Catherine Bennet Read online

  Chapter One

  Catherine Bennet, a youngest daughter but one from a family of moderate fortune and reasonable background, but of neither great wealth nor perfect breeding. Had at age 19, only recently started to appear in the highest of social circles following the advantageous marriages of her 2 eldest sisters and her family’s new connections to The Darcy’s of Pemberley and their close friends, The Bingley’s.

  About 27 months ago Miss Bennet was living at Longbourn, a small village about a mile away from Meryton in Hertfordshire with both her parents and all four of her sisters. She had recently turned 17, had never left the county and was as ignorant of the world and as irritable and insipid as most young ladies her age. She had neither the beauty of her eldest sister Jane, nor the wit of Lizzy, nor the accomplishments of Mary and she was certainly not as good humoured as her youngest sister, Lydia, whom she was the closest to. Between the ages of 17 and 19, strangers came into her village; gentlemen, soldiers and clergymen. Arguments ensued, love blossomed and wilted, a terrible scandal shook the families entire core and before she knew it, she was one of the two remaining Bennet sisters. Lydia and Elizabeth moved north with their husbands and Jane married Mr Bingley and moved to Netherfield Park, a big estate just outside of her little village and Kitty’s adventures began.

  However, Mr and Mrs Bingley only remained at Netherfield for a year after that they bought a house in a neighbouring county to Derbyshire. With Lydia, Jane and Elizabeth having all left the Manor Catherine found life quite tedious at Longbourn. Mary was even less interesting than before, striving even harder for mental perfection, developing her skills at the piano or reading a book in a corner. Maria Lucas was rarely at home anymore, her father taking her to town with him mostly she suspected because Lady Lucas had asked him to, desperately trying to get her married off before Mrs Bennet beat her to it again.

  Since Charlotte’s wedding and then Lydia’s, Catherine had noticed an ever-growing tension between her mother and Lady Lucas, silly she thought but her mother was frequently silly. She thought the whole thing utterly barmy and so when Jane asked if she would care to come with them to Nottinghamshire, where they had bought a beautiful little country estate called Blakewood, Kitty jumped at the chance. A change of scene and society and maybe a chance to make some new friends, it seemed a perfect opportunity.

  Chapter Two

  Blakewood House was set in a deep area of countryside about five miles outside a small town. It was surrounded by woodland and greenery. It was quite an old house, built during the Tudor era. The carriage was comfortable, though the journey was long. It had taken them several days to get there, staying overnight with some old friends of Bingley’s. Kitty was riding in the carriage with Jane (who was anxious to see her new house) and Mr Bingley’s sister Caroline. Jane had been chatting the whole way about what the house looked like, she had only seen it from the outside once though Charles had been several times during the purchasing process. Every so often Catherine couldn’t help but steal a glance at Caroline whose pursed lips and pointed nose displayed every ounce of displeasure at her presence. Caroline had never forgiven Jane for marrying her brother or Elizabeth for marrying Mr Darcy and now Kitty, whom she already disliked, was to be staying with them. She was sure Jane was aware of her companion’s moods, but she was ever polite and cheerful, always with a welcoming smile.

  Kitty had always admired Jane’s good nature. As for herself, her temper was rather like Elizabeth’s and she had to bite her tongue quite regularly to prevent something rude slipping out towards the bitter Miss Bingley. She was of a similar age to Jane, perhaps a little older. Kitty could not be sure as she was a tall, thin woman with a pale complexion (which she worked hard to keep as she felt that tanned or weathered skin was a sign of roughness and lack of style), she favoured scarlet as a colour usually in velvet or silk and had very dark hair and very dark eyes. Catherine had often observed that she looked a little like a wicked witch in the fairytales her mother used to read to her a child and always seemed to have a bad smell under her nose. Is that a spot? Kitty wondered rather uncharitably, catching a glimpse of a small blemish on the side of her face that had powders over it in a desperate attempt to conceal it.

