Chapter 4

The road to London was as smooth as it could be after all of the rain the day before. By late-afternoon she was arriving in Gracechurch Street with the manservant and maid that Lady Catherine had emphatically insisted on accompanying her, after hearing of her leaving from Colonel Fitzwilliam. As her things were being removed from the coach, Elizabeth greeted her Aunt and Jane with two warm embraces.

"Oh Lizzy, what a surprise, for we only received your letter two hours ago to say you would be arriving soon and here you are! It is so wonderful to see you!" her Aunt Gardiner said.

"Aunt. I hope I do not put you out by my sudden arrival. I just simply could not wait to see my dear relations any longer. Whilst it was lovely to see dear Charlotte, i'm afraid that three weeks of Mr Collins' company was pushing even my poor nerves. Golly, don't I sound like Mama!" Elizabeth laughed.

"Come in, come in. I imagine you would like to freshen up before you join us for dinner?" her Aunt inquired.

"If you wouldn't mind, yes, I would like to change."

Jane showed Elizabeth upstairs to where her trunk was being unpacked by the maid. Elizabeth would have to wait until she had finished before discussing all that had happened in the last two days.

"Oh Jane, how wonderful it is to see you again! It has been an eventful few weeks. But how are you? Are you well?"

Jane did look a little pale and thin now that the immediate joy of seeing her sister had passed.

Looking at the maid, who took the hint and departed with a bobbed curtsey, Jane began "Oh Lizzy, as you know I have been here for some months now and have had no contact from Mr Bingley whatsoever. I visited a week after I arrived but Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst were not overly enthusiastic with my being there."

Jane undid the buttons on the back of Elizabeth's dress and continued "At length Miss Bingley returned the visit, but Lizzy, how wrong I was in her opinion of me! So very cold, and she looked down her nose at me the entire time. I must admit it took everything I had not to drop into the conversation her connections to trade that she constantly reminds us of."

"Oh bravo sister! If only you had and I had been there to witness it" Elizabeth laughed. It was short in duration, concerned as she was for Jane. She'd removed her dress and was sponging her arms and face clean with the bowl of water in front of her. "Did Miss Bingley mention her brother while she was here?"

"She did. She said that he was aware of my presence here but had been unable to find the time to visit. She went on to mention that Mr Darcy's sister was also in town and that their time had been spent primarily visiting her and her brother." Jane looked very sad indeed.

"I don't believe for a second he would wilfully abandon you Jane. Would you assist me with the buttons and I will tell you all that I have discovered in the last few days?"

Just as she was re-fixing her hair and beginning to tell Jane of some of her time at Hunsford and Rosings, the maid reappeared .

"Excuse me miss, there are two gentlemen and a lady downstairs who say they have an acquaintance with you. I have shown them into the drawing room and will go now to fetch Mrs Gardiner."

Elizabeth looked at Jane who, by the look on her face, was just as surprised and confused as she. It was far passed normal visiting hours. Mystified, the two ladies smoothed their dresses and descended to greet the visitors.

As soon as they walked through the door, they both stopped dead.

"Mr Bingley!" Jane gasped, at the same time as Elizabeth's "Mr Darcy!"

Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy were standing in her Aunt and Uncle's drawing room. He was here. He was looking directly at her with a look of surprise mirroring Elizabeth's. Recovering quickly, a nervous smile grew across his face. Had Mr Darcy always had dimples? Elizabeth looked down, unsure of herself.

Mr Bingley was the first to approach, beaming at Jane.

"Miss Bennet. How delightful it is to see you again. When my good friend Darcy here told me that you had been in London the past few months and apologised for neglecting to tell me sooner, I simply could not wait to see you again. Miss Elizabeth, it is wonderful to see you as well. I hope you two ladies are well?"

Jane appeared incapable of speech, so Elizabeth responded. "I thank you sir. We are both in excellent health. How lovely it is to see you again after all this time."

She was finding it very difficult to look directly at Mr Darcy, however; he was the next to speak.

"Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth. May I introduce my sister. Miss Georgiana Darcy to you."

