Page 16 of Kismet

“I know they are capable, however—”

His mother clapped her hands in joy, effectively cutting off the rest of his response. “Then it is settled! You will come with me to the dinner. I knew you would not want to make me look so foolish as to go back on my word. They are expecting you, you know.”

Theodore sighed with the knowledge that his mother had him cornered. “I am going to the opera with them this evening. I suppose I can tell Darcy then that I cannot attend with him tomorrow.”

“They are quite fond of the opera. I have never been fond of all the odd singing; however, it is a splendid place to be seen, especially as they have their own box,” his mother mused. “Your brother was always such a slave to his schedule that he rarely had the opportunity to indulge in things like the opera.”

Theodore paused at that comment, his fork in the middle of stabbing some of the delicious ham on his plate. He had gone to the opera with his brother often. Though he avoided town often whenever he was home, he had gone to clubs on occasion, but they spent most of their time together at the symphony and opera. There were even a few intellectual dinners. His memories of his brother seemed to differ greatly from the reality his mother was presenting. “I went to the opera several times with him this season before he died, Mother.”

“He always enjoyed indulging you. Putting aside his responsibilities so that he could spend time with you and Darcy when you were in town was so very nice of him, wasn’t it?” Offering a sweet smile, she took another bite of marmalade toast.

Theodore did not know what to say to his mother’s remark. His brother never hinted at neglecting any responsibilities for him. The overwhelming feeling of love for his brother caused Theodore's heart to expand, yet the notion that Cedric would put aside his other commitments for their shared moments together was a heavy burden on him. “Cedric never let me know about any responsibilities that I was keeping him from.”

“That was just like him. He was such a kind man, and you are becoming so like him. I am proud of how far you have come in such a short time. Being willing to take up the mantle of responsibility means a lot to me.” She gave a tremulous smile before focusing on her meal.

Looking around the opulent room full of well-dressed people eager to be seen at the opera, Theodore rubbed his eyebrow. He wondered what percentage of the people present had actually come to enjoy the drama on stage. Like most intermissions at the opera or theater, the atmosphere was dominated by large and pretentious crowds, their presence impossible to ignore. Glancing back at Darcy and noting his darting gaze, Theodore frowned. His cousin still could not handle large crowds easily, and he felt even guiltier now for leaving Darcy to accompany his mother. “I am sorry that I will not be there tomorrow, Darcy.” Moving further through the crowed they finally made it to the line for refreshments.

“I hate to see you doing so much that you do not enjoy,” Darcy commented.

“I had not realized how much Cedric did until Mother informed me. Taking up his responsibilities has taken some getting used to, and I'm still trying to figure everything out.”

“You have done an admirable job taking over Cedric’s responsibilities. You took the time to reach out to all the stewards and are staying on top of issues as they arise. Your finances are in better order than most people's.” Darcy shook his head, his eyebrows drawn together in a tight furrow. “I do not know what else there could be that you are worried about.”

“I honestly cannot get used to all the gatherings. Mother explained to me that Cedric kept up a busy social life so that he could make the right connections for getting things passed in parliament.” That was a long conversation he did not relish repeating. He simply did not understand why he must spend so much time with inane fools.

“You want to take Cedric’s seat in parliament? I had no idea that was something you had wanted to do.” Darcy squinted at Theodore. “Why has this not come up before now?”

“I have never wanted to take part in parliament, but how else can I continue Cedric’s fight? Though I didn't spend enough time with him while he was alive, I'll honor his memory by working toward his goal.” Theodore tried to smile as he spoke, but he knew he failed miserably. Swallowing hard, he tried to remain positive.

Darcy began to speak but was cut off as they reached the front of the line. They efficiently got their drinks and requested a footman to assist them in carrying everything back to the box. It did not take too long for them to return to the box where all the ladies were and passed out all the drinks.

“Did you enjoy the first half of the opera, Lydia?” This came from Mary, who sat next to her.

“I know it is wrong of me to admit, but I am not as skilled at Italian as I am in some of the other languages we learned. Despite that, I have been enjoying the energy and costumes. Now Georgiana,” Lydia said with a grin, “I know enjoyed the music. I could see her fingers moving with the pieces.”

Georgiana blushed at being caught. “I had not realized that I had been doing that. But the music is simply splendid.”

“I wonder if the sheet music is available. Maybe we should look for it next time we go shopping, Georgiana,” Mary said to Georgiana, who seemed to light up at the suggestion.

Theodore looked around the box, enjoying the soothing atmosphere. He knew that many, if not all, of the single men he had met at his mother’s dinners would find an evening with so many unattached females a waste of their time. Was it a commentary on their narrow mindedness or the fact that most single young women had been trained to become nothing but vapid parrots? Regardless, Theodore found spending time with them all more than worth his time.

Darcy and Elizabeth were speaking softly in the corner, their love obvious for anyone with eyes to see. All the ladies were chatting, and Mrs. Ansley was watching them indulgently from where she sat. The topics that evening had covered music, dead languages, and, oddly enough, sheep. Elizabeth and Darcy were considering introducing a new breed of sheep at Pemberley. They had hopes it might create a healthier crossbreed with more luxurious wool. If only Theodore could spend all his evenings in such enjoyable pursuits.

“What do you think of the opera, Colonel?” Miss Catherine spoke up from where she stood at his elbow.

Theodore’s eyes widened at her comment. He had not realized that she had approached him. Her pale blue dress was almost an ethereal gray in the dim lighting. The dress draped beautifully on her, accentuating her figure flawlessly. She was everything that was lovely, and it left him feeling confused. When did she stop looking like an awkward teenager and start looking like a poised woman? “I liked it better than some of the others I have seen. I do not care for the ones with battles scenes.”

“I can imagine that having experienced battle yourself it is neither an accurate portrayal nor a comfortable reminder of your experiences.” Miss Catherine’s countenance reflected her concern.

“It is rather uncomfortable at times,” Theodore agreed. It was not always easy to see the depictions of battle. Memories already haunted him. He did not need the blatant reminders.

She reached out and gently squeezed his arm, providing a comforting touch. “I understand that you have William to talk to, but if you ever need to share your experiences, I'm here to listen.” Offering a small smile, she continued, “I am sure, however, that you wish to talk about lighter things tonight. Have you decided which of your estates you would like to visit first?”

Theodore briefly contemplated the fact that he could feel the warmth of Catherine's touch through his sleeve. Blinking, he stared at where her hand had briefly rested on his arm, before refocusing on what she had said. “There are so many. My brother rarely spent any significant time at his estates besides Matlock. I would like to see each of them. One thing Darcy said that I believe to be true is it is advisable to see the properties yourself. Even if I trust the stewards to send me complete reports on the conditions of the estates, it cannot replace seeing it with my own eyes.”

Head tilted toward him, Miss Catherine’s sea-green eyes glowed with interest. “I believe you are quite correct. There is also the fact that what you might find important may not be what your stewards deem worthy of mentioning.”

“What do you mean?” Theodore knew that before they escaped their father’s tyranny, the Bennet ladies had taken quite an interest in the management of Longbourn. He was, however, uncertain how involved each of the sisters were. Elizabeth had been quite the driving force and had taken on Pemberley with grace and determination. But was Miss Catherine just as involved?

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