Chapter Thirty-three.

Anne de Bourgh sat quietly in the corner of Lady Matlock's drawing room, seething at the conversation which was taking place in front of her. The time she had spent listening politely to her aunt's visitor had reminded her of the countless hours in the company of her mother in Kent. Lady Catherine had always been satisfied to spout her opinions to anyone foolish enough to come within reach, as much to hear the sound of her own voice as anything else. However, Anne had always imagined her kind and gentle Aunt Eleanor to be far more courteous and obliging than her mother had ever been. Unfortunately, Lady Matlock's responses to their caller this morning had quickly shattered all of Anne's illusions.

"My dear Augusta, I quite understand. In your situation, I would feel no responsibility for these girls. I know they are family, of sorts, but that does not mean you have to expend every effort if they are willing to make none in return. You have been charity itself, allowing them to experience Society in a way that they could never aspire to under normal circumstances, and from what you have told me, your kindness obviously went unappreciated."

The visitor in question wore her pride like a cloak, and wrapped it tightly around her as she held her head high. "Well, as I have said before, Eleanor, I would not have afforded them even that much courtesy if my grandson had not begged me to invite them. You must have seen how they acted last night."

Lady Matlock shook her head. "I must admit I saw nothing out of the ordinary, but then the party was very well attended. You pointed out the two youngest to me yourself, and, of course, Richard introduced me to the eldest Miss Bennet. Had I realised who he was speaking to at the time, I can assure you that I would have paid a great deal more attention to her, but she was dressed so plainly that I hardly gave her a second glance."

Anne sat up straighter at the mention of the familiar name, and that small movement was enough to bring her once more to Lady Matlock's attention. "Ah, yes. Anne is also acquainted with the eldest Miss Bennet. That is correct, is it not, my dear?"

Anne felt her cheeks grow warm as Lady Augusta's acidic stare was immediately directed towards her. Attempting to ignore the cold, blue gaze of the elderly lady, she said, "Yes, Aunt. I met Miss Elizabeth Bennet when she came into Kent at Easter. She was not the eldest Miss Bennet then, of course. She was—"

Lady Augusta interrupted her quiet response. "Why on earth would a Bennet be in Kent? I understood them to be rather provincial. I did not hear anything suggesting they ever left that little estate of theirs, even for the Season."

"From what I understand, Catherine's parson is a cousin, on the father's side," Lady Matlock explained, almost apologetically.

"I know all about him. A tiresome and insignificant man by all accounts. I do think your sister has given him some very bad advice there, Eleanor." Lady Augusta did not seem to care that Lady Catherine's daughter sat only a few feet away from her. "Rempstone received a letter, only a week ago, making enquiries about my grandson and asking whether we believed he was truly who he purported to be." She bristled with indignation at the suggestion that Nathaniel could be anything other than her own flesh and blood. "Of course he is a Rempstone! Anyone can see it, just by looking at him. He is the copy of my own dear husband; just as tall, and distinguished."

"I thought he looked more like his Bennet cousins—" Lady Matlock interpolated, but the Dowager ignored her, choosing to continue her tirade.

"I realise that this clergyman cousin of theirs was disinherited by Nathan's arrival, but I cannot believe he had the temerity to question the validity of my grandson's claim on the estate. It must have been your sister's doing. Frankly it is all nonsense, and the attorney knows it. Rempstone cleared up the situation very quickly. He has always been very efficient in matters of business; more so than his father, who never really had the sense for such things. I can only assume that Lady Catherine was the force behind the suggestion, for her own mischievous reasons."

Lady Matlock agreed wholeheartedly with her conclusion. "I do believe that the man is not quite ... right. I have been told that he actually introduced himself to Darcy, you know." At Lady Augusta's look of surprise, she nodded. "Yes! I know! Some people just do not know their place!"

Although silently agreeing with their comments about her mother and Mr. Collins, Anne's feelings of frustration grew as she was forced to listen as Lady Augusta continued her list of grievances about the Bennet sisters.

The Dowager told them how she had taken great pains to introduce the family to suitable connections, only to have her efforts go to waste. "The only girl who was content with her lot was the plain, quiet one. I introduced her to a perfectly appropriate gentleman—very equal to her station—with a most reasonable income due to him when he reaches five and twenty. He has been extremely difficult to place due to his low circumstances; no one of my acquaintance was at all interested in him."

Anne heard her Aunt murmur, "You are far too good to these people, Augusta."

"Yes, I am well aware that this is more than some of them deserve, but you know me, Eleanor. Loyalty must come first. I am always happy to give some trifling help to my former friends who have fallen on hard times, through their inauspicious marriages. I suppose it is only charitable that I tender the same assistance to my grandson's unfortunate connections. But the two youngest Bennets would not stay with the partners I had chosen for them, and insisted on dancing with any guest who asked them! The two youngest and the eldest also partnered my Henry; I could not believe their presumption!"

"But surely, Augusta. There can be nothing wrong with them dancing together. It is hardly tantamount to a proposal of marriage. Richard also danced with the eldest," Lady Matlock admitted, "although he could at least claim a prior acquaintance, in Kent." She turned to her taciturn niece for support. "Is that not true, Anne?"

Anne knew that the Countess was well aware of her son's previous meeting with Elizabeth. "Yes, Aunt. Richard was introduced to Miss Bennet during her stay at the parsonage. Of course, Darcy already knew her from his visit to Hertfordshire."

"In that case, as sorry as I was not to see Darcy, I suppose it is fortunate that he was unable to attend yesterday evening," the Dowager said, "for Miss Bennet appeared to be charming every man in the room last night, not in the least Eugenie's brother! I had so hoped that Lord Cresswell might show some interest in my nieces. He is so handsome, you know, and is always excessively polite to me, but he did not even spare them a glance once Miss Bennet had fluttered her eyelashes at him, or whatever she does to attract such men. I was very disappointed for Elizabeth and Frances. They had been looking forward to the evening for weeks. Instead of paying them the attention they deserved, Cresswell was sat by Miss Bennet throughout supper like a lap dog, and barely spoke to anyone else for the remainder of the evening."

Anne closed her eyes and breathed deeply; pained by the woman's unfavourable description of her friend. Had she been more like Elizabeth, she would have thought up a clever or witty response, but she could not claim to resemble Elizabeth Bennet in any way.

Dismayed by her own diffident nature in company, and frustrated by her aunt's easy acceptance of the Dowager's gossip, she could no longer stand to remain in the room with them. With a deep sigh, she made her excuses to the ladies and quietly slipped out of the door.

Heading across the hall to the music room, she heard a loud crack from somewhere within the house and smiled. It could not be her uncle, for he spent most of the day at his club. No, there was only one person who would be playing billiards at this time of day.

Pushing the door slightly open, she peered into the room. Colonel Fitzwilliam had his back towards her as he sighted along the cue. His coat was draped negligently over the back of a nearby chair, and his white lawn shirt stood out against the dark green and brown of the long billiard table. Anne waited until he had taken his shot before closing the door behind her.

He turned quickly, smiling when he recognised his cousin. "Good morning, Anne! Are you well? You are looking a little pale," he said, reaching for his coat.

"I am fine, Richard, just rather angry."

"Angry?" Her cousin looked puzzled. "What would cause my little Annie to be angry? Has your mother arrived in town?"

Anne smiled at his comment, despite her anger. "No, the Dowager Lady Rempstone." She would almost have preferred a morning with her mother.

"Ah ... you need say no more. I heard quite enough of that lady's opinions yesterday evening. I assume she has been bending mother's ear again."

"Yes, and saying the most horrid things about Elizabeth Bennet!"

"Again? What manner of complaint did she have this time?"

"She told Aunt Eleanor that Elizabeth had monopolised the attention of a gentleman she had wished to secure for her nieces."

"Are you sure?" Richard frowned as he fastened the last of his buttons. "That does not sound quite right. I saw the gentleman that Lady Augusta had forced into the company of Miss Bennet. I doubt very much she had wanted those Jasper girls to spend any time with him."

"You must have seen her with someone else. All I have heard this morning was how disappointed Lady Augusta was that Lord Cresswell had not danced with her nieces, because he had been in the company of Elizabeth."

"Lord Cresswell? Are you sure?" Richard was silent as he considered her information. When he spoke again, his tone was subdued. "I did not see Miss Bennet with Cresswell myself," he admitted. "But there was quite a crush at Rempstone House last night; so much so that I ended the evening with my father in the card room. It was less crowded in there."

Anne nodded in understanding. While her aunt and uncle were at Rempstone House, she had attended a quiet family dinner with Fitzwilliam and Georgiana. During the evening, she had spoken with her young cousin about their mutual friend Elizabeth Bennet, but both had assumed her to still be in Hertfordshire. It had therefore been pleasant but surprising news to hear that the Bennet family had been in town the previous night. She hoped that she might have a chance to meet Elizabeth again before the Bennets returned home, and she sincerely wished that her friend was not too upset when she found out what the Dowager was saying about her around town.

"Do you wish to join me in a game, Anne?"

Looking up at her cousin, Anne smiled. "You delight in teasing me, Richard. You know very well that I cannot play! No, I will sit quietly in the music room, and hope that the harmonies within the music will soothe my anguished mood."

"I wish you luck. It would take more than a little music to soothe me if I had been in the company of Lady Augusta Rempstone."

~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~

To Darcy, the journey from Gracechurch Street appeared to take no time at all. Even before the carriage had turned into Cornhill, he was already deep in thought; remembering his visit to the Gardiners.

