After a long morning seated at her desk writing letters, Elizabeth enjoyed her walk with David and Louisa. It was just what she needed before sitting down to tea with company. Mrs. Kern was the first guest invited to Raber Hill since Elizabeth's return. It was evidence of the close friendship between the families that had weathered the bleak years that followed Elizabeth's disappearance. Now the Hursts were pleased to share their joy with those friends that had remained steadfast.
However, Mrs. Kern was not alone when she was announced by Evans, with her was Andrew Kern, the youngest of her two sons. "Mae, do I not have a charming escort today? I hope you do not mind. Andrew surprised Mr. Kern and I with his return from Ireland this morning. It is most delightful, now I shall not be without both of my boys at Christmas."
"Of course we do not mind, you know better than that. Andrew, dear, you are always welcome here," Mrs. Hurst said as she gave him a motherly hug. "And now you have the opportunity to become reacquainted with our Zibby."
"Thank you, Mrs. Hurst. It is very good to be here, and to meet you, too, Miss Hurst. I understand we were often in the nursery together when our families would visit each other."
Elizabeth examined the young man and tried to recall any memory of him from long ago. He was a young man, about Elizabeth's age, he was lanky and freckled with a tendency to run his hand down the back of his head in attempt to tame a defiant cowlick in his sandy hair. It as an endearing habit that made him appear even more youthful than he was. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I have been trying call up some memory, but I am afraid I do not remember you."
The young man dismissed her apologies. "There is no need for that. I do not remember you either, in that we are equal."
"Andrew! The things you say. So shocking!" Mrs. Kern looked anything but shocked as the others chuckled.
"It is my turn to offer apologies. That is a bit of a family jest. In fact, I am really not shocking at all; at my worst I am…decidedly cheeky. However, my mother thinks a bit of rebellion is healthy for a young man so she must manufacture it when there is none."
An insistent meow interrupted the conversation. Looking down, Elizabeth saw Dogberry rubbing against Mr. Kern's legs. He lifted the elderly cat and held him against his shoulder, scratching Dogberry's head.
"Andrew, your jacket, your waistcoat. You shall get fur all over them." Mrs. Kern scolded.
"Mother, Doggy must have his scratches. I will not deny him, should my attire suffer, so be it." He winked at Elizabeth and mouthed 'shocking' as his mother said the very same thing.
Elizabeth laughed in response, causing Mrs. Kern to sigh. "You are both lucky you do not have mamas that are inclined to matchmaking or else I would start plotting this very moment."
"Even if you were so inclined, there would be no opportunity," David replied.
Mrs. Kern understood immediately what was being said. "Are we to offer our congratulations, Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth looked to her father for direction on how to answer the question.
"Zibby, we know the amount of scrutiny you will be under and have no desire to inspire more. However, your courtship is not a secret, and you are free to inform any you wish. It is your choice."
"A courtship? How wonderful. Is it of a longstanding nature?" She asked excitedly. "I may not be a matchmaker, but I am quite nosy, I admit. You need not feel obligation to tell me, though."
Elizabeth enjoyed Mrs. Kern's open manners and felt she could trust her given the relationship between the families. "It is a very new courtship. I entered into it just before I left Hertfordshire. Mr. Darcy and I are now corresponding under the watchful eye of my father." When she looked at her father and quirked her eyebrow at him, he mirrored the gesture. They held each other's gaze until Elizabeth was the first to look away. He smiled at her when she wrinkled her nose playfully at him.
"I do not know which I want to address more, Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy or how like your father you are." Sentiment won out as Mrs. Kern raised her hand to her heart. "It does my soul good to see you all together at last. You were always the image of your father but that expression," she tried unsuccessfully to raise one eyebrow, "highlights the resemblance and just heightens my joy for you." She reached over and grasped Elizabeth's hand affectionately.
After a few discreet sniffles and coughs among the others in the room, Mrs. Kern patted the hand she held only a moment ago. "Now, I must know. Is your Mr. Darcy the Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley?
"He is, do you know him?"
