Author's note: okay, I hope this chapter is as much fun for y'all to read as it was for me to write. I'm still chuckling over it. And I really, really appreciate those of you who take the time to write such kind comments. Thank you. ❤

Chapter 25

Lizzy awoke suddenly to the sound of loud voices. What is going on? she wondered.

Glancing at the clock, she saw with surprise that it was already ten in the morning. I never sleep so late! she thought in surprise.

The memories of the night before came flooding back into her mind: Darcy's face when he first saw her arrive, the tone of voice as he said she tempted him, and…

He asked me to marry him! She sat straight up in bed and hugged her pillow to her chest, a wide smile spreading across her face. It faded slightly as she recalled telling him that she would only allow him to court her. But I must be certain before I make such a decision, she told herself. I must love him as much as he seems to love me, and I must know that his character is one to be trusted. He seems to have changed much about himself, and I need to know that the change is permanent.

Another yell caused her to wince, and she quickly dressed and went down the stairs. She entered the parlor to find Lydia shouting at their father. "Mamma said I could have a new dress! You can't refuse to pay!"

Lizzy joined her sisters and asked, "What on earth is happening?"

Mary rolled her eyes as Kitty said, "Lydia ordered a new dress at the seamstress for the ball. She put it on Papa's account, but he will not pay for it, as she is now married. Her husband says the funds will have to come from her pin money, which she already spent for this quarter. The dress was very expensive and will use up her entire allowance and then some."

Jane was trying to calm Lydia down, but her attempts were rebuffed. "Where on earth is her husband?" Lizzy asked as Lydia turned an alarming shade of red.

"You must pay for it, Papa! Mamma, tell him!" she shrieked.

"Mr. Bennet, perhaps…" began her mother.

"No, Mrs. Bennet," he said in an unusually firm voice. "Lydia chose to be married, and on that day she left behind the name of Bennet and is now a Forster. If a Bennet is to pay for her dress, then it shall come from your pin money, Mrs. Bennet."

Lydia immediately stopped crying and looked at her mother hopefully. "Mamma, that is an excellent idea! After all, you were the one who said I needed a new dress so I could look my best for the ball."

Mrs. Bennet hesitated and looked at her husband, who nodded firmly at her. The entire room could see the wheels turning in her head. She had never had to choose between herself and her favorite daughter before. The entire room waited breathlessly.

Her shoulders finally sagged and she said, "I'm sorry, Lydia, but I cannot. I have used all of my pin money for this quarter, and I have plans for it for next quarter to replace some things in the mistress's quarters."

If the Bennet family thought they had seen the worst of Lydia's behavior, they were mistaken. Lydia's face turned purple with rage; she opened her mouth at let out an ear-piercing wail that continued without ceasing. Mary and Kitty covered their ears, while Mrs. Bennet swooned on her chair. Jane and Mr. Bennet froze in shock.

Lizzy was the only one who remained undisturbed by the chaos. She marched over to a vase, pulled out the flowers, and proceeded to dump the entire contents of water over Lydia's head.

Lydia went suddenly silent, water dripping down her face and into her dress. She stared at her sister in shock while the others looked on. After a few seconds, she opened her mouth again, but Lizzy slapped her across the mouth.

"Don't," she said in a harsh voice. "Do not dare to open your mouth, Lydia Forster, or I shall slap you again!"

Lydia, who had never once had a hand raised to her in anger in her life, went as still as a statue. Her eyes filled an emotion she had never before experienced – fear.

Lizzy crossed her arms and glared at her youngest sister. "Now that you have stopped behaving like a fishwife, perhaps you will listen to some sense."

She steered Lydia over to a chair and pushed down on her sister's shoulders, forcing Lydia to take a seat. Towering over the rebellious girl, she said fiercely, "You are a married woman. You made your choice to be married at this age when you compromised Colonel Forster. It is not Papa's responsibility to provide you, nor is it Mamma's responsibility to give up her things to you. If you wanted your parents to continue to give you ribbons and gowns, then you should not have gotten married at such a young age!"

The entire Bennet family stared in shocked awe as Lizzy spent the next ten minutes taking her sister to task. She ended with, "So help me, Lydia, if you ever again behave in such an appalling way, I will tell Colonel Forster to remove your pin money entirely! And you can bet he will listen to me, because no man of his station wants to be married to such a hoyden!"

With that, Lizzy turned her back on her sister, took a seat, and said, "Now, shall we all have some tea? I daresay I missed breakfast."

Slowly the room returned to life. Everyone began to move about and quietly converse; everyone save Lydia, that is. The girl, who had never had a cross word in her life, sat with dripping hair as she watched her family ignore her predicament.

The conversation quickly turned to Mary and her upcoming marriage. The wedding date was now less than a month away, and the Gardiners would be arriving in a fortnight. There was much still to do, Mrs. Bennet insisted, and now that the ball had passed, their attention could be focused on the wedding.

