So, RL has been super full for me. I am actually getting a small break for the next few days, so I am taking the opportunity to update some fics. I won't be freed up for much until the beginning of July. Hopefully, I will be able to post more often or have some kind of schedule for updating my fics by then. Thank you for your support. I enjoy reading your reviews and getting new favs and follows.
Catherine shifted uneasily in the carriage. Her husband and sister were having a glaring contest. For one moment, she actually questioned who would break first. Finally, her sister spoke.
"What?!"
"You know what," Oliver growled. "You do not ask a gentleman, one you have no connection to, if they are going to host a ball. If it were brought up by someone else in company, you would have an opportunity, however, it is considered highly inappropriate to do so without prior provocation. I realize that there is much missing from your education, but I know you must be aware of this misstep. You would not be responding so if you did not." Lydia continued to glare, not denying his statement. "We have a deal, Miss Lydia. If you continue to skirt it, you will find yourself somewhere you do not wish to be. I have no wish to send you off in such a fashion, but for your own good, as well as that of the family, I will."
Lydia looked to her for help. Catherine only sent her a pitying glance. Clearing her throat, she decided to try and smooth all the ruffled feathers. "Lydia, I am sure you will agree that the prize is worth the self-discipline you need to display. Mrs. Bates tells me that Bath is splendid in the summer. Much more pleasant than London is at any time of the year."
Lydia rolled her eyes and sat back, obviously deciding to drop her argument. Oliver gave his wife an appreciative look. "Miss Lydia, I know that it can be difficult to curb a lifetime of habits, but…" Catherine nudged him. As he looked at her, she shook her head. He didn't need to push her sister. "I know you think I am being overbearing, but it is for your own good. I have no desire to see you unhappy in your life. I wish for you to find happiness in whatever respectable path you choose, but it is time you out grew some of your behavior."
Catherine groaned. He was close to making it worse. "What he means, Lydia, is that you can take this time to reevaluate the presence you wish to present to Society when you come out in two years."
Lydia looked towards her. The childish stubbornness could be easily detected right on the surface of her countenance, but surprisingly, it seemed as though her sister was actually listening instead of ignoring what was said. They arrived at the house and Oliver helped them both down. Once in the house, Lydia slumped into her chair.
"Miss Lydia, ladies do not slouch," Diana chided as she entered the room and took her own seat. She smiled at her daughter-in-law. "Well, this is a surprise, though not an unwelcome one. How did you find your sister today?"
"She is still ill, but she should recover in a few days," Catherine informed her.
"Mr. Bingley is determined to keep her under his roof," Oliver smiled cheekily.
"That is no surprise," his mother stated. She looked at Lydia. "What brings you to my home, Miss Lydia?"
"Your son," Lydia sulked.
Diana looked at them in confusion. Catherine giggled. "Oliver has bribed Lydia with a trip to Bath this summer if she can be on her best behavior."
"Oh! Bath in the summer! How lovely! Oh, Miss Lydia, you will absolutely love it!"
Lydia huffed and started to whine. "But it is so far away! And the officers are here now!"
"The officers?" came the matron's scoffing reply. "Miss Lydia, why do you want to waste your time with officers?"
"There is nothing wrong with the officers!" The young woman was aghast. She could not fathom that someone wouldn't favor an officer over any other.
"Indeed. I believe they are mostly respectable. However, I believe you will find they are not suitable for you." Seeing her sister's distress, Catherine wished to bring the conversation to an end, but Oliver shook his head at her. Diana continued. "Miss Lydia, what kind of standard of living do you think a militia officer will afford you?"
"What do you mean?"
"How do you think you will live if you married one of your officers? Do you believe you will live on an estate such as your family? Or perhaps you believe you will have a house in Town, or a happy village such as our Meryton? I must sadly inform you that this would not be the case. Even the regulars do not make enough to keep up the standard of living you are used to. A gentlemen of rank perhaps, a Colonel or higher, but only if they have a decent allowance from their family, or if they have saved much of their monies over the years of their service. Most rely on the dowries their wives bring to their marriage."
Lydia was looking at the woman in shock. Catherine knew her sister had never considered how one would live if married to an officer. If asked, Catherine would have to confess to not having had an idea either. Diana allowed her a moment to let the new information sink in.
