Copyright 2021 Elizabeth Frerichs
That night, after Elizabeth had reported on the digging, Kitty again brought up Mr. Darcy.
"Do you like him, Lizzy? I think it would be great fun if Miss Darcy became our sister."
Elizabeth coloured. "I—I am not sure."
"He does not seem as proud as he did last autumn," Kitty said earnestly. "I do not believe he would make a poor husband."
"And though he insulted you at the beginning of your acquaintance, he does not seem to hold that view anymore," Mary mused.
"At least he does not pretend to feel more than he does," Lydia said with a tinge of resigned bitterness.
Elizabeth hesitated. She would never have had this conversation with her sisters a year ago, but they were all different people now, and perhaps they could provide some much needed perspective. She still did not know what to make of Mr. Darcy's words today. He had remained solicitous throughout the project, never stepping in unnecessarily, but waiting until she asked for his opinion to give it. And he had said goodbye with a wide smile.
"Actually, he apologised for his insult today."
Kitty squealed. "Did he say he thinks you are beautiful beyond compare and liken your eyes to the stars?"
"No," Elizabeth replied with a chuckle. She could not imagine Mr. Darcy using such flowery language.
"What did he say?" Jane asked.
Elizabeth looked down at her lap. "That he was a fool for saying it at all, since it was untrue even then, and that he had only done so to avoid raising expectations." She hesitated.
"And?" Jane prompted.
Elizabeth could not prevent the heat that flooded her cheeks. "And that I am handsome enough to tempt any man I choose."
Kitty crowed.
Elizabeth looked at Jane plaintively. "I do not know how to interpret that. He will never offer for someone like me; he has made that very clear in the past—"
"He did?" Mary asked.
Elizabeth suppressed a sigh. She had forgotten that she had not told her other sisters about the Letter or about her conversation with Mr. Darcy last autumn. Telling them of the Letter would be needlessly complicated, so she settled on a version of the truth. "Before he and Mr. Bingley left last year, I spoke with Mr. Darcy alone at Oakham Mount—"
"Lizzy! Your reputation," Mary said severely.
Elizabeth attempted to smile at her sister. "It was not damaged, nor did I have reason to believe it would be; however, Mr. Darcy shared your concern quite vehemently. I wished to speak to him about—" She glanced at Lydia. "—about Mr. Wickham. After Mr. Wickham's tale, I was concerned that he might be a danger to the neighbourhood. As Aunt Madeleine had not yet replied to my inquiry, I asked Mr. Darcy about Mr. Wickham. Unfortunately, he believed that I was in league with Mr. Wickham and attempting to force a compromise, which led him to recite all the reasons he would never marry someone like me. I lack everything that would make me acceptable to the ton."
"From a purely practical standpoint, he is correct: we do not have the wealth nor the connections to enter the ton," Mary said. "However, that does not take into account the heart—something that I have learned is a strong motivator."
"Does he not have sufficient wealth and status for the both of you?" Kitty asked curiously.
"It is not that he needs more wealth and status," Jane said, "but rather that the ton may reject him if he does not marry someone with equal or greater wealth and status to his own. Miss Bingley mentioned the matter of Mr. Darcy's future wife several times," she added in answer to Elizabeth's questioning look.
"But Mr. Darcy does not even like society!" Lydia protested. "Anyone can see how ill-at-ease he is among company. He never has fun. The man hardly even smiles unless he is around Lizzy."
"He does smile a great deal around you," Kitty told Elizabeth. "And Miss Darcy says that he thinks you are an excellent model of character."
Elizabeth hardly knew what to address first. "You spoke to Miss Darcy about her brother and me?"
"Miss Darcy merely mentioned it when she spoke of wishing to spend more time with us while she is in Hertfordshire," Mary said calmly.
"I see." Surely Miss Darcy's view of her brother's opinion would be accurate, would it not? He thought her a model of character? And that she was handsome.
