Page 27

A nthony welcomed his parents to Netherfield Park warmly. They had gone up to their suite, led upstairs by the housekeeper, Mrs Nichols, and once they had washed and changed, they joined their brother and son in a drawing room.

“You did not waste time before you requested a courtship, did you, Son?” Barrington noted. “From what both you and Hertfordshire have written about Miss Lucas, she sounds like an estimable lady who you will be very happy with. When do we get to meet our future daughter?”

“No, Hubert, as far as we are aware, Anthony has not made an offer yet.” Leticia looked at her son questioningly.

“Mother, you have the right of it. I have not proposed yet; we have only been courting for three days,” Anthony clarified.

“Once you meet her, you will see how perfect she is for me, and that will be at dinner tonight. Uncle Archy has invited the Lucases, Gardiners, and Phillipses for dinner, as he has a hostess now.” Anthony paused as the image of Charlotte formed in his mind’s eye.

“Do not be surprised if it is not too many more days before I make my addresses to Charlotte…Miss Lucas.”

“Gardiners and Lucases, will we not meet this wondrous Miss Bennet who seems to have my brother considering shedding the title of bachelor?” Leticia jested.

“Indeed, you will, teasing sister of mine. Miss Bennet and her next younger sister live with the Gardiners,” Hertfordshire revealed.

He saw the questioning looks from his sister and brother-in-law.

He told the story of how and why the two girls became the Gardiners’ wards and the next two the Phillips’ wards.

“What disgusting parents!” Leticia exclaimed with asperity. “Archy, when you are next in the Lords, you need to push for laws which would protect children from undeserving parents.”

“I would if I could garner more than a few men’s support.

Most are doddering old fools who like the fact children, especially female ones, are property like wives are.

As sad as it is, I do not see anything changing in our lifetimes [1] ,” Hertfordshire asserted sadly.

“Someone with the intelligence that Miss Bennet has would put the fear of God into the old guard and would make them even more reticent to change the status quo.”

“Archy, I have read what you have said about her, but she is sixteen, and you are four and forty. It is not for me to judge, but is she not far too young for you?” Leticia enquired as delicately as she was able to.

“She has the maturity of a woman twice her age…” Hertfordshire went on to explain how he had had the self-same questions and had realised that age is but a number when two people are as compatible as he and Miss Bennet seemed to be.

“If she had not been of an age where many marry in our society, I would not think to approach her; however, that is not the case here. Just wait until you meet her, you will understand exactly what I mean. Also, I am more than willing to wait until she comes out at eighteen before marrying her.”

“You have never been rash, so if you say she is right for you, then Leticia and I will support you,” Barrington assured his brother-in-law. He paused and asked an awkward question. “I assume you are sanguine that she is not chasing a title and your wealth, are you not?”

“Miss Bennet may be the only woman in the realm who would refuse me if she does not feel we will shift well together. I know from speaking to her that she will only marry for deep love and respect, the same as I desire,” Hertfordshire responded.

“As busy as I have been courting Charlotte, I cannot but agree with Uncle Archy. Miss Bennet is unlike any woman, of any age, you will ever meet. It is not just her intelligence, which she has in abundance, but she and my uncle are compatible in so many ways. I, for one, will be beyond pleased for him if he decides to offer for, and is accepted by, Miss Bennet,” Anthony assured his parents.

He grinned. “Unless my uncle wins her heart, I am certain Miss Bennet would refuse him. However, my uncle has nothing over which to be concerned, in my estimation and my Charlotte’s, Uncle Archy’s sentiments are returned.

Charlotte knows her friend well, as she has been Miss Bennet’s best friend for close to ten years. ”

“Due to some rather jealous harpies, I have protection in place…” the Duke told the Barrington parents what steps he had taken to protect all of the Miss Bennets as well as their guardians.

After listening to both their son and brother, Lady Leticia and Barrington visibly relaxed.

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

The dinner guests were welcomed like good friends by the Duke and the three Barringtons, regardless of the fact that two men were in trade.

Leticia was watching when a lady entered the drawing room and lit up with pleasure when she saw Anthony.

