Elizabeth made her way to her mother’s chamber. She could hear her mother’s maid asking her mistress for her preferences for the day so she knew her mother was awake. She knocked on the door.
“Good morning Lizzy. Did you need something?” Fanny enquired after Elizabeth entered the room.
“No Mama, I do not. There is something I wanted to share with you,” Elizabeth enthused.
Fanny could tell her second daughter was excited about something. “Well, do not keep me waiting, Child, what is it?”
“Mr. Darcy is courting me,” Elizabeth related succinctly.
“The same man who insulted you?” Fanny asked incredulously. “I know, I know, he did apologise. Oh my, you said a courtship not an engagement?”
“Correct, Mama,” Elizabeth confirmed. “And Papa has bestowed his permission. Mr. Darcy is with him in the study as we speak, and I suspect he will join us for the morning meal when I would wager Papa will make the announcement.”
She was about to make comments on Mr. Darcy’s reputed wealth when Fanny stopped herself. All that mattered was it seemed obvious Lizzy was very happy.
“Telling me yourself is greatly appreciated. Run along now Lizzy and I will see you in the dining parlour.”
Elizabeth kissed her mother on the cheek and then almost skipped her way out of the bedchamber. Fanny could not but smile at the display of Lizzy’s unbridled happiness.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bennet knew better than most how much his wife had changed, but he could not understand how she managed to sit perfectly calmly through his sharing the news of Lizzy’s courtship.
He was puzzling out why Fanny had not reacted with surprise when he noticed the smirk on Lizzy’s face. He had been outplayed; his daughter had obviously told her mother.
Everyone congratulated Lizzy and Darcy, the most effusive of which were given by William Bennet. Had he not been assured there never was an understanding between Mr. Darcy and Miss de Bourgh before, this would have convinced him.
Mary watched her fiancé with both pride and pleasure. Not one mention of the ubiquitous Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She thought about how over the last weeks she had slowly but surely pointed out how unseemly it was for a man of the cloth to be seen as worshipping a mortal person almost like a deity.
She had helped William see respect was one thing, but blind obedience and flouting some of the rules of the church at the same time was not something which would endear him to his parishioners, and more importantly to the hierarchy of the church. When he had asked for clarification, Mary had shown him a book of rules for clergymen which forbade the sharing of information parishioners told in confidence and also that non-clergy were not allowed to have approval of, or input into, the lessons delivered from the pulpit.
As soon as William Bennet had accepted the fallibility of his patroness and read the rule about livings being for life, he began to see the error of his former ways which had led to the cessation of praise for Lady Catherine.
It had been very comforting to him when he accepted all the threats Lady Catherine made about removing him from his living, if he did not obey her in all things, was so much stuff and nonsense. He daily thanked the goodness of God that He had seen fit to send him a future wife as intelligent as his Mary.
Mary could not but smile as she returned to the present. Her fiancé was still the same in essentials and still somewhat sycophantic, as evidenced by his effusions to Mr. Darcy, but she was sure with a bit more time, that too would change.
After the meal, even though he would have preferred it was only Miss Elizabeth to see him off in the drive, all the family was present to wave to Darcy as he rode up the drive on Zeus who had had a nice long rest and some pampering in the Bennet stables.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Louisa Hurst stood next to her brother to welcome the Bennets who arrived at Netherfield Park. The three eldest sisters were the occupants of the Bennet carriage. After the footman handed out Misses Elizabeth and Mary, Bingley took his place and handed his angel out of the conveyance.
“Mary’s fiancé is learning from Papa and our youngest sisters are in their lessons with Mrs. Buxton,” Jane informed her hosts.
“Welcome Jane, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Mary,” Mrs. Hurst stated sincerely. “Miss Elizabeth please accept my best wishes on the occasion of your courtship with Mr. Darcy.”
Notwithstanding her sad letters from their aunt’s house in Scarborough, Louisa was very glad Caroline was no longer at Netherfield Park. She still loved her sister, but who knew what her reaction would have been if she had been present when Mr. Darcy announced his courtship earlier.
“I appreciate your good wishes, Mrs. Hurst.” Elizabeth inclined her head to the lady. “When your brother marries Jane, we will be sisters of a kind, so would you please call me Elizabeth or Lizzy,” Elizabeth requested.
“And I am Mary,” Mary added.
“Then it is Lizzy and Mary. In that case, please call me Louisa,” Mrs. Hurst responded. Both younger Bennet sisters agreed to do so. There was no denying how much more pleasant life was without Caroline, especially her pretentions and her tantrums.
“At the same time, as we will be brother and sisters in less than a month, please call me Charles,” Bingley offered.
“As long as you use our familiar names, we will be happy to call you by your given name,” Elizabeth replied for herself and Mary.