"Oh, goodness me, no. I know of him, and I met him once at a ball in London. He is quite the catch. Too bad for you, Andrew."
"Thank you for your unwavering support, Mother," Mr. Kern said wryly. "I think my mama does not think me competition for the likes of Mr. Darcy, Dog, old boy," he whispered loudly to the sleeping Dogberry, who had settled on his lap.
"You know I adore you and hold you above all others, you mischief-maker. Though, you are still young and not ready for marriage. Do you not agree?"
"I do, especially if it will postpone any hints that I should marry and give you grandchildren." Once again, he sought to confide in his feline companion. "I made an excellent argument, did I not?"
"Hush, now. You have distracted me from Elizabeth's courtship," his mother chided.
"I tried," he responded in a way that was, indeed, decidedly cheekily. Elizabeth herself was momentarily distracted as it occurred to her that by the time Lydia came out Mr. Kern would be old enough to be married. Almost as soon as it passed through her mind, she imagined the same idea would have occurred to her mama at Longbourn too. She was oddly pleased at the thought, for it made her feel close to her Bennet family, despite the many miles that separated them.
"How did you meet Mr. Darcy? Were you often in London? Or, perhaps, you met in Derbyshire?" Mrs. Kern asked.
"We have Bingley to thank for that. In fact, it is because of Bingley we recovered Lizzy," David interjected.
"Ah, yes, the charming Mr. Bingley. How is your brother, Louisa?" Mrs. Kern could not abide Caroline Bingley, but she had heard from her friend that Louisa was working hard to repair her relationship with the Hurst family. She had noticed Louisa sitting quietly and listening attentively this afternoon, but the woman had made no effort to insert herself in the conversation. Gone were the sneers and the snide comments Louisa so often exhibited before. And for these reasons, Mrs. Kern would give her the benefit of the doubt.
"My brother is very well, indeed. May I share the news, Lizzy?" Louisa asked.
"Of course, it is as much your news as mine." Elizabeth also knew that Louisa was trying, and she was finding it easier to forget her behavior in Meryton. She allowed the other lady to take lead the conversation.
"Charles is courting Lizzy's sister, Jane Bennet."
"How extraordinary! And that led you to Elizabeth?"
"Not exactly but it has been the most remarkable series of events." Louisa told the Kerns of how Charles let Netherfield, of meeting the Bennets, her brother's admiration for Miss Bennet, and the comment that aroused David's suspicions. She interspersed the telling with keen observations and commentary. Among the three present who had been in Meryton for the initial discovery, she was the outsider and had viewed things from a different, less emotional, perspective.
"Well told, Louisa," Mr. Lee raised his teacup to her. "To think, Miss Bingley is responsible for the happiest Christmas we will experience these last nineteen years. Does this mean I have to buy her a present?"
"No. I know you are being facetious, Father, but her banishment from Raber Hill remains intact and now extends to the townhouse in London, as you know. I just want to reiterate that. We owe her nothing." The elder Mrs. Hurst was adamant on this issue.
"You will hear no argument from me. You need not have any worry in that respect," Louisa vowed.
"I believe there is more to the story than we know but I cannot fault you for keeping that woman in exile." Mrs. Kern's expression was harsh.
"Mrs. Kern, when we met in the shop in London, you spoke of Miss Bingley as if she, well, let us just say that you spoke as one well acquainted with the lady. I must admit to being curious as to your story with her," Elizabeth gently prodded.
"It is only fair that you should know as you have all been very gracious in indulging me."
"Allow me, Mother." Kern turn to Elizabeth. The 'shocking' young man was now an angry young man. "Long before Miss Bingley had Mr. Darcy in her sights, she had her eye on my older brother Paul. Well, he was just one of many, I suppose. She was living here soon after David and Louisa married. We were having a house party. Everyone else from Raber Hill stayed for the day and returned at night but she insisted on staying at our estate for the duration. Given the close relationship between our families, my mother was happy to look out for her, thinking she was just a young lady happy to be in attendance at such an event.
