Beginning, Section II

Chapter 5: The Renewal of Hope

Posted on 2008-11-12

Charles Bingley had survived a most depressing winter. He had pined over his departure from Netherfield and his separation from the beautiful and kind Miss Jane Bennet, and his spirits had been battered by the claim of both his sisters and his longtime friend Darcy that Jane did not love him and at most might have married him out of a sense of familial duty. Although he had always been known as an affable and friendly man, he had become morose; the enjoyments of life in London had ceased to inspire him. He saw the various gentlemen’s clubs as temples of idleness, where men whose fortunes did not depend on their own work found numerous sorts of frivolity in order to fill the empty hours that they possessed in abundance. The theater and opera could offer entertaining performances but mainly served as exhibition halls for all the fripperies of what was called polite society. He had no appetite for balls and dancing; the affected manner of those present only made him miss the less refined but more sincere behavior that he had witnessed from his neighbors in Hertfordshire. At his townhouse, his sisters’ company made things no better, since they tended to boast of their success in separating him from Miss Bennet, whose family made her unfit in their opinion to be his wife.

“Just think of what a boisterous and vulgar mother she has, Charles,” Caroline had said one day, “a worse gossip never lived! Did you see her surveying our possessions as though they could become hers? Jane is a sweet girl, of course” – such statements, delivered in a cloying voice, were never absent – “but she is the only one in her family with the slightest gentility, the others are no more than country upstarts.” Then, she would sing the praises of Miss Georgiana Darcy, Fitzwilliam Darcy’s sister, mentioning her as an accomplished young lady from a respectable family, who would be appropriate as a wife for Charles. Charles’ own insistence that she was still a child, and that he saw her as a younger sister, only led to Caroline and Louisa introducing him to other friends and acquaintances of theirs, whom he uniformly found insincere and insipid. Of course, he knew what lay behind these comments: ever since Caroline had met Mr. Darcy and learned of the grand estate that he owned and the history of his family, she had sought to attach herself to him in order to gain standing among the highest circles of society and access to his considerable income. To match her brother with his sister, in her view, would make a union between them practically inevitable. The fact that Mr. Darcy in no way returned her attentions, and indeed was quite vexed with them, was beneath Caroline’s notice. She was certain of her ability to achieve her goal; if she had not, it was only because Mr. Darcy was not yet sufficiently enlightened regarding her own superior qualities. Her pretentious chatter made her depressed brother wish to drink himself into a stupor, if not to throw an entire bottle at the nearest wall, but he was too responsible a man to allow that to happen. However, the desire remained.

Unexpected relief came to Mr. Bingley from two sources. The first was an invitation from his uncle and aunt, who lived near Scarborough and owned a bookshop there. His sisters disdained the invitation, wishing to consider themselves Londoners born and bred with no connection to trade or to simple country folk. His brother-in-law Mr. Hurst was simply too indolent to contemplate the journey. Thus, Charles decided to make the journey on his own. He spent ten days there enjoying his uncle and aunt’s hospitality and renewing his acquaintance with his cousins. The manner of the people that he encountered made him think once again of his time in Hertfordshire; independently of the issue of whether Jane Bennet returned his affections or not, he found that he now was more likely to enjoy the country rather than London. He even encountered an old acquaintance of his from his days at Cambridge, Claudius Connor, who now seemed very content as a don teaching history at the same institution. Their discussions and recollections of both their education and other pursuits in which they had been involved made Bingley consider once again that there were more types of society, and more enjoyable ones, than what the ton could offer. Thus, he returned to London with a greater desire than ever to live at Netherfield once again.

The next day, the letter from Darcy arrived. Bingley read it several times. First rapidly, filled with emotion, then more slowly, in a contemplative manner, and then once again, as though he had missed something in its meaning. Could Fitzwilliam Darcy truly be admitting that he was wrong about something, and even apologizing about it? This was a most unusual event, since Charles knew his friend to be a man of decided opinions. However, even more than this, two new revelations conquered his mind. Firstly, Darcy was encouraging him to pursue his suit with Jane, and hinting at a favorable outcome. Secondly, his own sister had been actively involved in working against his own happiness. This would be the last time that he would allow anyone to intervene in his life, he decided. Before he was aware of his actions, he had shouted for Caroline to join him in the library and had placed Darcy’s letter in front of her, practically forcing her to read it. His sister’s facial expressions underwent a series of rapid changes: defiance, craftiness, despair, anger, and in the end a sort of mortification, as she came to understand that not even the cleverest of tales could sway her brother’s resolution.

