Forgive me for I have sin against all of you. I had three chapters already written and ready to go to this story and never posted them for 2 years. I am truly sorry. I will get them posted a few days apart from one another. Bless you all.
The ride to the Bates did not take him long. He strode into the house and sought out his friend. He found him in the study with his wife.
"Oliver, I did not think we would see you today. Catherine had word sent that she is unwell. Is everything alright?"
"No, everything is not alright. I do not understand her. Why do women have to be so complicated?"
Thomas burst out laughing.
"Thomas!" cried Julia.
"I'm sorry! It's just…" he stopped once he saw Oliver's perturbed expression. "Right. What's happened then?"
"Last night, at the Willard's she… she changed. Catherine was fine throughout dinner and when we parted ways, but sometime after we rejoined the ladies in the drawing room, she just changed. She wasn't smiling anymore, not a real one at least. It continued on even after we got home. This morning she told her maid that she was unwell. Apparently even you learned of it before I did. It wasn't until she didn't come to breakfast that I knew anything at all. I went to see her, and she refused to tell me anything. Insisted she wanted to be left alone."
He didn't see his friends exchange amused looks through his rant.
"Why won't she talk to me?" he asked, finally looking at them. When Thomas shrugged, he looked to Julia, who looked a little nervous. "You know something."
"I do not know what could have happened last evening to cause such a marked change in her."
"Then you know something else."
"I will not betray the confidence of my friend, Oliver. I will say only that she is unhappy."
"I can deduce that myself, thanks."
"Oliver," warned Thomas.
"How would you feel, Thomas, if Julia were upset over something and somebody knew why and refused to tell you?"
Thomas looked away. Julia seemed regretful but held firm. Oliver knelt before her. "Please, tell me something."
She softened. "Think back over everything that has happened since you first noticed any change in her."
He sat back and did as she asked. "We returned to Longbourn. She visited her family and friends. She wasn't entirely happy to be going back. We returned with her sisters…" He looked up. "Her sisters?"
She didn't say anything, simply nodding and prodding him on. "After the first few days, she began to spend most of her afternoons here. She's not happy her sisters are here?"
"Are you happy her sisters are here?" asked Thomas.
Oliver glared at him. "I invited them," he grit out, then he had a thought. "I invited them. I thought she cared for her sisters."
"She does care for her sisters, it's just… complicated," answered Julia.
"You won't tell me."
"No. You should wait to hear it from her yourself, but her sisters' presence in her home has not been easy for her."
He sat back silently and thought some more. It felt as though it should be obvious. His friends provided a little comfort before he finally took his leave. He rode at a steady lope on the way home. He had just settled himself in his own study when there was a knock at his door. He groaned and prepared himself.
"Enter." To his surprise, it was Miss Mary who entered.
"Mr. Andrews, I think I may know what is wrong with Kitty."
He invited her to sit and waited for her to start.
"Last night, as I was returning to the party, I found her standing outside the drawing room door. I was about to ask her to move so that I might enter the room when I heard Miss Willard… talking. She was saying very unpleasant things…"
"What was she saying?"
"She was curious as to why you would choose Kitty over our elder sisters." She wasn't looking at him anymore. "It's never been easy to be a part of our family, but it can be harder when you have no real place. Jane is the eldest and the pride of our family. She is beautiful and the one person, I think, that could ever be described as near perfect. Our father finds humor in and mocks everything and everyone, even Lizzy, but she is still his favorite. She is intelligent and everyone adores her happy disposition. Lydia is the youngest and, with Jane, is favorited by our mother. She can do little wrong in her eyes. Kitty and I, we have no real place. I don't care so much, but Kitty always has. Most of her escapades stemmed from her desire to be noticed. And it worked, though the attention she garnered was not ideal, in my opinion. It is a sensitive matter to her, and Miss Willard's words affected her deeply."
"Thank you, Miss Mary." She curtsied and let herself out.
Suddenly the pieces were falling into place. He should have been more aware. Despite their circumstances, she had been happy before he decided to take her home for Christmas so he could do damage control. He didn't think about how it had made her feel, or about how she felt about bringing her sisters back to Dalton. It was stressful on him, but he couldn't imagine how she felt. He, too, had suffered through his grandmother's accolades over the sisters, especially the eldest. How could he be so stupid?
It was the middle of February and Bingley wasn't supposed to arrive until the first week of March. As a plan began to form, he penned a letter to his friend, hurrying his arrival. Bingley's cover for visiting was that he was going to go visit relatives up north, which was somewhat true as Bingley was determined to marry Miss Bennet by this point, after Oliver's assurance that she did care for him, which would make him and Oliver family. When, and if, the event actually took place, anyway.
That done, he called for a footman and requested it be sent express. There was nothing he could do about the others. He couldn't very well send them all home; it would defeat the purpose of their being removed in the first place. Regardless of the repercussions, what was done was done.
Miss Elizabeth wouldn't be too difficult to sort. Once her eldest sister married, he did not see her wishing to remain. She would likely wish to return home, or perhaps see if her friend would still welcome her visit. No doubt should Miss Jane accept Bingley, Miss Elizabeth would join her sister at their earliest convenience.
Though her sisters had not noticed, Oliver had noted the regard Miss Mary held for the Viscount's nephew, Mr. Giles Greenway. His estate was located in Rutland. He was a friendly fellow, despite Oliver's dislike for his uncle. The one quality that turned most ladies away from him was his height. He was rather short, but Miss Mary did not seem deterred over it. In fact, she stood at his height. He would not say it out loud, but he thought they were a good fit with her serious demeanor and his cheerful disposition. In the whole of his acquaintance with her, Oliver had never seen Miss Mary blush as she did when Mr. Greenway complimented her.