"I have already told you that I believe actions speak louder than any words for a man like Mr. Darcy," Jane said with a smile.
"Perhaps you will not be running Longbourn for much longer," Kitty said slyly before sobering at once as the impact of her words was felt around the circle.
Elizabeth bit her lip. "I—it is pointless to speculate in the absence of facts."
"I believe you have an abundance of facts, Lizzy," Mary said dryly. "Mr. Darcy thinks you have an excellent character and that you are handsome enough to tempt him. Other than the women in his party, he danced with you alone last autumn. He has been extraordinarily attentive since he returned. The question is not whether he is interested in you, but rather, are you interested in him?"
"Well put, Mary," Jane murmured.
"I—yes, I am. But the 'facts' may merely point to guilt over his mistaken assumptions before he left and neighbourliness." Elizabeth's heartbeat sped up as she recalled her exchange with Mr. Darcy about being neighbourly today.
"What was it you said about refusing to see what was right in front of you, sister dear?" Kitty asked archly. "I seem to recall something about you ignoring the truth because it was not convenient or expected."
"It is not that I am ignoring his behaviour." Her attention returned to her lap as she considered why it was so difficult to speak of this with her sisters and what was at the root of her feelings towards Mr. Darcy. "I do like him—very much. And I believe his wife will possess extraordinary sources of happiness. But . . . what if I give him my heart and he changes his mind?" she asked in a low voice.
"Like Papa?" Jane said, giving her a hug.
"I had not thought of that connection," Elizabeth admitted. "I just know that the thought of giving my heart away feels . . . . It feels as though I am standing on the edge of a cliff and I dare not move at all lest I fall off."
"Mr. Darcy is not one to treat your heart poorly," Lydia said quietly, tears beginning to slide down her cheeks. "He has proven that he is a man of character, and—and you were right," she said, her voice breaking. "That is far more important than how attractive he is or whether he wears a red coat. I believe Mr. Darcy may even be a better man than Papa. He helped me when he did not have to. And he has been kind. He did not reject our family even after everything that happened with Mr. Wickham."
Mary and Kitty moved to cuddle their younger sister, and Elizabeth gave her a grateful smile.
"You are right, Lydia. He is a man of character. Once he is aware of his mistakes, he works to rectify them."
"Which is an excellent quality in a husband," Mary put in.
Elizabeth nodded.
"Is that your only reservation, Lizzy?" Jane asked gently.
"I do not know! It just seems fantastical; why would he want to marry someone like me? I do not have money, nor connections . . . . I would bring nothing to the marriage." The words slipped out without her consent, but the moment she'd said them, she knew it was a real worry. Even her own father, the person who had loved her best for so many years, did not value her enough to stay. Why would Mr. Darcy? Perhaps her mother was right—she was not even fit for marriage.
"Have you been listening to Mama again?" Kitty asked rhetorically. "You bring yourself to the marriage, and clearly that is enough for Mr. Darcy or he would not be so open about his feelings."
"You do not think I am imagining his affection?"
Jane smiled. "No. Kitty and Lydia are right: Mr. Darcy is not the sort of man to lead you on."
"But if he is only flirting with me—I am not versed in the ton's methods of flirtation. What if he is merely acting according to those customs and I am oblivious?"
Jane's brow furrowed.
"You said that he was trying to avoid raising expectations when he insulted you in October of last year?" Mary asked.
Elizabeth nodded.
"Then Mr. Darcy is painfully conscious of his behaviour. I doubt he would behave the way he has over the past weeks were he simply flirting with you," she said reasonably.
Kitty nodded vigorously.
"Well, I—I suppose we shall just have to wait and see," Elizabeth said, her heart lighter than it had been before their conversation. If her sisters did not believe she was reading too much into her interactions with Mr. Darcy . . . and speaking to them had helped her clarify her concerns. Mr. Darcy was a man of character, a man whom she believed she could be happily married to; he was not her father, nor did he share her mother's opinions.
