Mr. Bingley paced the length of the hallway just inside the door at Netherfield. The ladies had left a half hour before and he was at loose ends. Mr. Darcy had tired of watching him going in and out of sight as he passed the parlor, so he finally said, "Charles, come in and sit down, perhaps you could explain to me why you are wearing out the carpet in that one spot?"

Mr. Bingley did as told, but was hard-pressed to sit still.

"What is it?"

"You will think me daft," Bingley exclaimed, "I cannot wait any longer, I need to speak with Mr. Bennet."

"You have just arrived, might you want to wait a little bit?" Good advice coming from me, Darcy thought to himself, might that he thought it before he went to Hunsford.

"I know it sounds mad; but I know she's the one for me. I know you will say that I have fancied myself in love before, but this time is different. I don't know what to do with myself when she is not with me." He told him, honestly and Mr. Darcy could not help but understand those sentiments.

"Wait until tomorrow and go during breakfast; Georgiana, Richard and I will come afterwards."

Mr. Bingley looked slightly relieved but then, as he thought of what he would say to Mr. Bennet; he got nervous all over again. Mr. Darcy just shook his head, smiled, and took leave of the room.

Lizzy looked around at the furniture in her house and felt ashamed. It was worn, and not at all fashionable. When she looked at her family, she felt somewhat worse. While her surroundings filled her with comfort and security; and she was used to the ways of her family; she wondered of the impression Georgiana Darcy would have. Elizabeth knew now that Mr. Wickham's assessment of the girl was entirely wrong; she was not proud, nor a snob. She was nothing like Caroline Bingley either. No, that was not what worried Elizabeth; it was only that she started seeing Longbourn as others must have seen it all along, and she found it lacking.

And then there was her mother. While it had amused her that Mr. Darcy had been subjected to the great litany of questions her mother was sure to ask, she could not help but feel mortified to think Mrs. Bennet would also deem it necessary to assault Miss Darcy with the same inquiries. It brought to mind what Mr. Darcy had said to her at Hunsford that rainy morning. "There was the matter of the impropriety of your family," or words to that effect; in describing the fight within himself to not offer his hand to her. It had hurt to hear him say it, but she'd known it to be true; excepting herself and Jane, they were indeed improper. And now Georgiana Darcy was about to find out just how much; but Elizabeth was determined to shield the young girl from the brunt of it as much as she were able.

The following morning as most of the Bennet family arose to a sunny day at Longbourn, there was a guest in the library speaking in quiet tones to Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bennet found that he was going to part with another daughter; he was not surprised by this occurrence, only by the haste in which it was happening. He remembered another day, long ago, when he himself had fancied that he was violently in love. He only hoped the outcome for his two future sons in law would be much brighter than his had been.

After a period of time, Mr. Bennet allowed Mr. Bingley to speak privately with his daughter Jane; and as Charles did so; he found his wife to tell her the good news. "Two daughters who have made good matches," she said, fanning herself, "I knew their good looks could not be for nothing."

Elizabeth was most happy to hear the news, it was what she had wished for, what she had allowed herself to believe was worth marrying Mr. Darcy for. But even she knew, deep down, that she'd had hardly a choice in the matter; and that he had gone along with the scheme to reunite the couple, to make up for it-- a way to ease his guilt, she thought to herself.

Elizabeth had thought she'd had Mr. Darcy all figured out; he was pompous, arrogant; conceited and his prior actions had done hardly anything to recommend him.

What to make of his character now? He seemed so different in the presence of his sister, but Colonel Fitzwilliam had said that it was his true nature.

Lizzy couldn't help but wonder, just who was the real Mr. Darcy?