"Now, tell me, Georgiana," Caroline demanded of her friend at the breakfast table, "how did you enjoy your evening?"
Looking between Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst, Georgiana tried to ascertain what she could say that would neither offend nor encourage her hostess.
"I don't believe I have ever sat down to a more elegant table, Caroline," she began uneasily.
"Sweet Georgiana, I hope that the dinner was fine and well enough for our Hertfordshire neighbors, but certainly when I entertain in London, it is a much more sophisticated affair."
Caroline waited in silence until Georgiana made a second attempt. "It was exhilarating just to watch the dancing. You must be fatigued this morning; I'm sure I wanted to ask brother to stay out after dinner, but I could not have kept my eyes open for one moment longer."
"I would happily have ended the evening myself once the country dances began, but my brother simply insisted on them."
It was abundantly clear that Caroline was determined to be displeased with the events of the previous evening, and Georgina was at a loss as to how to satisfy her. "And yet surely you must be proud that your brother has made so many new friends and is held in such high esteem by his neighbors?"
"Well of course, though I would be appalled if he were not to gain the respect of such a neighborhood!" Caroline's indignation was apparent, but she breathed deeply to compose herself. "I do hope that I shall have the opportunity to see you dancing with Charles soon. Our return to London cannot come quickly enough for me, and knowing that we shall be able to join you and Mr. Darcy at all the events of your first season only heightens the anticipation."
"I suppose I must have my coming out this year or next, still, I am in no hurry. My brother seems quite content with a country ball; he might not yet be in a rush to return to town. I confess I have rarely seen him so pleased as he was last night." Keeping a close eye on her hostess Georgiana continued mischievously, "he spoke so highly of your neighbors when we were in London; I do believe he is growing quite attached to Hertfordshire." She knew it was cruel but could not resist. "Upon hearing his account, I expected the Miss Bennets to be lovely and - happily - I was not disappointed. Most especially with Miss Elizabeth."
The long pause that followed confirmed Georgiana's suspicions that she had struck a nerve. She smiled inwardly as she thought that she was not afraid to let it be known where her brother's interests lie and where they did not.
"I should not be surprised that she is to be thought one of the prettier girls in the country; there is too great a deal made of novelty you know. But to hear that she is also considered accomplished cannot be anything but astonishing! They are sweet girls, but I am so happy that Louisa and I have you here to keep us in better company now. You, Georgiana, were not blind to the lack of elegance and refinement of our neighbors, I am sure. "
With a sigh of frustration, the young guest held back from speaking her mind. "Unlike you and Mrs. Hurst I am inexperienced and unfamiliar with the ballrooms and dining rooms of Hertfordshire - much less of London - and so surely am not a fair judge. I suppose I will have to spend more time with your neighbors to make an accurate assessment."
Caroline cast a repentant look at her friend. "How disappointing that I developed a blister last night. It will, unfortunately, prevent us from taking tea with our neighbors today. I shall have a note sent over immediately with our apologies. I can't deny that - after the commotion of these last few days - I shan't mind at all being confined to my music room for the remainder of the afternoon. You are welcome to join me, Georgiana, if you would like. I have a pretty little duet that just last week was sent down from London."
"That sounds lovely," Georgiana replied unenthusiastically, "but I should like to wait for my brother a while longer. I have not seen him yet this morning and am sure that he must be down shortly."
The mention of Mr. Darcy increased Caroline's determination to win over her reluctant protege. "What sister would not wish for a morning spent with a brother such as yours. Of course, we shall wait for him, and Charles too. Would you like another cup of tea?"
Caroline served her sister and friend and commenced an exercise of flattery and praise directed at the latter only to be interrupted, much to the relief of Georgiana, by the arrival of her brother and moments later Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam.
"Ah - and so we are all finally ready to begin our day!" Caroline greeted the newcomers cheerily. "How delightful for us ladies to have been the first to wake and have the morning to reflect on the fashions and goings-on of our little get-together. It was very clever of you to escape such tedious conversation."
"On the contrary, I am very curious to hear my sister's impressions of the evening." Darcy countered.
Fitzwilliam helped himself to his second breakfast and sat down next to his cousin. "Yes, Georgiana, you must share your thoughts. Now that you have had a taste of society shall we have to prepare Pemberley's ballroom?"
Georgiana colored with fear at the thought of hosting such a grand affair and said as much to her guardians.
"There is no reason for you to worry about taking on such responsibilities for some time," Darcy assured her, his mind pleasantly occupied with thoughts of another lady taking on the role of hostess at his country estate. "But I do hope that you were able to enjoy the ball, even if it was only for the first half of the evening."
"Oh, brother, it was beautiful." Georgiana was relieved to have a more agreeable audience to share her excitement from the night. "The dancing, and the music and the gowns..."