Jane turned to Mary. "Now, tell us how things went with Miss Darcy."
Apparently, they had gone quite well; both Mary and Kitty had greatly enjoyed their time with her, and the three of them had already arranged to meet again on Wednesday.
"—we considered inviting her over tomorrow, but thought you might have need of us now that the digging is completed. And I want to check on the Hallens," Mary finished.
"Miss Darcy is a genius at the pianoforte! I never heard anyone play like that." Kitty turned quickly to Mary. "I meant no offense, Mary."
"Then I will take none. Miss Darcy is indeed a wonder." Mary gave Elizabeth a significant look. "She practises more than either of us."
Elizabeth chuckled. Since she had first approached Mary about improving her playing, Mary had continued to harp on Elizabeth's need for practice. Longbourn had consumed her attention the past few weeks though. "I will try to practise more," she promised.
"See that you do," Mary said with mock severity.
"What else did you learn about the accomplishments we have yet to obtain?" Lydia asked.
Kitty and Mary expounded on Miss Darcy's experiences regarding her various lessons and what she had already agreed to teach them. The conversation finished with Kitty saying that she had asked Mary to teach her pianoforte and Mary offering to teach Lydia as well.
"How did it go at the Bennets'?" Darcy asked Georgiana the moment they were alone.
Georgiana smiled. "I quite enjoyed my time with Miss Mary and Miss Kitty. I believe they will make excellent sisters." Her smile dimmed. "Were you able to ask Miss Elizabeth about Miss Lydia?"
Darcy nodded. "She promised to speak to Miss Lydia and find out if she is amenable to such a meeting."
"I am glad. I should like to know her when she is not suffering from the effects of her encounter with Mr. Wickham."
The siblings sat in silence for a moment before Georgiana ventured to ask how things had gone with Miss Elizabeth.
"I am afraid I made a mess of things today. I did not intend to make my interest as plain as I did." Darcy passed a hand over his brow, remembering how hard the conversation had been. "I wish to wait until you are certain that Miss Elizabeth will be a good sister to you—not just an excellent wife for me."
"I trust your judgement, William."
"But I do not believe my judgment will be as accurate as yours in this matter, Georgie. And in my bumbling to apologise for insulting her appearance at the beginning of our acquaintance, I instead admitted that I find her very attractive."
"I imagine she is already aware of that given the way you look at her," Georgiana said with a small smile.
Darcy hesitated, unsure how much of Elizabeth's situation to share. The fact that her mother wasted no opportunities to put down her appearance and that he had only lumped himself in with that woman's views at the beginning felt a bit too personal. He settled on a partial truth. "Bingley believes my insult was such that Miss Elizabeth may not see what is plain to others."
"You said you had been rude to her," Georgiana said hesitantly before falling silent.
"You are wondering if my rudeness was such that it might truly obscure my changed behaviour?"
Georgiana nodded.
"Unfortunately, quite probably. I was rude and proud and told Bingley that Miss Elizabeth was not handsome enough to tempt me into dancing with her," Darcy said with shame. "And unfortunately, I did not correct her first opinion of me by behaving any better throughout my time in Hertfordshire last year. When I accused her of attempting to force a compromise, she declared that she would never marry me due to my pride and selfish disdain of others' feelings.
"She was correct that I had become an unlikeable person with everyone but family, friends, and our servants. I was so used to the manners of the ton that I assumed everyone wanted something from me and that no one had anything of value to offer. I know now that others provide value simply by being fellow companions on the journey that is life. After all, as you said, we have no control over the family we have been born into. You and I have the blessing of being born Darcys and the responsibility that comes with it to use our position to help others, but that does not make others' births any less valuable."
Georgiana beamed at him. "I agree."
Darcy coloured, realising his thoughts had run away with him.
"And if Miss Elizabeth cannot see that you have changed, then she is a fool."
