Page 10 of Lydia Acquires Adoration (Bennet Ladies Liberation #5)

Chapter Nine

It felt odd to Lydia to be searching out the man that she was engaged to. She wanted to have the chance to speak with him and possibly plan both for their wedding and what would need to be arranged for returning to Swarkstone Manner. Only she did not know where he was. Could he possibly still be cooped up with William?

Lydia wondered if William had been hard on him. She hoped not, but she knew he was very protective of those he loved, and Lydia counted herself lucky to be in that group. It was an odd situation, and none of it was Mr. Burgess’s fault; he had been just as surprised by her proposal as her family had been. The whole engagement and marriage would be a huge adjustment, not just to her, but to everyone.

Looking into the library, she found no one. Just where was the man? She was going to have to find a way to track Mr. Burgess down with more expediency. Lydia also supposed she should find out what he wished for her to call him. She could not very well call her own husband or fiancé, Mr. Burgess, all the time. She knew his Christian name was Sebastian, but would he allow her to use it instead of Mr. Burgess?

Noticing one of the footman Lydia took the opportunity to ask, “Evans, have you seen Mr. Burgess about? There were a few matters I was hoping to discuss with him.”

Pausing, the tall man gave a respectful bow of his head before saying, “I do believe that Mr. Burgess and Mr. Herrington are both in the master’s study with the master.”

Hiding a grimace, Lydia worried that William had been taking advantage of the situation to put the fear of God into the poor man. They had been at matters entirely too long, in her opinion. Still she smiled at the footman, saying, “That would explain why I have been unable to find him elsewhere. Thank you, Evans”

In no time at all, she was knocking at the door to William’s study and impatiently waiting for permission to enter. If it had been another time, she might have barged in, but she was, after all, trying to make people think she was a mature woman capable of getting married and running a household. It would not look good to act like an impatient child at the moment.

The muffled “Enter,” had her turning the handle in a flash. Taking in the occupants of the room, she noticed the three men huddled over some paperwork on the desk. Narrowing in on Mr. Burgess, she noted that he did not seem harassed or worn, which she hoped was a good thing. Mr. Burgess was quick to rise from his chair and approach her with a smile, which she returned. “You have all been secreted away for so long that one would think you are not intending to come out.” Seeing a few guilty glances at the clock on the mantel, Lydia realized that they may have simply lost track of the time. Looking at William, she declared, “William, please tell me you granted us permission to marry long ago, and you are not still raking him over the coals.”

Laughing at her statement, William said, “No, Lydia dear. I granted my permission a while ago. We are only going over everything necessary for your settlement.”

A flash of a smile from Mr. Burgess had Lydia shifting her attention to him as he said, “I am sorry if you have felt neglected by our inattention, Miss Bennet. I had no notion how long we had all been sequestered.”

Feeling oddly generous despite herself, Lydia smiled broadly at Mr. Burgess before catching herself blushing. Looking at the others in the room for a moment before glancing back at him, she said, “I suppose I cannot get mad at you if you were working on my behalf, but it is nearly time for tea. Will you be able to break in say, half an hour? Or should I have tea sent for you?”

Mr. Herrington looked down at the sheets on the desk before him and began to arrange them in some semblance of order. Looking back up at Lydia, he said, “I think that we are mostly done with our negotiations for now. I will just need to write up a final draft for them to sign.”

Meeting Mr. Burgess’s gaze, Lydia wondered what the negotiations had entailed, but supposed she would ask him when they had a moment alone. Not looking away this time, she spoke to Mr. Burgess, saying, “Well, then I suppose I will expect you gentlemen in the blue parlor for tea in half an hour.” She supposed that she would have to be patient and wait for Mr. Burgess to be available to discuss matters like the condition of Swarkstone and finding a nanny or governess for Clara.

Bobbing them all a little curtsy, Lydia turned to leave them all to their discussions, only to have Mr. Burgess grasp her hand as she moved past him. After a slight hesitation where he was looking down at their clasped hands, he said, “Thank you for coming to check on us. I look forward to discussing matters with you over tea.” She fought her rising blush when he smiled at her and gave her hand a little squeeze. If he was going to be sweet like that, she could surely be patient.

Selene watched as Lydia moved around the parlor, rearranging pillows and adjusting trinkets as she waited for the gentleman to show. It was obvious to Selene that her younger friend was becoming anxious.

“Are you becoming worried about the decision you made to marry my brother?” questioned Selene. She would hate to learn that her friend regretted such a momentous step. As much as her doing so would help them, Selene would not want her brother and friend to be stuck with an unhappy union.

