A Case of Some Delicacy

by K C Kahler

  When they arrived at Lucas Lodge, Lydia bemoaned this silly idea of precedence, for she could not see into the drawing room while she was trapped behind her parents and older sisters.

  They were announced, and Lydia waited impatiently for her turn to enter. When she did, she saw Mr Darcy was already speaking to Elizabeth. Perfect! She need not seek him out. She approached them, but her arm was suddenly wrenched in another direction. “Kitty!” she whispered furiously, “What on earth are you doing?”

  “Maria motions for us quite desperately. And you cannot leave me alone—Henry Long is right over there,” Kitty whispered back with real fear in her voice.

  “I thought you liked him now,” Lydia began, but they had reached Maria, who was positively bouncing with excitement.

  “Oh! You both look very pretty. There is a splendid surprise tonight. You will never guess! It will be all the talk of Meryton tomorrow!”

  “What is it?” Lydia asked, hoping to learn the secret and then go back to Mr Darcy.

  “No, no, I shan’t tell you. You will know soon enough. Oh, but it is just the most splendid surprise!”

  “Now that Kitty is safely accompanied by you, I must go greet Mr Darcy.” This time her arm was wrenched back by Maria. “Why is everybody pulling me about?”

  “Forgive me,” Maria giggled. “But you must stay right here. This is the best place to view the surprise. I promise you will thank me.”

  “Ladies and gentlemen, my friends and neighbours,” called Sir William. “Now that our dearest friends have arrived, tardy as usual, I wish to begin the evening with an announcement. Our dear girl, Charlotte, will be leaving us and starting a new life.”

  Lydia preferred not to think about the “new life” Charlotte would be starting with that ninny of a parson. She shuddered and decided not to listen any further. Instead she perused the guests as Sir William continued on.

  Lizzy and Mr Darcy were still standing together at the opposite end of the room, near where they had entered. Mr Darcy looked exceedingly handsome in his golden waistcoat with his dark hair falling just so. He was so tall, his shoulders so broad! Lizzy was small in comparison, but something in the way they stood together looked very natural despite this disparity. They looked as natural together as Jane and Mr Bingley did.

  Lydia tore her eyes from the pair, unnerved. Had Sir William just mentioned the Bennets? She looked around the room. Henry Long was staring at Kitty, and Kitty was desperately trying not to stare back.

  The guests suddenly broke into applause and a few raucous exclamations. Mr Collins bowed in several directions, very pleased with himself. Lydia shuddered again.

  Sir William was still speaking about Charlotte. Maria suddenly poked Lydia, shaking with excitement and whispering, “Very soon now!” Kitty and Lydia exchanged shrugs, and then looked towards the door Sir William had just indicated. Walter and Peter stood on either side, grinning like mad.

  “Lady Lucas and I are proud to announce that our dear boy John is home to share in Charlotte’s happiness this very night,” said Sir William.

  John Lucas stepped through the door, smiling just as Lydia remembered him. She gasped. “Ah,” he said, “you are all properly awed. A job well done, Mother and Father.”

  Lydia squealed; she could not help herself, but the undignified sound was largely covered by the other raucous cheers in the room. Maria laughed, jumping up and down and clapping, “I told you so!”

  Lydia must concede: it was a splendid surprise.

  John shook the hand of a very happy Gussy Goulding. Lydia tried to get through the crowd that surrounded him, but then she was again yanked in another direction. “What now?” she nearly yelled.

  “Mama wants us,” Kitty answered.

  Mrs Bennet fanned herself, exclaiming when all her daughters were gathered about her, “My dears! Is he not just as handsome as you remember? Handsomer, even!”

  Lydia bounced and giggled. “He looks very well. Oh! How exciting!”

  Mrs Bennet gathered her daughters closer into a huddle and leaned in, lowering her voice, “We must do all we can to make sure he remembers what Lizzy meant to him before he left.”

  “Mama!” Elizabeth huffed in exasperation. “Might we please just welcome home our friend and neighbour tonight and leave the matchmaking for another day?”

  “Another day? But look at the way Mrs Long is eyeing him for her meek nieces. You must re-establish your prior relationship as soon as may be. We Bennets will be the first to properly congratulate the Lucases. Mr Bennet! Mr Bennet!” she called.

