Been a while, but I have not forgotten. Here is another chapter! I should have another one up soon.
Kitty sat staring out the window. Two days had passed since the fateful day she decided it would be fun to climb her once favorite tree. She hated that so many good memories were now tainted by her last venture. She had barely left her room. Upon returning home, her mother was at first upset, then pleased when she realized her fourth daughter would marry so well. In her mind, it made her other daughters all the more appealing and made Jane's chances at securing Mr. Bingley imminent; Mr. Andrews was his good friend, after all. Her father was subdued. She could tell he was not happy with the events, but he was also far kinder to her than she could ever recall.
Lydia was upset with her; their father had brought down a firm hand due to her actions. No one had left the house since Thursday. Lydia was no longer allowed to seek out the company of the officers, and if she could not learn to behave in a more lady-like manner, she would not be going anywhere for a long while. It was Mary with whom she had the most contact with. She had surprisingly not lectured Kitty. When she asked why, Mary said it was because she was obviously repentant of her actions and was going to bear the consequences with grace; that her lecture would be redundant. In other words, she could tell her sister was resigned and miserable and she did not wish to add to it. Kitty was appreciative.
Mary would come in, and the two of them would begin going through her things, packing and mending as needed. On two occasions, she had even hunted down a few articles Kitty knew Lydia had taken. Jane had recently gifted her with a gown their mother had had made for her eldest a year before, but the style did not suit her and it had never been worn. Mary and Kitty had managed to make it acceptable as a wedding dress. It was not as fine as some, but it would do, they decided.
Her father had told her that Mr. Andrews had gone to London to see his solicitor, but that he would return on Saturday. She didn't know if that meant he would be coming to Longbourn before the wedding or not. In one of the moments her father felt compassion for her, he confided that had forgotten that Monday was the day their cousin, Mr. Collins, was supposed to come. He hadn't planned to tell anyone until the day before his arrival, or possible the morning of. At least she wouldn't have to worry about entertaining the man. He would arrive after she had departed Longbourn.
That thought depressed her. Every young lady expects to marry, but not like this. She could now confess to knowing what heartache felt like. She began to cry again. As much as she had cried, one would think she could have no tears left.
There were footsteps and voices in the hallway. It sounded like Jane and Lizzy. Mary was with them. She didn't get up to check; Kitty didn't think she wanted to see them just yet, as they were sure to be disappointed in her. This choice, as all others, was taken from her, however. There was a short knock and the door opened, allowing Jane and Lizzy to walk in, though they stopped short upon seeing her. Whatever they may have originally intended to do or say, Kitty would never know, but once they got a good look at her, they went to her and wrapped their arms around her, letting her continue to cry.
"He is a kind man, Kitty," said Jane, sometime later. She had cried and they had comforted her, and now, they were trying to reassure her. "Mr. Bingley and his sisters speak very highly of him. I have never witnessed him being anything less than a gentleman."
"One could say that trait is at fault, in fact," Lizzy tried to joke.
"Has he said anything to you?" asked Kitty.
"No. We have not seen him since before his ride on Thursday. Mr. Bingley said that he is to return today," Jane answered softly.
"They know?!" She was mortified! "Oh, but of course they would know! I am so sorry, Jane! I didn't mean for this to happen!"
"We know," said Jane.
"Jane was supposed to marry first," Kitty stressed.
"It will be alright."
"What is there left to do?" asked Lizzy, wishing to direct her sister away from Mr. Bingley and his sisters.
"Mainly packing. Mary and I are almost finished with the adjustments on my dress. I have decided on the gown you gave me, Jane."
"It will be very suitable," agreed Jane.
By unspoken agreement, they began to sort through more of Kitty's things and pack. Mary joined them at some point. After working for more than an hour, their mother came in. She had been resting when the elder girls had arrived.
"Jane? Lizzy? What are you doing home? You should be at Netherfield!" she shrieked.
"Mama, I am quite well, and I wanted to come home for Kitty's sake," Jane insisted.
"Kitty is fine! She is to be married to a very wealthy, respectable man! Why would you need to come home for her?"
"Perhaps because she is our sister and we care about what happens to her," snarked Lizzy.
"Oh, ridiculous! You can see for yourself that Kitty is fine! You have wasted a perfectly good opportunity to stay close to Mr. Bingley."
"Kitty's marrying Mr. Andrews shall keep me close to Mr. Bingley, Mama," Jane continued to insist. "They are good friends, after all."
"But Mr. Andrews is taking your sister to his estate in Nottinghamshire as soon as they wed! Your sister shall not be there as an excuse for you to call on them!"
Kitty sat down as her sisters and mother bickered. This was the first she had heard about going to Nottinghamshire. She hadn't truly thought about what was going to happen after they were actually married. She didn't think she had ever cared to learn where his home was. It was startling to have tangible proof that she was really leaving Longbourn.
"Kitty, what's the matter?" asked Lizzy. Kitty hadn't realized that their conversation was done and their mother was gone.
"I just realized I am truly leaving Longbourn. It's funny, isn't it? I have been packing for the past two days, and I knew it was because I am leaving, but there was no destination."
Lizzy sat down and wrapped her arm around her, Jane and Mary began to pack again, and Kitty just leaned in and took the comfort.
Their mother returned to her room in the early afternoon.
"Kitty! Kitty!" the woman ran into her room. "Oh, there you are! Kitty, you must ready yourself! Mr. Andrews has arrived! Well, hurry up, child! Where is that maid?! Betsy!" she exclaimed as she ran back out the door.
Kitty stood frozen. She hadn't seen him since the episode in her father's study. She could feel the panic coming back. Suddenly, Jane was in front of her.
