Chapter 13
Not two days after the Gouldings had hosted many of their neighbours at Haye Park, Lydia, who had been with her mother visiting Aunt Hattie in Meryton, burst into the drawing room, throwing off her outerwear as she ran.
“You will never believe the best news I have just heard from Aunt Hattie!” Lydia shrieked as she came to a halt before her sisters.
“You have no way of guessing, so I will tell you! A regiment of the Derbyshire Militia is going to be encamped here in Meryton. I cannot wait to see the officers, and as I am certain, they will also want to see me as well!”
“And how will they see you?” Elizabeth asked. “Did you forget that you are not out yet? You will only be fourteen in December, and you have three more years. So pray tell, how will you be in the officers’ company?”
“Mama will allow me!” Lydia insisted as she stamped her foot. She could not believe that none of her sisters cared about the coming officers. “You are all jealous! I am the prettiest and liveliest Bennet sister, and you are worried all the officers will want to be in my company and not yours.”
Fanny walked in; she knew she had said what Lydia wanted to hear, knowing that her husband would not bend on this particular issue. She had not been prepared for Lydia running in and boasting to her sisters as soon as they entered the house.
“Lydia says you will allow her into the company of the officers before she is even fourteen, let alone seventeen. How is that, Mama? Did not Papa say we would not be out until then?” Kitty enquired innocently.
“Well, ehrm, I mean. Lydia dear, I meant if your father agrees for you to enter society early,” Fanny hedged.
“MAMA!” Lydia screamed. “That is not what you told me. You said I would be out as soon as the regiment arrives! You promised; you cannot renege on your word. If you do, I will hate you forever.”
Bennet had been unwillingly pulled from his study by all of the noise his youngest was making. He had stood just outside of the drawing room since right after his wife entered. From what he had heard, he had a very good idea of what had caused all of the caterwauling.
“Except, Lydia, as I am the one who decreed the age you would be out, your mother cannot do so. Do you remember the punishment of your come out being pushed back by three months per infraction?” Bennet queried.
“You meant that?” Lydia shot back.
“Indeed, I did. So far, including this display today, you have one year added to your coming out. Based on your lack of control, I believe you will reach your majority before you come out.” Bennet saw his youngest was about to unleash a torrent of objections.
He raised his hand. “Any more on this, and to the nursery you will go.” He turned to his wife.
“If you ever promise her that which you know is not yours to give, I will withhold your allowance for a six month.” He turned and stalked out of the drawing room and back to his study.
“Mama, you must stop him! I will die if I cannot come out until I am eighteen. I will be an old maid.” For once Lydia was crying real tears.
“There is nothing I can do.” Fanny sank back into her armchair.
“I hate all of you!” Lydia screeched and then ran out of the drawing room and up to her bedchamber. There was no missing the slamming of her door.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Sir William and Lady Lucas enjoyed entertaining their friends and neighbours at Lucas Lodge, even if the estate and manor house were both on the small side.
Thanks to their desire to invite a large number—mainly Sir William’s desire—the walls between the sitting room, parlour, and dining parlour could be pushed back to make one large space.
Before they departed from Longbourn, Mr Bennet addressed his womenfolk; his words were aimed at his wife and youngest daughter.
“I am told that a few of the officers, the ones who have been scouting locations, will be present at Lucas Lodge tonight. I am of a mind to leave Lydia at home, but Mrs Bennet has convinced me to allow her to attend.”
Lydia’s face had shown many emotions as her father spoke, ending with happiness that Mama had made it so she could attend.
“Before you break out in joyful song, you, Lydia, need to listen to me, and listen well,” Bennet commanded.
“You will act as a girl not out, which means being with girls of your age is acceptable. However, if I see you flirting with any man, never mind only the officers, you will be returned home and be placed in the nursery. If there is dancing, which I am sure there will be, you may stand up with one of your sisters or not at all. Do you understand?”
Lydia gave a pouty nod. Her father was determined to spoil her fun. She would make him think she was complying, but when the regiment arrived, she would find a way to go see the officers.