Lydia immediately rushed to Selene’s side and, sitting next to her, grasped both her hands. “Oh, no! I am sorry if I ever made you think that.” Offering a smile, she continued, “I regret nothing. I suppose you could say that I am becoming impatient. It is only that now that my mind is made up that I have realized just how much needs to be done. There is so much to do and decide on and I want to get about deciding on it. Only I do not want to do it on my own. I want to include your brother in the decisions, which I cannot do until he shows up.” Lydia punctuated her statement by once again glancing at the doorway she expected Sebastian to come through.

Laughing, Selene allowed relief to course through her veins at her friend’s reassurances. Lydia had always been impatient and energetic, so it would make sense that she would be eager to conquer the next challenge before her, even if that challenge was to get married and set up a household in the next thirty days. And of course there was really a lot to decide on, the mind boggled at all that would need to be done in a very short period of time.

Setting her sights on the girl who would be her sister, Selene grinned. Squeezing both of Lydia’s hands strongly, she said, “Is there anything I can help you with?”

Releasing her hands, Lydia moved to embrace Selene in an excited hug, exclaiming, “Thank you for being willing to help! I know Elizabeth will give her all to help with things, but I worry she will push herself too hard and overexert herself.” Selene saw the flash of concern in Lydia’s eyes as she sat back from her, and Selene wondered how the conversation with Elizabeth had gone. It did not seem that Elizabeth was sanguine with the concept of her baby sister getting married. It was true that Elizabeth had just had a child, and Selene silently prayed that this would be the only obstacle preventing her from assisting her sister with the wedding. Lydia continued saying, “I know planning a wedding in short order is possible, but it will take staying on top of things. That is why I so want to speak with your brother. Only he has been holed up with William, going over matters all afternoon.”

Growing reflective, Selene put her mind to the list of things that would need to be accomplished if they only had thirty days to present Sebastian and Lydia to the solicitor at Swarkstone as a married couple. Pondering aloud, Selene said, “The first question that comes to my mind is, are you going to wait for the banns? There is just enough time if we tell the curate tomorrow. Though to simply getting a common license would be more convenient.”

Shaking her head, Lydia flopped back across the settee, saying, “And now you see why I feel the need to discuss matters with your brother. We must first agree on the manner of our marriage before we can begin planning for anything else. Though the gentlemen have not seemed to come to that conclusion yet. They have been concerned with other matters.”

Wrinkling her nose, Selene huffed, “Men seem to look at the matter of getting married differently than us women. I suppose they have been discussing things like dowries and settlements. Which I will not say is unimportant. Your brother would do well to see that you have a good jointure. You will be a viscountess after all, and you deserve to be provided for should the worst happen. But I can truly understand your frustration.” Shaking her head, she added, “My brother could have at least taken a break to check in with you.”

The masculine voice coming from the doorway saying, “I could have done what?” had Lydia sitting up and smoothing her skirts with a muffled yelp. Selene was forced to smother a snicker at her friend’s antics.

It was nice to see that Lydia was still Lydia, regardless of her recent decisions. There had always been something enjoyable about the way that Lydia flirted with the line of propriety when it came to some of the more restrictive norms. After all, why did a lady have to always sit upright in her chair with a perfectly straight spine when in her own home? Selene did not mind that her friend made herself comfortable when it was just the two of them and it was hilarious to watch her try to right herself when the men entered.

Sebastian entered the blue parlor to the sound of his sister talking and only caught half of what she said, but knowing it was about him, he asked, “I could have done what?”

It was apparent that he had surprised the girls because Miss Bennet jerked upright. He found that he quite liked the little sound she had made as she tried to smooth her skirts and act unaffected. He enjoyed how natural she was, unlike so many of the ladies of the ton Miss Bennet had never put on excessive airs. Sebastian found he quite liked the way Miss Bennet’s blush highlighted the blue of her eyes.

Selene covered a snicker with a cough, and said, “I know that you had settlements to agree on and other manly endeavors locked away with Mr. Darcy, but you could at least have checked in on dear Lydia at some point. Had you even told her that Mr. Darcy had approved of the match?”

Tugging at his cravat under the strength of his twin’s stare, Sebastian fought his own blush. That had been rather badly done. “Yes, well…”

Rolling her eyes at Sebastian, Selene stood and moving away from where Lydia sat chided him, saying, “Come sit next to your fiancée, there is much to speak of and decide on.”

Happy to obey, Sebastian sat down next to Miss Bennet while Herrington took up a seat across from the couple. Darcy, however, hovered by the door, eventually saying, “I would love to join you all, but I will take the moment to go check in on Elizabeth and the children.”

No one was offended when he hurried away. In fact, Sebastian had great respect for the love the man showed to his family and especially the wife that he held so dear. Even if that love had prompted to try to put the fear of God in him. It was for a good reason; he supposed.

Acting as hostess, Lydia served everyone tea and various little bites of food. For a while they were occupied by the food and drink, but once Miss Bennet sat back down, Sebastian asked, “What had you wanted to speak about and decide on Miss Bennet? I am at your disposal.”

