Chapter 7

A few days later, Elizabeth received a letter from her father. She read it while the family were eating breakfast.

"Jane, Papa is recalling us home," she told her sister. "We have been here three months already, and he knows he is going to lose you soon."

"The wedding is not until the autumn, Lizzy."

"I know, but he seems determined. He says he is missing us too much."

Fortunately the dress that she had ordered when she was out shopping with Lady Dunmore had been completed. Elizabeth had not had an opportunity to wear it yet. It really was a grand, gorgeous thing.

"I am to have tea today with Lady Dunmore," Elizabeth continued. "I will tell her then that we shall be going back to Hertfordshire soon."

Jane looked downcast. "I was hoping to spend more time with Nicholas."

"I know. I am sorry," said Elizabeth sympathetically. "But, think of it this way: soon you will spend the rest of your life with him!"

"That is true," conceded Jane.

"Papa says he will send the carriage on Friday," said Lizzy.

"I suppose I had better send a note to Nicholas, then, to let him know," said Jane reluctantly.

"And I had better get ready for my visit." Elizabeth found that she was sad to be leaving the new company that she had found recently. Lady Dunmore was a kind lady, and she enjoyed her conversations with Mr. Darcy. Even Miss Darcy was a delight. It seemed sad to her that she would never see them again.

Georgiana was sitting with her cousin's wife, Constance, Lady Matlock, when Miss Elizabeth was announced.

Georgiana was pleased with the way her plans were coming along. Her brother was stubborn, it was true. He clearly saw himself as too old for Miss Elizabeth; but Miss Elizabeth's beauty, intelligence, and vivacity would soon bring him from his doldrums. They just needed to spend more time together. Fortunately, there was another month of the season to go. Georgiana had many schemes in her mind to bring them together.

"Miss Bennet," the butler announced, and both ladies stood to greet their guest.

"Miss Elizabeth, how lovely to see you," said Georgiana. "I assume you remember my cousin, Lady Matlock?"

"Yes, I do. How do you do, your ladyship?" asked Elizabeth with a curtsey.

"Very well, thank you, Miss Elizabeth."

"Won't you sit?" asked Georgiana. "I will have the tea brought out."

The tea soon arrived and Georgiana set about serving her guests. She watched Miss Elizabeth carefully when that young lady was not looking. She was a very pretty girl, Georgiana conceded. Very different from Anne, who had been thin, frail, and blonde. Miss Elizabeth was blooming with health and vitality, had a full although not voluptuous figure, and dark chestnut curls that seemed to have a mind of their own.

The ladies exchanged pleasantries for some minutes as they sipped their tea, before Elizabeth said. "I must thank you for being so kind to me, Lady Dunmore. You have made my stay in town delightful."

Georgiana was glad to hear this, hoping that her brother might perhaps have something to do with this delight; but then Miss Elizabeth continued. "Unfortunately, my father has called my sister and me home, so this is the last time I will see you."

All of Georgiana's pleasant thoughts screeched to a halt. "Leave?" she finally managed to say. "When are you leaving?"

"My father is sending a carriage on Friday."

Georgiana scrambled for some sort of solution. She could not be leaving at such an opportune time!

Lady Matlock filled the silence with hopes for a safe journey, while Georgiana's mind whirled. Then a solution came to her, and she acted rashly, for the first time since she was fifteen.

"I am glad you told me, Miss Elizabeth. I had been about to send you a missive with an invitation to a house party my husband and I are hosting this summer."

Lady Matlock looked at her with wide eyes, but Georgiana ignored her. Elizabeth looked surprised. "A house party? It is very kind of you to invite me. Where?"

"We have an estate in Derbyshire, quite close to Pemberley in fact. I had planned to invite the Sedleys and Mr. Cranfield, and hoped that you and Miss Bennet might come with them," she invented.

Elizabeth looked stunned. "I am sure Jane and I would enjoy it very much, but we must have my father's permission, of course."

"Naturally," said Georgiana rather desperately. "Would it help if I wrote a letter for you to take to him? You would be under the protection of Lord Sedley, of course, and Lady Sedley would be your chaperone."

"I think a letter would help, yes," said Elizabeth with a small smile. "You are very kind."

"Nonsense. We have become friends, have we not?"

"Yes, indeed." Elizabeth smiled wider.

Georgiana was feeling quite pleased with herself. "Let me go write that now, and I will return shortly. Constance, you will keep Miss Elizabeth company, will you not?"

"Of course, Georgiana," said Lady Matlock, with a questioning look, but Georgiana hurried out of the room to write her letter.

She took her time to make it as convincing and reassuring as possible that the girls would have the adequate protection, then she returned to Elizabeth.

"Here you go, my dear," she said, holding out the letter. "I hope we will hear back from you soon."

Elizabeth received the letter with thanks, and the three ladies talked for a few more minutes before Elizabeth took her leave.

As soon as she was gone, Lady Matlock looked at her cousin. "What are you thinking, Georgiana? A house party? Inviting Miss Elizabeth? I know you had no such intention."

