Every evening, Mrs. Bennet would diligently ensure that her daughters were in bed before she herself retired to her bedchamber. Being a particularly light sleeper, she was startled by a faint noise emanating from the drawing room. Concerned, she rose from her bed and quietly made her way to investigate the source of the disturbance. To her surprise, she discovered Lizzy standing in the dimly lit room, clutching a candelabra with a flickering candle in one hand and a book in the other. Mrs. Bennet's brow furrowed as she gently admonished, "Lizzy, my dear, you should retire to bed. Mr. Darcy will be calling for us at 7:00 in order to arrive in Canterbury before noon."

"I tried to get some sleep, Mama, but I could not and gave up. So, I decided to read instead," she said, smiling, "It's quite a wonderful coincidence that 'The Tales of Canterbury' are among the few books the owners of this house left here, and Georgiana showed us her drawings of the Canterbury Cathedral."

Mrs. Bennet noticed. In the last few weeks, she had observed the way Mr. Darcy looked at and conversed with Elizabeth, leaving her with no doubts about the gentleman's attraction to her daughter. Following a short pause, she delicately inquired, "Lizzy, are you aware that Mr. Darcy arranged this trip because you expressed a desire to visit Canterbury?"

Elizabeth blushed slightly and nodded, "Yes, Mama."

Upon seeing the blush on her daughter's face and the unmistakable emotion in her eyes, she came to the conclusion that Elizabeth had developed feelings for Mr. Darcy. Deliberately she decided not to meddle in her daughter's relationship with Mr. Darcy unless she asked her advice. With a knowing smile, she gently remarked, "Try to get some rest, Lizzy."

PPP

At the agreed-upon time, the Darcys and Colonel Fitzwilliam were ready and they fetched Mrs. Bennet and her daughters. As Darcy's carriage was capable of accommodating only six people comfortably, Darcy and the Colonel would travel half of the journey on horseback and the other half in the carriage. The distance to Canterbury was nearly twenty miles, and given the town's numerous attractions, Darcy and Mrs. Bennet resolved to rent rooms in one of the main inns and spend the night there. Mr. Darcy's valet had departed two days prior to secure accommodations for their upcoming stay. Although initially hesitant, Darcy ultimately consented to Mrs. Bennet sharing half of the travel expenses.

After exchanging polite greetings, Elizabeth looked at Darcy and with a playful smile said, "Yesterday, I reread The Pardoner's Tale. I admit, it is interesting, ingenious and chilling all at the same time. However, my favourite is still The Nun's Priest's Tale. Perhaps if you read them again, your opinion might change?"

"Hm, unlikely, but I will gladly reread them and debate about the merits of both stories with you."

Before Elizabeth could respond, Mrs. Bennet inquired, "Mr. Darcy, have you heard back from your valet?"

"Yes, Mrs. Bennet. Unfortunately, Fletcher has only been able to secure four rooms-"

Seeing Darcy's worried face, Mrs. Bennet hastily interjected, "That's excellent news! Given the short notice, I was concerned he would not be able to find any vacant rooms. My daughters will be delighted to share a room, as it will allow them to chat late into the night. I am certain they will have plenty to talk about."

Georgiana's face lit up. She had never before had the opportunity to share a room with a friend, and the thought of being able to do so now filled with excitement. Looking over her brother, she implored, "Brother, can I please share a room with Kitty?"

Seeing how elated and hopeful his sister was, Darcy could not help but agree to her request.

In a short while, the ladies and the colonel settle comfortably into their seats in the carriage, and the journey commenced.

Elizabeth was less talkative than usual; her mind preoccupied with thoughts of Mr. Darcy. It was the first time that she felt so drawn to a gentleman. Undoubtedly, Mr. Darcy was one of the most handsome gentlemen she had ever met. While not overly talkative, but everything he said was interesting. Furthermore, he was intelligent, educated, listened and respected her opinion. The last few weeks had left her feeling even more intrigued, as she found herself dreaming about him. In her dream, they strolled together through a stunning garden, accompanied by two joyful children. Upon waking, Elizabeth could not deny the dream had been beautiful.

She was aware Mr. Darcy was showing a keen interest in her, but she was cautious not to raise her expectations. Additionally, she recalled that Mr. Bingley had displayed a strong interest in Jane over the course of several weeks, only to abruptly depart from Hertfordshire without biding her farewell. She knew Jane had developed romantic feelings for Mr. Bingley and was deeply disappointed when he left. She was so lost in thought that she didn't realize more than an hour had passed, and the carriage had stopped at a charming inn for breakfast.