Thank you to the reader who let me know I wrote the wrong name for the estate in a previous chapter. I have several stories and not all have the same names for places and I got them mixed up. I am fixing the matter. As to the question I asked at the end of the last chapter, I have a definite direction that I am going, and I am certain most of you will love it. Here is a new chapter. I hope you enjoy!
As they waited for Elizabeth's mother and younger sisters to arrive, Mr. Bennet had been generous enough to offer them a tour of the house. It was a very nice home, and Richard was able to further see Elizabeth growing into the woman she was while living there. The help were good at their job, but he noticed they were a little overly nosey. His mother wouldn't like that for herself, but he was aware that they were likely gathering information for their mistress, as well as for their own peers. The news that Miss Elizabeth Bennet would soon be wed would not be kept from the neighborhood for long.
They had just finished the tour and had taken seats in the sitting room when they heard a commotion in the hall. Mr. Bennet simply leaned back and chuckled, clearly anticipating what was going to happen.
"Mr. Bennet! Mr. Bennet! You will never believe what I'm about to tell you! Mrs. Phillips said, OH!"
A mature woman came through the door and stopped suddenly, staring at him and his father as they stood, her eyes wide with surprise. Outside the doorway, he noticed two or three people come up behind her, though he couldn't make out exactly what they looked like. Richard surmised that they must be Elizabeth's younger sisters, and he was curious as to whether or not they favored their elder sisters. Elizabeth and Miss Jane were very different in appearance and personality, having only a slight resemblance that gave them up as relatives, in his opinion; he was curious to see what they others looked like. Seeing their father and now mother, he thought Miss Jane looked like a perfect mixture of her parents, while Elizabeth looked more like her mother, but her personality fit better with her father.
Mr. Bennet broke into his thoughts. "Well, don't leave us in suspense, Mrs. Bennet; what did dear Mrs. Phillips have to say today?"
The poor woman looked back and forth between him and his father and her husband. Richard felt his pity for the woman rise. Her husband shouldn't mock her so in front of new acquaintances. Three young women managed to come into the room as Mrs. Bennet shuffled further in., but he didn't give them his attention yet. Instead he cleared his throat to indicate to Mr. Bennet that he would like an introduction. Mr. Bennet slightly rolled his eyes, but caught his hint.
"Mrs. Bennet, as you see, we have guests. My lord, allow me to introduce my wife, Mrs. Bennet, and my remaining daughters; Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. Mrs. Bennet, girls, this is the Right Honorable Earl of Matlock and his son, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam."
The young women that Mr. Bennet indicated were Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia looked excitedly at each other when their father introduced him, and he remembered they were overly fond of soldiers. The other sister, who must be Miss Mary, appeared frustrated as she tried to guide them to a table to sit down. They finally did so when their mother shot them a look. Mrs. Bennet quickly looked back at him and his father as his father stepped forward to greet her.
"It is a pleasure, Madame. I must say, I can see where your two eldest daughters get their beauty. Indeed, all of your daughters are beautiful. You have done the country a disservice by keeping them always here, in the country," his father said, flattering her. A glance told him that all the ladies were blushing prettily.
"Oh, you have met my Jane and Lizzy?" Mrs. Bennet asked. Richard didn't miss how she added Elizabeth's name almost as an afterthought.
"Through my son, Richard, yes. Which is, incidentally, what brought us here today." His father then looked to him to continue.
"I had the pleasure of meeting your second eldest while I was visiting my aunt in Kent."
"Lizzy?" she asked, shock apparent on her face.
Ignoring his ire, Richard continued. "Yes. Your cousin, Mr. Collins, is the rector of my aunt's estate. I dare say you have heard of Lady Catherine De Burg?" This drew snorts from the two youngest. He didn't need to look to see his father was amused at them.
"Yes, Mr. Collins spoke most appreciatingly of her."
"My own cousin, Mr. Darcy, whom I believe you met this past autumn, and I visit our aunt every year, and she likes to entertain. Mr. Collins and his wife are common guests, and I had the privilege of meeting your daughter many times. I found myself quite enchanted with her and then very happy when I asked her to marry me and she accepted."
