“Oh, never mind about Lizzy! Come and play for Kitty!” Mrs. Bennet said in an irritated voice. “It matters not that we are having tea. What better time to have some lovely music than now while we have our tea! What a silly thing to say!”
Kitty’s cheeks went flush, “Mama, I do not wish to sing right now…” she told her plainly.
Mrs. Bennet shook her head in frustration. “Would you deny me the joy of hearing my daughter sing?” she wailed again causing everyone to look over at her. “I long to hear you sing, Kitty…” she cried out. “And Mr. Fitzwilliam wishes to hear you as well!”
Kitty chewed her bottom lip and looked over at Mr. Fitzwilliam. She could see he was being polite and would be unaffected whether she did sing or not. She wished more than anything Lizzy would come back in, or Jane would say something, but in the end, it was Mary who spoke.
Mary knew better than to argue with her mother. She had seen that look of determination on her mother’s face before. She knew full well if she did not play and Kitty did not sing, that Mrs. Bennet would only cause a bigger commotion. “Very well, I will play, Mama,” she relented. “Kitty, I will play Robin Adair.” Mary moved over to the pianoforte and waited for her sister to join her.
Kitty did not argue further with her mother, but she did resent being bullied into performing when she did not want to. She also did not like her mother attempting to force her to spend time with Mr. Fitzwilliam when it was very clear that he was not interested in spending time with her. She walked over and stood near the pianoforte while Mary began to play. She took in a deep breath and sang, but did not put her whole heart into it the way she had done at other times.
Mrs. Bennet leaned over to Mr. Fitzwilliam and said, “Oh, is she not very pretty?” she commented. “And such a lovely voice.”
Mr. Fitzwilliam smiled politely, “Yes indeed,” he said before he stepped back away from her and went to rejoin Caroline and Georgiana, who were standing just across the room.
“I do not believe Miss Bennet’s heart is really into singing for us at the moment,” Caroline commented to Georgiana as Owen came up to them. “She sounds somewhat fatigued, I think.”
Mr. Fitzwilliam leaned over to his cousin and Caroline then whispered, “I do not believe Miss Bennet really wants to sing for us today,” he commented. “Do you suppose it is because my brother is not here to enjoy her singing? Miss Bennet was not so very reluctant the other evening whilst Richard was with us.”
Georgiana looked up at him and furrowed her brow. “Perhaps she is not feeling well, and that is why she did not wish to sing today,” she suggested.
Caroline snidely remarked, “Or perhaps she did not like being put on display by her mother.”
Owen looked back over at Mrs. Bennet and nodded his head and smiled. She was clearly more interested in what he was doing than her daughter's performance. “You might be right about that, Miss Bingley,” he commented. “Mrs. Bennet does remind me of the many Debutante mothers whom I have encountered over the years here in London who force their daughters into situations they would not always put themselves in.”
Caroline furrowed her brow, “Truly, Mr. Fitzwilliam, you cannot be serious?” she said raising her voice more than she meant to. Upon seeing everyone turning to look at them, Caroline lowered her voice and said, “Mrs. Bennet is so ill-mannered,” she began to whisper. “How can you possibly compare her to those of London’s society?”
He laughed a little, “I can do so very easily, Miss Bingley because I have dealt with a great many of them. Mrs. Bennet may be loud and a bit more obvious with her intention, I will give you that; but her desire to marry off her daughter is the same as every other mother in London,” he told her. “In fact, even my own mother meddles in mine and Richard’s romantic lives. Her fondest wish is the hope of one day finding us both some suitable wives to marry. I do not see why you would fault Mrs. Bennet for doing what so many of the ladies here in London do every day. I believe even you are here along with Mrs. Darcy to help Miss Catherine Bennet and my cousin find a suitable match, are you not?”
Georgiana’s head shot up as she looked over at Miss Bingley. She wondered if she would take this opportunity to sneak her way into her cousin’s good graces by implying they were more intimate friends than they actually were. Over the years, Georgiana had stood by and watched as Caroline tried to deceive her brother into believing they were the closest and dearest of friends. She was determined not to let such behavior continue any longer, when much to her dismay, Caroline responded first.
“You are mistaken, Mr. Fitzwilliam,” she told him. “I did not come to London to help Elizabeth find suitable matches for either Miss Darcy or Miss Bennet. I would never presume to do so,” she said as she looked over at Georgiana. “Not that I would be unwilling to offer you any assistance as I might be able to render,” she said to her. “However, after seeing you and Elizabeth together, and knowing how close the two of you have become; I think she probably best knows how to guide you in that particular endeavor,” she said, then laughed. “Nonetheless, should you like to know some of the best shops or warehouses in London to go to for your gowns, I think I could be of great service to you there.”
Georgiana furrowed her brow just a little. She was not sure how to respond to Caroline. She had both complimented and criticized Elizabeth in the same breath. Yet she found herself feeling astounded that Caroline did not try to deceive Mr. Fitzwilliam into believing that they were closer than they truly were. As it was, she said nothing at all because Caroline continued talking.