“You have two choices, Caroline,” he said in a firm voice. “Either you may confess your part in this affair and promise me that you will behave with the utmost respect and decorum to Jane Bennet and to all her relations, or you may leave my presence and go to live with Hurst and Louisa, or with our relatives in Scarborough, if they will have you. In that case, your allowance will be drastically reduced, if not cut off completely.”

“Charles, my dearest brother!” Caroline’s eyes filled with tears. “I only thought of you and your own happiness! I felt the Bennets were not an appropriate family for you.”

“For yourself and your own aspirations,” said Charles with a scowl. “And if you believe your own aspirations include a certain gentleman from Derbyshire, you had best read the end of his letter again.”

Caroline could make no response to this but a whimper and she slowly lowered her gaze to the ground.

“Tell me the truth, Caroline,” Charles continued. “Did Jane ever come to visit here?”

Caroline began to spin a tale of how Jane had apparently visited at one time months ago when she and Louisa were out shopping in Bond Street, and had left a card with the servant, and then in order to dispense with the obligation, Caroline had gone to Cheapside to visit her relations there. “Such a plebeian household, in a most undignified neighborhood, with noisy children interrupting every discourse! And Miss Bennet seemed at home there, possibly because her sweet nature leads her to enjoy children, but more probably because after all she is a Bennet and must be accustomed to such scenes from living at Longbourn. When I spoke to her of you, however, she was most indifferent and seemed to suffer my presence only out of a sense of obligation, which is why I did not extend or repeat my visit. I ask you, Charles, how could you wish to be attached to a young lady who would not be polite to your sister?”

Had his sister appeared truly repentant and pledged to support him, Charles might have reacted differently. Instead, seeing that she had immediately reverted to her habits of deceit and disparagement made his face red with anger.

“Not another word, Caroline!” He pounded his fist on the table. “I cannot discern whether you are telling me the truth or a new lie, but that I will find out for myself. Tomorrow I am for Netherfield, and if you have undone my best hope of happiness, I will never forgive you. You must pray that Jane will consent to become my wife, and that you will find it within you to apologize to her and her entire family for your behavior and attitude towards them, for otherwise we shall not speak again. Leave me now and your belongings shall be sent to the Hurst house; you are not welcome here or at Netherfield.”

Caroline began to weep again. “Brother, how can you be so cruel?”

“As you were to me,” he replied in a stony voice, and then stepped forward decisively. “Leave this house now.” When she did not move, he repeated himself in a low voice. Seeing the expression on his face, she quickly scurried from the study. Charles followed her without speaking in order to ensure that she would in fact depart. When she sat on a chair in the sitting room and did not move, he rang the bell repeatedly and ordered all the servants to appear.

“Miss Bingley is to leave immediately for my brother’s house. Kindly see to it that she does. Those of you that assist her or wish to accompany her may continue, and your wages shall be paid by me as before. Those of you that wish to remain must know that the door is not to be opened to her again, for she has offended me most gravely. Haskell,” he said, turning to his valet, “on the morrow we depart for Netherfield, and I know not when we return. Please make all the necessary preparations for an extended stay.”

Being shamed in front of the servants was more than Caroline could countenance. Her face took on the appearance of numbness and shock. Her personal maid and the butler took her by the hand and she could only follow meekly. When after a few minutes spent gathering her possessions, she had finally gone, Charles returned to his study with a decanter of brandy. He felt no vindication or pride over his harsh behaviour with his sister, and wished desperately that time would fly in order for him to arrive at Netherfield as soon as possible.

“Netherfield,” he said to himself as he emptied his second glass, “I shall be master of Netherfield and of myself. And I can only hope that I will be worthy in Jane’s eyes.”

Six weeks later, Darcy and Georgiana were walking through Hyde Park at his insistence that she should not remain closeted inside the townhouse with her music and her companion, Mrs. Annesley, but needed some invigorating fresh air. After twenty minutes, they came across the sight of Charles and Jane walking arm in arm, with a maid walking ten feet behind to give the appearance of chaperoning them.

“William,” said Georgiana in an eager voice, “is that not Charles Bingley with his young lady coming in our direction?”

Fitzwilliam Darcy could only look around and then confirm his sister’s observation with a smile. They had succeeded in finding each other, and the revival of their affection had done the rest.

“Bingley, well met!” he called out when the distance was suitably reduced.

His friend immediately broke out in a wide smile, although his first words were “Darcy, I am most put out with you! You sent me on a wild-goose chase to Netherfield when my happiness turned out to be in London.”

