Darcy woke from a deep sleep, more rested than he had felt for longer than he could remember. He luxuriated for a moment in his comfortable bed and thought about the wonderful dream he had enjoyed just before he woke. In his dream Elizabeth had come to Pemberley, had walked with him along the stream, had accepted his apologies and tendered her own, and, most magical of all, had accepted his request for a courtship.

As daylight intruded on his musings, his gentle smile was gradually replaced by a grimace of disappointment. How cruel his dream was: to taunt him with hope - with an illusion of happiness. How much harder, then, to wake up and face the grim reality of loss. If this was what a good night's sleep entailed, he could do without.

He rose and went through his morning routine with a stern visage. His staff kept their heads down and escaped his presence as quickly as possible. With a heavy heart, he forced himself to join his sister for breakfast. He could not avoid her two days in a row.

Entering the breakfast room, he was surprised to find Georgiana in a good mood. Positively cheerful, in fact. She greeted him warmly, bouncing up from her seat to prepare him a cup of coffee and ask what he had planned for the day. Perhaps the servants had reported his getting a good night's sleep, but surely such a small matter could not explain his sister's ebullience? Darcy sighed. Whatever it was that had improved Georgiana's mood, he could only be thankful for it. He thought about her question: what did he have planned for the day?

"I haven't given it much thought, Georgie. I suppose much the same as every day. Did you have something in mind?"

Georgiana's surprise was obvious. She put down her teacup and turned to face him. "Surely we will be going to Lambton as soon as it is polite to visit?" she asked, her voice laden with some import Darcy could not read.

"Lambton?" he asked, "Whatever for?"

"To visit the Gardiners and Miss Elizabeth, of course! You cannot mean to go the whole day without seeing her, surely?"

The Gardiners and Miss Elizabeth? Miss Elizabeth Bennet? Could it be true? Was his dream no dream after all? Or was he still asleep? Darcy did not dare hope. The pain of being thrown back into despair would be unbearable. Yet his traitorous heart would not be repressed: it insisted on opening like a sunflower to bask in the light cast by the mere hope of seeing Elizabeth again. His voice betrayed his inner turmoil as he begged his sister to assure him he was really awake and not dreaming.

"Brother, you seem to be awake, but perhaps you are sleepwalking after all. I cannot imagine how you could otherwise fail to be excited at the prospect of seeing her again. I am excited enough for both of us, I suppose, but I thought you would show a little more eagerness to visit the lady you are courting! I like her very much, William. I think she will be a wonderful sister. And I saw how you looked at her yesterday. She is good for you. Now go and get ready to make a visit!"

Darcy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was no dream. He really had encountered Elizabeth again, and she really had agreed to a courtship. She had come back to the house and accepted an introduction to Georgiana. The two had hit it off immediately. Georgiana was certainly predisposed to think well of anyone her brother approved of, but there was more than that: a genuine affection emerged between the young women. Darcy had sat and watched the two people he cared most about in the world, entranced by their easy friendship. He could not help imagining a felicitous future with Elizabeth helping him guide Georgiana into adulthood.

It was only when he heard them giggling at him that he had managed to focus on the conversation sufficiently to understand he had been asked a direct question and failed to answer. Usually so careful of his dignity, he found he did not mind being teased by Elizabeth Bennet. But then, he never had.

Darcy had roused himself to be agreeable to Elizabeth's companions. It emerged that they were those same low connections from Cheapside he had abused Elizabeth for during his nightmare of a proposal at Hunsford. It was a pleasant surprise to find them people of fashion, well mannered and of good information. He had extended an invitation to Mr Gardiner to join him one afternoon while they remained in the vicinity to fish at Pemberley – a prospect that gentleman had welcomed enthusiastically.

Darcy had managed a private conversation with Elizabeth's uncle to inform him of their understanding, and since he was in loco parentis, to seek Mr Gardiner's permission for Darcy to court Elizabeth while she was at Lambton. Darcy had promised to visit Meryton and speak with her father, but could not contemplate travelling from home while Elizabeth remained in the vicinity. He would do anything rather than put distance between himself and that young lady.

Mr Gardiner had laughed at his enthusiasm, made some witty remarks about the impetuous nature of young love, and given his blessing. Soon after, the visitors had taken their leave. Elizabeth had turned to look back at him from her seat in the Gardiner's landau, and Darcy had watched until she disappeared from view.

A joyful Georgiana had pressed him for information, but he had been too euphoric to concentrate on anything. He had admitted that he knew Elizabeth from Hertfordshire and owned that she had agreed to a courtship. It seemed that was enough: his sister was delighted.

Darcy went to his bed that night still in a near delirium of happiness. He had slept well and deeply, untroubled by dreams. This morning he had awoken, so accustomed to heartache and disappointment that he had thought the previous day a product of his wishful imagination. It had been the best of days – too good to be true. He did not deserve such bliss.

