Her Summer at Pemberley

by Sallianne Hines

  Lizzy’s face was filled with love as the carriage made for the breakfast at the great house.

  “No one could wish for a finer husband than you.”

  Kitty’s thoughts were on Andrew. She knew not if she was angry or relieved.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  For a few moments there was no sound but the clattering of carriage wheels.

  Kitty felt Lizzy’s eyes on her but she avoided her sister’s gaze.

  Lizzy spoke first. “What a charming ceremony. Matilda is young but seems quite sure of what she wants. And her groom is certainly enamored of her.”

  “Matilda is not so young, Lizzy,” Kitty said. “She is but one year my junior. Lydia was sixteen when she married …” At Darcy’s quick look, Kitty left the other name unspoken.

  Darcy’s voice was vehement. “Your sister may have had a wedding, but it will be no marriage of minds or hearts,” he snorted. “These two today appear to have a connection of the heart, and they certainly have the support of both families.” He frowned. “Age alone does not make a good marriage. The gentleman in Lydia’s case will never be old enough for anything as rational as marriage.”

  Lizzy patted his hand.

  “There is always hope,” Lizzy said. “People do change, as you know.”

  Kitty stared out at the rocky scenery and thought how some change without a hint. Her mind’s eye stubbornly dwelt on the vision of Andrew’s smiling countenance as he escorted his lady from the chapel.

  “I wonder when Mr. Andrew returned?” Lizzy asked no one in particular. “I don’t recall any discussion of him traveling here, and it is quite a long distance.”

  “It is a long distance,” Darcy replied. “And who,” he said with a quick look at Kitty, “is the young lady he escorts?”

  Kitty scowled and set her jaw.

  “Do not look to me. I know nothing.” She could not bear to face either of them, conscious that they both thought she had set her cap at Andrew from the very beginning of her visit.

  The carriage pulled into the sweep and Kitty tried to reorder her scattered thoughts. Her main goal was to find Julia. She gave Darcy a brief smile as he handed her out. Spying Julia leading her younger sisters towards the house, Kitty made for there herself.

  “Miss Bennet.” The voice caught her completely off-guard.

  She started, then whirled around to find herself face to face with Andrew—and the lady with the large brown eyes.

  Kitty’s voice faltered but she managed to say, “Mr. Stapleton,” and drop a curtsey. The hammering of her own heart filled her ears. She strained to hear his words.

  “Miss Bennet, how wonderful to see you again. We arrived just last night.” He bowed. “May I present Anna Stapleton, my wife? Anna, this is Miss Catherine Bennet, sister to Mrs. Darcy.”

  Anna. Was that the name he had spoken before he left? So Anna and Scotland had won out. And what of Swan’s Nest?

  Kitty forced a smile. “Welcome to Derbyshire Mrs. Stapleton, though I am but a guest here myself.”

  “How nice to meet you, Miss Bennet. Andrew has told me so much about you, and his family, and everyone hereabouts.”

  “And how long shall you stay?” Kitty asked, hoping they would leave sooner than later.

  Andrew replied, “Our plans are not firmly set. I had a letter from Julia that distressed me. I hoped you and I might discuss it? I am worried.”

  Kitty merely nodded, unsure how much he had told his new wife about his sister’s situation.

  “Ah, here is Julia now,” he said. “I see you got the younger ones settled. You are very good to do that so Mother and Father are free to spend as much time as possible with Matilda. When do the newlyweds leave?”

  Julia stared at him, confounded by so many comments and questions at once.

  “Hello, Anna. Kitty. The newlyweds leave three days hence for Oakhurst with his brothers and the mares. After a rest, they will travel to the seaside for their wedding tour. Then they shall settle in Reading, where William’s legal practice is located.”

  “So much traveling and change,” Kitty observed.

  Andrew laughed. “It is. But I believe Matilda is in great anticipation of both. She is ready for a different life.”

  Julia glanced sidelong at Kitty. “Georgiana has been asking for you. Come. Let us find her. Pray, excuse us.”