Gazing at him over the rim of her teacup, Miss Bennet said, “While there are many things we must decide, almost all of it revolves around how we choose to marry, by banns or a common license. If we alert the curate today, he can read the bans the day after tomorrow and we could be married in a small ceremony the day after the last banns are read. That is, if you can also alert your parish as well. It would put us within the thirty-day requirement, but we would have to act today. Or if we choose to forgo having banns read, we could simply arrange for a common license. It would give us more control over our timetable.”

“It would not be an issue for me to send an express to where I attend service in London. I must admit that I have little care one way or the other, as long as we are able to meet the timetable set forth.” He hoped he did not offend his prospective bride, but he really did not care one way or another about details of the wedding ceremony. Rubbing at the back of his neck, Sebastian continued, “Do you have a preference?”

Tilting her head in thought, Miss Bennet said, “Having the banns read will add a level of respectability to our nuptials. With as rushed as things are, it still might be best to proceed as normally as possible.”

Sebastian could understand her point: there were too many people in the world who were happy to point the finger at the appearance of impropriety. Why give them something to crow about? Catching Miss Bennet’s gaze, Sebastian said, “Then, with your permission, I will leave to speak with the curate after we have finished with tea. What else must be decided on? I must admit when it comes to planning a wedding ceremony, I really am at a loss.”

He was relieved when Miss Bennet smiled, saying, “Now that I have the date of the wedding and the fact that we will have the banns read, I can plan nearly everything with the aid of my sister and Selene at least regarding the ceremony, there are however other things to take into consideration.”

Eyebrows narrowing, Sebastian asked, “Such as?”

Ticking off her questions on her fingers one-at-a-time Miss Bennet began, “When are we leaving to take up residence at Swarkstone Park? Will there be enough staff to have things run smoothly, or should we begin the process of hiring additional staff?”

He had to admit that it was somewhat reassuring that Miss Bennet seemed to have a handle on much of what they must do. However, her list of questions made him realize just how much they had to decide. “Frankly, when it comes to moving into Swarkstone, I am uncertain how we should proceed. I did not come away feeling that the staff there were of the caliber you or I are used to. Yes, they were short staffed, but everyone seemed almost lackadaisical when it came to their work and responsibilities.”

Sebastian was beginning to feel overwhelmed, contemplating all that they faced. They might very well need to replace most of the staff beyond helping to bring around the neglected estate. He had lost himself in his thoughts until Miss Bennet reached out and took his hand. “We could always visit the place before the wedding and begin looking into matters.” Then, blushing bright red, she seemed to have realized what her statement might have sounded like, and she quickly amended it with, “Well chaperoned, of course.”

Herrington added his opinion, saying, “Miss Bennet certainly has the right of it. Much of what you will have to do besides the wedding can only be determined by inspecting Swarkstone Park and looking into matters there.”

The rest of the tea passed swiftly as they all began discussing not only Swarkstone Park but also what they each believed to be important to a well-run household and estate. The more time that Sebastian spent in Miss Bennet’s company discussing matters, the more he realized how much he was glad that he was not approaching the problem alone. It was rather nice to have someone to work with, like Miss Bennet.

Night was falling, and Lydia was weary. She was not surprised by her desperate yearning for her bed after a day packed with decisions and ever-changing circumstances. Still, she was not headed for bed. Lydia was on the way up to the nursery. She had children she wanted to see. That it would do her heart well to see, and so she continued up another flight of stairs instead of heading to her room.

Artie and Clara would most likely be asleep already, but after such a busy day, Lydia wanted to be sure they were both well. She had long enjoyed spending time with children, and she always looked forward to any moment she got with them. There was just something about spending time with children that lightened her heart. The way they saw the world was unlike adults, appreciating the wonders that often went unnoticed. Not only had she missed spending time with them, but she worried about how Clara was adjusting to her new environment. Clara’s life until this point had been bleak, to say the least. There was no telling how she would handle falling asleep in a new place.

It seemed that her choice to visit the nursery had been fortuitous, as she could hear faint crying as she approached. There were a few candles lit, but for the most part, the room was cast in shadows. Following the sound, Lydia came upon Nurse Sarah murmuring to little Clara as she cried in her small bed in the corner.

Concern filling her, Lydia knelt next to the pair. “Whatever is wrong?”

“Tis not much, Miss, only Miss Clara seems to be unsettled this evening. Little master Artie fell right to sleep after their story, but Miss Clara cannot seem to settle.”

Lydia’s heart went out to the poor sprite in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. She must feel so alone. Whispering to Nurse Sarah, she said, “Why don’t you take a break and get yourself some tea and a bit of a bite to eat? I will see to Miss Clara for a time.”

Looking at Lydia with wide eyes set in a tired face, Sarah asked, “Are you sure, Miss?”