"Or perhaps merely someone who does not know me as well as you do," Darcy said lightly. "Returning to our previous topic, I apologise for rushing things with Miss Elizabeth and making my interest too plain before giving you the time I promised so that you might come to your own conclusions."
"I forgive you, but truly, I am glad that you are pursuing her. I like her and her sisters."
"Thank you. I will still avoid any serious pursuit until you have had time to get to know her."
"Then I suppose I shall just have to spend more time at the Bennets'," Georgiana said with a sly smile.
Darcy returned her smile. "I do not believe Bingley would object were you to invite the Bennets over every day of the week. Although, I imagine that Miss Elizabeth will be quite busy with Longbourn."
Georgiana nodded. "I can still invite her though."
"Indeed."
Elizabeth stared meditatively at the letter she was writing her aunt. It had been just over a fortnight since her last letter, and Aunt Madeleine had requested another update.
Jane had already told Aunt Madeleine about their efforts to gain the common accomplishments, and so Elizabeth was attempting to share her thoughts on the matter. She had never expected to enjoy learning the various things a young lady was supposed to be proficient at, but somehow, without her mother standing over her, many of the things she had previously despised were almost soothing—even sewing and painting. It still felt a little ridiculous to spend so much time stitching something so small, but Jane had convinced her to try intricate flowers on one of her handkerchiefs as a way to practise. She still found drawing to be an exercise in confusion, but one could almost recognise the object in her sketch yesterday.
The past week had been full of cold rain broken up with occasional spits of snow. Happily, the drains appeared to be working, although the real test would not come until the spring floods. For now, though, Longbourn required much less attention than it had previously. Spring planting could not be done until the weather was sufficiently warm, and she had already ordered the necessary seed and livestock to be delivered come spring.
She had time to work on her more ladylike skills. She and her sisters had fallen into a pattern of working on Longbourn in the morning (or accompanying Mrs. Bennet on her visits) and then teaching each other the skills they already knew or had learned the day before from Georgiana. Afterwards, most afternoons, they visited Georgiana.
Kitty and Mary had hit it off with Georgiana, and Elizabeth's friendship with her had also grown over the past two weeks. If Mr. Darcy were to pursue her, as her sisters all steadfastly proclaimed was likely, Elizabeth would be glad to gain Georgiana for a sister.
Lydia was also improving. Georgiana appeared to have reached Lydia in a way her older sisters had not succeeded in doing. She and Jane were alternatingly keeping their mother company, but Lydia appeared to have lost all passion for redcoats and was now throwing herself wholeheartedly into the business of becoming an accomplished young woman.
The only real flies in the ointment were her mother's continued haranguing about money (and her premature triumphs at snaring Mr. Bingley), the continued silence of her father (although, as of late, she was more concerned that he might return too soon than that his absence would persist), and Mr. Darcy's behaviour.
Her mother had not changed. For some reason, the fact felt almost jarring. Everyone else at Longbourn had altered so much in the past few months that her mother's discordance stood out all the more. Mrs. Bennet's concerns remained just as they always had, despite Mr. Bingley's renewed attentions to Jane. Perhaps she would not be content until the knot was actually tied, with good reason considering the man's abandonment last autumn. Then again, perhaps Mrs. Bennet was so used to being anxious about one thing or another that she would likely continue in that manner even after her current pressing concerns had been resolved.
Mr. Bennet's silence was not unexpected, but Elizabeth could not help but think that every day brought them closer to his return. She doubted he would remain absent until after the spring planting in April or May, but then again, he had already been gone for over two months. Perhaps another two months was not as improbable as it seemed. She only hoped that if he did return soon and oversee Longbourn, he would still follow her design; besides desiring the additional income for her family, she very much wished to see the outcome of her proposed changes.
After Mr. Darcy's statements on Monday a fortnight prior, Elizabeth had expected something from him—some indication that he intended to pursue her—but he had treated her as nothing more than a dear friend.