"Miss Lydia, the officers in the militia and the regulars are often the second, third, and so on sons who either decided other professions did not meet their desires, or they simply didn't have the means to seek out other work. They often pursue young ladies who offer large dowries. Even after, they must live frugally. You, Miss Lydia, should set your sights higher. I am by no means saying that you should not follow your heart, only that you should carefully consider any man who seeks your hand. You will want security. If you wish to continue in the manner that you are accustomed to, you must look for a respectable man of means." Catherine watched as her sister nodded dumbly, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Now, a profession does not always define a man. You may think a professor, a doctor, or even a lawyer to be a very boring person, but this is not always the case. Why, the most boring man I ever knew was an old general, and he saw the battlefield while we were at war with the Colonies. The man could drive the most patient person mad with boredom. However, I had a friend whose brother was doctor. He was a delight at parties!"
Catherine and Oliver watched as Lydia became enthralled in his mother and her stories of all the different men she knew. Catherine was shocked. No one had ever gotten Lydia to listen to sound advice before. Lydia was always determined to go her own way. Finally, the conversation turned to the diversions one of Lydia's age could enjoy in Bath.
"I shall write to my old friend, Mrs. Avery. She has a daughter around your age. She is either coming out this summer or the next. If this summer, they can still introduce you to other girls your age. And the best part, if they have older brothers, they often make appearances. So, even if you are not coming out this summer, they will be aware of you for the next!"
Lydia looked quite excited. Catherine was even more amazed when her sister agreed to visit Diana every Thursday afternoon so that she may help prepare Lydia for her trip to Bath. When her sister excused herself to see to a need, Diana smirked at her son and daughter-in-law. "Well, I dare say, you should find your endeavor at least a little easier."
They spent the rest of the afternoon in an enjoyable manner.
"Mrs. Andrews tells me that it is simply wonderful. Mr. Andrews's mother, not Kitty. She hasn't even been to Bath. Mrs. Andrews has offered to write a letter of introduction to a friend, so that I might be introduced to the right people. It is a shame that I shan't be able to participate in Society as I do here at home, but then, Bath is far more sophisticated than Meryton or Longbourn," Lydia said. Mariah was simply enraptured with all she was saying.
It was Saturday and they were dining at Lucas Lodge. It was a small party. The Lucas's had only invited the Bennet's and the Andrews'. Mariah had lamented that none of the officers would be present, which sparked Lydia's outpour. Oliver had given her permission the day before to share the news, but it was made known that the trip could still be canceled. Mrs. Bennet was excited for her daughter, as well. She could not stop talking about how fortunate her daughters were, nor how good her son-in-law was. Sir William once more went into the pleasure found in attending St. James Court, but Mrs. Bennet would not be outdone. Thankfully, no one found offense in anyone that night.
Oliver, catching a moment alone with Mr. Bennet, leaned in. "Have you told your wife she is to play hostess to a guest come Monday evening?"
"No. I thought I might hold off until Monday morning," the older man replied cheerily.
"Why on earth would you do that?" Not for the first time, Oliver questioned the man's tactics with his wife.
"Because it is most amusing. Mrs. Hill is aware that we are to have a guest and is very prepared for his visit. Mrs. Bennet has had very little to complain about; I am merely trying to keep up the natural order of things."
Oliver shook his head, completely astounded. He would never understand his in-laws. "Are you certain he is as incompetent as you believe?"
"Mr. Andrews, you read the letter yourself. Could there be any other conclusion?"
"Yes, well, I do try to keep hope. Longbourn is not my home, but I hate to think that it could be dropped into the hands of an imbecile."
"There is nothing that can be done about it, so we might as well find some amusement from it."
Oliver was no more a fan of his father-in-law's humor than he was in the beginning, but he saw no point in dissuading him. Personally, Oliver hoped he was very wrong.
Oh, how he wished Mr. Bennet had been wrong. Oliver sat across from the most ridiculous man he had ever had the misfortune of meeting. He was a simpering fool, who continually sited the nonsense of a noble woman who seemed to think higher of herself than she should. He practically insulted the Bennets at every turn, finding their home and trappings lacking in comparison with his patroness's estate. Remarking on the potatoes? Absurd!