For obvious reasons, Miss Lydia would need to remain. She was sullen and complained daily, but his grandmother was positive that she and Mrs. Smith's lessons were sinking in. It would not be good to uproot the girl and send her back into an environment that would allow her to run amuck once more. She would likely be worse than before in retaliation for her time spent in his home.
Suddenly, an idea came to him. Catherine had done very well, better than he had first thought she would. With only a few weeks' worth of lessons, she had managed very well among their neighbors; she could do just as well in London. That's what he would do, if she wanted: he would take her to Town. He knew she would want to be near for Julia's sake, but he doubted his friend's wife would begrudge Catherine time in Town. He would bring her back in May, months before the delivery, and he was sure they could find a nice selection of gifts for the new parents-to-be.
Once he got everything in order, it was time to ready for dinner. Tonight, they had no guests and no plans to dine outside of Dalton. He walked up to his room and knocked on the door joining his room to hers. When he received no answer, he entered anyway. He heard a groan from the bed but decided to ignore it. He opened her drapes once again, letting in the evening light.
"I know. I shall not take up much of your time. It has occurred to me that something has made you more than a little unhappy. After trying, and failing, to get information from Mrs. Bates, I returned here to mull over the facts that I had available to me. Then, your sister, Mary, decided she had some information she thought I should know."
"Mary should have kept her 'information' to herself!" she growled, pulling her head from beneath her pillow.
"She is only concerned for you. In any case, her words made me realize where I have erred. I have not taken your thoughts and feelings into consideration on the choices I have made… and I am sorry," he stated, watching as she slowly turned in her bed to look at him. "I remember how it was for you in your family home. I should have known having your sisters here would not be easy. As for Miss Willard, she is a self-seeking, vain girl who failed to gain my attention and now she is content to spread her poison to make herself feel better. Do not take anything she says to heart."
"But it was true. All of it. You would never have married me under any other circumstances. Any of my sisters would have made better choices, but instead, you are stuck with me," she whimpered. He could see tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"You did not choose me, either. I am sure you would have much rather have married one of the officers," he mused, before turning serious again. He brought a chair near her bed. "The manner in which we wed no longer matters. You are my wife, and I am your husband. Even if she were to learn the truth, it means nothing. It does not change what we are."
She looked so vulnerable. She was sitting up now, her gown sliding down her shoulder, drawing his eye. He cleared his throat and continued, hoping he was helping. "I am glad that I have gotten to know you, and I look forward learning more. I have sent an express to hopefully bring Bingley on quicker. He is most determined to marry your sister. Your father has already granted his permission for her to marry from here, if she wishes, and then they will return to Netherfield, should Miss Bennet still accept his suit. Once that is settled, I thought you and I would spend a few months in Town, just the two of us, if you wish."
"What about my sisters? We can't just leave them with Grandmother. It would be rude."
"Elizabeth received an invitation from Mrs. Collins, if you remember. If she likes, she can ride with us to Town, and then I shall see her to Kent myself. If she wishes to return to Dalton, I can make preparations for that as well, when her visit is done. Or she can return to Longbourn. If she wishes to stay at all, she is welcome. Grandmother has high hopes for Lydia. Sending her home now will cause more harm. Mary, I believe, may have made her own attachments here."
"What do you mean?"
He grinned at her. "Mary seems to enjoy the attentions of Mr. Greenway."
"Mr. Greenway?"
"Yes, keep your eye on them when he dines here tomorrow night. You will see. We will likely be leaving only two of your sisters in the care of my grandmother and Mrs. Smith. We will only be gone for two months."
"Then back here and on to Mr. Darcy's in July. Oh! We can't go then! Julia will be having her child at that time!"
"I am not so sure we will be visiting Darcy."
"Why ever not?"
"He did not inform me of the fact that Wickham was in Meryton. He knows the damage he could have caused, and he did nothing."
They were silent for a few minutes. Finally, she decided there needed to be a change in discussion. "I thought I wasn't ready for Town?"
"You weren't, but you have showed yourself to be a fast learner. You will do fine."
She nodded and looked away from him. He was about to dismiss himself when he heard her say softly, "My birthday is in March."
He looked at her, "Was I supposed to have known this?"
"No, I haven't said anything, and I doubt anyone else had thought to tell you."
"What day?"
"The eighteenth. I thought, if you wanted, you could use it as an excuse…"
"I do not need an excuse to take my wife on a trip, but I thank you anyway. Bingley should be here within the week, and I doubt he will take much time to propose. I can see him barreling in here and asking her on sight. He has been most eager to get here; it is only that his sisters are a bit determined to keep him separated from your sister."
"Why?"
He simply looked at her and she caught on. "He is coming regardless. He cares for your sister."
"That is good to hear."
"I shall let you know when he is to arrive."
"Oliver?" He turned towards her as he headed for his door. "Thank you, for planning a trip."
"It is my pleasure," he smiled.
Kitty laid back, suddenly feeling very silly. She had sulked all day in her room. There was a moment where she worried what he thought of her, but then she realized he had actively sought to make her feel better even though he had been angry with her earlier. She giggled. Her mother had never been so fortunate, that she knew of anyway. She sobered at the thought. She would not be like her mother, she promised herself. Perhaps it might be alright to have bad days, but she refused to let them be a daily, or even a weekly occurrence.
She silently thanked her friend for her silence, and even Mary for not doing so. Then she began to think about every encounter she could between her sister and Mr. Greenway. She was astonished that she had missed it, but then she had not been her usual self. Perhaps she would involve Grandmother. Surely, she would help Kitty in ascertaining and even securing the gentleman for her sister.