“You are not her particular friend,” Lydia shot back immediately.
“Particular friend or not, I am two years older!” Kitty’s eyes had already begun to well up.
Elizabeth glanced at her father, expecting him to say that neither of them would go, no matter who was invited.
“You will let me go, will you not, Mama?” Lydia entreated. “Papa says I am too young, but Mrs Forster has promised to take good care of me.”
“Your sister’s wedding!” Mrs Bennet reminded her. “How would it look if you were to miss the breakfast? And only imagine what rich friends Bingley might have invited to attend. You would not wish to miss that!”
“But after the wedding, the regiment will be gone and we shall all be dull and miserable,” Lydia protested.
“Would you not take us all, Papa?” Kitty begged. “I do not think it fair that only Lydia should go.”
“With the money being spent on this wedding,” Mr Bennet replied drily, “I do not think I shall have enough remaining to get us farther than Watford.”
Elizabeth smiled at the joke, the only person at the table who did.
“It would hardly cost anything at all,” Lydia cajoled. “Lizzy, you will want to go most of all, especially when I tell you what I know about a certain person we all like.”
Elizabeth reached to help herself to more of the salad. “Who might that be?”
“There is no danger of Wickham’s marrying Mary King,” Lydia pronounced. “She is gone down to her uncle at Liverpool; gone to stay. Wickham is safe.”
“Perhaps it is Mary King who is safe,” Elizabeth observed mildly. “Safe from a connexion so imprudent as to fortune.”
“Who cares about that?” Lydia replied. “Why are you not happier? I know you liked him.”
Elizabeth pressed her lips together. The story Mr Darcy had disclosed was not hers to share, much as she should like to warn her young sister away from such a scoundrel as Mr Wickham. Even Jane knew only that Mr Darcy had proposed and been refused; what came after was not relevant. Elizabeth had no wish to relate a tale that could only distress her. But Lydia—apparently anticipating that her sister would be delighted to find her old favourite free, and incredulous that she remained sedate—wanted some answers.
“I am far less inclined towards the gentleman than you might have imagined,” Elizabeth said eventually. “And in any case, what can it signify? He is gone to Bright?—”
“Not yet,” Kitty inserted. “He is part of the group that yet remains to break down the encampment.”
That was unlucky. Elizabeth had hoped he would not be a part of the neighbourhood activities, of which there were to be many. “Well, he will soon be gone, and that will be that.”
“Oh, enough about Mr Wickham! If that dreadful Mr Darcy had not denied him what he was owed, I should be very glad to see him married to any of you,” Mrs Bennet cried. “But so it is not. Now once Bingley is officially your brother…”
With that, she was set off on the well-worn subject of suitors for the rest of her daughters. Mrs Bennet was certain that Bingley would very obligingly settle them all with one or another of his friends, and perhaps he would—save for one.
Strange how that thought gave Elizabeth a tiny pang of something like regret.
CHAPTER SIX
An hour later, the five Bennet sisters had gathered in Lizzy and Jane’s bedchamber. Lydia’s two eldest sisters were always so good, attending immediately to unpacking and distributing the presents they dutifully brought from London each time they went. Lydia might have hoped for something more than the fan she got—some muslin for a new gown?—but she would bide her time, hoping for more when she went to Brighton.
“There must be some way to make enough money to go to Brighton,” Kitty said. “All of us.”
“If there were any means by which such a sum could be earned so quickly, I am sure it would not be legal,” Lizzy replied.
“I have plenty of money to go,” Lydia reminded them all with a smirk. “A place to stay and a carriage to take me there.”
Kitty sent her a very mean look. “That is very well for you, but for the rest of us?—”
“Do you think Mr Darcy will come to his friend’s wedding?” Lydia interrupted.
Lizzy coloured upon hearing his name and dropped her gaze. “I feel very certain he will not.”
Now that is a very strange reply, Lydia thought, peering curiously at her. But Lizzy gave nothing more up than that.
