Accordingly, the next chance she had to go to Meryton, Kitty planned to go out by herself and see if Mrs. Phillips would be able to orchestrate a meeting between just the two of them. Her only regret was that she had been forced to wait so long, as Jane continued to find more reasons why she could not spare Kitty for days at a time. But she had been unable to manufacture any more for today, and Kitty was free to go into town if she liked. She was already at the outskirts when Mary came puffing up before her, looking slightly out of sorts.
"What on earth do you think you're doing?" Kitty asked, with somewhat more scorn in her voice than she had really meant.
"I am going to Miller's, of course. I have word that some new music I ordered has arrived, and I am going to pick it up. If you are going there as well, I should be glad of your company."
Kitty scowled. "I was going to call on our aunt. I suppose you may come along if you wish." She could not think of a good reason to convince Mary to go back, and she was very certain that there was no way that Mary would listen to reason if she gave her true reason for going, but it was frustrating. How was she going to get her sister to leave her alone long enough to have a good chat with Mr. Warde? How could she even bring the matter to her aunt without Mary figuring it out? If there was one thing of which Kitty was very certain, it was that Mary would do everything in her power to keep Kitty from executing her plan.
She fretted about it as they walked, and her worries were only increased as they went through town, for who should happen to come out of Mr. Phillips' offices as they passed, but Mr. Warde himself. Kitty bit back a groan. Her plans were certainly ruined. Mary would not be sent away now.
She would have to salvage the situation as best she could. She certainly would not want to leave poor Mr. Warde alone with Mary again. She took a deep breath and steeled herself for what was to come. Mr. Warde approached them with a reserved smile, and bowed. "Miss Bennet, Miss Catherine. What brings you to town today?"
"I have some new music waiting for me at Mr. Miller's. My sister was planning to visit our aunt, I believe," Mary said before Kitty could speak. Kitty glanced at her, startled by her less-than-subtle hint, but neither Mary nor Mr. Warde made any acknowledgement of the dismissal.
Mr. Warde bowed. "I am on my way to Miller's myself, to pick something up for your uncle. May I join you?" He offered his arm to Mary, who took it eagerly. Turning to Kitty, he offered the other arm. "Miss Catherine, will you join us as well, or would you prefer to go to your aunt directly?"
Kitty took his arm with a smile and thanks, neither of which were especially heartfelt. She fell in step alongside them, seething. She was never going to get a chance to attract Mr. Warde if Mary kept monopolizing him at every turn! But he was being polite, and Kitty figured she could play at that game, as well.
"So, Mr. Warde, how are you liking Meryton?" she asked. She would not allow Mary to hold all of his attention.
"I like it very well. So far, everyone has been very obliging and has done much to help me feel as though I am at home here." He glanced at Mary as he said this, and Kitty couldn't help smirking, imagining the welcome he would have received from her. Mary was not known for her hospitality or friendliness.
"And have you found much to amuse yourself, outside of your work? It is a pity there are not often balls, and our next assembly is not for some time yet, I believe. Are you very fond of dancing?"
"Not everyone is as determined to dance as you are, Kitty," Mary said before Mr. Warde could respond. "Some of us prefer rational conversation."
"Bah! Conversation may have its place, but not at a ball."
"I am not especially fond of dancing," interrupted Mr. Warde with a small smile, "but I will concede that balls are not particularly conducive to conversation. That is why I rarely attend them. I much prefer to talk, or read, or attend a concert; and for exercise to walk."
Kitty shook her head and smiled—he could flirt, after all! You see, Mary, she thought triumphantly, this is how it is done. "Oh, certainly, but dancing is such lively entertainment, and allows you to enjoy music and exercise at the same time."
