Chapter One
Elizabeth
“If Ernest were here, he would know precisely what to do about the ribbons.”
Mrs Ahearn stood in the entrance hall of Castlewood Manor, wringing her hands over a selection of rose-coloured silk that lay draped across a side table. Her cap sat slightly askew, and her shawl had begun to slip from one shoulder, evidence of mounting distress over preparations for the garden party scheduled for that evening.
“The ribbons are perfectly adequate as they are,” Mrs Bennet replied, her tone carrying the exasperation she reserved for tiresome relations. “We have not travelled all the way from Hertfordshire to Ireland to concern ourselves with whether decorations are tied in a bow or a knot.”
“But the bow might appear too casual for such an occasion, and yet a knot seems unduly severe. My sweet husband Ernest always said that presentation establishes the tone for an entire event, and if we establish the wrong tone…”
“Ernest, rest his soul, is not here to give his opinion on the matter.” Mrs Bennet seized the ribbons and began fastening them to a garland with brisk efficiency. “There. The question is settled.”
“Oh, but perhaps if we moved them to the left archway instead? Ernest was always very particular about symmetry. He believed—”
“Sister,” Mrs Bennet interrupted, her patience visibly fraying, “the ribbons shall remain exactly where they are. Now, what of the chairs in the garden? Have you decided upon their arrangement?”
Mrs Ahearn’s hands flew to her throat. “That is precisely the difficulty! I cannot determine whether guests will prefer sun or shade. If we position the chairs beneath the oak trees, those who favour warmth will be displeased. But if we place them on the lawn, those sensitive to brightness will find themselves uncomfortable. Ernest would have known exactly how to balance these considerations.”
“Then we shall provide both options and allow the guests to position themselves according to their preferences. Truly, it is not such a complicated matter.”
From their vantage point near the staircase, the five Bennet sisters observed this exchange alongside their two Ahearn cousins. Elizabeth caught Jane’s eye, and her elder sister’s lips curled into a sly smile.
“It is somewhat refreshing,” Kitty remarked, keeping her voice low, “to see Mama on the receiving end of irritation.”
“I was thinking much the same,” Wilhelmina replied, her green eyes bright with mirth. The eldest Ahearn daughter possessed a striking appearance with auburn hair that caught the morning light streaming through the windows, vibrant green eyes, and rosy skin. “I am accustomed to being the one who must manage my mother’s uncertainties. It is novel to see another undertake the task.”
Euphemia—called Effie by all who knew her—leant closer to Lydia. “Do you suppose they will continue in this manner all day? We ought to begin wagering on which of them will concede first. I dare say, Aunt Bennet might if mother invokes our father’s name once more.”
“Neither will concede,” Lydia declared with confidence. “They will move on to quarrelling about different matters. That is how these things proceed with relations.”
Mary, who had been observing the scene with her characteristic solemnity, spoke without taking her gaze from their mothers. “One might almost admire the commitment to discord. It suggests a shared temperament that transcends the bonds of sisterhood.”
“Or perhaps it merely confirms that vexation runs in the family,” Elizabeth said.
The party had arrived at Castlewood two days prior, descending upon the estate in the kind of chaos that inevitably accompanied the Bennets’ movements. Aunt Ahearn had extended the invitation to spend a week at her home with warm welcome. However, Elizabeth suspected her aunt had not fully calculated the disruption that seven additional persons, as well as all their attendant trunks, bandboxes, and opinions, would introduce to her household.
The manor itself was handsome without being grand, its proportions speaking to comfort rather than ostentation. The grounds stretched agreeably to the west, where a line of oak trees marked the boundary of the property, and to the east, the land sloped towards the town of Westport. It was the sort of place thatinvited long walks and quiet reflection, but Elizabeth doubted there would be much opportunity for either during their stay.
Mrs Bennet had declared, within an hour of their arrival, that Ireland presented excellent prospects for matrimonial advancement. New territory, she explained to anyone who would listen, meant new gentlemen, and new gentlemen meant renewed possibilities for her unmarried daughters.
Mr Bennet, for his part, had installed himself in the study with profound satisfaction. He had brought several volumes that he claimed required uninterrupted attention and had made it clear that he considered himself unavailable for the duration of the visit unless emergency circumstances demanded his presence.
“I am astonished Papa agreed to the journey,” Jane had remarked the previous evening as they prepared for bed.
“He has,” Elizabeth replied, unlacing her stays, “killed two birds with one stone. Mama is occupied with new schemes and a new society, which diverts her attention most thoroughly, whilst he has secured a week of peace in which to complete his readings. I suspect he considers it a master stroke of strategy.”
Jane had laughed, the sound soft and musical. “You are very likely correct. But I cannot help thinking we might have remained at home with equal benefit to ourselves.”
“Perhaps. But Mama would never have forgiven such a refusal, and you know how she carries a grievance.”
The garden party Aunt Ahearn was hosting loomed as the first significant event of their visit, and Mrs Bennet had insisted that each of her daughters appear to advantage.
The local assembly they had attended the night after their arrival had yielded several introductions, yet nothing that warranted particular enthusiasm. The gentlemen in attendance had been civil, if not especially distinguished, and the young ladies of Westport had regarded the Bennet sisters with the mixture of curiosity and caution that newcomers typically inspired.
As their mothers continued their debate, Wilhelmina caught Jane and Elizabeth’s attention and gestured subtly towards the morning room. The younger girls followed, and soon all seven of them had escaped the entrance hall’s conversational chaos.
“Is there anything you’d like to know regarding this evening’s party?” Wilhelmina asked. “You must be curious about local society.”