His first sight of Elizabeth in more than a month had almost stolen his breath away, and it had taken more than a moment before his fast-beating heart had been brought under good regulation. Just as he and his sister had stepped down from their carriage, her cry of surprise at seeing Georgiana had alerted him to her presence at the entrance of the yard. Elizabeth appeared at first not to notice him, and Darcy had been able to admire the rosy glow on her cheek and the wisps of hair that had escaped from her bonnet; reminiscent of her abrupt arrival at Netherfield so many months ago. During their conversation he had felt comfortable, and inexplicably ... happy. He could only ascribe such convivial feelings to being once again in her presence. However, the happiness he had felt in Elizabeth's company, and seeing her delightful smile, had been severely dampened by the arrival of Henry Arden and Cresswell.

He had known Henry since childhood, and they had been close friends at Eton. Sadly, time had caused them to drift apart when Darcy had gone to Cambridge. His friend had instead followed an Ardern family tradition by completing his education at Oxford and Henry had changed considerably during those intervening years. While Darcy had inherited his estate from his father and turned his attention towards learning the skills required to be a good master and landlord, Henry's new friends had tempted him down a different path. By the time his elder brother had inherited the family's estate and purchased him a commission in the Life Guards, Henry Ardern had already made a name for himself as one of the 'young bloods' around town. While he was never given sufficient allowance to be tempted into gambling it away, he had enough money to give him some freedom, and his vice of choice was women.

Although Henry was happy to enjoy the company of any woman, Darcy had to admit that he usually preferred his companions less intelligent, and more open to flattery. His conquests were invariably young widows or unhappily married wives; unlike Wickham, who had always preferred innocence over experience. A few minutes observation across the Gardiners parlour had confirmed that, although he was clearly entranced by Elizabeth's wit, Darcy had no reason to worry about Henry Ardern being attracted to her.

He would, however, be sure to take a moment to speak to Mr. Bennet when they next met, for Henry was certainly not the sort of example he thought suitable for such an innocent youth as Nathaniel Bennet. Darcy's brief exchange with Elizabeth's young cousin had already highlighted a worrying reliance on Henry Ardern's good opinion, and he did not wish to see a member of Elizabeth's close family harmed by such a worrying association.

Darcy sighed as his thoughts had reluctantly brought him to the other visitor at the Gardiners house that morning. Cresswell was nothing like Henry, and his presence—combined with his obvious attention towards Elizabeth—had concerned him deeply.

Cresswell came from an old and respectable family, who were well thought of within their sphere of society. Their estate in Bedfordshire was an impressive holding, which generated a good income, and as the eldest son Cresswell stood to inherit everything. This made him as eligible a bachelor as any young man in town Darcy could think of, including himself.

The old Earl was known and liked around the gaming tables in St. James's Street, particularly at Watier's, where he spent his days enjoying the splendid food, and his nights playing Macao. While his son was also highly favoured, particularly with the mothers of the ton, Lord Cresswell never took advantage of his popularity, a fact that had earned Darcy's respect. Like Darcy, he had little patience with the marriage-mart, and refused to pretend any interest where there was none. He was both clever and competitive, enjoying all sports and gentlemanly pursuits—particularly horse racing, fencing and cricket.

He had never shared a close friendship with the Viscount, but they had often met at the club or at social or sporting occasions, and Darcy had always considered him good company. From Darcy's limited knowledge of Cresswell, the intelligence behind Elizabeth's fine eyes might have been just the thing that had encouraged him to leave the comfort of St. James's Street and Piccadilly for the noise and commotion of Cheapside.

The last time Darcy had spent any time with Cresswell had been during his visit to the Lords New Ground in June, where they had made a friendly wager on the outcome of the match. Darcy had backed the side captained by his friend Osbaldson, while Cresswell had fully expected Lord Beauclerk's Eleven to take the match comfortably. As it happened, neither team had won; the match being ruled a draw on the third day of play, although Darcy had at least had the satisfaction of seeing Osbaldson bowl out his rival to hold him to eighty-six runs. The weather had been dry, and the company pleasant, and, as they separated to return to their respective homes, neither man could have dreamed that they would become rivals in love before the season was out.

If Georgiana had any opinion about the reason for Darcy's sullen silence during their ride along Fleet Street and the Strand she, thankfully, kept her own counsel, as she stared out of the window at the opposite corner of the carriage. He was grateful for the lack of conversation, as his head was too full with thoughts and memories as he meditated on his hopes for the future, his past behaviour towards Elizabeth and the possible consequences of his actions.

By the time the coach pulled to a stop outside the doors of the Earl Matlock's town house, Darcy's mind was in turmoil. It had all seemed so simple earlier this morning, when he had gone to collect Georgiana with the news that her friend was staying in town. During their journey to Gracechurch Street he had been determined not to repeat his all too hasty mistake at Rosings. He had sworn never again to grab for something without consideration for the other person involved. He had intended to move steadily, learning as much as he could about Elizabeth and her family and perhaps become an accepted part of her social circle, before laying his soul at her feet once more. All that he needed was time ... but that was now a commodity he surely lacked. Cresswell's interest in Elizabeth had put him in a difficult—if not impossible—position.

Darcy stepped down to the pavement before wordlessly turning to offer his hand to his sister. She gave him a brief smile and together they climbed the steps to the door. They were welcomed by the elderly butler, who advised the Darcys that Lady Matlock was entertaining a visitor in the drawing room.

"Is it anyone we know, Parnell?"

"It is the Dowager Lady Rempstone, sir."

Darcy acknowledged the information with a sigh before indicating that he could announce them. Mr. Parnell led them up the stairs, and spoke briefly to his mistress before showing them into the large room.

"Ah, Darcy, Georgiana. This is a pleasant surprise." Lady Matlock smiled at her niece as she sat on a nearby chair. Darcy took up a position standing behind her.

"Why! Is that little Georgiana?" The Dowager cried, peering curiously through her tortoiseshell spectacles towards the young girl. "You are so grown, my dear, I would have hardly recognised you. Your mother would have been so proud, God rest her soul."

"Thank you, Lady Augusta," she whispered softly, before looking around the room for her cousin.

"Are you looking for Anne?" Georgiana nodded slightly towards her aunt. "I think she chose to return to her room; she seemed a little off colour. Perhaps you would like to see her?"

Darcy watched as his younger sister thanked her aunt; curtseying to both ladies before she promptly left the room. He was envying her opportunity to seek out their cousin when Lady Augusta turned her attention on him.

"Such a quiet girl, Darcy. I can barely hear a word she says. I was sorry you were unable to join us last night. My nieces were most disappointed that they were unable to meet you."

"And I regret that I was unable to attend, Lady Augusta," he replied sincerely, wishing once more that he had been able to dance with Elizabeth as Richard had.

"Mrs Bennet informed me last night that one of your friends was recently married to her eldest daughter?"

"That is correct, Lady Augusta. Mr. and Mrs Bingley are currently in Scarborough."

"Bingley...?" the Dowager mused loudly. "Any connection to the Huntingdon Bingleys?"

"No, Ma'am. Mr. Bingley's family is from Yorkshire."

"Oh. In that case I do not think I know the family. Mrs Bennet appeared very satisfied with her son-in-law. From what she said, it sounds as though he chose the best of her daughters. Do you agree?"

Darcy had not been expecting the question, and it took him by surprise, causing an indignation to swell within him that he would hardly have imagined. Taking a deep breath, he clenched his jaw, refusing to allow his first response to pass his lips. After a few moments he calmed himself sufficiently to reply. "Mr. Bingley is very happy with his new wife. She was certainly her mother's favourite."

"Yes, so I understand. Perhaps Mrs Bingley can assist her sisters to find husbands now she is in a less confined environment. I trust she will have better fortune than I did in dealing with those two youngest girls."

Darcy made no comment. If he was fortunate enough to marry Elizabeth, then that responsibility would also fall onto his shoulders. As much as the idea concerned him at first, the more he considered it the more he realised that together they might at least have more success than Mrs Bennet ever did. He was surprised to find that the thought of helping to find a partner for the three youngest Bennet daughters was not quite as abhorrent as he would have once expected.

After Darcy had listened with growing disquiet to further indiscreet gossip and general criticism from the Dowager, he was grateful when the old woman finally took her leave of Lady Matlock to continue her calls.

Once she had left the room, his Aunt sighed deeply. "I am pleased you arrived when you did, my dear. I thought she would never leave. I fear that Lady Augusta is getting more spiteful than ever in her old age. I dread to imagine what she might say about me when I am not present, for she certainly has nothing good to say about anyone else."

Darcy had been disgusted by his aunt's apparent encouragement and support of the Dowagers complaints while she had been present. Unable to reply politely without some insincerity on his own part, he chose instead to maintain a politic silence, which allowed his aunt to continue.

"I assume you have heard about her grandson. He is a nice enough boy, but I found him a little too unworldly. His manners are quite acceptable, considering his upbringing, but he will need a season or two under his belt before he can be considered as accomplished as she imagines him to be."

"Yes, I agree, but pleasant enough, I found."

"You have met him then? I should not be surprised at you knowing him. I suppose Lord Rempstone introduced him at the club."

"No, I made his acquaintance little under two hours ago. We were introduced when I took Georgiana to visit her friend, Miss Bennet."

Lady Matlock clearly showed her disapproval. "Miss Bennet ... again! What is it about Miss Bennet that she attracts people around her like wasps to a jam pot? From everything I have heard, her family is relatively insignificant."

"They have not been in the habit of coming into town, that is true, but I would hardly call the family insignificant."

"Perhaps not, but Lady Augusta was more than a little disconcerted that her grandson is so insistent on living with them. Nathaniel Bennet could just as easily take over the estate once Mr. Bennet is gone."

"I think it shows a great commitment that he is prepared to immerse himself in it. He is also very fond of his cousins, I believe. Miss Bennet was telling Georgiana—"

"Please, Darcy, I do not wish to hear any more of Miss Bennet today. I have heard more than enough already. Lady Augusta was most aggrieved that she had caught the eye of Lord Cresswell yesterday evening, and you know how discriminating he is."

