Thanks for your reviews.

I am glad that you liked my take on Caroline. Yes, she was single-minded in her ambition, but she was capable of learning if she was hit over the head often enough. 😉

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Announcements

'I just made the most remarkable discovery,' Bingley said quietly to Jane.

'And what did you discover, Mr Bingley?'

'That some of the Bennet family have been keeping secrets.'

'Which secret in particular did you discover today?'

'The full name of Mrs Farrington.' At Jane's quizzical look he added very quietly, 'the Countess of Wentworth.'

'What prompted Cousin Edith to divulge this information?' asked Jane, although the absence of Miss Bingley made her suspect the cause.

'I am afraid my sister was being… difficult.'

'Ah… I was wondering how long our cousin could keep her temper.'

'She did wonderfully well, considering the extreme provocation. But I did not have a chance to ask Mr Bennet… does Darcy know?'

'Certainly not. Elizabeth would be most vexed with anyone who told him.'

'Would it not make things easier? I know that Darcy was expected to make a match with a well-connected lady…'

Jane smiled ruefully. 'I am afraid that we sisters are somewhat romantic. We wish to be loved for ourselves, not for our connections.'

'I have to confess that my sister changed her mind today about my wish to marry for love.'

Bingley glanced towards his friend, who was sitting with Miss Elizabeth at the other end of the room, just in time to see a huge smile spread over Darcy's face, followed by him kissing the lady's hand.

'I think your sister has also had her wish fulfilled,' said Bingley with a nod at the couple. When Jane's gaze followed the direction of his nod, she too was convinced that the two had come to an understanding at last.

~~H~~

Soon after Edith and Richard joined the group in the drawing room, Mr Bennet smiled as he moved a bishop and said, 'check-mate.'

Hurst sighed as he looked first at the board and then at Mr Bennet. 'It seems that I have become rusty at the game. Perhaps I should have accepted Darcy's challenge to play more often.'

'Is he any good?'

'Quite good, I believe. He was the Cambridge chess champion the last two years he was at school.'

'Perhaps if Lizzy can spare him for a while…' muttered Bennet and looked over his shoulder. He raised his voice. 'Mr Darcy, I have been informed that you excel at chess. Would you care to give me a game?'

Elizabeth smiled at Darcy and said, 'here is your chance to speak to father.'

Darcy stood and approached, 'it would be my pleasure. Miss Elizabeth tells me that you are a worthy opponent.' He took the chair which Hurst vacated.

The gentlemen made their opening moves and played in silence for a few minutes. Once the game slowed down as they considered their opponents strategy, Darcy said, 'I was hoping for an opportunity to speak to you, Mr Bennet.'

Bennet briefly glanced up from the board to ask, 'on any particular topic?'

'I wanted to ask for your permission to marry Miss Elizabeth.'

'Have you asked her?'

'I have indeed asked her, and she has accepted.'

Bennet briefly looked over his shoulder and saw Lizzy anxiously watching them. He suppressed a grin as he said, 'hmm, I will consider the matter after we finish the game.' He made a move.

Darcy shot an exasperated glance at his beloved and raised his shoulders. In answer Elizabeth rolled her eyes and shook her head. He briefly looked at the board and moved a piece.

'If you are concerned about your daughter's comfort, I can assure you that I am well capable of supporting her.' Darcy tried to discover Mr Bennet's reluctance to give him an immediate answer.

'I know that you are wealthy and will be generous, but I will not be distracted from the game by idle chatter,' Bennet huffed as he studied the board before making his move.

'I did not consider my asking for your daughter's hand in marriage to be idle chatter.' Darcy bristled at the casual dismissal before he thought to change tactics. 'If you would grant your permission, I will have no need to distract you from the game any longer.'

Instead of answering immediately, Bennet gestured at the board, indicating to Darcy that it was his turn. With a sigh his opponent glanced down and took his turn.