Elizabeth sighed. The truth was that she missed Mr. Darcy. She missed their private interactions. Having a conversation with him and his sister or him and her sisters or him and Mr. Bingley was not the same. She missed his intuitive understanding of the strain she had been under with Longbourn and his support. She missed having a source of information about the estate—not that she could no longer ask him questions. He had affably answered an inquiry just yesterday. But it was not the same as their previous lengthy discourses.
Perhaps he was merely forwarding her friendship with Georgiana. She did enjoy getting acquainted with his sister, but . . . .
Really, she had gotten spoiled. She had become used to having his full attention for twenty minutes or more at a time, and the breadcrumbs of his morning visits or the times when he "dropped in" while they were with Georgiana only made her hunger for more.
Perhaps learning how woefully unaccomplished she was had snuffed out any interest he had felt before.
Resolutely, she pulled her attention away from Mr. Darcy. She could not divine his thoughts on her own, nor was the situation as clear as her sisters believed, but she refused to waste away thinking about a gentleman. Like Lydia, she would focus on gaining accomplishments in the event that she did not marry and then be pleasantly surprised if she received an offer from someone whom she could esteem.
With that self-admonition, she finished her letter to her aunt and collected what she would need for another art lesson. Kitty had promised to help her draw a recognisable flower today, and she was determined to succeed.
Darcy's lips turned up as Bingley confidently marked another place on the diagrams of Netherfield's land. His friend had grown by leaps and bounds since announcing his return.
After watching Miss Elizabeth's drainage project, Bingley had been zealous to complete the maps they had begun last autumn and to plan out improvements for the spring. Both of them missed the Bennet sisters and had often stopped by when they visited with Georgiana, but Netherfield had taken precedence for Bingley. And Georgiana's friendship with the Bennet sisters had taken precedence for Darcy. He was not sure that he could suppress a declaration to Elizabeth if they were alone, considering what had already slipped out of his lips.
He had promised Georgiana time to get to know the Bennets, and despite all her protestations that she trusted him and that Miss Elizabeth seemed lovely, he intended to fulfil that promise. This was too important a change to make haphazardly. He wanted Georgiana to be confident that she would choose Elizabeth for a sister, not just follow her confidence in him.
In addition, he hoped that when he proposed it could be with some modicum of intentionality rather than just blurting it out like a schoolboy; Elizabeth deserved to be wooed, not given a clumsy proposal that she accepted merely on the strength of their relationship.
The wooing, however, would have to wait until Georgiana was certain, and so he had sealed his lips from proposing to Elizabeth or pestering Georgiana and forced himself to take a step back, allowing Georgiana to take more of Elizabeth's precious time.
According to his sister, it was going quite well. The ladies had decided to spend their time attempting to prove which accomplishment was most enjoyable, like some sort of bizarre contest between the various skills. Darcy was unsure how they could measure said skills considering that the Bennet girls did not all share the same talents, nor did they possess a tenth of Georgiana's accomplishments. Regardless, he had several times entered the room to the sound of laughter, so they were certainly enjoying their time, and anything that made Georgie so cheerful was more than acceptable.
Even Miss Lydia had seemed more herself as of late, though much of the wildness appeared to be tempered by her experiences. Last year, Georgie had been so distraught and miserable that he had worried Wickham had crushed her permanently. The same worry had occurred after seeing Miss Lydia's pale features and listless demeanour. Now though, he wondered if Wickham would be the making of Miss Lydia—she had changed so much in such a short time.
Georgiana had said that she had not provided details to Miss Lydia, but she had still been able to help the young woman. Miss Lydia now knew that Wickham's behaviour was not a slight against her; he had not failed to love her because of a defect in her, but because of a defect in himself. From the few things Georgie had told him, Darcy suspected that Miss Lydia was already evaluating how she could ensure such a thing never occurred to her again. Her lack of decorum and unwillingness to accept kindly-meant rules had led her to this point, and she was eager not to repeat the experience.