However, the presence of the two young ladies and the performance of the necessary introductions kept the two men from engaging in further banter. Darcy introduced Georgiana to Jane and was pleased to see that his sister was less shy than usual, possibly due to the presence of his friend. Miss Bennet, however, seemed somewhat wary. What would Elizabeth wish for me to do now?, he thought.

“Bingley, Miss Bennet, I must apologize to you both for my part in – delaying, no, attempting to thwart your happiness. It was inexcusable.”

“If your friend can forgive you, then so can I,” said Jane with a slight toss of her blond head. “My good opinion is not lost forever, and I can only wish that your own happiness will meet with no hindrances.”

“You are too kind, Miss Bennet. Charles is a fortunate man.” Mr. Bingley’s smile upon hearing this was impossible not to notice. His reply was “You are right on both counts, Darcy.”

“Are any other members of your family here in London as well, Miss Bennet?” Georgiana asked.

“Not at this moment, Miss Darcy,” the other young lady replied, “but the day after tomorrow my sister Elizabeth will be joining us in Gracechurch Street, which is where my aunt and uncle reside.”

Mr. Darcy’s held his breath for a moment upon hearing this. His heart’s fondest desire would finally be within his reach! The smile that appeared instantaneously on his face was noticed by all.

“And how are the members of your family faring, Miss Bennet?” he asked after pausing to regain his composure, “I hope that all is well in Meryton.” Jane assured him that according to the latest news that she had received, her parents and sisters were all in health and good spirits.

“You should meet Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Darcy,” said Charles, “Mr. Gardiner is a very cultured and knowledgeable man of business, and his wife would enjoy speaking with you about Derbyshire. She was born in Lambton, you know.”

“What an amazing coincidence!” Georgiana said, with an enthusiasm that none had seen in her within the past year. “Lambton is but four miles from Pemberley.”

“How could that best be arranged?” Mr. Darcy enquired.

“By coming to dine at my house in three days’ time,” Bingley said with a grin, “I have invited the entire family, which includes four delightful children.” The invitation was eagerly accepted.

“Shall we walk together?” Jane suggested. “Mr. Darcy, I believe that you have not met with your friend in some time, and I would understand if there are subjects on which you may wish to converse.” She forestalled any possibility of polite refusal by taking Georgiana’s arm gently, as she would with a younger sister.

Georgiana was surprised at this, but Jane’s kindly and unpretentious manner soon won her over as they began a discussion focusing first on embroidery and fashion, and later on other pastimes and diversions. Georgiana was entertained by hearing of Jane and Charles playing with the Gardiner children. Since her brother had confided in her about his experiences in Hertfordshire and Kent, Georgiana felt that there was one thing that she needed to say.

“Miss Bennet, I wish you to know that I am no threat to your happiness,” she said, looking directly at Jane’s eyes to intensify the truth of her statement, “Charles has been like an elder brother to me since I was eight years old, rather like my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.”

“I know, Miss Darcy,” said Jane, “I have been told as much, although it has become even clearer to me from our meeting now. Please call me Jane.”

“Then I must be Georgiana to you.” Their companionable discourse continued for three quarters of an hour, as did that of the two gentlemen, who recounted to each other events since Darcy’s departure for Kent. Each could find something about which to be astounded: Bingley by the tale of Lady Catherine’s faint and her daughter’s engagement, as well as his friend’s growing attachment to Jane’s sister (although the two times that he was on the verge of proposing marriage to her were conveniently omitted), and Darcy by the fact that his friend had been decisive enough to cast off his own sister for her actions. It appeared that both Mr. Gardiner, and Mr. Bennet by means of a letter from Hertfordshire, had granted Bingley permission to court the lady who was foremost in his heart. When it was time to end the walk, for Jane was expected at the Gardiners’ for supper, friendly farewells were said, and each of the gentlemen found that he had much to ponder.

For Fitzwilliam Darcy, the next seventy-two hours promised to be interminable. He was already imagining which clothing to wear and which things to say when he would next meet Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and imagining every possible version of her own appearance and her own reaction to him. They would meet in a setting where their company would not be disposed to interfere, without conventions of society or rank dictating their every move. He could imagine another walk in the park, with Georgiana on one arm and Elizabeth on the other. New invitations might follow. And maybe, eventually, they could find some time to share on their own.

