10. Chapter Ten

A chubby little body slamming into his legs had Kiernan looking down at a gleeful little face. "K'nan! Are back to play?"

Leaning down, Kiernan scooped the almost two-year-old up and tossed him up and caught him. "Of course, I came back to play with you. Why else would I visit?"

Looking ponderous for a moment, his little face deep in thought, his little brows narrowed cutely. "Play wit Crumb?"

Looking at the toddler with an astounding amount of clarity for one so small, he nodded. "Yes, I could have come to visit with Crumpet, but I will tell you a secret."

Head tilted and a curl falling over his eye, Artie asked, "Wat s'cret?"

Lowering his voice, Kiernan acted like he was about to reveal state secrets, making little Artie giggle with glee and fight to act serious. "I think you are more fun to play with than Crumpet. But do not tell him. I do not want to hurt his feelings."

Nodding solemnly, Artie answered. "No, not hurt feelings, not nice." Then, getting a mischievous look on his face, he continued. "We can give c'rot latter, good Crumb."

Raising his brows at the look on Artie's face, Kiernan tried not to snicker at his attempt at subterfuge. "Yes, I am sure we can give Crumpet some carrots while I am here. As long as your parents say it is fine."

The little lip that jutted out on Artie as he looked at Kiernan had him struggling not to laugh at the boy"s antics. They were going to have trouble with this kid. Highly intelligent, like both his parents and with Miss Elizabeth's zest for life. Darcy was right. He would have everyone wrapped around his little finger.

Entering the room to greet Kiernan, Mary saw the interaction he was having with Artie and could not help but snicker. Kiernan had only been back with them for a little over a day and a half, but it was almost as if he had never left. Then, thinking, she turned around and began looking for his nurse. How had he found Kiernan by himself? Where was his nurse? "Artie where is nurse Sarah?"

Artie's chubby little face became all wide eyes and innocence. "Um? Nurse Sarawh?"

Mary struggled not to laugh as Artie pretended not to understand what they were asking, as if he did not know who she was. "She is probably searching for you." Turning her gaze to Kiernan, she smiled and gave him a nod in greeting, uncertain if a boy as old as he would be willing to accept a hug from her now that he was so big and tall. "I swear we will either need to get another nurse or pay her extra not to quit for as much as she has to chase after him. I am glad you are back, Kiernan."

Kiernan looked at the young charge in his arms. "Did you sneak away from your nurse? Was that very nice of you to do?"

Sticking his lip out in shame, Artie hung his little head. Then ruined the whole effect by trying to peek up at Kiernan from under his wild mess of curls.

"Oh, Miss Bennet, have you seen young Master Arthur? He was asleep, and I only went to use the necessity, but when I returned, he had vanished." The young nursemaid"s color was pale, and she was ringing her hands in a frantic manner.

Mary knew that the young woman truly had affection for her young charge and was constantly run ragged by the little man. "We have him, nurse Sarah. It seems that he somehow learned of Kiernan's presence and snuck out to find him."

"I am sorry to be the cause of your panic, nurse Sarah. I should have realized that he had snuck off." Putting little Artie on the ground, he knelt on the floor next to him. "Artie, look how scared your nurse is. Do gentlemen scare ladies like that?"

"No." Artie's small voice came out clearly, though obviously upset. Looking over at his nurse, he saw the fright in her eyes and how she was clutching at her chest. Then, launching himself as he often did, he flung himself at her. Clutching at her skirts, he looked up at her fretfully, his little eyebrow drawn together in a small tight line. "I sorry, K'nan came and I said ello. I should not leave wit out nurse Sarawh."

Reaching down, she scooped up her young charge and gave him a hug, holding him tight to her chest. "You gave me such a fright, Master Arthur. Next time, ask me if we can visit one of your friends."

Reaching up, Artie patted her cheek soothingly. "I not again. I sorry, nurse Sarawh"

"You are going to be quite the charmer in the future, but for now, we are going back to the nursery." Looking to Mary and Kiernan, she gave a little bob of a curtsy. "I am sorry to have let him get away from me."

