Page 6

“I see. A charming young man. His younger sister is also a great admirer of Mr Darcy,” Lady Wellford said with a teasing smile, making Lady Amelia blush. “And what of you, Mrs Gardiner? Would you have recognised my husband had he not been introduced?”

“Most certainly not, Lady Wellford,” Mrs Gardiner replied with amusement.

“What an unexpected coincidence that we should all meet this evening. We had not decided whether to attend until midday,” Lady Amelia observed.

“I am glad we came. It has proved a most enjoyable evening,” her sister concluded.

The latter part of the play made more sense to Elizabeth, who felt herself again, and the slight uneasiness that remained no longer prevented her from enjoying their company. She even felt some regret as the performance approached its end. She had begun to enjoy the company of Mr Darcy and his sister, and the opportunity to know them better suddenly seemed appealing. Their meeting had been fortunate. After their quarrel at Hunsford, she had scarcely expected such friendliness from him or forgiveness from her.

But it seemed they had both changed since that evening at the parsonage.

When the play ended, conversation within the box grew more animated. Minutes passed, and they were among the last to depart.

Eventually, they emerged from the theatre and paused to exchange farewells. The colonel promised to visit soon, and the Gardiners assured him he would be welcome. He departed with his brother and the two ladies. The Darcys’ carriage was waiting when Miss Darcy addressed Mrs Gardiner and Elizabeth. “Might I ask whether you have any engagements tomorrow?”

“None of great importance,” Mrs Gardiner replied.

“Then, if I may, would you do me the honour of taking tea with me tomorrow, or the day after, whenever it is convenient? I should be very pleased to converse with you further,” Miss Darcy said, her cheeks growing pink at the boldness of her invitation. She looked towards her brother, silently seeking his agreement.

Mrs Gardiner was so surprised and honoured by the invitation that she did not immediately answer. Equally astonished, Elizabeth looked at Darcy, who seemed to sense their concern and readily approved. “I am delighted that my sister has invited you, Mrs Gardiner, Miss Bennet. If you are not otherwise engaged, Mr Gardiner, I should also be pleased to enjoy a glass of brandy and further conversation with you while my sister entertains the ladies.”

Their amazement was complete. Both Gardiners accepted, and the Darcys appeared pleased.

“Would tomorrow suit you?” Darcy asked, smiling so kindly that Elizabeth felt more at ease.

“Tomorrow would suit us perfectly. I have only some business to attend to early in the morning,” Mr Gardiner replied, and Darcy gave them his address in Park Lane.

Elizabeth had scarcely expected to leave the theatre with another visit already arranged. While they exchanged their farewells, she gathered herself and curtseyed properly. “It will be a pleasure to see you again tomorrow, Miss Darcy, Mr Darcy. I look forward to it.”

∞∞∞

Supper in Gracechurch Street was more lively than ever before. Mr and Mrs Gardiner, eager to share their impressions of the astonishing encounter, declared it one of the best moments of the summer.

The viscount and his wife were admired for their elegant appearance and manners, and their unaffected behaviour and fondness for teasing were much appreciated. They had little to say of Lady Amelia, but the colonel became an immediate favourite. His admiration for Elizabeth was evident, and Mrs Gardiner teased her about it. Elizabeth’s response was somewhat restrained, though she admitted that he was one of the most pleasant gentlemen of her acquaintance.

Miss Darcy won their admiration for her beauty and gentleness. As for her brother, the Gardiners soon pronounced him perfectly well behaved, polite and unassuming.

“Elizabeth, I cannot imagine what caused you to speak so ill of him. There is something a little stately in Mr Darcy, to be sure,” her aunt said. “But it is not unbecoming. He is not as open in his manners as the colonel or the viscount. Still, he is pleasant and gives me an impression of steadiness and good sense. And he is very handsome indeed.”

Mr Gardiner agreed. “They were all more than civil to us. I would scarcely have expected such attentiveness from people of their rank. To invite us into their box on so slight an acquaintance was very gracious. It must be the viscount’s enduring admiration for your aunt,” he added, raising an eyebrow at his wife.

Mrs Gardiner laughed heartily while Elizabeth struggled to appear amused. Then her aunt continued, “And to invite us to visit tomorrow was another unexpected kindness. But I suspect Miss Darcy wishes to hear more about her parents. Perhaps she did not want to lose the opportunity before we left.”

“Very likely,” Mr Gardiner agreed, and their conversation continued in the same manner until midnight.

Finally alone in her chamber, Elizabeth lay in bed with the window wide open, trying to make sense of what had happened. Her aunt’s opinion of Darcy gave her further reason to question her own, though she still could not tell how much he had changed and how much she had misunderstood. She scarcely knew what she wished from their renewed acquaintance, except that she would be glad to speak with him more easily and learn something of his sister.

The thought of visiting his home the following day made her uneasy again. She hoped she would find less cause for embarrassment than she had at their first meeting.

She fell asleep late that night but found little rest. The following morning, she woke tired and with a headache, though pleased that they would visit the Darcys and much less embarrassed by the recollection of her accusations, for the previous evening had given her reason to hope that their next meeting would be more pleasant and the conversation easier.

Chapter 3

That morning Elizabeth could hardly temper her impatience, and no occupation could divert her attention; meanwhile, she took care to hide her state of mind from her aunt, who would have wanted explanations that Elizabeth could not give. She simply did not have any.

She prepared for the visit with the utmost care, selecting a gown she deemed most flattering, but then became angry with her own foolishness. The brief encounter with Darcy she anticipated, before he retired with her uncle to the library, did not justify that attention; he might not even notice her attire. But then who said that she dressed so carefully for him?

This question remained unanswered but, when the hour of departure arrived, she felt pleasantly calm, glad to visit the Darcys, even if she could not entirely explain why; perhaps it was her reflection in the hall mirror that made her smile with unusual satisfaction.