Chapter 6: So Here We Are in London Town

Posted on 2009-11-07

Only one word could describe how Elizabeth Bennet felt when she left Meryton in the post chaise headed for London: overwhelmed. First, it had been her mother's berating of her for having refused Mr. Collins' offer of marriage months ago, which would have made her the future mistress of Longbourn. Then, it was the report that she had been in Kent in the close company of two gentlemen, one with an income of ten thousand a year, and the other with an estate of his own as well, and two Colonels, one of whom was an Earl's son, without having secured an engagement from any of them. In fact, horror of horrors, one of them had gotten engaged to Lady Catherine's daughter! "You waste too much time thinking, Lizzy, and shall make me go distracted!" her mother had exclaimed, "You need to work faster, as Miss De Bourgh did with her suitor! See if anyone will care for you when you are an old maid and Mr. Collins casts us all out in the hedgerows after your father's death! And to think that you refused him as well, you inconsiderate, nonsensical girl!" Logical arguments, such as that Elizabeth would never have made a good sycophant for Lady Catherine, or that Miss De Bourgh and Mr. Clover had known each other for years, did nothing to change her opinion. Her father had attempted to intercede, not by contradicting his wife, which would merely have roused her to a further fit of nerves, but by inviting Elizabeth to join him in the library to play chess and tell him privately of all that had transpired. The scene in Mr. Clover's garden in particular had diverted him.

However, before relative peace could be restored, a new subject emerged to disrupt the house at Longbourn: the young wife of Colonel Forster, the commander of the local militia regiment, had invited Lydia, youngest of the Bennet daughters, to join them in Brighton. Mrs. Bennet urged her husband to take the entire family there to enjoy the sea bathing, or at the very least, to allow Lydia her time in the sun. Elizabeth pointed out that Lydia's behavior in company fell seriously short of propriety, and it would be dangerous for her virtue to send her among so many officers, without any kind of supervision. The new Mrs. Forster, barely older than Lydia herself and no more sensible, was not up to the task of acting as chaperone, in Elizabeth's view. Her new knowledge of Wickham's character was shared, but produced no effect on the situation. Lydia wailed and remonstrated that she had as much right to receive an invitation as anyone, had Elizabeth not been invited first to Kent, and then to the Gardiners in London? In the face of such a barrage of arguments, Mr. Bennet could only do what he had been doing for the last twenty years: he capitulated and then proceeded to make excuses for himself. Lydia would go to Brighton, Colonel Forster and his wife would watch over her, and her virtue was no more in danger from the redcoats in Brighton than it had been in Meryton.

One piece of positive news arrived as well: Mr. Bingley and Jane had found each other in London, and the gentleman had written to ask Mr. Bennet's permission to court his eldest daughter. Since Mr. Bennet had already been apprised of this situation by his brother, Mr. Gardiner, he was not surprised, and had no hesitation in granting his consent. This news sent Mrs. Bennet into raptures: surely a proposal of marriage would not be long in coming! While the news was positive, the effusions that it produced in Mrs. Bennet were anything but conducive to tranquility at Longbourn. This was especially true after Mrs. Bennet resumed her habit of berating her second eldest daughter, with statements such as "Do you see now Lizzy? If you acted as Jane did, you would now have a husband ready to propose to you! She will be happily married, with a man earning five thousand a year, but your headstrong and impertinent ways shall be the death of me!" It was maddening to Elizabeth how her mother seemed able to turn practically any event into an occasion for criticizing her. Was this all a sort of punishment for being her father's favorite child?

In light of such a situation, to depart from Meryton could only be a relief. Her father pretended to be distraught, saying that in her absence he was not likely to hear two words of sense spoken together, but his disposition showed that he was glad for her. Although he rarely did anything about it, he was aware of how trying his wife's behavior could be, and how the Gardiners' home, even with four young children, was a much more comfortable environment for his Elizabeth.

Thus, when Elizabeth arrived in London, she was quite relieved to be there. Her uncle, aunt, and most beloved sister all greeted her upon her arrival. Her mother's brother, Mr. Edward Gardiner, was a successful businessman, who imported goods from the East Indies, the Mediterranean, and Asia in large quantities; to Elizabeth it seemed that he and his wife, the former Madeline Carver, had more sense between them then the rest of her family combined. Her aunt had often proved a wise and gentle guiding hand to her as she grew, and to Jane as well. They had four children: Mark, Sophia, Nicholas, and Alexandra, who ranged in age from eleven to three and ran enthusiastically in her direction once she arrived in Gracechurch Street. Mark's attempt to show greater dignity as the eldest brother by bowing was met with a "what, are you too grown and proper to hug your cousin Lizzy?" and Nicholas' comment "Mark thinks he should be less of a rascal because he's the biggest", while Sophia jumped into Lizzy's arms, Nicholas wrapped himself around her legs, and little Alexandra stretched her arms out with a request of "hug for me too?"

