“I would not wish to compare our homes, Miss Elizabeth. We both have reasons to love where we grew up, and I imagine we are both grateful for the chance to experience other places as well.”
“Fair enough.”
Their eyes held in the window. She offered a small smile, and he turned to face her.
“And I agree that Longbourn has much beauty to offer.”
Elizabeth could hardly breathe. If he were not him and she were not her, Elizabeth would call the look he gave her affectionate and his words almost a flirtation. But he was him and she was her, and so she knew that that thing she felt crackling between them, that she glimpsed in his intense gaze, existed only in her imagination. Her reluctance and determination to speak with him increased. No opportunity presented itself, however, and a short time later she found herself with the others in Longbourn’s foyer, farewelling the gentlemen.
The Bennets and their guest soon fell into a happy summer routine of visits, outings and even the occasional neighbourhood party. By the time August ended, they had shown Georgiana nearly all of their favourite spots andintroduced her to all of their favourite people—and some who would not be called favourites at all.
One day, all six girls brought blankets and sat by the pond near Haye Park, eating muffins and reading their favourite poetry to one another. Another day, Elizabeth, Jane and Georgiana strolled the orchards of Pulvis Lodge with two of the four young children who lived there. The young gentlemen, both under ten, had been quite taken with Miss Darcy when they met her at church one Sunday and delighted to host her for a visit which included picking delicious apples for their own consumption and their mother’s kitchen. Several times, Lydia and Kitty claimed Georgiana for their trips into Meryton, and it wasn’t long before she was trading ribbons and remaking bonnets with them.
Though Elizabeth worried that her friend would feel overwhelmed by the occasional unruliness and near constant noise of Longbourn, she happily watched Georgiana thrive and quickly become a vital part of their community.
One day on a walk to Oakham Mount with just the two of them, Georgiana shared news from the most recent letter from her brother.
“Mr. Bingley will be at Netherfield next week. My brother will come in a fortnight with Miss Bingley and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst.”
“That is wonderful,” Elizabeth answered. “Will he want you to stay there with them?”
“He has expressed a wish that I would join them.”
“Of course I would not want—”
“Oh, Lizzy, if you’ll have me, I would much prefer to stay at Longbourn. William has said I may decide as long as your family do not mind.”
Elizabeth spent the remainder of the walk assuring Georgiana that her family would be nothing but pleased if she chose to continue to stay at Longbourn when her brother and his party arrived. That night, as the ladies gathered in Jane’s bedroom, as was their nightly custom, the other Bennet sisters added their assurances.
In due time, Mr. Bingley arrived back in Hertfordshire and paid a call at Longbourn. He continued to regard Jane with unconcealed admiration but did not pay her any more overt attention than the rest of the family—except when he solicited her hand for the first dance at the assembly in two days’ time.
Since Georgiana could not join the Bennet family at the assembly as she was not out, Mr. Bennet magnanimously offered to stay home with her—he told her they could play chess and he would tell her all about the girls when they were little. No one had the heart to reveal that Mr. Bennet never attended anyway. What was unexpected was Mrs. Bennet insisting Lydia stay behind as well—though she was out, she was younger than Miss Darcy, whom Mrs. Bennet looked to as an example of all that was proper and fine.
Equally unexpected was Lydia’s reaction—alacritous compliance.
“I shall watch your chess match and perhaps learn to play myself. I am sure I would be a great player.”
“Of course you would, Lydia,” Georgiana said. “I would be happy to teach you, but as you say, perhaps you could watch us play first and then we could make a start of it.”
Lydia smiled at this and readily agreed.
“I am not nearly as kind or patient as your friend here,” Mr. Bennet put in, “but once you two make a start, I will be happy to contribute to your education. It will serve me well to have another player at home once your sisters start leaving me for gentlemen they find more pleasing.”
While Jane and Elizabeth protested this, insisting they liked no one better than their father, Lydia’s smile widened. “I shall not leave you anytime soon, Father. And I will learn to play chess well enough to challenge you.”
“I look forward to it, my dear,” Mr. Bennet said, patting her head as he went off to his library.
The night of the assembly, Lydia and Georgiana helped the other ladies prepare—lacing up dresses, braiding hair and tying ribbons. Along with Mr. Bennet, they waved farewell to the carriage as the others went off and then returned to their promised pursuits.
Elizabeth looked forward to this assembly as she did all the ones she had attended over the years. She was eager to watch the affable Mr. Bingley charm her neighbours. She knew he was a credible dancer and looked forward to partnering him—he had secured her for the third set.
As she looked in a mirror in the outer rooms while they waited to go in, Elizabeth admired her appearance. The braid Lydia insisted on weaving with a ribbon whose pale greenmatched her dress and was tied around her curls did her credit. The dress was one of her favourites—formerly her aunt’s, she and Mary had reworked it with some lace and ribbon, and now it suited both her taste and her figure.
When they reached the open doors leading to the ballroom, Elizabeth noticed at once that something was different. The air seemed to carry a curiosity and excitement. Elizabeth barely had time to wonder about the cause before her mother came bouncing back to their group.
“It seems at least one of Mr. Bingley’s friends has arrived in time to join him tonight,” she rushed to explain. “Lizzy, you will have the honour of introducing Mr. Darcy to all and sundry.”And you will have the honour of being solicited for all manner of information about him, Elizabeth thought as she scanned the room for her friend.
He was easy to find as he was one of the tallest gentlemen present and because most eyes were trained on him already. Near the far corner of the room, as if he were trying to melt into the wall, he stood next to Mr. Bingley, who smilingly surveyed the room looking pleased with everything and everyone he saw. Darcy, on the other hand, was alternating between tugging at his sleeve and running a hand through his hair, pointedly not looking at anyone or anything. It did not take Elizabeth’s encyclopaedic knowledge of his looks and mannerisms to know he was nervous. The question was why? He was used to far grander and fuller rooms than this. He was also used to being the centre of attention—for his wealth, for his looks, for Pemberley. Elizabeth blushed as she caught fragments of several conversations canvassing just these things as she made her way to his side of the room.
