Page 32 of Shields and Roses

"Ah, well, Maria was the oldest and growing up I thought she was always very domineering. She always knew what best, or at least she said she did. I am certain she will have a great deal of advice for you both. Of course, most of it will be spot on," Honoria smiled.

"And your younger sister?" asked Jane.

"Aunt Imogene always had the most advice for me," Madeline told them. "And it was generally good advice as well."

"Most importantly, you must not be frightened of either of my sisters. We are all on your side and want you to succeed," added Honoria.

"I am glad to hear that," Lizzy said with a smile. "It will be challenging enough to make a good impression with your neighbors, we would not want to be frightened of our own party as well."

"The neighbors will be more or less just like the people you know from home," Honoria explained. "Ours will not be the only house party in the area, so there will be large dinners and a few private balls along with the public assembly in Lambton next month. We will do some visiting back and forth and there will be several hunting parties at the various estates, including some fox hunting. Do either of you ride with the hunt?"

"I know how to ride," Jane said, "but not at the skill level required for hunting. The one horse we keep that is trained to sidesaddle is a gentle, plodding beast who could not jump a hedge if her life depended on it, so neither could I."

"I much prefer to walk rather than ride," Lizzy admitted, "although I know the basics. Like Jane, my skills were limited by the abilities of the horse as well as my own inclination."

The others chuckled. "No matter," Honoria said. "There are better ways to put yourself forward than joining the hunt, especially if you do not really enjoy it. It takes years of practice to participate fully without coming away a blowsy, dirty mess. Better to stay inside and congratulate the hunters on their return. You will be in good company either way."

As her mother spoke, Madeline saw one of the maids at the open door to the parlor. The girl nodded at her employer's questioning look and then curtsied before stepping away. Madeline stood.

"It appears our dinner is ready," she said. "Shall we all go in? We can continue our conversation over the meal."

Chapter 20: Port

"I say, Darcy, that was an excellent meal even by the high standards of this house," Charles Bingley noted as he accepted the after-dinner glass of port from his host. "I do not know what makes the difference, but my cook never quite manages to match yours whether it is a relatively simple meal like this or one of the fancy dinners Caroline insists on hosting."

"It may not be so much the cook as much as the one giving the instructions," Fitzwilliam Darcy suggested seriously. "I have never noticed anything technically wrong with any food I have eaten in your home, and the individual items are usually very good. I think it is more in the combination of dishes and flavors where the experience falls short. That selection is usually the purview of the hostess or, in my case, of the housekeeper. Beyond occasionally expressing a desire for a particular dish, I would not presume to dictate menus to either Mrs. Carroll here in London or Mrs. Reynolds at Pemberley. They have years of experience with this kind of planning, know the abilities of our cooks and have never let me down."

"I suppose that makes sense. Before Father's death, Caroline insisted on taking over the role of hostess and continued in that role even after Louisa and Hurst came to stay with us. I think she wants to impress all our guests with her style and flair, especially you, Darcy." Bingley chuckled.

"Do not even speak of your sister's vain hopes for me again," Darcy said, shaking his head. "You would think after all these years and all the times you have talked to her about it that she would give it up as a bad job. I will not change my mind now."

"Oh, I think she has mostly given up. She has been much more serious about trying to be invited to the right places and seen by the right people to give her a good boost up the social ladder. She would marry you in an instant if you asked, but chasing you is more a habit than a goal these days." Bingley sipped at his port, appreciating the flavor. All the same, he almost choked on the drink at his friend's next question.

"Do you plan to continue hosting the Hursts for the rest of your days?"

"What?" Bingley spluttered, trying to catch his breath.

"The Hursts. Do you intend to let them continue to live in your home and off your income as they have in the two years since your father died? I know it is none of my business really, but I have wondered."

With surprise still evident in his voice, Bingley replied, "It has been nearly two years, has it not? I had not really thought about it. Sometimes it feels like he has been gone forever, sometimes it feels like he died just yesterday, and sometimes I have trouble believing he is gone at all."

"I understand completely. I still feel that way five years on. At least I am much more confident and settled in my role as master of Pemberley now. Even though I was expecting it and had trained for it, taking over was very difficult at first, as you well know. I know you have been feeling more comfortable with the new responsibilities as well, which is why I began to wonder about the Hursts. They showed up for the funeral, moved into your home and have just never left again."

Bingley sat back in his chair and took another sip of the port before answering. "There was so much going on when Father died, between the business needs, taking over the finances and dealing with the funeral arrangements. It seemed a relief to have Louisa and Hurst arrive, if only so my sister and I were not alone in the house. Of course, Caroline remained as hostess because Louisa was considered a guest. My older sister has not tried to take precedence that I am aware, and she and Caroline seem in perfect accord, so I had not really noticed how much time had passed and that they cannot really be considered just guests anymore. I have never asked them how long they intended to stay, and they have never mentioned leaving."

He and Darcy sipped at their wine in silence for a moment. After a bit, Darcy asked, "What do you think about the situation?"

"I really do not mind. As you say, they are living off my income, but they are not extravagant and I am not short of cash. Hurst is undemanding company, even when he is sober. Louisa and Caroline both seem happy enough. Because Hurst is the son of a gentleman, they can give Caroline a bit of a social bump when they escort her to events. I would say the situation is working out well for all of us. I might reassess in the future but for now there is no need to address it with them."

Darcy nodded. What his friend said made sense. He topped up each of their glasses, and they both settled back into their chairs comfortably.

"What about the good colonel?" Bingley asked. "Have you heard from him lately?"

"I had a letter from him just yesterday, in fact. Richard assured me he is well and unharmed. As usual, he does not go into much detail regarding his location, but he is somewhere on the continent at the moment. He thinks he may be coming back to England by next spring at the latest. I wish it were sooner. Every minute he spends on the front lines is another chance for him to catch a fatal bullet or cannonball."

"You have said before that his superiors are pleased with him. Do you think he will become a general soon?"

"He has expressed some doubts as to staying in long enough to become a general. He might receive a battlefield promotion, but that is entirely up to chance. He has asked me to be on the lookout for a small estate that might do well for him, and I know my uncle is doing the same. Richard has some funds saved and I think my uncle might have been preparing for this as well."