Darcy took a deep breath, frustrated that even in his Aunt's house he could not escape hearing about Cresswell. "Yes," he replied, after a short pause to regain his composure. "Lord Cresswell does tend to be selective about who he associates with, but Miss Bennet is an exceptional young lady."

His aunt was perturbed by his reply and she looked at him sharply. "Do not tell me that she has you fooled as well, Darcy. I assumed that you, of all people, would be immune to that sort of girl. I saw nothing exceptional about her. She is pretty, in a plain and homely sort of way, but I have seen many better, and her family sound intolerable. From what Lady Augusta tells me, the mother and her brood of daughters seem out for whatever they can get, and the youngest are unbelievably disobedient and rude. If the Viscount wishes to lower himself, and drag his good family name through the Hertfordshire mud, then that is his prerogative, but you deserve better."

At this point, the strain of maintaining his even temper became too much for Darcy. He did not want better; he only wanted Elizabeth.

His aunt's words, mixed with the memory of Elizabeth smiling at Cresswell, caused something inside him to snap.

Gripping the back of the chair in front of him, he spoke in a cold, hard voice. "On the contrary, Aunt. You should have taken more time to speak to Miss Bennet yourself, rather than relying on the unsound and prejudiced opinions of those who have nothing better to do than slander their friends and neighbours alike." Walking into the middle of the room, Darcy paced in front of his aunt like a caged lion. "Had you made that effort you would have been rewarded by the revelation of that which Georgiana, Anne and I are already aware. Miss Bennet is a generous and loyal friend, who has a great deal of wit and intelligence." He paused in front of the woman who, in the space of only a few minutes, had lost his respect. "And it has been many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance."

Realising that he had perhaps said more than he should, he abruptly turned and walked to the door, leaving a surprised and thoughtful Lady Matlock sitting in his wake.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~

Chapter thirty-four.

Not stopping to consider the consequences of such a precipitate outburst, Darcy stormed angrily out of the room, closing the door forcefully behind him. He could not remember the last time he was so furious, although he had no doubt that, whenever the last occurrence was, it would probably have been directed at Wickham. Even his argument with the Earl, over his marriage to Anne, had not caused him to lose his composure so completely.

His initial intention, on leaving the drawing room, had been to find his sister and return home immediately. As he stopped in the hallway to consider where Georgiana might be, his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice behind him.

"Leaving so soon, Darcy? Can I not tempt you to a quick game before you go?"

Turning on his heel, he growled at the speaker. "I am not in the mood for games right now, Richard."

"No, I would imagine not, but that is the only time I ever stand a chance of winning." Richard Fitzwilliam smiled as he held the door to the billiard room open, and Darcy moved through it as silently as a ghost, dropping heavily into one of the armchairs.

Darcy watched despondently as his cousin silently arranged the ivory spheres on the long table before selecting a cue from the rack. After taking the first shot, Richard stood the cue on the floor and leant against it as he surveyed the positions where the balls now lay. "I could not help but overhear your comments to mother," he said, his attention not wavering from the table. "I assume you have now found out for yourself what Lady Augusta has to say about Miss Bennet."

"You assume correctly." The harsh words he had spoken to his aunt had not made him feel better, and had likely made matters worse.

Richard sat down in the chair opposite. "I did warn you. Lady Augusta is a bitter old tabby, but I doubt anyone will take her too seriously. Everyone knows what she is like."

"Your mother was rather attentive to her words, and took the trouble to acquaint me with any points I had missed earlier."

"In that case she probably deserved your censure, but you must credit her with some sense. As soon as she spends any amount of time in Miss Bennet's company, Mother will soon come to realise just how incredibly inaccurate that vile gossip is."

Darcy dropped his head into his hands, unwilling to say exactly what he thought of his aunt at this time. He was certainly not confident in her ability to see past Lady Augusta's malcontent and treat Elizabeth with the respect that she deserved. Although Lady Matlock's approbation was not required for his choice of wife, Darcy knew that Elizabeth's life could be made more difficult if Lady Matlock did not approve. That was, of course, assuming that Cresswell did not snatch her out from under his nose first.

Raising questioning eyes towards his cousin, he said, "You failed to mention a vital piece of intelligence in your report this morning, Richard. Did you not see Miss Bennet in the company of Lord Cresswell last night?"

Richard looked down sheepishly. "Ah, that. I swear to you, Darcy, I only found out about that myself less than an hour ago. They must have been introduced while I was playing whist in the card room. Had I seen Cresswell with Miss Bennet, I would have told you of it, naturally."

Richard was right, of course. He knew that his cousin would have never withheld information of that nature. They had always been close friends, but even so, it had been hard for Darcy to confess his feelings for Elizabeth, when every instinct had screamed at him to remain silent on the subject. Richard had a robust sense of humour, and Darcy had never imagined allowing him into his confidence in such a way, but his support had been a great comfort to him in recent weeks.

Richard gestured to the table, and Darcy reluctantly stood, feeling the need for both mental and physical activity to take his mind off the conversation with his aunt in the drawing room. Taking up a position at the end of the table, he paused for some minutes as he sighted down the long shaft of the cue and lined up his first shot. He studied the positions of the balls on the table, quickly calculating angles and trajectories. As irrational as he knew it was, he could not help but wonder whether this was similar to what Cresswell was doing. Was he calculating his position with regard to Miss Bennet? Richard was startled as Darcy slammed the cue down on the table with a bang. "It is an impossible situation. I cannot do this!" he cried hopelessly.

"Of course you can." Richard pointed to the table. "There is a clear shot right there in front of you."

"No," Darcy groaned. "I am in no position to compete with Cresswell!"

"What are you talking about? It could hardly have been more than a conversation and a dance. If that is your criteria of an ardent suitor, then should you not also consider me a potential rival? I danced and talked with Miss Bennet as well, as did her cousin, and a clumsy oaf called Briscoe, who Lady Augusta insisted on pushing towards her. It means nothing."

"Does it? If you believe that, you do not know Cresswell as well as I." Darcy strode to the window, leaning against one of the tall rectangular frames which flooded light into the room. "When we visited Mr. and Mrs Gardiner, I spoke to Miss Bennet. For the first time I felt that I had a chance to talk to her without first having to clear up some misconception or other. Georgiana even invited her to spend the summer at Pemberley—"

Richard sat up in his chair. "She did? Well done Georgie! Did Miss Bennet accept?"

Darcy turned to stare at his cousin, his thoughts still on Elizabeth. "What? Yes ... yes, she agreed to come to Derbyshire with us, if her father allows it ... but then Cresswell arrived."

"Cresswell came to Cheapside?"

"Yes."

"Oh." Richard rubbed at his face with his hand. "Was he alone?"

"No, he came with Mr. Nathan Bennet and Henry Ardern."

The Colonel accepted the details with a shrug of his shoulders. "Then what concerns you? They no doubt called in on their way somewhere."

"As much as I respect Mr. and Mrs Gardiner, Cheapside is hardly on the way to anywhere, Richard. Besides, you did not see the way she looked at him. She was smiling at him. It was obvious to me that she found great pleasure in his company."

Recalling the sight of Elizabeth and Cresswell together made Darcy feel so miserable that he barely noticed his cousin shake his head in dismay, or heard his exasperated sigh.

"Did I not mention that Miss Bennet and I talked about you last night?" Seeing Darcy's negative response, he continued. "At least you can take comfort in the fact that she no longer hates you! Indeed, if I remember correctly, she thought you were a perfect gentleman, who cared a great deal for his sister."

Darcy could not hide the hopeful smile that crossed his face at the thought of Elizabeth thinking about him. "She did?"

"Yes," Richard replied emphatically. "You say that she smiled at him. Did she smile at you?"

"I can not recall." He had tried his best to commit each word and glance to memory while he was in her presence, but the more he tried to hold onto them, the more the details kept slipping away from him.

"Well, she might look the same way at you if you gave her half a chance. You need to spend more time in her company."

"Time ... it is the one thing I do not possess. The inclusion of Cresswell in her circle of acquaintance is a complication I was not expecting."

"Pah! If you believed that she would sit in Hertfordshire waiting for you to return and declare your feelings, then you are a greater fool than I thought! Seven thousand pounds is more than enough inducement for a modest gentleman."

"What do you mean by that? Who has seven thousand? Not Miss Bennet."

"According to Henry Ardern she has. Mr. Bennet's brother left his nieces a bequest in his will; an equal share of thirty-five thousand pounds. Lady Augusta is quite put out about it. She feels the money should have gone to her grandson alone, as his mother’s only child."

"I knew nothing of that," Darcy admitted, "although it would explain her behaviour towards Mr. Bennet's daughters." He turned to stare out of the window once more. Richard had returned to the game. He could hear him potting a ball on the table behind him, but other than that his attention was elsewhere. In his mind, Darcy imagined what it would feel like to have Elizabeth look at him the way she had been looking at Cresswell. Richard's voice stirred him from his daydreams.

"You must communicate your feelings to her in some way. Her visit to Pemberley would be a perfect time—"

"Not if she were already engaged," Darcy reminded him sullenly.

"Well, now you are just being ridiculous. Cresswell would not propose to anyone after only two weeks acquaintance. You should continue what you started at Rosings. Visit her; alone, or with Georgiana, it really does not matter. Talk to her; tell her about yourself; ask questions to learn about her, but, for God's sake, be a little more ... obvious than you were in Kent. Help Miss Bennet to see you as a person, rather than an appendage to your sister. No lady can ignore the flattering attentions of a gentleman. Surely it would only be a matter of time before she fell in love with you."

Darcy's voice was desperate, as he asked, "And if she did? What would happen then?"

"Then, you ask her to marry you, of course!"

"And what if she says yes?"

"Good God, Darcy! You say that like it was a bad thing! I have always thought that a positive response is generally thought of as a good sign in a marriage proposal. It is not what you want?"