"Darcy? Are you well?" Bingley asked.
Darcy nodded. "Just woolgathering."
Bingley grinned. "Miss Elizabeth should be here soon."
"And Miss Bennet," Darcy returned.
Bingley's grin only grew. "I believe you are correct. Miss Lydia was here yesterday, so it is likely that Miss Bennet shall visit today."
"How do you believe things are going with the Bennets?" Dacy asked curiously.
Bingley's expression grew pensive. "I believe they are going well. I am hopeful that improving Netherfield will help set Miss Bennet's mind at ease," he admitted.
"Oh?"
"She has been—concerned that I might repeat my departure of last autumn." He grimaced, the expression looking awkward on his kindly face. "If I had realised how damaging a precipitous departure would be, I would never have left without speaking to Miss Bennet last autumn."
"You did not intend to remain in London when you left," Dacy reminded him.
Bingley shook his head. "That only makes the matter worse. Miss Bennet has suggested that it calls into question my credibility. I did not intend to close Netherfield, and yet I did not return when I said I would. I was just as undependable as you suggested in your conversation with Miss Elizabeth. All it took was for someone to tell me I had better not return, and I stayed in London."
"As Miss Elizabeth pointed out, the nature of your relationship with the requester played a large part. I am sorry that I urged you not to return to Hertfordshire."
Bingley fidgeted. "I have already told you that I forgive you—you were trying to protect me, like a good friend would. I am less willing to forgive Caroline. Did you know that she has not responded to Miss Bennet's last two letters?"
Darcy shook his head, though he was unsurprised. Miss Bingley would take whatever steps she believed necessary to prevent Jane Bennet from becoming her sister-in-law. He doubted that ignoring Miss Bennet was the sum of what Miss Bingley had done and would do if she ever realised where Bingley was. At this point, she only knew that he was with Darcy and that they were enjoying sport, and that he was not sure when they would return.
"More than anyone, however, I cannot forgive myself. I did not seek the truth last autumn when doing so would have required but a few conversations. I did not return to settle my affairs before closing Netherfield." He sighed. "You were right that leaving so precipitously left many critical things undone—the most important of which was to show that I am my own man. Had I not returned when I did, I am not sure that Miss Bennet would even have given me the time of day, particularly after Mr. Bennet's desertion."
Darcy grimaced. Mr. Bennet remained a sore subject. He had not asked Elizabeth for specifics about the man's departure, but Miss Bennet had confided to Bingley that his trip had been either unplanned or not disclosed to his family until the last possible moment. It was no wonder that her father's departure had left Miss Bennet skittish.
"I just do not understand. I do not wish to speak ill of one whom I know only in passing, but his departure seems—in poor taste," Bingley continued.
"I agree. Perhaps it may be your place to speak to him about it soon."
"I hope so. Miss Bennet has seemed less reserved since I began sharing my plans for improving Netherfield with her. It is my hope that investing in the property will show her that I am invested in Hertfordshire and in her. I cannot easily leave if I have things here that require my attention."
Darcy nodded. "It is a sound strategy."
"While we are speaking of the Bennets," Bingley began hesitantly, "how do you believe things are progressing with Miss Elizabeth? Have you decided how to make your interest plain?"
"At the moment, I am more concerned that I will make my interest too plain," Darcy said dryly.
Bingley quirked a look at him.
"Proposing to a lady without having wooed her seems indecorous."
Bingley smiled. "You might want to ease into it a bit."
"And I do not wish to begin that process until after Georgiana is certain that she will deal well with Miss Elizabeth and her family."
"Then you have not been using your eyes," Bingley said bluntly.
"Pardon?"