  Kitty was fortunate enough to suffer very rarely from blemishes, though she had a small beauty mark on her face that tended to fade in winter and then stand out along with her faint freckles in summer. Lydia had upset her once when Mr Wickham had been interested in a girl called Mary King whom Lydia had described as a ‘nasty freckled thing’. Shortly after that Lizzy had found Kitty in her mother’s dressing room going through her old powders and frantically trying to cover them up. Lizzy had told her to stop what she was doing and then helped her wash it all off. She had then taken her into her room, which faced towards the east and was by far the sunniest, brightest room in the house, and with a rather large looking glass Kitty observed that Lizzy too had freckles. Kitty had felt much better after this and was delighted to then take Lydia into Lizzy’s room when the sun was highest and pointed out to her that she too had freckles, Lydia didn’t mention anything else about Mary King’s freckles after that.

  There was a sudden jolt as the carriage ran over an uneven bit of ground and brought her back to the present. As she looked out of the carriage window she saw that they had crossed a narrow bridge and had turned down a lane. In the distance she could see the house. It was a collection of stone shapes against the back drop of the rising sun and the tall trees set back in the countryside.

  “It’s beautiful” she gasped as they drew nearer. Great iron gates were opened and as the carriage passed through them Kitty could see everything clearer. The beautiful old-fashioned building, set back in a neat stone yard and with the sun quite bright on this early winter morning the frost on the ground sparkled a little, there was a certain magical quality about the picture.

  Mr Bingley’s face appeared in the carriage window as the door was opened and he first helped Jane down. Kitty couldn’t help but steal another glance at Caroline, whose face was less than pleased at being second, again, and this time to Mrs Bingley (the former Miss Jane Bennet) rather than her sister Mrs Hurst (the former Miss Louisa Bingley), but it is only considered proper to dismount in order of importance; the lady of the house being first, followed by any other married women (if there be more than one) and then the other females in order eldest to youngest. This Kitty knew and waited patiently as Caroline (who was considerably older than she) stepped down and then she followed.

  The doors were opened to the Blakewood Estate, which had already been dusted, cleaned and heated prior to the new occupants’ arrival. “Well, Miss Bennet, what do you make of it?” asked the proud new owner of the house as he led the party inside.

  “I think it a most pleasing estate Mr Bingley” replied she politely.

  “Indeed, it is my dear, I think we shall be very happy here” his wife added as they entered the breakfast parlour where light refreshments had been laid out ready for their arrival. Everyone was tired after the long journey and after tea and sandwiches servants saw the party to their chambers, where they could rest and freshen up, arranging to meet up in the afternoon for a late luncheon and a grand tour.

  Twice the size of her room at Longbourn. There was a pleasing fire burning in the hearth, the room itself was elegantly furnished with a newly carpeted floor. There was an alcove where a small writing desk had been placed and there was a dressing table to the right of her. By the fire there was a beautiful rocking chair and a small coffee table, opposite was a small sofa, so she could entertain in her room if she wished it. The bed was old but solid with a golden throw over it and draping ivory curtains that matched those hanging by the window, which afforded a nice view of the gardens. K
itty could see a little pond with a thin sheet of ice covering it, an old willow tree and an arrangement of rose bushes snipped back for the winter. They were all covered in frost and glistened in the morning light. She crossed to her chest and unlocked it. Most of her gowns had been placed in it, she didn’t own many. Kitty didn’t really feel like sleeping, the atmosphere and the thought of adventure were much more interesting to her. She explored the room thoroughly, hoping there would be a secret passage or something of the sort, but alas there was not, and the rest of her morning was spent organising her dresses.

  A little after one there was a knock on the door and she was called down to luncheon. The servants had laid an elegant table of silver platters out in the small dining room. “They have more than one dining room?” Kitty had thought aloud as this was announced. (At Longbourn they had the breakfast parlour which also served as their lunch room and a dining room, which was also a ball room if they ever held that kind of event) to which Caroline smugly replied sidling up to her.