The only thing which kept Bennet from capitulating was the fact he had given Gardiner and Maddie his word of honour.
It had not been difficult to stick to his agreement with the four older girls; they had all seemed to welcome an older age to come out.
He supposed he should not be surprised that Lydia was the one to chafe against the restrictions.
She was, after all, the most like her mother.
He realised he should have interceded when Fanny had told Lydia all of the nonsense about officers. It had been too much trouble to do so.
He would retire to Sir William’s study where he would have peace and quiet.
To that end, he called his three eldest daughters to himself.
“As I will not be in the large room, I am charging you three to watch over your sister. You are to call me if she breaks any of my rules, but only if it is a serious infraction.” Bennet looked at his daughters in turn and received a nod from each.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Darcy had given up trying to convince Bingley that his neighbours did not appreciate those from Netherfield Park always arriving late.
It was the same when he had attempted to have Bingley speak to them about the way they dressed—not to mention their constant speaking about the amount of their dowries.
Rather than be admired for their fashion sense, he had heard more than one comment about the Bingleys being nouveau riche, which is why they constantly needed to flaunt their wealth.
Their speaking of their dowries only marked them as being vulgar and impressed no one.
In the back of his mind, he heard what both Fitzwilliam and Lambert had told him about not being explicit with Miss Bingley, yet he could not bring himself to say what he needed to.
All the way to Lucas Lodge, the superior sisters—that is what they thought they were—denigrated their host, who, yes, used to be in trade but was now not only a landowner but titled as well.
As they were going on about how a knighthood was nothing, he thought of Aunt Catherine’s late husband.
Sir Lewis had been a knight as well, and as much as his aunt hated to acknowledge it, most of the de Bourgh money had been made in trade.
Darcy amused himself thinking about the setdown his Aunt Catherine would issue if she heard these parvenus, which is what she would call them, denigrating one with the same title her late husband had held.
“What a hovel,” Miss Bingley sneered as the coach stopped. “Do we really need to enter?”
“It is bigger than the Bingleys’ manor house,” Hurst stated. It was surprising he was awake. In the past, Darcy had noted how Hurst would be asleep before the conveyance began to move. His face was florid from imbibing earlier in the day, but it did not make what he said less true.
Miss Bingley was about to vent her spleen at her brother-in-law when Mrs Hurst placed a restraining hand on her arm and shook her head, her eyes darting in Mr Darcy’s direction. Understanding what Louisa meant, Caroline did not let loose the invective towards the useless sot she wished to.
Sir William welcomed them at the door. He was as jovial as those at Netherfield Park had come to expect; however, he did make a comment about them arriving a little late.
Bingley looked away and refused to look at Darcy.
Once they had handed their outerwear to a maid, the five new arrivals dispersed into the room. Bingley made a beeline for Miss Bennet; Hurst went to find some liquid refreshment, while the sisters were about to invite Mr Darcy to come sit with them when he disappeared into the crowd.
Once again, when in public, Mr Darcy did not remain with the Bingley sisters. This did not help their moods. That, on top of the fact he did not dance with either of them at the assembly, did not bode well for Caroline’s marital future with him.
“Caroline, we need to be watchful, but we may need to also think of ways to get Charles and Mr Darcy away from here and back to London to be among those of our level.” Mrs Hurst had not told Caroline, but she had not missed the way Mr Darcy’s eyes followed the second Bennet sister whenever they were in company together.
It was confusing because she was the one that he had claimed was not handsome enough to tempt him, and when Caroline had commented that Miss Elizabeth was purported to be a beauty, Mr Darcy had responded with, “She a beauty! I should as soon call her mother a wit.” But now, it seemed that his opinion had changed.
Mrs Hurst knew how badly Caroline would act if she perceived Miss Elizabeth to be a rival for Mr Darcy’s attention, which is why she wanted to keep that information from her younger sister. She needed to present her best side to Mr Darcy, not her worst.