THANKS FOR READING, REVIEWING AND FOLLOWING.

Kitty flopped onto her bed. She had attended church with her parents, like the dutiful daughter that she was pretending to be. She wished she could have escaped with Mary the night before, but Mary had a conference to attend in Brussels and her flight had been at 2:00 am, and they were no way Kitty could join her.

She knew that she was a great disappointment to her parents. It had taken her five years, instead of the usual three it took everyone else, to get her degree in Hospitality Management. She hadn't even wanted to go to university in the first place and had spent two years almost failing every course until Elizabeth had pointed out to her that it was her life she was ruining and not her parents'.

Now, she had her degree in hand and she had no idea what to do with it. Her aunt, Mrs. Phillips had offered a job at her guesthouse and Kitty knew that she would have no choice but to work with her. Not that Kitty didn't really want to work – it would be good to earn her own money but working with Aunt Phillips meant that she would have to live at home and being the only unmarried daughter in the Bennet household had already proved challenging.

"These just came for you," Mrs. Bennet entered Kitty's room with a bouquet of roses. "I'm taking them back downstairs, of course, but I thought that you should know immediately that you had received flowers."

"Thanks Mum," Kitty said.

"There was no card," Mrs. Bennet said, "but Johnny, the young lad from Netherfield, brought them over so they must be from your young man."

"He's not my young man," Kitty replied immediately. Until that moment Kitty had almost forgotten about Chuck's cousin Ronald Bellman. Bother. She had hoped that he would have already left by now.

"It's a good thing that Ronald is taking you out for lunch," Mrs. Bennet said, "Your father and I have a function at the Women's Institute. The husbands arranged a party to celebrate their wives and we'll be receiving presents from our husbands as well, I hope your dear Dad bought me a suitable gift and not one of those tea sets men are so fond of giving their wives."

Mrs. Bennet had been in a tizzy – this weekend was going to be such a busy one for her, first with the double wedding and the WI do. She hadn't had such activity in months – not since Lydia's wedding – and she was determined to enjoy every second.

"At what time is he picking you up?"

"Uh… we'll meet at the restaurant," Kitty replied wishing they had really talked through their whole plan.

"What?" Mrs. Bennet said. "That won't do at all. Surely he wants to meet us?"

"Right, yes," Kitty made for the door. "Let me ring him and tell him."

000

"I really wish you had been more interested in picking out the flowers," Mrs. Bellman said.

"Why?"

"They were for your Kitty," she smiled at him.

"For Kit – why?" Ronald asked.

"To tell her that you're thinking of her, of course," Mrs. Bellman replied, "it's such a pity that we didn't wake up in time for church this morning."

Ronald had a pounding headache. He'd had a very late night, and since he barely went out at all, the wedding celebrations had worn him out. He couldn't wait to get back to his flat and rest.

"I'm sure the Bennets were at church this morning," Mrs. Bellman added.

"Uhmm. What time do you think you'll be ready to leave?" he asked his mother. "I want to get back as soon as possible."

"But you can't," Mrs. Bellman was horrified.

"Why not?"

"You're taking Kitty out to lunch," she told him.

Bother. Ronald had forgotten all about Kitty Bennet and all their plans. "Right, of course," he told his mother. "I meant what time this afternoon."

"I don't even know why we have to leave so soon," his mother complained, "you took a whole week off."

Ronald sorely regretted giving his mother that information – not that it would have mattered, he worked at a family-owned advertising firm, so she would have found out anyway.

"I just want to be in my own space," Ronald said.

"I understand," Mrs. Bellman smiled, "but it's nice that you get to spend time with Kitty, isn't?"

"Yes," he smiled back at her.

"I can't say that I really understand this long distance relationship thing," she continued, "but I guess it must be easier now with all this new technology, although nothing can take the place of actually spending time together."

"We'll make it work," Ronald assured his mother. "Besides, Hertford isn't that far from London."

"Of course not, dear," Mrs. Bellman agreed. "I can't tell you how happy I am that you found her."

"So am I," Ronald assured her. "So am I."

"I was so worried," Mrs. Bellman said. "I wondered if I'd ever have grandchildren but now I'm not worried anymore."

"That's good," he forced a smile.

"So, what time are you picking her up?"

"I'm going to call her and find out if she's ready," Ronald said.

000

"Hi, I was just about to call you," Kitty said. She had just been about to pick up the phone when it rang.

"How are you?" Ronald asked her.

"Fine," Kitty replied. "Very fine."

"So, I'm on my way over," Ronald said.

"Great," Kitty replied. "Mum can't wait to meet you officially."

000

"Sorry," Ronald said as soon they left Longbourn. "We should have talked and made proper plans."

"I'm the one who said that we were meeting this afternoon," Kitty said. Later she would wonder how Mrs. Bellman had known about that meeting; Ronald had confessed that his mother was the one who had told him about it.

"Still," Ronald insisted. "We actually need to agree on certain things … like when we'll be meeting especially since you live here and I live in London."

"That fact alone should solve all our problems," Kitty pointed out. "We both have work which will mean that we won't actually be able to spend much time together."

"That would be fine if my mother wasn't talking grandchildren."

"You know what?" Kitty asked. "Let's just get through lunch first."

000