But now? Georgiana's amused assurances overwhelmed his doubts and his memory of the previous day rushed upon him with a sudden certainty. A wave of unbridled joy broke over him. A broad smile transformed his face and he pulled his sister into a hug. "Oh, Georgie, what are you waiting for? Let us go to Lambton as soon as can be. Your future sister is there."

The Darcy coach rolled to a gentle stop outside the Lambton Inn. A footman opened the door and lowered the step, then stood back to allow his master to alight and hand his sister down. Mr Darcy was impeccably dressed, wearing his best superfine coat, and would have cut an imposing figure if it were not for the look of anxious uncertainty on his face. Miss Darcy was dressed as befit a young lady who was not yet out. In contrast to her brother, however, her face displayed nothing but joy. She bounced a little on the balls of her feet as they followed a maid to the Gardiners' suite of rooms and waited for the door to be answered.

Mrs Gardiner's voice called for them to enter, and they were shown into a modest sitting room – one of the inn's best, but a degree below what Georgiana might have expected from the elegance of Miss Elizabeth's relatives.

Mr Darcy had no eyes for the décor. His gaze was instantly arrested by the sight of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who had risen to her feet to greet the visitors and was framed by sunlight streaming in through the window behind her. The effect was almost to give her a halo, and even as his eyes lingered on her beautiful features, a small part of Darcy's mind had time to recall his friend Charles Bingley's oft-repeated description of Elizabeth's sister as an angel. As he ascended the stairs, his anxiety had grown. How would she receive him? Would she regret the previous day, finding his offer too rash or her acceptance too impulsive? When the door opened and he beheld her standing bathed in light, looking at him with one eyebrow quirked and a smile on her lips, all his doubts fled. All he could think of was how beautiful she was, and how she had agreed to give him a second chance.

Georgiana giggled at Darcy's stupidity: He had been so impatient to reach Lambton that he had urged the coachman to press the team to speeds he would never have otherwise considered with his sister on board (truth be told, she rather enjoyed the ride!). He had alternated the whole way between a foolish smile and an anxious frown, never calm enough to settle into one or the other for more than a few moments. He had leapt from the carriage and handed her down with obvious impatience, and rushed up the stairs almost treading on the heels of the maid who guided them. Now, here he stood in the doorway, struck mute by the mere sight of his beloved. She gently nudged her brother to recall him to proper manners.

Darcy awoke from his preoccupation with a start. Blushing slightly, he bowed to Mr and Mrs Gardiner, and then to Elizabeth. His deep bow to that lady, slow and reverent, was followed by a greeting to all present and he stepped forward to allow Georgiana to enter the room behind him. She jauntily extended her greetings, before rolling her eyes and saying, "You must excuse Fitzwilliam. He seems a little distracted this morning."

Mr Gardiner laughed. "You must not be too hard on him, Miss Darcy. A man in love must be allowed the occasional lapse of concentration."

Darcy looked as if he did not enjoy being teased by his sister or by Elizabeth's uncle – that was a privilege he reserved for Miss Elizabeth herself – but, reminding himself of the need to demonstrate his improved manners, he smiled, if a little stiffly, and replied "On the contrary, Mr Gardiner. I think you will find it is my unwavering concentration that led to my lapse in courtesy. Do forgive me."

Elizabeth had watched all this interaction with mixed amusement and embarrassment. Was this the shy Miss Darcy who was joking with her uncle? Was this the taciturn Mr Darcy who so openly admitted to his discourtesy? Could it be that he was so distracted by the sight of her that he lost the power of speech?

She stirred herself to welcome the two visitors and ask the maid, who still lingered in the hallway, to bring tea. Stepping forward, she took Georgiana's hands and led her to sit on a couch near the window. "I have looked forward to continuing our acquaintance Miss Darcy. It is so good of you to accompany your brother this morning."

Darcy discussed their plans with Mr and Mrs Gardiner. They intended to spend a day or two renewing acquaintances in the village, where Mrs Gardiner had spent many years of her childhood, and then to proceed with their sightseeing holiday. Darcy begged permission to accompany them to several of the local sights, offering his equipage for the purpose and suggesting that they start with an excursion to Dovedale on the day after next. He also secured their agreement to dine at Pemberley the day after that.

Mrs Gardiner proposed that the young people might enjoy each other's company that morning rather than Elizabeth attending her aunt on several visits to her childhood friends, persons entirely unknown to her niece. This suggestion was eagerly taken up by the Darcys, who pressed Elizabeth to let them show her the village. Elizabeth at first demurred, but was easily persuaded to change her plans for the day. With Georgiana present to act as chaperone, Mrs Gardiner saw no harm in the courting couple strolling the streets of Lambton or taking luncheon at the tea rooms.

Soon it was all arranged to mutual satisfaction, and the Gardiners left their niece and the Darcys to their own devices.

2017