Chapter 10
After Elizabeth’s father told her of Kitty’s elopement, she returned to the parlor. Lydia was already taking the opportunity of chattering at their new companions. Lady Esther’s face was blank, and Elizabeth could not tell what she was thinking, but Mrs. Jamison seemed genuinely bored.
When there was a break in the conversation, Elizabeth said to Jane, “Would you like to introduce Mrs. Jamison to Mary, since you and Mary will be her primary students?”
“Oh, yes, of course,” said Jane. “Would that be suitable, Mrs. Jamison?”
“Of course,” the older lady replied. She was the companion Papa had hired to teach Latin and Greek to Jane and Mary. She also happened to be quite accomplished on the piano as well, so she would be handling any and all lessons, leaving Lady Esther to be a chaperone, advisor, and companion only.
Mrs. Jamison seemed to be about Mr. Bennet’s age, but she had a spry energy about her that made her seem much younger. “Perhaps you can also show me where such lessons are likely to take place,” she said.
“If you would follow me,” said Jane.
Elizabeth watched as her sister left the room.
They hadn’t really discussed where they would be taking their lessons, but there were only two real options.
It would either be the old schoolroom next to the nursery, or it would be the music room.
Since Mary would be taking music lessons as well as Latin and Greek, the music room made the most sense.
By the time they were gone, Lady Esther had managed to insert herself into Lydia’s flow of chatter. “And what do you like to do with your time, Miss Lydia?” she asked.
“Oh, I do love shopping,” cried Lydia. “My next favorite thing is trimming bonnets or planning ensembles, that sort of thing.”
“And do you do your own handiwork for your clothing?”
Lydia scrunched up her face. “Mama always has our gowns made for us, so at least I don’t have to do that boring work, but she still makes me do my own decorative stitching. I don’t really like doing it, though.”
“The advantage of doing your own decorations is that you can choose exactly what they look like,” said Lady Esther. “Have you ever tried creating your own pictures or designs or even a new stitch?”
Lydia’s eyes opened in wonderment. “You can create a new stitch?”
“Of course,” said the Lady. “I’m sure you’ve learned at least a dozen different stitches for your embroidery, each with their own appearance or texture. Well, each of those stitches was invented by someone. There is no one to say that you could not do the same if you wanted to.”
“But that is marvelous!” cried Lydia. “What would such a stitch even look like?”
Elizabeth listened to the two of them talk about embroidery for quite some time, never even trying to insert herself into the conversation.
She simply marveled that Lady Esther had managed to make Lydia excited about needlework, when Lydia was notorious for complaining about it every second she was forced to do it.
Jane did not return either. Elizabeth assumed that she, Mary, and Mrs. Jamison were gathering books from the bookroom and setting up whatever space they would be using for learning.
With everyone’s attention elsewhere, Elizabeth had a chance to think.
Though she had initially been shocked at the news that Kitty had eloped, in retrospect it was not so surprising.
Kitty had always been neglected to some degree.
The only person who paid her any attention was Lydia, but Lydia’s attention always took a rather selfish form.
She demanded attention from Kitty rather than offering much in return.
It only made sense that Kitty would be susceptible to any young man who flattered her enough, but Kitty had possessed a tendre for Alan Goulding since she first met him, making her far more susceptible to his machinations in particular than she otherwise would be.
Elizabeth only hoped that this would end in a marriage and that the family wouldn’t suffer too much from it.
~~~~~
The rest of the day flew by. There was no indication that anyone had any doubts that Kitty was ill.
Elizabeth helped the delusion along by visiting her sister’s room every couple of hours.
She even took a tray up there at mealtimes, though she always had to bring it back down mostly full.
She tried eating a few bites of food from it, but she couldn’t eat much without stifling her appetite for her own meals.
At dinner, Mama surprisingly announced the news of their fortunes.
“Well, my dears, it seems as though your father has misled us entirely,” she said.
“Before he left for London, he told us you all had ten thousand each, and this morning I came to discover that the number is closer to sixty thousand.”
Mary’s face looked blankly stunned, but Lydia immediately clapped her hands and said, “Oh, does that mean we can go shopping more and have new gowns made and perhaps buy some jewelry? How nice my green gown would look with some emerald earrings, don’t you think?”
Before Mama could either agree or disagree, Lady Esther said, “I do not think that would be a particularly becoming combination. If I remember rightly, your green gown is a pale color that would not go well at all with gemstones of any kind. I do, however, think it would be lovely with pearls.”
“Oh, yes, Lady Esther,” cried Lydia. “You are so correct. Mama may I get some pearl earrings to wear with my green gown?”