"Master Mark Gardiner," Elizabeth said with a stern voice, "if you do not hug me within ten seconds I will not take you to climb any more trees at Longbourn." Since Mark enjoyed climbing trees, he proceeded to embrace his cousin, although with less evident pleasure than the last time that they had met.

"Hug for me too? Please, please?" Alexandra began to fidget, and once Elizabeth had disentangled herself from Sophia and Nicholas, she proceeded to pick up her smallest cousin, who squealed in delight and exclaimed "Hugs are fun!"

Jane greeted her sister with a bright smile, a warm embrace, and a kiss on the cheek. "Lizzy, I have missed you so much!" she said. "We have so many things to tell each other!" To see Jane this happy, Elizabeth could have endured two months of her mother's ranting, possibly even three.

Uncle and Aunt Gardiner then greeted their niece in a more subdued, but no less sincere and affectionate manner. Mr. Gardiner in particular knew how trying it could be to live with his sister, and they were both aware of the fact that Elizabeth's intelligence and good nature were not adequately appreciated by Mrs. Bennet. They offered Elizabeth the choice of taking tea with the family, resting in her room, or a hot bath to remove the dust of the road. The third was her choice, and she soon found herself relaxing in warm water scented with floral oil. It was so comfortable that she could easily have fallen asleep, as she almost did three times.

The next hour found Elizabeth and Jane entertaining their little cousins, while Mrs. Gardiner read a book and her husband had had to return to his place of business.

"Tomorrow we are all invited to dine at Mr. Bingley's house," Jane said with a demure smile.

"Mr. Bingley is a very good man," Nicholas added, "He reads stories to us and even plays on the floor!"

"He big and strong. He carry me like Papa!" Alexandra interjected. Elizabeth and Jane could not help laughing.

"And he likes Jane very much," Sophia added, "He kisses her hand every time he comes and leaves, and they smile at each other all the time!" Jane blushed at this declaration, but her countenance showed not only embarrassment, but also some pride and pleasure.

"And what do you think of Mr. Bingley, Mark?" Elizabeth asked her only cousin who had not spoken yet.

"He said that he would teach me to ride and play cricket," he stated with some pride.

"It seems that he is almost a member of this family," Mrs. Gardiner said from her chair with a quick look at her eldest niece.

"Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy will also be there, Lizzy," Jane added. Now it was her sister's turn to blush.

In the evening, the two sisters could exchange confidences in their bedroom. So many things had occurred since their last meeting that they could barely keep from interrupting each other with more details. The frequent letters that they had exchanged had only served to pique each other's curiosity as to the full details of everything that had happened. Jane's face showed a subtle joy as she described how Mr. Bingley had come to call on her and his many visits since then. Her mention of the meeting in the park with Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy brought on a series of questions from Elizabeth. She wished to know in what kind of mood Mr. Darcy had been, whether he had seemed approving or disapproving of his friend's match, and whether Mr. Wickham's description of Miss Darcy as haughty and proud was true or not. After all, Colonel Fitzwilliam had described her in Kent as gentle and shy, and both men could not be right. Jane's answers to all of these questions made Elizabeth blush rather intensely. They also made it even clearer that Wickham had been dishonest in his descriptions of the Darcy family and his dealings with them. However, what truly caused her heart to flutter was Jane's mention of the smile on Mr. Darcy's face when he had been told of Elizabeth's imminent arrival in town.

"If he had only smiled like that in Hertfordshire...", Elizabeth said wistfully.

"Then you would have been more eager to see him in Kent?" Jane completed her sister's thought. Elizabeth acknowledged this with a nod.

"Perhaps he was not at his best at Netherfield," Jane said, "from what you have told me, he is uncomfortable in new company and had to recover from a recent sad event. As you describe his aunt, it would be difficult for anyone to behave naturally in her presence. Perhaps now that he is only with his family and close friends, you will be able to see another side of him."

"But that is exactly the problem!" Elizabeth said with a frustrated sigh. "I cannot make out his character because his behaviour has changed on different occasions. I wish I could say to him 'will the real Mr. Darcy please appear and dispel all the others?'"

"What you really mean to say is 'Will the amiable version of Mr. Darcy please prove to be his true self and show whether he has feelings for me?', is it not?"

Elizabeth hit her sister on the head with a pillow, which was as eloquent an acknowledgment as any. She then blew out the candle in order to forestall the unlikely prospect of retaliation.

"He was most civil to me at the park," Jane continued after briefly rearranging her hair. "I believe he is a good man at heart, and if he is the one to make you happy, I hope it will happen soon."

