by Leenie Brown
“Miss Bennet.”
Kitty stopped and took a moment to affix a smile to her lips before turning toward Miss Bingley. “Good morning, Miss Bingley.” She looked past her to the two ladies who stood with her. They were the same two ladies who had been with her yesterday. Perhaps if she looked at them, Miss Bingley would remember to introduce them to her, although if they were friends of Miss Bingley, perhaps it was better if she did not know who they were.
“Miss Ivison, Miss Pearce, this is Miss Bennet. She is the sister of my brother’s wife.”
“Another Bennet,” said Miss Ivison. “There certainly are a lot of you.”
Her comment made all three ladies titter, and Kitty was now certain she did not wish to know any of them.
“There are five,” said Miss Bingley.
“Five?” Miss Ivison’s voice dripped with disapproval. “Are you all so daring as Lady Rycroft or Mrs. Darcy?”
Kitty did not miss the particular emphasis placed on the word daring. “Not Mrs. Bingley,” she replied with a smile. “And I do not think myself to be particularly daring, but I imagine Lydia does.” She spoke in what she thought was a way very similar to Lydia when she was attempting to shock someone into leaving her alone.
“Yes. Well,” said Miss Bingley, “it seems you shall have to find a new beau.”
“Pardon me? I do not understand your meaning,” said Kitty.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam,” said Miss Bingley. “It is in all the papers. Do you not read them?”
“I have not read it today,” said Kitty.
Miss Ivison made a show of shivering. “Were you on your way to the modiste shop again today?” she asked Kitty.
“I am.” A sense of dread began to settle in her stomach. It was obvious that these ladies were not about to leave her alone. For what purpose she did not know, but she suspected it was not a pleasant reason.
“Do you work there?” Miss Pearce, who had not spoken to this point, tipped her head and studied Kitty.
“No. My aunt is there. She and Mrs. Havelston are good friends. I was just getting some trim for my bonnet from the milliner.”
“Hmm,” said Miss Pearce. “I thought perhaps you might assist her ─ recording measurements, gathering material, drawing patterns.” She paused and raised a brow as if she knew something that Kitty did not before continuing. “Your mother is from trade, after all, so it must be in your blood.”
Kitty was at a loss for how to respond to such a comment.
“Then it is very good that the colonel is safe from her machinations.” Miss Ivison gave a small gasp and covered her mouth as if surprised by a thought, but her eyes said she was actually amused and not in the least shocked, as she feigned. “Although, some men do keep mistresses.”
“If you will excuse me,” said Kitty. “I find I have had enough of your insults.” She squared her shoulders and moved to leave, but Miss Bingley stopped her.
“Ah, there he is with his mother. I wonder if she is helping him purchase something particular for his bride.”
“His bride?” asked Kitty.
“Yes, Miss de Bourgh. It was in all the papers, remember? Oh, no, I had forgotten you have not read it yet.” She released Kitty’s arm and smiled smugly at Kitty’s look of shock.
“Excuse me,” Kitty blinked against the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. It could not be true. It simply could not be. She walked as quickly as she could toward Mrs. Havelston’s shop. He had promised to marry her. He could not be promised to another. He just could not be.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Did you tell him?” Richard stepped between his mother and her carriage as she exited the modiste shop.
“Good morning.” Lady Matlock attempted to step around him, but he would not allow it. “Have you forgotten all your manners after so few days living with the lower class?”
“It is not a good morning,” he growled, “and I wish to know if you are responsible for it or not.”
Lady Matlock waved away the footman who had stepped up next to her. “I have no idea of what you speak.”
Richard’s laugh was bitter and cold. “You very well know of what I am speaking. You do not go a day without checking to see who has been engaged to whom. It is nearly as important as your first cup of tea.” He held the paper out to her. “After I spoke to you yesterday, did you tell him of my decision?”
She pushed the paper away. “I told no one of our meeting. No one.” She tugged nervously at a glove. “He submitted that before I arrived home.”
Richard turned from her and threw his hands in the air in disgust. “He could not give me two weeks?”
