Christmas at Longbourn went on with all of its normal extravagances and gaiety – or so Mrs Bennet planned, and of course, what activities she had planned for went ahead, regardless of the feelings of any of the rest of the household – even when that included Mrs Bennet herself.

Indeed, it seemed that nothing could please her so well as to enumerate and reiterate the wrongs which had been done to her and her daughters by Mr Bingley, Mr Darcy and the rest of the party who had so recently kept them company.

Madeline Gardiner – to whom the majority of such outbursts were directed – listened patiently enough, but quickly sought out her eldest nieces to find their opinions. Somehow though, she couldn't help but notice that Jane and Lizzy both fixed their smiles a little too strongly, and were far too hasty to demur from the topic. Neither did Mrs Gardiner have a great deal of spare time to talk to them, for Mrs Bennet kept the house filled with a whirlwind of amusements and guests. When they were not receiving, they were most frequently visiting, and all in all Mrs Gardiner hardly knew what to think.

At least, she could tell that Lizzy and Jane were affected by the mention of the gentlemen, for they both did their best to leave the room when their mother began one of her rants. And more, she was in possession of letters from the pair of women which highlighted the affection they had evidently felt. Nonetheless, Mrs Gardiner felt hopelessly ill-informed.

Had she had the fortune to overhear the pair late some evenings, before they properly retired, she might have known better. But the knowledge would not have soothed her spirits.

Lizzy had been trying to pretend that it wasn't an issue – that she wasn't affected at all by the desertion of the gentlemen. But that was a lie. She knew what must have happened – how could she not? And she cursed herself all the more for how her actions had hurt her own sister. Lady Catherine de Bourgh must have gone to London – must have seen Mr Darcy – and persuaded him that she was an unsuitable connection. She could hardly deny herself that that was possibly true – to herself she could honestly admit her lack of understanding and practice – how could she hope to control to be mistress of such a grand estate as Pemberley? Georgiana had described its wonders in depth, and now that knowledge seemed less pleasing than it had before. Before she had been content to believe it a lovely home for her friend, but now she could only think of it with dread.

How could she, a country nobody, be expected to be accepted in society alongside Mr Darcy? She would bring shame to their family name – and Lizzy knew well enough that that was one of the most important things to him.

But when Lady Catherine had said those hateful things – what could Lizzy have been expected to say? She didn't react well to bullies – she never had. Any attempts to intimidate her were quickly foiled – it was the way she had always been. She had thought that Mr Darcy proud, but he was no more proud than she was. She couldn't let anyone show her up.

And now he would never return – because if he were to return, he would feel himself bound by the offer he had made before, that he would await her answer to his proposal of a courtship. He would be bound by the expectations he had laid before – he would never go back on his word. Of that she was certain.

No doubt Mr Bingley had learnt of Mr Darcy's refusal to return, and felt unequal to come back without his friend's approval – for Mr Bingley was a good enough friend to care for such things. Without Darcy by his side, and encouraged to remain in London by his sisters – for Jane had received a missive from Miss Bingley noting both men's intention to stay there, and Lizzy could only imagine that was Miss Bingley's intention all along – it could hardly be surprising that the amiable man had not returned. Elizabeth still had hopes that he would come back – for Jane's sake. Jane didn't deserve that pain – especially not when she and Mr Bingley were so perfect for one another.

Georgiana had of course been a faithful confidant – or so far as Lizzy could tell. No letter had reached her since Georgiana's first missive when she arrived in town – but the weather had been poor, and Georgie had never exactly said how often she intended to write. The girl had headed straight to her aunt and uncle – Colonel Fitzwilliam's parents. Georgiana had written that her cousin had taken her there directly, knowing how much Lady Fitzwilliam had longed to see her niece and that she had been happy to agree to the plan, since she expected her brother to remain in London for so short a period.

Georgie had even bid Lizzy pass on Georgiana's direction to Mr Darcy, clearly expecting Lizzy to see him before any of Georgie's letters would. That letter had kept Lizzy's hopes up for at least a week. But even that couldn't last – Georgiana, it appeared, had been too naive and too hopeful for a sister. She had written so fondly of her brother too – of how his sense of duty must have delayed his return, and that Lizzy absolutely couldn't give up hope.