As Mrs. Bennet dictated a letter (written by Jane, who had the best penmanship) to her sister Gardiner with instructions on the best warehouses for the items needed, Lizzy looked at Mr. Bennet.

"Papa," she said, "may I speak with you privately?"

Mr. Bennet nodded and beckoned her to follow him to his study. Once he had closed the door and settled into his chair behind his desk, he looked at her and let out a chuckle. "Bravo, my dear," he said. "I do not think I have been quite so entertained by a scene in all my life."

"Father!" Lizzy exclaimed in frustration.

He waved a hand at her. "Yes, well, what do we live for if not to make sport of our loved ones and be made sport of in our turn?"

Lizzy bit her tongue, reminding herself that it would not do to disrespect her father. The following conversation would go much better if he were in a light mood. "Papa," she began hesitantly, "I have something of considerable import that I wish to discuss with you."

"Ah, has someone finally asked for your hand?" he asked in jest. The smile faded from his face upon seeing her blush. "Lizzy?" he asked curiously.

"Mr. Darcy asked me to marry him last night at the ball. I have told him he may court me for six months, at which time I will make a decision about marriage."

Mr. Bennet's eyebrows raised far above his eyes. "Mr. Darcy? The tall, proud one?"

"Indeed you are mistaken!" she cried.

"What, he is not tall?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Lizzy let out a reluctant laugh and said, "Oh, Papa. Yes, he is the tall one. But he has no improper pride, at least not that I can see. He is a kind man."

"I do not doubt he could keep you in fine clothes and carriages. Indeed, he is the sort of man to whom I would not dare to refuse anything. But this would mean nothing if you really liked him."

"I do like him," she admitted it. "I cannot say I love him, and I did not like him at the first, but I can now appreciate the good qualities I have seen."

"Well, then, I guess I had better grant him an interview when he calls," Mr. Bennet said with a sigh. "I am glad to have you for at least another half year. I do not know what I would do without your sense, Lizzy. Who else will poor water on Lydia's head when she misbehaves?"

Their laughter carried into the parlor, where Lydia still sat, unmoving and uncharacteristically subdued. It was the only the sound of Lizzy's footsteps down the hallway that spurred her into action. She quietly slipped from the room, with no one taking notice of her departure as they were all absorbed in discussions of Mary's wedding and Jane's courtship.

At the same time Lydia was receiving a good scolding, the residents of Netherfield Park were finally beginning to rise from their slumber. Georgiana let out a yawn and stretched her arms above her head. Opening her eyes, she blinked twice at the unfamiliar bedframe.

She sat up in bed, the sheets falling to her waist, revealing bare skin. She looked around and saw Charles, her husband, snoring softly next to her.

At the sight of his face, memories from the night before came flooding back into her mind.

Charles had stayed by her side the entire ball, standing up with her three times, even though it was frowned upon in polite society to dance with one's wife. The final dance had been a waltz, which caused a stir of whispers amongst the guests. Charles had pulled her out into the dance, where she was held tightly. This was the closest she had ever been to man other than the occasional hug from her brother and cousins.

The waltz was no innocent hug.

No words were spoken as they danced on the nearly empty floor. Sparks flew between them, and Georgiana thought she would burst into flames at the heat from his body pressing into hers.

At the conclusion of the dance, he escorted out of the ballroom and up the stairs to their rooms. His eyes were dark, burning into hers, and he whispered, "Georgiana, I am going to kiss you now. But once I start, I won't stop. If you are not ready for this, you need to tell me now."

In response, she stood up on her toes and pressed her lips against his, and they stumbled into his bedroom, the door closing behind them.

Georgiana jumped as she felt Charles's lips on her bare shoulder. "Good morning, my dearest," he said tenderly.

She blushed and pulled the sheets up to her shoulders, then laughed at herself. He had seen much more of her the night before, but it felt different in the light of day.

Tension eased from his face at her laugh. "No regrets?" he asked her, looking intently at her.

She gave him a warm smile and let the sheet drop. "None," she said.

The weeks leading up to the Gardiner's visit and Mary's wedding were filled with the various activities of couples that were at all levels of relationship status.

Mr. Collins and Mary, the engaged couple, spent much of their time with Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner to finalize the plans for the wedding.

Bingley and Georgiana, the married couple, were coming to know one another on a level they had not experienced before. Although they had been married for over eighteen months, it was as if they had just wed the week before and were on their honeymoon. Longing looks and secret touches filled their days, and passion filled their nights.

Jane spent much of her time in the nursery, tending her cousins. Lord Oakley's three sons were somewhat younger than the Gardiner children, but old enough to enjoy spending time with other children. There were frequent visits back and forth between the two households, and the nurses were becoming fast friends with one another. Jane took advantage of this time to learn more about Oakley, his situation, and his character. Their courtship was well its way to becoming an engagement.