Both ladies started, for they had not noticed the slight blonde girl behind the two gentleman, so wholly had each man captured the attention of the lady they admired most.

"Georgiana, this is Miss Jane and Miss Elizabeth Bennet. We made their acquaintance in Hertfordshire last autumn, and I have recently had the pleasure of Miss Elizabeth's company at Rosings."

"Good afternoon Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth. It is an honour to finally meet you. My brother has told me much about you." The last sentence was directed at Elizabeth, who glanced at Mr Darcy, before returning to the young girl. She appeared very timid, but had a quiet elegance about her and none of the reserve her brother usually showed.

Elizabeth smiled and replied "And I about you. I feel as though we know you already. Your brother and Mr Bingley have said that you are very fond of music and play very well. Please, be seated and I will ring for tea while we await our Aunt Gardiner."

The ladies sat on the settee while the gentleman sat on the chairs either side. Mr Bingley immediately engaged Jane in conversation, which she now seemed able to respond to, while Miss Darcy spoke to Elizabeth about the new piano forte her brother had promised her.

Mr Darcy seemed quite happy to allow the ladies to get to know one another and before long tea was served. Aunt Gardiner entered along with the maid carrying the tea and introductions were made. If their Aunt was surprised by the company, she had the grace not show it.

While Miss Darcy and her Aunt struck up conversation about the latest opera they had both attended, Elizabeth felt Mr Darcy's eyes on her as they had so often in the past. Now knowing why didn't make it any easier to talk to him in front of everyone. Turning slightly, she looked at him and tried to think of something to say. Luckily, Mr Darcy began.

"Miss Elizabeth, I understood you to be in Kent for the next week and had not expected to see you here."

"Mr Darcy, that was indeed the original intention, however; upon learning some new information which I was struggling to comprehend, I wished greatly to see my sister. Once that thought was in my head, I knew I must leave."

"It was not wholly unwelcome news I hope?" Mr Darcy asked with a slight frown, searching Elizabeth's face for her meaning. He would despair if she still thought so ill of him after that memorable evening.

Elizabeth glanced down and her eyes rested on his hands. One of those, that had held hers whilst he professed his love, was now fidgeting nervously with his signet ring on the other. Carefully, she responded as honestly as she could while others where in earshot.

"No sir. Whilst the first revelation was indeed shocking, I am glad to now know the truth, and the second appears to have worked itself out quite well" she said watching Jane and Mr Bingley who were deep in conversation, both smiling shyly at one another.

She paused while she gathered her thoughts and looked back at Mr Darcy.

"The most recent revelation however, left me quite speechless. I must thank the man who spoke them for his kind words. The recipient was rather stunned by the content and depth of the emotion contained within the declaration."

"I'm sure the man meant every word Miss Elizabeth." Mr Darcy's eyes searched hers to try and read what she could not say.

Checking to see if Miss Darcy and her Aunt were still conversing, she continued "I know him to be a proud man of few words who chooses them carefully, so I must allow what he does say to be true. Anyone would be very flattered to receive them. Following such revelations, it is difficult to know what to think when you find someone is actually quite different to what you thought. I will own it is quite an improvement."

Mr Darcy smiled again. Gosh, he really did have dimples. Elizabeth felt her cheeks warming. He really was quite handsome when he smiled like that and she wished he would do it more.

To say Mr Darcy had been anxious over the last two days after finding out that Elizabeth potentially despised him, but then going on to declare himself anyway, was an understatement. He'd gone there to propose but hadn't expected to say quite as much. In fact, he wasn't entirely sure how he'd come to confess all after being accused of two crimes, one truly awful, but then again, he couldn't remember a time when he had talked quite so much either.

He had reviewed all his interactions with Elizabeth and realised that he had never given her any reason to love him in return.

He had been determined to return to Hertfordshire with Bingley following his trip to London as soon as the Bennet sisters also returned to the neighbourhood. Arriving in town yesterday, he had gone straight to Bingley's house and confessed all, apologising unreservedly for his interference. Bingley, astounded by the revelations and the part his friend and sisters had played, sat for some time contemplating what to do but decided to only ask if Darcy thought it was too late to make amends with Jane.