Bingley squared his shoulders. "Miss Darcy lights up when they arrive. I have had the dubious pleasure of watching her with my sisters, and she is not nearly so comfortable nor so welcoming. With good reason. I have never heard her laugh as much as she has over the past two weeks—not that I have spent much time with her before. You know her better than I: is she normally this happy among company?"
She was not.
Actually, now that he thought about it, he had never seen Georgiana so open with anyone other than Fitzwilliam. Even with Lady Margaret, Georgiana was reserved—perhaps out of a desire to prove that she was a properly behaved young lady. With the Bennets, though, there was no need to prove her worth.
Other than Mrs. Bennet, a less avaricious family he had never met. It shamed him to think that he had suspected the lot of them last autumn. Clearly they had not cultivated a friendship with Miss Bingley the way they pursued Georgiana now, even though Miss Bingley could have raised their status among their neighbours.
And, as his uncle had pointed out, Mrs. Bennet's frantic worries were entirely understandable. Would Elizabeth's improvements to Longbourn ease the woman's worries, and how would a less anxious Mrs. Bennet behave?
"Darcy?"
"You are right: Georgiana is seldom this happy even at home where she is most comfortable." He smiled, remembering the bout of giggles she had gotten just last night when telling him about her day. "I believe the Bennet sisters have greatly lightened her heart."
"Makes you think it might not be so bad to have them live with you, does it not?" Bingley asked with a smile. "I would not be opposed to the sound of merry laughter filling the house," he said wistfully. "Caroline and Louisa lost that lightheartedness long ago. Now the only laughter in my house occurs when they mock others."
"Indeed," Darcy agreed. "I would not be opposed to having such laughter at Pemberley again. It has been too quiet since my mother's death."
Bingley nodded. "I often wonder what my sisters would be like if our parents had not both died. Though it was their dearest wish for us to be accepted by society, would they have condoned the loss of everything we have given up?" His expression hardened. "I cannot change Caroline and Louisa, but I would much prefer to find happiness here with the Bennets than to continue attempting to force myself into society's mould."
"I have come to similar conclusions, though I do not know what to do about my social obligations." As a Darcy, he had an obligation to his family name to continue circulating in society, to build alliances; Elizabeth would be far better at that task than he ever had been—as long as the ton did not outright reject her.
Bingley nodded. "It is a conundrum, but I do not believe that Miss Elizabeth would perform poorly in those settings if that is your concern."
"She will do better than I," Darcy said with a smile. "No, it will merely be a question of whether or not my Aunt Margaret will accept Miss Elizabeth and if so, whether she can convince society to do so."
"At least it will weed out some of the hangers-on," Bingley pointed out. "Although I cannot see people like my sister cutting Mrs. Darcy, regardless of who you marry."
"But that is a problem for another day. First, I must woo the lady."
"Which you could confidently begin doing today if you are awaiting only your sister's approval."
"I will consider it," Darcy promised. Perhaps Bingley was right. Yet he still had no idea how to woo Elizabeth, even if he were to attempt it. He had been watching Bingley with Miss Bennet and his friend had spoken the truth: Bingley simply went out of his way to show Miss Bennet that he cared for her, ensured her comfort, listened attentively when she spoke, and tried to assist her when possible.
He had tried so faithfully to avoid pressuring Georgiana, but perhaps it was time to ask her for an answer which she now had enough information to give. Then he could begin the process of attempting to gain Miss Elizabeth's affections.
A/N: This is a bit of a filler chapter but with some key insights into everyone's growth: Elizabeth is being open with her sisters and receiving support from them, Darcy is committed to listening to Georgiana and valuing her opinion in a way he would not have only a few months previously, and Bingley is truly grieved by his past mistakes and working to prove his recent character growth.
Thanks for all the reviews and engagement this past week! You guys have no idea how much I needed the encouragement :)
And thanks to my betas, Arendelle, Dawn, and Roberta, who did a great job (as usual) on this chapter!
If you guys notice any mistakes (historical or otherwise), please point them out!