Mr. Bingley's enthusiasm could not be checked, "Yes, quite! It was certainly a wonderful evening. I have never enjoyed myself so much as I did last night. Caroline, I cannot tell you enough what a splendid job you have performed! Just splendid. And now, I suppose you are preparing to visit the Bennets?"
"Regrettably, Charles, I am not feeling up for visiting today, all the dancing last night did me in, and I must recover. I should not be surprised if the Bennet ladies do not feel the same. Their enthusiasm last evening was apparent," Caroline cleared her throat and grimaced, "but surely has caught up to them this morning. I was just preparing a message to send over with our apologies." Caroline sat down at the table and began to write out a quick note to her friend.
Her brother's face reddened and his displeasure was immediately apparent. He drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes to collect himself. "How inconvenient, Caroline. Darcy, would you and Georgiana care to accompany me to visit the Miss Bennets?"
Darcy looked to his friend and then his sister with apology. "I am needed back in London on urgent business this afternoon, but will return..."
"Brother, why do we not all go back to London," Miss Bingley interrupted enthusiastically. "We could follow Mr. Darcy and Georgiana tomorrow - or this afternoon even. There is nothing I long for more than the sights and sounds of town. Even you must be ready for a change of scenery. And after such a successful affair as last night, I daresay I am due a celebration!"
Mr. Bingley listened apprehensively as his two sisters began a passionate debate over which shops they would like to visit first and speculated on which of their friends might be hosting dinners in the coming weeks. He attempted to interrupt to no avail until the Colonel succeeded for him and Caroline abruptly turned her attentions back to her pen and paper.
"It is a shame today's plans have been spoiled," the Colonel announced loudly. And then with a look of contrition directed at his younger cousin added, "I will gladly stay with you, Georgiana, and only regret that I cannot accompany you this morning to honor your visit your new friends. I have business with Colonel Forster that cannot be delayed and shall be dining with the officers this evening. Darce, you are planning to return tomorrow, you say? We will not be inconveniencing you I hope, Charles."
"Why of course you must stay! And I'm am glad that you can name your return this time, Darcy. Miss Darcy, I would take you myself if I were able!" No sooner had Bingley finished the sentence, then he was pulling his coat on and heading towards the door. "But I will convey your deepest regrets to Miss Bennet and her sisters. There is no reason why I should not keep the visit, even if I must go alone. Here, Caroline, I shall deliver your note for you." He quickly retrieved the note - only just folded and sealed - from his sister's grasp - despite her reluctant surrender - and disappeared to his stables.
Georgiana's disappointment was transparent, and tears began to well up as she thought of an entire day spent in the company of Miss Bingley.
"Perhaps you would care for a turn in the gardens before I leave, Georgiana? I would love to hear the rest of your observations from last evening." Darcy crossed the room to his sister and placed an arm around her shoulder leading her to the door. When they were alone, he pulled her into an affectionate embrace.
"Must you leave? I could go with you..." Georgiana looked up into her brother's eyes and knew that such a request would be fruitless. The tears she had been holding back began to fall.
"I abhor leaving you under these circumstances." Darcy reached for a handkerchief to dry the eyes of his beloved sister. "There is no reason for you to suffer such a journey twice. I will be back in time for breakfast tomorrow and directly upon my return I will take you myself to visit the Bennets." Adding hesitantly, "Georgiana, I do hope that you will be happy to get to know them better?"
"There is nothing I would like more, Brother. Especially Miss Elizabeth." Watching her brother carefully, she was not surprised to see the slight smile he betrayed at the mention of that lady. "You care for her, brother?"
A long silence fell as Darcy took in his sister's question. He was unprepared to speak to her about his feelings and frozen with fear at the possibility of disappointing her. Had he rescued his sister from a marriage that he deemed beneath her, only to enter his own with no concern for how it might affect her? Taking a deep breath, he opened up. "Yes, I do. I love her. And I hope that you might grow to as well."
Georgina reached down and squeezed her brother's hand. "Since the death of Papa, your laughter and smiles have been empty - have held none of the joy they once did. When I saw the look in your eyes as you walked Miss Elizabeth towards me last night, I knew that you were happy again. If for no other reason, I love her already. She has returned to me the brother whom I have missed so dearly."
The thought that he could be even happier than he been this morning had never crossed his mind, but as his sister spoke these words to him, his heart leapt. It had not occurred to him that he should ask for his sister's approval or opinion on such matters, but now that it was given he was keenly aware how much it meant to him. That a marriage to Elizabeth might be accepted, even celebrated, by Georgiana erased any last doubts and fears and left him free to experience the full elation of being in love.
He reached out and looped his sister's arm into his. "Dear Georgiana, when did you become so wise?" The two walked together contentedly for a quarter of an hour until Darcy could no longer delay and they parted ways equally anxious for the day to come to a close and morning to break.
