Chapter Two

Sir Jasper stayed at Netherfield only a week after Jane married Mr. Bingley.

He was clearly reluctant to leave, but it was unavoidable. He had his own estate to administer, after all, and while his Steward was well able to manage the day to day matters, Sir Jasper would trust no one else with his horses during the Stud Season. He was firmly set on the idea that if he must be a landlord, he would at least be an involved one.

Having been witness to her own father's indifference toward his estate, Catherine found his attitude to be most admirable. Sir Jasper might not have been born into the Gentry, but he was obviously determined to rise to its challenges.

Sir Jasper called on Longbourn before his departure, along with a bouquet of snowdrops and early bluebells. He had taken leave of the other families in the area before arriving at Longbourn, so there was no great rush for him to depart until the Cartwright finished swapping out the runners on the sleigh for carriage wheels.

Mama poured the tea, the tiered platter laden with all of Sir Jasper's favourites. "Such a cunning idea, adapting the sleigh like that!"

Sir Jasper looked bashful. "We have yet to come up with a way to make it cost-effective, as one does still have to pay for the wheels and the labor of changing them, but it does save on needing a second carriage for the summer months."

Mama nodded sagely, as if she had understood more than Kitty, and changed the subject. "I wonder if your mother would find it an imposition to begin a correspondence? We ladies with grown children must have something to fill our days, and letter-writing is as good an occupation as any."

Catherine finished a quick sketch of Sir Jasper's face and wondered if she could get a good enough angle from the hallway mirror to do a self-portrait. If she could, would it be too forward to offer it to Sir Jasper to take with him? She did not believe for a moment that those letters would not quickly progress to matchmaking their children, but Mama was good at contriving opportunities, and Catherine would hardly object to seeing Sir Jasper again.

Sir Jasper nodded, "My mother does often complain about the lack of female company, and many of her peers look down on her for having been a Tradesman's wife. I would be happy to give her your letter."

Mama beamed, "Well, I was a Tradesman's daughter, so I am sure we will be friends in no time."

***

Sir Jasper's comments about the necessity of hiring a Cartwright to change out the sleigh skids remained at the back of Kitty's mind, and on her next walk to Meryton with Lydia, she found herself looking at the carts and carriages that trundled through any market town.

Handcarts needed only two wheels, but the horse-pulled ones could need two or four, the size of the wheel seeming to depend on how heavily-laden the cart typically was. Perhaps the terrain and distance they needed to move was also a factor. The mobile stalls that came out on fair days certainly did not need wheels as big as a farm cart, but they were only moving short distances over cobblestones, not loose earth or grass.

Lydia chattered away, all anticipation for her upcoming journey with Jane and Mr. Bingley, still more than a month away. "Jane does not have my love of dancing, but I am sure we will have some society... are you listening to me?"

Kitty pulled her attention away from eyeing the nearest carriage. "Of course, you were wondering if Jane and our brother Bingley would take you to any balls during the wedding tour."

Satisfied, Lydia continued her speculations, and Catherine ventured a caution. "Everyone in Meryton has known you from a babe, Lydia, but you will not have such indulgence from strangers."

Lydia pouted. "You need not scold me. Jane and our brother have already said that they will send me home and continue the tour unchaperoned, if I cannot behave like the young lady I am. I am quite resolved to be on my finest manners."

Catherine would believe that when she saw it, but for all her whimsy, Lydia knew how her bread was buttered, and Mr. Bingley was not as indulgent as Papa. Not after dealing with Miss Bingley. Perhaps this adventure would be good for Lydia.

She turned her attention back to the nearby shop. The Cartwright used a system of ropes and gears to hoist whatever he was working on into the air, which certainly explained why a sleigh needed to be taken to his shop to be worked on. It did seem rather precarious, though.

Rather like the hack carriages in London, a sleigh had rather less space for luggage, being more of a vehicle for short day trips. There was room under the seats for food hampers or a small trunk or valise, though. Wheels would be rather cumbersome to attach, and might throw off the balance, but there was no reason they could not be brought along in a secondary luggage cart for longer journeys during changing weather, like the cart Sir William and Lady Lucas used when they took their family on a holiday.

Catherine decided that she needed more information, similar to when she read art books about how light and movement changed the perception of an object. Luckily, she had access to a very well-stocked library, when the lending library came up short.

***

Catherine knocked on the door to her father's book room, heretofore the nearest thing to forbidden ground. "Papa, do you have any books on mechanical drawings?"

Papa looked at her as though she were a stranger, but honoured her by giving the request actual consideration, rather than dismissing it as a foolish and fleeting fancy. "I believe I have an art book on the techniques, and a new study of Da Vinci's works. Neither one is quite what you are asking for, but together they should give you a starting point."

That had gone better than Kitty had expected. "Thank you, Papa."

He nodded, a trifle awkwardly. Perhaps he felt as wrong-footed as she did. "You might also ask your Uncle Phillips to look at some of the planning applications he and Mr. Morris handle for the estates hereabouts. They often have sketches attached. Mostly architectural, but there are some for mills and other such things, and there have been a number of advances in harvesting machinery in recent years."

That was an excellent idea, and Uncle Phillips tended to indulge his nieces in their requests. Papa paused a moment, before rustling his newspaper. "Should you have questions, you may come in here to discuss them. I cannot promise to have the answers, but we can seek them together."

The offer was as unexpected as it was welcome. Well, with Lizzy departing to Kent in a month or so, and Jane leaving on her wedding tour a little before that, perhaps Papa was desirous of someone to talk to. Mary had stopped seeking his approbation years ago, and soon they would be the only daughters still at home.

The possibility that he might be trying to address his past indifferent parenting crossed her mind as she settled in her room and began to read, but Catherine dismissed it as a little too far-fetched. He and Mama might be getting along better, even if their reactions were a little stilted when Papa stopped himself from voicing a tease that was a touch too pointed, but it was early days, yet.

If Papa did commit to his change in behaviour, she would be grateful for it, and for whatever knowledge he saw fit to pass on. But Catherine, a fourth daughter born after the loss of a hoped-for son, had been disappointed too many times in that regard to hope without evidence.