  “But of course, we do Miss Bennet” she had said it with a slight sneer that made Kitty’s temper rise. This house wasn’t hers; it was Mr Bingley’s and Jane’s. Caroline continued, “We are not in Meryton anymore, I’m sure you will discover many grander things as you pass through our society.” The word ‘our’ meaning Caroline’s and not hers, was what annoyed Kitty the most. Caroline Bingley was one of those women who talked down to everyone, thought herself far above her company and went out of her way to upset people.

  Kitty thought she was a very unpleasant person and had made up her mind to avoid her as much as possible. She kept her head up, her eyes straight forward and walked a little quicker, her light muslin dress and simple black boots moving quicker along the corridors than Caroline’s heavy satin gown and fancy heeled slippers.

  After luncheon Mr Bingley took everyone on a tour of the house. They started out in the gardens while the sun was still high in the sky. It was cold and the ground crisp. At the back of the house there was a stone yard, a sort of circular shape with a wall all around that came to just above their heads, creating quite a private feel to the estate without feeling entirely secluded from the world. The stables were at least twice the size of those at Longbourn with room for at least 10 horses, probably more. Beyond the stables there was a pretty sort of pasture where they could run free. Across the yard was a small gate that led through a kind of tunnel into the gardens which were immense.

  They first passed the pond that she had seen from her chamber window, it looked a lot bigger now they were closer. A neat gravel path had been laid through the gardens which had been separated by low fences. Each of the gardens seemed to have a theme to them, roses or herbs and there was a vegetable garden, an orchard and one that looked like it was totally devoted to wild flowers. The edge of the garden was lined with high pine trees and past them Kitty could see more trees; a sort of forest wilderness that she assumed was beyond the bounds of the Estate. “How wonderful” thought she “to be so near such a beautiful wilderness.” Her sister had joined her, linking arms with her as they walked along the path. Caroline she could see had engaged her brother in conversation about something or other and was keeping it very much between themselves.

  “Are you pleased with Blakewood Catherine?” asked Jane as they moved away. It seemed they were not welcome in whatever conversation Caroline was having.

  “I’ve never seen anywhere so beautiful. Will you be staying here?” Jane smiled as she looked out across the gardens.

  “I do hope so. Charles, I think, is very fond of the place. Ever since he first saw it, he has talked of little else.” The two sisters looped around the orchard and headed back towards the house. Over a fence Kitty could see farm lands and the small cottages which housed Mr Bingley’s new tenants.

  “I wish I were a man, to own land and have people pay money to stay on it” she exclaimed suddenly feeling very low as she thought about her sister and this fine estate. Jane was quite shocked and put a finger over her lips

  “Kitty!” she hissed. “Do not talk so. ‘Tis most unbecoming of a young lady. What would our father say?” Kitty sighed, her sister was right.

  “I just...I wish I could find a nice man, with a little land perhaps, or an officer maybe.” Said Kitty; the thought had been occurring to her quite often and she didn’t like it. “I feel like I’m living on the charity and the good will of others all the time. I’m nineteen Jane. Each year I get a little older, a little further away from love. I live off the allowance I get from my father, grew up in a house that is entailed away from us and I am now staying in the home of my eldest sister...” she slumped down on the low wall of one of the gardens. “I think of Lydia... two years younger than me and already married with a house of her own...” Jane took her hand comfortingly.

  “Lydia is hardly the best example now is she dear? Her husband is an obsessive gambler and quite definitely a rogue. I would pity our dear little sister rather than envy her Catherine.” Said Jane comfortingly. “Also, their house is not their own now is it? It is, I believe, what they call marriage quarters. It’s a collection of rather small, military owned houses right near camp. Lydia’s marriage itself was brought about by others too.” Kitty couldn’t help but smile at this, Jane was right.