"Yes, it is what I want, more than anything." He looked into his cousin's eyes; his stomach churning as he recalled what he would rather forget. "But I am convinced that her memories of that day at Rosings will return, and when they do she will remember the words I said, and the manner in which I spoke and she will once again feel the hatred she had of me that day."

"Are you not taking this a little too seriously?"

Darcy's voice was cold. "You were not there. You did not hear her words, or see the expression on her face. I will never forget it."

Richard stood for a moment in thought, twirling the cue between his fingers. "You do not know that those memories will ever resurface. Is the risk worth denying your feelings for?"

"I do not know. What I do know is that if I was fortunate enough to win her heart, only to have it snatched away from me again, I would be a broken man."

"Darcy, the decision has to be yours, of course. You seem to have convinced yourself that recalling those lost hours in Kent would cause her to detest you, but by the time that happens, if indeed it ever does happen, she might already love you. Is not love the stronger emotion? Would not her love for you cause her to forgive your early misjudgements?" On receiving no reply from his cousin, Richard barked, "Damn it, Darcy! The least you can do is listen to me when I am making a fool of myself with all this talk of love! If you are not prepared to heed my advice, as poor as it is, you should not have made me your confidante."

"You hardly gave me a choice in the matter, if you remember."

"Hmph! I will know better that to pry into your affairs in future. Why do you not quiz Anne instead? This subject is hardly my forte. If you were wishing to attack enemy fortifications, and needed advice, I would be your man, but I am ill equipped to assist you with this particular problem."

Darcy looked up at him. "I would have thought that your experience made you eminently qualified."

"I have had my share of women, I grant you, but your problem is something I have never before suffered. When it comes to love, I am afraid you are more experienced than I, for my heart remains untouched."

"Trust me, Richard. This is one affliction I would not wish upon my worst enemy."

~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~

As Darcy left to find his sister, Richard followed him out into the hall. Noticing that the drawing room door was ajar, he wandered in, finding his mother on her own. Although on first glance she appeared to be quietly reading, he noticed that she clutched a handkerchief and, on hearing his step in the room, she dabbed it briefly to the corner of her eye.

Unsure how to broach the subject he wanted to discuss, he said, "I will not be able to stay for dinner this evening. I am expected back in barracks."

"Very good, dear. I will let cook know." Lady Matlock's voice was unusually subdued.

Realising that she would probably prefer to be left alone, he was about to leave when a question from the Countess made him pause.

"Have Darcy and Georgiana left yet?"

"No, not quite. It took me quite a while to calm him down first. It is some time since I saw Darcy so angry."

Lady Matlock sighed, and closed her book; clasping it tightly on her knee. To Richard, she appeared to have aged since he last spoke to her, which was only over breakfast. She indicated to the chair opposite, and he sat down.

"Although I do not agree with his behaviour, I cannot deny that he probably had cause to be angry. I have known Augusta so long, that I have always found it easier to agree with her. It never occurred to me that ..."

Richard waited for her to complete her sentence, but she turned away, dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief once more. There was a long pause before she spoke again.

"How long has Darcy been in love with her?"

He did not need to ask who his mother referred to. "I knew something of it at Easter, but it could have been longer."

She sighed. "Yes, he has always held things inside; very much like his father." She shook her head sadly. "I wish I had known of it earlier."

"Why? So you could discourage him from his choice? So you could point out her poor connections and status? It would not have made any difference."

"It would have explained why he showed so little interest in anyone else."

Richard watched his mother as she reached behind the chair for her small sewing basket. He knew that embroidery was not her favourite pastime, but it was something she often did when she had a problem to consider. He remained silent as she worked on the stitches for a few minutes before looking up at him once more.

"Darcy men are notoriously resolute when they have their hearts set on something, and he has already made it very clear that your father has no say in his choice of wife. Why has he not offered for the girl?"

He paused, unsure how much to say. "I believe the problem lies with the lady herself."

Lady Matlock frowned. "Do not play games with me, Richard."

"It is the truth, I swear! Miss Bennet is, as yet, unaware of Darcy's true feelings."

"He always was a quiet boy. That was what made his uncharacteristic outburst all the more unusual." Looking down at the material in her hand, she appeared to be appraising the stitches, but Richard was not fooled. "He suggested that Lady Augusta's assessment of the girl was wrong. Is he correct?"

"I could tell you, but then you would still only have my opinion. I believe it would mean more to Darcy if you formed your own impressions."

"Perhaps you are right, my dear, although I do not know when I would have the opportunity."

"In that case, I would suggest you speak to Anne."

~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Darcy's search for his sister did not take long, as he heard the sound of a duet coming from the music room. Georgiana and Anne were playing one of his sister's favourite pieces, and, from what Darcy could tell, it was very well done indeed. While that was hardly a surprise from Georgiana, Anne's skill was now almost her equal. He slipped through the door, and sat quietly until they had finished playing, before generously applauding their efforts.

He complemented Anne sincerely on her skills at the piano. Georgiana had already explained to him that, since arriving in town, Anne had been receiving lessons from a Master, as well as further help from her cousin, until there were two or three pieces that she could play sufficiently well to pass muster in the drawing room. It had taken a great deal of practice on her part, but she had found herself with a natural talent for it.

"Had I been able to learn from an early age, I may well have become the great proficient my mother always assumed," Anne said with a smile as she moved to sit near Darcy. "Fitzwilliam, whatever is the matter? You look just like you have lost Pemberley in a card game. Surely nothing can be so bad?"

Anne spoke in jest, but Darcy could not appreciate the humour of it. He shook his head, not wanting to burden Anne with the concerns which were still weighing heavily on his heart.

"I assume you must also have been subjected to some of Lady Augusta's opinions? "On seeing the brief nod of his head, she continued. "I was forced to listen to her for what felt like an interminable length of time this afternoon."

"I do not know how you can stand it," Georgiana admitted. "Lady Augusta always frightens me so! Her eyes are so cold and cruel."

"It is not the fault of her eyes, but that of the mind behind them," Anne whispered sagely to her.

After a few minutes of conversation between the three of them, Anne complained of feeling a chill and asked if Georgiana would mind fetching her favourite shawl from her chamber. Georgiana was delighted to be of assistance, and Darcy soon found himself alone in the room with Anne, who was staring at him silently.

Although the question went unvoiced this time, Darcy knew that he would not be able to get away without providing an answer to his cousin's earlier enquiry. "I am well, Anne. Do not concern yourself with me," he replied bleakly.

Moving closer, she put a comforting hand on his arm. "Worrying about you is the least I can do, after what you did for me. I have never felt better than I do now. For that I have you to thank; you and Miss Bennet. Had she not suffered her unfortunate accident, I may never have had the opportunity to ... well, I now have a life to look forward to and much to be thankful for."

"You are truly welcome, Anne." When the silence between the two became oppressive, he asked, "How is Aunt Catherine?"

"I understand she is well." Anne looked downcast, and Darcy covered her hand with his, returning to her the comfort that she had so generously provided. "When Lord Matlock arrived to collect me from Kent, Mother initially refused to allow him to take me away. She said that, as her daughter, my place was at Rosings. Uncle Henry then gave me the choice." She looked up at her cousin, her frown replaced by a look of wonder and gratitude. "Mother had never given me any choice, in any thing. Not even what I was to eat, or what clothes I could wear. I was so grateful that he saw me as a person in my own right, who could choose my own path."

Darcy smiled ruefully. "It is good to see that Uncle Henry can make a sound decision occasionally."

Anne giggled at his reply. "Yes, I heard about your response when he foolishly insisted on our marriage. Poor Uncle Henry!"

"Oh yes? And what about me? Do I not deserve your sympathy?"

"Of course you do, and you have it." Anne's expression suddenly turned more serious as she looked up at him once more. She paused, before surprising him with her next comment. "I had expected you to be married by now; or engaged at the very least."

"Me? Married? I think not, despite Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Henry's best efforts. If I will not have you as a wife, our Aunt seems to have set her heart on introducing me to every eligible young woman she hears of. However, I have to say that so far her selections have left me cold."

"What have Aunt Eleanor's choices got to do with anything? I am speaking of Miss Bennet."

"Miss Bennet?"

She sighed dramatically. "Please do not look at me in that way. After our conversations at Rosings and your discussion with Mr. Bennet in the library—"

"How did you know of that?" Darcy interrupted, but Anne ignored him and continued speaking.

"... I assumed you would follow her back to Hertfordshire and court her, as your friend Mr. Bingley did with her sister."

Darcy was dumbfounded. "You know about Bingley?"

"Of course! I heard all about it from Elizabeth. Did you not know that we have been exchanging correspondence?"

Darcy reluctantly admitted that he had heard something of the matter from Miss Bennet.

"In one of her letters, she wrote of Bingley's arrival in Hertfordshire, and the way he returned to claim the love of the eldest Miss Bennet. It was so romantic. Did you know that Elizabeth has the soul of a poet? It is a pity you cannot write poetry, Fitzwilliam. I am sure she would appreciate it."

Darcy shook his head wearily. He had not the energy or the will to deny his cousin's assertions. "I am no poet, Anne. She will have to accept me as I am ... or not. It seems that Miss Bennet has more than enough choice when it comes to gentlemen friends. There is no assurance that I will be able to secure her regard."

"That may be the case, but surely there is no man alive who feels for her as you do? Why is it only I who can see it? You had the same look on your face whenever I saw you in her company at Rosings. I cannot understand how even Georgiana—as young as she is—can fail to notice your deep affinity for Elizabeth."

Darcy dropped his head in his hands. Despite Richard's suggestion, he was not yet ready to seek Anne's guidance in this matter.

"Please promise me that you will tell Elizabeth how you feel," she begged him. "What holds you back?"

"There are things you do not understand, Anne. Circumstances I cannot reveal. The situation is not as simple as it may appear to you."

