A/N: For anyone wondering, Mr Collins has only just started riding the whirlwind of retribution.

Was about to push this out when I read my emails. Quick reply to a question about why Bingley was included in the will discussions. He will soon be Mr Bennet's son, and therefore will be one of those vetting/approving husbands for his sisters by law. Remember, it is the men who decided these things, women really didn't have a lot of say in legal matters.

25th November

Having received word that Miss Bingley was finally to leave her room and would be down for dinner, Elizabeth realised she had to forgo her usual dinner tray with Lydia.

She finished dressing for dinner and spent the half hour before the dinner gong, sitting on the bed with Lydia, who was feeling very well and had eaten a good deal of the tray brought up for her evening meal.

Examining her closely while they discussed some of the fashion plates in a recent edition of La Belle Assemblée that Elizabeth had unearthed in the library, she could see that her sister's face was not as covered with the rash as she'd thought it would be, and some of the spots were starting to scab over. She would discuss it with the doctor later, but she suspected Lydia might be over the worst.

'I think this bonnet might be improved if the ribbon was wider,' Lydia pointed out. 'It is vastly ugly, with all that fruit. I could make it up much better.'

Elizabeth smiled. Lydia was on her way back to normal, if still a little subdued. 'I'm sure you could. You have a fine eye for making up bonnets.'

The clock on the mantle chimed the hour. 'I had better go. You will be well?'

Lydia yawned. 'I think I will take a nap. All that food has made me sleepy. Enjoy dinner, Lizzy.'

As had happened a few times since her arrival at Netherfield, Mr Darcy was at the top of the stairs when she reached them.

He held out his arm, 'Miss Elizabeth, may I escort you down?'

She placed her hand on his arm and as they started their descent he asked, 'How is Miss Lydia today?'

'She is very well. I think. Although I want to speak with the doctor to confirm it, I suspect she is over the worst.' As she spoke, she looked up at him and a radiant smile covered her face.

Mr Darcy returned the smile, 'I am pleased to hear it. Miss Maria Lucas came through it and is now well. Miss Lydia is young and strong, I am sure she will recover too. Your happy thoughts are timely, some good news is much needed.'

'It is indeed. This last se'ennight, nay, these last two se'ennight, have had so much unpleasantness and sadness; it is past time for improvement.'

'I have some further good news for you. Colonel Fitzwilliam and I visited Colonel Forster earlier and Wickham is now locked away in quarantine for two weeks. It appears he did not bother taking my advice of three days ago and has not yet been vaccinated, so I explained he may have been exposed to smallpox due to his usual unsavoury habits, and the good Colonel ordered his incarceration for the duration of the quarantine period.'

Elizabeth was still laughing when they reached the door and he allowed her to precede him into the room where the others had gathered. Miss Bingley, descended from her self-imposed solitude, was sitting quietly beside her brother by the fire.

Elizabeth moved toward them to greet her brother-to-be and Miss Bingley, who seemed rather subdued. Elizabeth was surprised at the difference in Miss Bingley, and when she finally spoke, even more so.

Her voice was low, and pleasant to the ear and there was none of her usual mixture of condescending amusement and superior sneering present. 'Miss Eliza…beth, do come and sit by me where it is warm. Tell me how your family are doing. Is Miss Lydia improving?' She gestured to the sofa where she sat, in invitation, then said, 'Charles, would you please serve some drinks to our guests?'

Caroline Bingley had gone through the flames of the last week, suffered the displeasure of most around her, and appeared to have come out changed. After a few days in seclusion, no doubt with recent events playing on her mind and conscience, gone was all the superciliousness and condescension that she had previously displayed with such vigour. She was composed, but quiet, thoughtful, appeared genuinely interested in her family, and did not initiate any conversation with Mr Darcy or Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Elizabeth was not quite sure what to think of it, but decided, in the spirit of reconciliation, and for her sister's benefit, to attend her. Maybe the change would be short lived, but it was possible, if encouraged, that the change would linger.

For all that had befallen them due to that one unthinking action on Miss Bingley's part, she could not be angry. That would not change anything in the past, but maybe the future would benefit from the lessons taught by fire. She was more than willing to gently blow on the embers and encourage that learning.

When they went into dinner, she was surprised to find herself seated to the immediate left of Miss Bingley at the foot of the table, with the doctor across from her – two neutral parties effectively serving as a buffer between Miss Bingley and the other party members. On her other side was Colonel Fitzwilliam, which gave her the opportunity she'd been hoping for to try and discover what was happening with Mr Collins.

She waited until Miss Bingley was engaged speaking with Doctor Williams, and then said, in an undertone. 'I saw Mr Collins earlier. He was on his way to the library. I had thought he was locked away and guarded. I only just managed to slip away before he saw me.'

'Yes. Your father arrived to speak with him. He was under guard the entre time, you need not fear confrontation.'

