They looked up as Georgiana and Lydia, sitting together across the room, dissolved into gales of laughter. “I know my French is bad,” Lydia said. “But I have only been studying for a short time!”
“I know this is not what you intended; but do you know what you said?” Georgiana leaned over and whispered in Lydia’s ear.
“Oh, no!” Lydia turned bright red and clasped her hands over her mouth.
“Tell me! What did she say?” Kitty demanded.
“I dare not repeat it,” Georgiana said. “My brother would be scandalised!”
“And how did you come to learn scandalous French, Georgiana?” Mr. Darcy asked, his voice betraying his displeasure.
Georgiana glanced at Richard, who promptly looked away.
“Richard! Really?”
“It was an accident,” he began, looking uncomfortable.
“Stop,” Mr. Darcy said, holding up a hand. “I do not wish to hear the details.”
Jane was sitting beside her Mr. Bingley, her face flushed rosy at whatever he was whispering to her.
“Jane, did you hear? The Countess of Matlock is coming to Netherfield,” Elizabeth said.
“Mr. Darcy’s aunt? But why?” Jane asked, her brow wrinkled in confusion.
“To see if I am good enough for her family,” Elizabeth said, and then immediately regretted it. “No, I am joking –“
But too late, as Lydia immediately said, “Oh, no! Is this because of me?”
Mary put in, “I suppose her family is so perfect? She knows about Georgiana, does she not?”
This made Georgiana burst into tears.
“No, no, Georgiana!” Elizabeth ran to Georgiana’s side to comfort her.
The Colonel jumped in to try to calm everyone down. “She is doing no such thing! She merely wishes to meet Miss Elizabeth, that is all.” He glared at Mr. Darcy, who simply shrugged his shoulders.
Mr. Bennet, hearing the noise, walked into the room. “Good heavens, what has happened?” His voice was raised in alarm. “Has someone died?”
“No, Papa,” Elizabeth said. “This is my fault, I fear.”
The Colonel took upon himself the burden of explaining what had caused the tumult in the room.
Mr. Bennet stared hard at the Colonel. “Is this true? Your mother is coming to judge my Lizzy?”
The Colonel threw his hands up. “I apologise for my family, Mr. Bennet. However, they are highly placed in society and guard their reputation fiercely.”
“And since she is well aware of Lydia’s actions, she has doubts about our family,” Mr. Bennet concluded. “Yes, I heard some talk of this from Darcy a while back.”
The Colonel answered, “I have no doubt, none whatsoever, that my mother will meet Miss Elizabeth and understand at once why Darcy wishes to marry her.”
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Later that day, back at Netherfield, the Colonel said, angrily, “What were you about, getting the Bennets stirred up like that?”
“I only told Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy said. “It was she who decided to tell the rest of the family.”
“And why would you tell Elizabeth?”
