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Elizabeth had pushed her chair back and stood. “Pray excuse me.” With her head angled down, she rushed from the room.

Her withdrawal struck me like a physical pummelling. Next came the undeniable concept that throughout the supper, I had been staring at Elizabeth's mother and sisters, her loved ones, with a thunderous expression—my disapproval, judgment, and disdain manifest to anyone. She must have observed me. How had that made her feel? My chest muscles cramped, hindering my respiration, and a startling reality pressed upon me: nothing else mattered but Elizabeth. I shot to my feet and went after her.

The footman in the passage directed me, and I found her in the morning-room. She sat on the end of a large sofa: a diminutive figure, leaning upon one arm, legs tucked beneath her.

I rushed to her. “Miss Elizabeth, are you well?”

She stiffened and glanced my way. “Yes, thank you.” She righted her position and shifted her feet to the floor.

“It is not my intention to intrude, but if I may assist you in any way, pray tell me.”

Her lower lip trembled. “I can imagine what you must be thinking. My family’s behaviour tonight has been outrageous. I have tried to persuade my father that Lydia lacks the maturity to be out, but he is not inclined to interfere. My mother often speaks out of turn and as for Mary, well…”

My throat tightened. How could I take away her pain? “No one has a perfect family. You are aware of my own propensity for incivility, which I must strive to keep in check. And my aunt Lady Catherine, who is revered by your cousin, has been a frequent source of mortification for me.”

Her sight lifted to me. “Is that true?”

“Indeed. She is arrogant, officious, and presumptive. Her favourite pastime is inflicting her unsolicited advice upon those around her.”

“Now I can understand why she chose to award a living to my cousin. He is an ideal recipient for her recommendations.”

“Yes, in that regard, they are a perfect match.” My remark wrought a smile from her, and the rigour in my chest subsided.

She glanced at the doorway. “We ought to go back before we are missed. Perhaps I should leave first?”

“Yes, I will follow in a few minutes.”

“Thank you.” Elizabeth stood.

“The pleasure is mine.” Seldom had I been more self-satisfied.

Upon my return to the supper room, Bingley veered in my direction. His head slanted near mine. “Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth have gone to the ladies’ withdrawing-room. Will you accompany me to the billiards room so we may have a private word?”

“Very well.”

Bingley shut us up in the billiards room. He paced before me several times before he spun to confront me. “I have come to a momentous decision. Tomorrow, I shall call upon Miss Bennet and ask her to marry me.”

“Oh, I see.” A marriage between Miss Bennet and Bingley would assure the Bennet family’s future security. Elizabeth would be pleased at this development.

“You must have more to say.” He stood erect, his chin high. “My sisters maintain that the Bennets are beneath us, which is ridiculous! Will you join them in attempting to dissuade me from Miss Bennet?”

“Not at all.”

“Because, no matter what you may—” The hand that had been emphasising his words suspended aloft for a moment. “That is…good to hear.”

“Once you made your preference for Miss Bennet known, I made a point to observe her.” At least I had done so on the odd occasions when Elizabeth did not completely absorb me. “At first, she appeared to treat everyone with an equal measure of fondness. In time, though, I noted a subtle difference, an indication of particular affection in her mien when she engaged with you.”

He gasped. “Yes, that is my perception as well. Nevertheless, I am relieved to know that you noticed it too.”

“And her conduct has been faultless.”

“Well, no reasonable person could suggest otherwise.” Bingley jabbed his finger at me. “Although you once said she smiled too much.” He waggled his eyebrows.

“I must have been in a contrary mood to put forth such a paltry criticism.” Of course, I ought to ensure Bingley had thought through this decision. “This is not the first time I have seen you enamoured with a lady. Are you absolutely certain Miss Bennet is the one for you?”

He shook his head. “The passing infatuations I had before bear no similarity to what I feel for her. She is unlike any other lady I have ever met. She and I have shared candid conversations and confided our hopes and dreams.”

Bingley pushed aside an errant tuft of hair. “I declared Jane…um…Miss Bennet to be an angel the first night we met, yet I did not know her then. Now I can assert with surety that she merits the term. If she will accept me, I shall be the luckiest man on earth.”