Chapter Fourteen

The month before his wedding was busy, as the next several months had to be planned out in case their return was delayed, and preparations made for the addition of another person to the household, when he and Kitty returned from their wedding tour.

Mother had chosen a room in the family wing, rather than taking the Mistress's chamber for herself, when Sir Jasper inherited. When asked, she'd said that she didn't want to choose a new room when her sons married, just as she got used to them. At the time, he'd thought Mother was being unreasonably optimistic.

Perhaps she was, because three years had passed before Sir Jasper met the young woman who stirred so much as a passing interest. New brides often re-decorated their marital home within their means after the wedding tour, but that could come later.

Retiring for the evening, Sir Jasper sat down to write a letter to Kitty, and muse over the feasibility of pre-paying for a delivery. The Bennets could very well afford the cost of a letter every few days, but there were those for whom the standard tuppence for a letter, and sixpence for a parcel, were a measurable expense...

His soon-to-be wife was a faithful correspondent, and kept up a steady stream of letters about life at Longbourn, wedding preparations, and how much she missed him.

Amid hinting at anecdotes which were apparently too lively to be entrusted to the Royal Mail, but which Catherine promised to relate in person at the first opportunity, was the story of Miss Lydia having successfully painted a backdrop for a travelling puppet show, and demanded that they put on a performance for the tenant children of Longbourn, as payment.

The transactions of the upper class had always been a source of intrigue to Sir Jasper, raised the son of a businessman, who would have never dreamed of accepting a favour in lieu of payment. The gentry, of course, could not accept being paid for a service, not when that might hint dire things about their own generational wealth, so everything was couched in terms of favours, for themselves, or to earn social credit through generosity to the less fortunate. Even those younger sons who chose the law, accepted gifts from those they represented, rather than drawing a salary. [14]

Miss Lydia had been viewed as rather flighty, prior to her tour of the North of the kingdom. Perhaps doing something for her father's tenants would go some way toward improving her, in their eyes. In any case, with soon-to-be three of her sisters married, Miss Lydia would find herself taking on more responsibilities for the estate, once she and Miss Elizabeth Bennet were the only daughters left at home. At least she was taking the responsibility seriously.

There were also the promised sketches. Apparently, Kitty's least favourite part of the stillroom - apart from the hot work of making soap to begin with, which was mostly done by the maids - was extracting it from the mould and cutting it into bars. While it was easier to cut into bars before it hardened too much, Kitty was sure she would prefer smaller moulds to begin with, and had included a number of sketches about what such a thing might look like.

The initial sketch looked a little like the barrow graves Sir Jasper had seen on his Tour. Ten hollows in two rows of five, in a larger block mould. Sir Jasper also freely admitted to knowing next to nothing of stillroom work. "Mama, may I have your opinion on this?"

His mother had been reading a book next to the fire, but put it down to come over and see what he was talking about. "Oh, that is a good idea. There is not much wastage from soap cutting, but there is always the worry that if it sets too long, cutting will make it shatter, and then it's only fit to give away."

Mrs. Bennet took pride in the fact that her daughters did not help with the housework, but she was also of the belief that every lady should know her way around a stillroom, to avoid being overcharged for things she could very easily have made at home. Kitty (and her sister Mary) could be sensitive to how certain things felt on her skin, so making her own soap was entirely sensible. It was a shame that men were not taught such useful skills, but expected to rely on a mother or wife.

Mama continued talking, used to his lapsing into thought. "Bakers might find similar things useful, as well. Your father used to say that in his bachelor days, he never managed to finish a full loaf before it went stale."

Sir Jasper made a note to include that in his letter to Catherine. The more uses she could argue, the easier it would be to get the patent accepted.

By the time Michael threatened to punch him if Sir Jasper 'reminded' him about one more aspect of running the estate in Sir Jasper's absence, or mentioned how much he missed Kitty, it was time to return to Hertfordshire. There would be a dinner at Longbourn to welcome them, and a card party hosted by Catherine's Aunt Phillips, and the next day they would be married.

***

Mrs. Bennet continued to uphold her reputation of setting a fine table for all comers, and especially for future sons-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Bingley were there, too, and offered the use of their coach to Netherfield after, so that the luggage could be sent on ahead. Mrs. Bennet had offered Longbourn's guest rooms, but Mother and Mr. Bennet had agreed that five miles of distance between the engaged couple was better than five minutes down a hallway, however well-occupied.