“Truly, Mr. Fitzwilliam, you do astonish me,” Caroline said softly as she looked back at him. “That you see no issue with Mrs. Bennet’s behavior where her daughter is concerned is quite bewildering to me. Did you not see the way she was pushing Miss Bennet at you?”
Owen laughed. “You mistake me, Miss Bingley,” he told her. “I did not say I take no issue with Mrs. Bennet’s behavior,” he corrected her. “I simply said I see no difference in it than those I have encountered in London. Truly, the same manipulating tactics go on in every social sphere. Mothers want what is best for their daughters, and so they actively seek to acquire it, regardless of the consequences.”
“Yes, but as you say, they want what is best for their daughters,” she remarked. “Clearly Mrs. Bennet’s behavior is not in the best interest of her daughter when she embarrasses her so.”
“Tell me, Miss Bingley, were you any less embarrassed when your mother sought to find you a match with a gentleman you clearly were not interested in?” he asked her.
Caroline ignored his question, and instead asked, “How then would you propose young ladies go about finding suitable matches then, if not for the proper guidance of a caring relative?”
“I would leave them to their own volition,” Owen told her. “I would allow them to be guided by their heart and not some meddlesome mother.”
Caroline stiffened just a little as she thought of her own past. “I cannot agree with you there, sir,” she told him, sounding more serious. “The heart is far too fickle a thing to be left for those so young to decide. I think proper guidance is called for, even though not all mothers are capable of offering that.”
Before he could say anything more, Kitty finished singing, and Mrs. Bennet cried out, “Oh my dear girl, you sing so beautifully.” Mrs. Bennet looked over in Caroline and Mr. Fitzwilliam’s direction. “What do you say, Mr. Fitzwilliam; did she not sing like an angel?” she asked him directly.
Owen smiled at Caroline, then turned to Mrs. Bennet. “Yes indeed, Mrs. Bennet. I was just saying that very thing,” he said as he walked over towards Kitty. “And I said so recently when I heard her sing just two nights ago at my mother’s home at Hallowell. You have a very lovely voice, Miss Bennet, and I thank you for sharing it with us this afternoon.”
Before Kitty could say a word, Mrs. Bennet cried out with delight. “Oh yes, Kitty mentioned that you have a very lovely house, Mr. Fitzwilliam, and an estate in Bedf
ordshire as well, I believe.”
Kitty blushed a little, “Mama, I said Lord and Lady Fitzwilliam had a lovely home,” she corrected her mother’s somewhat insensitive remark.
Owen smiled, “Do not concern yourself, Miss Catherine,” he told her. “Your dear Mama probably guessed that since I am the eldest of my father’s sons, I will indeed own both my family estate in Bedfordshire and Hallowell here in London one day. Although, I do hope that day will not come for some time.”
Mrs. Bennet smiled, “Yes, that was exactly my thought,” she said without considering how crass her comments truly did sound. “You know, Kitty has many other talents, Mr. Fitzwilliam,” she continued. “She sews the most beautiful stitches of any of my girls, and she loves to draw and paint.”
Kitty narrowed her eyes just a bit, “I do not like to draw, Mama,” she responded back. “You have me confused with Mary.”
Mrs. Bennet seemed annoyed. She arched her brow and glared at Kitty. “Of course you like to draw, and paint,” she said in a stern voice. “You just do not remember how much you enjoy it because you have been so busy here.” Mrs. Bennet turned back to Mr. Fitzwilliam and smiled, “Kitty is very accomplished, she does all things very well.”
Mr. Fitzwilliam turned to Kitty, “Well then, Miss Bennet,” he extended his arm to her. “If you would do me the honor, perhaps we could take a small stroll through the gardens and have a friendly little chat. I do not think it so very cold this afternoon, and I am beginning to feel a little warm in here. What do you say, are you up for it?”
Kitty smiled politely, “Of course, Mr. Fitzwilliam, that would be very nice,” she told him. “I will just go and get my shawl,” she said. “Mary, would you like to join us?”
Lydia jumped up, “I will go along with you, Kitty!” she giggled. “And I promise not to tell Mama if you do anything that is naughty.”
Kitty’s cheeks flushed bright red, “Lydia, I would never do anything…” she began to say when Mary interrupted her.
“I will come along, Kitty,” she told her. “Lydia, I think you might feel better if you remain inside! After all, you do not want to catch a chill when you are in so delicate a way.”
Lydia sat back down and looked disappointed. “Fine, I do not care if you take Mary with you or not! She is very dull company and so shall your walk be.”
Caroline turned to Georgiana and smiled. “Well, it seems as if both your cousins have been won over by Miss Bennet’s charms,” she told her.
Georgiana did not say anything more about it, “Excuse me, Miss Bingley,” she said as she walked back over to join the other ladies.
Mr. Fitzwilliam walked about the garden with Kitty on his arm and Mary walking along behind them. He whispered, “May I speak freely with you, Miss Bennet?”
Kitty nodded her head, “Please do,” was all she said.
He looked over in her direction and considered what to say for a moment. “Miss Bennet, I do not believe in playing games. Life is much too short for that,” he began to say. “So with that in mind, I would like to be clear with you from the start; I think you a very fine young lady, but I am not interested in finding a wife,” he told her. “I hope I have not offended you in any way or caused you any great disappointment, but I think being honest is the best way. I would like to be your friend if that is agreeable to you?”