Elizabeth bridled. 'I am not afraid of that man, but I am glad to hear he is not allowed to wander at will.' She took a calming breath, then added casually, 'So, my father was here?'

'He was. There was some business to complete that required his presence. Bingley invited him to stay for dinner, but he was obliged to return home.'

Elizabeth concentrated on her plate for a few minutes, half-heartedly cutting a forkful of food, brow creased as she considered the best way to extract the information she wanted, without asking directly.

She was interrupted in her cogitation by the Colonel saying, 'If you wish to know more, you must ask your father.'

She looked up at him sharply and was disconcerted by his amused expression. 'I have been trained in interrogation techniques and rooting out spies, Miss Bennet. I know when I am being probed for information.'

She sighed. 'It's just so frustrating being kept out of everything, simply because I am a woman.' She lowered her voice further and murmured, 'I just want to make sure Mr Collins does not escape punishment for his actions, but no-one who knows anything will speak to me of it.'

He replied in a similarly lowered voice, 'Be assured. Mr Collins will regret his actions and he will suffer for it every day of his life from this time on. I cannot be more specific, so do not ask me.'

Elizabeth nodded her understanding as Miss Bingley turned the table to speak with her again and the Colonel turned away to converse with Mr Hurst.

When the conversation turned again, Colonel Fitzwilliam brought up the subject of his cousin.

'I have heard something of my cousin's behaviour before I arrived here, and I must admit to some surprise.'

Elizabeth was silent for a moment, then replied, 'I am not sure exactly what you have heard, but, knowing a little more about Mr Darcy now, I am sure he had some good reason.'

'Maybe he did, but he was brought up to be a gentleman - whatever the provocation. It seems he forgot that lessons a time or two?'

Elizabeth was uncomfortable. 'What exactly have you heard?'

'Mostly it's to do with his attitude at the Assembly, but there was talk of an insult, which may or may not have been overheard…'

Elizabeth blushed. 'Given his actions and compassion to myself and my family in recent days, I find I am willing to forget the first impressions Mr Darcy made. I think they did not give a true impression of his character. Whatever reason he had for his behaviour on the night of the Assembly, and another time since, I find I must forgive him.'

Colonel Fitzwilliam smiled his approval. 'I am pleased to hear that, Miss Bennet.'

After the meal was over and Miss Bingley led her away, leaving the gentlemen to their Port and conversation, Elizabeth marvelled that she had never enjoyed a meal at Netherfield more and all because Miss Bingley was behaving as a hostess ought.

When the gentlemen eventually joined them, Elizabeth and Miss Bingley were engaged in a duet at the pianoforte and she was even picking up some fingering tips from her former nemesis.

'Brava, ladies,' called out Mr Bingley as they entered the room toward the end of the piece.

'Miss Bingley was kind enough to show me some fingering techniques,' said Elizabeth with a smile for Miss Bingley. 'I sometimes regret the lack of proper lessons on technique, so I have had a very pleasant half hour while we waited for you to join us.'

Miss Bingley moved to pull the bell and called for the tea tray, then seated herself quietly on the sofa by the table ready to serve the refreshments.

Elizabeth sat beside her and reached out a hand to touch her forearm. 'Thank you for your patience.'

Miss Bingley smiled and gave a small nod, but only someone sitting as close as Elizabeth would have noticed that her eyes glistened briefly with tears before she blinked rapidly to clear them. Elizabeth gently patted her arm and pretended not to notice.

Once the tea was served, Elizabeth excused herself and moved to speak with the doctor about his thoughts on Lydia's progress.

Pleased to hear that the doctor's thoughts concurred with her own and that Lydia was on the road to recovery, Elizabeth changed the topic of conversation.

'You been out on your travel's a lot recently. Are the other afflicted also recovering as well as Lydia?'

'I am pleased with most of my patients. Most are now over the worst of it, only Mrs Bennet has yet to reach that point, as you know. Miss Maria Lucas is now completely recovered.'

Elizabeth smiled at his reference to Maria Lucas. 'How is Charlotte? It has been so long since I last saw her. She must be happy her sister is well again.'

'Miss Lucas is relieved and is now catching up on some much-needed rest. She was sole nurse for her sister, you see, and it has been a strain on her.'

'Poor Charlotte. I just hope she is allowed to take the time she needs – she usually has many other duties around the home, you see, and her mother relies on her.'

'I have recommended she be allowed some freedom from her usual duties for a few days and…' He stopped and gave a self-conscious smile. 'You are likely aware of my interest in the lady.'

Elizabeth nodded, as he continued, 'I have taken to calling in there each day and walking the garden with Miss Lucas. That way I know she has had some time away from the house, has taken some fresh air and a little exercise.'

'I wish I were home again. Charlotte often came over for a visit to escape her duties for a little while, and I would visit with her. I suspect we have both missed our time together.'

'If Miss Lydia continues her recovery, I think she will be ready to go home in ten days or so.'

'I cannot tell you how glad I am to hear that!' cried Elizabeth.