While Darcy was focused on the board, Mr Bennet caught his cousin's eye and tilted his head in a questioning manner and indicated Darcy with his eyes and a raised eyebrow. Edith understood his wordless question. She gave a slight shrug of her shoulders and nodded permission.

Bennet studied the board the board while asking, 'did your discovery of Lizzy's connection to the Countess of Wentworth make you decide that she was an acceptable bride?' He made his move while Darcy gaped at him.

'I had no idea that your family was connected to a Countess,' Darcy gasped as he stared at Bennet.

'Did you never meet Cousin Edith when you were in town?' asked Bennet and gestured for Darcy to make his next move, which he did in a distracted fashion.

'Mrs Farrington is the Countess of Wentworth?' Darcy had trouble associating the quiet and gentle lady, of whom his cousin was enamoured, as a member of the nobility.

While Darcy tried to come to terms with the fact that the Bennets were much better connected than he had credited, his opponent carefully decided his next move.

Bennet looked up from the board with twinkling eyes. 'Indeed, she is. And to answer your earlier question, about my refusal to give you an answer. Perhaps it is not exactly idle chatter, but while you were wondering about my answer, you had trouble focusing on the game. Playing against the Cambridge champion, I needed all the advantages I can get.'

He smiled and lowered his eyes before moving his queen. After making his own move, he looked back at Darcy and smiled. 'You have my permission to marry Elizabeth.' Seeing the relieved smile of his future son-in-law, he added, 'check-mate.'

As Darcy looked at the board in consternation, Bennet said with a highly amused grin, 'I told you I would give you my answer after we finish the game.'

All Darcy could do was shake his head and laugh helplessly. 'You cheated,' he exclaimed.

'Not at all. If you had not been impatient for my answer, you too could have concentrated on the game.'

'Next time you will not win so easily,' Darcy threatened with an exasperated shake of his head.

'I shall look forward to it,' claimed Mr Bennet.

It should be noted that Mr Bennet also won the next game, but it was a hard-fought battle… which both gentlemen thoroughly enjoyed.

~~H~~

Darcy bowed to Bennet and went to Elizabeth to inform her of the good news.

'Your father has granted permission for us to marry,' he said with a delighted smile. 'But he has also informed me that you have been keeping secrets about your connections.'

'My mother and Lydia do not know either,' Elizabeth said quietly.

'Why not? Would it not have helped you and your sister to make good matches?'

'Jane and I have made excellent matches without our connection being known,' she reminded him.

Darcy sighed. 'Will you be terribly offended if I admit that it would have made my decision easier if I had known.'

She grasped his hand and declared, 'nothing worthwhile is ever easy. At least we both know that what we feel for each other is stronger than anything else.' She sighed before she added, 'it was vitally important for me to be loved for myself.'

Darcy squeezed her hand in return. 'I too treasure that you see me for myself and not for my wealth. After all, you were prepared to reject me in spite of it.'

'Please do not remind me. I was very foolish that day.'

'Not at all. You simply reminded me that respect is more important than wealth and for that you shall always have my respect.'

He was rewarded with a beaming smile.

~~H~~

Mr Bennet decided that Elizabeth and Darcy had had enough time to discuss his decision. He stood and addressed the room, 'dear family and soon to be family, I am certain that you will be pleased to know that I have just granted permission… for Darcy to marry Elizabeth.'

Most people in the room displayed pleased smiles with very few looks of surprise.

There was only one person who voiced her amazement. 'Mr Darcy wants to marry Lizzy? What could he possibly want with a bookish hoyden?' exclaimed Mrs Bennet in considerable consternation.

'Mrs Bennet, I love Miss Elizabeth because she is intelligent, educated and strong. Not to mention she is also kind, compassionate and one of the most beautiful women of my acquaintance.' Darcy looked at Elizabeth, squeezed her hand and smiled as he added, 'her beauty, while it is a delightful bonus, is the least important aspect of what has drawn me to her.'

Mrs Bennet gaped. 'A man who is not concerned with beauty? All men want wives who are beautiful… and lively, of course.'