"You are correct, Fitzwilliam. I do not understand. All I see is a man so deeply in love that his pain is clearly evident on his face, and a woman who, from her letters at least, seems to be completely ignorant of his feelings for her." Anne put her hand on his shoulder, and he looked up to see a serious but understanding expression in her eyes. "When Doctor Hall told me in Kent that I might die if my life did not change, I was eager to make whatever alterations were necessary in order to live. Because of his advice, I now feel that I have a life to look forward to. I can only give the same advice to you, dear cousin. Make what changes you have to, in order to win her heart, but win it you must. I cannot imagine any woman better suited to you than Elizabeth Bennet. Do not allow any opportunity to slip by."

He nodded, unwilling to say any more on the subject, for fear of saying too much. He was not insensible to the fact that Anne's advice mirrored that given by Richard. Perhaps it would be best to woo Elizabeth in the hopes that he could win her love before her memories returned—for he was convinced that it was merely a matter of time before those lost hours returned to her. He would, as Anne suggested, take every chance presented to him to show Elizabeth how he felt about her. He just hoped that it would be enough.

Casting his mind around for a different topic of conversation, he recalled something else which was troubling him. "Anne. May I ask you a question, about Dr. Hall?"

His cousin appeared both confused and intrigued by the change of direction the conversation had taken, and she nodded silently.

"Have you ever seen Dr. Hall appearing to show any interest ... in Georgiana?"

Anne looked thoughtful for a moment, before replying. "Not particularly. Why do you ask?"

"It was something Richard mentioned after dinner one evening. He thought he had seen her looking at the doctor, and he was concerned that my sister had developed a tendre for him."

"I have not noticed anything myself, and I am sure I would have done had there been anything to see. She has often been present during Dr. Hall's visits." She stopped as she heard Georgiana in the hall, singing the tune they had played earlier on the piano. As the handle turned, she whispered hurriedly, close to Darcy's ear. "I will keep a watch on Georgiana for you. Do not worry, I will soon find out if you have any cause for concern."

Darcy looked up, to see his sister standing in the doorway; the embarrassment at finding them sitting so intimately together clearly evident on her features.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~

Chapter thirty-five.

It had been settled the prior evening, between the aunt and the niece, that such a striking civility as Miss Darcy's, in coming to visit them on the very morning she learnt of their arrival in town, ought to be imitated by some exertion of politeness on their side; and, consequently, it would be highly expedient to wait on her at her home on Grosvenor Square the following day after church. Elizabeth was pleased. Georgiana had always spoken warmly about her life in town, and she was looking forward to the prospect of meeting the young girl in her customary environment. The Gardiner's carriage was duly ordered, and Elizabeth joined Mrs. Gardiner as they took the journey across town.

Arriving at the property, Mrs Gardiner sent up her card and they awaited the Butler's return. While they were waiting, Elizabeth took the opportunity to look more closely at the house to which they had been admitted.

Comparisons between the Darcy's town house, and that of the Rempstones on the opposite side of the square, were only natural. Mrs Gardiner had not had the fortune of being included in Lady Rempstone's invitation, so she listened to her niece's comments on the similarities and differences of the two properties with an eager interest. They both agreed that the house in which they were now standing was very elegant, showing the excellent taste and style of its owner.

Elizabeth was just explaining about the prevalence of gilded china to be found at Rempstone House, when the Butler returned to show them up the stairs. As Elizabeth followed him through a tall door, she found herself in a light and inviting room. Little more could be seen, however, as one of the two occupants rushed forward to greet her.

"Elizabeth! Mrs Gardiner. I am so pleased to see you both. I did not expect that we would meet again until this evening."

The young girl seemed flustered by their appearance, but Elizabeth sensed that it was not so much their presence that was unwelcome, but that Georgiana was unused to receiving guests without her brother in attendance.

"Is Mr. Darcy away from home?"

"Yes. He often calls at his club around this time of day." There was an awkward pause, broken only by a significant look and a smile from the older woman, before Georgiana spoke again. "Oh! Please may I introduce my companion Mrs Annesley?"

Elizabeth, who had heard about the kindness of Mrs Annesley both by letter, and during conversations with her young charge, was gratified to finally meet her friend's companion. She appeared to be a genteel, agreeable-looking woman whose devotion to Georgiana was clear. After her introduction, and a few well chosen enquiries from Mrs Gardiner, it was explained that she was a widow, and the eldest sister of the present incumbent of Lambton Church. In consequence of this information, it took barely ten minutes of conversation before Mrs Annesley and Mrs Gardiner had found they had at least two acquaintances in common, and were chatting away merrily as though they had known each other all their lives.

Georgiana, meanwhile, was telling Elizabeth how much she and her brother were looking forward to dinner at Gracechurch Street later that evening.

"It is only a simple family dinner," Elizabeth reminded her. "I am sure it will be far less grand than you are used to. Unfortunately my mother and sisters will be present, and you know too well how they can be sometimes. I just hope that Lydia and Kitty are no worse than their usual selves. I would hate to think that they might say something to upset you again."

"Please do not worry for my sake," the young girl begged her friend. "I am sure everything will be well. On the whole, I enjoyed the company of your sisters. It makes such a change from just having Fitzwilliam to talk to."

Elizabeth smiled. She supposed that, to someone who had never had a sister, Lydia and Kitty's lively conversation could have an appeal. "But you have, of course, seen Anne as well. Does she enjoy being in town?"

"Oh, yes! Anne and I have been taking regular walks in Hyde Park, to build up her strength; she is looking so much better for it, and she credits you with the idea of walking as a means of exercise."

"Yes, you have mentioned your visits to the park before."

Georgiana smiled hopefully. "Would you like to accompany us the next time we go? I know Anne is very much looking forward to seeing you again."

"That would be lovely. Since arriving in town, I have hardly walked anywhere, and I do miss having the opportunity."

"I am so glad. Would Tuesday be too soon?"

Elizabeth reviewed the Bennet family's plans for the coming week. "Not at all. I am quite free on Tuesday. I would love to spend some time with Anne."

"In that case, Mrs Annesley and I will collect you from your Aunt's house just after two in the afternoon. When we return from the park, we can have tea together before taking you home."

Their stay was not long, but seemed to satisfy all the parties involved. Mrs Gardiner and Elizabeth then said their goodbyes to Georgiana and Mrs Annesley, and were walking down the steps to their carriage when they heard a voice Elizabeth recognised immediately.

"Miss Bennet. Mrs Gardiner. What an unexpected pleasure." The smile on Mr. Darcy's face did not contradict his words.

"We had not expected to see you this morning, sir. I understood from your sister that you intended to spend the morning at your club."

"I had intended it that way, but business occasioned me returning home earlier than I intended." Mr. Darcy frowned as he realised that their visit had just concluded. "You are leaving, already?"

Mrs Gardiner smiled at him. "We decided that, as you and your sister called on us so promptly yesterday, it was only right that we return the compliment."

Elizabeth wondered why Georgiana's brother would be so disappointed that he had missed their call. Although Mr. Darcy had addressed his comments mainly to Mrs Gardiner, Elizabeth noticed how often his eyes were turned towards her as they spoke. "Georgiana played the part of hostess commendably in your absence, Mr. Darcy," she reassured him.

"No doubt your familiar presence made her task easier."

As they stepped down onto the pavement, Mr. Darcy bade farewell to her aunt as he assisted her personally into their carriage. He then turned to Elizabeth, his smile enigmatical as he held out his hand towards her. She expected him to help her into her seat directly, but he paused for a moment, holding her fingers gently, before raising his hand to support her as she climbed inside and took her place by the window.

"I will have to content myself with the pleasure of your company this evening then, Miss Bennet," he said, as he closed the door behind them; his eyes never wavering from her own.

Elizabeth looked more closely at his earnest expression. Had she not known better, she might have thought that his attention towards her suggested something she would never have suspected in the past. Could it be possible that Mr. Darcy might come to regard her as something more than a friend to his sister? Could he look upon her favourably in her own right? Charlotte had once suggested the possibility, but at the time Elizabeth had found no example in his behaviour to justify the suspicion. Certainly, his manner towards her had changed considerably in the last few months. Gone was the proud and taciturn gentleman she had seen at Rosings, and in his place was someone who seemed more favourably disposed to being in her company; a man who not only tolerated her friendship with Georgiana, but promote every opportunity for it to flourish. Could he have more personal motivations for his amicable demeanour towards her? No, surely not. It cannot be for my sake that his manners are so altered.

As the coachman clicked his tongue and shook the reins to start the horses moving forward, Elizabeth chanced to look back out of the window and saw that Mr. Darcy was still standing on the steps of his property. His attention remained fixed upon their retreating carriage until they left the square to return home.

During the journey through town Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth talked of all that had occurred during their visit. They talked of his sister and her companion, his house, his servants, of every thing but himself; yet Elizabeth was longing to know what Mrs. Gardiner thought of the master of the house, and whether it was possible that she had not imagined his particular attention towards her.

~~*~~

Elizabeth was still pondering Mr. Darcy's curious behaviour when they returned to Gracechurch Street. The more she thought about it, the more doubts began to creep in. Was she seeing only what she wanted to see? How could that be possible when she had never even considered Georgiana's brother in such a light before? Elizabeth could not decide whether she was nervous that he would be joining them for dinner, or pleased that she would have a further opportunity to speak to him. An evening's conversation would be sufficient to tell whether her supposition was correct, or if she was indulging in a flight of fancy worthy of her mother's best efforts.

As they stepped into the entrance hall, Elizabeth could hear Mrs Bennet's voice from the parlour.

"Ah, There is the door now. Did I not say she would be returning soon?"

She could not help but be curious about the person her mother was speaking to, and held out her arms impatiently for the maid to assist in removing her coat. However, the sound of the visitor's voice gave her pause.