"Breathe, Kitty. Come sit over here. Your dress is fine, but we need to do something with your hair. Mary, please go and inform Mama that we shall bring Kitty down in just a few moments."
As Mary left, Jane and Lizzy set about fashioning her hair into a neat chignon. It had the desired effect. She didn't look as young as she usually did. Kitty frowned at the mirror. A horrifying thought came to her.
"Kitty, are you alright?" asked Jane.
"I'm going to have to start wearing those ugly caps," she cried.
Lizzy and Jane couldn't help it, they giggled at her disgruntled expression. Thinking it would not be a good idea to leave her alone, the two led her down the stairs. They came close to the sitting room and heard the voices from within. Kitty stopped and took a deep breath before walking into the room. Mr. Andrews stood from his chair and greeted the ladies with a bow. Mary and Lydia were sitting across the room. Lydia smirked at her, but it was Mrs. Bennet who broke the silence.
"Oh, Kitty! You look so lovely today. Do you not think so…"
"Yes, Mama, but then Kitty always looks lovely," said Lizzy, before her mother could do something that would make her sister feel even more uncomfortable. Mrs. Bennet was about to say something else when Mr. Bennet spoke up.
"Mrs. Bennet, the weather is nice, why not allow us to skip the formalities and allow our girls to give Mr. Andrews a chance to tour the grounds."
"Mr. Bennet…" his wife glared at him.
He silenced her with a look before turning a leaving the room. She looked agitated before she sent a swift smile to Mr. Andrews and followed her husband out of the room. Lydia snorted in the silence that engulfed the room. Lizzy, once more, came to the rescue.
"Shall we?" she asked, gesturing towards the door. Mary, in a not so subtle fashion, looped her arm in Lydia's and almost dragged her from the room. Kitty exited with her elder sisters, Mr. Andrews following close behind. Once outside, Mary seemed determined to keep Lydia from the rest. The remaining four began to walk about the garden, one or another making a comment about the weather. Finally, Lizzy and Jane slowed and allowed the couple to distance themselves a little, though they were still within proper sight. They came to a bench and he motioned for her to sit.
Her senses came on alert when he sat beside her. She could not recall a time when she sat so near a gentleman that was not her father or a childhood friend. She didn't know what to say or do. Did he expect her to start the conversation? She glanced away and looked about the yard. It was always beautiful in the spring and summer, when the blossoms filled the garden with color. She was not likely to see it next year. As if reading her mind, he spoke.
"It must be beautiful here, when the flowers are in bloom."
"It is. I was just thinking about that, in fact. I don't suppose I shall be able to see it next spring?"
"I do not believe we shall be leaving Dalton for some time. Darcy has mentioned hosting us next summer. His estate in Derbyshire is less than a day's drive from Dalton, so you shall have the privilege of viewing his gardens. I have always enjoyed them. And, of course, Dalton's gardens are rather beautiful, though I may be biased."
"One usually is when something of theirs is in question," she surprised herself by saying. After a few beats of silence she decided to try conversing. "Papa told me you went to Town."
"Yes, I had a few errands to see to, and of course I needed to inform my grandmother of my upcoming nuptials."
This startled her. She hadn't thought about his having any family. "Do you have much family?"
"On my father's side, it is only my grandmother and myself. There are a few distant cousins, but none that I have ever been close with. My mother has a surviving sister and brother, and of course their children, but my uncle and I do not get on well, and my aunt prefers to keep to herself. Their children and I exchange letters a few times a year, but we have never been close."
"Was your grandmother angry?" she worried.
"No." he chuckled slightly. "Actually, I believe she was more amused. If you wonder if she believes you acted purposely, you may put those thoughts to rest. I assured her that this was very much an accident."
"Is she going to come here, for the wedding?"
"No, she has already left for Dalton," he surveyed the grounds.
She let her curiosity embolden her a little. "May I ask why you believe we shall not be leaving Dalton for a while?"
"That is not a question that I wish to answer at the moment," he said decidedly.
She became quiet again. She glanced over and saw her elder sisters talking close by. Lydia had managed to persuade Mary to push her on the swing. The silence was awkward and she didn't know how to change that.
"Have you been well?" he asked.
She startled a little. "I suppose. Mary and I have spent a great deal of time sorting, mending, and packing," she ended quietly.
Nodding, he seemed to be trying to keep the conversation going. "The local modiste, in the village nearest my estate, is my grandmother's favorite. She refuses to been seen by anyone else. She has told me she plans to take you there, to see that you are properly attired."
Kitty just looked at him. She knew she had to look incredulous, and he looked as though he did not have a care in the world. His eyes narrowed as he looked at something beyond her. She turned to see Lydia making a spectacle of herself mocking Mary. Only a few days ago, she would have jumped right in with Lydia, but Mary had been helping her while Lydia laughed and treated her poorly because of their father's stricter rules. Shame overcame Kitty. She turned back to Mr. Andrews as he was rising from his seat.
"It is growing late and I am expected back at Netherfield. I shall see you indoors before I take my leave," he said, offering his arm. She nodded and took his arm for the first time. Jane and Lizzy followed them to the house. Mr. Andrews saw them back to the sitting room and made his retreat. Jane called for tea and Lizzy looked at her intently.
"Are you alright?"
Kitty was really getting tired of that question. "Yes. I think Lydia offended him. But before that, we were having a rather nice conversation, I suppose," she assured them.
Her sisters looked grim. A part of her wanted to defend Lydia, but she had a stronger feeling she should keep her tongue. Their mother came in and asked about Mr. Andrews. She was put out that he had not stayed for dinner, and admonished Kitty for not inviting him. She excused herself to her room. Once there, she snuggled into her bed and tried not the think about what was to come.