AN: When I wrote my note at the bottom of Chapter 34, I was so excited at finally having a complete chapter to post that I forgot my intent to give appropriate credit where it was due. I have known from the very first chapter that Caroline's gown was less a result of poor taste than of her being, as the more PC among us might state, color-challenged, although I did not know if it would ever be explicitly stated. I have held in my memory a gem of a one-shot (and I see at least one commentor has read it as well) that has been on my favorited stories list for years. It is right near the bottom of the list, if you are interested, because it was written in 2006. I highly recommend "Louisa gets slapped" by Darcy DeFirth for the ultimate wordless Caroline set down.

I am sorry for yet another delay, this one long enough that it seems several people were worried I had abandoned the story, even though I promised I wouldn't. Between work and other stuff, my head has just been in a place where I could not pull myself together to focus long enough to get any writing done even when I actually got a little bit of time to do it. My mind just kept skittering off or running around like a toddler who has just learned the word "No!". That was probably the longest mid-story posting break I have had and I didn't like it any more than all of you did. I am hoping it does not happen again. There was more I wanted in this chapter, but decided to break it halfway so you would at least have something to read. The next one should go more smoothly (well, that is the plan, anyway...)

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Darcy could tell something of significance had happened between Elizabeth and Miss Bingley while he was off getting their drinks. Since only Miss Bingley appeared upset, he would let the matter pass until he had a chance to speak with Elizabeth more privately. He was curious, of course, but as long as there was no harm done to Elizabeth or to the good impression that she was making this evening, it was not a problem.

Despite the stern consequences proposed by his aunt, Darcy was surprised Miss Bingley had managed to restrain herself over the course of the entire evening. Her spiteful comments and puffed up attitude had always seemed unstoppable. She had been so quiet and, other than the assault she made on the eyes, easy to ignore that he had not truly minded having her as a part of their group for once. Or, at least not after she had gotten over her bit of spite in the entryway.

As their group gathered to thank their hosts before leaving, Elizabeth pulled away from his side to whisper several things to Miss Bingley. He would normally prefer to keep Elizabeth close to his side, but this did allow him to pull his eyes away from the visual disaster that was his best friend's sister and rest them on the eye-calming form of his own beloved.

Watching Elizabeth and the others work on the gowns they wore this evening was an entirely different experience than seeing them in the gowns, combining their personal beauty with the beauty of their creations. With the one exception, every woman in their party, from his aunt right down to Miss Lucas, were in fine looks. From the whispers he had heard, Elizabeth in her gown had excited as much or more positive comment than Miss Bingley's had provoked quiet mockery and censure.

Even when the two women stood together, the sight of Elizabeth soothed his eyes. The combination of rich, dark amber and soft rosy peach and gold flecked with the deeper burgundy tones brought out the highlights in her hair, the expressiveness of her eyes and the brightness of her smile. Her every movement had an aura of elegance as the gold embroidery shimmered in the light of the candles and lamps scattered throughout the room. As far as he was concerned, his Elizabeth was the handsomest woman present.

He knew he wore a silly, besotted smile as Elizabeth turned from Miss Bingley and made her way back to his side. He could hear the whispered comments from people who had never seen him so much as smile at a woman before, let alone gaze on one in such an enraptured fashion. Let them talk. He was happy. Although, he would be happier if leaving the party did not mean parting ways with Elizabeth for the night. Their wedding could not come too soon for him.

From the expression on Richard's face as they gathered at the entry to put on their wraps against the cold, he was feeling much the same about giving up Jane's company. Richard had it right. Darcy almost laughed aloud at the thought that he, of all people, was feeling sad about leaving a party, even if it was only because that also meant leaving Elizabeth for a few hours.

Darcy would, of course, have preferred to have spent the evening with Elizabeth somewhere less public – his home, his aunt's or the that of the Gardiners, for example. All in all, however, if he had to be out in Society, this had not been a bad way to start. In fact, even if he would not admit it aloud, Darcy was actually looking forward to the ball that his aunt insisted they would attend in a few days. He would finally have his chance to dance with Elizabeth, something he had wanted to do since the evening they met.

"You will come to the Gardiners' home to visit with me tomorrow afternoon, will you not?" Elizabeth asked quietly as he escorted her out to Aunt Susan's carriage.

"I would not miss it," He assured her. He flicked his gaze briefly back towards Miss Bingley. "I think we have much to discuss."

"And if we did not, I am sure we could find some pleasant topic anyway," Elizabeth grinned at him, then pulled her wrap a little tighter as they stepped out the front door into the cold, snowy night.

The parade of people, horses and carriages had churned the snow on the sidewalk and street in front of the house into a slushy, muddy mess that required them to pick their way carefully to avoid slipping. At the same time, the crisp white flakes continued to drift down, sparkling cheerfully in the light of the lamps carried by footmen or the torches of the link boys who would run along in front of the vehicles to illuminate their way.