Elizabeth couldn't help but read over those parts. The most terrible part of the entire affair was that she had only realised how great a man he truly was, now that he had left and that she would likely never see him again. She was sure she had known that all along – but it was a painful thing to only realise her own heart the moment that its desires were all for naught.

Jane had been honest with herself all the way through – she had confided that much. Jane had half hoped – or perhaps it was more of a dream - that Mr Bingley would have proposed to her, when he had requested his courtship. She went back on that now of course – but Lizzy couldn't help but hug her sister all the more tightly for it. Jane feared that her heartbreak would have been even greater had she had a taste of that joy.

Lizzy wasn't sure she could disagree with her sister.

Mrs Gardiner, of course, couldn't have been expected to read her nieces innermost thoughts – and so she continued in her efforts to get one of them alone. This meant that when Jane made some vague comment about Meryton, Madeline was quick to leap upon the opportunity and encourage the eldest Bennet for them to head out. The cold weather discouraged the youngest three Bennets from joining them, and Lizzy had already disappeared on one of her normal rambles. Madeline could only hope that she would find some time to talk with Elizabeth at some later point.

And so it occurred that when the carriage drew up before the house, only Lydia and Kitty were present to note it. And though the elder might have felt it was her duty to let their mother know of the arrival, Lydia impetuousness overruled her thought – and Kitty was left trailing her younger sister as she ran out of the house, pre-empting their guests' attempts to enter.

The carriage was odd, mainly because neither Lydia nor Kitty recognised its herald. While that deterred Kitty, she was trying to learn some of Lydia's bravery and so when her sister didn't move, she did her best to hide her own discomfort and stood too, waiting for the door of the carriage to open.

Kitty was certain she wouldn't have predicted its occupants but Lydia showed no surprise as the pair of gentlemen appeared, the first with his characteristic bouncing energy and the latter with his ubiquitous frown. If anything, Lydia's chin seemed to rise as she saw them.

Kitty found it hard to even meet their eyes.

"Miss Catherine, Miss Lydia!" Bingley – Lydia couldn't force herself to dignify him with the title of "Mr" when he had caused so much pain to her sisters – practically beamed the greeting. "It has been too long."

"Indeed." Beside her, Kitty curtsied politely; Lydia waited a moment more before she did the same. It was Mr Darcy's expression that forced her to do so. There was something beneath his scowl that Lydia couldn't help but notice – a strange agitation.

"And are your sisters about?" Bingley tried again, his joviality seeming to become a little strained. "And are they well? – not that your company is unwanted, or that your health is unimportant..."

"It depends, on whom you mean." Lydia couldn't help but smile with her deliberately unhelpful words. "My sister Mary has been in excellent health – and she is within, practicing the Pianoforte. Miss Darcy seemed to believe that she could one day rival Miss Bingley's playing, and Mary has been even more diligent in her practice ever since."

"Miss Lydia..." It was Darcy who uttered the quiet question. His voice lacked much of its normal might. Lydia quickly glanced at Kitty – she wanted to be sure she was doing the right thing after all. She had been known to be too thoughtless before after all.

Kitty's eyes urged her to tell the truth, a look of pity for the two gentlemen in her features.

"Jane has gone to Meryton with my Aunt – she should be back within the next half hour if not sooner." That was primarily directed to Bingley, he seemed to relax slightly at the information. "Lizzy went out walking this morning as is her custom – but her walks have been quite unpredictable recently, so I really have no idea when she might return."

Darcy's frown only grew more pronounced. Still, Lydia wasn't entirely ready to admit either of them into the house – not that that should be her decision. But who else was there to protect her sisters? Their mother would not – she would be too delighted that the men had appeared in the first place – and their father, for all that he was paying more attention to them now, was still not exactly the epitome of what a perfect father should be.

"And now that that is sorted, I must ask you what your intentions are."

Both men paled noticeably.

"For you see, I cannot even contemplate letting you near my sisters if you intend to hurt them again."

Kitty couldn't help but admire the stern look that Lydia met them with. It hadn't even occurred to her that either of the gentlemen would have arrived for any purpose other than to reconcile with the respective one of her sisters. Perhaps that just showed that she was just as naive as her sister seemed to think. Somehow that thought didn't comfort Kitty overmuch. Surely having faith in other people wasn't such a bad thing?