As she had suspected, the identity was confirmed as being Miss Charlotte Lucas as soon as the introductions were made.

That kind of reaction could not be feigned, so at that moment Leticia knew the lady was in love with her son, which was exactly what she had prayed he would find.

Based on the descriptions earlier that day, she recognised Miss Bennet even before her name was mentioned.

That young lady glowed with pleasure when she saw Archy, bolstering the words about her feelings her brother and son had relayed. It took a few minutes of discussion to discover the truth of the words regarding her maturity. This was not some silly girl who should not be out of the schoolroom.

Even more heart-warming to Leticia was the way her brother’s countenance shone with pleasure when he saw Miss Bennet enter the room.

She would do anything she could to assist the woman she was sure would soon be Her Grace, the Duchess of Hertfordshire.

She would enlist her cousin, Georgiana, the Duchess of Bedford, among others, to ease Miss Bennet’s way in society as soon as the event she was sure would occur, occurred.

Barrington made the error of challenging Miss Bennet to a game of chess.

It took her less than ten minutes to capture his king.

He spoke to her about current events and news from the war, all of which she was able to discuss with logic, facts, and authority.

Just like his wife had seen, it was not long before Barrington understood what his son and brother-in-law meant when they spoke of her maturity.

She was not some young vapid miss of whom Hertfordshire would soon tire and with whom he would become disenchanted.

Miss Bennet was anything but. She was almost as well-read as Hertfordshire, and unlike anyone else he knew, she could recall anything she had ever read.

Discussion at dinner was very lively, and the Barrington parents were very impressed by the behaviour of Miss Mary, as well as the four younger girls, who were Maria Lucas, the two youngest Bennet sisters, and Lilly Gardiner.

During the brief separation of the sexes, Leticia, who asked the ladies to use her familiar name without her title, enjoyed the company of Madeline Gardiner, Sarah Lucas, and Hattie Phillips.

She was delighted with Charlotte, who she was sure would be her daughter sooner rather than later.

At first, Sir William and Lady Lucas, who were very attentive to rank since the King knighted Sir William, were somewhat fawning towards the Duke, Lady Leticia, and even Anthony as the nephew of a duke and a possible future duke himself.

Thankfully the example of Lord Hertfordshire and the Barringtons rubbed off on the Lucas parents, and they soon relaxed around the highborn people and emphasised their own rank less.

Some in the Ton would decry the connections, but not out loud, as they would not want to anger a powerful duke, especially one like Archy, who had the ear of the King, Queen, and the Prince of Wales.

“Well?” Hertfordshire probed once the guests had left.

“I will admit to being sceptical that a girl of sixteen would be compatible with you, but Archy, she is in all ways. The only question is, will you be able to keep up with her, and I do not mean physically? I have never seen such intelligence in a man, never mind another lady,” Leticia stated as her husband nodded his agreement.

“And Anthony, I could not approve more of your choice of a lady. Charlotte will be a very good match for you; of that I am certain.”

“I could not agree more with your mother,” Barrington added.

“Loretta and Marjorie will be waiting for my letters. I will write in the morning and tell them how well you have both chosen,” Leticia informed her son and brother. “The only question is when will you ask the lady of your choice to marry you?”

That was something each man needed to answer for himself.

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

Each day Elizabeth rode out, usually with Charlotte and sometimes with Mary as well, who occasionally woke up early and joined them.

Every time they did, the Duke and Mr Barrington were waiting for them just beyond the paddock at Purvis Lodge.

As much as Cathy and Lydia liked to ride the ponies Uncle Frank had gifted them, they did not like rising from their warm beds before the sun. They would join rides later in the day.

Since that first day when she had not behaved very well, Jane did not arrive to join the morning riding parties.

Elizabeth was not unhappy she had not been one of their number.

Jane’s apology notwithstanding, Elizabeth could not trust her and her motivations.

For all of her life until Mrs Bennet was banished to a cottage, Jane had been told that she would have anything she desired with the force of her looks alone.

It was hard to believe that one who had had that drummed into her consciousness would suddenly make an about-face.