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It was after the utmostly unfair treatment she had received from her father that Kitty Bennet took an interest in espionage.
Without the ability to visit Meryton, robbed of the possibility to attend any balls, she found herself at a loss of what to do with all the spare time. She certainly wasn't going to engage in reading sermons like Mary did. Decorating hats had a charm to it yet in the long run, served little purpose when no one was going to comment on her artwork as she couldn't stroll the town.
In recent days she has almost come to regret giving her dear sister the support of her secrecy about the business in Brighton. Lydia ended up with Mr Wickham, while Kitty imprisoned in her own home with a hysterical mother, condescending sisters and an offended father. All that kept her from giving into depression was the news of Lydia's planned visit following her impromptu marriage.
The visit itself turned out to be a bitter disappointment, however. Lydia hardly paid her any attention, enamoured with her husband, showing off her wedding ring to everyone around and hardly reacting if not addressed per Mrs Wickham. Kitty could see that Mary and Elizabeth were equally put off by their youngest sister's behaviour.
She did not sympathise with them either, as Mary acted like a second Mr Collins, and Kitty haven't forgotten or forgiven Elizabeth's role in her not going to Brighton. With how Mr Bennet listened to her, Eliza might have as well talked their father into the current hardships he imposed on Kitty.
As Kitty observed Lizzy's discomfiture with a vindictive satisfaction, she noticed an interesting reaction to Lydia's another account of her wedding.
“Mr Darcy!” Elizabeth repeated the name Lydia's slipped shocked but without the usual contempt she harboured for the man. “What was he doing there?”
Lydia looked at her as if talking to a half-wit person.
“He was serving as a best man to my dear George, of course.”
With wonder, Kitty noted that the comment quieted Elizabeth for the rest of the evening. She sat sulking at her plate, so lost in thoughts that she stopped pretending to entertain their guests. Father, of course, didn't tell her off. His favourite could act as she pleased and Mr Bennet never had harsh words for her.
Up till this moment, Kitty prescribed Lizzy's coldness towards Wickham to jealousy over Lydia. Only during this dreadful dinner did she start to consider another possibility. A thing so improbable normally she would laugh it off and hadn't spent another thought on it. But as things were, she was mortally bored. She could as well entertain herself at Lizzy's expanse. Not that her older sister didn't deserve it.
“I may have news about Lizzy,” she said to Mary in a confidential whisper one day.
The addressed young lady lifted reprobative eyes at Kitty from whatever boring book she was reading. Probably something Mr Collins forgot at their house.
“Gossiping is an unforgivable trait in a decent woman.”
Kitty rolled her eyes. Mary wasn't the perfect confidante but talking about Lizzy to Jane was out of the question and Lydia was gone from her life for a foreseeable future.
“Fine. If you don't want to listen, I'll taint someone else's innocent ears,” Kitty threatened. “Sarah or Polly won't have your objections.”
The little trick worked and Mary stopped her sister. Either her pride couldn't stand being put behind servants or she genuinely tried to save the housemaids’ souls, Kitty couldn't care less. She recounted to Mary all that she suspected herself. And although Mary's shock was satisfying, her reaction was far less so.
“She's not going to repeat Lydia's mistakes, is she?” Genuine terror could be heard in Mary's voice.
“Lydia's mistakes!” Kitty exclaimed. “Lydia is off with a charming gentleman in Newcastle, doing what she pleases as his lady. Had I a chance, I'd gladly repeat her mistakes instead of living in this dreadfully dull household with the likes of you!”
It turned out much better when fate gave Kitty a chance to tease Elizabeth herself when a mysterious lady visited their house without warning and with the subtlety of a hurricane. She stormed through the doors almost knocking over poor Mr Hills and from the threshold demanding to speak with Elizabeth.
Kitty ran to where she knew her older sister liked to stroll among the trees behind the house and caught her, breathless.
“You have a guest!” She announced before Eliza could berate her for her manners. Her sister looked surprised.
“What guest?” She wanted to know.
“Someone wealthy judging by the carriage,” Kitty watched over the reaction her words induced. “And prideful, given their behaviour.”
“Impossible!” Lizzy looked almost panicked, talking her thoughts aloud in confusion. “I thought he'd never wish to see me again.”
She all but ran towards the manor.
Kitty followed only to find out that what must be a very interesting conversation took place outside the house. Elizabeth stood stiffly next to the formidable lady armoured with a walking stick. They talked animatedly, as Kitty watched with her nose glued to the window shamelessly. At the end, they certainly argued and Lady Katherine de Bourgh’s cries could be yet heard as Elizabeth wrung open the doors to slip inside the house.
“...the gall! I have never been so offended–”
Lizzy slammed the doors shut to find herself face to face with concerned and alarmed family and servants.
“Not the one you expected to see?” Kitty asked spitefully.
Lizzy glared at her before storming to her room where she shut herself, refusing to speak to anyone about what had just transpired. Jane followed anyway, while the middle sister drifted closer to Kitty.
“There might be some wisdom in your assumption,” Mary offered an olive branch in a manner typical for her.
“What assumption?” Their mother could be sharp as a hawk when the matter considered one of her unmarried daughters.
Their father fixed Kitty with a hard gaze.
“Taught by recent events, in other circumstances, I might have been worried about any scheme you may conjure in your pretty head. Luckily, we are free of Lydia and you are under supervision, so I'm positive no further elopement threatens us in the future.”
Having offended both his daughters, Mr Bennet retreated to his library in a slightly lifted mood. Prompted by his words, Mrs Bennet returned to ponder Lydia's good fortune and her unmarried sisters’ misfortunes. Hurt by his words, Mary picked back her sermons. Things returned to normal, Jane and Lizzy kept together, Kitty felt alone. Brought to desperation, she begged her father to allow her to accompany Mrs Hill when she visited the town for grocery shopping and to collect the mail. When the permission was granted, Kitty could sneak a peek at Lizzy's correspondence. Disappointingly, there was nothing scandalous there. Lizzy only exchanged letters with Mrs Gardiner or Charlotte.
Thus the arrival of two gentlemen came entirely unexpected to everyone. Kitty was genuinely happy to see Mr Bingley who could always be easily talked into organising a ball (even if later danced solely with Jane) and even the solemn presence of Mr Darcy brought her the satisfaction of sorting out the puzzle correctly. When he proposed, Kitty was less surprised than Mr Bennet and perhaps even less than Lizzy herself.
Life regained its colours in the following time of chaotic preparation for a double wedding. Kitty could pull out all her fancy dresses and hats and wonder which one would be best suitable for the ceremony. She almost stopped being cross with Elizabeth because of all of this. And when after a time being, Mrs Darcy sent Kitty an invitation to visit her in Pemberly, Kitty found it in her heart to forgive her sister completely for Elizabeth's despicable role in Kitty not going to Brighton once upon a time.