  Before John left, Lydia had always thought he and Lizzy would wed someday. Of course it would be the same now that he had returned. He and Elizabeth would always be together, laughing, bickering, and laughing again. It was not fair. Why should Lizzy catch the handsomest, most agreeable gentleman with the easiest smile and heartiest laugh? As Lydia stared at said agreeable gentleman, lamenting the inequity of it all, another handsome gentleman crossed her vision.

  Mr Darcy! She had forgotten about Mr Darcy, who was currently speaking to Sir William as Elizabeth spoke to Lady Lucas. Lydia had not even greeted him yet.

  “Lydia,” said Kitty suddenly, “will you stay with me through all these greetings and congratulations? I am afraid I shall say something daft.”

  “Very well. Keep by me, and I shall do the talking.” Lydia cursed precedence again as she and Kitty moved through the queue after Mary.

  To Sir William and Lady Lucas, Lydia said, “You are the very picture of proud parents tonight, as you should be.”

  She wanted to move on as quickly as possible, for John was next! But then he followed after Mary, saying, “Do you still avoid dancing, Miss Mary? Surely you will make an exception for me.”

  Mary retreated hastily, pretending she had not heard. The order of the receiving line was thus changed, forcing Lydia to greet Charlotte and Mr Collins first. She could hardly concentrate with John looking on.

  “Mr Collins,” she began, “You are very fortunate in your choice of bride. Charlotte is kind and sensible. I do not know how we shall get along without her.” Kitty nodded in agreement.

  “Thank you for your good wishes. I must agree about my amiable Charlotte…”

  Just what Lydia needed—yet another long Mr Collins speech. She kept herself from wincing, though at the earliest opportunity, she turned from him and leaned towards Charlotte, lowering her voice, “Charlotte, I commend you. You have silenced the sharp tongues of every nasty gossip who ever predicted you would be a spinster.”

  Charlotte grinned and winked in reply and then looked towards Mr and Mrs Philips. This left Kitty and Lydia standing directly in front of one Mr John Lucas.

  He bowed. “Miss Catherine! You are looking ever so lovely! And who is your friend?”

  Lydia beamed while Kitty replied, “You cannot have been gone that long, John. Do not tease. You know who she is.” Then she added uncertainly, “Don’t you?”

  He laughed. “No, I cannot believe this tall, elegant young lady is little Lydia Bennet. Impossible!”

  “I have grown taller than all my sisters since you left, but no one has ever called me elegant. If you are going to say such wonderful things, I insist you never leave again.”

  “Now there’s the bold little imp!” he touched her nose, and Lydia’s heart fluttered in her chest. “I could not recognise her when she carried herself with such poise and said the most courteous things.”

  “One mustn’t blurt out one’s real thoughts all the time; even Kitty is learning that.”

  He threw his head back and laughed heartily. “Clearly, Miss Lydia has altered the most in my absence,” he said to Kitty. “Now, I expect to dance with each of you tonight. Do not try to escape me as Mary has.”

  Kitty snorted, “Neither Lydia nor I would ever try to escape dancing. Well, except with Jowly Jacob or Mr Col—”

  Lydia interrupted, “Kitty! You were doing so well!”

  “Oh, sorry.” Kitty replied
sheepishly. John watched the exchange with a delighted expression on his face.

  “You need not worry about my disapproval, Ki—Miss Catherine,” he said. “Now about those dances. Miss Mary agrees to play some lively Scotch and Irish airs for us, but who will we get to play so that she may dance?”

  “Lizzy can do it. Or perhaps Miss Long.” Lydia wrinkled her nose. “But you had much rather have Lizzy play, I am sure.”

  “Excellent! When all this silly business is over,” he motioned towards the queue waiting to greet him, “please fetch Mary to the pianoforte as soon as may be. Will you do that, Miss Lydia, even if I cannot break away to remind you?”

  “You may depend upon it!”

  Just before he turned towards Mr and Mrs Philips, he said, “There’s my determined imp,” with a wink. Lydia suddenly wished she had her mother’s ever-present fan, for she felt rather flushed. Soon Kitty and Maria again pulled Lydia towards another group. Captain Carter and Colonel Forster greeted them cheerfully, and then the colonel introduced his new wife. She appeared to be Kitty’s age, or perhaps Mary’s. The colonel had married just after the ball and had been away for a se’nnight for the occasion.

