Chapter 9

November 7, 1812

Charlotte quickly turned to Lizzy before the gentleman caller was escorted into the room. “Quickly, give me that embroidery,” she hissed, “as you insist I stay, I must have something to appear occupied so I can avoid interfering with Mr. Kent's efforts. But even if I appear distracted, know I shall be sitting just there with a closed mouth but very open ears. I will know if you spurn the man before he had been given a proper chance.”

Lizzy handed Charlotte the embroidery hoop that had been sitting on the end table next to her. It looked like it had been one of Mary's that had been left, long forgotten, in this rarely used corner of the parlor. Charlotte grabbed the work and went to shift seats. She was not quite fast enough, for Mr. Kent was ushered into the room before she had escaped the small couch that she had been enjoying with Lizzy.

After Mr. Kent paid his respects to his hostess, Mrs. Bennet called out, “Lizzy, dear, would you mind if our guest joins you? There seems to be a bit more space in your corner of the room.” Mrs. Bennet looked at Charlotte with annoyance. She silently lamented that Charlotte had the audacity to visit her daughter for a chat. Though, truth be told, Mrs. Bennet also felt some of the blame lay on her own shoulders. She knew that it would have been better to have pulled Lizzy out of that hidden little corner before Mr. Kent's arrival. Mrs. Bennet made a mental note to have the housekeeper rearrange the furniture this afternoon.

Lizzy looked around and blushed. There were three comfortable and vacant seats next to Lydia, as well as two more seats near the fireplace and Jane. Charlotte was currently occupying the only seat near Lizzy that was in a position to allow for easy conversation. Then, there was the chair that Charlotte had attempted to shift to only moments earlier. That chair was neither comfortable nor placed in such a way so as to encourage conversation. The chair was nearby, but turned at an awkward angle facing the window. The chair's availability probably had more to do with its lack of comfort, however, than its position. Lizzy had long suspected her father had put the chair in that exact spot so he would always have an open seat to read in, unperturbed, should he be forced to come into the parlor when company came calling.

Mr. Kent, looking only at Elizabeth, and not having assessed the seating arrangements, crossed the room even before Mrs. Bennet had finished speaking. Both Elizabeth and Charlotte stood to greet the gentleman.

“Mr. Kent,” Lizzy said as she held out her hand. Mr. Kent raised her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on it, “this is my dear friend Miss Charlotte Lucas.”

Mr. Kent bowed slightly in Charlotte's direction, “It is my pleasure to meet you.”

“Mr. Kent!” Charlotte said smiling, “Lizzy has said such nice things about you. I am glad to make your acquaintance. Unfortunately, I have just reached the most difficult part of the design I am embroidering. I find I need more light to ensure I do not make any errors. I would love to speak more, but I was just planning to relocate to that seat near the window while I finish this one section.” Charlotte turned to Lizzy and continued, “Lizzy, you know that I have been working on this piece with great diligence and would hate to make an error now. Could you possibly forgive my temporary absence if I leave Mr. Kent to ensure your entertainment?”

Lizzy could not help thinking that Charlotte was nearly as bad as her mother. She wanted to grab ahold of Charlotte and force her back into her seat, but she understood their agreement. “I have no objection, if Mr. Kent is amenable. After all, Charlotte, I know how important embroidery is to you.” Lizzy looked at Charlotte with one eyebrow raised. While Elizabeth had always preferred reading and walking to the activities that usually occupied ladies, Charlotte enjoyed painting, knitting, mastering the pianoforte, singing, and nearly all other activities deemed acceptable for the daughter of a gentleman. Embroidery, however, was a pastime that both women agreed was as entertaining as watching paint dry. Elizabeth felt a perverse sense of pleasure knowing that Charlotte would be stuck working on that piece while she entertained Mr. Kent.

“No, of course I have no objection. Although I would relish your company, Miss Lucas, I could never object to entertaining you, Miss Elizabeth.”

Charlotte slipped into the seat near the window, as Elizabeth and Mr. Kent sat down on the small couch.

Mr. Kent spoke first. “Did your mother mention that I had stopped by yesterday?”

