Page 8 of Sweet on Mr Darcy

Miss Darcy seemed to be about to reply when a warm and animated masculine baritone rose from some distance across the room, in the manner that men often did when speaking of some interest with great enthusiasm.

“My dear sir, you cannot mean to tell me that you would turn up your nose to all of the new works in this room in favour of a text whose primary virtue lies in its antiquity. There are new writers every day who bring edification, levity, and improvement to society.”

“You may enjoy them all with my blessing.” Elizabeth heard her father reply. “Time will show us all, in the end, what works deserve to endure and which should fade into insignificance.”

The ladies all approached the end of the bookshelf and peered around to see Mr Bennet deep in conversation with a tall man with a handsome, dignified countenance and a serious expression. The two men moved towards a table with two chairs, and continued their discussion.

“Papa has made a new friend,” Kitty whispered.

“Or a new scholarly adversary,” Elizabeth murmured. “Though to Mr Bennet it is nearly the same thing. Miss Darcy, I think that gentleman can only be your father. I see a strong feminine resemblance to his features in you.”

Miss Darcy smiled at the sight of her father settling into his chair to debate some academic point thoroughly. “My father is fond of such discussions, and only my brother indulges him. I believe he will be fixed there for some time, Miss Kitty. Would you like to begin reading Sense and Sensibility?”

The two gentlemen continued their debate as their two daughters found a corner to sit and read to one another. Elizabeth took a small book of poetry she had been hoping to read from a shelf and smiled as Kitty began to converse and construct a friendship with their new acquaintance.

“Miss Elizabeth!” A feminine young voice rose over the crash of the waves and the wind of the coast.

Elizabeth, accompanied by Jane, turned and smiled at Miss Darcy, who was approaching with another young lady of perhaps Elizabeth’s age and of a similar elegance to Miss Darcy. They were followed by Mrs Younge and a footman.

“Good morning, Miss Darcy. I see that you appreciate a bracing walk on a fine English morning.” Elizabeth nodded to the young lady’s companions and introduced her elder sister when invited by the other lady to do so. The new young lady was introduced as Lady Priscilla Fitzwilliam, the only daughter of the Earl of Matlock, and Miss Darcy’s cousin.

“Papa tells me that Mr Bennet intends to call at Darcy Cottage today for a game of chess,” Miss Darcy informed her. “Please implore him to bring your sister, for Kitty and I could read another chapter of our novel.”

“Jane and I will tell them as soon as we return for breakfast,” Elizabeth promised. “Are you intending to walk in this direction? Please join us.”

Lady Priscilla and Miss Darcy fell in with them quickly. Lady Priscilla turned and fixed Mrs Younge with a glare until the companion fell back and gave the young ladies some privacy.

“Is it not Mrs Younge’s responsibility to look after Miss Darcy?” Jane asked as they turned and walked on.

“It is, but it is not her task to discourage her from making friends, which she has been attempting to do since we arrived,” Lady Priscilla grumbled. “I will not be listened in upon and then later scolded like a school-room miss who knows not how to converse.”

“Protecting Miss Darcy must be a heavy responsibility,” Jane said thoughtfully.

“I agree, but we are here so that my cousin can become comfortable with making new friends and connexions in society before she debuts. She had recently fallen into a reticence that we ought to chase away before it causes her anxiety later. I do not know why my uncle hired Mrs Younge. Her inclinations run completely opposite to those of her charge, and she expects her charge to make compromises to her plans and activities to suit her.”

“I have reminded her that she was hired for my convenience and not the other way around so many times, I am quite appalled by myself,” Miss Darcy whispered. “It is not in my inclination to fight back, but if it were up to Mrs Younge, I would never leave Darcy Cottage.”

“You have no need of such close supervision when you are in the company of a trusted older member of the family, even if I am a few months shy of my majority.” Lady Priscilla tossed her head. “Let her follow behind with the footman.”

“Have you seen anything interesting since you arrived?” Miss Darcy asked the two Bennet ladies as they walked.

“I believe that Jane and I observed the most ridiculous spectacle Ramsgate has to offer when we walked out yesterday morning,” Elizabeth announced.

“Oh, I cannot think of it without laughing. I cannot compose myself!” Jane looked slightly panicked in a most amusing fashion.

“Tell!” Lady Priscilla demanded. “What could you encounter on the coastline that early besides pedestrians?”

“A runner,” Elizabeth said with a perfectly straight face. When Lady Priscilla and Miss Darcy required more information, she gave it to them. “Yesterday, when we reached the shore, we were treated to the sight of a gentleman in a most peculiar costume, and instead of walking for his exercise, he was running for it.”

“Do not forget the dog.” Jane Bennet covered her mouth with her gloved hand and appeared to be nearly weeping with the effort not to laugh out loud.

“A dog?” Miss Darcy said in confusion.

“He runs with a dog, for companionship.” Elizabeth did not even attempt not to giggle.

“Well, certainly he must run with a dog, for there cannot be any people wishing to join him!” Lady Priscilla quipped. “I am excessively diverted. This is quality amusement that cannot be found in town. You must tell us everything.”

“I am not very certain that Horace wanted to run with him very much either, but the two of them did get in a great deal of exercise,” Elizabeth replied.