Mr. Bingley arrived at Longbourn only to find the three eldest sisters in the drawing room in quiet contemplation. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Bennet came out to greet him or bid him welcome as he had become accustomed. The perplexed gentleman delivered his sister's letter to Miss Bennet and casually mentioned that would not mind waiting if, in fact, there was a message she would like for him to return. He watched patiently as the beautiful lady delicately slid a letter opener across the seal and carefully unfolded the paper. He observed her serious expression as she read his sister's message; glancing up at him only once with the slightest look of confusion and concern in her eyes.
After a long pause, she refolded the letter, passing it to Elizabeth. "Excuse Mr. Bingley; I must check on my mother. Please send your sisters my warmest regard and wish them well. And Miss Darcy, too, of course."
Bingley watched helplessly as she rushed upstairs and then turned towards the remaining sisters with an intense desire to understand what had just occurred.
Elizabeth rushed through the letter comprehending quickly her sister's distress.
My Dear Friend,
Please accept my sincere regrets that my sister and I will not be able to visit you this afternoon as originally planned. We are all so exhausted from last evening's festivities that it would certainly not be fair to subject ourselves to an afternoon toiling across the countryside. Especially when I expect that we shall soon be off to town after Mr. and Miss Darcy leave today.
The delights we are enjoying from of our increasing intimacy with Miss Darcy can, of course, be of no surprise to you. I am convinced we should not survive an evening away from her company, so close have we become this past week.
Mr. Darcy insists that his business in London would only take a few days, but we're certain that this cannot be so and so I venture to guess that we shall soon follow suit.
I am convinced that Charles will wish to travel behind Mr. Darcy and that when he arrives in town, he will be in no hurry to leave it again.
Mr. Darcy, of course, is impatient to return his sister to town.
And to confess the truth, I'm scarcely less eager to return with her, from the hope I dare to entertain of her being hereafter... my sister.
Am I wrong, my dearest Jane, in indulging the hope of an event which would secure the happiness of so many?
I do not pretend to regret anything I shall leave in Hertfordshire, my dearest friend, except your society. I hope that we shall meet again soon, until then I remain sincerely,
Your friend,
Caroline Bingley
Elizabeth looked up at Mr. Bingley with frustration. To Caroline's assertion of her brother's being partial to Miss Darcy she paid no credit. That he loved Jane, she doubted no more than she had ever done; she could not think without anger, hardly without contempt, on that meanness of temper, that want of proper resolution which his sister displayed in misrepresenting his feelings, and risking his happiness to the caprice of her inclinations. One look at the gentleman told her that he was the unwitting messenger of such slanderous news.
"Mr. Bingley, if you do not mind waiting a moment later, I'm sure that my sisters and I would be delighted to walk with you on your return as far as Meryton, is not the right, Mary? Just allow me to fetch my bonnet and Jane and we shall be ready momentarily."
Elizabeth rushed up to her room and found Jane sobbing softly on her pillow. "Oh, Lizzy. Is it not clear enough? Caroline Bingley believes her brother is indifferent to me, and she means to put me on my guard. Can there be any other opinion on the subject?"
"Yes, there can! Miss Bingley sees that her brother is in love with you, and she wants him to marry Miss Darcy. She hopes to remove him to town and persuade you that he does not care about you."
Jane looked up hopefully. "Indeed, Jane, you ought to believe me. No one who has seen you and Bingley together can doubt his affection."
"I cannot believe Caroline is capable of wilful deceit. All I can hope for is that she has deceived herself."
"Believe her to be deceived, by all means, but she can hardly convince a man so much in love that he's in love with someone else instead! If you do not believe me, I beg you to give Mr. Bingley an opportunity to persuade you."
After some time, Jane was prevailed upon to return downstairs and join her sisters and their guest on a walk. The records would always indicate that it was a damp and rather cool afternoon in the countryside of Hertfordshire; but Mrs. Jane Bingley, to the end of her days, would always recall the day as a dream of cloudless English sunshine.
Only Mary was surprised when - as the party approached Meryton - Mr. Bingley returned with the Ladies to Longbourn and was the second person of the day to invite themselves into Mr. Bennet's library.
Author's notes: Many apologies for the delays between posting recently. As you might guess from the length of this chapter, I have been having a hard time staying focused on the story at hand - Elizabeth and Darcy - because there are so many other rabbit trails my mind is tempted to wander down: Lydia, Wickham, Caroline, Charlotte, the Colonel - each has its own story waiting to be told. I may not get to all of them, but I appreciate your reviews letting me know what interests you and when enough is enough already! There is one character - at least - that will have a life outside of this story but until then we are getting close to a finale. Thanks as always for reading!