... No, she should be able to make up her own mind and not be reliant on others. Kitty stopped outside the bookseller, and stared at the window display to give her an excuse to think and not respond to Lydia's retelling of the time they had switched all the officers' swords and hats about just as they needed to report for duty. This led Lydia to recall the time with the pig and the ribbons and Kitty could not bear to hear it again.

Perhaps those things would be good jokes if played amongst private persons, if she'd had a brother - and it remained a private amusement?

Kitty focused her eyes when there was some movement in the shop and saw Lord Ashbourne raising an eyebrow. She blushed, it must have seemed as though she was staring; and staring at him! He did not look annoyed or importuned, instead held up a three volume novel set.

"Kitty, what are you - oh," Lydia joined her. "Look, Pen, here is ... "

"Lydia!" Kitty dragged Lydia away from the window, sure she was bright red.

"Lord, Kitty, what are you doing? Do you not wish to flirt with - " Lydia's words were cut off with a vicious yank.

It was to no purpose. The Miss Harringtons might have only returned from Harrowgate a week ago, but they were up to date with all of the gossip.

"Oh Kitty! He is so handsome. You have a fine flirt," said Miss Pen with a smile. "You made a good choice to change brothers!"

Miss Harrington smiled too, but hers did not reach her eyes. "Indeed, as long as you understand the little games they play, Kitty."

"Games?"

"Yes, indeed, we learnt them all in Harrowgate. These fine young men do not mean a word that they say; it is very pleasant as long as you know that. You should know they make love and then flee."

"Mr Bingley and Jane are engaged now," said Kitty. All men did not do these things.

"Yes, I should think your family had quite used up its luck. La, look at that bonnet."

Kitty wanted to smack Miss Harrington in her bonnet. But she did not. Instead she remained silent. She even remained silent when they discovered the notice for the upcoming Meryton Assembly.

Normally an assembly would throw Kitty into transports, even if she had danced her fill in Brighton. Now she wondered. Lord Ashbourne was attentive, but he was attentive privately. At the dance for Emma, he had not been at all particular in his attentions to anyone; of course, that was before their picnic.

To be so attentive at a public assembly was quite another matter. It would be a very certain signal of ... affection? Love? Serious courtship?

If anyone had asked her the day before if she thought he would pay court to her publicly she would have said yes now she wondered. Was he really just amusing himself privately?

She could not believe it. He seemed so sincere and surely he could sense her feelings for him? She could not be explicit in words, but in almost everything else she could be and she had done so.

His company she preferred above all others, she wanted to tell him of her findings in the latest gentleman's magazine, or of her enjoyment of Cowper. She wanted to make him read The Woes of the Chaste Orphan Athalia, a book recommended to her by Miss Darcy.

How wretched it was that she must wait for his pleasure.

These musings did not make her heart leap any less when the next morning Lord Ashbourne called with Miss Darcy.

"Miss Bennet," said Lord Ashbourne, "My cousin would not rest until I promised to ride over with her so you could spend the morning together."

Lizzy, now so elevated as to be the Miss Bennet of the household, smiled. "And you could not prevail upon your brother to bring you?"

Kitty noticed that Miss Darcy blushed at that.

"I think Darcy knows he would be in the way in such a tête-à-tête, Miss Bennet. I certainly realise that I am. Miss Catherine, should you like to begin a riding lesson?"

Kitty most certainly did, if Miss Darcy did not mind her horse being so used. Miss Darcy did not object in the least and Lizzy only objected until Kitty made sure that Mary would come and sit on an obliging stump nearby.

"I do not like horses," said Mary, as she planted herself down in order to read her book.

"I would be happy to teach you too, if you should like to overcome this fear," replied Lord Ashbourne.

He held a leading rope and Kitty found it quite lowering to be led about. But the viscount was firm. Adeline and Kitty must see if they liked each other before he would trust to remove the leading rope.

"We should have done so before, but I did not know your history. Or the horse's."

It made conversation a little difficult but they managed. Lord Ashbourne knew about the upcoming assembly as it fell so close to his brother's birthday. Mr Fitzwilliam, apparently, quite saw the assembly as his own coming of age celebration.

