My sister certainly was excited for the return of Katrina Bingley. I was merely amused by the idea. Katrina was two years younger than me. I'm currently twenty which makes her eighteen. Back when she was twelve she had frizzy hair grown out of it. It seemed that I was in need of a wife, Hannah a husband, and with Katrina needing a husband I surely hoped that she was pretty.
I stood at the bottom of the stairs yelling for Hannah before we had to run to the carriage. We rode for half an hour before we pulled up in front of their huge estate. Katrina's family was certainly wealthy. Her house was probably furnished well. Gold statues and all. I slid out of the carriage after Hannah, slowly following her to the front door. A butler answered the door. I had usually despised the rich, but since I knew Katrina I wasn't as annoyed as usual. We were escorted to a small parlor outside the foyer. We could head Katrina as she came running towards us.
"Hannah! Ethan!" She wrapped her arms around Hannah first. I looked her over. She without doubt was beautiful now. Her skin was smooth and tan. It looked super soft as well. When she came to me I kissed her softly upon the cheek, hugging her quite close. She had the fragrance of lilac. My favorite.
By the time I was about to tell her how beautiful she looked another man walked into the room. Oh no, husband, fiancée. I had no clue. She introduced him as her best friend, Darcy. He had no first name, just Mr. Darcy. He was… tall, dark, and handsome as my sister would put it. I was tall, pale, and country. No girl would want me. Yes, I was pessimistic nearly all the time, considering I great up around country girls who only wanted men like Darcy. The pompous type.
I was more than relieved when Mr. Darcy and Hannah decided to take a trip upstairs to the library. Mr. Darcy could say up there for all I cared. Hopefully Hannah could take him down a couple notches. Even thought I hadn't talked to him yet I could tell that he was a peasant hater. You could tell by the way he looked us over. He was probably trying to figure out how we could afford such nice clothes on a "country budget". After Mr. Darcy and Hannah were out of sighed I offered Katrina my arm. She gently locked arms with me as I walked her to the parlor where we could all sit and talk.
Katrina talked about Darcy; how rich he was, his lineage, and all that jazz. When Katrina turned to me, she asked about how my life was going.
"It's been quite well, Ms. Bingley." I gave her a sheepish smile.
"Have you still been hunting in the pheasant fields?" She gave the same smile back.
"Of course. Hunting is but great sport. Is recall how good you were with a gun, Ms. Bingley. A perfect aim." I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Not nearly as perfect as yours, Ethan. I think Mr. Darcy and yourself shall enjoy the game here next week. You must come." She begged.
"If you wish." I nodded, we were talking so much that I had not seen that my father and mother had disappeared to look amongst the statues. I turned my head back to look at Katrina. She was so beautiful. I gently grasped her hand and held her up from the couch. "Shall we take a stroll, Ms. Bingley?"
"Of course." She moved close to my side, her arm looped with mine like before. She sighed as we stepped outside. It was a cool night and the sun was just starting to set. Katrina pulled me close as a small breeze drew past.
"Are you cold?" I gently leaned away from her, pulling my jacket off and draping it around her shoulders.
"A little." As she pulled the jacket close she smiled, "Thank you."
"But of course." I moved my arm around her shoulders, holding her close to my side. She laid her head against my shoulder as we walked towards the small pond that was adjacent the house. We made our way around the side to a small bench that was built beside the shore. I waited for her to sit before I sat beside her.
We stayed close together as the sun slowly sank over the horizon. The sky was slowly turning orange as pinks and blues slowly faded.
"This sunset is beautiful, Ethan." Katrina nearly whispered.
"Not as beautiful as you, Ms. Bingley." I gently leaned towards her, romantically kissing her forehead and smoothing her hair back behind her right ear. I could see her blush as she leaned in to me, trying to hide her face in the crook between my neck and shoulder.
I gently petted her hair, letting her stay there. When we were little she had had a huge crush on me and now I was the on with a crush on her. We seemed to sit in silence for the longest time before we headed inside; to eat dinner. We walked slowly together, not really wanting to go into the house. We wanted to just sit and talk for hours.
I held the door for her as we had reached the house. She smiled graciously before she walked head of me. We had a connection of sorts. We didn't need to know much about each other to know that we cared for each other. I closed the door behind me and followed Katrina back to the parlor; where my father and mother were waiting.
"Sorry we took so long." I nodded to my father.
"Quite alright, my boy." He seemed in his usual mood thought his stomach growled so I knew he was hungry.
"I think dinner is ready, shall we eat?" Katrina was such a good hostess
"Sure." We all rose making out way out of the parlor, when we heard Hannah come rushing down the stairs. She was in an absolute tizzy.
"We must leave." She went to grasp my arm.
"Why?" I pulled my arm away.
"That horrible Darcy fellow has insulted us all." I knew she was on the verge of tears. I nodded to my father and he went to fetch the carriage. I gently hugged Katrina before I walked back to Hannah, gently rubbing her back in a loving manner.
"It's alright, Hannah." I kissed her forehead as we walked down the front steps. Katrina must have been disappointed in her friend, Mr. Darcy. He had been truly rude to Hannah, I knew this because Hannah didn't get insulted easily, she usually did the insulting. She was absolutely hard-hearted and cruel. I knew I wanted to go back there and punch that man right in the face. It was common courtesy to never make a woman cry.
I sighed and comforted Hannah the whole way home. She wouldn't tell me what he said, but she would feel better soon enough. I knew she'd be in the fighting mood when we returned tomorrow.