A/N:Thank you for reading and your comments. One reviewer has apparently gotten a a little impatient with Elizabeth's apparent denseness and self-centeredness. I am afraid she will continue to be befuddled and prejudiced for a while longer, but not too long (remember the event in the prologue is less than 3 weeks away.) It has only been a few days since she so cruelly rejected Mr. Darcy's proposal based on completely mistaken impressions of the gentleman.

You will see a new Jane emerging in the chapter. Let me know if you think that the new-found self-realization of her own worth is not convincing.

~ . ~

Inside Darcy House, the three young ladies and the Gardiners were ushered into the drawing room to meet the host and hostess. A tall, well-formed young lady with a youthful face and timid manners stood almost entirely hidden behind Mr. Darcy to greet their guests. Elizabeth could tell directly that this was Miss Darcy from her resemblance to her brother, though she was not as handsome; and she was extraordinarily shy. Elizabeth did not need proof for the veracity of the contents of Mr. Darcy's letter – a single glance at Miss Darcy already told her that Mr. Wickham's description of Miss Darcy being very, very proud was patently false.

After introductions were made, the gathered group sat about rather awkwardly. Miss Darcy was by no means ready to be a gracious hostess. Mr. Darcy, meanwhile, watched his sister intently as if she would commit the most unforgivable faux pas any moment. In the absence of her sister's companion, Mrs. Annesley, who had been called away just two days prior because of a family emergency, he felt entirely inadequate to guide his sister in her first experience as hostess of a small dinner.

Anne was not much better. She had retreated into the silent and sullen persona that she assumed while in company at Rosings.

Mrs. Gardiner decided to take matters into her own hands to ease the tension by thanking Miss Darcy for inviting her and her family to dinner, which made Miss Darcy blush deeply before she answered, "Mrs. Gardiner, I am gratified that you… Mr. Gardiner… and the Miss Bennets…could come…." She then looked over to her brother, who nodded slightly and glanced over to Anne. Miss Darcy now blushed crimson for forgetting to mention the guest of honor and added hesitantly, "to join my brother and me to celebrate our cousin's birthday… tomorrow." She was noticeably relieved after finishing this long answer and again looked over to her brother for approval.

Mrs. Gardiner smiled a kind and encouraging smile at Miss Darcy, having guessed what it cost the young girl to speak in the company of people not well-known to her.

Elizabeth joined in the conversation with the hostess by speaking of music, which instantly made Miss Darcy more animated as she was quite passionate about this particular topic. Even then she was still very shy to express her opinion.

Elizabeth looked over to Mr. Darcy from time to time, trying to figure out how he fared when talking to a tradesman. What she saw surprised her greatly. Mr. Darcy seemed much more at ease now and was conversing cordially with her uncle. Mr. Darcy, sensing Elizabeth's glances in his direction, was half-giddy and half-apprehensive, extremely wary that he might be misinterpreting her intent again.

Fortunately, three new guests, Dr. Seymore, Dr. King and a third physician, Dr. Taylor, who was Lady Catherine's personal physician in town, entered the drawing room, making the dinner crowd more balanced as far as the sexes of the guests were concerned. The physicians discreetly and briefly discussed with Mr. Darcy and Anne Lady Catherine's condition. She was resting comfortably with the aid of laudanum. Dr. King believed that Lady Catherine might be safely conveyed back to Rosings in about a week.

Elizabeth used this opportunity to ask her uncle whether he enjoyed his conversation with Mr. Darcy. Mr. Gardiner looked at his niece curiously and said, "Mr. Darcy was very civil. He made quite a number of insightful comments about the business climate with this war raging. After I told him about your aunt being an erstwhile Derbyshire resident, he became downright friendly and said that he and his sister were very glad to make the acquaintance of a neighbor, as your aunt's home village of Lambton is only five miles from his estate, Pemberley."

Elizabeth was astounded by this – Mr. Darcy calling her aunt a neighbor! Sure enough, Mr. Darcy and his sister sought out her aunt as soon as he had finished talking to the doctors. Miss Darcy was finally more relaxed when talking about her home with someone who had grown up near it.

Lady Fitzwilliam arrived shortly before dinner. She apologized amply for her tardiness because of the numerous tasks she had to see to before departing from town in a few days. Soon dinner was announced. Even with a proper hostess, dinner was a quiet and somewhat somber affair. Lady Fitzwilliam despaired of the too serious and taciturn nephew and nieces, and unfashionable guests whom she was not used to hosting. She almost rejoiced that the tradesman's family were unexpectedly well-bred and providing some sensible conversation. After a brief toast to Miss de Bourgh with birthday felicitations, the guests mostly focused on the sumptuous courses that were served quite without pause.

