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Lizzy promised they could be ready in the next quarter hour. Led by Jane, she escorted her husband upstairs where the rooms formerly occupied by Jane and the Gardiners during their visit had been prepared for the Darcys. After a quick glance around the beautiful pastel bedchamber assigned to her, previously used by her aunt and uncle, Lizzy threw off her bonnet, boots and gown. Fairbanks, quite used to her mistress’s fits and starts, quickly prepared her raiment. Jane went off to add the finishing touches to her ensemble, which included her aquamarine comb and earrings, teamed with a beautiful three-stranded pearl necklace that Thorne had given her on becoming aware of the parure. She soon returned to check on her sister’s progress.

“Oh, Jane!” said Lizzy, spotting the necklace immediately. “So beautiful! And the three strands are jointed with aquamarines to match your parure!”

“Lizzy, thank you so much for the jewels! You and Mr Darcy should not have! I am saving the full set for the opera tomorrow night. I showed the parure to Benjamin at lunch yesterday—for I thought it should be locked in his strongbox—and he arrived home today with these! Are the pearls not wonderful? The aquamarines can be exchanged for garnets, amethysts or citrines to match my clothes.”

“How clever!” said Lizzy as Fairbanks set an ivory comb into her hair. “It sounds like Mr Thorne has been spoiling you!”

“Yes, he has, terribly,” said Jane shyly as she unconsciously stroked the ermine tippet draped over her arms, another present.

“There we are!” said Lizzy as she watched her maid attach her jewels. “Fairbanks you are a treasure!”

With her mouth in a prim line, Fairbanks nodded her acceptance of this encomium. She did not think there were many dressers in London who could transform their charges from a slightly scruffy traveller to a queen in fifteen minutes.

The party arrived just before the start of the performance and were ushered most graciously by the master of ceremonies to their seats. This gentleman was gratified to have finally managed to subscribe Thorne, correctly attributing his success to his new wife. He did not fail to notice the Tonnish appearance of the couple who accompanied them, whom Thorne had introduced as the Darcys of Pemberley, relatives of his wife. The ensemble, the master of ceremonies promised them, was every bit as good as those that played in the lower rooms at Bath.

Both the Darcys and the Thornes enjoyed the recital. The Bennet sisters and Darcy very much liked Bach, especially when played by such gifted musicians. Thorne very much liked sitting next to his wife, for which privilege he was willing to endure any amount of slow music. The congratulations he received from many well-wishers who crowded his party during the interval had also been highly gratifying. Thorne was grateful that Darcy had endured the introductions very equably, like the true gentlemen he was.

They arrived home shortly before midnight. The Thornes wished their guests a good night and went off, Thorne satisfied by the Darcys’ cheerful demeanour that he had not fatigued them with the recital. Indeed, Mrs Darcy was so full of sprightly humour on the journey home that he believed she could have happily gone off to a ball after their evening’s entertainment.

The Darcys parted to their respective rooms to dress for bed, but when Darcy re-entered his wife’s room not five minutes later, still dressed in his shirtsleeves and breaches, Lizzy asked if something was troubling him.

“I was thinking of something in the carriage before we arrived in Bristol and wanted to share it with you,” he said as he approached the dressing table where Fairbanks was about to brush out the mistress’s hair after divesting her of her jewellery and gown.

“I noticed you were very quiet in the carriage after Keynsham.”

“That was because I have been making a geometrical study of women’s clothes,” announced Darcy, much to Lizzy’s astonishment. “I suppose your tearing up your chemise for bandages started me along the line.”

Fairbanks frowned.

“Really?” said Lizzy.

“What are you wearing?” he asked.

“My stays and my chemise.”

“Good. Keep those on. They will serve admirably for my demonstration. You may go, Fairbanks.”

“I am still brushing the mistress’s hair, sir,” said Fairbanks stiffly.

“Very well. Carry on. Do you have a ribbon?” asked Darcy imperturbably.

Fairbanks grudgingly handed him the ribbon in her hand.

“Excellent! Firstly, I have discovered that if you take a ribbon, twist it like this,” he said, introducing a half-twist, “and join the ends, then it only has one side.”

Lizzy was skeptical. “It looks like it still has two to me.”

“Put your finger on the join,” prompted Darcy.

She did so.

“Are you on the inside or the outside?” he asked.

“The outside.”

“Very well,” continued Darcy. “Run your finger along the ribbon until you have circumnavigated the loop.”

“Oh!” Lizzy exclaimed. “Now I am on the inside!”