Kitty stopped weeping and stared at him, wide-eyed.
“Is that not true?” he demanded.
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
He frowned. “How long has this been going on?”
She hesitated. “For about two months.”
“I am ashamed of you, Kitty. You will go upstairs and pack, and I do not want to see any tears. Be grateful I am sending you to a select school. I could just as easily send you to a reform school. You have helped Lydia bring our family to the brink of ruin.”
Kitty’s face drained of color.
“You will not say a word to your mother or Lydia,” Bennet said. “As far as they are concerned, you are going to visit your uncle and meet the new baby. I will tell your mother what she needs to know when I return. We are expecting callers this afternoon, and I will not fuel gossip. Now go upstairs and pack everything. You will be gone for one year. Do not come down. You will not receive any of our callers. Do you understand me?”
Kitty’s eyes briefly met his before dropping to the floor. “Yes, sir.”
“Very good,” he said, opening the door. “Run along now.”
Chapter 5: Sunday Afternoon Callers
Elizabeth was descending the staircase when her mother passed in the hall below. “Lizzy, what has taken you so long? Come to the kitchen and help move some of the cake and biscuit trays outside.”
Elizabeth skipped down the last few steps and followed her mother into the kitchen. Cook handed her two small, elegant trays, and she carried them out the kitchen door, through the kitchen garden, and into the rose garden on the eastern side of the house.
Mr. Collins approached and took the trays from her. “Where shall I put these, cousin?”
Elizabeth pointed to the small table with a bouquet made up of roses and fern fronds. “Just there, Mr. Collins.” She returned to the kitchen.
Cook handed her two more trays, one holding sandwiches and the other blueberry scones. The fragrance was mouthwatering. Those scones were her favorite. Collins met her on the way back and took the trays from her hands.
“Is there anything else, Elizabeth?”
“I need to bring out the cups and saucers,” she said.
“I will help you with those,” he replied, setting the trays down and striding after her.
She watched him. He was a very handsome man, and he caught her looking at him. Collins grinned. “Do you like what you see, Elizabeth?”
She flushed to her ears. “You really are despicable.”
She turned to flee, but he caught her wrist.
“Slow down. I am sorry. I was out of hand. Rest easy, I mean to help you prepare the tea things for all my admirers.”
She raised her eyes in contempt.
He winked, his grin widening. “You know I am making a jest, my dear. You are the only one for me.”
She huffed and tried to shake off his hand.
“Relax, my girl. I will be silent now. Let me help you set up.”
They walked back to the kitchen. Cook handed Elizabeth a basket filled with snowy white napkins and another with small dishes. Collins took a box of china cups from Cook’s hands.
“I will be careful with them,” he said.
Together they returned to the garden and set out the china. When all was ready, Elizabeth covered the food and sat down to wait. Collins watched her in silence before a low chuckle escaped him. His laugh was warm and resonant, and though she found the sound of his laughter pleasant, she refused to look at him.
