Mama embraced Elizabeth, kissed her, and said that she looked lovely. Kitty and Lydia at once crowded around her, demanding that she intercede with Papa to convince him to relax the restrictions he’d of late placed on Mr. Wickham.
This made Elizabeth search worriedly for Georgiana’s face, to see how she took the mention of his name. Fortunately, Georgiana appeared unaffected, and she simply shrugged at seeing Elizabeth’s gaze on her, as though to say that sheknewWickham was here, and she was comfortable.
Papa did look at her, andtherewas awkwardness. They did not kiss on the cheek, and in the end, they did not shake hands.
Elizabeth was glad that he had not tried to make her give him a kiss or an embrace. But she also wished she had been willing to do so herself.
He did say, with a real feeling in his voice, that he was glad to see her, and that she looked very well. “I am very well,” Elizabeth replied.
Her sister, Mary said, “No man can thrive without a good wife. I see that you have taken such wisdom to heart.”
Hearing that, Elizabeth and Darcy looked at each other. He did not smile at all, but she could tell from his eyes that he was as amused by what her sister had said as she was.
Darcy said, “She is a woman of surpassing wisdom.”
Miss Bingley was present, though Mr. Hurst and his wife had remained in London. On the surface Bingley’s sister was everything that was friendly and warm towards Jane and Elizabeth. But it was clear that on Jane’s part the friendship could not be as warm as it once had been.
Elizabeth was the happiest by far to embrace Jane, to introduce her to Georgiana, to give Bingley her hand as abrother and to simply be wholly and incandescently happy while surrounded by those she loved best.
She did keep a close eye upon Mr. Darcy, to ensure that her mother and sisters did not annoy him indecently — though she rather hoped they would annoy him decently.
Fortunately, at first, he chiefly conversed with Bingley and Mr. Bennet.
Mama wanted to hear every detail of Pemberley and Darcy’s house in London directly from Elizabeth. “Oh, I would have liked so much to see it, Bingley says that there are water closets installed everywhere.”
“Everywhere, and more,” Elizabeth replied with a laugh. “But still an older style, more marble, but less function than the ones Uncle Gardiner has.”
“And you have hardly dressed as you ought. Why this dress, I think I recognize it, even though it has been remade. Should you not wear more lace?”
Elizabeth shook her head and smiled. “There was not sufficient time when I was in London to properly shop for a newer wardrobe — Mr. Darcy’s cousin, the Viscountess Hartwood, is famed as one of the most fashionable women in town. I intend to ask her to give me an introduction to the best dressmakers.”
Thiswas something that forgiving her father, and fully coming to accept herself as Darcy’s wife, let her do.
This was her position now, and she would dress the part. Though Elizabeth would not follow Lady Susan in spending the majority of her funds on clothes, and in fact she intended to set aside a large portion of her funds against future contingencies — after all, she still did have three unmarried sisters.
A worry about money was something her mother had successfully transmitted to her — and Uncle Gardiner had given her a sense of its hard value and importance. She had a little ofthe dreaded mindset of acit. But Elizabeth was happy for her own peculiarities.
“Oh,” Mama sighed, “You will be so beautiful! Such jewels. Such silks. Do you wish me to come with you to London to aid you in shopping when you return to town?”
“No, no,” Elizabeth said hurriedly. “You did so much for Jane, and she shall need your advice in setting up her household.”
This brought Jane’s gaze on her, with an almost betrayed look.
Elizabeth mouthed, “My apologies” to her sister when Mama was not looking at her.
Jane laughed.
Pleasant situations often do not last so long as those enjoying them might wish.
While Elizabeth had talked to her mother, Lydia started a conversation with Darcy and Mr. Bennet, and then suddenly her youngest sister shouted so that everyone in the room could hear: “You should apologize to him! It is wrong, and even if no one else will say anything to you, I won’t forget my real friend! You stole his inheritance from him, and now you exclude Mr. Wickham from all the fun that will be had. I knowyoutold Papa to not let Wicky ever visit.”
“I believe I was the one who did.” Elizabeth stepped forward with fake calmness. “I certainly advised him by letter to exclude Wickham.”
“I had already decided to,” Mr. Bennet said in a fey tone, “soon as we returned from London. I in fact think it might be best if no officer is ever allowed to step within a hundred feet of the house.”
This made Kitty cry to hear. “No, Papa! You can’t!”
Lydia glared at Papa. She turned to Darcy. “I know injustice, and I’ll speak against it. Even if you burn me like theRomans burned the ancient Christians.”