"By all means, Jane," Elizabeth said, "let us go to sleep so you can dream of your Mr. Bingley."

Smiles cannot be heard, but Jane's could be sensed by her sister. Soon they were both asleep.

"Darcy, I cannot stand to see you pacing around in this stupid manner. You had much better sit down and have a drink!" Charles Bingley said to his friend as they awaited the other guests in the parlour. Fitzwilliam and Georgiana Darcy had already been there for a good twenty minutes, since Mr. Darcy did not believe in the concept of "fashionably late", which in any case would not be applicable for quite some time.

"That might not be a bad idea, Charles," Darcy said. The idea was soon put into practice.

"Would you enjoy it if I played something on the pianoforte for you, brother?" Georgiana asked him with a smile. "It might calm your nerves."

"By all means, do go ahead," said Charles, always the affable host. "I would enjoy hearing you as well."

With a quick curtsey Georgiana went to the pianoforte and began to play a sonata from memory. She could not begin to play a second piece, however, for at that moment the butler announced the arrival of the Gracechurch Street party. Two male hearts began to beat more quickly in anticipation of seeing their favourite ladies. They were far from disappointed by the visions of loveliness that appeared before them. Each of the eldest Bennet daughters wore a gown that flattered her colouring and features and displayed her figure to advantage. Jane's gown was of cypress green, with trimmings of blue and gold at the sleeves, bodice, and waist, with an intricate pattern of meandering white threads at the hem. Elizabeth's gown was of a deep shade between crimson and burgundy, without complicated adornments, but made of a fabric that seemed to flow naturally around her body, as though following a current of its own. A translucent crystal pendant on a silver chain drew attention to her graceful neck and shoulders.

Of the two gentlemen, it is difficult to say which was the more thoroughly transfixed in that instant. However, Mr. Bingley was clearly the first to recover his composure and power of speech, probably because he had seen his lady much more recently. After a kiss to Miss Jane Bennet's gloved hand and another lasting only half as long to that of her sister, he bowed to his guests as he welcomed them, not forgetting to address each of the Gardiner children individually. Mr. Darcy also bowed and kissed the young ladies' hands and then waited for his friend to perform the remaining introductions. However, before Mr. Bingley could do this, the smallest of the children had scampered to his side and begun to ask "carry me, Mr. Bingzy?" Even the usually dignified Mr. Darcy could not avoid a laugh at this; thus, Charles introduced the Gardiners to his friend while he held the affectionate Miss Alexandra in his arms, with her own looped around his neck. Georgiana had also come to the entrance, and thus Darcy had the pleasure of introducing her to the others.

"Mr. Dartsy!" Miss Alexandra said in undisguised awe when she was introduced to him, "You are big and tall!"

In a brief instant Darcy found himself remembering a time when Georgiana was of the same age as the small girl before him, and for the first time thought about how it would be to have children of his own. He already knew who their mother should be – and could only hope that the lady in question would agree with him about that.

"Yes, I am, Miss Alexandra," he replied with a smile that made his dimples evident. "Would you like to see how the room looks from atop my shoulders?"

"Perhaps we should ask her parents first," Bingley suggested. He took the young girl to Mrs. Gardiner, who was not disturbed by the idea. Within a minute, everyone in the room had to laugh when a squeal of "I like it up here!" was heard.

"Was that a piece by Handel that you were playing when we arrived, Miss Darcy?" Elizabeth asked Georgiana after Charles had completed the introductions, taken Jane's arm, and then begun an attempt to bring her, the Gardiners, and Darcy into a discussion. "You play most delightfully."

Georgiana shyly thanked Elizabeth and claimed not to possess any particular talent. "I have heard that you play and sing quite well, Miss Elizabeth," she added, "my brother has told me that nothing gave him greater pleasure than hearing you."

"Your brother exaggerates," Elizabeth said with a quick look at Mr. Darcy, whose ears were being held by the younger Miss Gardiner, "my skill must appear quite meager to those who are in the habit of hearing the best performers."

"Oh, no!" Georgiana answered with a bit of a gasp, "Fitzwilliam always tells the truth."

In an effort to change the topic of discussion from himself, Mr. Darcy turned to Mrs. Gardiner, who appeared to be an elegant and dignified lady. "Mrs. Gardiner, I understand that you are from the same county as my sister and myself."

"That is true, Mr. Darcy," she answered, seeming to have expected this topic to emerge. "although I left Derbyshire as a young girl. However, I do remember seeing your parents on some occasions when they visited Lambton, which is where I lived the first fifteen years of my life."

