“I understand that, but whatever possessed you to include my sister’s name in your tale? You must know that her family is extremely protective of her.”
Miss Bingley had the grace to redden. “I hoped to have Miss Bennet understand that my brother moves in rather higher circles than she could hope to inhabit.”
“A tidy explanation indeed, Caroline,” her exasperated brother put in. “But unlikely in the extreme. I am completely in agreement with Darcy that your behaviour was entirely beyond the pale. Did Louisa know of this?”
Caroline admitted that she had acted entirely on her own.
“Then Louisa shall be my hostess henceforth – no, no, Caroline, if you are going to put up a fuss, I shall send you to Aunt Beatrice. I have half a mind to do so in any case. If you cannotaccept my marriage to Miss Bennet, then I do not see how I can possibly ask her to share a home with either of you.”
“What!” The consternation of both sisters was very great. What could Charles mean by this? Where were they to go?
Mr. Bingley shrugged. “Louisa, you and Harold have a house in Town.”
“It is rented out!”
“So? Pay your tenants to leave, and Caroline may live there with you, or go to Aunt Beatrice, I care not which. You are both of age, and I need not take responsibility for either of you. But for now, Louisa shall be my hostess and you will both be everything polite to the Bennets. Am I understood?”
Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley traded glances. “So we are to be nice to her, is that it?” Miss Bingley asked.
It was likely that she was unaware of the sneer in her voice, but her brother heard it. “Not just nice, Caroline, but warm. Welcoming. Pretend she is Miss Darcy,” he added, with a bite in his tone. “Do you think you can be warm and welcoming, Caroline? You note that I do not bother asking you, Louisa, as you will follow Caroline’s lead, no matter what she does.”
Surprisingly, Mr. Hurst intervened. “Leave Louisa to me, Charles. I will see to her behaviour.”
“Very good, Harold. Caroline, I ask once again – can you be warm and welcoming? Or shall I send you to Aunt Beatrice at once?”
Miss Bingley muttered something under her breath.
“I am sorry, Caroline, I cannot hear you,” her frustrated brother said.
“I said, yes, I will be warm and welcoming,” Miss Bingley bit out.
“You had better be so, Caroline. I lost Miss Bennet once due to your interference, and I shall not lose her again.”
***
“Louisa, this must stop.”
“I do not understand you, Harold.”
“You understand me very well. I admit that I should have stopped you from conspiring with your sister to keep Charles from Miss Bennet; that was wrong of me. I will not allow you to interfere with him again.”
“What care you who he marries, Harold?”
“I care very little,” her husband said, shrugging. “But I care very much that you are about to cost us our very pleasant way of life. Do you not understand our situation, Louisa? Until my father dies, we have very little income. We could certainly live in our house in London, but we could not afford a carriage, nor would we have more than two servants. Is that how you wish to live? I imagine I could accustom myself to it, but could you?”
Louisa stared at her husband, mouth agape.
“I thought as much; you did not understand our true circumstances. Well, then, Louisa, I strongly suggest that you stop supporting Caroline; despite Charles’ warnings, she will make trouble. Distance yourself from her at once, and let Charles see that you are doing so. Otherwise, you will likely need to learn to cook. Do you understand me?”
Louisa nodded vigorously.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Kitty worked until her hands cramped; she soaked them in hot water and then went back to her pencils. In just two days, she had completed a dozen copies of her sister Lydia’s likeness. She showed them to Mr. Bennet, who was astonished. “Kitty, truly, I had no idea you were so very gifted! This is fine work, indeed. But – hold, wait a moment.”
Mr. Bennet disappeared into his study and returned five minutes later with a large volume tucked under his arm. “Kitty, this is a book that discusses the techniques of the great masters, and has a good many colour plates that you might examine. Keep it as long as you like; I suspect you will make better use of it than I.”
Kitty, who had never before been offered a chance to even look at her father’s books, was surprised and gratified, and she thanked her father sincerely.
