Chances Come, Ney Mitch [snow like ashes series TXT] 📗

was walking by had four children. The mother instructed them to say good day to Kitty, which they did.

Soon, many passersby were tipping their hats or smiling at our sister. Kitty acknowledged them all, then turn to us at last.

“I did not know I would be met with such friendliness.” Suddenly she noticed Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam standing behind our aunt and uncle. Immediately, she lost her nerve, confidence eluded her, and insecurity found its way back to her disposition. Her mouth closed and her cheeks became quite flushed.

“Mr. Darcy,” she stuttered. “I…well, I was…”

Mr. Darcy took a few steps forward and then he gently chuckled.

“Miss Kitty, I dare say that you entered London in the most memorable way that a person could. Welcome to my home. Am I to presume, by your declaration that you are happy to be here?”

“Well, yes, I am,” she replied, her voice breathy. “In truth, I was surprised that you even thought to invite me. I had no idea that you cared much for my existence at all.”

“Kitty!” Uncle Gardiner snapped.

Kitty made a face. “I meant no offense, truly. I just am so nervous that I know not what to say. I am just so overwhelmed by it all and I feel so very small.”

“This is a compliment,” I rushed out, trying to explain Kitty’s behavior. “When she gets nervous, she simply wishes that everyone would like her.”

“I do,” Kitty confirmed. “I do wish for that. And I just realized that I am saying all these things when I have not even entered the house.”

“A house which I hope that you shall enjoy,” Mr. Darcy responded. “I specially had your room prepared so that it would be more comfortable for you.”

“For me?” Kitty was obviously in awe. “I cannot wait to see it.”

“In our eagerness to be reunited, we have not performed one important task,” Jane corrected us all. “Kitty, we have an acquaintance for you to meet.” Next, she turned to Colonel Fitzwilliam.

“Of course,” Mr. Darcy continued smoothly. “This is my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Richard, this is Miss Kitty Bennet, the elder Miss Bennets’ little sister.”

“Miss Kitty.” Colonel Fitzwilliam bowed. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I found your salutations to Grosvenor Street to be refreshing and as proper way to greet the place as any.”

She smiled and curtseyed. “Thank you. I was happy to see my family again, and I was so overjoyed about coming here that I let myself practically fall over with being overstimulated.”

“And I am still ignorant, what number sister are you?”

Jane, Kitty, and I began to answer that question at the same time, then we laughed over it.

“I am the fourth sister,” Kitty answered after our answers got jumbled. “I am the youngest but one.”

“And your family has clearly its share of beauty. You are as lovely as your sisters.”

“Oh, Jane and Lizzy are the prettiest, I know,” Kitty admitted, “but thank you for saying it anyway.”

“You are too modest.”

“Well,” Mr. Darcy said, “I am desirous of showing Miss Kitty my home, and I will be disappointed until she sees it. So, let us enter.”

We all followed him into the home. As we did so, and Kitty’s luggage was being brought in by the servants, Kitty began to remove her pelisse, bonnet, and scarf.

“You really wish to show me your home?” Kitty asked, giddily, handing the last bit of her outerwear to the servants. “That is flattering.”

“Yes. However, I was worried about the state that you would be in when you arrived. Do you wish to sit down to some tea, and speak with the company first? Or would you prefer to retire to your room as soon as you can, so that you may change, rest for a time and drink your tea in peace?”

“Oh, I am not so certain which is the right answer,” Kitty admitted. “For, it is usually correct to sit down with the company first, and I know that I would have bad manners if I did otherwise. But the truth is that I am a little exhausted from my journey.” Kitty looked to Jane, me, and our aunt and uncle. “What am I to do? What is the right way of being?”

“I do not see that there is a wrong way,” Mr. Darcy answered her question. “You have every right to be tired. And, in truth, I do not believe in being so static and stiff about the rules in this situation. Sometimes, when someone arrives after a long journey, the last thing they wish to do is speak with everyone there.”

“Precisely. I am tired, and I do not even know what to say. And when I get tired, I say the wrong things, and then I am told that I make people upset with me.”

“Kitty, Mr. Darcy does not need to know that,” Aunt Gardiner advised.

“While usually such talk is not permissible,” Mr. Darcy smoothed over, “I understand the sentiment. When I first came to Hertfordshire, you recall, I was out of humor myself.”

“Are you referring to the assembly?” Kitty asked. “When you and the Netherfield party had first made our acquaintance?”

“Yes, I am. Well, you recall that I danced with only the women who I was acquainted with. Well, it was due to bashfulness on my part that led to me giving off the wrong first impression. I was so unnerved about being in the society of people who I had little acquaintance with that I wished to be banished from the room and left in solitude.”

“So, that was why you did not dance with any of the rest of us?” Kitty asked. “You just were nervous?”

“Yes. But, as you see, I am not nervous anymore.”

“So, then you did grow to like our company? You grew to like us somewhat, back in Hertfordshire?”

This natural discourse was against propriety and moderation, but none of us dared interrupt them. The main reason was because we marveled at it. I was overjoyed to see them getting along, in the general