by Wells, Linda
Sophie studied him staring down at his boots. “Why would you tell me this?”
“Because I … I have never wanted to approach a father to ask for permission to court a daughter before.” He looked up to her.
“Oh!” She whispered. “But you are leaving. And … you live in a barracks so far away. How could this possibly work?”
“Answer me this.” Richard looked at her very seriously. “Would you want to make the attempt? Despite the endless strikes against me? If I was the local earl’s son and I was stationed nearby, if I could find a home away from the barracks? Would you want to meet me?”
“Yes … you may have many strikes against you, but they are matters of location. You have never had a reason to live beyond the barracks, have you? You have shown me aspects of your personality that are very pleasing.” Sophie saw his cheeks pinking and she had an overwhelming desire to hug him.
“I cannot fathom what I have done to please you.” He shook his head and laughed when he saw her wide smile. “I really cannot delay my departure. However … if you are willing to wait a little while, I promise that I will return as soon as I can. I should not consider speaking of such things so soon after meeting you, but I … I do not want to risk losing this chance to know you.”
“Colonel, my brothers tease me regularly of being a spinster, I hardly have a line of suitors at my door.”
Her assurance helped Richard find his feet again. “So you will wait for me because you have nobody better to occupy your time?”
“I suppose that is about the size of it, sir.” Sophie laughed and he did as well.
“That was incredibly uncomfortable. I am no good with this … talking business.”
“You are a man of action?”
“I would prefer to demonstrate my feelings rather than speak of them.”
“Which is why your cousin glares when you embrace Mrs. Darcy.”
“Darcy would glare at a kitten that curled in her lap.” They looked at each other and he smiled. “Thank you for accepting me.”
Sophie immediately objected, “I have not accepted you, sir!”
“You have agreed to tolerate me, then.” Richard grinned, “And obviously I have agreed to the same for you, otherwise I would not make such an effort to see you again.”
“I suppose that I should be grateful now?”
He puffed his chest. “Of course, I may very well be your rescue from spinsterhood.”
“To go live in a barracks over a stable.”
“It is not quite so bad as that. The stables are in a different building, and if the wind is blowing correctly, you would never know they were there.” He winked when she sighed. “Have you been to Hyde Park?”
“I have never been to London.” Richard stared and she became defensive, “Well … have you been to Edinburgh?”
“Naturally.”
“Naturally.” She sighed.
“This is not a competition, Miss Kelly. You simply have lacked the opportunity.”
“A competition? With my sister?” Robert entered the room and smiled as he fussed with the cuffs on Darcy’s enormous shirt. “You had better have a prize for her at the end.”
“Oh, now that just makes me sound so awful!” Sophie cried. “Tell him what I always ask for as my prize, go on, Robert!”
“A purse, I am afraid.” He shook his head sadly. “She wants money.”
“I do not!” Sophie’s head swung from her brother to Richard and back again.
Richard crossed his arms and looked at her speculatively then asked Robert, “Jewels, then?”
Sophie gasped, “No!”
“I was not speaking to you.” Richard raised his brows. “Sir?”
“Only the best, she sneers if they are not diamonds and rubies.” Robert grinned.
Richard stroked his chin. “Hmm, what a shame, all I have are emeralds, and they would go so well with her eyes. Ah well …”
“Are you two finished?” She glared. “If you are not, I will start walking home.”
“Without saying farewell to your hosts?” Richard tsked.
“Chocolate.” Robert smiled and nudged his angry sister. “She demands a cup of chocolate whenever she wins.”
“ahhh.” Richard laughed. “So, an affordable loss.”
“I have had enough of the both of you.” She went to stand at the window with her arms crossed. Richard immediately stood and nearly ran into Robert who was moving to apologize. The two men looked at each other and sighing, Richard stepped away. Sophie watched the two of them in the window’s reflection and felt a flutter in her heart with the evidence of Richard’s concern.
Elizabeth watched from the doorway and looking at the men with no small amount of disdain, she went to the window and gave Sophie a hug. “What have they done?”
