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“The house was redecorated last summer when Uncle Gardiner remarried. And according to Lizzie it was more of a refresh than a complete redecoration. He has always entertained and has appropriate silver and table ware. What was your last question? Oh yes, marking his distinction. I do not know that I am best placed to answer that. Perhaps it is better addressed to our uncle in your next letter.”

“You are telling me that little has changed in nearly a year, despite his elevation to a Baronetcy?”

Jane nodded happily. Her mother on the other hand was beside herself. An opportunity of a lifetime to shop for new everything and it had been squandered. Jane could only imagine what Mrs. Bennet’s next letter would be like.

“Did you hear Jane? I am to accompany Mrs. Forster when the Militia move to Brighton.”

Lydia was impatient to be the centre of attention, basking in the effusions of their mother, and lording it over her sisters, especially Kitty.

“I had heard it was being discussed. But no, I had not heard that Papa had agreed to the trip.”

“He has not yet, but I know that he will. It will be the most wonderful thing.”

As if following a script, Kitty bemoaned her fate and the unfairness of her younger sister getting to go to Brighton while she was stuck at Longbourn. Lydia mocked her and Mrs. Bennet told her off for upsetting her nerves. Everyone played their role.

It was not until dinner that Elizabeth’s wedding was discussed. It had been conspicuous by the lack of interest but Mr. Bennet raised the matter. He had greeted Jane upon her return but had immediately retreated to his study. Dinner was the first time she had spent any time with him. There was a recap of her time in Kent before Elizabeth was mentioned.

“Did you see Elizabeth while you were in London?”

“I did. I spent Saturday and Sunday with her.”

Jane said nothing more.

“And of what did you talk?”

“The last three months, my time in Kent with Charlotte, Uncle Gardiner’s new status, there was much to share.”

“And her engagement?”

“She talked of it, and of Mr. Darcy. It was lovely to see her so happy.”

“Jane, I require more fulsome answers. I do not wish to engage in 20 questions. What did she say of her engagement?”

“She did not share much. She only got engaged last Tuesday, it is less than a week old. You saw the announcement in The Times on Friday. She explained that she had met Mr. Darcy many times during the season and he requested a courtship. Their engagement was the end of that process.”

This was one of Elizabeth’s lies but it was consistent with the story told to others. Neither she nor Darcy were going to share that the courtship was obvious to all but the two central parties. Unless you had observed them, it was difficult to understand or believe. Mrs. Bennet piped up from the other end of the table.

“Which events? And how was she able to attend to so many events during the season?”

“We did not talk of those details Mama. She was happy with the outcome of the courting, we did not talk of the details of it.”

News, gossip and titbits were the currency of the local ladies. Mrs. Bennet did not have much additional information to share beyond what everyone had read in The Times. She huffed at her end of the table.

It was much later that Jane and Mary were finally able to talk freely. Jane shared all that she and Elizabeth had talked about that weekend.

“Her wedding is going to be small, intimate even. She doubts there will be 30 guests in total. She is upset that it is very likely you and I will be unable to attend. But neither Elizabeth nor I can see a way for the two of us to attend without causing issues with Mama and Papa.”

Mary sat and pondered the matter and realised they were right. Jane was of age but she was still under the control of her father.

“I have been away for more than five weeks, what have you not shared in your letters?”

“Let me group them into similar bundles. Let me start with Longbourn. I am behind in tenant visits but also time in the stillroom. And the two go together. Starting tomorrow we need to prepare additional remedies. It was not mentioned today but Kitty would now like to be known as Catherine, her birth name. It is proving to be a challenge for the rest of the house to accede to her basic wishes but if you and I are consistent then it will hopefully change. She has been a help, especially in the last fortnight ever since the idea of Lydia going to Brighton was proposed. We had to work to separate them before you went to Kent, now she is happy to be away from Lydia. I will come back to her in a moment.

“Mama was out of sorts while you were away. The exact issue you and Charlotte have mentioned to me. She desperately wants you to be married but does not seem prepared for that eventuality. Again, we will come back to the goings on at Lucas Lodge. Papa is ever more remote. He is up early, I occasionally broke my fast with him, but then he retires to his study and is rarely seen for the rest of the day. He has set aside Thursday as the one day he will ride the estate but even then, he is often back by lunchtime. And I do not believe he is maintaining the ledgers.”

“What about last year end?”

“Elizabeth did most of the work before she left. He was banishing her but shamelessly had her update them as much as possible before Twelfth Night. But since then?”