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Wes could see that Mary was lost to her reverie and decided that he would not disturb, he would allow her to talk when she was ready.

When he was with Mary everything just felt right, and as much as he enjoyed talking to her, he also enjoyed the companionable silence as they strolled through his mother’s rose gardens.

As long as she was at his side, he was happy.

His tender feelings for his Mary were progressing into love, and he felt that if Mary was not in love with him yet, she would be soon.

He had not missed the looks that Mary gave him when she thought that she was not being observed, they all were tender, loving looks; it was the same look he had seen often between Jane, who was closest to Mary in temperament, and her husband.

Some yards behind them Lord Mark Creighton was walking with Lady Catherine.

He had started to use her proper name rather than her nickname as everyone else did.

Although she did not mind the appellation at all, he felt that it made her sound like a young girl when he called her ‘Kitty’, and he certainly did not see her as one.

She was a lady, one with whom he had a growing interest.

“Wes tells me that you like to draw and paint, my Lady,” Mark stated as he watched her observe a particular flower from more than one angle, “do you have a portfolio with you at Broadhurst?”

“I do, my Lord,” Kitty responded as her cheeks became much rosier. She liked that he used her full name, though it caught her off guard at times. “If I may be so bold, when we are alone, I would like it if you would call me Catherine without any title,” she requested forthrightly.

“It would be my pleasure to do so, Catherine, as long as you are willing to call me Mark”,” he smiled at her, revealing a dimple on his left cheek,

“I would like that, Mark,” she replied cheekily. “To your question, yes, I have one of my portfolios here with me.”

“If you would condescend to show it to me, I would like to see you work, Catherine,” he asked diffidently.

“It would be my pleasure, my L…Mark,” Kitty responded, just catching herself before she used his title, then her blush ignited because she had just called him ‘my Mark’ out loud.

“I have seen you on your mare, Aphrodite,” he observed, not having missed it and not wanting to give her the chance to correct it. “You have an excellent seat, but I do have a question about her name, if I may ask.”

“You are free to ask anything that you desire,” she replied quickly then her blush ignited all over again as she realised that her answer may have sounded too forward, “and I may not choose to answer.”

“I have noticed that the rest of your family seem to have named their mounts after celestial bodies, how did you come to name yours for a Greek goddess?” he smiled, his amusement brightening his eyes and they were riveted to her.

“I was twelve when Papa gifted Mary and me with our mares. Mary liked astronomy, like our father, so she chose a moon of Jupiter, Callisto,” Kitty explained.

“I, however, was enamoured with Greek mythology and found it very romantic that Aphrodite was the goddess of love, so I chose to honour her by naming my horse after her.”

“Ah,” he said. “So you, Catherine Bennet, are a romantic.”

“Mayhap not as much as my older sisters,” she said quietly, “but yes, I suppose that I am.”

“I am very pleased that your family holds that only love matches will do,” Mark stated as he looked ahead at nothing in particular.

“I am so tired of the debutants who simper and fawn over me and agree with anything that I say no matter how many times I contradict myself.” What he did not relay was that he had almost been compromised by one Miss Amanda Price, the same irritant that now set her cap at his friend Wes.

Even before the Darcy settlement was widely known, he had told her mother and father in no uncertain terms that he would never marry their shrew of a daughter, regardless of whether she attempted to entrap him or not.

Thankfully her parents had understood that he was absolutely serious and from that day on the harridan had never approached him again.

“Where were you just now, Mark?” Kitty asked, not missing the faraway look of his expression.

“It was nothing of import,” he prevaricated as he did not want to involve her in his troubles past. “I look forward to our ride and picnic lunch that we have planned for the morrow,” Mark changed the subject.

“Mary and I do, too,” Kitty smiled. “I am looking forward to giving Aphrodite her head. We will see if she is a match for that enormous black stallion of yours, Mark.”

“You mean Caesar?” he asked with pride. He loved his horse who had been his since he was a foal. “He is the ruler of his domain, and I am sure that he will leave your goddess of love in his dust,” Mark teased.

