Page 18 of Cousin Elizabeth
“No, we have not spent time around the upper ten thousand.” Jane said softly. “I do not believe most of us girls would enjoy that. Lizzy and Beth are so quick of wit, they would likely run circles around the cats, but the rest of us have more delicate sensibilities.”
“Jane, you have a will of iron. You would kill them with kindness. I am not so sure about Mary and Kitty, but Lydia, she would kill them with her eyes alone!” Everyone chortled.
“Is Lydia so very bad? She did not look happy to be riding with her father.”
“Lydia has had a difficult time since mama died. She was the apple of our mother’s eye and was very spoiled. Since Jane has taken over as mistress of the house, Lydia has had to change her ways. She no longer gets everything she asks for. She must study with Mrs. Greaves. Mama had promised she would come out at fifteen, like she did. Jane put her foot down within months of mama’s passing and told the younger girls they would not come out until at least seventeen, or eighteen if they did not prove mature enough.”
“You wrote me about that tantrum, Lizzy. It sounded like quite a scene!”
“Oh, it was! Papa almost gave into her, but Jane would have none of it! I was so proud.”
“Hush, Lizzy. The girls just need structure. Aunt Maddie showed you and I that. Our sisters did not have the benefit of spending months with Aunt and Uncle Gardiner.”
“So, in answer to your question Gigi, no, Lydia is not so very bad. She is petulant and tends to brood, but generally in silence. She has learned that temper tantrums simply will have her isolated to the nursery until she apologizes to everyone for her outburst. She is intelligent and has a sharp wit, but she is slow to trust. Give her time, and do not let her fiery gaze disturb you.”
“At the next stop, I will change places with her. That will make her feel special, and maybe it will be easier for her to get to know you Gigi and Beth. Lizzy knows how to stop her tongue if she becomes petulant.”
At the next stop Lydia was very surprised to be asked to change places with Jane. “You are closest in age to Miss Darcy; she wants to get to know you better.”
Lydia looked suspicious, but then she usually did. It had become part of her persona, to be suspicious of people’s motives, and distrustful. Her mama had been the only one she really trusted,and Kitty for the most part, but Kitty had the tendency to tattle and could not keep secrets. Jane had become a dictator, as far as she was concerned. Mary only cared about learning and playing the pianoforte. She was always speaking about decorum, like Mrs. Greaves. Lizzy…she liked her the best of her sisters. She was witty and lighthearted but understood a sardonic quip. The others did not seem to understand when she was jesting and teasing. More times than not, only Lizzy or papa would laugh or at least smile. Lizzy was Jane’s best friend though, so she couldn’t really trust her, could she? Maybe Miss Darcy would be someone she could trust. She would try. Her cousin Beth was an interesting study. She was very forthright. She was clever and played chess well. John Smith, now he was interesting! Not only was he a very manly man, but he wassointelligent and never flaunted it. She had managed to take him to a draw in chess just twice. The time she won did not count. She had learned a great deal about the game from him. He was so very quiet too. She had told him an outrageous lie once, to test him out, but he called her on it and never brought it up again. She could maybe trust him…maybe.
By the time they reached Faversham, Lydia realized she liked Miss Darcy. She was quiet, like John Smith. Shy and a good listener. Being enclosed with her cousin Beth was also enlightening. Lizzyhad been her usual self and just encouraged everyone else to speak and occasionally threw a tease into the mix. Lydia wished she felt so comfortable around people as Lizzy appeared to be. Hopefully this trip would bring her closer to her family or at least be entertaining. Longbourn was so very dull.
Chapter Sixteen
“What a darling house! Oh, and look at the view!” Kitty exclaimed as everyone got out to stretch their legs at the home Gigi would be staying in for the summer. From the outside it looked like it might have five or six bedrooms. It was just two stories and the attic. It was impossible to tell if it had a basement from the streetside. The beach access looked to be about one hundred yards away, maybe a bit more. The windows from the back of the house would have an unimpeded view of the water.
Mrs. Young, Gigi’s lady’s maid, and the two footmen made sure everything of theirs was unloaded and taken in the house. The butler and housekeeper gave directions to the rooms and waited patiently for the new mistress and the man in uniform to say their goodbyes to the other party. The other two carriages and a luggage cart left to go further down the road.
“Welcome to Seaview Cottage. You must be Miss Darcy. I am your housekeeper Mrs. Riley, and your butler, Mr. Riley. Cook prefers to just be called cook.” The other lady had just joined them in the vestibule.
“Very nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Riley, Cook, this is my cousin and one of my guardians, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, and just joining us is my companion, Mrs. Bernice Young. The people who just left are my family and will be staying down the way a bit. They are welcome at any time. It is the Bennet family and my cousin Elizabeth Darcy.”
“Your brother is not with you?”
“He had an emergency at home. He will possibly join us in a few weeks. The colonel will only be here for two nights.”
Richard stepped forward just as Mrs. Young looked like she wanted to take charge. “If you would show us to our rooms to clean up, and then I would like to speak to the three of you…is there a study?”
Mr. Riley answered, “Yes sir. I will show you where it is and then take you to your room. Mrs. Riley will see Miss Darcy and her companion settled and we will meet you in the study.”
~~~~~
“I want to make it very clear, Miss Darcy is in charge here, not Mrs. Young. Her companion has lately shown a lack of judgement that has disturbed both Mr. Darcy and me. Mr. Bennet, who I willintroduce you to before I leave, should be consulted if you have questions. Also, Miss Bennet, the other Miss Darcy, and John Smith can be trusted. I will leave the addresses that Mr. Darcy and I can be contacted if anything truly questionable arises.”
“Understood, sir. Are we to expect trouble of some sort?”
“I would not say ‘expect’, but there are several young women, and more than one heiress. Do you have trusted footmen here? We have brought two with us.”
“Yes sir, we have two also. Our sons, actually. What house will the Bennet’s stay in, if I may ask?”
“The Rock House.”
“Not a welcoming name, but a beautiful house. It is named aptly. It is quite famous in the area.”
“This will be Miss Darcy’s first foray as the mistress of her own home. She will appreciate your guidance, and hopefully her companions also. I will say again, Mrs. Young is not in charge here. Her job is to assist and advise. Miss Bennet has a great deal of experience as the mistress of an estate. She is rather quiet, from what I have seen, but she seems capable. Feel free to consult her, if necessary, as well. That will be all for now.”
Mr. and Mrs. Riley and Cook quietly left the room. Richard had a very odd feeling about all this. He would need to talk with Mr. Bennet and John before he left about keeping a close eye out. When he went back to London in several weeks he would find those papers with Mrs. Young’s references. They had been in a hurry and only checked the first one. He would have his mother check the rest.
