“Oh! He wrote a letter to me, which apparently he never meant to send, telling me how he felt, but then when I wrote back and said that I was so very happy and would have a sister at last! Then he wrote back and said it was a mistake, and he was not someone who would ever give in to such romantic nonsense. So I came to this wedding determined to make certain that – that – well, that he would do the right thing!”
“The right thing being…?”
“Why, to marry you, of course.”
Elizabeth knew naught how she managed to return to Charlotte’s side after this stunning disclosure, but she did so. She lost the thread of the conversation around her more than once, as she was searching through the crowd for Mr. Darcy’s elegant figure.
***
Anne, having obtained permission to go to London with the Earl and Countess, turned then to her next order of business. She found her cousin Darcy standing with an unknown gentleman and the eldest Miss Bennet. The unknown gentleman was likely Mr. Bingley, and equally likely, they were discussing the next upcoming wedding, that of Miss Bennet to Mr. Bingley.
Anne approached the little group and was immediately introduced to the unknown gentleman who was, indeed, Mr. Bingley. After all the usual courtesies, she asked her cousin ifshe might have a word with him. He led her off to a somewhat quieter space near the stairs. “Do you know Miss Elizabeth Bennet?” she asked at once.
He coloured and stared at her. “I do; why?”
Aha, she thought; he is very much aware of her! Anne shrugged, casually. “I just wondered. I like her very much; she is my first friend.”
“Your first friend?” He sounded disbelieving.
“Darcy, do you truly not understand? I go nowhere, I know no one. Elizabeth – Lizzy – has changed my life entirely! Look at this dress!” She twirled around in front of him.
“It does look rather different to your usual style,” he allowed.
“My usual style? You mean the dreadful draperies that my mother forces upon me? Yes, very different!” She rolled her eyes. Were all gentlemen this obtuse? “In any case, I just wanted you to know how very remarkable she is.”
“I am sensible of it,” he replied, his voice clipped.
“Oh, good! Because she thinks very highly of you, you know.”
“She – what? Anne, whatever are you saying?”
“Why, only that she blushes when your name is mentioned. That is all I meant.” With that, she smiled at him and walked away, leaving him standing there and staring after her, mouth open.
She suddenly found herself quite hungry and made her way to the dining room to fill her plate.
Chapter Ninety-Three
It was over, and Meryton was suddenly a much quieter place. The new Viscount. and Viscountess Worthing had departed for Derbyshire; Lady Catherine had journeyed alone to Rosings Park; the Earl and Countess had returned to London with an excited Anne de Bourgh, who promised to write to Elizabeth faithfully.
Only Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley remained at Netherfield Park with Mr. Darcy, the Bingleys and the Hursts.
At Longbourn, though, the excitement was just beginning. It was only three weeks until Jane’s wedding! Mr. Bennet was determined not to repeat his past mistakes, and he instructed his wife to spend as little money on the wedding as was possible without shaming the family. The recent terror of possibly having to let servants go or even lease out Longbourn was still fresh in Mrs. Bennet’s mind, and so she did not protest or, at least, not overmuch.
Jane was to wear one of her London gowns; Elizabeth, who would stand up with her, would wear the same green dress that she had worn for Charlotte’s wedding, but would put a light cream overlay on the skirt so that it would appear different. Kitty and Lydia were tasked with finding greenery for the bridal bouquet.
Elizabeth spent a good deal of time staring out the window, until Jane finally noticed. “Lizzy, what is it?”
Elizabeth started. “Oh! Why, nothing. I suppose I am just thinking about Charlotte… and Anne…and…”
“No, that is not it,” Jane said, decidedly. “Recall that you have never been able to lie to me. Now, out with it!”
Elizabeth shook her head. “I hardly know what to make of it, but Miss Darcy told me that her brother is in love with me!”
“What?!”
“You heard me.”
“I recall, ages ago, that you told me that your fingers had touched when you handed him his teacup,” Jane began, now smiling widely.