There was silence. Amusement was radiating off his father and Mr. Bennet. Finally, the woman seemed to have grasped all that he had said. She smiled widely and bounced in her seat; he even thought he caught a glimmer of tears in her eyes. "Oh, yes! Yes! My Lizzy has often garnered the attention of many a gentleman, but she has always been very selective. My Lizzy must have a very high opinion of you, sir."
This startles him a little, and he thought of what brought him to this point. He hoped she had a high opinion of him, and continued to do so. "I certainly hope she does."
"Oh, Lizzy!"
"Yes, dearest," Mr. Bennet decided to cut in, "my Lizzy is getting married. The wedding will be here at Longbourn in three weeks."
"Three weeks?! But there is so much to do! Where is Lizzy?"
This time his father spoke up. "Miss Elizabeth is at your brother's house in London, with your eldest daughter. My son and I shall be bringing them home to you in a few days. Your neighbor, Mr. Bingley has been kind enough to allow us to stay with him."
"Mr. Bingley?" the woman looked overwrought.
"Yes, Mrs. Bennet," Richard answered, playing the information he had to his benefit. "Bingley is most excited to be returning to the neighborhood. He regrets that his sisters have kept him so busy in Town, but he was especially excited to learn that Miss Bennet was still in Town. Somehow, his sisters had forgotten to mention she had called."
Mrs. Bennet was truly overwhelmed by all the information he was imparting on her. "Lizzy is getting married, and Mr. Bingley is returning to Netherfield. Oh! And we have three weeks to plan the wedding. Oh! I must… but, oh!"
"Yes, Mrs. Bennet," said his father, "we are all very excited. I have long looked forward to one of my sons marrying. But do not think you must stay to entertain us; if you wish, we would be happy to take a note back to your daughters when we depart, which will be very soon. We will have time enough to get to know each other when we come to stay in a few days."
"Yes," she said, standing. "I would appreciate it greatly. Excuse me, I must find my housekeeper!" She left the room and Richard finally found himself able to assess the other sisters.
Miss Mary did appear to be a very serious girl but was lovely to his eyes. She held herself straight and did not smile, though she seemed pleased. Richard saw a great deal of Elizabeth in her. In appearance, they very similar, though it appeared she did not smile often. She had the same dark eyes and hair as her sister, though, remembering from when she entered the room, she might be a bit taller.
Miss Kitty was lovely and was certainly the most petite of the sisters. Her eyes contained the same humor he had witnessed in his Elizabeth, but despite her eyes and hair also being the same color as his intended, to him, she seemed a great deal more like Miss Jane. Only time would tell if his deduction was correct. It did worry him that she giggled along with the youngest sister.
Miss Lydia, though tall, was clearly the youngest and most immature. Her hair was light, but not as light as her eldest sister. In appearance, she, like Miss Jane, resembled both parents, and she was as set apart. It was not hard to see that Mrs. Bennet favored beauty, and her youngest and eldest were certainly the most beautiful in terms of appearance, but where Miss Jane drew you in with her innocence and kindness, Miss Lydia put him on edge with her immaturity and the boldness he saw in her eyes. So far, everything Elizabeth had told him of her family, and what Mr. Gardiner had shared, appeared true. He hoped he wasn't being unfair to the girl, but he thought it better to be wary just in case.
He smiled at them. "Hello."
The younger two giggled while the older rolled her eyes at them. Sitting up straighter, Miss Mary answered him. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir."
"Are you a colonel in the regulars?" Miss Lydia asked, not giving him a chance to address her sister.
"Yes, though not for long. We are in the process of selling my rank."
"Why would you want to do that?"
She certainly was impertinent. "Because I wish to, and I do not wish to leave your sister as soon as I marry her. An officer cannot refuse orders once they are given."
Her father reprimanded her before she could say something else. Miss Lydia looked at her father with shock, but complied. Mr. Bennet obviously didn't curb her often. The silence that followed though was a little awkward. Finally, Miss Kitty decided to speak up.
"You met Lizzy at your aunt's?"