Because of their small numbers, no guest was very far from any of the others. Elizabeth was placed between two of the physicians, Dr. Taylor, and Dr. Seymore. Jane was seated next to Dr. King and was talking animatedly with the doctor, who was also trying to draw Miss de Bourgh into conversation. Dr. Seymore was on the right of Miss Darcy. Elizabeth tried to help Miss Darcy by engaging Dr. Seymore on the topic of music.

In such a constrained manner, the elegant dinner was consumed. Again, Elizabeth felt gratified that Mr. Darcy appeared to be enjoying a pleasant conversation with her Aunt Gardiner. She could not speak to Anne across the table without raising her voice. With a countess at the head of the table, even an informal dinner had to maintain a certain level of decorum. Since Dr. Seymour was not a music afficionado, he very soon began to discuss with Dr. Taylor and Elizabeth about the effects of devastating nerve system impairments. She noticed that Anne sat up a little straighter and listened when Dr. Taylor emphasized that people of means should take care of their affairs before disaster might unexpectedly strike, particularly as they could lose their cognitive abilities. By now, she had figured out that when Anne appeared to be quiet and retiring, it did not mean that she was not paying attention to what was happening around her. Once in a great while, Mr. Darcy made a conspicuous effort to include Anne in the conversation, but his exertion was completely ineffective. Years of purposely ignoring his cousin to fend off the aggressive demands of his aunt to match his cousin to him could not be undone in just a few days.

After dinner, when the ladies removed to the withdrawing room and before the gentlemen joined them, Anne asked Lizzy to visit her at Rockingham House on the morrow as she had something important to discuss. The dinner guests were disbanded early as the doctors wanted to return to Lady Catherine's bedside to discuss the logistics of transporting her home, to Rosings.

On the way back to Gracechurch Street, Mrs. Gardiner declared enthusiastically, "Ah, Darcy House! What an exquisite place: beautiful yet unpretentious. The master of the house is also exceptionally handsome and quite amiable too. Lizzy, I do not understand why you said Mr. Darcy was such a horrid and disagreeable man: 'so high and so conceited that there was no enduring him.' These were your exact words. I found him more than civil; he was extremely attentive. There was no necessity for such attention. His acquaintance with you is very trifling, and I understand that our invitation to attend such an elegant and private dinner was entirely due to Miss de Bourgh's condescension. I must say, however, I did observe that you and Mr. Darcy stole glances at each other quite often. Is there something else that you have not told us, Lizzy?"

Elizabeth was speechless for a moment at being put on the spot. She composed herself and answered, "Aunt, I do not understand his behavior either. It was clear that he was extremely protective of his sister. Perhaps in her presence, he forgot to be proud?"

'His care for his sister is indeed exemplary. It is rare that a young man his age would be willing to give up so much of his life to care for a young sister so tenderly, acting as her parent. Miss Darcy must be Lydia's age, yet there is such a big contrast in how they carry themselves. If we melded them together and then divided them equally, we would attain two young ladies of perfect poise and confidence instead of having one exceedingly timid and the other almost intolerably brash. So why so many glances between you and Mr. Darcy? You have not explained this part."

Lizzy sighed inwardly at her aunt's insistence and answered carefully, "In Hertfordshire, Mr. Darcy used to stare at me constantly with a stern countenance showing disapproval. I suppose his esteem for me has risen if he only glances at me occasionally now. I might have misjudged his character. I found out in Kent when we had some occasions to be in company that he is by no means as horrid as I had estimated."

Here Mr. Gardiner interjected, "Lizzy, when a gentleman stares incessantly at a young lady, it is never due to disapproval. An irrepressible attraction is far more likely to be the cause. Is it possible that Mr. Darcy admires you?"

Elizabeth was truly discombobulated now and said with obvious discomfort, "Aunt Gardiner, Uncle Gardiner, I truly do not understand Mr. Darcy. You may want to ask him yourselves what he is about."

Mrs. Gardiner took hold of Elizabeth's hand and said gently, "Lizzy, Mr. Darcy impressed me to be an honorable man from the short glimpse we had of him this evening. I cannot imagine that a despicable man could care for his sister the way he does. Around Lambton where I grew up, I had heard nothing but praise of the master and mistress of Pemberley. The current Mr. Darcy was still very young then. When you told me you had met Mr. Darcy during Christmas, I made an inquiry with one of my close friends still in Lambton about the character of the current master of Pemberley. My friend of course cannot claim any close acquaintance with the inhabitants of the great house, but she said nonetheless that the young Mr. Darcy's reputation as landlord, master and neighbor was in every way as sterling as his esteemed father. I also inquired about Mr. Wickham as you seemed half in love with him…."

