Suspense & Sensibility

free to follow his mother’s advice and marry more advantageously. So he conducts himself like a cad in hopes Kitty will cry off the engagement.' She shook her head. 'That might work if he confined his misconduct to Kitty alone. But his public behavior has left him ill qualified to recommend himself to another young lady, particularly one considered a better catch in the marriage market.'

'I disagree. His misdemeanors among the beau monde amount to little of long-term consequence. So far as the Polite World is concerned, he has cut a few acquaintances on the street, been seen dressed out of fashion, and haunted some seedier gaming hells — nothing of which half the youngbloods in London cannot also stand accused. Even if the manners Mr. Dash-wood exhibited here tonight find display in more public venues, his fortune can more than make up for that in the eyes of the right young lady’s family, particularly if he eventually corrects himself. A month or year from now, when the ton’s interest has fixed upon someone else, his performance will be forgotten altogether or, at worst, remembered as an eccentric phase.'

'But what about the gathering he hosted, this ‘Hell-Fire Club? Cannot his new associates damage his reputation?'

'At present, only you and I know about that meeting. Those who attended are unlikely to speak of it.'

'Have you any idea what went on there? Do you think they have renewed their former activities? I cannot imagine Mr. Dashwood participating in acts so dreadful that you refuse to describe them to me.' At least, not the Mr. Dashwood she thought she knew. But his conduct tonight left her doubting both his character and her own ability to judge it.

'I am afraid that I now believe him capable of anything.'

'Can he not be saved?'

'I tried to prevail upon him, or at least gain his confidence, but he is past the point of listening to me.' With an air of resignation, he sank into the chair opposite her. 'I think we need to advise your father of the situation.'

Had it gone that far, that fast? 'We must be quite sure. One word from us, and the engagement will be broken.' Along with Kitty’s heart. 'Perhaps if I talked to Mr. Dashwood myself — '

'Alone?' Darcy’s expression made it clear what he thought of that idea.

'Do you not trust my ability to handle Mr. Dashwood?'

'It is Mr. Dashwood whom I no longer trust.'

A Dashwood indeed called at the Darcys’ townhouse the following day, but not Harry. Mrs. John Dashwood arrived as early as was socially acceptable, demanding to see Kitty. Elizabeth, who had been completing needlework in the parlor with Kitty, remained with her sister for moral support despite Fanny’s request for a private interview. Fanny’s displeasure, obvious upon her arrival, was compounded by Elizabeth’s polite unwillingness to abandon Kitty to a cozy tete-a-tete with her future mother-in-law.

Mrs. Dashwood accepted Elizabeth’s invitation to sit, but perched so far on the edge of her seat that Elizabeth mused whether enough chair supported Harry’s mother to keep her from sliding to the floor. Fanny managed, however, to maintain her balance, aided, no doubt, by the ramrod reinforcing her back.

'I have just left Harry in Pall Mall.' Apparently, this declaration ought to have furnished the sisters with sufficient explanation for Mrs. Dashwood’s present visit. They, however, required more clarification.

'I hope you left him well?' Kitty asked.

'I should say not!' Fanny scowled at Kitty as if she’d had something to do with it. Kitty melted into the sofa, holding her embroidery frame before her like a shield. Unfortunately, it lacked the power to deflect self-righteous indignation. 'Oh, he was in high spirits, to be sure. But not well. Not behaving well at all!'

After the performance they’d witnessed the night before, Elizabeth could only imagine how Harry had treated the mother with whom he was already at odds. That was an exchange she wished she could have overheard.

'Since I returned to town, I have heard nothing but what a scapegrace my son is making of himself. I will not have him dragging the Dashwood name through the gutters of St. James’s, to become the latest on-dit at Almack’s. And I told him so. His aunt Lucy was there when I arrived, telling him the same thing.'

How delighted Mr. Dashwood must have been, to have two harridans descend upon him in the early hours to continue Darcy’s conduct lecture where it had left off the night before.

That Lucy had taken it upon herself to correct Harry surprised Elizabeth, as she presumed Mrs. Ferrars was still trying to maneuver her daughter into his affections, but perhaps hope that Regina would one day share the Dashwood name had motivated her desire to preserve it.

'The whole house was at sixes and sevens!' Fanny continued, apparently neither requiring nor desiring another participant in the conversation. 'Workmen coming in to dig some sort of larder under the cellar! They continually interrupted us. You would think, from the amount of instruction Harry was obliged to offer, that he had just hired them this morning to start the project! Then two footmen brought a portrait of that dreadful Sir Francis down from Harry’s chamber and on his orders started hanging it immediately — while we were sitting there conversing. The place was such a jumble I could scarcely hold his attention!'

'Mr. Dashwood has hung the portrait in his drawing room?' Elizabeth asked. She was starting to think Harry obsessed with his ancestor.

'Right above the fireplace! I didn’t even know he’d removed it from Norland. I took one look at the thing and asked why he wanted that portrait displayed instead of the one I’d given him, and do you know what he said to me? ‘Madam, five minutes in your presence have convinced me that Sir Francis is better company than any you can provide.’ He said that! To his own mother!' She launched a piercing look at Kitty. 'He never would have said such a dreadful thing to me before he met you, Miss Bennet.'

At last, they had come to the purpose of Fanny’s call. Harry’s mother blamed Kitty for her son’s recent alteration. Poor, bewildered Kitty, who was as helpless to account for it as anybody.

'Mrs. Dashwood — ' Kitty began.

Fanny rose to her feet. 'You have been a ruinous influence on my son. He was never careless with his person, his fortune, or his reputation until he became engaged to you. Why you have molded him into a lesser man than he was, I cannot speculate, but I will tell you what I just told him: I will not countenance it. He may possess Norland, but I still have my own fortune to bequeath, and if he persists in this behavior I’ll spin in my grave before it will be settled upon him. My mother divested her eldest son of his anticipated inheritance, and I can do the same. So in your own self-interest, Miss Bennet, I advise you to advise him to reform.'

Kitty’s trembling hand gripped the embroidery frame tightly. Her makeshift aegis having failed in its office, she absorbed the full force of Fanny’s assault. 'I shall do my best.'

'I should hope so, Miss Bennet. Thus far, you hardly can have done worse.'

Elizabeth could not bear to see Kitty so undeservedly abused. 'Mrs. Dashwood, you cannot in fairness hold my sister responsible for your son’s recent conduct. In fact, we are all as distressed by it as you are.'

'Then why have you done nothing about it?'

'We have tried. But Mr. Dashwood, as you know, has his own mind, and at present seems disinclined to take direction from others.'

Fanny regarded Kitty with disdain. 'I should think a man’s fiancee would possess some ability to influence him.'

A few minutes ago, Kitty had exerted so much power over Harry that she was entirely answerable for his behavior; now she was condemned for not wielding enough.

'I should think his mother would, as well,' Elizabeth said.

Fanny sputtered. 'I cannot believe you would show me such disrespect as to — '

'It is no more than you yourself have demonstrated.' Elizabeth had heard more than enough. While she did not want to damage Kitty’s bond with her future mother-in-law, Fanny was already so decided against her sister that Elizabeth doubted any incivility on her own part could further fracture their relationship. She crossed to the drawing room door and opened it wide. 'Come, Kitty Mrs. Dashwood is leaving now.'

Sixteen