“He knew you would not accept.” She placed a hand on his back. “We all ─ ” She stopped as she saw that they were drawing a crowd.
“Is it true?” Kitty stopped in front of Richard. Her lips trembled slightly, and her head spun, but she knew she must have the truth. “Are you…” She swallowed and shook her head to try to keep control of her emotions. “Are you promised to another?”
Richard placed a hand on her arm, but she drew away. He looked to his mother and then back at her. “I am not, but the papers say I am.”
Kitty pulled her lips between her teeth and bit on them to keep them from quivering as she nodded and a tear slid down her cheek. “If it is in the paper,” she said in a quiet trembling voice, “then it is as good as done.”
“Katherine…”
She shook her head. “I will not hold you to your promise to me. You must do what is expected.” The tears flowed freely down her cheeks now. “Is it not enough to cast your child aside?” She looked past Richard to Lady Matlock. “Must you also require he sacrifice his heart?” Her chest grew tight and drawing a breath became laboured. She placed a hand on Richard’s arm. “You will always have mine.” Her voice was no more than a whisper. She withdrew her hand and stepped past him toward the shop. It was only a few steps, and then she could give way entirely to her emotions. She only had to take a few steps. Her mind told her body to move, but it would not cooperate properly. Her legs wobbled and her eyesight grew dark.
“Katherine!” Richard shoved past his mother and caught her before she hit the ground but not before her head had made contact with the edge of the doorframe. He looked at Miss Bingley. “Hold the door,” he barked out the command as if she were one of his recruits. And just as if she were one of his men, she jumped and did as instructed. “We need cloth, Mrs. Havelston. Quickly.” He had seen blood before, many times, but to see the trickle of blood running down her white face, made his stomach roil.
“Sit down, Colonel,” said Mrs. Gardiner. “As soon as we have a dressing on her forehead, you may place her in my carriage. It is out front.” Her voice was soft and soothing. Her touch on his arm as she led him to a chair was light.
“Oh, my, my,” said Mrs. Havelston as she brought some cloth and placed it on Kitty’s forehead. “She will need a stitch or two, to be sure,” she said to Mrs. Gardiner. “What happened?” she asked Richard.
Lady Matlock stepped forward. “She received some distressing news.” She could not resist the urge to remove Richard’s hat and run her hand through her son’s hair in an attempt to sooth him. She had not seen him so close to tears since he was a child. She handed the paper Richard had dropped, and she had retrieved, to Mrs. Gardiner. “There seems to be a mistaken announcement.”
Richard’s brows furrowed and his head snapped toward her. She placed her hand on his shoulder and shrugged. “I am your mother. I cannot ask you to sacrifice your heart.”
“But Father…”
“We will see what can be done,” she murmured. “I make no promises other than my support.”
He nodded and shifted Kitty slightly in his arms as Mrs. Havelston finished the job, which the door frame had started, of removing Kitty’s bonnet.
“Did she see the paper?” asked Mrs. Gardiner.
“I do not believe she did,” said Lady Matlock slowly, “She asked if it was true
, but did not seem to know what was said in the paper.”
“Then how did she hear?” Mrs. Gardiner tilted her head and looked at the three ladies who stood near the door.
“We have an appointment with Mrs. Havelston,” said Miss Ivison.
“Oh, my, I cannot think to keep an appointment at a time like this. Miss Kitty is like family, you see.” She looked behind her to her assistant. “Miss Mallory, would you be so kind as to take these ladies’ measurements and record their selections? Perhaps one of them could write for you while you work with the others.” She added another cloth to the wound on Kitty’s forehead. “I would not ask it of my clients,” she explained, “but it is the only way I will be able to keep your appointment. However, if you prefer another day, that can be arranged.”
Miss Ivison huffed. “You would cancel an appointment for someone like her?”
Mrs. Havelston straightened and turn to face Miss Ivison. “I have already informed you that Miss Kitty is like family.”
Miss Ivison shook her head and lifted her chin a bit higher. “She is nothing but a poor country miss who sells you drawings.”