  As they walked away, Kitty whispered, “Thank you. I suspect I have discovered what you were trying to tell me.”

  “I am sorry. It must have been such a shock. It was so for all of us. We had no word he was coming until early yesterday afternoon when a messenger arrived. We did not know about … her … until he helped her out of the coach. Papa and Mama were quite shocked. I think everyone hereabouts had expected that you and he … well, there had seemed to be an attraction … but, oh, Kitty are you quite heartbroken?” She looked at Kitty intensely. “I did think, over the past few months, that your fancy might have turned in another direction?”

  “Julia! You are a shrewd friend indeed. Wait … are we really going to find Georgiana? Or was that a ruse?”

  Julia laughed.

  It was a relief to see Julia’s countenance untroubled.

  “Now you are the shrewd friend, Kitty! Let us take that path along the pond so we are not disturbed. We haven’t long before the breakfast but we shall make of it what we can.”

  They walked a few steps in silence. Then Julia said, “Andrew did pull me aside briefly when he arrived to ask how you might take his news.”

  Kitty looked at her but said nothing.

  “I told him I knew not, but that I was greatly shocked myself. He seemed disturbed by that, as he should be.” After a few more steps, she said, “May I ask if he left you with an understanding? I hope my own brother is not a scoundrel.”

  Kitty sighed. “Sometimes I thought he had nearly made me an offer. And he had confided concerns to me about how his profession might mesh with being master of Swan’s Nest; but there was no understanding. Not really. Swan’s Nest has no shadow cast on it, though my heart may have.”

  “And, Julia, your observations are … not far off. Have others noticed? Andrew did capture my attention from the very start—how could he not!—yet somehow my heart remained untouched. I cannot explain it. I did still have some hope of things working out between us, but I am not sure why. We spent little time in each other’s company. I do not really know him.”

  “And you have been thrown together a good deal with another young man of our acquaintance. One with whom you have the powerful bond of a shared interest.”

  Kitty blushed.

  “Do not worry. It is not apparent unless someone watches you closely and knows you as I do. Even Georgiana may not be aware of it, she is so much in love herself.”

  Julia glanced back. The last of the wedding guests were going indoors.

  “Make haste. We must not hinder the breakfast.”

  Kitty hurried alongside her friend. She hoped they would have time to talk later about Julia’s concerns—and specifically about Douglas.

  ≈

  The wedding breakfast was lively—which was no surprise to anyone—and the merriment went on for some time. Even the dampness and heat could not inhibit the spirit of joy present in the uniting of the happy couple, and the connection now made between the Darcy and Stapleton families, however far removed.

  When some of the well-wishers spilled into the wooded area for fresh air and shade, Kitty was amongst them. To her surprise Andrew followed her, carrying two glasses of wine.

  “Miss Bennet, perhaps we can talk now? There are two things that concern me greatly. Talking with such a steady friend as you would greatly ease my mind. May I join you?”

  Kitty was seated on a rustic bench in the shade of a large cedar. She slid over. “How can I deny such a flattering request?”

  His eyes darted to her face, which she hoped was formed into just the kind of mask she had seen Lizzy assume in situations where anger or strong sarcas
m might be felt but be inappropriate to express.

  Here was the same charming Andrew with whom she had enjoyed conversations and flirtations in the past. But now, beneath the captivating surface, she saw a level of self-involvement not previously discerned. He was pleasing to be around. Had he been flattering her for his own amusement? Not as obviously as Christopher Drake had done on first meeting her, but she now sensed a similarity in their characters that had escaped her before.

  “My first concern is for you, Miss Bennet, and how I may have set up expectations or hopes by my careless and self-centered comments to you when last we met.”

  “What can you mean, Mr. Stapleton?”

  He gave her a speaking look. “I mean that everyone hereabouts, and perhaps you too, expected me to offer for you. I may not have made my meaning clear,” he said, with a frown.

  “As I remember our last conversation, you sought advice on how to combine your interest in science with your inheritance of Swan’s Nest. Or does my memory fail me?”

