Page 30 of Intrigue and Inheritance (Crime and Consequences #3)

Elizabeth began to understand. “Ah,” she said. “He made her criticism of Anne look petty and unfounded without directly contradicting her.”

“Exactly,” Kitty said with enthusiasm. “By the end, Mrs. Pemberton was flustered and trying to change the subject, but Lord Shandly wouldn’t let her escape.

He kept pressing her with increasingly absurd questions, like which Shakespeare plays she considered essential for a young lady’s education, and encouraging her to demonstrate her prowess in Italian or French.

Everyone around them was either smirking or pretending to cough, and Mrs. Pemberton finally excused herself to get a glass of punch.

Anne, of course, was completely unaware of what had happened, so she was spared any embarrassment. ”

Elizabeth found herself genuinely impressed by this account.

There was a subtle cleverness to the viscount’s approach that suggested more intelligence and social awareness than his usual dramatic persona indicated.

“That was thoughtfully done,” she acknowledged.

“To defend Anne without drawing further attention to the original insult.”

“Yes,” Kitty agreed. “And he made Mrs. Pemberton look ridiculous in the process. I think he may have even enjoyed it.”

Elizabeth laughed softly. “Perhaps he did. But it does show a certain gallantry, to come to Anne’s defence so skilfully. I must admit, Lord Shandly is not quite what I expected.”

“He can be very perceptive,” Kitty said quietly. “When he chooses to be. I think perhaps the constant performance is a kind of... protection for him. A way of controlling how others see him, rather than risking their judgment of his true self.”

The insight surprised Elizabeth, suggesting a depth of understanding in Kitty that she had not previously credited. “That is a perceptive observation. Many people wear social masks for precisely that reason.”

Kitty hesitated, then reached into her pocket and withdrew a folded paper. “There is something else,” she said, a touch of shyness entering her manner. “Something that happened today, after we saw Lydia.”

She unfolded the paper carefully and passed it to Elizabeth.

It was a pencil sketch, done with evident skill and attention to detail.

The subject was Kitty herself, captured in profile as she gazed at something beyond the edge of the paper.

What struck Elizabeth immediately was not just the technical proficiency of the drawing, but the warmth and genuine affection evident in every line.

The artist had caught something of Kitty’s essential spirit, a quality of potential and awakening intelligence that many overlooked when dazzled by her more obvious prettiness.

“Lord Shandly drew this?” Elizabeth asked, genuinely surprised. “It’s really very good.”

Kitty nodded, a faint blush colouring her cheeks.

“We had stopped the curricle in a quiet lane near some gardens. He asked if he might sketch me while we rested the horses. He was... different while he worked. Quieter, more focused. There were no grand stories or theatrical gestures, just careful observation and concentration.”

Elizabeth studied the drawing more closely. The artist had paid particular attention to the curve of Kitty’s cheek, the thoughtful set of her lips, the slight furrow of concentration between her brows. It was Kitty as few bothered to see her, a young woman with depth and character of her own.

“This reveals genuine talent,” Elizabeth said finally, returning the sketch to her sister. “And genuine feeling as well, I think. He sees more in you than perhaps others do.”

“Do you think so?” Kitty asked, carefully refolding the paper. “Sometimes I wonder if I am merely another audience for his performances, another person to impress with his stories and accomplishments.”

“This drawing suggests otherwise,” Elizabeth replied. “There is honesty in it, an appreciation for who you truly are rather than merely how you appear in society.”

Kitty traced the edge of the folded paper with her fingertip. “He has never tried to sketch any of the other young ladies of our acquaintance, though several have hinted rather broadly that they would welcome such attention.”

“That seems significant,” Elizabeth observed with a small smile. “Just as his defence of Anne revealed something of his character beyond the fashionable facade.”

“What do you think of him, Lizzy?” Kitty asked directly, looking up with an earnestness that touched Elizabeth deeply. “Truly? Not just what is polite to say, but your honest opinion.”

Elizabeth considered the question carefully, aware of its importance to her sister.

“I think Lord Shandly is more complex than his public manner would suggest,” she said finally.

“His tendency toward exaggeration and theatrical behaviour initially gave me pause, as such traits often mask insecurity or insincerity. But these glimpses you’ve shared of his private self suggest a thoughtfulness that is quite promising. ”

“He is not perfect,” Kitty acknowledged with unexpected maturity. “Sometimes his need for attention and admiration can be rather exhausting. And I am never entirely certain which of his stories contain actual truth and which are pure invention.”

