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“Mr Brummell favoured black, although perhaps not so much of it. Anything can be taken to excess. However, Mr Thorne has been known to sport the occasional plain silk cravat in dark green or maroon.”

“My sister rather favours the style of dress worn by Mr Bingley.”

“I find the combination of his striped waistcoats and spotted cravats a trifle overdone,” said Finn mildly, admirably covering his detestation of Bingley’s valet, Crimplesham. “Mr Thorne’s colouring too is very different. His hair is dark like the master’s, but his skin tone is much darker.”

“Yes. If Mr Thorne were to adopt... less black. What would you recommend?”

“One should always wear clothes that one feels comfortable in. I would not deign to suggest anything else.”

“Oh,” said Lizzy, crestfallen.

“Unless...”

“Yes?”

“Unless he wished for my help and...”

“And...?”

“The master did not disapprove.”

Lizzy thought about this for a moment. “Thank you, Finn. I will talk to Fitzwilliam about it.”

Returning to her husband in the study, Lizzy found him finally alone, seated in the wing chair she had vacated by the fire. After a short preamble on her great affection for her sister, Lizzy related her hopes for Jane and Mr Thorne.

Darcy was caught unawares by Jane’s new lover. “I thought your sister favoured Charles Bingley.”

“That is the problem in a nutshell. Mr Bingley was so particular in his attentions that Jane totally lost her heart to him. But his sisters determined that she is not good enough for him and he has turned his attention to Miss Garth. He heartlessly ignored Jane at a recent ball in favour of her charge. But last night at the opera he spent half the night staring at Jane even when Miss Garth and her chaperone were sitting beside him in the Bingleys’ box. Jane has been unusually silent today. I am afraid he has raised her hopes again. I cannot like it. I do not think Mr Bingley is steadfast and I do not wish him to break my sister’s heart again.”

“I regret I must agree with you. Bingley was always a good companion. Formerly I would have described him as a good friend and one I would not have disdained as a brother. I did find his fickleness with women upsetting—first setting his cap at one, and then, when his sisters disapproved, moving onto another. I tried to advise him not to be so particular in his attentions. Now I see that his fickleness is just a manifestation of a deeper flaw in his character—he cannot be relied upon.”

“Yes. I cannot understand why his interest in Jane has reanimated. Perhaps he has heard that you and I have married. Certainly, Caroline knew of our betrothal...”

“Caroline knew?”

“Yes, Fitzwilliam. Georgie told her when we met the Bingley sisters in Bond Street.”

“Ah! I wondered how my Aunt Catherine got wind of it. I thought we would be safe enough despite Aunt’s presence at the Pulteney—she has no friends here in London. I wonder how...”

“Yes?”

“It does not matter. I am straying from the topic. We were talking of Mr Thorne... I only know him as a businessman. He was not educated as a gentleman like Charles. He is certainly far richer than Bingley. He is also a self-made man who is admired for his business acumen. The contrast is interesting. Charles inherited his riches but has done little to increase them. No, that is unfair. He has made some improvements, but for every step forward he has taken almost an equal step backward. The recent installation of the first of the new looms is a good example. Charles did as his associates advised him, but then failed to handle the situation with the mill workers well. He seems never to contemplate the consequences of his actions... But as to Mr Thorne’s character—whether he is genteel enough to be a good husband to a lady like your sister—I cannot say. I like him well enough, but he may be rough in his habits. I have heard that he does not have a valet.”

“My uncle seems to think he would be a suitable match for Jane. Knowing Mr Thorne was looking for a wife after his mother’s death, Uncle arranged for them to meet. Mr Thorne was very taken with Jane, but she could not contemplate the match because she was still pining for Mr Bingley. Mr Thorne has been very patient and constant in his attentions. He has also been willing to make sacrifices for her, like shaving off his beard.”

“He shaved off his beard?” interjected Darcy. “I cannot picture him without it. Your sister did not like it? Are you telling me he shaved it off specifically to fix his interest with Jane?”

“Yes, and if I could just get him to dress in a more gentleman-like way perhaps I might get the scales to fall from her eyes.”

“How do you propose to do that?” said Darcy, rubbing Lizzy’s hand and smiling indulgently. “You can hardly ask him to change his mode of dress.”

“Why not? I got him to shave off his beard!” returned Lizzy mildly.

“You got him to shave off his beard?” repeated Darcy incredulously.

Lizzy’s encounter with Mr Thorne in Southwark was duly related and Darcy was again reminded that he had married a very intrepid lady.

“So could I please borrow Finn?” she concluded.