“Do we have visitors?” asked Georgiana stopping playing.
“Two of them. I can’t see them too clearly yet.” Replied Kitty.
“Perhaps it’s my brother come home.” Suggested the other girl. Mr Darcy had been obliged to go into the village on an important errand.
“It doesn’t look like him... wait. It’s Henry Westwood!” exclaimed Kitty. “Oh why is he here… I swore to myself, I’d never…” she was cut off by Georgiana coming over to the window.
“Kitty...” she hissed.
“Hmph , well… I suppose I’ll be civil. But who’s the other gentleman?” she asked.
“Who knows. I can’t say I recognise...” Georgiana pulled away and pulling the curtain.
“What? Who is it?” asked Kitty Peeping round the curtain. “It’s Thomas...”said Georgiana.
“Really ?....” asked Kitty who had only seen him once before. “Aye so it is!” replied she.
Georgiana pulled her away from the window.
“They’ll be at the door soon.” The girls frantically checked their reflections, smoothed their dresses and sat calmly down. Alice knocked on the door a moment later and entered.
“Sir Thomas and Mr Henry Westwood ma’am” she said showing the gentlemen in and then left quickly. The ladies rose, curtsies and bows were made and there was a stillness about the room before someone spoke.
“Miss Darcy, I am pleased to see you, I trust you are well.” started Tom.
“I am well Sir. I trust you are too?” replied she.
“Aye I am madam. Ah Miss Bennet I’m delighted to meet you again.” He said to the other woman. “
Indeed?” asked Kitty.
“Aye indeed, Henry has talked of little else since his arrival back in Derbyshire ” Kitty was perplexed by this.
“I cannot think why your brother would talk so much about me.” She said coolly.
“Can you not Miss Bennet?” Henry asked sincerely. “I was quite delighted to hear that he was coming to Pemberley this morning. I decided I simply must accompany him.” Tom said cheerfully. Georgiana invited them to sit but Henry declined. “Thank you Miss Darcy, but if it would please, I would like to speak privately with Miss Bennet. The rain has stopped now. Will you accompany me into the gardens? It’s been an age since I was last here and able to explore them in their beauty.” He said softly.
“I … I had not… you see I…” she sighed frustrated at not being able to come up with an excuse. “I should be happy to accompany you.” She said eventually. As Henry opened the door for her, Kitty looked back pulling a face at Georgiana who cast it aside and shooed her as she and Tom sat down.
***
Out in the gardens at Pemberley, Henry and Kitty were walking together. Kitty rather more reluctantly. When he suddenly stopped and turned to face her. “Miss Bennet you can surely be in no doubt about why I have come to you.” he said.
“I had not expected to see you; it has been many months since we saw each other last. I am glad to see you in such good health.” She replied with some coldness of civility.
“I understood from Julia that you spent a lot of time at our townhouse during your stay in London. She spoke often of you.” He continued.
“Oh? And what was she saying? Nothing bad I trust.” Said Kitty trying to remain casual.
“No, never anything bad. You are too kind and gentle for anyone to speak badly of you” replied the gentleman.
“I’m sure Miss Bingley has a few things to say about me” thought Kitty rebelliously.
“Miss Bingley is a jealous woman who is gradually aging into naught but a bitter old maid. And as for Josephine she is no better either.” he said with no friendliness towards Miss Bingley or even his sister , which Kitty couldn’t help but smile at.
“Aye indeed.” Agreed Kitty
“But now Mr Westwood what did Julia say?” she asked.
“She gave me hope that I had all but lost after London...” he said.
“Hope sir?” she asked disbelievingly. “Hope that perhaps I had touched your heart as you had touched mine. You never left my mind you know, ever.” The gentleman seemed very sincere, but Kitty was still injured. “Why did you not come to me sooner?” she said bitterly.
“I had business to attend to in the south, and then my brother’s engagement was announced and...” he stopped.
“And what?” she demanded.
“And I was afraid to.” Kitty couldn’t help but laugh at this.
“The newly ordained Henry Westwood afraid? Of what exactly?” she scoffed.
“Afraid of being disappointed. Afraid some dashing London gentleman may have swept you up. That perhaps, it was too late.” replied Henry with some sorrow.
“Well there was no shortage of gentlemen that’s for sure, but none of interest. However…” but she was cut off.
“Miss Bennet…” Henry turned to face her and tried taking her hand , she pulled it away and turned away. “Mr Westwood!” she snapped.
“Please … at least let me explain…” he begged.
“Explain? What exactly? Why you lied to me? Why you concealed from me that you had been engaged before? Why you got your brother and sister to lie to me. To make up some excuse about why you hadn’t written? Oh yes please do explain!” she said angrily stalking off.
Henry ran to catch up with her.
“I’m sorry… all right … I didn’t mean to... It’s just… it’s complicated…” he pleaded
“Complicated is it?” replied the young woman sarcastically.
“Look, please, won’t you sit down?” he begged motioning to a rock.
”Fine… I’m listening…” replied she sitting.