From the way that both of their Mamas had kept their arms firmly linked with their own, to stop him and Kitty running into each other's arms upon the Longbottoms' arrival, Sir Jasper had to concede that they may have had a point. Two days suddenly felt like forever.

The new Mrs. McKnight joined them just before dinner, pleading the need to visit a farming family, one of the few independent, rather than tenant, farms in the area. One of their sons had been injured in an accident, and while Dr Jones was by no means in despair, Mr. McKnight was staying with the family in case he was needed for Last Rites. "He sends his best wishes, of course, and will see you at Aunt Phillips's party tomorrow, once matters are... less uncertain."

Marriage suited Mary, in Sir Jasper's opinion. Her sense of fashion had softened from the rather severe look she had favoured before, and she clearly flourished as the mistress of her own home. She was more confident in herself, too, and settled in a way she hadn't been before. "Please convey our best wishes for the lad's recovery."

The dinner conversation re-directed to discussing what could be done to help the family. That was one of the things Sir Jasper liked about being a baronet; the ability to help the less fortunate under the guise of noblesse oblige . Many tenants were as bad at accepting charity as some landholders were about giving it. From there, Mrs. Bennet mentioned a new project: light linen scarves to cover the nose and mouth of those tenants who did not do well with faces full of pollen, but could not reasonably avoid the spring planting.

Mr. Bingley nodded, "I doubt that I will be much help with sewing, but it reminds me that we should make some tenant visits ourselves, and let them know of some coming changes."

Mr. Bennet looked up from carving the meat sharply. "Changes? You might do better to spend a season or two learning how Netherfield operates, before you start changing things."

Mrs. Bennet gave her husband a reproachful stare, likely over his phrasing. "After all, with farming, it will take some time to see the effects."

Mrs. Bingley smiled gently at her parents. "What my dear Charles means is that the owner of Netherfield has found someone willing to purchase it, and we have found another estate more suited to us."

Mrs. Bennet looked dismayed at the prospect of the Bingleys leaving so soon, even though it was not the surprise to her that it was to some other at the table. "Do you know who is purchasing?"

Catherine bounced a little in her seat. "My friend, Miss Dupain. I received her letter yesterday, but didn't want to share the news before Jane and Mr. Bingley had the opportunity."

Mrs. Bennet relaxed. "Well, that will be all right, then, and it will be good to have more than just Mary's parish school in the area. Mary, you said that several of your pupils would benefit from further education, I believe?"

Mary nodded, smiling slightly. "Indeed. With Miss Dupain's ideals of social reform, I hoped to see if she might take scholarship pupils."

Very likely she would, and if she did not, Sir Jasper could certainly afford to cover the fees for an intelligent student or two.

***

The Card Party at the Phillips' was exactly the kind of quieter, subdued event that the soon-to-be-wedded couple preferred.

Other brides might have wanted a grand dinner, or a Ball to celebrate. Catherine was an excellent dancer, but not the enthusiast that Miss Lydia was. Mrs. Phillips was all delight on Kitty's behalf, flitting between tables to make sure her guests of honour lacked for nothing.

Being the centre of attention wasn't so bad when he was too busy with his cards to be anxious about it.

Bingley dealt the cards for a hand of Whist. "The pre-wedding parties are more for the community, in any case. Lasting happy memories for when the bride goes to her new home."

Sir Jasper hadn't considered that aspect of marriage. It wouldn't be so bad for a young lady who married in the same community, but Catherine would

be moving to a new home several days distant. Let the neighbours who had known Kitty all of her life see her laughing and happy, before she became Lady Longbottom on the morrow.

Mrs. Bingley's serene countenance made her dreadfully hard to read as an opponent, which was likely the point. Kitty caught his eye. "There is always the next round. Hopefully against less-talented players."

Sir Jasper laughed. He couldn't wait to call himself her husband.

***

Sir Jasper had always thought that Catherine Bennet was beautiful, but watching her walk down the length of Longbourn church toward him, radiant in a purple-pink gown that put him in mind of spring flowers, she was breathtaking. Had he not feared giving offence to Mr. McKnight, returned from his own wedding tour in time to marry them, Sir Jasper might have compared her to a pagan goddess, come to earth to dazzle and enchant mortal men. From the way his brothers were grinning from the family row, he was sure his expression adequately conveyed the sentiment.

Miss Dupain, Miss Harding, Miss Flemming and Miss Sharpe were beaming at him from the row behind the Bennet family, so it must be all right.

Kitty was smiling as he took her hands, her voice both steady and breathless with excitement as they recited their vows and exchanged rings, and that was all that really mattered.