'Only the shallow ones or the very young. The rest of us are more interested in a woman's character.' Richard could not resist in informing the befuddled matron.

Bennet shot him a disgusted look. 'There is no need to point out my flaws so publicly,' he said with sardonic smile. 'And I would have you know that I was young and grief-stricken.'

The Colonel bowed in his seat. 'My apologies, no slight was intended. I was simply speaking in general terms.'

Mrs Bennet ignored the by-play and focused on the important aspect of the situation which started to sink in. 'Another daughter to be married? How wonderful. Shall you have a double wedding? I do not believe that there has ever been a double wedding in these parts. I shall be the first to host such a momentous event.' She beamed at Jane and Elizabeth.

Jane looked at Bingley and said, 'it would be most agreeable to have a double wedding if you are amenable.'

'I do not care how many people get married at the same time as long as at the end of the ceremony you are my beloved wife,' Bingley replied with a besotted smile.

Elizabeth and Darcy exchanged glances. 'I agree with Bingley. I simply wish to marry you as soon as possible,' Darcy said, wishing that their wedding day could be today. It was sheer torture that he was confined to only holding Elizabeth's hand, delightful though the sensation was.

'In that case it is unanimous. I also do not wish to wait any longer than I absolutely have to,' Elizabeth agreed with a beaming smile.

At this response Darcy had to exert superhuman control not to act according to his wishes. The wedding could not come soon enough.

~~H~~

Before everyone could get too carried away with the discussion of wedding plans, Edith decided that the time had come for her to come out of hiding.

For all the years which she had gone by the name of Mrs Farrington, she had claimed that the reason was that she did not want people to fuss over her or be deferential because of her rank. This was true enough, but it was not the whole of her reason, or even the major part.

Mostly she had wanted to avoid being the target of fortune-hunters. She had learnt that some men would go to any lengths to achieve their goals and she had no wish to be forced into a situation in which she was again a victim.

In the years she had lived at Purvis Lodge, she had done everything in her power to ensure that could not happen, and at last she had reached a point where she was confident in her ability to deal with any situation. Even though she did not acknowledge it, her friendship with the Colonel played a big part in her newfound confidence. His acceptance of her past had been cathartic for her.

She therefore excused herself from his company and approached Mrs Bennet who was happily exclaiming over Elizabeth's good fortune to marry a man as rich and well-connected as Darcy.

Edith managed to get Mrs Bennet's attention while everyone else was congratulating Darcy and Elizabeth. 'Cousin, I have to tell you that Lizzy is just as well-connected as her intended. I wanted your girls to marry men who loved them for themselves rather than their connection to the Earl of Wentworth.'

'The Earl of Wentworth? Who is he? I would surely remember having met a member of the nobility.'

'My son James is the Earl of Wentworth, and I am the Dowager Countess.'

Mrs Bennet looked at her cousin in stunned amazement. 'You…' she was at a loss for words, possibly for the first time in her life.

Edith took advantage of her silence and urgently suggested, 'if you pretend that you have known that all along, you will be respected for not using this information to advance your daughters and to avoid fortune-hunters.'

Mrs Bennet might have been a woman of limited understanding, but in this situation, she was quick to grasp the advantages. She smiled at Edith and pulled her into a brief but fierce embrace. 'Thank you,' she whispered with shining eyes.

A moment later she was in full flight as she approached Darcy. 'Mr Darcy, I must congratulate you on your discernment for choosing my Lizzy. Since she is the cousin to a Countess it is most appropriate that she marry the nephew of an Earl.'

'I am certain that my Aunt and Uncle Matlock will be in complete agreement with you,' Darcy replied politely although he was puzzled. He had not considered the likelihood that Mrs Bennet was aware of the connection, yet she had not used it to further a match for her daughters. Perhaps he had severely misjudged the lady.

~~H~~

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The Colonel and the Heiress (working title) by Sydney Salier, Copyright © 2022