Page 17 of Lord Lonbourn's Daughter
“How was Ramsgate?” she enquired indifferently.
“Quiet, if you can overlook the exuberant children playing on the beach. They are out of their minds bathing so early in the summer. The water is freezing. Mr Darcy and I went for a swim, and I am relieved we did not suffer any frostbite from the experience.” Lord Longbourn shuddered.
“Did the girls warm to each other?”
“Yes, I was surprised to observe Miss Darcy take a particular liking to Kitty. They bonded over watercolours, and we shall be blessed with new works by the end of the summer. I have rented the house until the end of August. The breeze was pleasant, and a sojourn there during the height of summer might be preferable to both town and Hertfordshire. We shall join them at the beginning of August and stay the month.”
“Thank you, Papa! I have always wanted to experience the sea, smell the salty air, and stroll on the sandy beaches. I have heard they have bathing machines there, and I would dearly like to try one if you would allow it,” Elizabeth gushed.
“I cannot see why not. It is perfectly safe with a dipper, and your privacy is upheld. Perhaps your sisters would like to join you,” Lord Longbourn mused.
“Certainly not!” Mary exclaimed in disgust. “If God wanted us to bathe, he would have fitted us with webbed feet.”
“Fish do not have webbed feet, yet they live in the water,” Elizabeth reminded her sister.
Mary sniffed loudly but did not argue.
“Are you not going to admonish me for leaving the girls in Ramsgate, Elizabeth?” her father enquired.
“No, I rather think not. Were they comfortable in their lodgings and delighted by the prospect of a summer by the sea?”
Elizabeth saw no reason in pointing out the obvious for the second time. By now, all the girls had met, though Mr Darcy may have changed his mind and fled to Pemberley with his sister. Apart from the bathing incident, which may have happened daysago, neither her father nor Lydia had mentioned him, and she would certainly not enquire after the gentleman.
“They were definitely comfortable and at least partially delighted. They seemed to love the location, but Lydia was less impressed with Miss Darcy’s companion—and brother now I come to think of it. He told her to be quiet during the carriage ride there, and she gave him a sulky stare whenever he was around after that. Fortunately, he is as inured to sullen young girls as I am. Mrs Younge, on the other hand, was a fearsome creature with a sharp tongue and eyes like a hawk. Even my Lydia did not dare gainsay her—much…”
“I am glad they are thriving. Kitty especially has been low. She could use a friend from outside the family,” Jane quietly added.
“I have to find Lord and Lady Matlock to thank them for their hospitality,” Lord Longbourn announced. “Make sure all your things are packed because we are returning home in a moment.”
“Yes, Papa!” the three ladies proclaimed unanimously and scurried to their chambers to make sure nothing was left behind.
#
Darcy kept himself occupied: fencing, riding, and watching the odd match at Gentleman Jackson’s. He also tried to visit Bingley, but the man was never at home now Lord Longbourn’s girls had returned to their own house. A week lost in his efforts to woo Lady Jane had been more than his friend could bear.
Darcy contemplated the futility of his own endeavours. Elizabeth only saw his visits to Bennet House as a suitor to her older sister—a wildly incorrect assumption that would only be exacerbated by frequent visits. So, he kept himself at bay, regardless of how much he wanted to do otherwise. He was aman under good regulation who did not follow every whim and fancy that entered his head.
A long separation would do him good. He contemplated returning to Pemberley to let this madness that had taken possession of him run its course. To allow his infatuation to trickle out to nothingness until he could meet her on the street as indifferent acquaintances. Yes, that would be best.
But what to do about his friend Bingley? From Elizabeth’s…ahem, Lady Elizabeth’s mistaken perception of him as her sister’s suitor, could Lady Jane have taken an undesirable interest in him? Her sister’s not-so-subtle hints might suggest it was so, but the lady herself was difficult to read. Her serene countenance and ready smile could be misconstrued. She smiled at everyone, not at him in particular, but then again, she smiled no more or less at Bingley. Could his dearest friend be in for a nasty surprise of the worst kind?
He should have a word with Bingley about that. Not directly, of course, but subtly hinting to find out how deep his friend was in it. It was to be hoped he would not have it as bad as Darcy himself…
Where did that ridiculous thought come from? He was doing much better—nearly recovered. Perhaps that trip to Pemberley could be brought forward? He should rescue his sister from those chatterboxes and haul her off to the safety of Derbyshire. He had had this lingering feeling when he left her there. He just needed to speak to Bingley, then he would go to Ramsgate.
#
Hurst House
“Mr Darcy, how good of you to come. You have been sorely missed these last two weeks.”
“Thank you, Miss Bingley. I was hoping to speak to your brother. Is he present?”
“I am afraid you cannot, Mr Darcy. He is vying for the attention of the eldest Longbourn daughter, but the competition is fierce. Only last week she was seen three times being escorted around town by your cousin the colonel. I believe he has not much hope of securing her being a second—”
Darcy chose to interrupt her before Miss Bingley disparaged the cousin he admired the most. “I would not give much credence to that. Colonel Fitzwilliam was probably browbeaten into the service by his formidable mother. Do I understand you correctly? You want your brother to secure the hand of Lady Jane?”
“Yes. I might have been too hasty in my judgment. First impressions are rarely to be trusted. I suppose twenty thousand pounds is a decent fortune. Many a young lady has less than that, and her connections are better than I initially thought. She has become a sort of society pet that everyone adores. To be connected to such a paragon of virtue must not diminish one’s own chances of success. Do you not think it is wise, Mr Darcy, or do you hold an interest in the lady yourself?”
