A/N- Thank you for your reviews, dear readers. I'm glad my Jane met your approval, and I hope this chapter does, too.

Taking advantage of their mother's distraction, Jane and Elizabeth secured the carriage for their visit to Netherfield and set off as soon as they could, Jane having positioned their flowers into a beautiful arrangement.

Netherfield was but a few minutes away from Longbourn, but Jane seemed nervous about the visit, and though concerned, Elizabeth contented herself with smiling reassuringly at her sister, unable to understand why her usually calm sister was acting so oddly that day.

At Netherfield, the sisters found that Mr Bingley was too unwell to see visitors, but his sisters promised to convey their best wishes and pass along the flowers.

Jane thanked them gratefully, unhappy that she was unable to see Mr Bingley and was worried about him, but masked her feelings with her usual serene expression.

Colonel Fitzwilliam urged them to stay awhile, and Elizabeth was only too pleased to accept. Darcy, who had missed her as much as she had missed him, was delighted with his cousin's suggestion and half regretted having been so harsh with his cousin the day before. After that conversation, Edward had returned to his usual cheerful self, but Darcy felt uneasy.

For now, however, his entire attention was captured by Elizabeth. In her simple morning dress, with her cheeks flushed red, she looked like an angel and Darcy found himself imagining the several leisurely mornings they would spend together in Pemberley.

Lizzy smiled at him and sat down next to him and the Colonel with a smile.

'Miss Elizabeth, I hardly saw you yesterday!', remarked Darcy.

'Did you miss me, Mr Darcy?', teased Elizabeth.

'Indeed I did', replied Darcy, gazing at her sweet face and causing her to blush.

'I missed you very much, Miss Elizabeth, and I hope you missed me as well', he continued.

'Of course I did', replied Elizabeth shyly.

Darcy felt exhilarated at her reply, but the effect was ruined when Lizzy was forced to cover up a yawn.

He chuckled at her adorable expression.

'I don't believe I have ever caused a young woman to be so bored in my company', he teased.

'I'm sorry, I didn't sleep very well last night', admitted Elizabeth.

Darcy looked concerned.

'Is something wrong, Miss Elizabeth?', he asked.

She shook her head.

'No, nothing at all', she smiled up at him, 'I suspect Jane missed Mr Bingley more than I missed you.'

His expression turned serious.

'Charles has been acting rather oddly lately. I could scarcely believe it when he said he was too unwell to attend the gathering last night', he told her.

'Perhaps he is truly unwell', suggested Elizabeth gently.

'Perhaps. He appeared somewhat troubled. I only hope it is nothing serious.'

'So do I', said Lizzy glancing at Jane who was talking to Mrs Hurst.

Mr Darcy started to reply, then looked up surprised. Elizabeth followed his gaze.

'Bingley?', he asked, but Charles only had eyes for Jane.

'Miss Bennet', he said, walking over to Jane and kissing her hand, 'I did not know you were calling.'

'I thought you were too unwell to see me', blushed Jane.

'I'm never too unwell to see you', he said, gazing at her.

'Miss Bennet brought you flowers, Charles', said Edward.

'Thank you, Miss Bennet', he said, his eyes never leaving her face.

'May I have a word with you in private?', he requested, 'I believe I could do with some fresh air.'

Jane nodded, and he escorted her out, leaving everyone else perplexed.

'I see what you mean by odd behavior', murmured Elizabeth.

Edward, who overheard her remarked, snickered, and Darcy looked at them, amused.

Elizabeth turned to Darcy.

'Jane too has been behaving oddly', she said thoughtfully, 'she forced me out of my bed at the crack of dawn to hunt for flowers.'

'Wha.. what?', spluttered Darcy, laughing out aloud at the thought of the calm and composed Jane Bennet behaving so.

'Oh! I wasn't going to tell you that!', said Lizzy, yawning again.

Darcy found himself smiling widely at her.

Undisturbed by anyone, Charles and Jane reached the garden, both of them very nervous.

'Jane', said Charles softly, 'Can I ask you something?'

'Of course, Charles', she said instantly.

'Jane, we only met each other a few weeks ago, but I have come to care for you greatly, which is why I visited your father the day yesterday.'

Jane looked at him, astonished.

'I did not know of this', she said.

'No, that would have ruined the surprise, my love. I wished to be alone with you when I asked you to be my bride, so that I could do this', he said, slipping a pearl necklace across her slender neck.

Jane gasped.

'Oh, Charles!', she said.

'Jane, this necklace was my mother's. She intended for it to belong to my wife. When I saw this with Caroline, I knew at once that there was no one more suitable for it than you. Jane Bennet, will you consent to be my bride?'

Nearly crying with joy, Jane kissed Charles.

A/N- Well, I hope this chapter was satisfactory, though I'm not too happy with it myself. We have only three or four more chapters to go, after which I'll focus on the companion piece- I Was Too Late. If you haven't read it already, you might want to give it at try, but be warned, some of it is very depressing. It will focus mainly on the Colonel, but later chapters will see Elizabeth and Darcy's life at Pemberley, too.