"I was home from Harrow and did not really take part in most of the entertainments. I was rather astronomy-mad that year and had taken to stargazing on the terrace just outside the library every night. Thank God for that. One evening, Paul was to join me for some reason, I cannot even remember why, and Miss Bingley followed him into the library. She threw herself at him and he refused her. We were not surprised when Miss Bingley's maid came into the room seeking her mistress, accidently discovering them in a compromising position. My father, suspecting that Miss Bingley was up to something, was not far behind. She claimed compromise and insisted on marriage. Paul refused and was not polite about it. He said there was no way that he would marry, you'll excuse me Mrs. Hurst, a jumped-up, money-hungry tradesman's daughter who could not attract a husband, even with 20,000 pounds. She then claimed not only had Paul compromised her, but he had forced himself on her. Imagine her dismay when I entered from the terrace. I had heard everything, and she was left unable to force his hand. She returned to Raber Hill the next day and Paul loathes the very sight of her."
"I had no idea. I am so sorry. Caroline told me she was returned early because there was tension at the house party. In her version of events, she was enjoying the attentions of a visiting gentleman, but Paul Kern was jealous as he was wishing to court her himself. She said when she refused him, saying she favored another, she was asked to leave the party because he could not bear to see her with another man. Then Paul prejudiced the rest of his family against her and that is why you all will have nothing to do with her." Louisa searched the faces of her in-laws and saw by their expressions that true story was not unknown to them.
"Oh, she did favor another, richer, gentleman," Andrew agreed grimly. "But she could not contrive a moment alone with him."
Seeing that Louisa was becoming increasingly dismayed, Mrs. Kern changed the subject. "The more we talk of Miss Bingley the more power we continue to give her. Let us talk of something else, namely our annual Twelfth Night celebration. Mae and Rachel already accepted the invitations, but it was before the events of the last month. I wanted to inquire how you wished to address Elizabeth's return. Of course, you will wish to have a ball in her honor at some point, perhaps in London, but Mr. Kern and I were thinking this would give you the opportunity to introduce her more informally to the some of the families in the country and that might take the edge off some of the curiosity seekers."
"What an excellent idea. You should consider it, Mae." Mrs. Lee was thinking of the advantages of such a plan. "It will be a much friendlier and festive environment than any in London. You will have none of the responsibilities of planning, and you may simply depart if it all becomes overwhelming. All you will need to worry about is Zibby's dance card."
"Zibby, the decision is yours. We will accede to your wishes. However, I can not think of a better way to usher in the new year than a dance with my daughter," Mr. Hurst beamed at Elizabeth.
"I agree with the benefits that Grandmama has mentioned. It is a very generous offer, Mrs. Kern, one I am happy to accept. However, may I request an invitation for Mr. Darcy? He and his sister will be traveling to Warwickshire after Christmas, they should certainly be here by the 5th."
"Of course. I shall post one first thing tomorrow. We can all discuss the finer details as we get closer to the date, but Mr. Kern and I would be happy if you and your father lead off the dancing."
"Again, you are very generous to allow us to assume your place. It will be our pleasure, thank you," Elizabeth replied.
"Lizzy, may I claim your second dance?" David asked.
"You may not," Elizabeth's grandfather answered for her. "The second will be mine. You will need to wait your turn, lad."
"Very well. We shall dance the third, Lizzy." Contemplating his next words, he turned more serious. "I imagine Darcy will be granted the supper set. If so, you should prepare yourself for an onslaught of speculation. His avoidance of that dance is widely known. His very presence at the ball, coupled with that particular dance, may indicate more than you are both ready to acknowledge. It is something you will need to consider. Even though you are only courting, it will be very difficult to extricate yourself from the relationship if either one of you has reservations."
"No decision, even his place on Zibby's dance card, will be made without a discussion with Mr. Darcy. And certainly, any discussions about the nature of his relationship with Zibby are premature at this time. We shall simply enjoy having our girl home and Zibby shall enjoy her courtship. We long ago learned not to be pressured by the gossip and whims of society. We will not start now." With those words resounding in the air, the conversation turned to more genial topics.