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It was all very well deciding to be less foolish, but as Mrs. Bennet sat at the window watching the birds after breakfast, she was wondering how that was to be done.

And what about correcting her younger daughters’ behaviour? Did she even have any ability at managing them? How much would they resist?

Casting her eyes their way, she observed that Kitty was surprisingly quiet. But Lydia was rattling on about officers as usual. Mrs. Bennet cringed at some of her words. What had once seemed so amusing now only struck her as dreadfully unrefined.

Lydia suddenly stopped and complained, “Aren’t we going to have any visitors this morning? Have you seen anyone in the lane, Mama?”

“I haven’t looked,” Mrs. Bennet replied. “But there is a lovely pair of little birds in the hedge at the side of the drive.”

“I don’t care about birds! They are boring. And so is this morning.”

“They are fascinating,” Mrs. Bennet protested. “They have such interesting habits, and watching them is very relaxing.”

“You are beginning to sound like Mr. Darcy.”

“That is a great compliment, but I could never sound like him. I haven’t his sort of mind. But I think it is always worth trying to gain a little knowledge. Even for those of us who do not have great powers of intellect.”

“I wouldn’t mind some knowledge of what the officers are up to,” Lydia said. “Come on, Kitty, let’s go to Meryton.”

“Not just yet,” Mrs. Bennet said firmly. “First, I want you to spend twenty minutes—she hesitated for a moment and then recalled a phrase which Mr. Bennet had recently used—in rational pursuit.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

“What do you mean by rational pursuit?”

“Anything which requires sensible thought. Reading a book would do very well. But not a novel. The sort of book which teaches you things. Perhaps you could fetch one for each of them, Mr. Bennet, if you wouldn’t mind taking a moment away from your newspaper.

” He was only staring over the top of it, but politeness was important.

“Happy to oblige,” Mr. Bennet said.

He quickly returned with two books. Kitty opened hers and immediately started reading. Lydia looked at hers as though it might bite.

“Better get a move on if you want to go out with Kitty,” Mrs. Bennet said. “And don’t think of just pretending to read it. You may not leave until you have given your father a satisfactory account of what you have learned this morning. If that is acceptable to you, Mr. Bennet.”

“Quite acceptable, my dear.”

Lydia frowned at both of them, but she opened her book and began to read. When the time was up, she gave her father a very brief summary and then jumped up from her seat.

“Wait a moment,” Mrs. Bennet said. “I have something more to say. I expect you to be mindful of your behaviour while you are out. In particular, I don’t want you flirting with the officers. It isn’t ladylike.”

“But you said that I should flirt,” Lydia cried. “That is the way to get a husband.”

“I was wrong. Flirting is not the way to get a husband. Gentlemen prefer ladylike wives who know how to speak sensibly and behave properly.”

“La! You sound just like Lizzy.”

“Lizzy has some very good ideas.” Lizzy was also staring at her in astonishment, but Mrs. Bennet understood that her unfortunate daughter had much justification for this.

“That’s just stuffy gentlemen,” Lydia declared. “Officers like ladies who flirt.”

“They may find such ladies amusing, but I doubt that they take them seriously. If a good marriage is what you want to achieve, you must make an effort to be worthy of it.”

“Now you sound like Mary. What I want is to have some fun. What is taking you so long, Kitty?”

“I wanted to finish the chapter. I didn’t know history could be so interesting.”

“You will be watching birds next,” Lydia grumbled.

“That could be interesting too. And I don’t know if I want to go into Meryton. “I was thinking of visiting Susan Partridge this morning.”

“Susan is such a good girl, and a very sensible choice of companion.” Mrs. Bennet was delighted to hear that Kitty had such excellent judgement.

Obviously she wasn’t in need of guidance anymore.

“But perhaps you could put off visiting her until later and go with Lydia now. Since you are showing such good sense yourself, you can be her chaperone.”

Lydia’s eyes almost popped out. “I don’t need a chaperone,” Lydia cried. “Especially one who is barely older than me and knows less than I do.”

Kitty did not respond to this provocation, and she did not join Lydia in glaring when Mrs. Bennet said, “We shall do this again tomorrow. And every day.”

As a disgruntled Lydia was already fleeing the room, she added, “If you are in agreement, Mr. Bennet.”