“No one is perfect,” Elizabeth replied gently. “The question is whether his better qualities outweigh his flaws, and whether those flaws are of a nature that might improve with time and proper influence.”

Kitty nodded thoughtfully. “Mr. Darcy has flaws as well, though of a very different nature than Lord Shandly’s. You seem quite happy despite them.”

Elizabeth could not help laughing at this forthright observation.

“Indeed, though I would suggest that my husband’s reserve and occasional pride are balanced by his integrity and genuine goodness of heart.

What matters most in judging a person’s character is not the presence of flaws, which all humans possess, but the foundation beneath those superficial traits. ”

“The foundation,” Kitty repeated slowly. “You mean their principles and values?”

“Precisely,” Elizabeth nodded, pleased by her sister’s quick understanding.

“In private moments, when there is no audience to impress and no advantage to be gained, what guides their actions? Is there kindness? Honesty? Consideration for others? These are the qualities that make a reliable husband and a worthy companion through life’s difficulties. ”

Kitty was silent for a moment, absorbing this advice.

“I believe there is genuine kindness in Lord Shandly,” she said finally.

“His defence of Anne gained him nothing, yet he went to considerable trouble to spare her feelings. And today, when he could see I was distressed after meeting Lydia, he showed real concern without prying. These seem like good signs of his... foundation.”

“They do indeed,” Elizabeth agreed. “Though I would encourage you to continue observing him in various situations, particularly those that might challenge his composure or comfort. How a person responds to difficulty often reveals far more than their behaviour in pleasant circumstances.”

“Like how you learned about Mr. Darcy’s true character through his actions regarding Lydia, rather than his manners at assemblies,” Kitty observed perceptively.

Elizabeth smiled at this unexpected insight. “Exactly so, and even before that; I will tell you the full story one day. The measure of Mr. Darcy’s character was not found in his dancing or drawing-room conversation, but in his willingness to help our family at its lowest moment.”

Kitty glanced down at the folded sketch in her hand. “I do not know if Lord Shandly would prove so steadfast in a genuine crisis. He has lived a rather charmed life, from what I can gather.”

“Many people never reveal their true mettle until challenged,” Elizabeth replied. “Though I would not wish for a crisis merely to test his character. Perhaps it is enough, for now, to cherish these glimpses of his authentic self while maintaining a clear-eyed awareness of his limitations.”

“A sensible approach,” Kitty agreed with a small smile. “Though Mama would be horrified to hear me speak of a viscount having limitations. She writes at least twice weekly asking if he has made a declaration yet.”

Elizabeth laughed softly. “And how do you respond?”

“I tell her that we are enjoying each other’s company and that nothing is settled,” Kitty said with unexpected dignity. “Which is the truth. I am fond of Lord Shandly, perhaps more than fond, but I am not prepared to commit my future based on a few weeks’ acquaintance, however pleasant.”

“Very wise,” Elizabeth approved, feeling a surge of pride in her sister’s maturity. “There is no need to rush such important decisions. A lifetime of happiness or misery may depend on judging correctly, after all.”

“And on being judged correctly as well,” Kitty added thoughtfully. “I would want any man who offered for me to see me as I truly am, not merely as a pretty face or a suitable connection. To value me as... as Lord Shandly seems to in this drawing.”

Elizabeth reached out to squeeze her sister’s hand, deeply moved by this evidence of Kitty’s growth.

“The right man will value precisely that, the person you are becoming, with all your unique qualities and perspectives. Whether that man proves to be Lord Shandly or someone yet to enter your life, I have increasing confidence in your ability to recognise genuine worth when you encounter it.”

Kitty returned the pressure of her hand, a warm smile illuminating her features. “Thank you, Lizzy. For believing I could be more than simply Lydia’s silly shadow. I think perhaps that belief, more than anything else, has helped me discover who I might truly be.”

As they rose to go and dress for dinner, Elizabeth reflected that amid all the social complexities and family dramas of the London season, this quiet transformation in her sister might prove to be its most valuable outcome.

Kitty was emerging as a young woman capable of discernment, compassion, and genuine self-awareness.

Whatever came of her relationship with Viscount Shandly, that growth alone made the Season an unqualified success in Elizabeth’s eyes.