“Do I hear a challenge, my Lord?” Kitty affected hauteur and an arched brow reminiscent of her older sister.

She knew something that her companion did not.

Her mare was one of the fastest horses to come out of the Bennet stables which had produced some of the finest thoroughbreds in the realm.

She was happy to allow the overconfident viscount to learn the hard way, as not a few others had in the past when they challenged her and her beloved Aphrodite.

“If the lady is up to it, I believe that yes, it is,” Mark smirked. Few horses were not intimidated by his Caesar, and he is all but unbeatable in a race.

“Well then,” Kitty nodded once, showing that she was not at all worried about the race, “may the best mare win.”

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

The young Duchess of Bedford was excited, she had just missed her first courses and just like her sister-in-law Elizabeth, she had been regular every month since she had her first indisposition some years ago.

It was not a question of if she would share her news with anyone, it was far too early even to talk to her husband.

Her lady’s maid was the only one who knew as she had noticed that her mistress had not had her usual pains or any cloths to dispose of that month.

Amy was sure that if she was not careful all of the women at Falconwood would immediately guess her secret, so she schooled her features before she descended to the breakfast parlour to join the family and discuss the agenda for the day.

She was the last to enter the parlour and Tom stood as soon as she walked in.

After he pulled out a chair for her to sit next to him, he went to the sideboard to make her a plate with her preferred foods to break her fast. Amy could not help but surreptitiously look at Jane and imagine herself that size in five or six months.

“What have you planned for us today, your Grace ,” Marie teased her younger sister.

“Well, Viscountess ,” Elizabeth retorted, “I thought that with the work ongoing in the family wing that we could start on the design for the public rooms today.”

“We are going to hunt,” William informed the ladies for the men.

“Would you not rather look at swatches and help me choose colours for our home, my Grace?” Elizabeth challenged with a playfully arched eyebrow.

“As much as I appreciate the invitation, my Grace,” he bowed to her in deference, “I think that we will stick to the hunt, if it is all the same to you.” Darcy paused and took his wife’s hand.

“You do know that if you truly required my participation that I would remain here with you, do you not, my love?”

“I do, William. I am sure that you would never deny me anything that was in your power to grant,” Elizabeth lifted his hand to her lips for a soft kiss.

“Go have your sport.” The men exited the breakfast parlour with haste before anyone changed their minds except for Richard, who approached his wife.

“Typical men,” Lady Catherine interjected with her acerbic wit, “go and play with your guns while we get the important work done.”

“Promise me that you will not exert yourself, Jane,” Richard beseeched his wife, his concern softening his expression as he assessed her.

“I will not, Richard, you have my word,” she responded and her husband visibly relaxed. “Besides, with this group of women,” Jane’s hand wave included all those at the table with her, “watching me very closely, even had I wanted to, they would never allow it.”

Once the men had left, the ladies retired to the music room to assist Elizabeth in the planning of the changes needed within.

“I am acquainted with John Broadwood as he made all of the harpsicords and pianofortes at Pemberley,” Lady Anne offered.

“I will write to him and let him know what you would like to order once you have decided. When we are in town for the little season, we can visit stores and find a harp and any other instruments you require.”

“Thank you, Mother Anne, I would appreciate your help,” Elizabeth agreed. “We will order a harpsichord as well.”

“I am the only one that plays it, Lizzy,” Lady Anne smiled, thankful her daughter-in-law was so thoughtful toward her.

“That is not true, Anne,” Lady Elaine interjected, “I play. Not nearly as well as you, and if memory serves, even though she loves the pianoforte, Georgie plays the instrument as well, better than I do, in fact.”

“When you send your missive to Mr. Broadwood, we will order a harpsichord,” Elizabeth decided, brooking no opposition. “It will be here for anyone that wants to play it.”

“Do you know that my Anne is learning to play the pianoforte?” Lady Catherine asked.

“I did not know that Cousin Anne did not play,” Jane offered.