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“No, I would call it pretty ordinary,” said Brunhilda. “Which very aptly sums them up.”

Elizabeth smiled at this subtle put-down. “I believe we were in search of macaroons?”

A selection of colourful macaroons were duly chosen for afternoon tea. When Elizabeth exclaimed at some shell-shaped biscuits with the same name as her aunt, Georgiana promptly bought a dozen madeleines also, insisting Lizzy take them home as a present for the Gardiners. Elizabeth accepted them with grace and resolved to be more careful in her pronouncements when standing in a shop with Georgiana.

Still unsettled by the Bingley sisters’ conduct, Georgiana handed their purchases to a footman and suggested to Elizabeth and Brunhilda that they should walk the short distance to Grosvenor Square. The ladies’ independence somewhat bemused the Darcy coachman and the two footmen standing up behind the carriage, who were obliged to follow sedately despite the energetic pace set by Georgiana. By the time the ladies had reached the townhouse, they were rosy-cheeked and all in charity with one another, having discovered a mutual fondness for brisk walks.

Upon shedding her outerwear, Georgie was surprised when her brother wheeled himself out of the saloon where he was waiting for them.

“Oh, Fitzwilliam! I thought you would wait upstairs until we arrived! I am afraid you will be fatigued!”

“Hush, Georgie! I am feeling better every day!”

Then he held out his hand towards Elizabeth, having located her voice chatting to Farley as she divested herself of her coat and bonnet. Darcy could even distinguish her shadowy form from the princess’s in the light from the transom. Elizabeth stepped forward to take Darcy’s hand, an action that was rewarded with his brilliant smile.

“Elizabeth, thank you for coming!”

Darcy was looking very handsome and seemed to have regained some of the former persona he had projected in Hertfordshire. If Elizabeth had been a vain person, she might have ascribed his improved appearance to his betrothal to herself, but she immediately attributed it to the exercise he was getting thanks to her Uncle Gardiner’s invention. In truth, both had worked wonders on Darcy’s mind and body, although on the previous day he had been so stiff and sore from the unaccustomed exercise in the walking machine that he could hardly sleep.

The macaroons were duly consumed for afternoon tea, after which Georgiana and Brunhilda diplomatically expressed a wish to play a duet on the piano.

“Elizabeth,” whispered Darcy, “perhaps we could withdraw to my study?”

“Would you like me to push your chair?”

“I can propel it, but I would be grateful if you could steer. I have only the light to navigate by and keep running into walls.”

Thus, did they effectively rid themselves of their less than assiduous chaperones.

Upon Farley’s opening the door to the study, they met Mr Trevor who was on the verge of departing.

“I beg your pardon, sir,” he apologised to Darcy. “It took me a little longer to gather my things than I anticipated.”

“No matter, Mr Trevor. May I introduce you to my betrothed, Miss Elizabeth Bennet? Elizabeth, this is Mr Clive Trevor, my new secretary.”

Elizabeth replied graciously but was a little dismayed she had been supplanted so quickly. She certainly hoped that her betrothed did not expect her to confine herself to serving tea now she was to become Mrs Darcy.

“Is that the fellow from Oxford?” she asked once they were alone.

“Oxford? Ah! No!” said Darcy, wheeling himself to the fireplace where one of the wing chairs had been removed to make way for his wheeled chair. “Goodness knows what happened to him! Mr Trevor was formerly my uncle’s secretary. He accompanied us to Vienna to arrange Princess Brunhilda’s marriage to my cousin. I am forever grateful to him for the services he rendered me there.”

Given her aunt had encouraged her to air her grievances, Elizabeth decided to start with her most immediate one: “I commend you on finding such a valuable servant, but I had hoped to continue acting as your lectrice, Fitzwilliam.”

Darcy’s eyebrows raised. He held out his hand to her. “Well, I am gratified that you should want to. But surely you will wish to focus on being mistress of the house?”

Elizabeth took Darcy’s hand and settled into the nearby wing chair that remained by the fireside. “I really enjoyed helping you—reading to you, making the model of the townhouses, and learning mathematics. I had hoped to continue doing so.”

Darcy looked at her with such an expression of wonder that Elizabeth almost felt that he could see her.

“Well, I would be very grateful if you would continue to help me with my mathematics, because Mr Trevor is really a man of letters. He used to write the earl’s speeches for parliament. I am terribly indebted to him for his assistance to me in Vienna. Without the efforts of Mr Trevor and Finn, I believe I most certainly would have died there, and then I would never have had the happiness of being with you.”

He brought her hand to his lips and upon lowering it, Elizabeth squeezed his hand fondly in return.

“The earl dismissed him after we returned to England, which was most unfair, because what happened to me was in no way Mr Trevor’s fault. I do think he can be of much use to me, dealing with my correspondence and my business affairs. He was most impressed with your model of the townhouses and thinks it could also be used in selling the leases. He was a little dismayed when I said I had promised it to my cousin Anne.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Very well, then I must be satisfied with reading you books of mathematics and novels. Perhaps I can have a proper doll’s house made for Anne—one that opens at the side.”

“Thank you, I think she would like that very much.”