“I guess every family has its stories to tell. ‘Judge not, lest ye be judged.’ I would not want people who did not know me well to be speaking of me harshly and judging behavior they knew nothing about.” Mary added quietly.
“Well said, Mary, and how do you feel about your first assembly? Was it everything you were hoping?” Charlotte took control of the conversation again.
“It was. I danced almost every dance. People were very kind.”
“Did you favor any one gentleman over the others?”
Mary blushed and shook her head.
“It is too bad Colonel Fitzwilliam could not get away in time to attend. He showed you some preference in Ramsgate I believe.”Beth gently teased her shy cousin, but Mary refused to rise to the taunt.
“And you Miss Bingley? How did you find our little assembly?”
“To be honest, I have never been to a country assembly, so I have no basis of comparison. I had a very pleasant time, though.”
“Did you see any gentlemen of interest?”
“I have been rethinking what I find interesting in gentlemen. What I was taught…well…it may not have been correct.”
The conversation paused at that comment while the ladies became thoughtful. Jane took that moment to refresh the tea. “And you, Beth? I think Lizzy found Mr. Darcy rather interesting, but I did not notice you giving anyone preference.”
Lizzy scowled at her sister while Beth chuckled. “I think William found Lizzy rather interesting also, but as for me, I am not sure there are any gentlemen in England who could keep my attention. If there was someone like my cousin Will, who was a bit more progressive and wanted to move to America…then maybe…but I have not met anyone like that yet. Now Charlotte, you have led the conversation long enough. Who did you find interesting?”
“John Smith.”
“He is a steward’s son, Charlotte!” Lady Lucas exclaimed.
“That may be true, mama, but he is probably the most intelligent man I have ever met. We have spent a great deal of time conversing. I like him.”
“Lady Lucas, being a steward’s son has a different connotation in America. He has very fine prospects. He has his own house. He is my brother’s closest friend. He is not a servant.”
“Oh, well, he has his own house you say? And prospects?” Lady Lucas’s eyes became calculating.
“Yes, very fine prospects. He earns a percentage of the estate’s income, just like his father. He also has several horses of his own that he breeds with ours. My father granted him ten acres of land in his will to keep said horses.” Beth tried to keep a smirk from her face. She knew John had been speaking with Charlotte more than she had ever seen him speak to any other woman. She would do her best to help him along. They were the same age, and although the people of Meryton called her plain, Beth thought she was quite pretty when she smiled. She had a steady personality and was practical in her knowledge. There was no one near Rolling Meadows that was right for John, or that he had ever showninterest in. In fact, in Beth’s memory, Charlotte was the first lady he had shown favor to.
All the young ladies had been canvased on their opinions and interests of the previous evening, and Lady Lucas was caught up in her own thoughts of her daughter’s prospects, so it was time to end the tete e tete. Beth collected Gigi and returned with a very quiet Miss Bingley to Netherfield. Georgiana found Miss Bingley’s silence disconcerting, but Beth kept the conversation going by asking questions of how the younger girls spent the previous evening. By the time they arrived back at Netherfield Park, Gigi was giddy with the retelling of the pretend ball the girls had of their own. They had danced and gossiped late into the night, just as young ladies aught.
Chapter Thirty-three
Mr. Bingley, generally a very happy fellow, could not figure out why Miss Bennet would not give him the time of day. Oh, she was always polite, but no matter how he complimented her, she would turn back to Viscount Rosemont…the rake and gambler. Everyone in London knew about him. He tried to encourage his sister to warn her off, but Caroline said it had already been spoken of, and she thought they should stay out of others business.
Charles also could not figure out the changes in his younger sister. She had always been an inveterate social climber. Caro had been chasing Darcy for years, and now she had a viscount in her own household, but she was hunting neither of them! She spent all her time with Miss Darcy and Miss Georgiana. She did not gossip anymore. She stopped wearing those hideous colors. She wore dresses two seasons out of fashion. What was the world coming to?!
Even his elder sister and her husband were different. Hurst had quit drinking and eating so much. Louisa was in a delicate state, so he understood whyshemight be different, but she no longerfollowed wherever Caroline led…not that she was leading anymore.
In a last-ditch effort to bring the attention of everyone back to himself, he announced at dinner one night, “We shall throw a ball for our neighbors! I insist it be so! I received a note from Colonel Fitzwilliam, and he will arrive the twenty-fourth of November. We shall have our ball on the twenty-sixth!”
“Oh Charles, that will not give us much time to plan. Must it be that date?”
“It is ten days away; I see no reason we should put it off! There will be a full moon that night, which will make it easier for people to return home.”
Beth reached for Caroline’s hand, “We shall help you! Mamie, Louisa, Georgiana and I, plus the Bennet ladies and Charlotte. It will be a grand time!”
Hurst spoke, which he rarely did at mealtimes. “And we gentlemen will hunt for fresh game and stay out of your way, but you must promise me you will not overdo, Mrs. Hurst.”
“I would not think of it, Mr. Hurst.” They smiled at each other like young lovers. Charles found it revolting, but he smiled anyway.
Darcy and Rosemont both had silly little smiles on their faces and were staring off into nothing. Even John Smith wore a slight grin. ‘Sickening. All of them. I thought in this little backwater I would be the most popular and important, for once. I thought I would have to force Caro to stay put for a few months. Hurst and Louisa always stayed with him to save money, but now they were talking about returning to his father’s estate for Louisa’s lying in. Darcy constantly wanted him riding out to check on tenants, or drainage, or barns. Rosemont would not even play cards or billiards for money. What was HE playing at? Mooning over Miss Bennet like a callow youth! He would never marry someone so low. No connections. No dowry. Well, I guess since Miss Darcy was their cousin, they were now connected to the Darcys. Maybe that was why Caro was spending so much time with her.’ Bingley had to work very hard keeping a vapid smile on his face while he thought about his ill-use. He did not know someone was watching him very closely.