Elizabeth was alarmed by this assertion and exclaimed, "Aunt, I was in no way in love with Mr. Wickham! He was just a young man with pleasant manners, unlike Mr. Darcy. I am sorry that I appeared to be indiscreet and misled a fair number of people to believe that I favored Mr. Wickham."

Mrs. Gardiner looked at her niece with some curiosity and said, "That was quite a vehement denial! I am very glad that your heart was not attached to that young man. The report I heard about him is not at all flattering. He was alleged to have put a few young maidens, daughters of tradesmen around Lambton, into difficult situations. He was said to have joined the army, which we know to be true, and had gone quite wild, which we did not. I was going to find an occasion to break this intelligence to you before you leave London so that you would know to guard yourself against a potential reprobate. I see that my worries were groundless."

"Aunt, I do thank you for thinking of me, but there has never been any danger. Let us not dwell on me. I saw Jane in deep conversation with Dr. King during dinner. What do you think of the doctor, Jane?" Elizabeth tried valiantly to steer the attention in the carriage away from herself, and her aunt and uncle acquiesced, sensing that their younger niece seemed indeed befuddled about her own feelings for the master of Darcy House.

Jane, having had Elizabeth's confidence about Mr. Darcy's proposal, listened raptly to her aunt's and uncle's inquisition of her sister and was unprepared to answer this rather intrusive question. She composed herself before answering compliantly, "Dr. King was very pleasant. We talked mostly on the herbs that may have medicinal uses. Being a physician, he might have been truly interested in what I had to say and did not just feign the attentiveness. Thinking back, it was rather rude of me to talk only about my own hobby in the still room and ask nothing about his."

"Oh, Jane, you are a magician when it comes to the still room. I eagerly await what you are going to do with the elderberry extract you have been enthusiastic about. Dr. King seems very skilled in leading people to talk in a way that makes them forget their troubles. He talked to Anne about novels she had read, and Anne seemed so much more relaxed about her mother's and her own traumatic events afterwards."

Jane uttered a soft "oh" under her breath. She did in fact feel lighter – more optimistic – after the dinner conversation with Dr. King. In comparison with the conversations she usually had with young men including Mr. Bingley, what she discussed with Dr. King seemed so much more substantial. She had told him what she found in a book in her uncle's library about the many beneficial uses of the elderberry fruit and was very eager to try her hand at making a distillate of the juice. Dr. King turned out to be very knowledgeable about the plant, and he seemed genuinely impressed that she had picked such a promising berry that had been used through the years by many, including the Trappist monks, for health purposes. She thought she saw a warm and tender expression in the eyes of this handsome man. Though not at the prime of his youth like Mr. Bingley, he had a maturity and gravitas that all the young men in her acquaintance lacked – except perhaps Mr. Darcy –who was unfortunately too severe and forbidding to be approachable. He was for Lizzy anyway and not someone she should consider. She stopped her train of thoughts suddenly, "What am I doing? I love Mr. Bingley! Why am I thinking about all these other men?"

All three other people in the carriage looked at Jane expectantly, wondering what that "oh" was about. Inside the confines of the carriage, even such a soft utterance was clearly heard. Knowing Jane's gentle and non-confrontational nature, her sister and relations did not pursue the matter, and the carriage arrived at Gracechurch Street without further ado.

In their own bedroom getting ready for bed, Elizabeth could not repress her curiosity any longer and said, "Jane, you seemed to be more like your serene self since dinner. A dark veil has been lifted off your countenance. Are you ready to share with your favorite sister the cause of this welcome change in you?"

Jane thought for a moment and answered, "I am not aware of any conscious determination to change myself, but I am sure that something must have changed if you have detected a difference in me. You are always so perceptive." Elizabeth wanted to contradict Jane here but decided not to interrupt when Jane seemed to be opening up.

Jane continued, "Since I received Miss Bingley's note telling me that they had all quitted Netherfield and had no plans to return, I have been feeling lost and helpless about the situation. When Caroline showed me nothing but coldness during my visit in January, I did not know what to do except wait for her to return the visit. I was so despondent that I went a second time, and they were not even at home. When she did finally come, it was quite clear that the visit was perfunctory, and was an obligation instead of a visit to a friend. This evening, when I talked to Dr. King, it was the first time that I had talked to a gentleman not in the family about my love for plants and how to make use of them in the still room. I used to think only of fragrant waters, but now I am thinking about using them for the good of people. This idea excites me so much that it has taken my mind off… many other things. Dr. King did not think I was ridiculous treating a hobby with so much heart and importance. I think that if I could stay in London a while longer, I would ask Uncle Gardiner to help me seek out knowledgeable people to help me further my work."