“I have no objections. Twenty minutes of rational thought is an excellent notion of yours.”

“I don’t know about that,” she said modestly.

“It is only a drop in the bucket, but I hope it may do Lydia a little good. And Kitty too, although I’m beginning to think that she doesn’t need any encouragement to be sensible.

And naturally, you three don’t,” she said to Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary.

“But since you often read anyway, it would be helpful if you could do so at the same time.”

“I am very willing to do so,” Jane said.

“So am I,” Mary said. “In fact, I wouldn’t mind having a look at one of Mr. Madison’s books, Lizzy. A little conversation with him has made me realize that there are many interesting subjects to which I have never paid enough attention. I wish to expand my knowledge.”

“Then you should talk to him more often,” Mrs. Bennet said. “I think it would do you good to regularly join your sisters on their walks.”

Mary frowned.

“I don’t mean because of Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Bennet quickly added. “I am only thinking that you might enjoy the fresh air and the conversation. You can ignore him if that suits you best, and I won’t say a word about it.”

“Walking is a healthy activity,” Mary said. “I think I shall try to do it more often.”

“You will be very welcome,” Elizabeth said. “And I will be happy to join in twenty minutes of reading, Mama.”

“Perhaps I could benefit from some reading as well,” Mrs. Bennet said. “Which book is the one Kitty had, Mr. Bennet? I wouldn’t mind having a look at a bit of interesting history myself. Or do you think I am too old for a little learning?”

“One is never too old for learning,” Mr. Bennet said, picking up a book and handing it to her. “If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them.”

“I probably will. I’m not very bright, you know, but we shall see what I can make of this.”

“I am sure you will do fine,” Mr. Bennet said.

“You are very good to me.”

“Not as good as I should be,” he replied.

This remarkable statement nearly brought her to tears of happiness.

As she blinked them away, Mrs. Bennet wondered what had caused such change in her husband.

He was all thoughtfulness these days. Had someone insulted him as well?

Or had he perhaps been influenced by the fine examples of generosity and goodness set by their new friends?

This thought inspired another idea. She could look to those gentlemen for example of excellent manners to copy. Perhaps study their speech to learn better ways of expressing herself. She would begin at the party which they were attending that evening. But first, a bit of history.

Opening her book, Mrs. Bennet began an overdue attempt at educating herself.

***

As their mother began to read, Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary glanced at each other and then swiftly vacated the room.

“I am flabbergasted,” Mary declared in the privacy of her sisters’ chamber. “Was that really our mother who just gave me permission to ignore Mr. Darcy?”

“Who thinks that I have good ideas,” Elizabeth said. “I am flummoxed.”

“And she instructed Lydia not to flirt with the officers,” Jane said. “She seems to have had an epiphany. But how could this have happened?”

“Miss Bingley,” Mary said.

“I can’t imagine that she would be giving Mama useful advice,” Elizabeth said.

“Not advice. Criticism. I remember now that Mama looked upset yesterday evening, and Miss Bingley was standing behind her. I was wondering if she might have said something unkind.”

“I don’t think—” Jane said. “Never mind. Of course Miss Bingley is capable of being unkind.”

“And now Mama is wanting to improve herself,” Mary said.

“Good for her,” Elizabeth said. “If she can turn the table by embracing rationality, then I will be proud of her.”

***

In the morning room at Netherfield Miss Bingley cocked an ear. “Is that Mr. Hurst back already? He seems to return earlier every time he goes out shooting.”

“He has a lack of stamina.” Mrs. Hurst said.

“He does indeed. Charles and Mr. Darcy stay out for hours. I hope they don’t mind him always leaving them so early.”

“I don’t think they spend that much time out with their guns either. I have seen them a few times going riding instead.”

“I haven’t. And I usually have an excellent view of the drive.”

“I haven’t seen them going that way. They take the path behind the house.”

Miss Bingley sat bolt upright. “And you didn’t think to mention this?”

“It wasn’t of any importance.”

“Did you even wonder where they were going?”

“Just out for a ride, obviously.”

“To Longbourn!” Miss Bingley cried. “I have no doubt that is where they have been going on these rides. And where they are probably headed now. I think I shall take a stroll out to the stables and find out what has been going on.”