“We’re talking several years ago now. I was the age you are now… she was from the village. She was about 16, if that. She and her mother had come to stay with her uncle. When her father died he offered her the post of governess to his own children. They had no other income.” He explained. Kitty asked why. “Her mother wasn’t his first wife. He already had a son from a previous marriage. You of all people should know what it’s like…” he said.
“To be a daughter with no claim to anything?” replied she.
“Exactly …when he died, everything was left to his son. Leaving Helen and her mother virtually penniless.” Henry said sitting down.
“So what happened? Why didn’t you marry her?” asked Kitty.
“My father happened…” he replied.
“Your father…?” she enquired.
“Aye…my father…if you remember how Darcy came across when you first met him? Imagine that, but worse and without the good heart. My father, god rest his soul, was very proud, very rigid, severe. He had a set idea in his mind about the matches we should make.”
“He disapproved of the match?”
“He did. He said I couldn’t marry her. When I said I was going to anyway he did everything in his power to make sure I didn’t.”
“How?”
“Money I would imagine. We had plenty of it. All I know is within a few days of us announcing our engagement she said it was over. She said circumstances had changed and she’d be leaving.”
“Then what?”
“There was something very odd about it all. I didn’t believe circumstances had really changed. I asked my father if he knew anything. He told me it was for the best, that the daughter of a governess would never be accepted in this family. And I knew, just in his tone, I knew what had happened. He’d sent her away… paid her off, just like he did with John Croft, the moment Julia expressed any interest in him…”
“John Croft?” thought Kitty remembering the letter Tom had written Fredrick. “That explains a lot…But why…” asked Kitty.
“Pride, social standing, who knows…we were forbidden to speak of it. To act like it never happened…”
“Ok that explains the secrecy. But that doesn’t explain why you went to see her in London… what happened that day? That letter you received calling you to town.
.. That was her wasn’t it… had she heard about your father’s death? Did she want you to go back to her? Just tell me the truth!” cried the young woman rising again.
“Yes it was from her, but it’s not what you think.” He tried to say.
“Isn’t it?” she asked.
“She’s married now. She met some landlord. The bar room you saw me in, they own it. Well at least they were hoping to soon. They were in the process of buying it, but they’d had some trouble making the final payments. They were in danger of losing everything. It’d be prison for him and what would happen to her? The least I could do was help them out. It was the least I could do after the way my father had treated her.” He explained.
“And your brother… he was happy with this?” she asked.
“Tom’s a good man. He believes in love… do you?” he asked.
“So you admit you love her!” she accused.
“I did. I used to. But it has been many years since I thought of her at all. I was just making amends. Paying a debt… Miss Bennet I know you’re hurt. I know I lied and I’m sorry. Maybe I should have told you about her, told you I’d been in love before but Miss Bennet….proposals are not something to be taken lightly…I wouldn’t ask a woman if I didn’t love her… I wouldn’t have asked you, if there was any doubt in my mind if there was even a slightest amount of affection for her left beyond duty.” Henry said rising again and turning her to face him taking both her hands.
“Mr Westwood…” she protested.
“Catherine … I love you, with all my heart I do. Please believe me when I say that.” He looked at her and she looked away sniffing.
“Henry…” She let go of his hands and turned away, so he wouldn’t see her cry.
“Please Miss Bennet” he said seeing it anyway and wiping her tear away . “Marry me…I don’t have much. The rectory is small, but it’s cosy and clean. There are beautiful woods and gardens, there’s just a little stream with a bridge over it that separates it from Maplebrook. So what do you say?” Kitty sniffed, and he offered her his hanky which she took and dabbed at her face.
“It sounds perfect.” She said with a smile.
***
Meanwhile in another part of the house Lizzy had been looking out of the window. Darcy was sitting at the table. “The sun’s gone in again, it’s a shame. I had hoped it would stay nice for Catherine’s sake. I think Mr Westwood was planning on proposing again.” She said.
“Aye indeed, that was the general impression I got upon their arrival. I do hope they get back in safely. They were walking towards the gardens about half an hour ago.” Replied her husband.
“That’s where it will have happened then. How romantic... oh … I think I see them. They’re heading back up towards the house. They both look happy and father has already given his permission, or so his letter stated anyway. Mr Westwood is a fine gentleman is he not my dear?” asked his wife. Darcy got up and poured some drinks bringing them over.
“Aye indeed and knowing his general character I dare say Mr Bennet’s reaction was far more positive than it was when I paid him a visit,” he said as he handed her the drink.
“I’ve never been more nervous than I was that day.” mused Darcy.
“Not even at the wedding my love?” Elizabeth asked.
“Hmm, that was quite a day as well, I was afraid you wouldn’t be there” he said with a chuckle. “But still even that was not as terrifying as having to face your father. I almost wanted to turn and run myself.” He said.
“I’ve never ran away from anything in my life dear and I trust you won’t either. Times are changing. Our family is expanding, and all the little birds are flying from the nest... It seems sad but at the same time, it leaves a warm feeling inside.” replied Elizabeth thoughtfully.