"Papa!" Kitty cried, seeing her father, plodding on his own horse, across the field. At first she thought he might ignore her, but still in a grumpy profile he turned to come across to them.

"Well this is a welcome sight, although I hope you know, my lord, that I do not have animals enough to indulge all my daughters if they should take to riding. Do not encourage her overmuch."

Kitty frowned at that and turned the conversation. "Where are you going, Papa? I thought you to be in your library."

"That is where I should be, if these tenants did not come to squabble every day."

No wonder Mr Bennet looked cross. He disliked being called out of his library to deal with the problems of their tenant farmers.

"Have you particularly problematic tenants?" asked Lord Ashbourne.

"No doubt, no more than usual. But they must argue over right of way and who should be liable for a bridge - well, plank - across a stream. And they must require my presence."

"If you are going there now, might we accompany you? Miss Bennet requires some real practice."

Mr Bennet brightened at the prospect, no doubt hoping that Lord Ashbourne's presence might awe his arguing farmers into silence.

Mary was the most pleased by the arrangement, as she could escape back to the house to practice the piano if her father was to chaperone. All that had to be done was to call Lord Ashbourne's horse from the stables, and they were on their way.

Kitty found her tongue a little tied by the presence of her father, and the two men talked a little about estates. She had talked about such things with Lord Ashbourne at the home farm, but somehow it seemed silly to speak so in front of her father; he should never believe she knew so much.

The farmers were waiting for them, standing on opposite sides of the stream looking irritable. They were only compelled to gather on one side of the stream when it was obvious that hearing each other speak, and Mr Bennet, was of paramount importance.

Kitty did not understand half of their complaints; she thought the problem was about the bridge over the stream, not chickens and disobliging rude farmers.

Mr Bennet said nothing, and Kitty could see he was committing their attitudes to memory so he might recreate them for amusement over the dinner table. Lord Ashbourne had stationed himself a little apart from them as well, no doubt out of respect for Mr Bennet who should be in control of this conversation.

"I beg your pardon, but what do chickens have to do with it?" said Kitty finally.

"Miss?" said Mr Jones, startled out of his long-winded complaint.

"I thought there was a problem with the bridge; what do chickens have to do with the bridge? Do they cross it?"

"No, Miss, I was merely showing more evidence for this here - well I would have a word for him, if a lady was not present - lack of consideration and poor management."

Mr Smythe would have argued this point except Kitty glared at him. "Well, we should confine ourselves to the main point you wish to have resolved, do you not think?"

Mr Jones muttered that there were so many things wrong with Mr Smythe, he would not know where to begin and Mr Smythe, that there were so many things wrong with Mr Jones. However both managed to present their arguments over the bridge.

Mr Bennet said nothing, but looked a little amused.

"Well, there seems a simple solution to me," said Kitty, thinking of what Lizzy would say when she and Lydia were squabbling.

"A simple solution, miss?" said Mr Jones, looking hopeful.

"Yes, we remove the bridge! Then neither of you would have to go to the trouble of keeping it up or guarding its use! How simple! Your problem is solved, gentlemen."

Kitty noticed that Lord Ashbourne's horse chose that moment to fidget and he had to turn it away. She wondered if he was really laughing.

Suddenly Mr Jones and Mr Smythe discovered that sharing the access and the upkeep of the little bridge was no difficulty at all. They should split the costs equally as really they used it both so much it was impossible to tell who got the most use out of the bridge.

"Oh that seems a much more sensible solution, how clever you are," said Kitty finally. "Do you not think, Papa?"

Mr Bennet nodded his approbation of the plan.

"I should bring you along to all my negotiations, Kitty," said Mr Bennet as they made their way back to Longbourn.

He rode some way in front of them as Lord Ashbourne and Kitty dawdled a little.

"I think I should bring you to some of my negotiations," said Lord Ashbourne.

"Well, it was only a silly nonsensical argument. I should not be any use in a real debate," said Kitty.

"You underestimate yourself I think," was his reply, but he turned the conversation and they talked of better things and Kitty felt as if everything was right in the world.