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And the dimpling stream runs laughing by;

When the air does laugh with our merry wit,

And the green hill laughs with the noise of it;

When the meadows laugh with lively green,

And the grasshopper laughs in the merry scene,

When Mary and Susan and Emily

With their sweet round mouths sing “Ha, Ha, He!''

When the painted birds laugh in the shade,

Where our table with cherries and nuts is spread,

Come live & be merry, and join with me,

To sing the sweet chorus of “Ha, Ha, He! 3

At the sound of her mother’s voice, Millie gasped and slid off the bench. She was a vision in blue with bouncing curls as she ran towards them. Spotting her father who had been absent for almost two weeks, Millie pulled up short, began to cry and instead of running to Georgiana, headed straight for Evan.

“Papa!” the child cried out as he stooped to pick her up. Tears gave way to giggles as he kissed every possible place on her face.

Finally, Evan pulled back to look at her. “My, how you have grown!” Millie beamed. “Were you a good girl for your mother and Mrs. Calvert while I was in Town?” The small, golden head bobbed up and down, as her blue eyes stopped tearing.

“Wonderful! I brought you some things that I thought you might like. Would you like to see them now?” Another round of silent head bobbing commenced.

“Has the cat got your tongue?” Looking astonished, Millie felt for her tongue and finding it, shook her head. Evan winked at Georgiana.

“Well, your presents are in the conservatory, along with some for your lovely mother.” Holding out his arm for Georgiana, she took it straightaway as he smiled at Millie’s nurse.

“Come, Mrs. Calvert, there are presents for you as well.”

The woman could not help but blush. “Oh, Mr. Ingram, that was completely unnecessary.”

“Perhaps not necessary, but entirely warranted by your excellent care of our daughter.”

Thus, the little troupe made their way down the hallway, singing the Laughing Song, which Georgiana had begun as soon as they started out. Several maids, amused at the antics of the Master and Mistress, followed as they made their way to the pile of presents in the conservatory. Mrs. Jenkins, the Ingram’s housekeeper, brought up the rear, following those she had recruited to help with all the discarded wrappings and refreshments.

Pemberley

That Afternoon

In the bedroom she had occupied since coming to Pemberley, Elizabeth bustled about inside the closet. A huge storm with thunder and lightning had commenced after William left that morning and still raged. It was impossible to enjoy any diversion, as she could not concentrate on a book or the pianoforte while sick with worry about his safety. Thus, she had found another occupation to distract her.

When Mrs. Drury entered the room, she could not help but laugh aloud. Elizabeth was nowhere to be seen, but occasionally an item would fly out of the closet, though there was hardly space left on the floor for it to land.

At her companion’s laugh, Elizabeth stuck her head out. “Mrs. Drury, do I remember correctly? Did Mr. Darcy bring my chest back from Northgate? I was in such a fog, but I believe I remember his saying something about returning my chest and that it should contain my Bible.”

Elizabeth prayed that the vicar Fitzwilliam mentioned might agree to conduct a symbolic marriage ceremony and possibly read a verse from her Bible. It was the only thing she had left from her childhood—a gift from her father—and she wanted to record their names inside it. They might have to, by necessity, keep their relationship secret from all but a few—the Bingleys, the Ingrams and Richard, but she wanted it recorded therein for their children to read one day.

“Why yes, child,” the elderly woman replied, turning to go back into the sitting room, “but I believe it is in here.” Elizabeth followed to find Mrs. Drury entering the closet in that room. Presently she backed out, holding the small chest that Elizabeth remembered from her childhood

“There it is!” Elizabeth exclaimed, a myriad of emotions flooding through her at the sight of the present she had received on her eighth birthday.

“What will you do with so fine a treasure, Lizzy?” Mr. Bennet smiled. “I promised your mother that you would not fill it with clothes and try to run away again.”