Smiling at the kind woman, Lydia nodded. “Yes, of course, you have willingly taken up the extra responsibility of Clara without complaint. You deserve a bit of a break. Meanwhile, I will spend some time with Miss Clara. It is what I came up to do, anyway.”

The look of relief on Nurse Sarah’s face was more than enough. In no time at all, Sarah was sweetly kissing Clara on the forehead and leaving the room. Watching her go, Lydia was grateful that Elizabeth and William had found a very good nursemaid in Sarah. She would have to ask them how they had gone about finding her, as she would certainly need someone of a comparable caliber and disposition to help with Clara.

Lydia looked down into the tear-stained face below her and felt her heart turn over. The little girl was watching her, almost uncertain. Was the poor thing afraid of the dark? Or just plain scared? With a sigh, Lydia said, “Oh, Clara, I wish I could make things better for you. I promise I am trying, though. Would you like to try rocking in the rocking chair with me?”

Her slight nod had Lydia lifting the girl up into her arms, and they moved over to the rocking chair by the window. Clara’s hands tightened themselves in the fabric of Lydia’s dress and for a time Lydia just held her as she rocked. Letting the child feel the warmth of another person in the night. Letting her come to accept that she was not alone.

“You know Clara, when I was a little girl, I was often afraid too.” whispered Lydia. Looking down into the wide blue eyes, it was easy to spot their wonder at such a statement. She continued, saying, “Someone eventually made sure that I wasn’t afraid anymore. Would you mind If I tried helping you not to be afraid? Would it be all right for me to help make sure that you feel safe and protected?”

Lydia waited while Clara seemed to think, but then biting her little lip, she nodded her head, sending her black curls trembling. Smiling at Clara, Lydia said, “Good, then I will start tonight, making sure you are safe and able to fall asleep without fear.” Eventually Clara seemed to snuggle in closer to Lydia, tucking her face into Lydia’s shoulder, and Lydia began to hum an old lullaby.

Clara’s weight on Lydia shifted, going from clinging to loose and heavy, and Lydia knew that she had finally slipped into slumber. Still, she continued rocking and humming slightly under her breath. Little Clara had been so long without warmth and affection, and under Lydia’s care, that was going to end. Before the month was complete, Clara was going to be her daughter.

Darcy watched his wife stare at the flickering candle beside their bed. He knew that the day had not been an easy one for her. With Lydia’s sudden declaration that she would marry Mr. Burgess, their calm life had been somewhat upended. While Elizabeth wasn't particularly bothered by her sister getting married, Darcy thought that she was upset by the absence of any romantic connection between the couple.

Darcy let out a sigh as he wrapped his arms around his wife, pressing himself against her back. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he whispered, “Talk to me, my love.”

After only a moment’s hesitation, Elizabeth whispered, “How can she risk never knowing the sort of love you and I have?”

Smiling, Darcy said, “Few are blessed with the sort of love we enjoy, Lizziebet.”

Elizabeth huffed, crying, “But why isn’t my sister willing to hold out until she can find something like it for herself?”

“It is not a bad match, you know.” Darcy endeavored to help Elizabeth see the brighter side of the situation. It was not like Lydia would change her mind. She was too like Elizabeth to back down now.

“I know that technically, the match is amazing. My little sister will be a viscountess after all.” Darcy could not see her face, but he could easily picture her rolling her eyes to match her tone.

Tightening his embrace slightly, Darcy kissed Elizabeth’s cheek. He loved how feisty his wife could be. Still, he said, “More than that, Mr. Burgess is a good man. He is kind and will be a conscientious master of Swarkstone Park and eventually his father’s properties. Sebastian Burgess is nothing like your father or even that fool that Kitty had to deal with before she married Theodore. He is committed to caring for Lydia and any children they may bring into the world. I believe he will prioritize their happiness and safety. Or do you doubt his motives?”

Sighing, she responded, “No, I believe he is honestly a good person. He will not mistreat Lydia.”

“So, your chief concern is that they are marrying without having a passionate love for each other?” asked Darcy.

Darcy could feel Elizabeth’s firm nod even as she said, “Yes. She deserves to be adored, Will.”

Chuckling, he asked, “Have you seen the way he looks at her when he does not think she is looking, my love?”

Turning in his arms, Elizabeth looked at Darcy. “Are you implying that there is something between them?”

Smiling into Elizabeth’s eyes, Darcy brushed his nose against hers lovingly before saying, “I think they both like one another already. It will only take time before they fall as madly in love with each other as we are.”

Scrunching up her nose, Elizabeth complained, “But you cannot know for sure.”

“No, I can't,” he said, his words trailing off, “but that is the essence of hope.” After a long day, he was ready to fall asleep next to his lovely wife. Pulling her close, Darcy enjoyed the fact that the bump of baby Gill was no longer separating the two of them, and together the two of them drifted off.