"Where did you live in Lambton?" Mr. Darcy asked her. Derbyshire held a cherished place in his heart, and he was curious to see it through the eyes of another. Especially when that "another" was someone close to Elizabeth.

Mrs. Gardiner explained that her father was a tradesman in Lambton until he had chosen to establish himself in London, where she had met her husband after a few years. Mr. Gardiner soon joined their discussion, with a chuckling comment that his Madeline could not resist the opportunity to speak of Derbyshire with anyone. "Tell me, Mr. Darcy, do all Derbyshiremen share the same pride in the beauty of their county?"

Six months ago Elizabeth would have expected Darcy to respond to this with a terse but haughty statement. Indeed, he would have expected it of himself as well. This time, however, he spoke sincerely and from the heart. "Truly, Mr. Gardiner, it is hard for us not to when such beauty has been before us. If you were to see the Peak District with your own eyes, you would become as ardent an admirer of the landscapes of Derbyshire as your lady. That is an objective fact, of course." This last was delivered in a tone that caused everyone to laugh or at least smile. Then he turned to Elizabeth and asked her, "Miss Elizabeth, was it your aunt that inspired your considerable love of nature and its exploration?"

"Actually, I believe it was my father," she replied, "who tended to take me with him on the grounds of the estate since I was Alexandra's age. In his younger days he tended to need some fresh air, in his own words, rather often, especially any time that my mother claimed a fit of nerves."

"Bring me back down, Mr. Dartsy?" the little girl spoke up with a brief pinch to the tall man's cheek. "I need to hug Jane and Lizzy."

"I could not stand in the way of that," he said, and promptly did the child's bidding. As he put her down, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and said "thank you, my good man!"

"Thank you, Mr. Darcy, or thank you, Sir, is what you should say." her mother attempted to correct her. However, Alexandra had already scurried off to the company of her cousins.

"No, no, it is quite fine," the gentleman in question answered with a smile, "if Miss Alexandra wishes to consider me a good man, I shall not be offended."

"I believe she learned the expression from me," Mr. Gardiner added.

Since few of Mr. Darcy's friends, acquaintances, or relatives had children that were out of the nursery, he was not accustomed to their presence. However, he found that Bingley had been correct to say that the Gardiner children were nothing but delightful. He no longer attempted to hold to convention and propriety as he would in a less intimate setting, and simply allowed himself to react as it came to him. He found that all four of them were of good character, and was impressed by the Gardiners' parenting skills. The Gardiners themselves were also clearly acquaintances worth cultivating, and not only because of Mrs. Gardiner's origin and their relation to Elizabeth. In fact, as the party continued, he found that the gentleman was a rather interesting interlocutor on issues of business and works of literature as well. His lady, though not as educated in formal terms, seemed to possess a wisdom that could only be born of frequent observation of other people and their characters and lives. He was also pleased to see that Georgiana, usually shy in company, was speaking with Elizabeth, and sometimes seemed to be playing with the children as well. His only disappointment was that he did not have sufficient opportunity to speak with Elizabeth herself, at least not until dinner. Jane and Charles most of the time succeeded in staying close to each other and conducting a conversation in soft voices, although they were often interrupted by the children, who seemed naturally drawn to them.

In a moment, Mr. Darcy was struck by a flash of inspiration: if he did not succeed in gaining a closer acquaintance with Elizabeth on this occasion, he simply must devise other occasions for them to meet as well!

"Mr. Gardiner," he said in the midst of a discussion with Elizabeth's uncle on fishing, "I wonder whether you and your wife would enjoy an outing to the theatre."

The other man assured him that they did, although the demands of time placed on him by his business often did not allow him sufficient liberty for such entertainments. His wife agreed, while adding that in general she preferred comedies to tragedies.

"Would you then be interested in joining my sister and me – and Bingley as well, if he is at leisure – the evening after tomorrow at the performance of Love's Labour Lost? The invitation includes your nieces, naturally."

"Naturally." Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner exchanged a quick look. "We are glad to accept your invitation, Mr. Darcy, and have no doubt that Jane and Elizabeth will agree as well." As in fact they did once the outing was mentioned to them. Georgiana, however, was somewhat more diffident.

"Brother, I know I am not considered to be out in society yet," she said with her eyes downcast, "Would it not be improper for me to join you? There will be such a great crowd of people there."

With two quick strides, her brother came next to her and took her hand. "Dearest, I have attempted too long to shield you from the world as I sought to deal with it. Indeed, I have often shielded myself from it and allowed you to do the same. It is better that I accompany you on this journey, together. Your curtsey and your formal coming-out are another matter, for the eyes of society."