“I beg your pardon?” said Mrs. Havelston, her hands resting on her hips and her features set in a grim expression of displeasure.
“There was a slip of paper in the pile which scattered the other day that had her name on it.” Miss Ivison lifted her chin, a smug look of satisfaction on her face. “She is your new designer.” Her tone was mocking. “A gentleman’s daughter who has lowered herself to work in trade and hoped to persuade the son of an earl to marry her. I am surprised she did not affect a compromise as her sisters have done to snare their husbands.”
Mrs. Gardiner gasped and covered her mouth with her hand while Mrs. Halveston’s eyes narrowed and with a slight flip of her head, turned away from Miss Ivison indicating they had nothing further about which to speak.
Lady Matlock inhaled sharply at such a spiteful speech. She looked down at the young lady that her son held tightly. “She is your designer?” she asked Mrs. Havelston as she tilted her head to better study Kitty’s features. She was beautiful even now and had presented herself as more of a lady than the one who had just spoken.
“That I cannot say, my lady,” replied Mrs. Havelston. “But what I can say is that these ladies, Miss Mallory, are never to have an appointment with me. Not today, not ever.”
Miss Ivison laughed. “I should think twice before denying our business. My father and the fathers of my friends are men of means.”
“Your money is not needed. Be on your way.” Mrs. Havelston turned back to tending Kitty’s wound, which had slowed its bleeding.
With a huff, Miss Ivison, Miss Pearce, and Miss Bingley turned to leave just as the door opened, and Darcy stepped into the shop.
“Hold the door, sir,” said Mrs. Havelston. “Colonel, if you will?” She motioned for Richard to carry Kitty out of the shop. “We had best be getting her to her aunt’s house.”
Kitty groaned and her eyes fluttered open for a moment when Richard stood. “Shh,” he said, kissing her gently on the forehead. He held her more firmly as he carried her to the carriage. Then, with a sigh of regret and another kiss to her forehead, he placed her gently next to her aunt and closed the carriage door. His shoulders sagged as he watched the vehicle move slowly down the road.
“Such theatrics,” said Miss Ivison as she passed him, “Swooning over a bit of news. Indeed!”
“Not unlike her sisters in her attempts to find herself in some gentleman’s arms,” said Miss Bingley.
Richard’s hands clenched at his side, and he spun toward them. “You boorish, babbling harpies, if she does not recover, I shall personally see to your ruin.” He stepped closer and lowered his voice to a growl. “I promise, there shall not be a place left in polite society which will accept you.” He began to turn away, but thought better of it, and added, “And should I hear that you were the cause of her distress, I may ruin you anyway. Therefore, I would advise you take the first offer of marriage you receive ─ if you receive any ─ for it may be your last.”
Miss Ivison was, of course, the first to find her voice, “Colonel,” she began in a saccharine tone.
“Don’t,” he cut her off, “You are no longer welcome to speak to me, and I most certainly do not wish to speak to you.” He turned and walked away, leaving the three ladies red-faced with their mouth’s hanging open. He would have walked right past his cousin and his mother had Darcy not stopped him.
“What happened?” Darcy asked.
“I do not wish to speak of it just yet,” said Richard. “I need to expend some energy, or we shall both suffer from my current state of mind.”
“We are meeting at Rycroft Place,” said Darcy.
Richard nodded. “I will be there.”
“You are going to walk the distance?” asked his mother. “The wind is cold.”
He shrugged. “I may see if I can get a hack along the way.”
She sighed. “Where do you board? I can have my carriage meet you there.”
He shook his head. “I do not wish for you to know.”
“I will not tell your father,” she said in exasperation.
“It is best if you do not need to keep it from him,” said Richard softly.
“Darcy,” she turned to him with a look that implored him to do something.
“I know where it is. I will meet you there, Richard.”
“Thank you,” said his aunt. “I am not as evil as you all might think.”
