After a brief separation of sexes, Mrs. Hayward announced an evening of cards. She directed Georgiana, Miss Bennet, Miss Barton, and Mrs. Annesley to a whist table.
But Miss Barton made no move to take the assigned seat. She tapped Mrs. Hayward’s arm. “I hope you do not mind if I make a request.”
Mrs. Hayward moved towards the younger lady and maintained a sanguine deportment. “No, indeed.”
“In truth, I am keen to play cribbage tonight.” Miss Barton turned my way. “Will you partner with me, Mr. Darcy?”
Her audacious manoeuvre rivalled that of other scheming ladies I had encountered in the past. Despite my disinclination to oblige her, I had no polite way to decline. “Yes, of course.” On the bright side, Georgiana may appreciate a break from Miss Barton’s enthusiastic attention. I should have asked Mr. Noah Barton to join us, but his father beckoned him to form a cribbage trio with him and Hayward. Mrs. Hayward joined the other ladies at whist.
I sat across from Miss Barton, masking my annoyance. After shuffling the cards, I cut to reveal a jack of hearts. When I held the deck out for Miss Barton to cut, she placed her hand upon my wrist.
“If you please, I prefer that you deal first.” Her eyelashes fluttered, and she wore a simper.
“Very well.” I distributed the cards.
“You are extraordinarily generous to permit my cousin to ride Lily.”
“On the contrary, that is no sacrifice on my part.”
“Yet you have gone far and above what most people would allow in this situation, and your humility is yet another admirable trait.”
I almost uttered a further protest but deemed it a futile effort. Many others before her had plied flattery to attain my interest—a doomed tactic that reeked of desperation and evidenced a lack of imagination; although the method may have been effective with other men. I glanced at Miss Bennet.Shewould never adulate or inveigle anyone as a means of ingratiating herself. Would that I had been partnered withhertonight.
“While I enjoy a walk now and then, I do not roam for hours at a time as Lizzy is apt to do. I much prefer domestic pursuits like music, drawing, and embroidery. Although I learnt to ride as a child, I never developed a fondness for the activity. In my opinion, horses are not as pleasant as dogs or cats.” Miss Barton curled her forefinger around a blonde tress at her nape. “And riding a horse strikes me as intrinsically masculine. I cannot understand why so many ladies choose to sit atop a filthy beast when they could walk or ride in a carriage instead.”
“My sister loves to ride horses, as did my late mother before her.”
“Well, riding on horsebackcanbe an elegant pastime for women who proceed in a ladylike manner.” Miss Barton released a short giggle. “My cousin Lizzy, though, is still a bit of a tomboy. She spends many hours with the horses. She has been known to brush them and clean muck out of their hooves, even though we have plenty of grooms.” Her nose crinkled. “She has gone so far as toembracethe creatures. As a result, she has come home covered with horsehair and bearing the horses’ odour.”
My lower jaw jutted forwards. Did she hope to tarnish my opinion of her cousin? Instead, that last statement had inspired a most inappropriateimagining involving myself, Miss Bennet, and a large bathing tub. I tugged at my cravat, willing the reverie to dispel, and met Miss Barton’s steadfast gaze. “What you describe is a natural consequence of riding horses, and there is an easy remedy.”
“Still, my cousin is singular, for most ladies take great care to avoid becoming soiled, no matter their activity or circumstances.”
Rather than dignify the remark with an acknowledgement, I gestured towards her hand. “You need to discard.”
“Oh yes, of course.” She examined her cards and set down two of them. “I should not want you to mistake me, though. Despite our differing interests, Lizzy is dear to me. She is almost like a sister.”
“That is a most opportune circumstance for you both.”
“Indeed, yes.” Miss Barton’s eyebrows drew together, and her upper body inclined nearer to me. “It is a great shame Lizzy’s father left her penniless. Her family estate went to a distant cousin, and the one family member left on her mother’s side is a vile man, atradesman.” She uttered the last word with undisguised disdain.
For some reason, her choice of phrasing rankled at my peace. Many in the gentry shared her sentiment; notwithstanding, did she not consider the man’s character faults to be a greater detriment than his class in society? “I am aware of her situation.” It seemed Miss Barton had wanted to make certain of that.
“In any event, Lizzy is fortunate in that she will always have a home here. Neither my father nor Noah would ever abandon her, so she will never be forced to go into service.”
Miss Bennet go into service?A chill permeated my bones at the mere mention of the possibility. Several seconds elapsed before I collected myself well enough to respond. “Your cousin may not always reside here. She may marry and have a home of her own.” My statement brought to mind a beaming Miss Bennet standing arm in arm with an unknown, faceless man, and I almost winced.
“That is true. She may receive an offer from a gentleman of modest means, a second or third son perhaps.” Miss Barton followed my king of diamonds with a five of clubs and took two points for making fifteen. “Noah, Lizzy, and I shall attend the Salisbury assembly on Friday. We often see the Haywards there. Do you plan to go?”
My friend had mentioned the dance earlier in the week. I could not resist an opportunity to dance with Miss Bennet; for that privilege, I should endure a set with Miss Barton and a handful of other local ladies with whom I had insubstantial acquaintances. “Yes, the Haywards and I shall attend.”
Miss Barton perched higher in her chair, beaming at me. “That is excellent news.”
Once I had played my last card, we counted our points and moved our pegs. I handed the deck to Miss Barton. “It is your turn to deal.”
My sight wandered to Miss Bennet, who uttered a comment that elicited a giggle from my sister. Then Mr. Noah Barton’s triumphant interjection as he set down his cards drew my attention. Once again, the concept niggled at me that he might harbour a romantictendrefor Miss Bennet.
I picked up the cards distributed by Miss Barton and arranged them. “Your brother and Miss Bennet seem to have a close association as well. Is there any possibility of a match between them?” My respiration suspended.