"Of course, Mrs Bennet," the deep voice rumbled. "I did not doubt you for a moment." It was Mr. Briscoe.

Mrs Gardiner turned as she heard her niece groan. "Lizzy? What is wrong?"

"It appears that mama's visitor has arrived," she said in a whisper. "A gentleman I was introduced to at the party. I knew he had threatened to visit, but I had hoped ..."

"That he was only being polite?" Upon seeing her niece nod her head, she moved closer, and put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Do not be concerned, Lizzy. He will not stay long. Just be polite and do not antagonise your mother."

With those words of advice, she opened the door and ushered Elizabeth into the parlour.

"Elizabeth Bennet! Where have you been? I told you that Mr. Briscoe would be calling today." Mrs Bennet turned her attention towards Mrs Gardiner. "What on earth made you decide to call on Miss Darcy, today of all days?"

Elizabeth watched as her aunt murmured something vaguely apologetic before being introduced to the visitor.

"A pleasure, Madam," Mr. Briscoe boomed. "And a particular pleasure to meet you again, Miss Bennet." He perched eagerly on the edge of his chair like an over-large puppy, waiting for a stick to be thrown.

If she had expected the visitor to make no more than a brief visit, she was to be disappointed. The conversation stumbled and lurched for almost half an hour, leaving Elizabeth feeling uncomfortable and exhausted. Mrs Bennet did not help; having countless questions to ask of her daughter's potential suitor, which Mr. Briscoe answered with generosity and good nature.

Elizabeth perversely refused to be drawn into the conversation any more than absolutely necessary, despite the frowns and urgings of her mother. She would not give the man in front of her any encouragement and, in truth, he appeared to need none, for his smiles and pleasantries were undiminished by the time he deemed it time to leave.

"You must dine with us this evening, Mr. Briscoe," Mrs Bennet offered, causing Elizabeth to blanch and Mrs Gardiner to look sharply at her sister-in-law.

Aunt and niece shared a rueful glance, and Elizabeth wondered what Mr. Darcy would think of such a dinner companion. The sudden memory of him standing on the step of his house, watching their carriage drive from the Square flashed before her eyes, but she pushed the thought away. It would do no good for her to imagine an interest where there was none, or read anything into his naturally courteous behaviour that was not there.

"Alas, Madam, I am unable to accept your kind offer. I am engaged to dine with friends this evening."

"Ah, that is a shame. Another time perhaps?"

"Certainly, Mrs Bennet. I would be most happy to oblige you."

As Elizabeth offered up a silent prayer of gratitude, Mr. Briscoe bade them farewell. Once he had left the room, she could no longer hide her relief.

"Lizzy! Why did you not speak more to Mr. Briscoe? You should be encouraging him."

"It would not have made any difference, Mama. He would not have listened to a word I said." Elizabeth wished her father had witnessed the spectacle of Mr. Briscoe's visit. She knew he would have found the visitor most diverting.

Lydia whispered in Kitty's ear, and they both collapsed in laughter in the corner of the room.

"This is no laughing matter, Lydia. At least your sister has gained the interest of a wealthy man ... two men, if we are fortunate enough to see Lord Cresswell again."

At this point in the conversation, Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner entered the room, and Mrs Bennet took great delight in acquainting them with the details of Elizabeth's latest gentleman caller. Her father raised his eyebrows on hearing the tale but offered no scathing remarks or witty observations as he was wont to do. In fact, as she looked closely at him for the first time in what felt like days, Mr. Bennet looked tired, and his general lack of interest in the comings and goings of the family concerned her.

As she stared at him he looked up and noticed her attention. No comment passed his lips, as he listened with a weary patience to Mrs Bennet's continued complaints. After less than fifteen minutes, his endurance for his wife's reproaches towards Elizabeth appeared exhausted. Raising himself from his chair, Mr. Bennet was at the threshold of the room before he turned and asked whether Elizabeth was available to join him in his room.

"It is good that you will talk to her, for she pays no mind to my words." She could still hear Mrs Bennet's voice from the hall. "Lizzy must realise her responsibilities. She will never find a husband if she continues to snub those who take the time to call. Mr. Briscoe was so polite ... he did not complain once that she was not here to greet him—"

Elizabeth heard her father's sigh as he closed the door on his wife's tirade and shook his head sadly.

~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~

Moving into the small book room, Mr. Bennet sank down into the chair as he watched Elizabeth take the seat opposite. He knew his favourite daughter's moods better than anyone, and could see the disquiet written on her face.

"Now, now, Lizzy. There is no need to stare at me in such a frightening manner. I am quite well."

"I did not say—"

"No, and you do not need to," he interrupted her protest. "I can read your expressions as well as any book. I will not say that I do not have concerns. I have never left Longbourn for such a duration and there are many things that need my attention. I do not know how men like Mr. Darcy are able to run their large estates without being in permanent residence. I assume that their stewards have many years experience. Joseph, on the other hand, has never suffered an extended time without me being available to him, and his handwriting leaves something to be desired."

"So you wish to return home?"

"Of course I do. I detest town, although your mother appears content here. I should appreciate the novelty of the situation, for I do not believe she has been truly content these past twenty years at least."

His daughter smiled at the comment, which lifted the weight in his heart. To his eyes, Elizabeth had not changed a whit since they had been in London, but he knew that something must be different. She had gone from being a young girl, living on an obscure country estate, with no fortune worth mentioning, to living in town, with eight thousand pounds to recommend her; and she had no difficulty in gaining admirers. He wondered what her thoughts were on that subject. Did she enjoy being such an object of admiration?

He leaned back in his chair and steepling his fingers. "You are certainly making short work of London society, my dear."

"I hardly think so, Papa."

"I understood that the gentleman who called this morning was only the last in a long line of suitors beating a path to your door since the Rempstone party."

"Mr. Briscoe had made an arrangement with Mama to call, but I know of no others."

Mr. Bennet raised his eyebrows. "But were you not entertaining three gentlemen callers here only yesterday?"

"Three callers, Papa? I know not what you mean."

He held up his hand, counting the names on his fingers. "Well, not counting Nathan, of course, were you not entertained by Captain Ardern, Lord Cresswell and Mr. Darcy?"

Elizabeth laughed lightly and shook her head. "The Captain merely accompanied Nathan. I do not believe for a moment that he called here on my account."

Mr. Bennet nodded his head slowly. He agreed with her assessment of Lord Rempstone's brother. "But surely you cannot say the same for the Viscount. I had paid little attention to your mother's version of events at Rempstone House, but his visit here did put your infamous dance with him in a new light; one based less in Mrs Bennet's fertile imagination and more in reality."

Elizabeth blushed, and she avoided her father's eye. "Lord Cresswell is very pleasant company." Her subdued tone told its own story.

Thomas Bennet sincerely hoped that the Viscount had exhausted his interest in the Bennet family. Elizabeth was not a silly girl. She knew as well as any that the son of an Earl would be expected to marry someone more equal to his status, but it seemed, even knowing that, she was not completely immune to his flattering attentions. He could not bear to think that his favourite daughter might find her hopes raised towards a situation that was unlikely to occur.

Eager to know more of Elizabeth's thoughts, he said, "But what about the Darcys? For what reason did they call?"

On this subject at least, Elizabeth appeared more confident. "Mr. Darcy brought his sister to see me. She is such a dear, sweet girl, although still a little shy. She asked if I would like to accompany her when they return to Derbyshire."

This was an unexpected surprise to Mr. Bennet, although not necessarily an unpleasant one. Since he had struck up a friendship with Mr. Darcy, the thought had occurred to him on more than one occasion that Elizabeth could make a promising match with him, if only she could overcome her initial prejudices. He knew Mr. Darcy to have a keen intellect, and he obviously cared for his young sister, which portended well for his consideration as a husband.

During Jane's wedding celebrations, Mr. Bennet had not failed to notice the young man’s curious reaction to Elizabeth and he had observed the pair from his study window as they talked together in the garden. He did not know what had been said between the two, but he had watched Mr. Darcy with his daughter for quite a while before Miss Darcy had joined them. Nathan's arrival at Longbourn had put the notion out of his head, but now that Elizabeth was invited to spend a few weeks in Derbyshire, he could not help but wonder which of the Darcys had suggested the idea.

"Would you like to go, Lizzy? Are you asking my permission to attend?"

Elizabeth contemplated the question before giving her answer. "Yes, I think I would like to go, if you have no objections. Everything I have heard about their property, from Georgiana and Aunt Gardiner, even from Miss Bingley, makes me curious to see Pemberley for myself."

"You are more interested in the house than the occupants? Take care, Lizzy. You are beginning to sound like your mother." His daughter's face dropped, and he smiled; pleased that he could still tease his daughter ... for the moment, at least. "Well, although I am surprised that you received such an invitation, I have no real objections to your visiting with your little friend; except, of course, that I will miss your company. Now that Jane is gone, you are the only sensible one left."

"Papa! What about Mary?"

"What about her?"

"She is uncommonly improved in the last few weeks. Do not belittle her so. I have found her to be a thoughtful companion."

"You are quite right, Lizzy. I stand corrected. However, perhaps you should give some thought to why she is so improved. With Jane now gone, I believe that, of all your sisters, Mary is the next closest to you in temperament. Perhaps your company has been a good influence on her and the improvement that you have noticed stems from your attention towards her."

"I had certainly never thought of it in that light."

"No, I thought not, but I digress. We were not speaking of Mary, but of Mr. Darcy's invitation."

"The invitation was from Miss Darcy."

"Yes ... of course it was. Well, a grand house and extensive grounds are all well and good, my child, but it is the people inside it who will make your visit a pleasant one. Have you not always hated Mr. Darcy? Would not your feelings for the brother make a prolonged stay with his sister uncomfortable for you?"