The air was chilly despite the many burning lamps, and as inclined as he was to linger with Elizabeth, Darcy knew their party needed to board their carriages and get on their way so the next group of guests could leave as well. He quickly handed Elizabeth into Aunt Susan's carriage, then offered Kitty and Maria a hand up. Richard followed on the heels of the two younger girls to assist Jane and his mother while Darcy stepped back to collect Georgiana so they could join Bingley, his wife and sister in the other vehicle.

It was only as Darcy settled into his spot next to Georgiana, making sure there was room enough left for Richard, that he realized he would be making the ride trapped in a confined space with Caroline Bingley. He was certain that, with the absence of his aunt to control Miss Bingley, he would be forced to listen to her complaints and outrage over the evening until he could escape on reaching Darcy House. As the vehicle swayed and bumped into motion, Darcy braced himself for the aural onslaught.

It never came.

Miss Bingley sat quietly, tucked into a corner, with Mary sitting between her and her brother. The interior of the carriage was too dark to see or read expressions, but the outline of her figure appeared hunched and her breathing sounded slightly ragged, as if she was silently crying.

Normally, Georgiana would have filled the deafening silence with her excited chatter. This had been a new experience for her, after all. Tonight, though, she was too exhausted from both her excitement and the lateness of the hour. She leaned her head on Darcy's shoulder and seemed to be nodding off.

Richard was probably lost in thoughts about Jane, while Bingley and Mary also seemed too tired to speak. Their shapes leaned together comfortably, leaving Miss Bingley even more isolated. Whatever had happened this evening, it must have affected Bingley's sister powerfully. Darcy had never heard her so silent. Even on the drive to the soiree she had muttered and fumed to herself. Ah well, Darcy thought. Elizabeth would tell him all tomorrow.

~o~

"Why would you be so honest with her?" Darcy asked after Elizabeth gave him an overview of her discussions with Miss Bingley. "I cannot imagine she truly changed just because of a set-down and list of restrictions from my aunt."

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh, no, she has not suddenly turned sweet, kind or trustworthy, and I am not sure she ever will be all or any of those things. However, your aunt's strictures and comments forced Miss Bingley to re-evaluate what she knows or thinks she knows to be true about high society and the ways of those who truly belong there. Last night she was both vulnerable and receptive, so I took a chance and spoke to her as I would to a friend."

"Do you think it will have any long-term effect? Will you become friends?"

Elizabeth shrugged, a gesture she did not often use. "I cannot say. My instinct is that Miss Bingley has never had a real friend. I doubt she even knows what friendship truly looks like. All I can do is provide an example and act in a friendly manner towards her without committing myself further until she has shown herself to want a friendship and earned my trust."

"That seems reasonable," Darcy said with a nod. He was glad Elizabeth had thought the matter through so she would not open herself to social betrayal by trusting Miss Bingley too soon. He realized he never should have worried in the first place. Elizabeth's experiences with her family and others in Meryton had long since taught her any lessons she needed regarding the value of trust on both sides of a friendship. He turned the conversation slightly.

"How did you know about her problem with colors? I had never heard of such a malady before."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Ah, well, that is the difference between us. I had. It comes up on occasion at the dressmaker's. In fact, I feel a little foolish that I did not realize the minute I saw her arrive at the assembly in that gown, not that it really would have made any difference. Madame Gaillard as much as told me of her condition when I delivered the completed gown to the shop, although I did not know then that the client was Miss Bingley. I also had other clues that added up over time. While I tried to stay away from general notice at the events in Meryton, I often passed within earshot of Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst as they made snide comments regarding the others in attendance. Mrs. Hursts comments ran the full gamut of fashion criticism, including color, but I never heard Miss Bingley mention the color of anything, although she was quick to judge style and fit."

"That makes sense, I suppose, although I know I would not have picked up on it. If I could not distinguish colors well or had made mistakes before, I doubt I would name them in situations where others might hear and pick up on my lack of knowledge."

"She would need someone she trusts to help her shop and possibly to help mark or organize her clothing. From what I have heard, she can be rather unpleasant with the servants, so putting her full trust in a maid is unlikely. I also noticed Mrs. Hurst smirking behind her fan when someone commented about the gown out of Miss Bingley's hearing. If you put all the pieces together, it seemed likely Mrs. Hurst helped pick the fabrics for that gown and knowingly led Miss Bingley astray."

"Ouch," Darcy said, thinking of the implications. "Whatever bad blood lies between the sisters, that is a nasty form of revenge."

"It is the kind of thing Lydia would do if she had the cunning to pull it off. It was also a very expensive prank, if you can call it something so benign, on several levels. I hope Mrs. Hurst got her fill of laughing in her sleeve at her sister. She will probably not have another chance to humiliate Miss Bingley like that again."

Darcy snorted slightly. "I expect not. If Richard pulled a prank like that, I would certainly never trust his advice on clothing color choices again."

Darcy followed Elizabeth's eyes as she looked over to where Jane and Richard sat having a quiet conversation of their own. Jane was blushing slightly, but she looked very happy about whatever they were discussing. After a quick glance at Aunt Susan and Aunt Madeline, who were deep in the topic of the previous evening's soiree, Elizabeth look back at Darcy.