“Yes, she did,” Lizzy replied, “I am sorry to have missed you. My sister and I had gone into town to peruse some new ribbons that had arrived at the millinery shop.”

“Did the new ribbons meet your satisfaction?” Mr. Kent asked.

“I did find one set that would look quite nice on a bonnet from last season.”

“Well I am very glad to hear it. I would hope a lady should not need to traipse all the way into town and not find the supplies she was in need of. I do hope you didn't find the walk too unpleasant.”

“Not in the least, Mr. Kent. I find walking an enjoyable activity.”

“But surely, if the need did not require you to walk, you would prefer to engage in the enjoyable pastimes that are more suited to ladies.”

“Mr. Kent, do you not feel that women are suited for walking?”

“Well, clearly they possess legs and are capable of the activity, but walking can be a dirty and tiring affair for a lady. There are bugs and sun to threaten her delicate skin and, of course, there are the dangers that are inherent in venturing out into the world.”

“Pray elaborate on these dangers, Mr. Kent. I am certain you cannot mean fresh air and exercise.”

“Of course not, Miss Elizabeth. Should a lady desire fresh air and exercise, she is perfectly safe in taking a turn around her garden. I speak merely of walking into public areas. In such locales, there is the possibility of encountering unsavory characters, wild animals, and even uneven surfaces. I should not wish to cage a woman in her home. I am merely suggesting that it is prudent for a young lady to seek a companion to accompany her, when engaging in activities that are so fraught with perils. Obviously, you had the good sense to seek the accompaniment of your sister. Surely you must see the wisdom in my argument.”

“Do you feel that men should also take such precautions when going riding?” Elizabeth asked.

“Well, I would agree that some of the perils of walking might be encountered while riding, but when riding, one has the company of one's steed, which allows a quick escape from many of the aforementioned dangers.”

“So, if I should wish to go into town on my own, I could ride into town without fear, but walking alone would be ill advised?”

Mr. Kent smiled and looked at Elizabeth as if she had been joking. The idea of a woman going riding on her own was preposterous. He had heard from Mr. Collins that cousin Elizabeth was uncommonly quick witted. He chuckled. “Miss Elizabeth, you do paint the most whimsical image. Perhaps, you might bring your embroidery along with you while you go riding into town.”

“I can't imagine, Mr. Kent, that I could easily steer my horse if I was attempting to embroider simultaneously,” Elizabeth said with no hint of humor in her voice.

“I see,'' Mr. Kent said, straitening his back somewhat, and clearing his throat. “Do you ride often then?”

In truth, Elizabeth did not ride horses. Her family did not maintain a sizeable stable and large animals seemed imposing, and somewhat frightening, to her. Elizabeth did not wish to garner Mr. Kent's permission to ride unaccompanied. Instead, she hoped to ascertain his feelings on the level of independence that women should be afforded when compared to men. “I do not currently ride, but as you have indicated, walking alone can be so dangerous, I thought perhaps riding might allow me to continue to attend to my errands without inconveniencing my family.”

Mr. Kent laughed yet again. “Oh Miss Elizabeth, you had me quite surprised for a moment there. I can see your confusion on the matter. I suppose, it is not entirely the horse that allows men to travel more easily unaccompanied. You must see that, as part of the fairer and weaker gender, extra precaution must be taken to ensure your safety when outside the home. That is not to say your gender is inferior. Far from it. In fact, I have the utmost admiration and respect for your gender. Women are more versed in the creation of all that is beautiful. Women are more gentle and kind, making them far superior for raising children. Why, women are the most enchanting and captivating of all of God's creatures.” Mr. Kent gave Lizzy glance that made her feel as if he spoke directly of her. If he was attempting to woo her with his honeyed words, he clearly could not see he had missed his mark. "But men obviously also have an appropriate role within our society and, as such, we have developed strengths to excel in these roles. For instance, men are stronger and more capable of comprehending the complicated yet dull study of things like philosophy. Such topics are of no use to a female, and her lack of knowledge in such subjects is of no loss. It does not diminish her value, as who would enjoy wasting the precious time one has with feminine companionship on something so boring as philosophy? It is the same with physical strength. It is not a disadvantage that a woman cannot defend herself, for there are males that can and should provide such protection. But to deny that a female is more vulnerable than her male counterpart is to encourage reckless behaviors that can lead to a woman exposing herself to harm.”

