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“I know my aunt will harangue him to do so, and there is nothing he likes less than to have his peace cut up.”

“He did not strike me as a particularly pacific man,” observed Elizabeth.

“It is all right provided he is the one doing the yelling,” sighed Darcy. “Will you marry me here in the saloon tomorrow afternoon? There will only be Georgie in attendance and perhaps your aunt and uncle. Do you mind so much? I know there is little time to prepare.”

“Oh, Fitzwilliam! What of my sisters? I had hoped Jane could attend. Nor do I wish to pre-empt Mary who has been waiting so patiently for the past few months to marry.”

“We could keep the marriage a secret until after your sister’s nuptials if you wish, but I really think it would be wisest to make hay while the sun shines. It would allow you to visit me unchaperoned. We could have a second ceremony later for the benefit of your family after which we could live as man and wife.”

Elizabeth could not like the haste or the secrecy of Darcy’s plans, but she could see he was genuinely anxious that they be wed soon and could only trust in his better knowledge of his relatives. “If my uncle agrees, then yes,” she said, squeezing his hand.

When Darcy tugged Elizabeth towards him, she settled willingly on his lap. He kissed her briefly and lay his head upon her shoulder to warmly embrace her before suggesting they return to lay the plan before her aunt.

Meanwhile, the earl had returned to Matlock House to handle his sister. He found Lady Catherine by the fireside in his study, lecturing her oily parson as he nodded assiduously at her every second word. This fellow, who had not been in evidence when Catherine had so rudely burst into the earl’s bedchamber during his breakfast, jumped to his feet and began to perform several low bows. Eyeing Mr Collins askance, the earl sent him packing with a flick of his wrist.

“Well?” demanded his sister, rising to her feet with the aid of her stick.

“Darcy was still abed,” said the earl coolly.

“Still abed? Darcy is an early riser!” shrieked Lady Catherine.

“Perhaps he is—in the country when he visits you—but his habits in the city are different.”

“It is eleven o’clock! Why did you not rouse him?”

“He is still recovering from his malady. I thought he could do with the sleep. What exactly did this letter say and who is your informant?”

“The letter is anonymous, but I do not doubt its credibility! It said a female from Hertfordshire, unworthy of his notice, had recently contracted an engagement with Darcy. I ask you where he could have met any female in his current state? His lectrice, indeed! It is not respectable for a woman to be in a man’s bedchamber, whatever newfangled ideas the French may have! They lost all credibility once they guillotined their king and can no longer be considered leaders of thought!”

“Certainly not!” retorted the earl. “We hacked the head off our monarch ages ago! Be assured, Catherine, that I will speak to Darcy in the evening. For the moment, Richard’s nuptials must claim my attention.”

“And that is another thing!” remarked Lady Catherine with asperity. “Why is Princess von Wolfbach not marrying the viscount as originally planned?”

“I’m afraid that Darcy’s misfortune has changed everything. Apparently, the princess fell in love with Richard when he charged to his cousin’s aid. Robert has very nobly stood aside. I think it will do very well. I had not dreamed to have Richard so creditably established!”

The earl then managed to fob his sister off on his wife, who was forced to invent a few lies of her own to explain the disappearance of her beautiful console from the landing of the grand staircase. Plied with tea, Lady Catherine was soon distracted by amending each of her sister-in-law’s directions to the household for the engagement party.

On returning to the saloon, Darcy enlisted the approval of Elizabeth’s aunt for the early wedding, much to Elizabeth’s surprise. But from the moment that Darcy had requested some time alone with her niece, Mrs Gardiner had hoped for a speedy resolution before his relatives could further interfere. Lizzy had assured her that they had spoken of his former mistress. Mr Darcy’s adept handling of his uncle had done much to build her confidence in the gentleman after the debacle of her husband’s ejection from his house. The better she knew Mr Darcy, the more convinced Mrs Gardiner became that her headstrong niece had indeed found a worthy mate.

When Georgie departed to dress for the engagement party, the Darcy carriage was again summoned from the mews to take the other ladies home, having returned there after their morning excursion had been abandoned. The coach was put at their disposal for the rest of the afternoon, lest they have any last-minute purchases for the ceremony. But against any protracted shopping trip, Elizabeth was decided, having determined to wear the coffee-coloured silk from the Netherfield ball with its lace overdress. They stopped in Cheapside merely to order flowers for the ceremony—a bouquet for Elizabeth and some flowers for her hair, and a buttonhole for Mr Gardiner. However, a slight hitch occurred when they arrived home to Gracechurch Street to discover Jane’s trunk in the hall.

“Jane!” exclaimed Mrs Gardiner as she entered the parlour still removing her hatpins. “What are you doing here? Is aught amiss?”

“No, Aunt. I am sorry to have startled you with my sudden arrival but the Garths’ governess, Miss Fairfax, returned unexpectedly.”

“Did you not say Miss Fairfax had written not a week ago with another delay on account of her aunt’s illness?”

“Indeed, she did. But she arrived without warning today, saying that her aunt had recovered more quickly than she expected. One of us would have had to sleep in the schoolroom, so I deemed it best to return to you immediately. Mrs Garth was very generous in finalising my pay and providing use of her carriage.”

Relieved nothing untoward had occurred, Mrs Gardiner hugged her niece before observing: “How strange for the governess to have been away so long and then to return unheralded. Can she be of a steady character?”

“I must admit that I also thought it strange. Miss Fairfax seemed a trifle melancholy but there was nothing else in her demeanour to suggest unsteadiness. And I could see that the children really loved her by the way they greeted her.”

“It must have been hard for you to leave them so abruptly,” said Elizabeth. “I could tell by the way you spoke of them that you were quite taken with the Garth children.”

“Perhaps it is for the best,” said Jane with a fragile smile. “I believe I was becoming quite attached to them. Certainly, I felt a special bond developing with Cherise due to her come out. We were becoming more like friends...” she said waveringly, before promptly bursting out crying.

Mrs Gardiner hugged her niece: “There! There! It is all very sudden! No wonder you are upset!”