  “May I introduce my bride, Mrs Harriet Forster, to you? My dear, this is Miss Catherine Bennet and Miss Lydia Bennet, and you have already met Miss Maria.”

  Curtseys were exchanged, and before either Kitty or Lydia could offer congratulations on the colonel’s marriage, Mrs Forster began, “Oh! You are the Bennet sisters I have heard so much about? I am happy to make your acquaintance. Denny and Saunderson and Wickham and, well, all the officers, really, have nothing but praises for you. Mr Wickham entreated me to pay his especial regards to you tonight.”

  She looked at Lydia with a knowing smirk. Lydia did not know what to make of it. She doubted Mr Wickham had complimentary things to say about her, though the few times they had met since that night at Aunt Philips’s, he had treated her as if nothing had happened. Indeed, he had been overly polite.

  Mrs Forster continued, “Oh, but I do hope we shall be particular friends. I need some female companionship in the worst way. In just a few days, I have grown accustomed to being the centre of attention for every redcoat in the area. My head has grown quite large, I am afraid. You simply must visit us any time you wish, to give the officers additional objects of admiration. It is a pity more of the officers are not here tonight.” She looked around with a sigh.

  Maria blushed, “My parents wished to invite more of the neighbourhood for John’s return.”

  “Oh dear! Pay my silly ramblings no heed. Of course your brother would wish to be welcomed home by his friends and not a bunch of strangers. My, but Mr Lucas is handsome! He would look splendid in regimentals, don’t you think?”

  Kitty agreed enthusiastically, but Lydia thought he looked perfect as he was. She had no patience for Mrs Forster’s silly blather. Lydia’s attention wandered back to the infernal receiving line. Only about a half dozen people remained.

  Now, where was Mary? Lydia scanned the room, once again catching Henry Long staring at Kitty. She jerked her head at him with a smile, and he approached hesitantly. Lydia made the introduction. It was a welcome break from Mrs Forster’s giddy dialogue about officers. Kitty went silent and red, but after a few minutes, she smiled at Mr Long.

  John Lucas was at last greeting the final guest. He caught Lydia’s eye and nodded. She turned to her companions. “I must fetch Mary now so that the dancing may begin!” She located Mary, along with Lizzy, Jane, Mr Darcy, Mr Hurst, Mr Bingley, and his ghastly sisters.

  Lydia reached them and briefly greeted anyone she had not yet seen already. To Mr Darcy she said, “I am sorry I did not greet you sooner, Mr Darcy. I have been quite overset by Kitty and Maria and the excitement of the evening.” Perhaps she could dance with Mr Darcy and John Lucas tonight! She could not imagine a better way to spend an evening.

  Sir William suddenly exclaimed, “Capital! Capital! Ladies and gentlemen, we shall pass the time before dinner with dancing.”

  “Oh, Mary! I am sent by John to make sure you play now. Come along.” Lydia pulled Mary towards the pianoforte.

  “Must you grip my arm so firmly?” Mary asked.

  “Ha! You have no idea how sore my arm is from Kitty and Maria!”

  “You had best go find yourself a partner, Lydia. I can begin any time.”

  Lydia turned to see where John and Mr Darcy were. Drat! Of course John would dance with Lizzy first. And Mr Darcy was watching from all the way across the room. He did not appear inclined to dance.

  “May I have this dance, Miss Lydia?”

  “Yes, thank you, Mr Goulding.” Dancing with Gussy would be better than not dancing at all. He was a good dancer despite his reputation for clumsiness.

  They joined the half dozen couples lining up, including Henry Long and a madly blushing Kitty. Mary played a lively air. Lydia could hear Lizzy and John’s laughter nearly through the whole of it.

  When the dance ended, everyone applauded and laughed. John quickly sought a second partner in Jane, which would have been a disappointment to Lydia if Mr Darcy had not approached. He meant to dance! But then he stopped at the periphery and simply watched. Henry Long asked Lydia to dance, and she was obliged to accept.

  When the second dance ended, dinner was announced. John Lucas offered his arm to Mary and escorted her into the dining room. Drat!

  Maria came with Kitty, saying, “I asked my mother to seat us near each other and near John for dinner.” Lydia was grateful indeed. She looked up to see Mr Darcy escorting Lizzy into the dining room. Drat!