A glance around told him that his wife and her sisters found the man as amusing as their father. Except for Mary. He saw a sort of dreamy look on her face. Nope, he wasn't going to let that happen. His natural sense of self-preservation could not allow the man to be any closer connected to him than he already was. He might actually find himself able to commit murder.
He stayed silent through most of dinner. Once they were finished, Oliver remained at the tabled with his father-in-law to enjoy a drink before joining the ladies. He immediately wished that he had joined the ladies when his wife's cousin continued to prattle on as though they really cared about what he had to say. Finally, the man had the gall to remark on the marital status of Mr. Bennet's remaining daughters.
"I was pleased to hear that you were able to see one of your daughters married and settle, Mr. Bennet. And to such a remarkable situation. Lady Catherine also agreed that, considering the circumstances, it was a most advantageous match."
Oliver saw red. "To what are you referring, Mr. Collins?"
"Why, to your marrying Mrs. Andrews. It is a bit surprising, that a man of your status would descend to marry a lady with so few prospects. And the fourth daughter at that!"
Surly the man couldn't be so stupid as to say what he just did with actual thought. Oliver sat his drink down before he busted the glass. "I do not see how it is so remarkable. I knew, nearly upon our first meeting, that my Catherine was the one for me. She drew me in with nothing more than her laugh, conversation, and beauty. I had known her elder sisters before her, and they never held any appeal to me. She has never been below me in status, not in my estimation, at least. I am a gentleman, she is a gentleman's daughter; I believe that makes us equal. The amount of pounds her father makes a year does not change those facts. My family approves of her, and you will find that they carry a great deal of influence in this neighborhood."
Mr. Collins had paled. "I meant no offense, sir. I merely meant that, um… that is to say…"
"I find I do not care what you meant, Mr. Collins. I love my wife, that is all you need to know. How dare you remark on anything other than that fact."
He stood and strode from the room, quickly coming to the drawing room. "Catherine, we are leaving. Forgive me, Mrs. Bennet, ladies, but I find I cannot continue in current company at the moment. I bid you all a good evening."
Just as his wife had come to his side, Mr. Collins and an angry Mr. Bennet entered the room. His father-in-law was glaring at Mr. Collins, who stumble forward, stuttering. "Mr. Andrews, I really must beg your forgiveness. I often find that I sometimes say the first thing that comes to mind without thought. I truly meant no offense."
"One must wonder why you chose a profession in the church if you can be so thoughtless," Oliver sneered.
He heard gasps throughout the room. Mr. Bennet looked, once more amused, at the proceedings. Mr. Collins eyes went wide, and he seemed to stop breathing. From his earlier ramblings, it was apparent that he was a man who did not want to be on the wrong side of a person he thought above himself. Oliver took a deep breath to calm himself.
"Catherine, we must go." His wife called out a hasty goodbye as they left.
They had only to wait a few extra moments for their carriage. Once inside, his wife sought answers. "What on earth happened, Oliver? I do not believe I have ever seen you so angry."
"That man questioned why I married you and insinuated that you and your sisters were somehow unworthy of a gentleman's attention. Add that to the irritating conversation skills he displayed at dinner, I simply couldn't contain myself."
"Oliver," she laid a hand upon his arm, "to society, we are unworthy of the attention to men such as yourself. You probably thought so, at one point."
He snatched up her hand and drew it to his lips in a most desperate manner. "Never about you."
His comment startled her for a moment, but an adoring smile quickly replaced her shock. "Then that is all that matters. He really offended you, didn't he?"
Pulling her into his arms, he leaned them back against the seat. "People talk of proper manners so often, yet few actually abide by them themselves. He has very poor manners. Comparing everything in someone's home to another in some kind of backwards complement is beyond rude. He insulted the home and inhabitants of his host. How stupid can the man be? It was either intentional or thoughtlessly done, and either scenario is unacceptable." He pulled her over into his lap. "I'll not tolerate any talk of you that is not of your excellence."
She ran her fingers through his hair, soothingly. "His opinion matters not to me. It does, however, please me immensely that you think so highly of me."
"As if I could have any other opinion," he whispered, pulling her forward until their lips met.