Chapter 5: July 1814
July came, and with it, Jane and Bingley.
Lizzy was looking out the window for the twelfth time in the last hour when she finally saw the coach appear far down the lane.
"They are here!" she cried and hurried down the hall and out the door with Georgiana and Fitzwilliam close on her heels.
Charles Bingley leaped out and in another moment Jane was in her sister's arms, both laughing and crying all in one breath. Darcy and Bingley shook hands and then pounded one another on the back in brotherly fashion.
"And how are you Miss Georgiana?" asked Bingley pleasantly, seeing her standing behind her brother.
"Well, thank you. And you Mr. Bingley?" she inquired, smiling and coming forward to great him with a sisterly kiss, for they had long been good friends and never attached to one another despite Miss Bingley's hopes and wishes.
"We have missed you sorely Bingley," added Darcy. "I hope you shall stay for some weeks."
"Charles," cried Lizzy gaily, disengaging herself from Jane and taking his hands. "It is so good to see you both!"
He kissed her hand gallantly. "The feeling is mutual sister. I trust you are well?" with a significant smile.
"Yes indeed," she smiled back. "Now come into the house all of you."
"The grounds are beautiful Lizzy," remarked Jane admiringly as they ascended the broad steps.
"Aren't they breathtaking?" Lizzy agreed. "But we shall walk all over them soon. Dear Jane, how much there is to talk about."
The party spent a very happy afternoon, sitting and chatting in the large sitting room overlooking the river and, later, wandering about the groves and gardens.
When the ladies retired to dress for dinner, Lizzy stopped Georgiana outside the door of her room.
"Georgiana, I don't want you to feel neglected or shunned because Jane is here," she began, having noticed the girl handing back occasionally during the evening. "I am very happy to see her, but I can honestly tell you that you have become as dear to me as the dearest of my own sisters, and to have you with me all the time is my greatest comfort."
Georgiana's eyes filled with tears. "Thank you, Lizzy. You are the most wonderful sister anyone could ask for."
They embraced and then went their separate ways, feeling very grateful for each other.
A few days after the Bingley's arrival, the three ladies were sitting together chatting pleasantly.
"I wonder Lizzy, if you heard that Mrs. Collins delivered a fine, healthy daughter a little over a week ago," said Jane confidentially.
"No indeed, I had not heard, but I am very happy for her," said Lizzy. "The mail takes longer to travel from Kent to Derbyshire than merely to Hertfordshire. I daresay I shall receive a letter within a few days.
"Mrs. Collins lives near my aunt, Lady Catherine, does she not?" asked Georgiana.
"Yes, she does. Mr. Collins is the local clergyman," Elizabeth told her.
"I am sure I should not like to live so close to my aunt," Georgiana said timidly. "She frightens me."
"And me as well," said Lizzy with a laugh. "Be grateful Jane that you have yet to make her ladyship's acquaintance."
Jane smiled. "Surely she cannot be so bad as all that. Mr. Darcy was fond enough of her to spend a portion of each summer there."
"He feels a duty to her as his mother's sister."
"My mother was so sweet and gentle," said Georgiana. "I often wondered how she and Aunt Catherine could be related at all."
"I would say that that statement could be applied to Jane and I as well," said Lizzy, laughing again.
"You are very sweet Elizabeth! I am sure everyone I know thinks so," exclaimed Georgiana earnestly."
"See, there is no question as to which of us is the unruly one."
"That is not what I meant Lizzy."
"Georgiana, you must learn when I am teasing you! I am truly grateful for your valiant defense of my character. Now, what have you to say on the matter Jane?"
"I must take Georgiana's side of the argument in this case," said Jane with her gentle smile.
"I am surprised that you would choose a side at all."
"Oh, Lizzy!" said Jane, laughingly. "How I have missed you!"
Darcy and Bingley were out riding. Bingley had expressed an interest in seeing Pemberley's farmland and woods more fully than he had in the past. This was no hardship for Darcy, who rode over a portion of them himself nearly every morning.
They had been riding several hours at a brisk canter, with frequent pauses as Bingley inquired into various details of the estate and Darcy answered exactly on every particular.
They came to a branch of the river and dismounted readily. Throwing themselves down on the cool grass beside the clear water, they drew out a light repast which they had packed, expecting to be gone some hours.
Darcy looked at his friend and a painful recollection asserted itself of similar afternoons spent with Wickham when they were teenagers.
As if reading Darcy's mind and seeing Wickham's name therein, Bingley said, "This is a fine distance to be from one's relations. We have been beset with visitors at Netherfield! Mrs. Bennet comes nearly every day, with one or the other of the remaining Miss Bennets, and even Mr. and Mrs. Wickham stayed with us for one night in April, on their way to London."
Darcy winced. "I agree that a woman can be settled too close to her family."
"And my family is no better. Caroline and Louisa have been insufferable lately. I don't see why you ended up with such a fine sister as Miss Georgiana while I have such disagreeable ones." He picked up a rock and hurled it into the river.
"My poor fellow, the situation must be truly a terrible one to draw such complaints from you," Darcy said with only a hint of a smile in his voice.
"And the situation here must be truly wonderful to draw an attempt at humor from you."
They laughed and then Darcy said, "I know what you are thinking Bingley, now out with it."
"Well, I should like to purchase an estate in, in Derbyshire. Not so fine as Pemberley, since no such one exists but, Jane does long to see Elizabeth and I should not dislike having you all as neighbors."
"The idea is a delightful one and should be acted upon at once," said Darcy.
"You really think so? I shall then, by all means. My sisters shall see I can make my own decisions."
Darcy smiled but let it pass. "It may take some time to settle the matter as you will wish to buy rather than rent. If you like, I shall look into a few options for you and we can look over them more closely when you bring Jane in the late autumn for Elizabeth's confinement."
"Very well!" Bingley said with a grin, shaking his friend's hand warmly.
The visit flew by all too fast. Charles and Jane stayed at Pemberley for three happy weeks before returning to Netherfield.
Elizabeth watched the carriage roll away with less pain than she expected to feel. Jane would return, and in the meantime, Lizzy was very happy to be with those she loved so well in her new family.
She touched Fitzwilliam's hand and he gave hers a gentle squeeze in return.