“Been themselves, I am afraid.”
“Colonel.”
“Uh-oh.” Richard sighed.
“She stopped using your name, you are in trouble.” Darcy laughed. “Give him what-for, Lizzy!”
“I was going to suggest that he refine his courting skills.”
“What courting skills?” Richard and Darcy said at once and looked at each other, one with a grin and the other with a frown. “Do not worry Cousin; I shall give you a primer before you depart.”
“You?” Elizabeth laughed. “Oh, and you are such an expert, Mr. Darcy! I did not know that I was being courted at all!”
“Sly, was I not?” Darcy lifted his chin proudly.
“Oh heavens.” Elizabeth groaned.
“I did win you in the end.” He pointed at the ring on his hand.
“Because you gave me no choice!”
“I …” He watched one of her brows rise challengingly as her arms crossed her chest. “You certainly did not seem to mind it at the time.” His eyes twinkled. Elizabeth’s arms dropped down and her hands started to smooth her skirt. “As I recall, you were most receptive …”
“Hush.” She whispered and kept working at her skirt.
“This is when he pulled you from your chair and proposed?” Sophie asked as Elizabeth’s face blushed.
“Did I mention that he kissed her, too?” Richard laughed when Elizabeth’s blush deepened. “I wish I had been witness to that.”
“I am glad that you were not.” Darcy said looking to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth read Darcy’s expression, and turned to their cousin, “Colonel Fitzwilliam, keep in mind that I am the conduit to Miss Kelly while you are away.” She looked at him pointedly. “Watch yourself.” Smiling at Sophie, she linked arms with her. “I believe that breakfast is laid out, shall we?” Passing the men the ladies left without so much as a backwards glance.
Darcy smiled and looked at Richard and Robert. “Well, at least I know how to make up to my lady, and what a pleasure it will be.”
“You are very unappealing when you are smug, Darcy.” Richard growled.
Robert looked after the ladies thoughtfully, “Maybe we can stop at the chocolate shop on the way home …”
“And what does that leave me?” Richard demanded. The two men shrugged and he thought hard. “Ah, I know.” Walking past them, he headed for the door. “I will apologize.”
“The direct approach. Well done, Cousin.” Darcy clapped his hand on Richard’s shoulder. “Well done!”
“THEY ARE AT BREAKFAST, Miss Cargill, and I believe that the Kellys will leave directly for home when they are finished.” Jennifer said to Georgiana as she made up the bed. “And then you will be free again.”
“I am such a coward; I should have gone out and met them.” Georgiana watched her smoothing over the covers. “But I do not want to have the whole neighbourhood know, after all Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth would have to bear the disdain, even if I never left the estate.”
“That is true.” Amy said as she pulled out the ashes from the fireplace. “The family will hear what a terrible person you are and then the women will go after your mother for not teaching you properly, a
nd your father will be embarrassed to admit he sired you and send you away.”
Georgiana’s eyes widened and she looked at Jennifer. The lady’s maid turned and addressed the girl kneeling on the floor. “Are you speaking of Miss Cargill, Amy?”
“Oh.” The girl’s face coloured. “Oh, I am sorry, Miss!”
“Do you know someone who was thrown from their home?” Georgiana asked. Amy nodded and her eyes brightening, she turned back to her work. “Who?”
“I was, Miss. I got with child when I was fourteen. I didn’t believe it was true for a long time, and then I tried to hide it, but I am so thin that …” She shrugged. “Mama cried and cried, and Papa was so angry. He wanted to know who done it to me, so he could make us marry, but I knew he was going to kill him instead. When I wouldn’t tell, he threw me out so my sisters wouldn’t have to bear my shame. But people found out anyway.”
“Where did you go?” Georgiana whispered.