"I do not dislike Mr Darcy." Hearing her father's sceptical snort, she smiled. "You are remembering my words from the spring; before I understood how much he was unjustly abused by Mr. Wickham. I know that you esteem him and consider him a friend, which alone speaks very well for his character. We have been been more often together in company since then, and I now understand what a good man he truly is. I have every respect for Georgiana's brother and find him amiable and courteous. Besides, Georgiana told me how his responsibilities around the estate means he is often away from the house for extended periods. She is looking forward to having somebody else there to keep her company."

Her father nodded his head thoughtfully. Was Elizabeth as unaffected by Mr. Darcy as she appeared to be? Had the young man really not made his feelings known? Was his usually observant daughter so ignorant of his interest?

His decision had already been made, of course. If Elizabeth was to spend more time in Mr. Darcy's company they might yet come back from Derbyshire with some sort of understanding ... if only the young man would be a little more conspicuous with his feelings. "If you truly wish to go to Derbyshire I have no objections, except for the fact that you will be greatly missed, of course. However, I do wish to discuss this matter with Mr. Darcy before any final arrangements are made. I will speak to him tonight, after dinner."

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Chapter thirty-six.

Leaving her father, Elizabeth decided to pass the time before dinner re-reading some of Jane's old letters. She was disappointed not to have heard from her sister, but understood why their correspondence had been interrupted.

Jane's last letter had arrived at Longbourn just as the Bennet family were packing for their journey to town, and Elizabeth had replied immediately on their arrival at Gracechurch Street; prior to their first visit to Rempstone House. In that letter, she had speculated that they would be back at home before the week was out, as that was their intent at the time. Since then, of course, invitations had been received and accepted, and it was now Mrs Bennet’s aim to stay in town as long as possible. Elizabeth was sure there must be at least one letter from Jane waiting for her at Longbourn, which would now have to wait until she returned home.

Although a second missive had been posted to Scarborough on Thursday—to let Jane know they no longer planned to return immediately to Hertfordshire—two days were nowhere near long enough to expect a reply. Even if Jane did respond immediately, it might be another day or two at the earliest before Elizabeth received any more news from her beloved sister.

Having looked through the letters she had brought with her, Elizabeth pulled out some paper from her box, and wrote the date at the top before looking down at the blank sheet. There were many subjects she could write about: Lord and Lady Rempstone's party; her introduction—or rather the lack of it—to Lord Cresswell; the Darcys arrival at Gracechurch Street and particularly her visit to Georgiana earlier in the day, but she was unsure where to start or how to translate her confused thoughts into meaningful communication.

Had she and Jane been together, rather than separated by almost two hundred miles, Elizabeth knew they would have stayed awake late into the night, pulling apart the evening at Rempstone House like an old bonnet and considering dance partners and conversations from every conceivable angle. She smiled as she imagined the generous words Jane might have had for Mr. Briscoe, and the sympathy she would have shown for his lack of ability on the dance floor.

What would Jane think of Lord Cresswell's behaviour on the terrace? Would she counsel her sister to be wary of the Viscount's pleasant manner? No; Jane saw only the good in everyone. She would be incapable of considering that his actions towards her could be anything but honourable. As pleasant as he was, however, Elizabeth could not help but think that he had spoken to her more out of boredom than an interest in her personally. She had intruded in his hiding place, after all. Had she not stepped out onto the terrace, he would not have sought her out. She was surprised that he had called the following day with Nathan, but even that event could not alter her opinion. It was highly unlikely that they would meet again.

Settling herself comfortably, with her desk on her knee, she dipped her pen in the small well of ink, paused, and then began to write.

Dear Jane,

So much has happened since my last letter that I thought it imperative to send a few lines. I have a little time to begin my description at least; having an hour or more before I must dress for dinner. Aunt Gardiner has invited Miss Darcy and her brother to dinner this evening, after they called at Gracechurch Street yesterday. Mr. Darcy ...

But what could she say about Mr. Darcy? Since their first meeting at the Meryton Assembly, Elizabeth's opinion of that gentleman had undergone such a dramatic change. Their initial dislike had been mutual, of course. Elizabeth knew, when he was in Hertfordshire, that his opinions of her were not high, and she had thought of him likewise. However, since Jane's wedding day she could not believe that his opinion of her had remained the same; indeed, he had been all politeness and solicitude, but even then she had never considered him anything more than a friend to Mr. Bingley, or a brother to her dear friend ... until today.

Elizabeth blushed as she recalled her thoughts of that afternoon. She had almost convinced herself that she had imagined the whole thing. However, once the suggestion of his interest had planted itself, the idea had delved deep into her mind, taking root in her consciousness like a pernicious weed. Every time she tried to dismiss the thought that he might actually like her, a memory would resurface—either something he had said, or the way he had looked—which made her cheeks glow once more.

Since arriving back at her Aunt's house, she had been thinking of that summer's day at Longbourn, and the time spent with Mr. Darcy. In fact, her clearest memory of Jane's wedding was not her sister being forever joined to Mr. Bingley, but her walk in the garden, in his company. She now saw how parts of their conversation took on a new significance if looked at in this light. She had given him no real reason to confide such personal details about Georgiana's near elopement to her. Had he other motives for discussing such private family matters? Was his intention to soften her opinion of him?

An image of him on that day came to mind and she closed her eyes to better concentrate on it. They had walked alone in the garden and she could remember apologising to him for the way she had spoken to him at Netherfield. He had been so generous; refusing to assign any blame to her for the situation. He had only wanted her to think well of him. What reply had he made? '...I would like to think that you no longer consider me capable of the actions suggested by Mr. Wickham.' His voice resounded in her head ... gentle, almost begging. He had been so far removed from the haughty, disdainful gentleman she had first met, it was as though they were two wholly separate men, with nothing in common but their outward appearance.

She could not deny that Mr. Darcy was handsome; a noble mien since softened by the appearance of his soft, almost shy smile. She had noticed his admirable features on their first meeting, of course, but subsequent events had meant that she had discouraged herself from ever thinking of him in that way.

How would Jane react if she were to tell of her visit to Mr. Darcy's house, and her new found awareness of its owner? Would she be surprised? Pleased? If she wrote of her current feelings to Jane, Elizabeth did not doubt that her sister would only confirm that she held him in high esteem, particularly knowing how he had assisted her reunion with Mr. Bingley. Her husband had always considered Mr. Darcy a worthy friend, and Jane would agree with his judgement on most matters.

She stared at the letter, willing her own ambiguous feelings to emerge, but she could not think of the words to record her confused thoughts onto the sheet in front of her. How could she tell her sister how she felt about Mr. Darcy when she did not know herself? She folded the page and secured it in her box, hoping that a night's rest might enlighten her as to her own feelings, which were as elusive as the words she wanted to write.

Eventually, the maid entered the room to assist with her toilette, and Elizabeth tried to put her thoughts to one side as she prepared for dinner. However, it was not so easy for her to dismiss Mr. Darcy from her mind—especially when he was expected at the house in such a short time—and she continued to search through her memories for the other occasions when they had been together, sifting through half recalled conversations, and solemn glances.

Having finished working on Elizabeth's hair, the maid stepped back to survey her handiwork. "Are you feeling well, Miss? You're looking very flushed."

Elizabeth's first response to this was to blush an ever deeper shade of red. She had not been paying attention to anything in the room; instead she had been daydreaming about Mr. Darcy's smile as he had helped her into the carriage that afternoon, and had failed to notice that the young woman had completed her task. "I am quite well, Sarah. You may help Kitty and Lydia now."

With a polite, "Very well, Miss," the maid left the room, meeting Mrs Gardiner in the doorway with a curtsey.

"Elizabeth, I knew you would be dressed. Would you be so kind as to come down and keep Mr. Darcy and his sister occupied. They have arrived a little early, and your mother and sisters are not yet ready to welcome them.

"On my own?"

"No, certainly not. Mary and I will be there, but I thought it would be nice if you were to join us, seeing as Miss Darcy is your particular friend." Mrs Gardiner frowned as she looked more closely at her. "Is anything wrong, my dear?"

Elizabeth laughed. "No, I am just a bit warm." Bringing her hands up to cool her inflamed cheeks, she saw her aunt's knowing smile.

"Please, Lizzy. Join Mary and keep our guests company; I will follow you as soon as I can."

Elizabeth went down to the parlour, where she found Georgiana talking to Mary, while her brother stood formally behind their chair. As she entered the room, his attention was drawn to the doorway and she paused as her eyes were caught by his own. Flustered by the intensity of his stare, she quickly averted her attention to the floor and brushed away imaginary creases in her dress. Taking a breath, she walked into the room and curtsied to her guests. "Good evening, Georgiana, Mr. Darcy. I am pleased that you were able to join us this evening." Her voice sounded very formal to her ears, but her friend appeared not to notice anything unusual in her attitude.

"Good evening, Elizabeth." Georgiana smiled. "I am sorry we are early, but Fitzwilliam hates being late."

"It is only good manners to arrive promptly for a dinner engagement," Mr. Darcy replied, looking down at his sister before turning his attention back towards Elizabeth. "Good evening, Miss Bennet. I trust I find you well?"

Elizabeth smiled nervously as she took a seat opposite Georgiana. "Yes, sir. My health has not suffered appreciably since we spoke this afternoon." Elizabeth cringed as her embarrassment revealed itself in trite humour.

"I should hope not." His lips twitched, as though he wanted to smile but dare not.

Georgiana frowned as she looked from brother to friend; apparently unaware of their meeting on the steps of Darcy House. "You saw Fitzwilliam this afternoon?"

"You were with Mrs Annesley when I came home," Mr. Darcy told his sister. "I did not wish to disturb you."

"And no doubt you went straight to your study. I told you how much time my brother spends on business, did I not?"

"Yes, you did," Elizabeth replied. "It is a wonder that you recognise your brother, if you see so little of him."