"Think nothing of it, Sarah. I am sorry he can be such a handful. He definitely takes after Mrs. Darcy. My mother could tell you stories all day long." Mary shook her head as she watched the two of them leave. Turning back to Kiernan, she looked him over more closely this time. He had grown even since the last she had seen him at Catherine's wedding. At this rate, he would be taller than William in no time. "So, what are your plans while you are here?"

Shrugging, he said, "Nothing grand. I would like to help at Longbourn as much as I can. I am sure there is plenty that s to be done."

Studying the mean of the young man who meant so much to her family, Mary asked, "Are you sure that you want to do hard work while you are supposed to be taking a break from school?" What almost fifteen-year-old boy wanted to do hard labor when he could visit his family. Granted, his mother and father would probably put him to work on the home farm too, so there was that.

"I am more used to hard work than sitting and learning all the time. It is actually something I miss sometimes." Despite his recent rapid growth, his wide grin was the same that Mary remembered from years ago when she helped teach him to read and write. "Moreover, I prefer taking action to address a situation that needs improvement rather than passively observing it. In fact, I have even counseled men that I know that inaction is just as foolish as acting wrongly or with spite."

Mary felt her lips purse as she tried to digest what Kiernan had just said. Just who had he been speaking to, and about what? It felt as if he was speaking of something more than the reconstruction of Longbourn, but she was not quite able to grasp what. Giving up her line of thought, Mary changed the subject. "Do you have anything to keep you active at school?"

"It is not the same thing, but I have a few friends and we are learning to fence." Rubbing at the edge of his nose, a slight blush shading his cheeks. "I am becoming rather fond of it."

Mary was happy that he had seemed to find his place. Though she often worried that the rich boys would find a way to take advantage of him. "I am glad. You would tell us if the boys at school were too much, wouldn't you? I have heard some horror stories of how the boys there sometimes treat those they feel are outsiders."

Reaching out, he gave her a half hug, suggesting that he knew his sisters often worried about him. "I do well enough. I have made my own circle of friends. None of us are from the top circle, but we get along well enough." Letting go, he stepped back and smiled.

Elizabeth was still struggling with feeling unwell most mornings. Not nearly as bad, but still not well. She had, however, been doing much better in the afternoons. So it was that she had been downstairs with her whole family and Kiernan, enjoying a cozy autumn day when there was a commotion in the hall. She was happy to discover that Jane and Bingley had arrived early. Soon everyone was being greeted with a flurry of warm embraces.

After she directed the staff to make up the room for Jane and Bingley, Elizabeth cooed over their small daughter. She took so strongly after her mother that she was quite the little beauty. "Oh, Jane, she has grown so in only a few months!"

"Artie is no different. He already seems to be a complete little man." Came Jane's reply.

While Artie and little Eleanor Francine had met before, it had been before his vocabulary and rapid desire for communication had flourished. Elizabeth gathered her son close and brought him over to Eleanor. "Artie, this is your little cousin Eleanor Francine. She is younger than you, but I think you may become good friends."

Artie examined his little cousin carefully for a moment before carefully leaning in to give her a hug. "Ello Ellie," leaning back he asked, "I have bocks, you want to play?"

Elizabeth noticed the adults all exchanging smiles. Locking eyes with Jane, Elizabeth grinned at the new nickname for her niece. Ellie was the very essence of a beautiful baby. The vivid blue of her eyes and the pale complexion she inherited from her mother were strikingly beautiful. If not for her strawberry blond hair, one would think she was a copy of her mother entirely with no input from her father at all.

As all the adults followed the children into the sitting room to watch the children play, Elizabeth moved to her husband"s side. When William made it to their favorite settee, he pulled her onto his lap with a grin. Seeing her expression, he said, "What? There may not be enough seats for everyone."

"Wills, there are plenty of seats for everyone." Giggling, she lay her head on his shoulder, not wanting to move in the slightest despite what she said.

They whispered back and forth, watching the children play and their family chat. Elizabeth enjoyed the comfort of her husband"s hold while watching it all. Ellie had certainly inherited her mother"s physical beauty, but she had inherited her father's amiable personality. Always laughing and happy, she seemed to accept everything and everyone that went on around her with a smile or a laugh. Ellie and Artie were swiftly becoming the best of friends, bonding in a way that made all the adults glad.