“Aye indeed. The house will seem very quiet without the girls...” added Darcy.
“Twill be a summer wedding I dare say, and you never know, perhaps there will be the sounds of new footsteps soon my dear....” replied she with a smile.
“I do hope so.” replied her husband as he kissed her forehead.
***
At the same time in another part of the house Georgiana was looking out the window at the scene. “Oh look at that, he chased after her and everything. I knew it, as soon as he came in. Something in the way he looked at her” she sighed dreamily. “All those months of waiting…” Meanwhile Tom had approached her as he leaned on the window ledge and pulled the curtains
Its rude to peek you know.” He said lightly.
“Oh shush Tom. I seem to remember we spent a lot of time spying on the neighbours.” She reminded him of her childhood.
“Ah yes, in that very fine tree house my brothers and I built. Is it still in the garden?” he asked.
“It is yes though it’s somewhat battered now.” laughed the young woman.
“Do you remember the last time we were there?” asked Tom.
“Aye I do, it was a late summer. That was the day you were going abroad. Your father and uncle had a job for you.” She reminisced.
“Aye, he had been saving, planning it since I was born. But do you remember what I said to you?” he asked.
“Perhaps ...” replied she as he took her chin gently in his hands looking deep into her eyes. She blushed. “Tom...” she protested rather half heartedly.
“I believe I said that I would find you a precious gem and come back for you when we were grown.” He said warmly.
“I was so young. Promises made to a 10-year-old cannot be taken seriously.” Georgiana said sadly.
“Young you may have been, but promises were still made. They meant something back then, and I kept them all these years and they still mean something now. I never forgot you Georgiana. Tell me you haven’t forgotten, tell me that they mean something to you to.” replied Tom.
“Of course they do, but things have changed. My brother will never give his permission. Tom, twice now I’ve been fooled into believing I loved a man, that he loved me...” she sighed sadly “and you think that of me also?” asked Tom feeling hurt and letting go of her hands. Georgiana went to him taking his again.
“No, I don’t think that of you, you are too good of a soul to toy with me that way. I... I keep your letter close to my heart... But my brother is extra cautious now...” replied she seriously.
“What we have is real. It is you I love, only you. You could be a penniless farm girl and I’d still love you just as much.” Said Tom decidedly.
“But my brother...” began Georgiana.
“Has already given his consent....” replied he with a laugh spinning her round.
“His consent! You mean you’ve asked him?” said Georgiana.
“Of course I did, quite a few months ago now, just like I promised you all those years ago.” Replied he. Georgiana looked shocked and overjoyed at the same time as he embraced her. “I wouldn’t dream of asking without his permission. What do you take me for? As much as I may love you, I have to follow form. What if he said no? It would break your heart, and mine... I would not wish that upon you...” he said softly.
“Oh Tom....” she sighed. He pulled her closer. At that moment Kitty and Henry returned and there was a moment of silence. They pulled apart. All looked at each other before they all burst out laughing and congratulated one another. Everything had worked out just perfectly.
***
Epilogue
It was now the summer and the sky was blue, the sun was shining and the gardens at Pemberley were in full bloom. Kitty was sitting on a bench looking out at the lake and writing in her diary for one last time.
June 21st, the summer is here at last. My sister Jane has returned to us. Her son is plump and healthy, I think he will look very like his father when he’s grown. Lydia’s young daughter has also survived the winter. Poor little mite. Her life will never be easy but at least she has survived the first challenge. Oh there is to be a ball tonight to celebrate. You see there is to be a wedding. My wedding t
o be precise. I would have written in you sooner, but I have been so busy. I look back at my other entries and I am shocked at the things I wrote. Lord knows how many things have happened since then. Maria too is married, earlier this month she and Fredrick became man and wife. They were married in Longbourn church. It was nice to go home again, see my mother and father and of course my sister Mary. I say home, Longbourn really doesn’t feel like my home anymore, Pemberley does and soon that won’t be my home either. I shall be Mrs Henry Westwood and I shall live at Maplebrook's Rectory. John Croft so far has kept his word. He has remained loyal and he and Fredrick are to go off to sea in the next few weeks.
He and Julia may still get married and Georgiana too well eventually at least. Though she must wait until she turns 21. I think this is mostly because of the bad experiences she’s had in the past. 21...Oh heavens that’s how old I’ll be in just a few short weeks. And to think Lydia would tease Jane at that age because she was getting old... But I am not worried, not anymore for I shall be married soon and will not end an old maid. Mother says Mary is socialising more, but she will be 23 next month and has yet to meet someone. Still there is hope yet. Jane after all was that age when she met Mr Bingley. Still we never know what the future may hold. The last 4 years have changed my sisters and I in so many ways, we have each had our own challenges to overcome and we have all grown up so much, both as individuals and as a family, and although our names have changed our bond, is as strong as ever.
The End
The Diary of Miss Catherine Bennet.
Her account on the events that led up to her own adventures and her journey to happiness…
Catherine Bennet Page 17