“It is us who are grateful,” Elizabeth insisted, finally giving in to the urge and giving her friend a quick hug before linking their arms. “It allows us to repay some measure of the hospitality you and your family have shown us these many years.”
“Yes, my dear, you are quite welcome,” Mrs. Bennet told her. “We shall treat you as one of our own.”
“I am not sure if that is a threat or a promise,” Elizabeth whispered. Georgiana giggled.
“Shall we all go in?” Mr. Bennet asked. He and Mrs. Bennet led the way.
As the others moved to follow, Elizabeth tugged on Georgiana’s arm and pulled her back to where the footmen were unloading the carriage. She threw her arms around her once again, for longer this time.
“I am so glad you are here,” she said. “When Mother wanted to prevent us from going to Derbyshire, I feared I would not see you for so long.”
“I suppose it is too much to hope that you were equally bereft at the prospect of not seeing me?” a deep voice asked.
Elizabeth’s heart fluttered wildly, and her stomach lurched. She had been affected by the sight of him minutes earlier, but something about his teasing voice directed at her amplified all of her chaotic reactions to him. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him, determined to rise to the occasion.
“It is too high a hope, I’m afraid,” she smiled at him, ignoring the jolt she felt when he smiled back. “You know your sister will always be my favourite Darcy sibling, but I suppose you have your own value. Without your lovely carriage, how would Miss Darcy have gotten here?”
“I’m glad to hear I have something to offer,” he replied, still smiling. But when Elizabeth moved to lead them into the house, he laid a detaining hand on her arm. “We wanted to tell you how sorry we are about Mr. Barlow. He was a fine man, and we know how much you meant to each other.”
Georgiana stood beside her brother, wearing an expression of sympathy and nodding her agreement.
“Thank you,” Elizabeth said, feeling the sting of tears. It had been over ten months since his passing, and the grief still felt fresh sometimes. Just as it did with Mr. Darcy. She wondered briefly if that was a consequence of loving and being loved—collecting grief and its scars and finding ways to be content with the marks losing someone left on you.
The family at Longbourn did not see much of the gentlemen in the following days. They were much occupied with Netherfield’s steward and touring the estate as well as its extensive grounds.
Georgiana settled in with the Bennets with surprising ease. She loved the relative chaos of their family meals and appreciated the doting attention Mrs. Bennet saw fit to bestow on her. The matronly instincts of that lady were awakened by the plight of a young girl who had lost her mother so young. Miss Darcy had learned enough from Elizabeth’s example when they began their friendship to be able to coax Kitty out of her shelland to help settle Lydia a bit when all the girls were together. She enjoyed being the older, wiser one for once.
Before the planned departure of the gentlemen, the family enjoyed a dinner with all three of the newcomers. The gentlemen intended to return to London the following morning to complete the transaction as, to no one’s surprise, Mr. Bingley had decided to take the lease.
“I have no doubt you will enjoy the neighbourhood, sir,” Mrs. Bennet assured him in between urging Miss Darcy to put more potatoes and meat on her plate. “We will have a party to welcome you when you return.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Bennet. If I receive half so warm a welcome from the rest of Hertfordshire as I have here at Longbourn, I will be very well pleased.” Mr. Bingley smiled broadly at the whole table, and Elizabeth noted his gaze lingered on Jane.
“When should we expect your return?” Mrs. Bennet asked.
“We hope to conclude our business in London within a fortnight,” Bingley answered. “However, I also await my sisters, who will be joining us at Netherfield. I hope to be settled well before Michaelmas.”
“Send word when you arrive,” Mr. Bennet said. “I will show you that drainage issue between our fields, and we might consider together how to address it.”
“I should like that very much and will alert you as soon as I am back,” Mr. Bingley eagerly assured him.
Elizabeth was pleased to see her father making such an effort. When she looked at Mr. Darcy, she found his gaze on her. His look was one that was becoming familiar. It was like he was trying to solve a riddle and could not find the answer. Elizabeth thought she knew the reason and determined to speak with him as soon as possible.
“Will you be one of the party, Mr. Darcy?” Jane asked.
“I am not entirely certain if my business will allow me to return with Mr. Bingley, but I will join them at some point if only to collect my sister,” he replied.
“We hope to convince Darcy to come for as long as may be,” Bingley put in. “I imagine I will be quite adrift without his guidance, but with your offer of help, Mr. Bennet, I may do well enough.”
Mr. Bennet demurred any great credit for simply being a good neighbour while Darcy assured Bingley, “You will do well enough on your own. Sometimes our errors are the best teachers.”
“I know you mean to encourage me, Darcy, but I’d rather not have too many teachers if that be the case.”
Everyone laughed at this. When the meal was done, they decided to forgo the separation, and everyone made their way to the drawing room.
Kitty and Lydia sat on either side of Georgiana, and all three girls seemed delighted with whatever they were discussing with considerable animation. Mr. Bingley was peppering Mr. Bennet with questions, many of which Mrs. Bennet answered. Jane and Mary had taken up some needlework.
Though Mr. Darcy stood by himself at the window, it was not a private enough setting for the conversation Elizabeth had in mind. Still, time with him was nearly impossible to resist, and she was eager to postpone the conversation she had in mind. She made her way to his side and said, “The grounds are nothing to Pemberley, but I think we have our own kind of beauty here.”