  He blinked a few times and looked away. Then, with his eyes on the ground he said, “No, Miss Bennet, your memory serves you perfectly. It is true. I was floundering. And in you I felt such stability and objectivity that, well, I could not help confiding in you. It was wrong of me to do so, to assume so much, and I apologize. I thought only of myself. I do not deserve to be called a gentleman!” He swallowed his wine and stared at the ground.

  After a minute or two of silence, Kitty ventured, “And your second concern, Mr. Stapleton. Might you enlighten me? I know not how much time we shall have.”

  He glanced around. “Very well. My second concern is Julia. I am sure you are apprised of the whole of her history with Douglas. My father reports he remains paralyzed and is angry and bitter. I have seen his anger. Julia remains true to him, and says he needs her love to heal.”

  “And do you agree?”

  “Hogwash!” He punched his fist into his thigh. “He needs her money, not her love. He’s a cawker and a lobcock. He has asked her to marry him, and is quite preoccupied with the amount of her dowry. I cannot like the situation at all, Miss Bennet. I believe he still gambles and remains involved with unsavory sorts, though I know not how. Blast! He does not woo her for love. But she cannot see it.”

  He turned to Kitty, his eyes full of what appeared to be genuine concern.

  “What do you know of it all, Miss Bennet? What can I do that might help my sister? I have told Anna some of this, and she is most willing for Julia to come live with us until I am sent to the north of Scotland on an expedition. Would a few months away be time enough for Julia to see her predicament more clearly, do you think?”

  Kitty sighed. “Mr. Stapleton, this is a great deal for me to take in at once. First, your concern for your sister causes my heart to be less inclined to give you a set-down for your own missteps with me. Second, I share your concern for Julia, as others do. However, since we returned from our journey south, Julia and I have not spent much time together, by her choice. Today is the first time I have seen her smile in weeks. Certainly I cannot speak for her. Perhaps she does not wish to detach herself. Does your father have an opinion?”

  “I have not spoken to him of my desire to take Julia north. But he clearly has no intention of approving a marriage with the present state of things.”

  “If she will not go north, then nothing more can be done at present, Mr. Stapleton.”

  “But if they were to elope? I fear it greatly.”

  Kitty thought a moment. “Would the squire bestow a dowry in that case? The excitement of Matilda’s wedding will be soon concluded. Perhaps in a few days’ time something will change. How long will you and your wife be here?”

  “We plan to say our farewells to Matilda and William when they leave, and our own farewells the day following if the weather agrees.”

  “Then let us hope I have more time to speak with Julia before you depart.”

  Julia and Anna approached. Julia carried her sketchbook.

  When they joined the pair on the bench, Kitty said, “Andrew, have you seen your sister’s great artistry?”

  “I have not. I am sure Anna will also enjoy it.”

  Julia handed the sketchbook to her brother and said, “Please select one sketch as my wedding gift to you both. You will have a reminder of me whilst you are far away.”

  “Miss Stapleton, that is most generous of you,” Anna said. “I am touched by such a personal gift.”

  The four spent some time paging through the landscape sketches until a scene was chosen. Julia did not show the sketches she had made of Douglas.

  Kitty then looked around the group with a gleam in her eye.

  “Mr. Stapleton, you have given me a gift as well, for which I owe you much gratitude, perhaps even my life.” Kitty laughed as three sets of puzzled eyes turned on her.

  “What you taught me about the moss—do you recall? That it grows mostly on the north side of trees. Surely Providence brought that memory to me in my time of need and prevented me wandering deeper into the famous Windsor Forest. Knowing about moss saved me. I was able to meet my rescuers with no real harm done.” She proceeded to tell them more of the tale.

  “Miss Bennet, you are an amazing young woman!” Andrew exclaimed.

  “How brave you are,” Anna said. “I am sure I should have sat down and wept in despair.”

  Julia’s eyes were bright. She said, “I did not hear that part of the story before, Kitty. Pray, do tell my brother about Princess Charlotte now.”

