Page 11 of The Secret Diary of Anne de Bourgh

“Anne introduced us,” Mary said, and Kitty stared at me.

“How do you know a soldier?” Kitty and Darcy asked at the same time.

“It was Captain Doctor Spears, Darcy,” I told my cousin.

“Oh, Spears was there? I didn’t see him,” Darcy said with a shrug.

“It was quite a crush,” I said, “and you were busy introducing Lizzy to everyone.”

“Yes, but who is he?” Kitty demanded again, and I was about to explain that he treated me at Rosings when Darcy spoke up.

“Mr Thurston’s nephew. I have known Christopher since we were boys. His parents died when he was young, and he lived with the Thurstons before joining the army with their second son, Matthew. He owns an estate near Leicester, though it has long been let.”

“A soldier and eligible?” Kitty’s eyes popped.

“He has at least three thousand a year,” Darcy laughed slightly at her expression, “not that you would know it. Kit’s a modest sort.”

“Kit?” Lizzy asked laughingly.

“Christopher,” Darcy amended hastily.

“Kit and Kitty, how funny that would be!” Kitty giggled, but I saw that Mary looked a little unhappy.

“You’ll have to get in line, Kitty,” I said, “after all, it was Mary he danced with.”

Kitty opened her mouth, but Elizabeth touched her elbow. After a moment Kitty said:

“Do you like him, Mary? He’s a soldier after all, and you’ve never cared for men in red coats. But you did meet him first, so if you like him I shall stay away.”

“Actually Anne saw him first,” Mary said. I waved a hand.

“No, while Captain Spears is very nice and indeed very handsome, I’m afraid he was my doctor first and I could not look at him romantically. But Mary, you did not say whether you liked him...”

“Oh, God, I wish I wasn’t hearing this,” Darcy interjected then, making us all laugh, but then we all quieted and looked at Mary. She flushed fire red and studied her hands.

“He is – he is everything that a young man ought to be,” she mumbled, and Elizabeth burst out laughing.

“Dear me, Mary, your heart must surely be in danger! I do believe those were the exact words Jane used after the Meryton Assembly where she met Mr Bingley!”

Mary glanced at Darcy and said, “I daresay the good Captain found me only tolerable, Lizzy.”

Darcy flushed. Elizabeth had told us what he said of her at the Meryton assembly; Mary had chosen her mark.

“I don’t doubt the good Captain found you more than handsome enough to tempt him, Mary,” Georgiana teased, and we all giggled as we watched Darcy flush even darker.

When the laughter had subsided, Elizabeth asked how I had liked Mr Byerly. I said that he had been a very agreeable partner, and Darcy nodded approval.

“A sensible young man. Only six and twenty, but he has a much better understanding of business than many men twice his age. His father was knighted for his services to the Crown during the war. A very considerable fortune, too.”

“And a very handsome coat,” Kitty put in. “I noticed that.”

“You would,” Elizabeth said fondly, and I smiled. I had noticed it too, but I had liked better the way he listened when I spoke.

17 April

We saw Captain Spears with the Thurstons at church in Kympton this morning. Afterwards he asked Darcy if he might call at Pemberley on Monday. Elizabeth said he would be welcome. Kitty waited for an introduction, but the Captain had barely looked at her; his attention was on Mary. Elizabeth asked, with a perfectly innocent air, whether there was anyone in particular he hoped to see. She said it was difficult to keep track of us all. Lizzy knows exactly where we are at every hour.

The Captain coloured. “I hoped to speak with Miss Bennet about her work in the stillroom. She told me of the salve she and Mrs Reynolds made for Miss de Bourgh’s arms.”