“Thank you, Georgiana. You look lovely as always.” Miss Katherine was reverently fingering the pearled sleeves. “This dress is so…I have never worn anything so exquisite in my life.”
“Well then Miss Katherine, the dress is yours.” The girls turned in astonishment.
“Wills! Anne!”
“Madame Claudette. We will order all the gowns my sister likes as well as this one which Miss Katherine has fallen in love with,” Darcy said, smiling at the proprietress.
Miss Katherine seemed stunned. “Mr. Darcy, thank you but I could never accept such a gift. It is too much.”
“Nonsense,” Georgiana said beaming. “It is the least we can do for my dearest friend. Anne, may I introduce Miss Katherine Bennet? Kitty, this is my cousin Anne de Bourgh.”
“Miss Katherine, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
At that moment, the curtains parted and a gasp escaped his lips. Standing before him was an ethereal beauty in burgundy silk.
“Lizzy, I have never seen you look so pretty in all my life!”
“Why, thank you, Kitty. I will try and see your words as the compliment they were intended,” Miss Elizabeth said with a playful voice. “Mr. Darcy!” She colored prettily upon seeing him.
“Miss Bennet.” He bowed, grateful for the moment to regain his composure.
“Elizabeth, you look lovely! Is that dress not the most becoming thing you have ever seen?” Georgiana squealed.
Darcy stiffly nodded his ascent before turning to Anne. “Anne, might I introduce Miss Elizabeth Bennet? Miss Bennet, my betrothed, Miss Anne de Bourgh.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Anne said. She smiled serenely. “Miss Bennet, that dress is most becoming on you. I do not believe the queen herself could have looked so well in it.”
“I understand it to be a castoff from Empress Josephine. Not French enough for her taste, I presume,” she quipped.
“Oh, but you do look well in it.”
“It is too bad we do not have an event for you to wear it to.” Georgiana sighed.
“Oh, but we do,” Anne said. “Aunt and Uncle Matlock are to throw a ball next week, and you are all invited.”
“We are invited to a ball at the home of an earl?” Miss Katherine asked with wide eyes. “I can only imagine what Mama would say.”
“Why is Aunt Ellen giving a ball?”
“It is our engagement ball, William,” Anne said devoid of emotion.
“Of course.”
“And you will undoubtedly garner the attention of many handsome beaus and jealous matrons, Elizabeth,” Georgiana said playfully.
“Then it is a good thing I have no intention on buying this. I could not willingly take attention away from such a lovely couple at their ball!”
“Nonsense,” Georgiana said. “I have never seen a more becoming dress in my life, and it will be my gift to you.”
“Georgiana! That is too kind. But it is too much. I cannot accept.”
“You cannotnotaccept a gift, Elizabeth. Can she, Brother?”
Darcy regained his wits and replied in the negative.
“Then it is settled. Madame Claudette, we will order all the dresses. Might these be ready in two days?”
“As you wish, Miss Darcy.”