Darcy and Lizzy were at the beginning of their courtship, coming to know one another through conversation about the books they had read and their experiences on their respective estates. In some ways, Lizzy thought, it was a bit like performing an interview for a housekeeper or steward, only with love playing an important part of the equation.

By default, Colonel Fitzwilliam spent much time with Kitty. Her lively personality, which in many ways resembled Lydia's but without the immaturity, was as a balm of Gilead to his soldier's heart. Much like his friend Colonel Forster, Colonel Fitzwilliam was interested in a life partner who could help him forget the horrors of war that he had seen. He could imagine spending his life with her once she was a little older, but for now he was content to enjoy her good company.

Miss Bingley, being the only unattached person in the group, convinced her sister Mrs. Hurst that they would do better at their own house in town. Mr. Hurst was prevailed upon to end the lease of the current occupant, and the three finally settled in their own household. Miss Bingley's dowry was of great interest to several fortune hunters, one of who was successful in wooing the tradesman's daughter. His title of baron convinced her that she should leave behind the name of Bingley in exchange for being called Lady Caroline.

Miss Bingley's engagement prompted Mr. Bingley to travel between London and Hertfordshire multiple times in order to fill out the settlement papers. The wedding was set for the following year in the early spring at the end of the season. This would require Georgiana and Mr. Bingley to be in London for at least a month in order to see her off.

Similarly, Mr. Darcy would be required to return to Derbyshire at that time in order to oversee the preparations for the spring planting. He requested, and was granted, permission to correspond with Lizzy as they sought to further their acquaintance.

Netherfield would be left open, however, for the Viscount and his sons to remain. The boys had become extremely fond of Jane, and Oakley did not want to separate them. Georgiana assured her cousin that he was welcome to stay at Netherfield while she was at the wedding of her sister-in-law. Since Colonel Fitzwilliam would be remaining in Meryton with the militia until after Easter, when they would travel to Brighton, it made the most sense for Oakley to remain near his brother and also the woman he was courting.

Lydia Forster rarely called at Longbourn during these weeks. When she did, it was only in the company of her husband. She was uncharacteristically quiet throughout those visits, content to watch the happenings from a chair in the corner. Lizzy's actions with the water vase had, for the moment at least, terrified Lydia into good behavior. Lizzy was uncertain if these changes were permanent, but she chose to take advantage of the qualm while it lasted.

What the Bennet family did not know was that Lydia had returned to the barracks that day, soaking wet, to complain to her husband of her mistreatment. Instead of commiserating with her and calling out her father for not protecting her, as she had imagined he would on her long walk from Longbourn, he had laughed at her and said it was only what she deserved.

This response settled into Lydia's brain and heart in a way that no other correction ever had. Coupled with Lizzy's treatment, it sent Lydia into a sort of shock. Instead of shouting or stamping her foot, as her husband expect, she collapsed onto her bed and dissolved in tears that lasted several hours. Forster, initially disposed to allow her to cry, eventually became genuinely concerned and coaxed her into sitting up and speaking with him.

What followed was the first serious conversation the married couple had ever discussed. Lydia, for the first time in her young life, finally saw herself the way that others saw her: a vain, idle, and foolish – a silly chit everyone laughed at. Colonel Forster was encouraged by this display of egocentric thinking, and he helped her see what she could do to improve herself without losing her joie de vivre. Lydia would never rise to the level of her sisters, but neither would she be the laughingstock that she had been before.

Similarly, with Wickham's perfidy being made known to Colonel Forster, the scoundrel was rarely granted enough free time to create his usual chaos. When he was not doing training or following orders from his superior officer, he could be found attempting to charm merchants out of their wares and daughters out of their petticoats. He was successful at neither, as the Bennets had "accidentally" spoken of his character in front of their aunt Phillips, who had shared the gossip throughout the town in less than a day.

With the people most like to cause problems thus dealt with, Mary's wedding day finally arrived free of drama or problems. It was a relief for Mrs. Bennet to bid farewell to a daughter who would one day take her place as mistress of Longbourn. Having a daughter so comfortable settled did much to calm the poor woman's nerves. She cried genuine tears of relief and gratitude throughout the entire ceremony.

At the wedding breakfast, Mary grasped Lizzy's hands and said, "Will you come to me in the spring? I would very much like to have a sister with me who will not be intimidated by the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh."

Lizzy began to laugh but sobered quickly when she saw the genuine panic in her sister's eyes. "Of course, Mary. I will always be here for you when you need me."

The Gardiners also invited Lizzy to travel with them that summer to the Lake District. Mr. Bennet, having just given his approval for his favorite daughter's trip to Kent, began to protest at the injustice of her abandonment twice in a year to go pleasure seeking. Lizzy could tell by the twinkle in his eye, however, that he planned to give his permission after he had finished deriving as much amusement as possible from the situation.

As Mary and Mr. Collins waved their farewells and rode the carriage away from Longbourn, a feeling of optimism and peace prevailed over everyone's hopes for the new year.