Elizabeth thought for a moment, "I had no idea! Jane… I am your closest confidante, but I did not know that your still room is that important to you, and you called me perceptive! Why don't you just ask Dr. King? He has already shown himself to be not only interested, but also knowledgeable. I understand he is well connected in the medical community in London. His practice was in London until he moved to Kent after his wife's passing six months ago. In fact, perhaps you should come with me and Anne when we go back to Rosings in a few days. Dr. King will be accompanying Lady Catherine to care for her until she is well."

"Dr. King is widowed? I did not notice. He was dressed in black, and I thought physicians were dressed rather somberly in general."

Jane paused and added, "Lizzy, it is not your fault that you did not know. Mamma frowns on my working in the garden to 'get my hands calloused,' as she calls it. All my life, she has told me I am so beautiful that I will attract a wealthy and handsome gentleman, if not a lord. I did not realize it, but I let this kind of talk affect me.

"I thought I loved Mr. Bingley, but now I think it was because he was the wealthiest and handsomest gentleman who had ever shown an overt interest in me. This long stay in London has distanced me from mamma's influence. Uncle and Aunt Gardiner have introduced me to quite a few of their friends and associates, young men who might make a suitable match for me, but I was not ready. Now, having talked to Dr. King and having him affirm that I have some talent for investigating the healing properties of plants, I feel different. It seems… that such a short encounter should not have caused such an enormous change in my feelings, but the truth of the matter is, it has.

"Lizzy, you must know that your daring rejection of Mr. Darcy's proposal because you did not love him has inspired me. I would not have had the courage to reject a gentleman with such a large fortune had it happened to me. Now I feel that I should reach deeper within myself to know my own mind and then act upon it without regard to others' expectations."

"Jane, you have given me too much credit. I have also reflected upon my own conduct since the proposal, and my conclusion is that I do not know myself. It does seem that I have courage aplenty. However, having the courage to act but without understanding is nothing short of recklessness. I too need to reach deeper within myself before I hot-headedly do something that may be hurtful, or worse, to others. Regarding Mr. Bingley, does that mean that you are no longer pining… oh, excuse my speaking so indelicately, I should have said, blaming yourself for the apparent abandonment of Mr. Bingley?"

"Lizzy, I do not think I have ever blamed myself… or Mr. Bingley for anything. It was more self-pity I felt. I turned two-and- twenty and a most eligible young man who would have surely rescued me from spinsterhood got away; and I have not felt any affinity with the young men I have met since coming to London. You must think that I am as silly as Lydia, only thinking about marriage prospects! Be assured that marriage to a rich and handsome gentleman is no longer my top priority in life."

"Oh Jane, what happened this past week has proven again and again that I am a simpleton. I thought you were deeply attached to Mr. Bingley! Jane, mamma is right about one thing – you are not so beautiful for nothing! The gentleman who values you for the true treasure you are, will come, and soon. I am certain of it. If there is anything I can do to assist you in the pursuit of your new passion, just say the word!"

"Lizzy, I am not very anxious about when and to whom I shall marry as long as mamma is not close by to constantly harp on the subject. Perhaps going with you and Miss de Bourgh to Rosings is a good idea. Mamma will be kept far away then. Is Mr. Darcy not going as well? I could not say anything when Uncle and Aunt Gardiner pressed you about Mr. Darcy admiring you. Do you think you will give Mr. Darcy a second chance for love now that you know from Aunt and Uncle Gardiner that he is in fact an admirable gentleman?"

"Oh Jane, both you and Charlotte think that it is entirely up to me to simply change my mind and Mr. Darcy would offer for me again. I must admit that I have seen how foolish I was to reject his offer based on false pretexts and perceptions. I am sure that Mr. Darcy must have also seen the same foolishness and congratulated himself on his narrow escape. I shall work with him while Anne learns to be a respected mistress of Rosings. Oh! I also need to alert him to Anne's propensity to just give her estate away on a whim to anybody and everybody. Then he will go back to his home in far-away Derbyshire, and I may never see him again after that. At best, we shall just meet as common and indifferent acquaintance when working on Anne's behalf.'

"Yes, very indifferent indeed," said Jane, laughing. "Oh, Lizzy, take care. I think you are in great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever. I noticed the glances he directed toward you throughout the evening."

"Oh, Jane, there is no point in talking about it as I am sure that I am right: Mr. Darcy will not, and indeed, ought not offer for me again as I have shown him nothing but my shallowness and my cruelty. In any case, let us go to bed as I need to meet Anne tomorrow at her uncle's house for some mysterious business about which she refused to even leak a word. Before that, I have promised to take my cousins to the park. What if you come with us to Hyde Park and accompany them home while I go on to Rockingham House?"

"I have nothing planned. I would enjoy the outing at the park."

The sisters then went to bed, each thinking about what had been said during their tête-à-tête, which had revealed far more than they had ever thought possible.