It was bad enough that Lydia was being deliberately obstructive surely? They needn't punish the men further?

Except of course in the instance that Lydia was right, and that Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy hadn't come to make amends with Jane and Lizzy. How could either of them live with themselves if they opened up Jane and Lizzy to such ridicule? Such pain?

Mr Bingley had paled considerably, his features etched with unusual clarity upon his face. That combined with Mr Darcy's unsteadiness and stern looks didn't help Kitty feel any better. In truth, she was beginning to feel quite faint – at least Lydia was saving her from having to speak.

"No!" Mr Bingley seemed to regain his wits with his friend's harsh and sudden word. "That is, we do not intend to jilt your sisters – if that is your fear." Mr Darcy had almost flushed at the attention his words had got him. Kitty absently wondered what could cause such a man such discomfort, but her attention was swiftly drawn away, by Bingley's sudden stuttering.

"I mean, that is, have you not heard – did you not... did my sister not send word?" He frowned, an odd expression for one normally so happy. "How could you believe that we would think to do such a thing...?"

"Perhaps it was your absence which lasted the duration you claimed, four times over." Lydia made no attempts to hold her ire in. "Or perhaps it was the fact that you retired to town and enjoyed in the great company there and were intending to stay the entire season? Or perhaps it was the slow way that you made my sisters believe that you would never return!"

"I ... we..." Mr Bingley looked helplessly at his friend for a second, seeming rather intimidated by Lydia's fierce frown.

"Your apologies and excuses shouldn't be directed to us." Kitty found the quiet words escaping her without much forethought. Suddenly she had all of the attention her sister had held so well. "I believe it is my sisters to whom you should speak."

"In which case, may I ask to wait inside? I feel we should pay your parents their due by acknowledging their hospitality." Mr Darcy's voice was curt, but Kitty strove not to take offence. If he was Lizzy's choice, who was she to judge?

Lydia, for her part, snorted. "You don't want mamma's attention if you can help it." Both Bingley and Darcy seemed surprised by her forwardness – even though she had been significantly more forward before.

"And besides," Kitty said softly. "You needn't wait – Lizzy has been wandering behind the house for the past while, and she will continue to do so no doubt. She likes to think outdoors..." Mr Darcy's eyes lit up with what Kitty could only describe as hope. It was that which spurred her on. "If Mr Bingley would be so kind as to act as your chaperone -" Bingley nodded his assent at the idea "- I believe you may see her now, and we will endeavour to give you some time alone."

The men bowed their thanks – Darcy setting off, before Bingley had much time to say anything at all.

"One of us will keep an eye on you through the window however." Lydia announced loudly, before sighing dramatically and turning back to Kitty. "We should have made them pay penance for longer. Lizzy and Jane never will."

Kitty smiled wryly, thinking of both of her sisters' stubborn temperaments. "I wouldn't count on it."

.

Jane for her part was in a hurry. So much so that she barely paid attention to the gossip that was spreading around her, or the looks that her hastiness was causing her. Mrs Gardiner saw more – but understood very little of it – she didn't have the context her niece would have had to immediately discern what was going on.

Besides, Madeline was significantly more worried about Jane. One second Jane had been calm, and then she had noted one of the letters addressed to her, that they had appropriated off the messenger who had been about to bear them to Longbourn, and had torn it open.

The fast perusal of it, and Jane's changing features were almost too much for Madeline to understand, and it took all that she could do to keep up with her niece as the younger woman muttered about how they had to hurry and walked at a pace that would rival even Lizzy's determined motion.

"Jane? For heaven's sake, what is the matter?"

Jane finally stopped and looked at her aunt without comprehension, as though the cause of her sudden walk should have been obvious. "I must get back – what will Lizzy say? I need to..." she drifted off in anxious thought before turning back, smiling as though she had made far more sense than she had. Jane, of course, would have never deliberately caused offense by her curt speech.

"What was in the letter?" Mrs Gardiner tried once more. "What has caused you to come out of countenance so?"

Wordlessly, Jane passed over the short missive.