“Papa dropped me off at the workhouse in the next county, none of our relatives wanted me.” She glanced at them and back to her work. “I stayed long enough to have the baby. It was horrible there, so after the baby died, I ran off. Mrs. Duncan found me rooting for food in the village and brought me here to work. I had never been a servant before. Papa is a farmer and I thought I would marry someone like him. Mrs. Shaw was so angry with Mrs. Duncan, but she didn’t care. After a year or so, I guess I proved myself to Mrs. Shaw, but she still doesn’t like me much.” She stood and looked at Georgiana. “You are so lucky that your cousins saved you. Did your Papa tell them to bring you here?”
“My parents are dead.” Georgiana whispered.
“Oh.” Amy shrugged. “That’s for the best then, I guess. Good thing your cousins were so nice.” She looked at Georgiana’s hand over her belly. “It hurts something awful when the baby comes, but the midwife said I deserved it.”
“That is enough, Amy.” Jennifer said sharply.
“Sorry, Miss.” Amy picked up her bucket of ashes left the room.
Georgiana looked at Jennifer. “That could be me.”
“No, even if your brother had made you leave home, you would not have ended like her.” She sat down beside her. “Are you well?”
“I am very lucky, just as she said.” Georgiana said tearfully and finding a handkerchief wiped her eyes. “I will never forget that again.”
“CAROLINE, YOU LOOK JUST FINE, now would you please come down?” Louisa said impatiently. “Charles is going to have a fit if you delay any longer!”
“But I am just not sure of this gown!” Caroline fussed with the silk. “I feel so faded in this colour but Lady Catherine seemed to think that bright shades do not suit me. What do you think, Louisa?”
“I think that you are making too much of this.” She sighed. “We are simply paying a call to the Bennets!”
“I do not understand why we have to go. They are not our family.”
“But Jane is, and we will be leaving for London soon. It is a sign of respect for our new sister.”
Caroline said nothing and Hurst appeared at the door. “Are you going to visit Longbourn or not? Bingley is about to climb into the carriage and be shot of us all. I told him to go ahead; he would surely enjoy himself more.”
“I do not know if enjoy is the proper word to use for this particular call, Franklin.” Louisa glanced back at Caroline. “Are you coming?”
“Oh … yes.” Frustrated she turned away from the mirror.
“We are leaving in one minute!” Bingley’s voice drifted threateningly up the stairs.
Hurst looked out to the landing and snorted. “Louisa, have you ever heard such a tone from your brother?”
“I have rarely heard a cross word from his lips. You would think that he is still a bridegroom and this was his wedding day.”
“We are going!” Bingley called again.
“Caroline!” Louisa snapped and took her by the hand. “Come along!”
They were all startled with the sound of a door slamming shut. Hurst went to a window and started laughing. Louisa joined him and put her hand to her mouth. “They left!”
“He gave fair warning.” Hurst put his arm around Louisa’s waist. “I do believe that Bingley is quite decided that his family will not keep him from looking after Jane.”
“But … but I am changed!” Caroline cried and looked down at her gown.
Hurst looked his sister over and smiling, began pulling off his gloves. “No, not really.”
“THEY WILL BE TALKING about it for years, Mr. Bennet!” Mrs. Bennet fluttered her handkerchief, “Married in the parlour! That is the very height of fashion! Even Miss Bingley said so, and you know how ardently she follows all of the latest styles! Did you see how she was dressed? It was so different from how we have seen her before! It was like having an entirely different person in the room. Mrs. Hurst told me that Mr. Darcy’s aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, was so very kind and gave Miss Bingley the most wonderful advice as to her dress and deportment. It seems to have been a great success, because Mrs. Hurst told me that many men have asked her to dance now. I did not notice all that much different in her behaviour, she has always been of a superior bent, but that she is drawing attention must be a good sign!”
“A good sign for Bingley, that is certain.” Mr. Bennet murmured.
