Page 18 of What Change Entails

He withdrew a volume and examined the spine. “I am reforming. None of you seem to appreciate how inconvenient it is.”

Elizabeth’s amusement faded a little. She could not decide whether to be grateful or alarmed that her father had taken the matter this seriously. It had been easier, perhaps, to wish him more responsible when responsibility remained theoretical.

Mrs. Gardiner addressed him. “You are resolved, then? Brighton is abandoned?”

“Absolutely,” Mr. Bennet answered. “If my brother and sister will consent to add one lively young lady to their party, Lydia shall go north.”

Mr. Gardiner and his wife shared a look.

Mrs. Gardiner gave Lydia her full attention. “Can you obey us while you are with us?”

Lydia sat up again, affronted. “Of course I can.”

“Without arguing over every instruction?”

Lydia hesitated.

Kitty leaned nearer and whispered, rather too audibly, “Say yes.”

“With very little arguing,” Lydia amended.

Mr. Gardiner grinned. “A lawyer could not have answered better.”

Mrs. Gardiner’s brow rose.

Lydia compressed her mouth, fought some internal battle, and then muttered, “Yes, Aunt. I can obey you.”

“And you will not complain of every hill.”

“That depends how many there are.”

“Lydia.”

She huffed. “Very well. I shall not complain of every hill. Just the worst ones.”

Mrs. Gardiner patted her hand. “A reasonable beginning.”

“Then it is settled,” Mrs. Bennet said mournfully, in the tone of one announcing a funeral. “My poor girl is to be carried away from every pleasure.”

“Not every pleasure,” Mr. Gardiner said. “We have no objection to pleasure. We object to disaster.”

Lydia appeared ready to challenge that distinction but could not find a suitable argument.

Jane moved to refresh Mrs. Gardiner’s cup. “Aunt, you must be fatigued from the road.”

“Not at all, my dear.” Mrs. Gardiner accepted a cup and surveyed the room. “Though I suspect preparations here will require more energy than the journey itself.”

Lydia brightened, faintly but visibly. “I must have my white muslin altered.”

Mrs. Bennet revived swiftly. “Yes! It is the very thing. And your blue sash, though perhaps the ribbon is not quite what it was.”

Kitty leaned toward Lydia. “You said you would take the pink.”

“I shall take all three.”

Mrs. Gardiner set down her teacup. “You will take what can reasonably fit in your trunk.”

Lydia’s face fell. “One trunk?”