"Oh, we usually breakfast together, just so I can remind myself of his features."

Elizabeth could not help but laugh at the surprise on Mr. Darcy's face, that his young sister would tease him so.

"I believe my sister is already picking up some bad habits from you, Miss Bennet."

His tone of voice was neutral, but he did not look annoyed, as she had half expected. Elizabeth was about to reply when Mr. Bennet and Nathan entered the parlour.

"Ah, Mr. Darcy! At last, another gentleman in the house. I now have high hopes of some sensible conversation this evening."

Nathan laughed. "My uncle has been expressing his dissatisfaction about the amount of time I spend at Rempstone House; leaving him with only Mr. Gardiner for company in a house full of women."

"From what I hear, you are rarely at your Grandmother's house either," Mr. Bennet complained. "Captain Ardern is hardly going to be fit for protecting the King's person if he spends every night showing you whatever pleasures Town still has to offer."

"Uncle Henry assures me that he is improving my education. It would be impolite for me to refuse his generous offer of knowledge."

"Hmm," Mr. Bennet scowled. "Too much of the wrong sort of knowledge can be a dangerous thing indeed."

As Nathan took the empty seat next to Elizabeth, she watched Mr. Darcy's expression turn serious. Moving out from behind Georgiana's chair, their guest walked across the room to speak to her father. His words were low, but his gestures were emphatic. Elizabeth soon gave up trying to guess the subject of the conversation.

Mrs Gardiner, who had entered just behind them, settled herself nearby. "Nathan, I trust you remember Miss Darcy from her visit yesterday?"

"Yes ... yes, of course. Good evening, Miss Darcy," he replied formally, before turning his attention towards Elizabeth.

Georgiana paled, seemingly surprised by his brusque greeting and Elizabeth was disappointed by her cousin's ungracious manner, especially when he began to share his experiences of Rempstone House on the morning after the party. He was acting almost as though the young girl was not present.

Elizabeth listened as Nathan talked of Lady Augusta's disgust in finding that one guest, unsteady from an excess of drink, had knocked the crystal punch bowl from the table, smashing it into tiny pieces. "It seems that Grandmother had a soft spot for the punch bowl; it being a gift from the time of her own wedding to my grandfather, so she was walking around like a bull with a sore head for hours, moaning about it."

Feeling annoyed that her cousin could be so light hearted about a situation which must have upset his grandmother, she was determined to discover the reason for his discourtesy. She noticed that Georgiana had now turned away from them, talking with Mary, so she whispered to him to follow her to the window. "What is wrong with you, Nathan?"

"Wrong? Nothing at all. Why?"

"Your behaviour towards Miss Darcy was less than gentlemanly, do you not agree?"

"I saw nothing wrong in it," he said defensively. "Uncle Henry told me that I must not pay undue attention to those ladies who are not out. It is not done. I am grateful that he told me, for I cannot tell the difference between those young ladies who are out, and those who are not. They all look very much the same to me."

"And did Captain Ardern also tell you to be inconsiderate and rude to those ladies not yet out in society?"

"Well, no ... but—"

"Miss Darcy is my good friend, and Mr. Darcy likewise is Papa's friend. You would do well to remember that the Captain’s advice is not always correct. I dread to think what else he might have taught you."

Nathan had the good grace to look abashed at Elizabeth's censure. "How else is a chap supposed to learn these things if nobody tells him?"

"Surely there are better people than Captain Ardern whose sound judgement you could rely on."

"Uncle Henry is the only one who is interested in my company, or who has offered to educate me." His manner suggested his young age more than it had ever done before. "He is happy to take me with him wherever he goes. He thinks I need to experience more of life."

Their discussion was interrupted as Mr. Bennet called Nathan over to the other side of the room, where he was continuing his conversation with Mr. Darcy. At the moment, Elizabeth could think of no one worse than the Captain to educate Nathan in dealing with London society ... and no one better than Mr. Darcy.

Being presently unoccupied, her attention remained drawn to where Mr. Darcy was now speaking earnestly with Nathan, as her father looked on. She wondered briefly what they were talking about, but was too far away to hear. With a sigh, she turned to listen as Georgiana described a new piano, ordered by her brother for her birthday, which awaited her at Pemberley.

Finally, Mrs Bennet, Kitty and Lydia joined them. Kitty rushed up to Georgiana, apparently happy to be in her company once more. Lydia, however, had other things on her mind.

"Aunt? Is it time to sit down? I am positively starving." She clutched dramatically at her stomach. "I declare that I will waste away to nothing if I do not eat soon!"

Mrs Gardiner decided not to delay matters any further and announced that dinner would be served in the dining room, encouraging their guests to join her there.

~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~

Hearing Mrs Gardiner's words, Darcy paused in his discourse with Mr. Bennet and his nephew.

Elizabeth's father noticed his momentary inattention. "Do I understand that you have also brought an appetite, Mr. Darcy? That is good. My sister has a tolerable cook and I do not think you will be disappointed with the fare this evening."

"In that case, I am eager to sample Mrs Gardiner's table." Darcy watched as Elizabeth rose from her chair, Georgiana by her side. He made his excuses to Mr. Bennet and moved to offer his arm to his sister. Given the choice, he had to admit a preference for escorting Elizabeth into the dining room, but it would not do to slight his sister so obviously. Besides, it appeared that the Bennet family were not so very formal, as each Bennet sister made he own way down the corridor without ceremony, leaving Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet to escort their wives.

Mr. and Mrs Gardiner took their positions at each end of the table, as host and hostess, encouraging everyone else to sit where they wished. "Would you do me the honour of sitting here, next to me, Miss Darcy?" Mrs Gardiner asked. "I would like to hear more of Pemberley's gardens. Mr. Darcy; perhaps you can take the place next to her. Yes ... that is perfect."

As the Bennet family filled the remaining places at the table, Darcy stood behind his chair waiting for the ladies to sit, and wondering which chair Elizabeth might decide upon. For one horrible moment Mrs Bennet hovered nearby and he shuddered at the thought of an entire evening in such close company, until she was called away by her brother.

Turning to look for Elizabeth, he saw her warily eyeing the empty place on his left. Without conscious thought he pulled the chair out for her to sit. His movement appeared to decide her and she sat down without any further hesitation. Darcy smiled inwardly at the good fortune of somehow finding himself between his sister and Elizabeth. At that moment in time he would not choose another location anywhere in the world.

Looking around the table he noticed that Miss Mary Bennet was opposite Georgiana, on Mrs Gardiner's other side. Darcy faced Mr. Bennet, while Elizabeth was across from Nathan Bennet. At the other end, Mr. Gardiner was kept fully occupied with his sister, Miss Catherine and Miss Lydia.

As the dishes were placed on the table, the conversation in the room grew lively, with the party splitting naturally into three distinct groups. Once he had ensured that Georgiana was talking happily with Mrs Gardiner and Mary Bennet, Darcy fell into an easy conversation with Mr. Bennet and Nathan; continuing a subject they had begun earlier.

He could not help but be aware that Elizabeth listened to their discussion with interest. She even injected an insightful comment about the difficulties of keeping the labourers needed for a large estate, when the young men were all seeking work in the new industrialised areas. Darcy explained how his father had found that, by maintaining a close relationship with the families who farmed the land on his estate rather than being a faceless and unfamiliar landlord, it had helped to foster a loyalty towards Pemberley. He assured his companions that he had made every effort to continue that relationship.

"Of course, it is not possible to maintain every tradition. When I was younger I remember my mother would make it her business to hear of any family on the estate who were struggling, for whatever reason, and she would visit them with food or arrange any medical help she thought necessary. Of course, when she died there was no one to continue the custom. At the time I took Pemberley on, I will admit to having more than enough to deal with."

Mr. Bennet nodded. "I can well imagine that."

"Georgiana is not yet old enough to take on my mother's role, and even if she was, I have always thought of it as a task befitting the Mistress of Pemberley." He managed to avoid turning his head towards Elizabeth as he said this, but he knew that his eyes betrayed him as they strayed to his left to catch a glimpse of her reaction to his words. However, he could discern nothing, as her attention seemed to be directed towards her mother.

Mr. Bennet laughed, but lowered his voice as he leaned across the table. "Send my wife to visit our sick tenants? I do not think that scheme would be popular at Longbourn, and Mr. Jones would certainly not thank me for suggesting it to her. What say you, Nathan?"

"No, I agree, but it would suit Lizzy or Mary very well."

Darcy could not help but agree with his suggestion about Elizabeth but he was loathed to voice his opinions aloud, lest he raise Mr. Bennet's suspicions any further. The meal progressed in relative silence until Mr. Bennet asked his nephew a question about one particular family connected to Longbourn. Darcy wasted no time in turning his full attention to Elizabeth. "May I ask ... have you received any news from Mrs Bingley?"

"No, not recently," she replied sadly. "Our visit to town was decided upon at such short notice. I sent a letter advising her that we are remaining in town, but I have not yet received a reply. I do not doubt that a number of letters await my arrival at Longbourn."

"And is there no one who could forward them on for you?"

"I had not considered the possibility."

"If you cannot spare anyone to be sent ... forgive me. I do not know whether Mr. Gardiner has a man he could make available. If not, I would be happy to send someone to fetch your correspondence, if it will help."

Elizabeth looked seriously at him, as though unsure whether to take him up on his offer, before a small smile grew on her lips. "I am sure to hear from Jane in the next few days. As desirable as her regular correspondence is, I will not languish if I receive no word from my sister in that time." Her attention dropped once more to her plate, as she toyed with a morsel of fish. "Please do not put yourself to any inconvenience on my account."

"It would be no inconvenience, Miss Bennet." His eyes willed her to look up at him once more, but her attention remained fixed in front of her. He would do anything in the world to make Elizabeth happy and he intended to take every opportunity to prove it to her.

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