“She will be sure to marry soon. Mr. Bingley will want to urge her into her own home now that he has dear Jane at his side! After all, who wants a sister underfoot? I remember when we wed, oh, has it been nearly five and twenty years already? I remember how my sister Philips was always visiting, day and night, and you complained about her cutting up your peace. How glad you were when Mr. Philips proposed! I suppose that it will be the same for Mr. Bingley. He will want his sister gone so that he may honeymoon with Jane. How good of him to let her remain here.” Mrs. Bennet drew breath and Mr. Bennet finally opened an eye, but closed it as she began to speak again. “Dear, lovely Jane. Mrs. Bingley, oh, how well that sounds! I always knew that she would do well. She should do very well with him. What a good daughter she is, staying with us even now, unlike Lizzy who abandoned us the moment she was wed.”
Mrs. Bennet glanced at her husband and seeing how he was not commenting, she became increasingly flustered and continued with her conversation. “Well, if Miss Bingley can find herself a rich man of her own, I will surely have to follow her example and do the same for Lydia and Kitty. I shall dress them modestly and encourage them to look at Jane’s success.”
“This seems a sound plan. You will not have to purchase additional lace. That will please Mr. Collins to no end.” Mr. Bennet closed his eyes.
“Yes.” Mrs. Bennet said uncertainly and then brightened when she saw the Bingley carriage pull up to the house. “Oh look! It is Jane!”
“Go and greet her, Mrs. Bennet, and rest your voice.”
“Yes, yes … I will do that.” She bustled out.
In the background he could hear Jane being greeted by her mother and sisters, and was surprised to hear Bingley’s voice as well. Before long there was a soft knock, and Jane opened the door.
“Good morning, Papa. How are you feeling, today?”
He opened his eyes and watched her come into the room. “I am as well as a breathless man can be. Why are you here? I am surprised that Bingley has let you come. Are you not to go to London and say in Mr. Darcy’s palatial home?
“Oh, we can do that anytime, Papa. I would much rather visit with you.” Jane fixed a pillow behind his head. “Charles came with me today.”
“I cannot imagine it being voluntary. Who was he escaping?”
“Papa!”
“Your mother was just treating me to a dissertation on the wonders of Miss Bingley and her improved mien.” Jane looked down at her hands and he smiled a little. “All that glitters is not gold.” When she looked up and he saw her brow creased, he inwardly sighed. “Miss Bingley’s new appearance may only be a cosmetic change.”
“Oh, I believe th
at she is making an effort, Papa.”
“Of course you do, you would not be yourself, otherwise.” Mr. Bennet cleared his throat. “Your mother continues to effuse over your nuptials.”
Jane smiled. “It will be an unending source of conversation and she will mention it without fail whenever a neighbour’s daughter marries in the church.” Seeing Mr. Bennet’s brow rise in surprise, she blushed. “That is what Lizzy said.”
“Ah, it is good to hear her voice again.” He nodded and cleared his throat. “And she is correct, of course, it is a mark of status, and the more exclusive the better … It is your mother’s last big chance to crow at a daughter’s wedding, and she will do it with great voice.”
“Lydia and Kitty still have to marry, Papa.”
He smiled a little. “I think that both you and I know that neither of your younger sisters will make the spectacular matches that you and Lizzy have, or even the not so spectacular, but very good match that Mary has, no matter how many rich men you put in their way. They are pretty girls who will soon be without a father, and who have little to offer.”
“We will take care of them, Papa. All of us.” She took his hand and sat down. “And you will be with us for a long time.”
“Ah Jane, you go on thinking that way, my dear.” He patted her hand. “You have always made me smile. The day you were born was the happiest of my life.”
“It was?”
“You were my very first child, your mother and I anticipated your arrival.”
“But … I was a girl.”
“As Mr. Bingley appreciates …”
“Papa!” She blushed.
“I did not mind that you were a girl. You were my baby daughter. I should have done better by you.” He started coughing again, and Jane hurriedly offered him some tea. “Thank you, my dear.” Taking a drink, he sat back as she fluffed his pillows again and adjusted his blanket. “I am sorry to be such a burden.”
“Of course you are not a burden. I am glad to look after you.” She admonished him gently and held the cup to his lips to drink some more.