Thecomtepaused in front of the door to the confectionery. “You would not believe me if I told you. Suffice it to say that he was the most forgiving man who ever lived. He forgave all but me.”
Suddenly, the door burst open and Anne and Elizabeth emerged from the shop. “Lydia Bennet, where have you been! Papa specifically said no wandering or sneaking off!”
“I am sorry, Lizzy, but look at the lovely turban in the milliner’s window! Does it not make you think of Mama? I am wild to buy it for her, but it is so expensive!”
Elizabeth followed Lydia ruefully across the street. Of course, if Lydia disappeared, itwouldbe because of either a hat, or a man. She was only grateful that it had not been a man. Darcy came out of the confectioners and followed, having stayed a moment behind to pay their bill. Lydia glanced around to realise that thecomtehad disappeared.
The small group stood on the pavement in front of the shop and viewed the turban. “Lydia, I must hand it to you, that turban is indeed perfect for Mama. Butfour pounds?”
“And do not forget, the haberdasher has the dress silk for one and six! Lizzy, you simply must help me discover how I shall pay for it. And the wedding bonnet for Mary for two and seven! In fact, the woman has the most delightful display of colourful caps, I can just see us all the day of the wedding, she has one that is perfect for each of us!” Lydia insisted.
“You have spent little of your pin money, Lydia, you have nearly enough, but they areso dear! Are you certain you wish to spend all of your funds at once on bonnets?” said Elizabeth, sceptically. She then laughed inwardly at her own thoughts.Of courseLydia wished to spend all her funds on bonnets. “Although, Mary has her own funds, and would probably prefer to pick out her own wedding bonnet. She could purchase her own. But if you purchase Mama’s and the silk, it would leave you with less than a pound for the rest of our time here.”
“I have an idea. Why do you not return to Bourne House for now?” suggested Darcy. “Speak with your sisters tonight. Perhaps tomorrow they might like to accompany you to the shop, and maybe you can all share the cost of a gift to your mother, if they like it.”
“I would not mind contributing if Jane does,” agreed Elizabeth. “And Papa gave each of us generous funds to have a dress made before the wedding. Now is as good a time as any to decide what we shall wear, and I have seen the yard goods at Mr Johnson’s. They are the equal of anything in our uncle’s warehouses.”
The ladies returned to Bourne House, where Mary and Jane quickly agreed to the outing. The following morning, the Bennet sisters sailed into the milliner’s in high spirits, ready for a morning of shopping, and possibly even selecting gowns, if they found fabrics and fashion plates they liked. The milliner’s jaw dropped as they entered. “How many sisters do you have?” she asked Lydia.
“Four, but one is sadly missing today,” Lydia answered happily. The four sisters quickly agreed that the turban was perfect for Mrs Bennet. The others tried not to allow Mary to contribute to it, since itwasfor her wedding, but Mary insisted, and so they each contributed a pound. Mary adored the sempstress bonnet in white satin, and purchased it with the funds her father had gifted her for the purpose. Jane and Elizabeth exclaimed over the norman bonnets, Jane favoured one in Maria Luisa blue, with straw coloured French trimming, while Elizabeth was quite in raptures over the rose satin, ornamented with alternate quiltings of white crepe and rose ribband, and perfected with a small bunch of ranunculus.
All three sisters agreed that the norman bonnet in amber satin with pleated ribband in the same colour, with a small plume of ostrich feathers was perfect for Kitty, and the sisters each chipped in to buy it for her. Lydia selected the norman bonnet in parma violet for herself, trimmed with a scarf of the same colour, with a full rosette. The milliner assured them that Mr Johnson had the matching fabrics for each of the bonnets in question. When the Bennet sisters left her shop, Miss Gilbert putthe closed sign on the door, and went directly to the butcher, to order something nice to treat her mother. It was not every day that one sold nearly half of the contents of one’s shop at once. And the turban! Miss Gilbert had given into inspiration when she saw the sea foam green silk, but she had expected the item to grace her shop window for some time, given its price. There was a lovely periwinkle blue silk at Johnson’s, and Miss Gilbert was keen to try her luck with another turban.
