Kitty tried her luck in Meryton the next day. She was absolutely certain that if she could only get Mr. Warde to herself for a time, she would be able to make him fall in love with her, but how was she supposed to get him alone? She did not know whether she would be able to find him free when he appeared to be so diligent in his work, but she imagined that he might be eager enough to see her that he would be willing to leave it for a while; and surely her uncle might spare him for a short time if it was to be in service of his niece.

Her uncle's offices were bustling when she arrived, and, not having any business inside, she was hesitant to go in. She wandered around Meryton for a while, wondering what she was going to do next, hoping that she would run across him on an errand or something, before finally deciding that she might at least go call on her aunt and see if she would be willing to help.

Mrs. Phillips was always glad to receive her, and ushered her into the sitting room with a smile. "My sister rather monopolized Mr. Warde yesterday," Kitty said, "but I thought you might have an idea about giving me a chance to meet him today, and know him better."

Mrs. Phillips paused for a moment. "Well, Mr. Phillips did leave some of his paperwork here this morning when he left. I could have you deliver it to him, and bring something to eat for the rest of the office as well. I know that Mr. Smythe and Mr. Burns will be glad of it, and I imagine that Mr. Warde will be too. It would give you an excuse to go and see him, and while he is eating you may play hostess, and demonstrate to him how good you are."

Kitty agreed to this excellent plan readily, and when the time came, was happy to hurry away burdened with a small luncheon for all of them. Her arrival was welcomed gladly by the men who were there, but to Kitty's severe disappointment, Mr. Warde was not among them. She handed out the cakes her aunt had given her, and asked her uncle about Mr. Warde.

"Oh, I believe he is still working in the back. Poor man; he's taking the brunt of this increase in business. Good worker, though. I'll go and get him."

"Don't worry about it," Kitty said, "I'll go. I know you are all very busy and I do not mean to keep you."

"Thank you, my dear." He gave her a smile, and bowed his head to his work.

Kitty took her basket and wandered into the back, smiling to herself. That couldn't have worked out better if she had planned it. A few minutes entirely alone with Mr. Warde would be just what she needed.

She found him hunched over a table in the back, poring through a pile of documents scattered over it.

"I've brought you something to eat," Kitty said. "My aunt sent something for everyone."

He looked up, squinting at her in the dim light. "Oh? Thank you. You can leave it here." He cleared a space on the table in front of him and patted it.

Kitty took her time pulling the food out of the basket and arranging it at the table. "The others are eating in the front room. Do you not wish to take a few minutes to join them?"

"No, I think I should stay here. I might be at this all day as it is, and I do not particularly wish to have another late night of it." When Kitty continued to stand there, wondering what to say next, he added, "I am most grateful for the sustenance, however." He offered her a smile with his thanks, and returned his attention to the papers he was shuffling.

"I am sorry to have had so little chance to speak with you yesterday."

"Hm? Oh, yes. I was glad to be of service to your sister."

"Oh! Yes." She shook her head a little. She had to turn the conversation away from Mary! "I am glad when I can be of service to my aunt, too," she said, more to fill the silence than anything. She winced at her own stupidity.

"Yes… you visit her often, it would seem."

"I enjoy my aunt's company, and she mine. And there is precious little else to do, most days. It can be rather boring, never to leave the house. I much prefer coming into Meryton when I may."

"Well, I am sure she is glad of your company. Is she not expecting you back?"

"I do not imagine so; not for a little while. She sent me with enough food for myself, as well, which I take to mean that she expects me to eat with you." She hesitated, reaching into the basket again. "I could stay with you, if you would like the company."

He looked up from his papers again, eyebrows raised. "That's hardly proper, I believe. Shouldn't you go back and sit with your uncle? I am sure that is what your aunt must have intended. You needn't worry about keeping me company. I am quite content with my work." He bowed slightly and returned his attention to his paperwork. Kitty stayed a few more moments, but he made no further acknowledgement of her, and she did not know what else she might say. So, with a small sigh, she packed up her basket and went back out to the main room.

The others were also working as they ate, and Kitty's appetite had vanished, so she left the rest of the food with her uncle and took the empty basket back to her aunt. She hoped that Mrs. Phillips would be able to improve her spirits, for at the moment, she could not see how she might repair what Mary had broken.

Her chat with Mrs. Phillips did do her some good. Convinced that Mr. Warde would come to love Kitty as much as she did, Mrs. Phillips was everything that was encouraging and kind, and insisted to Kitty that she had been talking her up since she met Mr. Warde. She, too, was convinced that Mary would not do for him and would do better to bow out now before she got hurt, but she counseled Kitty to let it run its course; if Mary was determined to break her heart, she would do so whether or not Kitty had anything to do with it. She suggested that Kitty come back on her own the next day, and meet her in front of Mr. Phillips' business, whither she would find herself obliged to go on an errand of some importance, just about the time that Mr. Warde usually left. That would provide Kitty ample excuse to encounter Mr. Warde again, but without Mary or distractions from work, and she would finally be able to take some time to get him to fall in love with her without anything getting in the way. She was sure that, without those distractions, she would be able to think of any number of things to talk about.

With this scheme Kitty readily agreed, and the next morning was glad to escape in secret to Meryton and meet her aunt. She stopped only once on the way: the son of one of her father's tenants, a little boy of about six, who had lost the parcel his mother had entrusted him to deliver into town. Kitty, heartily sorry to see any adorable little thing cry so much, agreed to help him search. Fortunately, the search was not long, as the parcel manifested itself halfway up a tree that the child had attempted to climb, and Kitty was just able to reach it and return it to him. This good deed done, she went on, thinking of how she would tell Mr. Warde the story to put herself in the best light.

Her aunt's demeanor outside of her uncle's business stripped her of the pleasant feeling she had cherished so far, however. Something was wrong.

"Kitty! My dear! Oh, child, I had hoped you would not come!"

"What? Aunt Phillips, whatever is the matter?" Kitty ran to her, hands held out.

"He is not here, my dear—Mr. Warde left this morning for Longbourn!"