"Oh, Constance, if you could only see Miss Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam together. They are perfect for each other, they just do not realize it yet. Do you not see, I have to give them more time to realize it themselves. Besides, Malcolm said when we arrived in town that I could hold a house party this summer. And I had not completely decided on the guest list," she defended herself.

Lady Matlock sighed. "I just hope this plot of yours does not do more harm than good. Your brother is convinced that he does not want to marry again."

"That is only because he thinks he is too old for Miss Elizabeth."

"Is he not?" asked Lady Matlock with raised eyesbrows. "He must be twenty years older."

"That makes no difference if their personalities are so in tune. And he is still a man in his prime."

Lady Matlock shook her head. "Whatever you say. I only hope she will come to return your brother's esteem, or he will be hurt."

"She already sees the good in him, I am sure," Georgiana replied.

Later that day, Darcy arrived at his sister's house, secretly hoping that maybe Miss Elizabeth was visiting with her again. He was disappointed when he saw his sister alone, but hid it well. He truly was glad to see Georgiana, after all.

Melody ran off to play with her cousin Aileen, and brother and sister sat down to talk. Georgiana's husband Malcolm joined them a moment later and Georgiana surprised her brother by saying, "Malcolm and I have discussed it, and we are going to hold a house party at Dunmore Manor this summer. Of course you and Melody will come, and we will invite Richard and Rosalind and the Matlocks. Would you like us to invite Mr. Bingley?"

"That would be pleasant," he said. "As long as it is only the Bingleys who are invited. I do not want Mrs. Parkinson there."

"Of course," she nodded.

"Melody will enjoy having all the other children to play with," he said. "It shall be her tenth birthday in a couple of months. I suppose we can celebrate there."

"Of course we can," said Georgiana. "I have also invited the Bennet sisters," she added nonchalantly. "The Sedleys are friends of the Matlocks, of course, and they are soon to be related by marriage to the Bennets. I thought it would appropriate to invite them."

Darcy's heart leapt in his chest. That had been happening a lot lately, ever since he had met Miss Elizabeth. He wondered if inside he was actually younger than he felt. "Oh?" he said with forced insouciance.

Georgiana nodded. "I find Miss Elizabeth a very pleasant young lady, and she is so good with the children. She was over here for tea earlier today. She told me her father had recalled her and her sister back home, so she came over to say goodbye."

Darcy's heart dropped into his boots. Elizabeth had left? And he had not even gotten to say goodbye? Then he chided himself for being silly. Why would she bother to take the time to say goodbye to an old man such as he? So absorbed was he in his thoughts that he almost missed Georgiana's next words.

"I gave her a letter for her father, inviting them to the house party. Perhaps her father will come with them. If not, they will be under the protection of the Sedleys, so it will all be very proper."

There was silence for a moment, so Darcy ventured, "I shall be glad to see her again."

Georgiana smiled.

Mr. Cranfield could not bear to be parted from Jane so soon, and so he decided to accompany the ladies back to Longbourn. He rode outside the carriage, while the sisters remained inside with a maid.

Elizabeth truly was happy to see her father again, although she was sorry to leave behind her new friends. Still, there was hope she would get to travel to Derbyshire this summer, if only Mr. Bennet could be convinced.

Jane had embraced the idea with gusto. If she went to Dunmore Manor, after all, she would get to spend more time with Nicholas. If she stayed in Hertfordshire until the wedding she would hardly see her fiancé at all, unless he stayed at Netherfield alone. His sister and brother-in-law had purchased the estate the year before, and that was how Mr. Cranfield had met Jane.

Mr. Bennet embraced both girls as they entered Longbourn, and shook hands with Jane's fiancé.

"Ah, Cranfield, nice of you to escort the ladies home. I hope you will stay for dinner?"

Mr. Cranfield agreed with alacrity, and they spent a pleasant evening talking about all they had seen and done in London. Mr. Bennet found amusement in many of the stories they told.

Elizabeth told him about Lady Dunmore and Mr. Darcy, and brought up the house party.

"You want to leave me again so soon, Lizzy?" said Mr. Bennet with a twinkle in his eye. "Why, is there some young beau you have who will be there?"

"Of course not, Papa! But you are invited, too."

He waved that off. "You know I am not one for travel."

"But Aunt Gardiner says Derbyshire is the most beautiful county in England. I do so want to see it."

He still hesitated, and so she handed him Lady Dunmore's letter. He sat back to read it. When he was finished, he looked up at her. "Well, my dear, it appears as if this Lady Dunmore is very persuasive. All right, you may go, as long as I have the word of young Cranfield that he and the Sedleys will see to your and Jane's care while you are there."

Elizabeth was elated. She questioned to herself why she was so very happy. Surely it was just because she was going to spend a pleasant month with friends in a beautiful county? Then her father added, "Besides, I may have some courting to do myself while you are gone."

"You? Courting, Papa?" asked Elizabeth.

Mr. Bennet raised his eyebrows. "What? Surely you do not think me too old for courting, Lizzy?"

"Of course not, Papa," she said, though she saw he was amused. "I just did not know you fancied any of the ladies in the area."

"We shall have to see," he said only.