The Bennet sisters proceeded to the haberdashery, where, as promised, they found the silks and satins to match their bonnets. They each bought a dress length, for Kitty and Mrs Bennet as well, and took the gifts to the post office, to be sent express to Meryton, so that Mrs Bennet and Kitty could have the gowns started by the dressmaker there. The young ladies then proceeded to the tea house. Jane treated them all to tea, sandwiches, and cakes, and they all made merry as they looked over a book of fashion plates that Lydia had just purchased from Johnson’s.
Miss Pearl and Miss Ruby at The Modest Modiste were delighted to see the Miss Bennets arrive with the intention of creating gowns for their sister’s wedding. Mary had found a dress length of shimmering white satin at Johnson’s, and intended for the trim on the gown to be red. Lydia promised to help her trim her new bonnet with the same colour.
Darcy and Georgianawent for a ride that morning, then to the village to take tea at the confectioner’s. Georgiana waited upon her horse as Darcy went into the crowded establishment to speak for a table before they took their horses to the livery. From atop her horse, she surveyed the little market street. From thecorner of her eye, a small wave caught her attention. She glanced over, then did a double take to see Richard at the corner. Her cousin was in his regimentals; he tipped his hat and grinned at her, then vanished.
“The wait is only twenty minutes, would you care to stroll a bit while we wait, Sister?” said Darcy as he returned and helped her down from her horse.
“Brother, I just saw Richard,” Georgiana told her brother.
“Richard? Where?” Darcy looked about. “Richard could not be here, Georgie, he is on a special assignment from the war office.”
“I know, William, but I am certain it was he,” insisted Georgiana. “He tipped his hat to me.”
“It was probably some soldier being impudent, Sister; you forget how lovely you are.” Darcy smiled. “Come, let us stroll a bit.”
Georgiana was slightly irked at being told what she saw like a silly little woman by someone who had not even been present, but she was not in the habit of being disrespectful to her brother, so she bit her tongue.
CHAPTER 31
The following day was the weekly dance assembly. The ladies had been waiting with excitement for Darcy to arrive so that Lady Catherine would agree to attend. There were people of all types, and one might find oneself standing up with a shopkeeper as easily as a nobleman, but there were enough dance partners to satisfy the ladies. After some wheedling from Lydia, Elizabeth was surprised to find herself encouraging Darcy and Lady Catherine to allow the younger girls to accompany them, on the condition that they only dance with each other and the gentlemen of the house, and would leave immediately after those dances with Mrs Annesley. Georgiana and Lydia were content with this, and made no trouble. The ladies dined in their rooms as they prepared for the dance, and Elizabeth and Jane took particular care with their toilette, for they had not danced with their young men since visiting London after the festive season.
Elizabeth was surprised to see Mr and Miss Woodhouse as they entered the assembly. “I shall not dance,” the young woman insisted. “I do not think it a good idea, I must preserve my strength. But I simply had to come, and see my friend Lady Priscilla stand up with her cousin Mr Darcy for the first.”
“You shall be sorely disappointed, for we are both committed elsewhere,” laughed Priscilla, taking the arm of Lord Lennox, who had solicited the first two dances some days ago. He was a rake, and she would not encourage him, but Priscilla saw no harm in dancing and enjoying the evening. Anne too, took the arm of Sir Albert Swinton, and Georgiana and Lydia took to the floor together, laughing in delight.
“It really is too much that Miss Elizabeth stands in the way of what is best for her friend,” said Miss Woodhouse, as Elizabeth took the floor with Darcy.
“It really is too much that you cannot mind your own business,” sneered Lady Catherine, who was thoroughly tired of Miss Woodhouse’s endless remarks in that direction. The older woman moved to the side of the room with the Misses Jenkins, who had saved her a seat with the matrons.
“Well, really!” said Miss Woodhouse.
“You rather asked for that,” smirked Caroline Bingley.
“I beg your pardon!” exclaimed Miss Woodhouse.
