Lydia gave the others a baleful look and asked, “Was that the last straw, Papa?”

“Well, let me see. Ah, yes, our steward promptly posted Colton to the fields, where the poor boy has since been busy mending fences.”

Catherine sighed and rolled her eyes. Mr. Bennet said, “Kitty, you look as if you did not enjoy the report. Are you not diverted?”

As the most serious member of the family, Catherine felt it her eleven-year old duty to remind her father one should not live to make sport of and laugh at others.

“Never mind, Kitty,” her mother said. “Although the mane parts of the tail are quite plausible, I would not put it past-ure father to have embellished certain sections of the letter.”

Catherine raised her chin and said, “Well, Mama, the facts can always be verified when we return to Hertfordshire.”

Lydia smiled sweetly and said, “Kitty is right. We can hear the whole story right from the horse’s mouth.”

Mr. Bennet grinned at his youngest daughter and reminded, “But that, Lydia, would be listening to a neigh-sayer.”

The conversation jogged Lizzy’s memory to the realization she had not yet ridden her horse much during their stay in Town. On the spur of the moment she said, “If you will excuse me, I am going to change into riding attire and visit the mews. I have been neglecting poor Gloriana, so I shall now take her for a short ride in the park. Would you care to join me, Papa?”

“Why, yes, my dear. The weather certainly seems quite stable, and it behooves me to give Zephyr some much-needed exercise.”

Before Lizzy left the dining room, she turned to Catherine and said, “We shall not be gone long, Kitty. I promise to help you with your macramé project when I return. In the meantime, practice some of those hitching knots I showed you. Afterward I shall need to start preparations for this evening. Jane, will you please accompany me now while I change? I would like to speak with you about the ball.”

When Rachel had helped Miss Elizabeth into her riding clothes and the sisters were alone, Jane asked, “Are you at all apprehensive about tonight, Lizzy?”

“Of course, and I am sure a kaleidoscope of butterflies will invade my stomach again as soon as I see Mr. Darcy.”

“I did not necessarily mean that aspect of the evening but rather if you had any reservations about meeting the Earl of Matlock and Lady Rebecca. I have heard they are not as amiable as their youngest son, and I know they would not approve of me as a match for Colonel Fitzwilliam. Oh, Lizzy, I dreamed of him last night; and he was most incredibly amiable. You would be shocked, sister, by the content of my dreams; and they occur not only while I sleep, for the strikingly handsome soldier invades my waking hours as well. Please promise you will not allow any private moments to occur between us, for I would not trust myself to behave properly if alone with him.”

“Jane! How shocking. Yet it seems we share a dilemma. I asked you to accompany me here in order to request the same sort of favour, except in reverse. I was hoping you would turn a blind eye should Mr. Darcy request a moment alone with me. But what are your thoughts of Mr. Bingley? Do you have similar visions of that good-looking young man?”

Jane sadly shook her head.

“Well, it seems we are destined to have two Fitzwilliams in our family, after all then.”

“Lizzy, you are certainly getting way ahead of yourself. I truly have no reason to believe the Colonel feels any affection at all for me, while Mr. Bingley openly wears his heart on his sleeve.”

“It is unfortunate Mr. Bingley’s sleeve is not attached to a resplendent red uniform coat. If that gentleman wore regimentals, you might see him in a different light.”

Rachel returned and informed Miss Elizabeth her father was waiting for her at the rear entrance, which led to the mews behind their house.

“Jane, I must go. Do not worry. I am sure you will make out wonderfully tonight.”

She did not hear her sister mutter, “And that, dear sister, is just what I worry might happen.”

Natty Fitzwilliam Darcy, in his splendid green coat and crisp new cravat, tapped the knocker on the Bennets’ door and was admitted by Sharp. His request to see Miss Elizabeth was announced, and the young man found himself in the sitting room with Mrs. Bennet, her three youngest children, as well as the governess.

Mrs. Bennet said, “I am sorry, Mr. Darcy; but Lizzy and her father have gone for a ride in the park. However, they should not be much longer, and you are most welcome to sit and wait. Would you care for some tea?”

Darcy smiled weakly, agreed to the tea, took a seat, and twisted his signet ring. If he had not taken the time to change his frayed and knotted neckcloth, he might not have missed Miss Elizabeth. Knott’s palsied fingers took an inordinate amount of time to finesse the intricate knot upon which he had insisted. Darcy and his father had both tried on several occasions over the past year to convince the servant it was time to retire, but Knott had been offended. Since neither gentleman had the heart to flatly dismiss the valet, it had all come to naught.

Mrs. Bennet reacquainted Mr. Darcy with Kitty, Lydia, and Robert and introduced Miss Martha Edwards. Tea was served after inane polite conversation about the weather. Three-year old Robert walked over to Darcy, rested his hands on the gentleman’s knees, looked up with wide baby blue eyes, and said, “Libazeth is teaching Kitty maca … macamay with yarns, but I cannot knot. Can you make knots, Mither Darthy?”

“I can, indeed, make knots, Robert. Would you like me to show you how it is done?”

The child shook his blonde curls. “No. But when Libazeth comes home, maybe you can do the knotty thing with her.”

Darcy had just taken a sip of tea, it went down the wrong way, and he choked while the little boy continued to innocently stare at him. Mrs. Bennet jumped up in alarm. “Mr. Darcy, are you unwell? Your face is an alarming shade of puce.” She took his cup and saucer and, in a motherly manner, patted the gentleman on the back. No thanks to her, his breathing soon returned to normal. Regardless, Mrs. Bennet continued to administer assistance.

Miss Elizabeth and her father arrived at that moment; she was astonished, and he amused. Mr. Bennet arched his brow and said, “Lizzy, do you suppose I will get a pat answer should I ask what happened?”

His wife explained, “Poor Mr. Darcy choked when Robert spoke to him, though I did not hear the conversation. Robert, did you bother the gentleman about … you know … what we told you never to mention again?”

“No, Mama. I did not axe about the hanson barberin. I promithed not to, ’member? An’ a gennelmin must keep his promith.”