Chapter 8
Kitty was so much happier since Mary moved into the chamber with her. Unlike Lydia, Mary never ordered her around like she was a serf, was not shrill like Lydia or Mama, and best of all, treated her like she was a valued sister.
It was not only Mary with whom Kitty had become close, but also Jane and Lizzy.
Since she had returned home, her three older sisters included Kitty in anything they did.
At the very least, they gave her a choice and never made her feel guilty if she had other plans.
One thing Kitty had always been envious of was the closeness between her three older sisters, and especially their meetings to discuss whatever they chose in one of the bedchambers at night before they went to sleep.
Since she and Mary began to share their large chamber, much to her delight, Kitty had been allowed into the circle of her sisters’ discussions prior to going to bed.
She would be forever grateful to Aunt Maddie and Uncle Edward for inviting her to accompany them on their journey north, and when Kitty was next issued an invitation to join them at Gracechurch Street, she would not do what she had done at Lydia’s urging too many times previously, and refuse.
Before the Gardiners had departed Longbourn, Aunt Maddie had promised that she would employ an art master for Kitty to study under whenever she was in London.
This promise, while not a deciding factor in once again visiting the Gardiners in London, brought Kitty much joy.
Aunt Maddie had intimated that as long as Papa did not object, a master would be sent to Longbourn as well.
As it would cost him nothing, in either funds or effort, Kitty was confident Papa would not refuse when Uncle Edward wrote to him on the subject.
The truth was that she was never happier than she was when she was drawing or painting. Hence, she berated herself for ever giving in to Lydia and ceasing an activity she knew she loved.
The reason for her submitting to Lydia had been, in her mind, simple.
Before Kitty began to do so, she felt that she was the ignored sister.
However, as she had admitted to Aunt Maddie, she had gained almost no attention or approbation from Mama by emulating her younger sister because Lydia demanded it all for herself, something Mama seemed only too pleased to give her youngest.
Those were not the only things that Kitty had realised since spending time with the Gardiners.
Now that she was seeing with a clear eye, she realised that the advice Mama gave on how to catch a man was very wrong, and rather than lead to a respectable marriage, it would more than likely lead to ruin.
Understanding this led Kitty to comprehend why Aunt Maddie and Uncle Edward had pushed Papa to not allow them out at fifteen, but rather seventeen.
For the first time, rather than think it unfair she would not come out for almost another two years, Kitty was thankful.
She was certain that at her age she was not ready to be a member of society.
That led her to think of Lydia. She was sure her younger sister would apply pressure to Mama to allow her out at fifteen.
All Kitty could do was pray that Papa would stand firm and not allow Lydia to be unleashed on society too soon.
At least, Lydia would only be fourteen in December, and then there was another full year before her fifteenth birthday.
She was worried enough that she would discuss this subject with Jane, Lizzy, and Mary at their next nighttime chat.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Edward, I am not sure that Frank allowing this Mr Bingley to sign the lease for our estate was for the best,” Maddie opined after looking over the report on the lessee and his family.
“It is a little late now as he has signed the lease,” Gardiner responded.
“Do not forget that Phillips wrote the lease in such a way that the tenants can be evicted without a refund for several infractions. I, too, saw in the report that he lacks resolution and about how uncontrolled his sisters are, especially the younger one. They will have no say-so over the permanent staff and servants, and more importantly, there is no redecorating allowed.”
“I foresee Fanny blindly pushing Jane at Mr Bingley. She has no way of knowing that the man shows interest in ladies who look like Jane, and eventually he withdraws without a word. Unfortunately telling her will not change her actions.”
“You think him a rake?”
“No, not that, Edward. In my opinion, he is immature and allows others to direct him. I see him like a child with a new shiny toy, which becomes the best thing in the world until another, newer, shinier bauble is before him. From what I have read here, he does not realise what he is doing. Notwithstanding his wealth, he was not raised as a gentleman, and in some ways, it shows in his thoughtless behaviour.”