“Well, I am certain your father will have no objections to having a few gowns made,” said Mama.
“In fact, that is the very reason he hired two new ladies’ maids for you girls.
As for jewelry, I am afraid that will have to wait until he returns.
Besides, I don’t think there are any pearls available for sale in Meryton. ”
Lydia clapped her hands and said, “In that case, can we go shopping in Meryton tomorrow? It is such a shame that Kitty is still sick. She will miss out on all the fun.”
The rest of the conversation was dominated by Mama and Lydia discussing all the things they wished to buy, though there were a few comments from Lady Esther when they seemed likely to purchase something foolish or unsuitable for a girl who was not yet out.
Once again, Elizabeth marveled at Lady Esther’s deft handling of Lydia’s heedless high spirits. She did not seem inclined to suppress them. She only redirected them into safer waters.
~~~~~
The next morning, Mrs. Jamison accompanied Mama, Jane, and Lydia to Meryton to do some shopping. Mary stayed behind to practice piano and tend to her studies. Elizabeth remained at Longbourn to continue pretending to care for Kitty.
When she was not upstairs in Kitty’s room, Elizabeth found herself alone with Lady Esther in the parlor.
“I wonder if you would be willing to tell me the truth of what is happening, Miss Elizabeth,” said Lady Esther.
A chill ran down her spine as Elizabeth replied. “I’m not certain what you are referring to.”
“Come now,” said the Lady. “You know people are not so easily fooled. Gossip wouldn’t be as common as it is if people allowed the wool to be pulled over their eyes with such simple tactics.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Do you think the servants are aware as well?” she asked.
“Without a doubt,” said Lady Esther. “Are you aware that no maid has tried to enter that room even though they should at the very least be making a fire and emptying the chamber pot twice a day if not more?”
Elizabeth sighed. “I suppose I am not particularly good at subterfuge.”
“Nor is your mother, I imagine,” said Lady Esther. “She seems to be a rather straightforward sort of person.”
This made Elizabeth laugh, and the release of tension made her feel inordinately better. “That is certainly one way of putting it,” she said.
When her laughter had faded, she said, “I suppose that means that knowledge of Kitty’s misadventure is certain to come out soon enough.”
“Perhaps,” said Lady Esther. “Perhaps not. Your servants seem to be quite loyal. Otherwise, the news would already be everywhere. Now, will you tell me what is happening so that I can know how best to help?”
Elizabeth sighed. “My second to youngest sister, Kitty, is only sixteen, but she seems to have taken it into her head to elope with a young man from our neighborhood.
My father had told my mother that our fortunes were a bit more than ten thousand a year before we went to London, probably thinking that would not invite fortune hunters but would explain the sudden need to go into the city.
“Unfortunately, it seems to have attracted at least one fortune hunter. Unless of course Mr. Goulding just happened to have fallen in love with Kitty the very moment she obtained a fortune, despite the fact that they had known each other for more than a year, during which he had shown no particular interest in her.”
The corners of Lady Esther’s lips pinched in what Elizabeth was certain was a well suppressed smile. “That does seem unlikely,” she said. “I assume they’ve gone to Scotland?”
“That is what Papa told me just before he left,” she said. “I do not know how he knew for certain, though. Still, I can’t think of them doing anything else, since she is too young to be married in England without Papa’s express permission.”
“There are many things that can happen between here and Scotland,” said Lady Esther. “The most common of which is that the man loses interest or runs out of money. Very few hot-headed young couples realize how expensive such a long journey is.”
“In this case, I genuinely hope that is what happens,” said Elizabeth. “It will make it easier for Papa to find them.”
“And what will he do if he finds them before they get to Scotland?” asked Lady Esther.
“I do not know for certain,” said Elizabeth. “I suppose I assumed that he would arrange a marriage here in England. What else could he do?”
“Many things,” said Lady Esther. “It is entirely possible that, given your sister’s fortune, he would not wish to reward the young man for such behavior.
He could send your sister away to live out her life as a ‘widow,’ or he could find someone else for her to marry.
If he does either of these things, she will not be coming home for quite some time if ever. ”
“Oh, I do hope that is not the case,” said Elizabeth. “We would all be heartbroken not to see her again, and I am certain she would be rather unhappy to be separated from everyone she knows.”
Lady Esther made no expression of sympathy. She just shrugged her shoulders and said, “Whether she likes it or not, there are no happy outcomes from such a flight. Even if they truly were in love, a marriage begun in such haste and secrecy would be based on a shaky foundation.”
Elizabeth realized that the Lady was entirely correct. “Poor Kitty,” was all she could think to say.