Page 77 of Cousin Conundrum

“What of you, Miss Kitty?” Miss Bingley asked.

Kitty gave a vigorous shake of her head. “I have never met a man I like less.”

“Your youth and expectations do you a disservice, the both of you.” Charlotte released Elizabeth’s hand, folding hers together in her lap. “I would certainly accept Mr. Collins in order to be mistress of my own household and no longer a burden to my family.”

Elizabeth stared at her longtime friend in surprise. “You would?”

Charlotte nodded. “I would.”

“Which is a moot point, but one we may still be able to rectify.” Miss Bingley tapped a long finger on the tabletop. “Miss Mabel has attached herself to your cousin, just as Miss Catherine has to my brother, but we may be able to prevent both unions.”

Charlotte’s head popped up from where she’d been contemplating her clasped fingers. “We may?”

“Yes.” Elizabeth mustered a smile, trying to throw off her shock at Charlotte’s declaration. “I am afraid we have invited you here under false pretense. You are not here merely to socialize and see for yourself that I am well. We require your assistance.”

Kitty sat forward. “We need you to call on Longbourn tomorrow, or to invite Mama to tea. We cannot have her call here.”

“Easily enough done.” Charlotte looked from face to face. “But what will you be doing here?”

Kitty grinned. “Un-trapping Mr. Bingley.”

“And hopefully getting rid of those terrible Archers,” Miss Bingley added, her face folding into sour lines.

“Truly?” Charlotte turned to Elizabeth. “You know I am happy to assist, but I definitely need to know more.”

Elizabeth smiled. She’d known they could depend upon Charlotte. And now that they’d accounted for every possible hiccup, Elizabeth had high hopes for the success of their plan. Around this time tomorrow, they would know if the Archers were criminals, and if Jane’s broken heart might be put back together again.

***

Kitty struggled not to skip as she made her way down one of Netherfield Park’s wide hallways. Charlotte would have Mrs. Bennet safely occupied, Jane was having tea with Elizabeth in her room, and Kitty was on her way to make certain Mr. Fletcher was in place before she joined Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst in the drawing room to await the Archers’ call.

She cracked open the door to the little parlor where they would bring Cat after her gown got sloshed with tea, a moment Kitty was greatly anticipating. The room appeared completely empty. It even felt empty. How did Mr. Fletcher manage that? Did the man even breathe?

To make certain she was in the correct room, Kitty went to a set of tall cabinets, the fronts painted with a riot of flowers, and yanked open the doors.

Mr. Fletcher stared at her, too tall now that he stood in the cabinet. “Yes?”

“I only wanted to check.” Kitty grinned. “You are very quiet. I became worried one of us was in the wrong room.”

“As I doubt Netherfield Park possesses many cabinets large enough to house me, and even fewer of them with an eye hole drilled in them, I am certain I am in the correct room.”

Kitty tipped her head in pretend consideration. “You make a fair point.”

“Thank you.”

He sounded so serious. Enough so that she assumed he teased her. She smiled. “Very well, then. Watch your nose.” She swung the cabinet doors shut.

“Enjoy tea,” a muffled voice called as she turned away.

Oh, she would. Particularly the part where she got to douse Cat. Kitty’s grin widened as she sought the drawing room.

“Where have you been?” Miss Bingley hissed when Kitty entered. “They could arrive at any moment.”

“Checking on Mr. Fletcher.”

“I already did. He is in place.”

Kitty nodded. She ducked down to pull a basket from under one of the sofas. The contents were precisely as she’d left them. Mending and a book. Shoving the lot back under, she moved to the next couch and checked there. So it wouldn’t matter where Cat ended up sitting, Kitty had stashed fake mending work under all four of the sofas that surrounded the low table on which they would have tea. The only thing left to chance was Kitty actually ending up seated by her nemesis, but she had faith in her ability to do so.