Kitty seemed to feel relieved, “I am glad you said so, Mr. Fitzwilliam,” she told him. “Now I think we can be friends.”
He nodded his head, “Yes, quite,” he agreed. They walked on a little further, and he said, “So tell me, Miss Bennet, are you so very accomplished in all that you do?”
Kitty furrowed her brow and looked up at him. “Are you making fun of me, Mr. Fitzwilliam?” she asked him.
He smiled, “No I am not,” he told her. “I was only teasing you a little bit, forgive me.”
She relaxed a little, “Mama can sometimes overstate my accomplishments,” she told him. “Although I do believe I can sew the prettiest stitches out of all my sisters, I do not like to draw very much, and I like painting even less.”
Owen slowed his pace and turned to Mary, “So then, is it you, Miss Bennet, who likes to draw and paint?” he commented as Mary caught up with them.
Mary nodded her head, “Yes, I do very much like to draw and paint,” she replied somewhat hesitant.
Before he began walking again he offered Mary his other arm, “I wonder if you will not join us as well, Miss Bennet?” he asked. “It seems silly to have you walking alone behind us when I think you would much rather be up here sharing in the conversation.”
Mary furrowed her brow just a little as she looked over at Kitty, unsure of what she should do. When she saw Kitty nod her head in approval and smile, she agreed. “Thank you, Mr. Fitzwilliam. I would be very happy to join you both.”
“Now ladies, if we are very lucky, we will come upon Mrs. Darcy and Mrs. Collins, and I shall be surrounded by very lovely ladies,” he teased them.
Georgiana stepped over to the window and looked out into the garden. She saw her cousin walking along with both Mary and Kitty. She thought again about Richard and the way he looked at Kitty before he left with the other gentlemen. He almost seemed like he wanted to stay, but relented at Mr. Bingley’s encouraging him to come along. She wondered how Richard would feel seeing his older brother taking an afternoon walk with Kitty.
“Miss Darcy?” Maria said her name as she came up to her. “I wonder if I might speak with you?” she asked.
Georgiana turned, “Yes Miss Lucas, of course,” she said.
“I wondered if you thought Colonel Fitzwilliam might be returning before long?” she asked somewhat shyly.
Georgiana shrugged her shoulders a little, “I do not know for certain,” she told her. “But I suspect they will probably be gone riding for some time.”
“I see,” she said in a dejected voice. “I did so hope to get to spend some more time with the Colonel. He is so very charming, and handsome.”
Georgiana did her best to smile, “Yes, he is handsome,” she agreed. “And he can be very charming when he wants to.”
“I had such a lovely time with him when we were all together at Longbourn for Lizzy’s wedding to Mr. Darcy. The colonel was very kind; he shared so many wonderful stories with me of his adventures in the military. I think he must be very brave,” Maria enthused.
Georgiana nodded her head, “I think he is brave, yes,” she responded. She furrowed her brow just a little as she realized Richard had never really talked with her about his time in service to the crown. It was funny how she had not ever noticed that before. For the first time, she realized there was an entire part of his life she knew very little about.
It was late by the time Darcy returned to Windham House. Elizabeth noticed that he went to his study and remained there until late in the evening. It was not until everyone had gone to bed that she finally decided to go and speak with him. She opened the door to see him standing at his window. “William, are you well?” she asked him.
He turned to face her, “Yes, I am well,” he told her as he motioned for her to come inside. “How did your afternoon tea go?” he asked her.
She smiled as she walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck, “I think I am more interested in how your visit with Lady Catherine went,” she commented. “Will you tell me about it?”
He shook his head, “No, not right now,” he said softly. “I do not want to think about it anymore. I have done enough of that for the time being. Tell me about your day instead, did you enjoy your time with Mrs. Collins?”
Elizabeth looked up into his eyes. For a moment, she considered pressing the matter of his visit to his aunt further but then decided against it. She pulled away from him and walked over to his desk, “It was a very lovely visit with Charlotte. However, I do wish Mr. Collins had remained at Lady Catherine’s,” she admitted.
“Oh, I imagine Mr. Collins was his usual self, then,” Darcy said as he walked over t
o the fire and warmed his hands. “Was he filled with a great deal of wisdom to impart to you all?”
“Yes, Mr. Collins was very condescending,” she told him. “He made comments about Lydia. He remarked several times at how very strange he thought it was that she would look so very altered when you consider she has only been married a short while. Then he went on to talk about how…” she stopped suddenly, then said. “Well, he was just as he always is, unpleasant and annoying to be in company with.”
Darcy looked over at her. “You stopped suddenly just then, what were you going to say?” he asked her.
Elizabeth brushed it aside, “Oh it was nothing, William,” she assured him. “Just silly nonsense talk, from a silly and ridiculous man.”
Darcy walked over to her and pulled her into his arms, “Tell me what he said, you do not have to be concerned that it will upset me. Believe me, I know full well he must have repeated things to you that my aunt has said to him.”
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