Elizabeth couldn't help but notice Charlotte shaking her head quietly as Mr. Kent expounded on his beliefs on the differences of the sexes.

Although Mr. Kent's antiquated ideas did not offend Charlotte, she could now acknowledge that Elizabeth and Mr. Kent would not make a good match. Elizabeth was far too independent and clever of a woman for Mr. Kent to understand or appreciate. Charlotte could only imagine the tongue lashing that Mr. Kent was about to receive and, overcome with pity for the unsuspecting gentleman, she decided to intervene. Standing up and walking over to Elizabeth, Charlotte smiled. “Elizabeth, look! I have managed to complete that very section I had been struggling with.”

The look in Elizabeth's eyes told Charlotte just how fortunate Mr. Kent had been that she had chosen to rejoin them. Elizabeth's lips were pursed and her eyes narrowed. She looked every inch a woman ready to battle. And yet, Mr. Kent's expression showed no signs that he was aware of just how offensive Elizabeth had found his comments. It seemed that Mr. Kent's chief concern, was vacating his seat to ensure that Charlotte need not remain standing. At that moment, the housekeeper re-entered the room, handing Mrs. Bennet the cards of two more guests. Charlotte noticed this event and had no doubts as to who would soon be admitted to the parlor. Not entirely sure that she could successfully defuse Lizzy's anger, and knowing that it would be better if Lizzy was not engaged in a heated discussion when Mr. Darcy was shown in, Charlotte decided to take action.

“Please do not trouble yourself to get up, Mr. Kent. I hope to take my leave quite soon,” Charlotte said brightly. Lizzy, upon hearing Charlotte's words seemed to forget her anger at Mr. Kent. This had not been part of their agreement. Elizabeth wondered how her friend could even consider abandoning her with this man so completely and entirely incapable of understanding the strengths and capabilities women could possess, especially when it appeared she would soon be expected to also entertain a pompous Mr. Darcy. Charlotte looked over at her brother who was in the middle of a game of cribbage with Kitty. “Oh. My brother seems rather engaged at the moment,” Charlotte continued, “and I could not dream of asking him to escort me home.”

Elizabeth could see the offer that her friend was making. Charlotte could either insist she needed to leave now and, given Mr. Kent's feelings on women walking about unaccompanied, it was likely Mr. Kent would be compelled to escort her home, or, Charlotte could decide that it was not a pressing matter and, she could announce she would wait for Steven to conclude his visit, before taking her leave. Elizabeth had to decide quickly if she would prefer to be left alone to entertain Mr. Darcy, or if she would prefer to be held responsible for entertaining both Mr. Kent and Mr. Darcy, with the assistance of her dearest friend.

As Charlotte had expected, Lizzy's patience with Mr. Kent had run out and she was willing to be left alone with Mr. Darcy, if it meant the removal of Mr. Kent. “Charlotte, Mr. Kent was just enlightening me on the many dangers you might face if you walk home alone. I simply cannot allow you to do so, but I can see how anxious you are to be on your way. You are quite right about your brother. It would be a shame to end the game early. Kitty so loves cribbage. Perhaps, Mr. Kent would be willing to assist you?”

Mr. Kent was somewhat disappointed. He would be returning to London tomorrow and this was his last opportunity to meet with Elizabeth, but he had heard from his cousin that the Bennets would be visiting the Hunsford parsonage over Christmas. Given Lady Catherine's invitation to visit Rosings Park, he too could schedule a visit with his cousin over the holiday without placing too much of a burden on the parsonage. He had felt today's visit had been promising and he could resume his acquaintance with Elizabeth over the holidays. It was more important right now, that he show Elizabeth his commitment to protecting the weaker gender. Mr. Kent turned to Charlotte. “It would be my honor, Miss Lucas, to escort you home.”

Charlotte smiled sweetly and nodded her assent as Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley were announced.