"Look around you, Georgiana," Elizabeth said, placing her hand on the younger and taller girl's right shoulder. Darcy blinked to see that in one hour his sister and his – as he wished to think of her – his Elizabeth had progressed to the intimacy of Christian names. "You see only friendly faces, the same ones that will accompany you. We will all be there to make the evening a pleasant one, for your sake as well as our own."

Seemingly out of nowhere, a small bundle of energy in a purple dress assaulted Georgiana's skirts with a cry of "You need a hug. Here!" and a squeeze of her legs that almost overbalanced her. Miss Alexandra's spontaneous affection brought her to the point of blinking back tears.

"Thank you, William, and thank you, Elizabeth," Georgiana said as she looked at each of them. Then she bent down to Miss Alexandra and held her tightly. "And thank you too." After a brief pause to regain her composure and a further glance at her brother, she took Alexandra by the hand and said "Alexandra, would you and Sophy like me to show you the music room and my pianoforte?"

"Oh, Sophy likes pan-o' forties!" the little one enthusiastically nodded her head. "Sophy, come on!" Within a few seconds Georgiana was leading two chattering girls by the hand to the music room, leaving her brother and Elizabeth next to each other.

Each of them alternated between being absorbed by the other's presence and closeness and the sensation that all eyes were upon them.

"It is not easy for her, Miss Elizabeth," Darcy said, with a nod in the direction that Georgiana had taken. "Her trust in others was shaken and..." His voice faltered at this point.

"Do not take so much upon yourself, Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth broke the silence. "No one seeing you together could doubt that you are a caring brother and a good man. Your love for her is evident. You will see that this evening has been good for her."

Every fiber of Darcy's being wished to ask her just one question: "And what of my love for you, can you see that?" It was almost physically painful for him to restrain himself from doing so.

"Your spirit is as lovely as your eyes, my lady," he said in a voice barely above a whisper. Elizabeth blushed at the emotion that could be sensed in his words. "And to think of how I dreaded your disapproval – what might have happened that day if I had continued as I was and-" and then he stopped himself, as he realized what he was on the point of telling her. He could not tell her of the day of his accident and the resolutions he had formed because of it, not yet, although he was aware that if he intended to make her truly his and himself truly hers, he must share this confidence. Only now was not the moment for it. "I beg your pardon, Miss Elizabeth, for speaking so freely and disconcerting you. It is a story that I must promise you for another time."

Elizabeth's heart raced as she contemplated the meanings possibly hidden behind these words and struggled for an answer. "Then I will await it, Mr. Darcy -" with a pause to draw her breath, "eagerly. We may come to... understand each other more." She came close to shuddering at the import of her own words. It seemed that he was willing to reveal himself to her, to tell her of aspects of his being that she did not know – was this not her fondest hope, for a man to reveal his character willingly so that she could decide whether he was right for her or not? And if he was, so much the better. Her only power was to accept or refuse, but she could wish to know better who and what she would be accepting or refusing. The fact that Mr. Darcy wished to provide her with this opportunity and cared about her opinion – in his own words, dreaded her disapproval – opened a multitude of possibilities in her mind, fascinating and frightening her at the same time.

Perhaps Mr. Darcy also felt that he had been too frank on this occasion, for he quickly became serious again and said, "I would wish for that, Miss Elizabeth. But please, let us speak of other subjects. How have you occupied your time since our last meeting in Kent?"

As they began to speak to each other of everything that had transpired in recent weeks, what Mr. Darcy's senses could perceive underwent a change. Beyond Miss Elizabeth's words and the melodious cadence of her voice, and the sensation of her presence, what he could discern was limited. He was unaware of the moment at which Bingley informed the assembled company that they should proceed to the dining room, but deeply felt the warmth of Elizabeth's arm as he escorted her there. He would be hard-pressed to remember what exactly he ate and drank that evening, but could say that everything had a most exquisite flavour. He could perceive the reflection of light on her jewelry and her dress, but not recall the colour of the walls, though he had been in this room many times. Time did not pass, it flowed. When she began to entertain the entire group with music and song towards the end of the evening, it was as though a beautiful painting had come to life. He would have no recollection of the short carriage ride back to his own house and of bidding his sister good night – his mind simply progressed without interruption from the reality of Elizabeth Bennet's presence to enjoying dreams of their future together and discarded everything that came between.

Even if she would refuse him – and this evening had given him cause to think that she would not – he was already irretrievably and irremediably hers.

Small wonder, then, that Georgiana Darcy could slide beneath her counterpane smiling at the thought that she was soon to gain a sister.