  The rest of the celebration passed in pleasant conversation. Andrew now assumed a different position in Kitty’s life. Her anger dissipated and she felt remarkably at peace.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  During the hottest weather Kitty had taken to hacking out before breakfast, often with Fitzwilliam. But the day after Matilda’s wedding he was unavailable so Johnny rode with her instead. The morning was windless under an overcast sky. The smallest noise carried through the dull air. Kitty and Johnny made their way along the edge of a bluff and were beginning their descent to the forest floor by way of a winding path when Cara’s ears pricked up. Kitty checked the mare.

  It was a carriage. Travelers were few on this road—it was only known by local people for the most part. Johnny reined in, and from their position in the trees they watched below.

  Curiously, the carriage slowed, pulled to the side of the road, and stopped. Then, even more peculiar, a man leading a horse emerged from the woods below.

  Kitty stifled a gasp. It was George Cressley. He looked up at the hill they were poised upon. Their movement must have been heard. Just then a doe and fawn leapt from the bushes below and ran across the road and up the next hill. She looked at Johnny.

  His eyes twinkled with amusement at the lucky coincidence.

  She pointed at the carriage, wondering whose it was.

  Her jaw dropt when he mouthed back, ‘Wyndham.’

  They strained to catch snippets of conversation and watched as George handed an envelope and small package to the person in the carriage. Then George saluted and mounted his horse. As he rode off to the south, the recipient thrust his head out the window—Douglas Wyndham. After a round of maniacal laughter he hollered, “Drive on!” and the coach sped away.

  Kitty turned this over in her mind.

  “Johnny, could you see … was there anyone else in the carriage?”

  “Sorry, Miss, I could not see.”

  “Whatever would Mr. Douglas be doing out here? And meeting with Mr. George?”

  “’Twas the Wyndham carriage, Miss, that I am sure. And their own horses in harness.”

  “This is all too strange. I must consult with Mr. Darcy. Let us return at once.” She urged Cara down the path.

  “Aye, but if I may,” Johnny said, with some hesitation, “Mr. Darcy will not return from the north village until later today. Told us so himself early this morning. We are to have the coach ready for a dinner visit to Greystone at seven o’cloc
k.”

  “Oh, yes, I had quite forgotten. We are for the Wyndham’s this evening. Mr. Christopher and his bride have returned from their wedding tour so this will be our bridal call. Well, perhaps I can inform Fitzwilliam before we leave. He may know a logical explanation for what we have seen, but it is most unusual.”

  The air grew closer as they rode the lower path back.

  “These clouds are full of rain,” Kitty observed. “The air is so stifling I can hardly breathe. We shall walk the horses back.”

  Johnny scanned the heavy clouds above them.

  “A storm would be a relief indeed.”

  ≈

  Upon her return, Kitty tried to put the troubling scene aside and concentrate on her daily tasks. Georgiana’s master had come early for her lesson and the tones of the pianoforte drifted from the music room. Georgiana always practiced for some time after he left. Kitty joined Lizzy in the drawing room where they both worked at their stitching. Kitty was knitting trim to a cap for the baby. Lizzy was embroidering the Darcy monogram onto some soft baby blankets. They worked mostly in silence. Kitty longed to tell Lizzy what she had seen but did not wish to upset her sister in any way. The little talk they had centered on the two babies expected in the neighborhood. Kitty dared not speak of the possibility of a third.

  Georgiana joined them for tea. All were looking forward to hearing about Christopher’s and Lucy’s journey to the Lakes. Georgiana was pleased she would see Benjamin again at dinner, though he called at Pemberley nearly every day. Both had abandoned efforts to conceal their mutual interest.

  “Which gown shall you wear tonight, Kitty?” Georgiana asked, taking another bite of lemon pound cake.

  “The day is warm and like to continue so unless a storm breaks,” Kitty remarked. “Would silk be required, or could I wear my sprigged muslin with the blue trim? I believe the muslin will be more comfortable in this heat.”

  Lizzy spoke. “That should do very well, Kitty. Georgiana?”

  “I, too, will wear a sprigged muslin. The peach, I think. And what of you, Lizzy?”