Mary had never been in love, but she was relatively sure that was what she was feeling. As the courtship was so new, she was sure Richard would wait before proposing, but she was already certain that her answer would be in the affirmative.
“It is very good to see you looking so well, Mary.” Fitzwilliam restricted his greeting to bowing over and then kissing her hand. He even remembered to greet the youngest two Bennets and Mrs Annesley, whom he had not seen on his arrival. “I warned you my mother would love you before seeing you, and I had the right of it. Allow me to go wash and change, and I will join the rest of the family. Will you be here or in the drawing room?”
“The latter, I will not allow your parents, brother, his wife, and your Cousin Anne to come seek me out; I shall go to them,” Mary replied.
While Fitzwilliam made his way to his suite, the youngest Bennets put their instruments in their cases, and Anna closed the pianoforte; Mrs Annesley followed them out to the drawing room.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As Fitzwilliam had predicted she would, as soon as he had made the introductions, his mother insisted on hugging Mary.
The news that William was courting Miss Elizabeth had not been a surprise thanks to the comments Richard had made on the subject at Matlock House. It did not take long before Hilldale, Lady Marie, and Anne de Bourgh asked the Bennet sisters to address them informally, and with the proviso they did the same, the request was granted.
Lord and Lady Matlock told the Bennet sisters to address them as Uncle Reggie and Aunt Elaine. Before dinner, the latter couple spent time getting to know Miss Bingley, who had impressed them.
Dinner was an informal affair, and after a brief separation of the sexes, when Matlock and Hilldale were not told anything about Lydia’s abilities at chess, the men rejoined the ladies in the drawing room. Matlock and Hilldale, who were considered very good chess players, had been told that some of the Bennet sisters were rather proficient at the game.
So it was that an unsuspecting Matlock accepted a challenge from Lydia, while Hilldale sat opposite Lizzy.
When Lydia was about to ask Uncle Reggie if she should remove a bishop, her queen, or both, Fitzwilliam had givena quick shake of his head and winked at Lydia, who had understood the message.
Five minutes later, an incredibly stunned Matlock tipped his king. His eldest son also lost, but that game took much longer.
“Father, did we mention that Lydia is a chess prodigy?” Fitzwilliam enquired with a grin.
“No, you omitted that information,” a flabbergasted Matlock returned.
“And Andrew, did you know that Bennet, who you will meet on the morrow, is the unbeaten Thomas Bennet from Cambridge who taught Lizzy to play, and she beats her father sometimes?” Fitzwilliam was enjoying himself at having fooled his sire and older brother so easily.
“Just you wait, Rich! When you least expect it, I will have my revenge,” Hilldale promised. “That being said, it was an honour to lose to one as accomplished as you.” He bowed to Lizzy.
“How does one have a chance against someone of Lydia’s ability?” Matlock queried.
“She beat me after removing her one bishop and her queen before we began. It was over in less than a half hour,” Darcy admitted. “At least against Elizabeth I have a chance, we are much more evenly matched.”
“As are Papa and Lulu,” Elizabeth mused.
Matlock turned to his second son. “Thesmallfootmen I saw. Are they the ones you recommended to Gardiner?”
“The very same. Bennet uses them as guards to make sure his daughters are always safe. I pity the fool who attempts to harm anyone in his family with those men on duty,” Fitzwilliam stated.
In deference to the possible fatigue of those who had travelled earlier that day, the residents all retired early that night.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Wickham was rather unhappy. They had been in this town for two days, and so far he had not met any of the locals, which meant that he had not been able to make any subtle enquiries about the new Mrs Bennet or Longbourn.
The only thing he had heard was some talk to confirm what Denny had reported that there were five very comely Bennet sisters. He smirked to himself when thinking about how delicious it would be to pluck one or more of the chits before dispatching their stepmother.
Even worse than not finding useful information about Mrs Bennet was that, contrary to his expectations, the merchants would not open a credit account for one who had not been established locally for at least two years. No matter how much of his vaunted charm he used, the answer at every shop, including the taproom at the Red Lion Inn, remained the same.
What Wickham could not know was that as soon as he heard that a regiment of militia would be sojourning in the area, Phillips passed on tales of officers running up debts and leaving without paying them to a few key merchants.
Those men had done the rest, which had resulted in the two-year residency policy. Who said men do not gossip?
One positive was that it seemed the young maidens had not been warned away from officers like those in Reading had been. That was something. Other than some of the Bennet chits, he would find some tasty morsels once the rest of the regiment arrived on Tuesday upcoming.
Wickham was kept busy with the tasks to make the encampment ready, and Captain Carter seemed to be paying attention to what he did. Wickham could not chance raising the ire of the captain or other officers until he had earned the anticipated money.