"Knowing Richard's teasing nature, you would never ask him for color advice anyway," Elizabeth said with a chuckle, "but this prank goes much deeper than Mrs. Hurst just pointing her sister to pick a strange and unflattering color combination like Richard might do on the spur of the moment if you were asking about a waistcoat or cravat. As I said, it was expensive on several levels. First off, that gown was very expensive. In fact, that is why Mrs. Hurst did not get one as well – her husband was unwilling to shoulder the cost and Charles did not, although I suspect he may have covered some of Miss Bingley's bill. Madame Gaillard sells many gowns at a variety of costs. I was not, of course, the only person she employs who can do intricate and beautiful embroidery. What I have is a particular style to my work that recently became the fashion for Madame's special gowns, a signature of sorts. Since there is only one of me, and I was not even consistently available, those gowns were limited. Madame Gaillard had a waiting list and charged premium prices for the work. Miss Bingley paid a great deal of money for that gown and she was unlikely to get another of the specials, even if she was willing to pay the price, any time soon. Mrs. Hurst knew that, and yet she subverted the purchase anyway."

Darcy was starting to get an idea of the enormity of Mrs. Hurst's betrayal. Before he could say so, Elizabeth continued.

"While Madame Gaillard and her assistants would not prevent a client from making any choices they want, she does her best to guide clients towards colors and styles that will be flattering. After all, the gown is an advertisement for the shop, and customers who are happy return and bring their friends. I am certain whoever helped Miss Bingley order her gown must have tried to dissuade her from those color choices. That means Mrs. Hurst had to actively overcome any objections as she persuaded her sister that combination was the height of fashion. She then must have continued to persuade Miss Bingley that any negative comments she overheard about the gown were just the jealousy of those who could not afford to buy one themselves. She played on Miss Bingley's weaknesses, fears and aspirations to keep her from learning the true effect of the gown. That is a betrayal Miss Bingley may never forgive. It does not stop there, though. By making her sister ridiculous in the very society she had hoped to join, Mrs. Hurst materially damaged Miss Bingley's reputation and ability to find a match in that circle. Of course, Miss Bingley's catty comments and unpleasant gossip and disdainful manners contribute, but they would be less glaringly obvious if her clothing excited less comment. I also have to wonder if they were prompted by following Mrs. Hurst as well."

"What do you think Miss Bingley will do now?" Darcy asked. He felt an unusual sense of pity for his friend's younger sister. Having lived through the many years of betrayals, large and small, from George Wickham, he was sensitive to the depth of hurt that could cause.

"I could tell that her first reaction once she accepted the situation was to burn the gown and have a screaming match with her sister. Hopefully, I have persuaded her that the best revenge is to remain silent and let us help her fix both the gown and her circumstances. The truly special portion of the gown is the embroidered overskirt and the truly awful portion is the orange main gown. I told her I could separate the two and that my sisters and I, along with anyone she trusted, would help find the fabric to have a more appropriate gown made on which to place the overskirt. Mary agreed to let her know if any other items she wears are poor choices. If she will continue to abide by the rules Aunt Susan gave her, my sisters and I will treat her as a valued member of our party. It will give her a fresh chance to be accepted and, hopefully, to find a match of her own."

"I wish you good fortune on your quest to help her. Personally, as long as she is not trying to hang off my arm or regale me with vicious gossip, I am fine lending her the consequence of a connection to my family if that is what you wish, my dear. On to happier things, however. Now that your sister has finally accepted Richard, can we set a date for the double wedding?"

Elizabeth giggled. "I think Richard wanted to start calling the banns the minute Jane agreed to let him court her. I would be happy to wed right away, but I think Jane will want a little time. Let us go over and see if we can convince her to have the first of the banns called right after the new year, as Aunt Susan has suggested."

Darcy immediately stood and offered Elizabeth his hand. "I shall be happy to escort you through the dangers of the sitting room and land you safely by your sister's side," he said gallantly.

Elizabeth giggled again, but she took his arm. Aunt Susan and Aunt Madeline looked up, both women smirking a bit. They probably knew what was on the couple's mind. Making a show of ignoring them, Darcy brought Elizabeth the short distance across the room to stand by Richard and Jane, who had been so intent on their own conversation that they both jumped slightly when they noticed the couple stopping right next to them.

Darcy bowed deeply. "I wonder if we might claim a few moments of your time?" he asked in a very formal voice. "I believe we all have some wedding plans to make."

Richard's eyebrows rose to his hairline in surprise, but he quickly recovered and began to smirk. "That sounds like an excellent topic of conversation to me," he said.

"Oh, do sit down," Jane said, looking a little flustered. "Yes, I agree to a double wedding, and yes, we can call the banns soon. Now, what did you have in mind for dates?"

Laughing out loud now, Elizabeth pulled a chair close to her sister. Darcy copied the move to sit close between Elizabeth and Richard. As soon as they were in place, the negotiations began.