  Her sister rarely spoke ill of anyone and it was always quite entertaining when she did. “When you marry dear I trust it will be to a nice sensible man, who will love you for who you are, your good nature and your sweet laugh. Perhaps he will even be to someone you will meet while you are here or perhaps when we visit Pemberley for Christmas. Lizzy has expressed that you simply must come with us. She has invited our mother and father and Mary too. I hope they will attend – it would be such a merry gathering, but you know what our father can be like.” Everyone knew that Mr Bennet did not like to travel. Kitty nodded. She was glad to be here with Jane; she really was one of the sweetest of people.

  “What’s to do here?” the two women looked up to see that Mr Bingley and Caroline had finished whatever they were discussing and had joined them. “My dear Miss Bennet are you quite all right? You have not been crying I hope?” The older gentleman asked with concern on his face.

  “Oh... no sir...” Kitty blinked and brushed her face quickly. Mr Bingley presented to her his handkerchief, which she accepted gratefully and dabbed at her eyes.

  “Charles....” Caroline’s voice came from behind them. “Come now brother, we had best hurry on or we shall not get to see the rest of the house. I’m sure Miss Bennet will be quite all right...” she was not convinced but Kitty was sure that she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Jane’s eyes flash almost angrily at Caroline’s lack of consideration for anyone but herself.

  “All in due time Caroline....” her brother responded. He then turned to his wife, helping her to her feet. “My dear, perhaps you would do me the honour of walking with Caroline back to the house. I wish to speak a moment with your sister. We shall join you shortly” he smiled, and Jane wilted. Mr Bingley had such an ease and openness it was impossible to protest or refuse any request.

  “Of course,” she smiled turning to Caroline. “Shall we?” she asked motioning to the house. Caroline seemed less than pleased by this arrangement;

  “Charles, I really think you should... This is after all your house....” he raised his hand.

  “Now sister, Mrs Bingley is as much the owner of this estate as I am. Go on with you, we shall join you shortly”. Caroline could say no more. Reluctantly she followed Jane as they headed up the lane.

  “Miss Bennet...” he said offering her his arm. Kitty rose to her feet and took it feeling rather shy. Mr Bingley sensed her unease for he smiled and added kindly “Nothing to worry about. I merely wish your company for a short stroll. You are my sister too now after all and I look forward to having you stay with us, for as long you would wish to. Mrs Bingley I know is grateful of your company.” They walked on up the lane and took a different turn through the orchards.

&
nbsp; “Jane? Why would she wish for my company? We were never very close as sisters before” Kitty responded rather surprised.

  “Perhaps not, but I expect you will become much closer. I am very glad of your presence here Miss Bennet. It is the first time my dear Jane has been so far away from her family; she is a very home loving person”. Kitty could not argue with that. Jane had indeed always loved the quiet home life, keeping her family and friends very close to her. She was a sweet, steady person; good with people, animals and children.

  “Aye indeed sir, my sister is of a very shy nature. I have always admired her grace and gentility. It is something I lack immensely”. The older gentleman laughed.

  “I disagree with you Miss Bennet, you are no more, or less graceful than your sister. I am very fond of you all and look forward to seeing you all a lot more.” Kitty looked at him.

  “Surely, if we are brother and sister you can call me Catherine can you not? I am after all the youngest but one, my sister Mary is surely Miss Bennet. I have never been too fond of formalities and titles amongst family.” Mr Bingley regarded her carefully, she was a strange girl sometimes, but not unpleasant and had grown up immensely in the last year.

  “If you would prefer it, ma’am, then we can lose the formalities” said he and Kitty smiled, pleased with his response.

  “I think it would make things easier. I would perhaps relax a little more around you. If that would be all right with you? Bingley smiled at her.

  “Of course, I do not wish you to feel uneasy. You are after all family. If you insist” he replied. “I shall”. Kitty had a determined look in her face. Catherine was very like her sister Elizabeth, more so now she had matured. He found her quite changed since their first acquaintance and he knew his wife was very glad of her company. His own sister, he was aware, was not a particularly warm person. Both his sisters had been quite cold and formal. Right now, as Jane embarked on their new life together, she needed warmth and love, her own family near and Kitty was by far the best out of the two remaining Bennet sisters.