The thought of him taking the time to do such a thing evidently flattered her mother, who blushed. She waved her handkerchief and did not seem to know what to say about it. Instead, she talked about wedding preparations, beginning with clothes, and addressing what she assured them were a number of other essential points. A significant part of their conversation related to the wedding breakfast and how challenging it might be to procure the right foods for it; Elizabeth was not sure what exactly her mother thought they would need to eat that was out of the ordinary.
“We could have it all done by the end of March, but it would be difficult,verydifficult, to do it sooner.” As her mother watched Mr Darcy, her shoulders hunched slightly forwards as though afraid of his response.
He looked towards Elizabeth, who nodded her acquiescence.
“Two months is agreeable, Mrs Bennet. I believe Easter is at the end of the month this year. If we could select a date several days before it, so that Miss Elizabeth, my sister, and I have sufficient time to travel to Pemberley beforehand, I would be grateful.”
Elizabeth did not suppose he was forgetting Jane. Until she agreed to go with them—and Elizabeth intended to insist she did—nothing was served by telling Mrs Bennet she would soon lose the company of both her eldest daughters.
“If you can spare her, I should like to take Miss Elizabeth to town for two or three weeks. I am anxious to introduce her to my family,” Mr Darcy said.
“I would like to go,” Elizabeth said before turning to Mr Darcy. “Is Miss Darcy in town? I cannot recollect what you told me. I am afraid happiness is robbing me of my memory. It would be lovely to meet her and your other relations.”
“My cousin the viscount is escorting Georgiana and her companion to London. From my sister’s last letter, they should arrive within the next two days.”
“Aunt and Uncle Gardiner will not object to my staying with them. I can write to them today,” Elizabeth assured her mother.
Mrs Bennet’s gaze went back and forth between her and Mr Darcy. “I suppose that is a good notion. Your family will love my Lizzy. How could they not? You could buy your wedding clothes there, dear girl. I shall give you a list of the warehouses to visit.”
Her eyes suddenly became round. “Oh, but you cannot go before the seventh. It is Mr Bennet’s birthday, and it would mean a great deal to him to have you here, Lizzy. She is his favourite, you know, Mr Darcy, and he will miss her once you are married. You would not know it, but he is really quite sentimental.”
Elizabeth bit the inside of her cheek to avoid sniggering. It was true that her father liked to have her and his other daughters nearby, even the ones he often called silly and ridiculous, but what he most looked forward to at his birthday was the fuss Mrs Bennet made, including an elaborate meal and special cake.
If she and Mr Darcy went to town on the eighth of February, it meant a delay of a week and a half. Seeing that he was not perturbed by this, Elizabeth consented to the arrangements. They returned to the topic of the wedding for a short while before Mrs Bennet remembered she needed to talk to the housekeeper about dinner.
“I also must have a word with Mr Bennet about announcing your engagement to the neighbours. How much they will envy me! Two daughters married and a son-in-law with a house in townanda country estate!”
CHAPTERFIFTY
Darcy could hardly believe that in a mere eight weeks, his dearest Elizabeth would be Mrs Darcy. Whenever he was alone, even if for just a minute, he found himself shaking his head in wonder that he was an engaged man. Already, he had a half-written letter to his sister; he wanted to wait to settle the matter of them going to town before finishing it. He liked to imagine how excited Georgiana would be when she received the news.
Elizabeth arranged for him to have a private conversation with Miss Bennet. It was a difficult, sobering discussion. It was always going to be wretched, but when he was otherwise full of the deepest contentment imaginable, it felt all the more strenuous. Coming to Hertfordshire, he had not expected to settle everything with Elizabeth so quickly. He might have wished for it, but since he had been uncertain about her opinion of him—especially in light of the Bingleys’ machinations—he had anticipated spending weeks winning her hand. Under those circumstances, he thought it would have been easier to disclose what he had learnt to Miss Bennet. Currently, he was injuring the lady anew at the same time that she had to witness her sister’s joy.
Miss Bennet listened carefully as he spoke. She said nothing, but her agitation was betrayed by a quivering of her chin or twitching of her shoulders.
Once he was finished, she said, “Thank you for telling me. It cannot have been easy for you, especially considering how greatly they deceived you. I only knew them a short while, but your friendship was of several years’ duration.”
“That does not mean your injury is less severe. Bingley’s behaviour towards you was unconscionable.”
She blinked several times as though fighting against tears. He wanted to comfort her, but did not know what to do, and was worried about offending her. He and Elizabeth had decided he should talk to Miss Bennet alone, while she would remain close at hand to support her sister afterwards. At present, he wished they had arranged matters differently.
“For their sakes, I pray one day they will understand the errors they made and cease to judge people only by how they can use them to promote their personal interests. If such a day arrives, I am sure they will feel the weight of the pain they have caused others,” Miss Bennet said.
“That is generous of you. I admit, my current sentiments are much harsher. A part of me wants to advertise their deceptive natures to the world.”
“You would ruin them?” she asked, looking shocked.
“I told them I would not lie if I was asked why we are no longer friends, but otherwise, as long as they did not speak poorly about my family or yours, I would do nothing. I was then and remain still…very angry. Finding your sister, your entire family, forgiving of my own behaviour last autumn, has alleviated my more mean-spirited sentiments.”
“Youdid nothing wrong. I am truly glad you and Lizzy came to an understanding. I choose to remember that Mr and Miss Bingley’s scheme did not succeed. You are not bound to her, and your sister is safe from him. We must be thankful for that.” She laid a hand on his arm.
“I am, but I regret your part in this disgusting affair.” Seeing she did not like to dwell upon it, he raised the notion of her accompanying him and Elizabeth to town and later to Derbyshire. “You need not decide immediately, of course. You and Miss Elizabeth will want to talk about it, but I would be pleased to have you with us. You and Georgiana would like each other, and I know she would benefit from having a lady such as yourself as a friend.”
A dusting of pink covered her cheeks. “That is very kind of you, Mr Darcy. I shall consider it.”
With that, she stood and excused herself.
* * *