“And yet the sisters act as if they are daughters of a duke when they are exactly the same as me, the offspring of a tradesman. At least, the older one married a minor gentleman from the third circle, so she can at least claim his status as her own. The younger one is so high in the instep I am surprised she has not fallen off her pedestal and broken her neck. I can imagine Lizzy having much entertainment while sketching their characters.”
“I, also, envisage that. I hope Lizzy does not jump to conclusions like she is wont to do. As much as I love our second eldest niece, you know she is quick to judge and slow to admit that any of her judgements are flawed.”
“In that, Maddie my dearest, I cannot but agree with you.” Gardiner paused as he cogitated on the lease. “I suppose I could have Phillips cancel the lease on moral grounds and return the payment to Mr Bingley, if you are adamant you do not want them at our estate.”
“No, Edward, that would be too drastic. Allow them to take the lease as planned, and we will make sure Mr and Mrs Nichols keep us apprised of the goings on at the estate.”
“I agree with you. I will not look for faults to evict them, but we will know how to act based on the reports we receive.”
“Do not forget that our three eldest nieces will not hesitate to inform us if there is anything they think we need to know,” Maddie reminded her husband.
“On a different subject to do with our nieces, it seems that Kitty is going from strength to strength and is not allowing Lydia to pull her back into her sphere of influence.”
“Yes, I have read that, and it pleases me greatly. Having her with you in Lambton had better results than even we had hoped.”
After some languid kisses, the Gardiners made their way to the dining parlour where their three eldest children would join them for the midday meal.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bingley had put off informing his sisters about the estate he had leased for as long as possible.
With it being less than a month until the date he was to take possession of the estate, which was the second to last Monday in September, he knew he could not defer telling Louisa and Caroline any longer.
He found his sisters and Hurst at leisure in the drawing room. He had picked the afternoon after calling hours to make the disclosure. That way if Louisa or Caroline reacted badly, there would be no others to see it. Not sure how to begin, he stood thinking.
“Charles, why are you standing about in that stupid fashion,” Miss Caroline Bingley demanded in her high pitched, grating voice.
“Ehrm, I have news to impart to all of you,” Bingley replied.
“Well, what is it? It must be bad if you are so reluctant to tell us. It had better not be that you have done something to spoil my chances with my Mr Darcy,” Miss Bingley stated.
He saw that his sister was preparing to unleash her temper while his older sister nodded her agreement.
He spoke fast. “No, it is nothing like that,” Bingley assured his younger sister.
“The only way it is connected to Darcy is that he assisted me.” He noted that his sisters were getting frustrated as he was not telling them the news faster.
Hurst could not care less as he was snoring on a chaise.
“Do you remember I told you Darcy recommended I lease an estate prior to purchasing one?”
Both sisters nodded.
There was no missing their annoyance that he had not got to the point yet.
Bingley continued, “A few weeks past, Darcy and I went to view an estate, Netherfield Park, in Hertfordshire. It is only twenty miles from London. On Darcy’s recommendation, I leased the estate for one year from the second to last Monday in September onward. ”
“You dared take an estate, for lease or purchase which is not close to Pemberley? And without my approval?” Miss Bingley screeched.
Mrs Hurst placed a calming hand on her sister’s closest forearm. “Caro, did you miss that Charles did what Mr Darcy recommended and that Mr Darcy saw the estate and told our brother to take it? What do you think he would feel if he was told you railed against his advice to Charles?”
Ever since she had married the indolent sot who was snoring away on the chaise, Louisa Hurst had depended on Caroline to make a match which would raise them to the heights of society.
She had admittedly erred with Mr Hurst thinking he had connections to the first circles; he did not.
That left her trapped to a useless, drunken, indolent man.
There was nothing she could do to correct her error other than ensure that Caroline made the type of match she herself should have had.
Being that she was not an unintelligent woman, Mrs Hurst could see that Mr Darcy had no interest in Caroline. If, as she hoped, Mr Darcy would come to the estate in that benighted backwater, she would help Caro make herself agreeable to him, and if that failed, then they would force the issue.