“You know, I always wondered what he meant prior to the morning
of our wedding.”“What was that?”
“It was while your mother orchestrated who would ride in what
carriage to the wedding service. He’d muttered ‘All this to do about nothing. It’s almost as bad as St. James’ Court.’
At the time, I thought he was being his usual mercurial self, but his promotion
amongst the landed gentry must have been to what he referred.”
“Mama will be beside herself. She now precedes Lady Lucas. Oh,
they’ll never be friends now.”
“Were they ever?”
“They had… I guess you would call it a mutually polite
acquaintance.”
“Wait until she realizes you outrank even me,” Darcy teased.
Lizzy rose from her chair and circled behind her husband of two
years. She leaned down, wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, and laid
her cheek against his.
“We are equals. You are a gentleman, and I am a gentleman’s
daughter. There is no rank in our house, not unless the Monarch decides to
bestow a title upon you, which would be well deserved but not sought.
Fortunately, Kitty, as Lady George Kerr, outranks Mama. She might be able to
contain her ebullient gloating.”
Darcy brought his hand up to his shoulder and laid it over her
small hand.
“I believe a trip to Longbourn is required. Your mother will
want to herald the news to all and sundry and require her well-situated
daughters to flank her every side. Are you up to the task?”
Lizzy kissed the top of his head before stepping away, the small
bump barely visible beneath her morning dress.
“Fortunately, we are in London, and what’s a day’s travel on a good road? Even so, Nanny and I will have our hands full with Bennet and Andrew.”
“You shall manage my love. Your courage always rises when
challenged.”
“You know me well.”
How did they ever keep track of social rank? That would be a full time job in itself! :-) Good snippet!
ReplyDelete