The Colonel said, “Darcy, you should let her know –“
“What do you think I am doing, Richard?” Mr. Darcy bit off, seating himself at his writing desk.
Ten minutes later, his message was on its way to Longbourn.
***
“Oh, no!!” Elizabeth went white and dropped the message on the floor.
“Lizzy? What is it?’
Elizabeth could only stare at Jane in horror, her hand at her mouth.
Jane bent down and picked up the small piece of paper.
Elizabeth,
My aunt and uncle are here, as well as Richard; they will be at Longbourn in three quarters of an hour! Try not to worry; all will be well!
Fitzwilliam
Jane immediately ran to find Mrs. Bennet, pausing only long enough to say, “Put on your rose gown, Lizzy!”
***
When the Matlocks and the Darcys arrived at Longbourn, they found five perfectly dressed and coiffed young ladies, and an equally perfectly attired and coiffed Mrs. Bennet. The girls were sitting in the parlour with needlework, just as properly as anyone might wish. Lydia had been warned to be on her best behaviour, or she would be locked in the nursery for a month. She looked rebellious, but managed to sit and pretend to sew.
Mary could not wear her new bonnet indoors, of course, but she had her fan in her lap, hoping that the Colonel would see that she appreciated his gift.
Mr. Bennet, having heard the commotion and learnt the reason for it, had concluded that this would be an excellent time for him to visit the tenants. Mrs. Bennet, fearing that her husbandwould make one of his incomprehensible sardonic comments to the Earl, agreed with him.
Everyone quite properly rose and curtsied as Mr. Darcy performed introductions. Mrs. Bennet rang at once for tea; the kitchen, having been given warning as to the event, produced an elegant tea tray that even the Countess looked upon approvingly.
Once everyone’s cup had been poured and plates handed round, the Countess looked at each of the sisters in turn. The eldest, Miss Bennet, was clearly the beauty of the family. Mr. Bingley, with parents in trade, had done well for himself in finding not just a beauty, but a young woman of impeccable manners and from the landed gentry class. The middle sister, Miss Mary – ah, this was the young lady Richard had purchased gifts for. She was not as pretty as her two elder sisters, but there was a good deal of intelligence in her eyes. The two youngest, who already had Georgiana sandwiched between them, should not yet have been out of the schoolroom, but if they had helped Georgiana, then that was enough.
Now she was ready to focus on the most important young lady in the room. “Miss Elizabeth, you have been to Town before, have you not?’
“I have, Lady Ellen, yes.”
“Where have you stayed?”
“I have an aunt and uncle who live on Gracechurch Street.”
The Countess’ brows winged up. “Gracechurch Street?”
“Yes; my uncle is a merchant.”
The Countess glanced meaningfully at her nephew, who said at once, “I had the privilege of meeting the Gardiners just a few weeks ago and found them everything delightful. Mrs. Gardiner was raised in Lambton, and it will give me great pleasureto invite them to Pemberley so that she might renew old acquaintances.”
“Indeed?” The Countess sounded nonplussed. She returned to Elizabeth. “Do you enjoy your visits to Town?”
“Very much.”
The Countess was beginning to feel that this conversation was very hard going indeed; could the girl not give answers of more than a few words? Thus, she was grateful when the girl said, “Might we walk together, Lady Ellen? Then I might answer all your questions more easily.”
The Countess agreed readily.
Elizabeth rose, glanced at Mr. Darcy to smile at him, reassuringly, and led the way out to the back garden. Once there, she turned to the Countess and said, “Let us put aside any subterfuge. You are unhappy about my engagement to your nephew; I cannot say that I blame you. I know he was expected to marry a good deal better than me.”
