Chapter 5

As typical the morning after a ball, not much was happening at Longbourn when Lizzy and Mr. Darcy arrived. Lizzy was quite happy about this. She was able to take Mr. Darcy to see her father without her mother or sisters being any the wiser. She stayed for their conference as she wanted to assure her father that she believed Mr. Darcy wholeheartedly.

Her father agreed to not tell anyone about the confidence he had been given but that he would curtail interactions between his younger daughters and the militia men in general. He would go to the town merchants and discretely remind them to not extend over much credit to the same since they would be removing to their next stations at some point.

By the time their conference was finished, Lizzy had no hope of Mr. Darcy quitting the premises without her mother being apprised of his visit. She suggested that her father might enjoy a game of chess with Mr. Darcy and she hied herself off to find her older sister. If Mrs. Bennet thought Mr. Darcy had only come to see her husband and to play chess, Lizzy would be outside of her suspicions for the time being. That would work. For now.

Well, it would have worked if Mr. Darcy had not intentionally sought her out in the drawing room before taking his leave. She could see her mother begin her typical agitations whenever an unmarried man between the ages of 15 and 50 was in any of her daughters' presence. That would not do.

"I have a pair of gloves to return to Miss Bingley, if you would not mind, sir. Let me walk you out Mr. Darcy." Lizzy hastily said as she rose to quickly show him out of the drawing room. He had a quizzical look on his brow.

As they passed into the front hall, he turned to her and asked "What was that about?"

"I had you play chess with my father specifically to keep you away from my mother and then you come into the drawing room of your own volition. Best laid plans and all of that."

"I do not understand." replied Mr. Darcy.

"Ugh. I am sorry that my mother is such a fuss budget. If she thinks we do not currently hate each other, she will go off on one of her flights of fancy and have us at the altar before Bingley can even arrive to talk to my father. I do not want to live with that commotion interfering with, with, whatever this is." she was waving her hand and getting flustered. "I am sorry, I should not speak so." she quieted and looked down.

He gently reached over and took her hand. "I am happy that you are considering the same path that I am." She looked up at him. "I would very much like to get to know you better and maybe that would be easier if we were not under her scrutiny at every turn. She reminds me of my aunt, Lady Catherine, excepting that that lady has been trying to get me to offer for her daughter Anne for the last ten years. That will never happen. Neither Anne nor I would wish it." He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles.

"I should get going, I would not want to be here when Bingley shows up to talk to your father. That would really get your mother's attention. I assume Bingley and your sister will need chaperones for their courtship?" He smiled widely. Lizzy nodded.

"Bingley needs to go to London on business for about a week. Unfortunately I have business to attend to also and might as well get it over with so I can quickly return to Netherfield. Bingley has said I might stay as long as I wish." He smiled at her.

She smiled back. "Safe travels sir. I await news of your return." He kissed her hand again then slowly turned towards the door. She would never forget the smile he gave her when he looked back before slipping out the door.

Later that morning, Lizzy patiently waited with her sister Jane in the parlor when they heard a lone horse approach, followed by a sharp rap at the door. Mr. Hill, her Papa's valet cum butler, answered the door and whomever had been there was shown directly into Mr. Bennet's bookroom.

No one else in the room seemed any the wiser. Jane and Lizzy looked at each other with knowing nods as they returned to their embroidery. They were both making men's handkerchiefs. Their mother would assume they were gifts for their father. There was no good reason to dispel her belief at this time.

A half hour later Mr. Hill entered the parlor and told Miss Bennet that her father would like to speak to her. Her mother barely glanced up at this, much to the relief of both Jane and Lizzy.

Another half hour brought Mr. Bennet, Jane and Mr. Bingley into the parlor. "Mr. Bingley!" her mother jumped up and exclaimed in a volume twice as loud as was necessary. "Welcome, sir, we are very happy to welcome you today. What brings you to Longbourn?" she glanced from Mr. Bingley to Jane repeatedly as if such a display might make a difference.

"Mrs. Bennet, calm yourself." Mr. Bennet said sharply. Mrs. Bennet sat down in a huff. Mr. Bennet continued. "I am very happy to announce that Mr. Bingley has asked me for Jane's hand and I have consented." With that he promptly spun on his heels and returned to his bookroom. He saw no reason to expose himself to talk of lace and cakes and flowers any sooner than necessary. Hopefully not until the day of the wedding itself. He could hear the loud proclamations of his wife well enough from his bookroom, even with the door closed.