Charlotte watched him while he spoke. “May I teach you to cast?”
His eyes were laughing. “Yes, I would like that.”
“I will demonstrate the proper technique, and then you shall cast the line yourself.” She set up her rod and stepped closer to the stream.
Mr. Seton watched as she cast her line across the water with a motion so fluid it seemed nearly effortless. The fly landed upon the surface as lightly as milkweed. On the third cast, a trout rose to strike, and with a swift flick, she secured it.
“Your skill is impressive, Miss Lucas. In your hands, fishing is an art form.”
“Sir, you are too kind. What has impressed you is years of experience.” She smiled at him.
He held up the creel, which contained the struggling fish. “I will take this to the footman, and then you may begin to teach me how to cast a line, that I might one day impress you.” He gave a playful wink, and she laughed.
Mr. Seton and Miss Lucas passed the morning together. As she instructed him in casting the line, in the choice of lure, and in other fishing lore, their conversation turned to the many concerns that weighed upon him. He spoke of the difficulties he had encountered in managing his estate.
Charlotte, whose own experience in estate matters was considerable, proved a valuable source of knowledge. When he confessed his ignorance of soil enrichment, she explained what she had learned of its practice. When he inquired about crop rotation, she described the system used in Hertfordshire.
He told her about two low-lying fields that were prone to flooding, and she asked questions that sparked ideas for a mitigation plan. At last, he spoke of his tenants and of the conflict between two of the families. Charlotte listened, seeingthat this distressed him more than any other problem he was facing. As he answered her questions, he began to discern a possible way to resolve the quarrel.
Later that evening, Mr. Darcy relayed to Elizabeth that Mr. Seton had sought him out privately.
“He asked to call upon Miss Lucas later in the week, but I did him one better,” Darcy replied. “I invited him to dine with us the day after tomorrow.”
Elizabeth arched a brow. “And tell me, Mr. Darcy, who is playing matchmaker now?”
That night, after dinner, Darcy entered the drawing room and joined Elizabeth and her friend.
“Miss Lucas,” he said, “Mr. Seton has expressed a wish to call upon you later this week, and so I invited him to dine with us the day after tomorrow.”
Charlotte flushed and smiled first at Mr. Darcy and then at Elizabeth. “That is very gratifying news, Mr. Darcy. Thank you so much for inviting him to dinner.” She took Elizabeth’s hand in her own. “I cannot begin to tell you how happy this makes me!”
Later, as the Darcys lay together in her bed, he said, “I think your friend may soon become a resident of Derbyshire.”
Elizabeth smiled into the darkness. “Yes, Fitzwilliam, I am so very happy for her. I know it is too soon to speak of marriage, but they passed the entire day together and never seemed to exhaust their conversation.”
He nipped the hollow beneath her ear. “Why did you not tell me what an expert angler you are? You first caught the rector’sattention, and then the physician ceased speaking, pointed toward you, and asked if I had been your tutor in the sport.”
Elizabeth giggled. “I did not wish to give you jealous pangs, Fitzwilliam. Alexander was the first to teach me how to cast.”
He grinned. “You have thrown down the gauntlet, my darling, and now I shall prove why I am the better catch.”
Chapter 75: Charlotte’s Wedding
Elizabeth watched Charlotte’s relationship with Mr. Seton develop over the next several weeks. One morning, she and Mr. Darcy sat in the breakfast parlor discussing her friend’s prospects.
“What think you, Elizabeth? Is Seton courting Miss Lucas, or does he have other intentions? Last evening, they were discussing two tenants with a boundary dispute. I begin to think his only interest may be to learn from her years of experience.”
Elizabeth said thoughtfully, “I would like to believe that he has come to trust her judgment and to enjoy her company, that this is his way of courting her. Perhaps they are that sort who will have a meeting of the minds first, and then the heart will follow after.”
Darcy shook his head and stood. “My father always said, every man follows his own mind. I wish your friend the best.” He pulled his gloves out of the pocket of his riding jacket. “My dear, I will be out on the eastern boundary again today. If you have need of me, send one of the Miller brothers. What are your plans for the day?”
“Charlotte and I will be organizing the stillroom. If there is time, I would like to drive to Kimpton to purchase a supply of the herbs we need for Dr. Rutledge's recipes. They are out of stock here in Lambton.”
He bent to kiss her. “Ask that the Miller brothers drive you. It is a fine day for a drive into Kimpton.”
Charlotte entered the breakfast parlor in time to serve herself before the food was taken away. Elizabeth looked up from the newspaper.
“Good morning, Charlotte. I am driving into Kimpton today to purchase herbs for the Stillroom.” She raised a brow. “Georgiana says there is a milliner’s shop where she purchases all her bonnets. They also sell gloves and ribbons. Your green day gown could use a different color ribbon, and perhaps you could find a matching bonnet.”