Darcy had expected to be thrown out of the house. Instead, Bingley had accepted his apologies on the conditions that they visit Jane as soon as possible and that he not interfere in his affairs again without informing him first. Realising they did not know where she resided, it had taken some persuading of Miss Bingley to reveal her location. She had, after all, visited the Gardiners last month. When she tried to deny her trip and involvement, Bingley turned on her and was uncharacteristically stern. He told her exactly what he thought of her scheming, and promised that if she did not repent, she would be sent to live with their distant relations still living above a shop in Scarborough. Mr Darcy struggled to hide his smile at Miss Bingley's reaction and had to turn away.

They had set out yesterday afternoon and again this morning for the Gardiners, but both times Bingley had turned the carriage around out of nerves. On the third attempt, Darcy insisted his sister accompany them so that Bingley would not waste another trip. He also thought that Miss Bennet would be a good friend for his sister if things did go well for Bingley, and hopefully with Elizabeth when they met in the future. Now, Elizabeth was in front of him and his heart pounded hard in his chest. He needed to find out if he stood any chance of winning the good lady's affections, and now he did not need to wait until a trip into Hertfordshire. Her response gave him hope.

"Miss Elizabeth. If you'll permit me, I would like to call on you again tomorrow, with my sister and friend of course. It is my dearest wish that we begin our acquaintance again without the cloud of a certain gentleman's lies and a stupid fool's overheard comments. I realise that my actions and mannerisms in the past may have seemed aloof and proud, but you have already made me a better man for knowing you. Would you allow me to do so?"

Mr Bingley glanced over at Mr Darcy at this point and was surprised to see his friend smiling at Elizabeth. He watched the lady and could see a shy smile spread across her features as she looked back at Mr Darcy. Jane followed his gaze and was equally surprised by what she saw. She began to wonder again at what had happened in Kent that had brought her sister back so suddenly. She would ask her about it when they retired later that evening.

Miss Darcy also noticed the attraction between the two. Indeed, her brother had not looked at a woman that way before and Elizabeth's smiles gave her hope that her brother may have finally found the happiness he deserved.

The lull in conversation meant Elizabeth looked around at the rest of the room and realised they were the centre of attention, even though their companions quickly returned to their partners to pretend they hadn't been staring in their direction. With one last look at Mr Darcy, she nodded and agreed to walk out tomorrow morning in one of the nearby parks, if he was available? He replied in the affirmative and sipped his tea, very pleased with his progress. All being well, he hoped to ride into Hertfordshire when Elizabeth was sure of her feelings for him and seek an audience with her father. He was very hopeful that it would not be long before she would at least allow him to court her so that he could call upon her more often, if nothing else. He wouldn't rush her.

Elizabeth re-joined her Aunt's conversation with Miss Darcy. They discussed many things, all the while being very aware of Mr Darcy beside her. His sister was not at all the proud spoiled girl Mr Wickham had made out to be and she wondered what had happened between them to make him say so. Now that she knew his true nature though, nothing would surprise her anymore. She promised herself not to believe all that she was told and allow herself to get to know new acquaintances better before becoming convinced of their character. Mr Darcy and Mr Wickham were all the evidence she needed that she could be mistaken with her initial impression of them.

Before long, the visitors rose to take their leave and Mr Darcy inquired with the others about the rendezvous in the park tomorrow. It was met with happy agreement by all present and the time was arranged. The visitors departed, with Mr Darcy bowing low over Elizabeth's hand, which Mr Bingley mirrored over Jane's.

After the gentlemen and lady left, their Aunt looked from one sister to another and said "Well Jane, I know why Mr Bingley has finally seen sense to visit, but I believe we must first press your sister to explain exactly just what occurred in Kent."

Both ladies looked at Elizabeth, who looked down at the floor with her cheeks burning and a sly smile forming on her lips.