"No, actually, the first time I met your sister was at the Collins's. My aunt told us of their guests and since Darcy was familiar with them, I insisted he take me for introductions. My aunt, you see, is an acquired taste, and the idea of more acquaintances was too tempting." Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia giggled, though Miss Mary seemed to not care much for his opinion on his aunt. "You sister had my attention from the moment I met her. I sought her company often when they came to visit, and had the privilege of escorting her on one of her daily walks." That finally brought a small but pleasant smile to Miss Mary's face. The best part was it was all the truth.
"Lizzy loves walking," Miss Lydia proclaimed. "Whenever she can't take a walk, she becomes such a bother."
"Lydia," her father warned again.
"Well, then it is a good thing that her new home will have many new walking paths," his father said.
"Where is your home, Colonel Fitzwilliam?" Miss Mary asked.
"I have not seen it, but it is in Somerset, near Bath."
"You haven't seen it?" Miss Kitty asked.
"No, my father has made sure it was kept up. My duties keep me busy and what time I have free, I spend with my family and friends." All of the sisters seemed to find that answer adequate.
"I should love to go to Bath! I am sure Lizzy will be happy to stay home, though. Is the village large?"
"The village at Nightingale Hall is about the size of the one here," his father answered. "As it is so near Bath, the selection of wares available, I am sure, will be varied."
"I wonder if Lizzy will let me come and stay with you?" she said, mostly to herself.
Miss Lydia snorted. "Lizzy isn't going to invite you to stay with her because you are not good company. Who wants to go to Bath, anyway, when there is Brighton! I long to go to Brighton."
"Not now, Lydia," her father warned. The girl rolled her eyes that time.
Richard glanced at his father. There it was. "What is in Brighton that has captured your affections?" Mr. Bennet wasn't pleased with his question.
"Oh! The militia has received orders to decamp to Brighton! We are so distraught! What fun there will be had, though, if Papa would take us." She ended with a pout to her father.
"I can tell you from experience, Miss Lydia, that it will not be that grand," Richard said, after sharing another look with his father. "It will be overcrowded and dirty. When so many soldiers are gathered in one place, their superiors take up most of their time for training, and that often leaves them too exhausted to entertain."
"Then they should not make them train so hard!" She was so naïve; he could hardly believe it. That her parents let her out was a travesty. She could, indeed cause a lot of trouble.
"Unfortunately," his father said, "it is not their job to entertain young ladies. Their job is to protect the country."
Mr. Bennet groaned. "Lydia, I think now would be a good time to go and check on your mother. The Earl and the Colonel will have to leave soon." He gave her a look when she seemed about to argue. She huffed from the room.
Richard turned back to the two remaining sisters. "I am sure your sister would be happy to have any of you. And between the two of us, I am sure we could convince her to take a few trips into town while you are there."
Miss Kitty smiled brightly at him while Miss Mary shook her head at her sister. Yes, she had a very serious nature. Miss Kitty, though, was very sensitive. He did not miss how her eyes began to tear up when Miss Lydia said she was not good company. Delicate all around, it would seem. He looked forward to having time to figure both young ladies. Elizabeth loved her family, and he was sure she would appreciate any attempt to help them.
What to do about the youngest girl, though?
Richard asked Miss Mary about her preferences in music, and commented when he recognized some names of both composers and pieces. With Georgiana as a cousin and ward, you could not get away in total ignorance. His father asked Miss Kitty a little about the neighborhood, and she gave an amusing but flattering narrative of her neighbors. Before long, Mrs. Bennet and Miss Lydia returned, and his father mentioned that they must take their leave.
"Thank you, my lord," Mrs. Bennet gushed, "for taking my note to my daughters. You are most kind."
"It is no problem, Mrs. Bennet. I am happy to be of help."
"Will your wife be joining you?"
"I believe she has some engagements to keep, but she and my eldest son will be here for the wedding."
"How wonderful."
The family followed them outside to say farewell. As the carriage pulled away, his father shook his head. "Well, they're not hopeless, at least. I am sure we can think of something. Especially for the youngest."
Yes, the youngest must be dealt with.