“I do not think you are evil,” said Richard. “You are too bound by society and my father, but you are not evil.” He turned away and then back. “It is what made my decision so difficult. It is why I have tolerated my father’s demands for as long as I have. I know what you expect of your sons, and I have no desire to disappoint you, but I cannot do what he asks. I cannot.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “And now, I do not know how to avoid it.” In all honesty, he wished to sink to the ground and hold his head in his hands. He knew that to break an engagement, whether he had willingly entered it or been duped into it, was no small matter and would not be tolerated by either his father or Lady Catherine. There would be penalties which would have to be paid, penalties, which were, no doubt, calculated to make his breaking the engagement an impossibility.
“That is why we are meeting,” said Darcy with a sidelong glance at his aunt. “There must be something that can be done.”
“Do I wish to know who is included in this we?” Lady Matlock asked.
“Rycroft and his wife, myself and my wife, Lady Sophia, Admiral Fitzwilliam, and Richard.”
Lady Matlock’s brows rose as he listed the names of Lord Matlock’s brother and sister. “So nearly the whole family is against him?”
“That is all for the present,” said Darcy.
“There will be more?” Her hand flew to her chest and her eyes grew large.
“I may not have a title, aunt, but I am not without my sphere of influence. I do not know how the others will proceed, but I will do all that is in my power to support Richard. You know he has always been like a brother to me, and he is Georgiana’s guardian. I hope you understand I cannot allow him to be harmed any more than I could allow it to happen to my wife or my sister.” He smiled sadly at his aunt. “And whether you and my uncle are happy about the fact or not, Miss Bennet is now my sister.”
Lady Matlock sighed. “I have told Richard that I will give him my support where I am able, so, if I can be of assistance, please, let me know.”
Darcy looked at her in surprise. “You will support him?”
“He is my son, and I cannot bear to see him in pain as I saw today.” She motioned toward Richard’s retreating form. “Save for when your mother and father died, my son has not cried since he was ten, at least not that anyone has seen. However, he sat amongst a group of women less than half an hour ago with tears in his eyes.” She briefly explained all that had happened prior to Darcy’s arrival at the
modiste shop. “He loves her too greatly. How can I be a party to such hurt?”
Darcy stared at the door to Mrs. Havelston’s shop for a moment. “She sold the designs for him,” he said softly. “No one is supposed to know of the arrangement, so I am telling you in strictest confidence.” He sighed. “And I do it only because I know that Miss Bingley and her friends will use the information whether it is true or not to disparage Miss Bennet.”
“What do you mean, she sold them for him?”
“She wished for me to invest the money she made from her sales in hopes that someday, she might have enough to help him do what he loves, and perhaps with any luck, he might still be free to marry her.”
“But that would take years, would it not?” asked his aunt in surprise.
Darcy nodded and motioned to Lady Matlock’s carriage. “It is time I go collect Richard.”
She took his proffered arm. “Surely she would marry and the plan would come to naught. I cannot believe a husband would allow his wife to continue saving money for another man.”
“She did not plan to marry if she could not marry Richard,” he said as he handed her into the carriage.
“But she is so young,” protested Lady Matlock.
“And so very much in love,” countered Darcy. “So very much in love,” he repeated as he closed the door.
Chapter 7
Mrs. Gardiner placed her tray on the table next to Kitty’s bed and pulled a chair close. The surgeon had come, stitched up the wound, and left, yet Kitty had not woken. She sighed and placed a hand on her niece’s cheek. “Kitty, Kitty, dear. I have some broth. You need to wake up.” She brushed her thumb gently along the bruise that was forming just below the corner of Kitty’s left eye. The action elicited a soft groan from Kitty but no further response. Mrs. Gardiner removed her hand from her niece’s cheek and taking her hand, settled back in her chair to watch.
The door opened slowly, and Elizabeth and Mary slipped quietly into the room.
“How is she?” asked Elizabeth. “Mr. Darcy told us of her fall.”
Her aunt sighed and rose, motioning for Mary and Elizabeth to follow her to the opposite side of the room. “Did he tell you about what happened before she fell?” She spoke in a hushed tone.