  Conversation flowed easily at dinner, though Lydia most enjoyed it when John and Lizzy did not talk and laugh privately with each other. Gussy was eager to hear of John’s travels, which suited Lydia’s fancy perfectly. Every so often, she thought she saw Mr Darcy—who sat far at the opposite end of the table near Jane and Mr Bingley—looking in her direction, but she could not be sure.

  Mrs Forster was extremely talkative again. “Mr Wickham mentioned playing cards with you last night, Mr Goulding,” she said, and Lydia wondered whether it was a proper subject for dinner.

  Gussy chuckled. “I can imagine he did, considering the amount he won from me. John, you should join me when I next play with the officers. But watch out for that Wickham fellow. He distracts you from the game with all manner of stories. Some of them are rather…colourful.”

  “Gus, I have played with pirates, ruffians, and scallywags, and I have a few colourful stories of my own. Perhaps I can distract this Mr Wickham and allow you to win back some of your coin.”

  Lydia interjected, “Mr Lucas, you would do well not to underestimate Mr Wickham’s devious tactics.” Mrs Forster looked at Lydia across the table with a quizzical expression.

  John nodded. “Thank you, Miss Lydia. I try never to underestimate anyone.”

  After the course was cleared away, John stood up to speak. “Ladies and gentleman, I thank you for being here tonight, not only for your good wishes for my dear sister, Charlotte, and her Mr Collins, but also to welcome me home. It is precisely the sort of homecoming I would wish for: old friends”—he patted Gussy’s shoulder— “and lovely young ladies.” He motioned towards Lizzy, who rolled her eyes as everyone laughed.

  “I do sincerely thank my parents for this wonderful celebration. They played a great joke on all of you, and now I have a surprise for them.” He looked at Lady Lucas and then down to the other end of the table where Sir William sat. “I wish to announce that you will all soon be fortunate enough to hear many more stories about St. James Court from my father, since his trips to town will no doubt increase now that the Lucas family owns a house in London.”

  Good lord! Just how rich had John Lucas become in two years? Lydia could hardly believe it. Maria sat open-mouthed, staring at her brother. Lady Lucas covered her open mouth with her napkin, crying, “Oh! John!” over and over. Sir William rose and traversed the length of the table, grasping his son’s
hand with tears in his eyes. Mrs Bennet fanned herself.

  The commotion died down as the next course was served, and John and Sir William returned to their seats. John was immediately deluged with questions about his house. It was not a very grand house but well kept. It was not in the most fashionable part of town but not too far either. “And just think,” he said, “between the Gardiners’ house and our new house, all the Bennets and Lucases may stay in London at the same time. There will not be a scrap of ribbon to be had within miles.”

  After dinner, the gentlemen enjoyed port and cigars while the ladies returned to the drawing room. All conversation revolved around John Lucas, which made Lydia even more impatient. Finally, the gentlemen re-joined the ladies.

  Lizzy performed on the pianoforte at John’s request. Afterwards, he turned and stalked towards Mary. “Your sister and I have plotted against you, Miss Mary. Now you simply must dance with me.”

  So another dance commenced. Lydia hoped Mr Darcy would ask her, but instead Captain Carter did. Mary quickly retreated to the pianoforte when the dance was over, looking relieved; Lydia wondered how anyone could dislike dancing with John Lucas. Then she saw Mr Darcy and Lizzy stand up together. Blast it all!

  Suddenly John Lucas was by her side. “I hope you did not forget my vow to dance with all the Bennet sisters tonight, Miss Lydia.”

  “I would never dream of foiling your grand design, Mr Lucas.”

  “Excellent! Now, tell me all about your life in the last two years. We have a few minutes before Mary plays again.”

  She laughed. “What do you wish to know? Mama still devotes herself to marrying us off and has only recently gained any success in that venture. Some of us are more willing than others, you see. Papa still spends most of his time in the library, escaping from Mama’s nervous fits. Very recently, he has begun to invite me into that sanctuary, for I have become a great reader.”

  “The imp is a booklover? I cannot believe it. Is this Lizzy’s influence? She was always pestering me to read her poets and philosophers. I could not abide them.” He screwed up his face in disgust.