"I will grant that it does have that efficient attraction," Mr. Warde said, with a small smile and bow. The conversation lapsed; Kitty was waiting for him to say more, but to her dismay, Mary soon asked him about some book she knew him to be reading, which Kitty had never even heard of. Their conversation turned down paths Kitty was not prepared to follow. They continued in this conversation until they reached Miller's and were forced to pause for their orders, leaving Kitty to stand awkwardly behind as they completed their transactions. She glared at Mary's back. If she would only stop butting in where she was not wanted!
Kitty felt that she had made some progress, but it was not enough; she certainly had not got him to admit to be teasing her regarding dancing, though he certainly was; it was impossible for a man as handsome and well-built as he to dislike it. She did not know how she could get Mary to go away long enough for her to get a second with Mr. Warde, though. The only alternatives she could think of would be too transparent for her purposes. Mr. Warde had proven himself to be a polite man and was not likely to be very willing to talk to Kitty if she dismissed Mary the way she really wanted to.
While she brooded in a corner of the shop, pretending to be admiring the lace on display (some of it was uncommonly pretty, although Kitty had already spent too much of her allowance to be able to get any), the realization slowly dawned on her that Mary and Mr. Warde were standing at the counter talking while they waited for their things. Kitty frowned. How could Mary not see that Mr. Warde did not care about whatever she was boring him with? She shook her head. She would have to come to his rescue.
She hurried back to them, making sure to hide the fact that she was hurrying, and smiled brightly at Mr. Warde. "Did they have everything you need, Sir?"
He raised one eyebrow and glanced at Mary, and Kitty hid a smirk. Yes, I am much more interesting than Mary, thank you! "Yes, I believe so. Although I am distressed for your sister's sake; they seem to have misplaced one of her new music sheets, and they are now beginning to wonder whether they ever had it."
"Oh! Well, I suppose it is fortunate that Mary has so much other music with which to divert herself while she waits," Kitty said. Why did he insist on dragging Mary into this? Of course she found something to nag about. She always did, when she came to Miller's. "But I suppose my uncle will be grateful that your business was not affected by the same error."
"I am sure he will, though he will undoubtedly be more distressed by the situation of his niece."
Kitty suspected otherwise, but only raised an eyebrow. There was nothing to be gained by continuing to talk about her sister. But Mary was not to be so easily dismissed.
"Kitty, there is no reason you should wait for me. Go ahead to call on our aunt; she will certainly be expecting you and it would not do to keep her waiting."
"Yes, indeed. I can wait with Miss Bennet and escort her there when this matter is resolved. There is no reason to fear for her."
Kitty was not at all afraid for Mary's safety or comfort or anything else, but this resolution had so far taken root in their minds that they were walking her to the door as they spoke and deposited Kitty (rather unceremoniously, she thought) on the road outside, then took their leave of her.
This development was not at all to Kitty's satisfaction, but she could not very well march back in there and demand that Mr. Warde escort her instead. How could Mary have been so oblivious to what Kitty was trying to do? Oh, how this made her miss Lydia! Had her younger sister been there, she would have been doing all she could to attract Mr. Warde to them, rather than trying to stop him from ever saying anything interesting. Especially now that she did not have her own marriageability to worry about, Lydia would have been the perfect companion.
She glanced back at the shop, but could not see her sister through the window and the other people collected inside. There was no chance of going back, so why was she still standing out there? She turned on her heel and marched rather viciously toward her aunt's house.
What puzzled her most was that Mr. Warde seemed more oblivious than Mary to what Kitty was doing. Had he not caught any of the hints she had sent his way? She had not been brazen, exactly, but neither had she been particularly subtle.
Of course, they had never actually managed to have a real conversation, because Mary kept butting in where she was not wanted. Kitty was sure that if she could just get her sister out of the way for long enough, she could figure out how to make Mr. Warde fall in love with her.
It wasn't until she was at her aunt's door that she realized what Mary was doing, and with that realization came a snort of derision. She thought she was flirting with Mr. Warde herself! Well, she had a terrible way of going about it. Kitty was just going to have to show her how it was done.