It had been such an adjustment for Jane to spend so much time away from her sisters once she married. She had spent almost all of her life with them as companions and helpmates, so it was nice to be able to be with them again. Yes, they had gathered not that long ago for Kitty's wedding, but she relished any opportunity she had to be with her sisters once more.

Elizabeth, though happy and outgoing, was still pale. It had taken Jane all of a few seconds to realize what her sister"s problem was when she watched the way Elizabeth nibbled at the dry toast that had been brought with her ginger tea. "Are you hoping for a girl this time, Lizzie?"

Shaking her head ruefully, Elizabeth said, "I should have known you would guess straight away. Yes, I would love to have a girl and so would William, but we shall see. This pregnancy has been rather more difficult than the last, but I am managing. Mary has made sure that I have a constant supply of the ginger tea that helps so much."

"Yes, whether or not you had said you were pregnant, there was no missing the signs. I was not about to let you suffer without a good supply of ginger. If I hadn't seen to it, then William certainly would have taken care of it. Your husband is devoted to you, Lizzie," Mary commented, and though her tone was cheerful, it did not quite match the expression that flitted across her face.

Studying Mary closer, Jane noted a sliver of disquiet in her countenance. Jane was not the oldest of five sisters for nothing. She could read them all nearly as well as she could herself. That half quirk of her lips meant Mary was unhappy about something, though she seemed to fight it. Glancing at Elizabeth, she raised her eyebrows ever so slightly. When Elizabeth pursed her lips in reply, Jane knew she would have to have a conversation with her middle sister. It would not do for her to fall into the doldrums if they could help it.

When Elizabeth left the room on the pretense that she had to see to something about dinner, Jane decided it was as good a time as any. "I hear that you were working with Mr. Goulding to help bring Longbourn back in shape." Jane looked steadily at her younger sister for a moment before saying, "That man is smitten with you, Mary." Jane set a cup of tea in front of Mary and then took to her chair across from her.

"That may be, but he certainly has done nothing about it as of yet. We have known each other for years and nothing." Mary ended her comment in a frustrated huff.

Observing her sister, Jane tilted her head. It was simple for her to note that her Mary was not her usual self, and Jane wondered if it was possible that she could help prod her to action rather than mopery. Reaching out, she took up her tea and stirred it idly with her spoon. "What age do gentleman normally start turning their minds to marriage?"

"I don't know, perhaps twenty-five or slightly older. I believe Darcy was twenty-eight years old when he married Elizabeth. Bingley was a little younger when he married you, I think." Mary paused for a moment with her eyes narrowed with obvious confusion. "Why do you ask?"

Jane maintained her serene countenance, happy to lead her sister to some new understandings. "How old is your Mr. Goulding?"

Twisting her lips in thought, Mary wondered aloud, "I know he is less than a year older than me, so I presume twenty-three?"

Nodding, Jane continued, "The reason most men wait until they are older is because it takes them that long to get set up enough to provide a home for their future wife and children. Mr. Goulding may be all that is charming, and he may be in love, but he has no home to offer you." Putting her spoon down on the saucer, Jane took a sip of her tea, savoring the warm flavor. Tea always seemed to imbue her with contentment. Jane was a woman of simple needs and desires, and her ultimate desire was for the happiness of her family and those around her. Beyond their happiness, she was content with a pleasant home and a warm cup of tea on a cool day. She had her cup of tea, and now she only needed to wait for her sister to reach out for her own happiness.

Huffing in frustration, Mary let her head fall back against her chair. "That thought is both sweet and alarming. I do not want to wait until I am twenty-four or twenty-five to marry. Even at twenty-two, people think I am a spinster."

"Then do something about it. You are not one of the helpless debutantes that the word insists most woman be." Jane looked into the eyes of her little sister and displayed the unflinching strength she had developed over time. She may be the sister most remarked upon for her serenity, but she was not weak or easily swayed. "You are a Bennet; we have all done amazing things merely trying to survive our childhood. Use some of that strength now and allow him to see that he does not have to take everything on his shoulders. If he is too afraid to step up to the challenge, move on." Shrugging in an offhanded manner, Jane continued, "You are not tied to him in any important way. You can be remarkable on your own if you must. I have faith in you."

Mary looked up at her older sister, her eyes contemplative. Jane knew there was certainly much that she was going to have to think about, but she was confident Mary would find her way.