Chapter 35 #2
“Oh yes! Jane, of course, is very handsome, and Elizabeth is ridiculously wealthy while also being beautiful. They were positively swarmed by eligible young men.”
Fitzwilliam sat down across from Serena, and she lifted her eyes to smile at him, only to freeze in confusion. There was a strange look on her brother’s face, one of what, distress? Had she said something wrong?
He obviously noted her concern because he smiled broadly at her and said, “It is true that the Bennets were accepted with enthusiasm, but so were you, Serena. I am proud of you.”
She blushed. “Thank you, Brother. I think the ball went well enough, though I hope I am not expected to attend such an event every day of the week! It is surprisingly exhausting!”
***
Breakfast Parlor
Matlock House
“Dearest Richard,” Lady Matlock said, smiling up at her second son. “Do sit down and break your fast.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam obeyed with alacrity, and within a minute, he had taken a seat next to his mother, with a cup of milky tea in his hand and a plate groaning with muffins and ham and eggs in front of him.
“I am greatly relieved to see that you will not faint from hunger any time soon,” his mother remarked, eyeing the plate with amused wonder.
Richard chuckled and said, “I have a military exercise this afternoon, one that will likely carry on for a long time. I need to keep up my strength.”
She chuckled in return and waited patiently as her son drank his tea and ate two muffins and a piece of ham before she said, “I think that Rebekah and Serena did well last night.”
“They did,” Richard agreed with a firm nod. “I had no doubt that Rebekah would be well, but Serena is more timid and awkward. I am proud of both of them.”
“Indeed,” Lady Matlock said with approval.
Another minute of companionable silence passed, and then Richard said, “Mother, do you know whether Jane Bennet has a fortune?”
Lady Matlock considered her son with interest. Richard was nearly thirty years old and had never displayed much curiosity about the ladies in his orbit.
“She has a dowry of ten thousand pounds,” she said simply.
The colonel lifted one surprised eyebrow. “I confess that is more than I expected.”
“Apparently, it is from her deceased mother.”
“I see.”
“Her deceased mother, by the by, was a solicitor’s daughter.”
Richard shrugged and said, “To be honest, as a second son, and a soldier, I do not care a great deal about such matters. Miss Bennet is all that is charming and refined and beautiful.”
“She is truly exquisite, Richard, but surely you wish for more in a wife than a mere pretty face?”
The colonel drained his teacup and then lowered it deliberately.
“I want more than a pretty face, yes, but it is not merely her beauty that is engaging. The lady is kind, and she is also … also restful. Miss Elizabeth is charming and pretty, but she is far more scintillating than her elder sister. Frankly, I would find her an exhausting wife.”
“That is a pity, given that Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a great heiress.”
Richard shrugged and said, “I cannot ignore fortune entirely, Mamma, but I have no intention of pursuing a woman merely because she is very rich.”
Lady Matlock considered her son carefully and then nodded. “Very well, my dear.”
***
Study
The Rutherfords’ Hired House
“Good morning, Son,” Lord Langdon said.
Zachary Rutherford smiled at his father and said, “Good morning, sir. I hope you are well?”
“I am. Sit down, please, and tell me about last night.”
Zachary obediently took a chair across from his father and said, “I attended two balls, the first at Barrington Place and the second at Matlock House.”
His father leaned forward and said, “My cousin Annabelle said that she and her daughters were invited to the ball at Matlock House? Did you see them there?”
Zachary nodded. “I did.”
A long moment passed and his father said, a trifle impatiently, “I hope you danced with your cousins?”
“I danced the last set with Miss Bennet, but Elizabeth had no dances available by the time I arrived.”
His father leaned back with a sigh. “That is a great pity, but I suppose it is no surprise. I understand from your mother that news of Elizabeth’s fortune has already wended its way throughout London Society.”
“Such information does tend to spread hastily,” Zachary agreed.
Lord Langdon sighed and said, “I fear it may be difficult to win your cousin Elizabeth’s hand given that she combines beauty, intelligence, and great wealth, but we have my cousin Annabelle on our side. She told me that she would be very happy if you and her daughter were to make a match of it.”
“That is good to know,” Zachary said noncommittally.
***
Serena’s Sitting Room
Darcy House
Mid Afternoon
Serena yawned ferociously, shook her head to wake up a trifle, and turned her attention back onto the sheet of foolscap paper, which was half covered in lines and resting on the small desk in the corner of her sitting room.
She was not at all certain she should be trying to write her novel right now given that she was so tired, but then again, she would be attending many festivities over the next few months, and if she did not write when a little tired, she would not write at all!
She read again the lines she had already scribed and decided that they were well enough. It seemed that fatigue did not entirely rob her of her creativity.
She dipped the pen into the ink once more, only to freeze when there was a soft tap at her door.
She turned and called, “Come in!” and was rewarded a moment later by the sight of Georgiana, who entered and then cast an alarmed look at her paper.
“I am interrupting you,” she said apologetically. “I can come back when you are done.”
“No, no, pray do not,” Serena said, rising from her desk and walking over to the small settee near the fire. It was chilly outside, and the warmth was welcome. “Sit down, Georgiana.”
The girl did so, and Serena took the seat next to her, and for a moment the pair looked at one another.
“Serena?”
“Yes?”
“I was wondering, that is, do you think we ought to do something to help Fitzwilliam with Elizabeth?”
Serena stared at her sister in complete and utter bewilderment?
“Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth? Whatever do you mean?”
Georgiana huffed and appeared as exasperated as was possible for such a gentle creature. “Surely it is obvious that our brother is in love with her.”
Serena stared at her sister and became aware a moment later that her mouth was hanging open.
“What?”
Georgiana’s look of irritation gave way to dismay. “I thought it was obvious, but perhaps I was … oh dear.”
Serena reached out and took her sister’s hands in her own. Numerous thoughts crowded into her mind; the look on her brother’s face every time someone spoke of Elizabeth’s fortune and popularity, the way that he sought her out at every opportunity, the way he spoke of her…
“No, you are absolutely right!” she declared, and now she was beaming. “He is in love with her, and I simply did not recognize it because, well, I know little of … but it matters not. There is no doubt! Oh, how happy I am!”
Georgiana was plainly relieved, and she said, “But she is very wealthy and could marry a member of the nobility. I fear that our brother, who is not particularly comfortable in company, will not show her how much he loves her, and…”
She trailed off, and Serena leaned back and thought furiously.
Georgiana was correct that their brother was in love with the second Miss Bennet.
She was also correct that Fitzwilliam did not flirt and flatter. But given that she and Georgiana were young ladies and were also rather shy, well, she thought it would be a catastrophe to interfere in the budding courtship dance between their beloved brother and Miss Elizabeth of Longbourn.
She explained this, though rather laboriously, and Georgiana, to her relief, accepted her conclusions.
“We ought to let them be,” the younger girl agreed with a bob of the head. “However, I think we ought to visit the Bennets as often as possible, and at least give our brother and Elizabeth plenty of time together.”
“I heartily concur,” Serena responded.