“Mr Gardiner,” Bingley began, a little anticipatory tension in his voice, “may I trouble you for a few moments of your time?”
Gardiner cocked a mirthful glance at Jane. “By all means, my good sir,” he replied, and the two departed.
Darcy caught Elizabeth’s gaze with a significant look. She nodded and left the room. Georgiana watched their exchange with growing wonder. “William?” she whispered questioningly.
He took her hand and gave it a cheerful squeeze. “All will be well, Sweetling. Take courage,” he murmured softly.
A scarce moment later, a thunderous clamour arose from the stairs. Lydia and Kitty Bennet had been sprung from their prison. Georgiana’s tension began to return, but William placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“La, it is about time!” Lydia was declaring. She addressed herself immediately to her bonnet and gloves in the hall, overlooking their guests entirely, but a ring of the bell distracted her. “Why, it’s Maria!”
Elizabeth had rejoined the party in the sitting room by now, wearing a conspiratorial smirk reserved for Darcy.
“Thank you for your note, Lydia!” Miss Lucas’ voice came through from the hall. “I could not wait to see your new bonnet!”
“New bonnet?” Lydia’s muffled voice replied. “But I have no new bonnet!”
“Oh, but you have! You told me it was the latest fashion in velvets!”
“La, you are so strange, Maria! You must mean that one we admired in the window yesterday, but it was so dear! I declare, Papa does not give me enough allowance.”
“But I was quite certain….”
Elizabeth interrupted the girls here. “Lydia, Kitty, dears, do come in here!” she called from the doorway.
Three girls, half decked out in outerwear, followed Elizabeth’s voice into the sitting room. They all stopped upon beholding Georgiana. “Oh!” Kitty ejaculated; the first articulate utterance heard from her since she had emerged from her confinement.
Darcy smiled graciously at his future sisters. “Miss Catherine and Miss Lydia.” He bowed. “And Miss Lucas! I am most delighted to see you again so soon.”
His magnanimous greeting caught the girls off their guard. They paused hesitantly, various warm articles dangling uselessly from their hands. “What a happy thing it is you could join us,” Darcy continued. “I feared we might have missed you.”
Lydia perked up primly. “Why, not at all, Mr Darcy,” she returned, attempting a hint of her older sister’s disdain, but not succeeding quite so gracefully. “Me and Kitty were just about to go to town. We are sure of meeting with good companythere.” She lifted her nose fractionally.
Kitty attempted no such raillery. She merely shrank closer to Maria, glancing with significant amusement in Georgiana’s direction.
“Pray, do not go just yet,” Darcy invited. “I beg you would indulge me for just a moment—Miss Jane, and Miss Mary, as well. I had hoped to present an early Christmas gift to my future sisters. I saw no point in waiting halfway through the cold months before you were able to enjoy the use of… well, I perhaps oughtn’t to spoil the surprise. If you will excuse me only a moment.” Darcy stepped outside, and with a word to a manservant waiting at the coach, returned.
He was followed by five of Bingley’s footmen, each toting two large parcels. A few audible gasps accompanied them. “Ladies,” Darcy gestured invitingly, “I shall be required to return to London very shortly, for how long I do not know. As my plans are yet uncertain, I have asked your uncle’s blessing to present these today. He did not think it improper, in light of my understanding with Miss Elizabeth. Please accept these with my warmest felicitations. Let me see… ah, this one is for you, Miss Lydia.”
He presented each little stack of boxes in turn. With the exception of Elizabeth, the Bennet girls each received, to their complete amazement, a beautiful new woollen cloak and one of the most delicious new offerings from the millinery shop. An additional pair of boxes was set to the side for Mrs Bennet, but none wished to disturb her labours at the moment.
Kitty and Jane both thanked Darcy graciously. Mary’s stony face softened as her fingers reverently stroked the thick cloak. It was far finer than the second-hand one her mother had passed her from Jane. She rose grateful eyes to the gentleman and offered him a shy smile.
Lydia, for once, was struck speechless. She stared at Darcy as though he had grown a second head while Maria Lucas did full justice to the lovely bonnet in her hands. Such peace did not last long, but the reprieve was long enough for Mr Bingley and Mr Gardiner to emerge, each appearing well satisfied with the other. Many in the room fixed the pair with blatant stares, but by them, nothing was mentioned other than their mutual felicity in the acquaintance.
While they were yet speaking so, the crunch of gravel outside roused everyone’s attention. Lydia, possessing less tact than many others, was the first to rush to the window and peer out. “Jane, Lizzy, look!” she beckoned them all to the window. “The most enormous carriage has arrived!”
“Onecansee,mylady, the very agreeable countryside of Hertfordshire is most suitably furnished with serviceable roads, and I flatter myself, all have been skilfully maintained even in the wet seasons. Your ladyship will surely appreciate the many abundantly productive orchards to be found in this country. Your ladyship will no doubt be quite expertly acquainted with the ideal type of land suited for growing….”
Caroline wanted to cram her fingers in her ears. That sycophant had not ceased his prattle since the moment he had fallen into league with them. Lady Catherine kept the window on their side of the carriage open so she could listen to his droning. Caroline shrank further down into her furs, shrugging her layers up over her ears and cheeks.
A glance across the carriage at just the right time revealed Anne de Bourgh peeping at her through half-lidded eyes. Caught, Anne immediately closed her eyes again and assumed once more the aura of the sleeper. Caroline arched a brow thoughtfully. Perhaps Anne de Bourgh had contrived a way to avoid conversing with that insipid mother of hers!
Caroline briefly toyed with the notion herself, but another glance out the window revealed a landscape all too familiar. They were very close to their destination. Caroline felt a quivering thrill in anticipation of the triumph she was about to witness. No, she could not sleep now, nor even pretend to!
Lady Catherine sat up suddenly in interest. “Collins! Is that the estate up ahead?”
Caroline was, of course, handicapped by the awkward angle of the window, thanks to her unfortunate placement on the rear-facing seat, but she had been through the area often enough. She could see Collins, however. The parson must have had weak eyes, for he squinted carefully before answering.
