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Elizabeth and Darcy ushered people out of the room. This was a matter to be settled among Wickham, Bingley, and his sister. They hardly needed an audience.
One of the last people to leave the room was Mrs. Bennet, still a little tipsy. “There will be another wedding?” she exclaimed. “How wonderful! Christmastide is the time for them, you know.”
As the room emptied, Bingley spoke to his sister in low tones. She trembled with anger but nodded with great reluctance.
Finally, Bingley gave Wickham a meaningful look. The man cleared his throat and approached Miss Bingley without meeting her eyes. “Miss Bingley, would you do me the honor of—?”
“Yes,” she snapped before he had finished and flounced out of the room. Wickham stalked out as well, noticeably turning in the opposite direction once he was in the hallway.
“They were plotting against us the whole time!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “How horrible.”
“They deserve each other,” Richard muttered.
Darcy shook his head slowly. “The moment the vows are uttered, Wickham will collect the dowry and board the first ship to America.” He glanced at Bingley. “Even your sister does not deserve that.”
“My solicitor must write the marriage articles very carefully,” Bingley said. “So instead they will be shackled together in England. Poor Caroline. But perhaps together they will learn to improve their characters.” Darcy privately believed this was an overly optimistic hope.
Bingley stared out of the doorway thoughtfully. “No doubt she believed you would propose to her, if Miss Bennet—er, Mrs. Darcy—were engaged to someone else.”
Darcy shuddered. “Not if she were the last woman in the world.” He turned to Elizabeth. “I thank you, my darling, for rescuing me from that fate.”
She laughed, a musical sound. “My pleasure. You rescued me from Mr. Wickham—twice—so it was only fair.”
At that moment, Miss Bennet—er, Mrs. Bingley—appeared in the doorway. Bingley’s face dissolved into smiles as she glided across the floor to join him.
“Yes,” Bingley sighed. “Everything has worked out as it should.”
The End
