Elizabeth briefly busied herself in putting away her hastily modified — and now unnecessary — mourning gowns. Her mother was flittering about with great plans for Jane. Bingley's coming back into the country had the most uplifting effect upon her spirits which, combined with her apprehension of the rise in the family's estate that must come from Lizzie's connection to Darcy, gave her an nearly indecent satisfaction. It even allowed her to deal with Lydia's complaints about their forced restraint from the company of the officers with aplomb.
"Now, my dear Lydia, how can you complain about that when you know we will probably be soon in town. It wouldn't at all surprise me if you were to be presented at court, and then who knows what man might come your way? These officers will be nothing at all to you then. Better not to lead them on, my dear. You have much better things coming your way."
Lydia, who knew nothing of such things, was all disappointment and could share in none of her mother's anticipatory pleasure. With a pout she set herself at a writing table for the first time in anybody's memory and set herself to writing a letter. Elizabeth restrained herself from asking to whom, but when Kitty looked upon it, the two girls shared such giggles that Mary was forced from the room in a fit of propriety.
Jane and Elizabeth continued with their day's employments and were each pleased, though to different extents, by an afternoon call by the Netherfield gentlemen.
"Welcome, sirs. Please do come in, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, do be seated."
Elizabeth, who had overheard the removal of Darcy's belongings to Netherfield with mixed relief and worry, kept her eyes upon her work as Mrs. Bennet bent her attention toward her sons-in-law, both anticipated and realized.
When tea had been summoned and drunk and the weather admired in sufficient measure, Kitty proposed a walk into town. The gentlemen were quick to agree and the sisters, excepting Mary, were soon on the path into Meryton.
Lydia and Kitty, eager to be in town, quickly outstripped the others. Elizabeth, though desiring to keep pace with her sister and Bingley to avoid the awkwardness of being alone with Darcy, soon let the lovers trail behind, as they were obviously desirous of being together.
As soon as the pair had enough privacy to not hear their friends' voices, Darcy spoke quietly to Elizabeth, giving the options he had outlined to his friend. She colored and swallowed hard. Her mind spun with the possibilities, and she could not speak for some moments.
"Nothing need be decided now," Darcy hastened to say, though he deeply wished for some course of action to be settled on.
"But if we live apart, me at Longbourn and you at Netherfield, it will cause talk, Mr. Darcy. You cannot doubt that."
Darcy allowed that there would be talk, but likely nothing more than would already be occasioned by the circumstances of their marriage.
"I should go to town, both to be seen to dispel any remaining rumors of my death, and to speak to my sister. She will be most anxious for me. I greatly desire to introduce the two of you as soon as may be. I am sure that she will be very fond of you. It has been a burden on her to have only a brother."
Elizabeth admitted that she was as experienced a sister as one might wish to have bestowed upon one, which made Darcy smile gladly at her. At the sight, Elizabeth's heart raced and her hands twisted together, her fingers nervously working at the still-unfamiliar ring.
"I wish that you would not look at me that way, Mr. Darcy," she said.
"Why not?" he asked, astonished.
"That — that looks so much the way you looked at me when you proposed. It brings to mind such memories —" She faltered and was silent.
"Of course, Mrs. Darcy."
"I suppose that I shall some day be used to being called that," she said, looking up somewhat as they continued walking.
"I had always thought that it would be strange, that I would think that it could only mean my mother. But somehow it comes naturally to me, that it should be you —" he cut himself off, and they walked in silence for some time.
As they crested a rise, Elizabeth looked behind them to see Bingley and Jane walking, very slowly, arm in arm.
"Has he spoken to you of his intentions toward Jane?" she asked.
"He has, and I believe he means to propose very soon." Elizabeth sighed with pleasure.
"That is very well. I'm sure they will be very happy."
"You are sure your sister means to accept him?"
"I have no doubt. She has loved him since almost first they met."
"I am glad, then, and shall only be sorry for the delay that I occasioned." She felt a pang of mercy for his misery.
"It could be that Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst might have convinced him on their own if you had held your silence, you know. You don't know that his discouragement was only your fault. And you did encourage him, at least recently. I thank you for that."
Darcy demurred at her thanks, but felt his spirits lift slightly.