Lizzy would not go down to dinner, so after a very quiet meal, they all went up early, except for Darcy, who sat with his brandy for a long time in his office, trying to think what might have happened.

Mr. Bennet surprised Robert by coming up so early, but he said nothing and helped him get ready for bed, having heard that there was something very serious happening that no one below stairs understood. Mr. Bennet sat in his chair with his brandy, waiting.

Finally, the tap came on the door and Mrs. Reynolds entered. She was not smiling as she usually was. "Mr. Bennet, what is going on? Everyone knows something happened, but no one has heard anything."

"Please sit down. Lizzy found out about us and is devastated. She is very upset with both of us. She wants to go home as she says she can never live in the same house as you. She said that now she could not accept Mr. Darcy's offer if he ever makes it. She would not say how she found out but said that now everything is ruined for her. She said she could never ask Mr. Darcy to choose between her and you as she understands your long and very close connection with the family. She would rather just leave than create such a crisis for Mr. Darcy."

"So that is it. Now I understand why she is so unhappy. My appreciation of Miss Elizabeth has not been high enough. To think that she would forgo her own happiness to avoid that confrontation! But her decision ruins both her and Mr. Darcy's happiness. He loves her. This is the first time he has ever found a woman that he could love. He has been so happy since you came here. For the first time in many years Pemberley has been alive with joy.

"How can I stand in the way? It is my fault. What have I done? I thought only of my own needs." She began to sob and Mr. Bennet put his arms around her.

"What can I do to help? I am involved just as much as you are. We behaved badly together, but I admit that I am glad for every minute of it and would not have missed your company for anything. You reminded me of what a man and woman can share and should share in a good marriage. You made me feel like a young man again. I just never considered how it could affect Lizzy and Mr. Darcy."

"You have to try to re-establish your good relationship with Miss Elizabeth. You love each other very much and cannot lose that. She admires you so completely, even I can see that. That is why she is so devastated; in addition to losing a possible loving relationship with Mr. Darcy, she sees that you have human frailties and needs. As an unmarried maiden, she could not have understood this need before, but she may begin to appreciate it now. She will make Fitzwilliam a wonderful wife if we can figure out how to fix this.

"I know that it is completely up to me. I will have to leave Pemberley to allow her to come here, even though I love the Darcys and Pemberley and expected to spend my whole life here. I cannot stand in their way. Perhaps in time she will forgive me, but not right now. I have to get out of the way, but I do not want to make our relationship public."

Mrs. Reynolds was quiet for a while, then said, "I may have a good reason why I have to leave Pemberley, at least temporarily. My youngest sister in town has four young children and her husband recently inherited a large inn from his uncle. They have asked for my advice in running this place as neither has any experience managing a large establishment. So far she has only asked me for advice but I will go there to help them to manage the inn. Mr. Darcy may accept this excuse for my leaving and may not suspect anything. When Miss Elizabeth learns that I have left, she will be able to accept him and come to live here. I will speak to him after you have left for home."

"Would you really do that for him? You have been here for so many years."

"Yes, of course I will. He is almost like a son to me; I helped to raise him as his mother was so sick before she died. I raised Georgiana from her birth. I cannot stand in the way of the best chance at happiness that he has ever had."

"That might work, but enough of this talk. Come to bed for a final comforting. It will be even sweeter than before."