The family party; Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, Georgiana, Kitty, and Lord Matlock, were finishing a delicious meal. Much of the conversation so far had centered on the Darcy's upcoming anniversary ball. It was five days away, and all the staff were busy preparing. Georgiana, who had been briefed on Kitty and Lord Matlock's upcoming nuptials (but spared the scandalous detail) had been describing her dress in unrelenting detail to the party for a quarter of an hour. The rest of the group were happy to indulge her in the long account as they were each preoccupied.
Elizabeth was worried about readying things for the overnight guests who would arrive over the next few days. Her parents were expected in two days' time, and she was trying to find a way of informing her mother of Kitty's engagement before then. She was considering sending a messenger. She feared that her mother's reaction to Kitty's engagement would be met with such delight and loud raptures that she would never recover from embarrassment, if the news were given at Pemberley.
Darcy's concern was three-fold. First, He worried and hoped that his wife was in no condition to be stressed. Second, he feared his cousin had made a terrible decision. The more Darcy thought on the matter the more he had the feeling that they should have just hushed up that morning's indiscretion. He did not hold any of the younger Bennet sisters in high regard, and truly hoped that Lord Matlock had not sealed an ill-fate.
Lastly, he noticed that a new footman was on service that evening, he was disturbing Darcy by continually glancing between Kitty and Lord Matlock. The young man looked a bit stiff in his uniform. Darcy even noticed the him whispering to one of the other footman, while his eyes continued to dart back to the engaged couple.
Even though preoccupied in that corner, Darcy looked on his sister with pride. She'd been carrying the conversation all throughout the meal. The rest of the party were making poor dialogue, yet she carried it along befitting to her station. He had his beautiful wife to thank for Georgiana's transformation, who was at one time very shy. For not the first time that day, he felt himself very glad to be married to Elizabeth, even with the trouble her sister caused him.
Kitty's mind was elsewhere too. She kept glancing at her fiancé and picturing eating with him like this every night for the rest of their lives. She found she was not opposed to the idea, in fact she rather liked it. She straightened her back a bit higher, and held her neck up as she imagined sitting at the head of the table as Countess in the dining room of Matlock House.
Lord Matlock had shown her kindness today. Kitty's mind wandered back to his proposal and their second kiss. She had felt a spark of passion behind it. She hoped that it meant their marriage would be more than just a name. Surely he could not love her yet, but maybe he could grow to feel real affection for her, like she thought she could him. She was now finally escaping Longbourn, but could she have happiness too?
Lord Matlock saw Kitty glancing at him throughout dinner, and he began to feel a rising anxiety. An all-encompassing feeling of obligation begin to weigh on his shoulders. The way he had neglected his properties for the past year was at the forefront of his mind. He had been busy drowning his grief at the loss of his brother and father in women and clubs, while his poor mother, and childless sister-in-law suffered. He'd been at the best careless, and at the worst neglectful. And now, he had a bride to add to the burden!
Lord Matlock studied his cousin Darcy, who had been groomed from boyhood to take ownership of the Pemberley estate and other Darcy properties. He himself had been an Army Colonel, and content with his lot. He had never expected to be Earl. He much preferred the transient lifestyle the military provided. He missed the action, the travel, seeing the world. But now with his marriage on the horizon, he knew must step-up and become the true Earl, not only in name but in action. The duty weighed heavy, and he was meditating on it when he heard his name being spoken.
"Isn't that right cousin?" It was Georgiana calling out to him. Startled, he responded, "Yes, yes, quite," and hoped that his reply was appropriate. She smiled back brightly at Lord Matlock, her second guardian, and he knew he had answered correctly. He turned to Darcy and asked "Shall we take our brandy in the billiards room?"
"Yes, I'll be through in a moment. I need to have a word with Mrs. Reynolds first."