Richard Fitzwilliam said nothing. He was fascinated by Miss Mary Bennet and if Giana managed to have them at Pemberley, he would not complain. His parents, brother, and sister-in-law would be pleased to become acquainted with Miss Bennet, and he was sure William’s approbation would be hard to miss.
Elizabeth and Mary looked at one another. Mary nodded. “We have no objection to your accompanying us back to Lambert Hills,” Elizabeth agreed.
“What say you to us meeting at the inn. How much time do you two think you need before you would be ready to leave Metting?” Georgiana asked. “I would not want to hurry you.”
“What say you to an hour? We will be ready to return to Lambert Hills then. It is less than two miles from the town to the estate,” Elizabeth suggested.
It was agreed. Georgiana and her cousin left the bookstore. “That is a gift money could never buy,” the Colonel whistled. “William will never guess who is coming to Christmas dinner.”
That is part of my plan, Richard.” Georgiana smiled smugly.
“Of all the bookstores, in the multitude of market towns, in all of the realm, Miss Darcy and her cousin walk into the same one we are in, and discover me crying, of course,” Elizabeth shook her head.
“Lizzy, they, better than most, understand why you were crying, and besides, it did not seem to bother them.” Mary paused as she thought of the dashing Colonel. “Did not Charlotte write something about Mr Darcy’s cousin being in Hertfordshire briefly? It was after Janey’s passing, I believe.”
“She did. Come let us find the gifts for which we came and then make our way to the inn,” Elizabeth proposed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Elizabeth and Mary rode in the Darcy coach with the Colonel, Miss Darcy, and Mrs Annesley. The gifts, the maid, and the Lambert footman were in the Lambert carriage following them.
On arriving, as they alighted from the coach, they almost missed a conveyance being pulled away towards the coach barn. As it was, Elizabeth and Mary were in conversation with Miss Darcy, so they did not pay the carriage any heed.
Before they reached the front door, it was pulled open and there stood Catherine, Lydia, and four Gardiner cousins with Charlotte standing behind them smiling indulgently at the looks of pure joy mingled with shock on Elizabeth and Mary’s faces.
“How? Why? When?” Elizabeth managed as she pulled both of her youngest sisters into a hug.
Mary was next to hug her younger sisters as Elizabeth moved on to their cousins and then to Charlotte. She was crying again, but this time they were tears of joy.
Last but not least, Aunt and Uncle Gardiner were greeted. As everyone began to move towards the largest drawing room, Elizabeth noticed Miss Darcy and the Colonel about to slip away, obviously not wanting to intrude on the joyous reunion. “Please join us. Colonel, I believe you are familiar with my Uncle Edward.” Elizabeth offered her arm to Miss Darcy and walked with her into the drawing room.
Gardiner and his wife greeted the Colonel and Miss Darcy warmly. “Will you introduce your younger nieces, their friend, and the Lamberts to us please, Gardiner,” the Colonel requested.
It did not take long for the introductions to be made by Gardiner, and then the Colonel made his young cousin known to those who had not met her. “Well Giana, as the hostess, it seems there will be afewmore to invite to Pemberley.” Seeingthe questioning looks from many in the room, the Colonel explained what the purpose of his ward and him calling on Lambert Hills was and how, by pure happenstance, they had discovered the two eldest Miss Bennets in Metting.
“If all of you are agreeable, we would love to host you at Pemberley on Christmas day,” Georgiana invited warmly. She smiled at the Gardiner children who she had not seen since a month or two before Ramsgate.
“Our Rory and my sister’s May are only four,” Gweneth pointed out.
“My brother and sister-in-law’s son is only three, and Joshua loves to play, so two more children close to his own age would be a boon for him and his parents. He is rather rambunctious,” the Colonel related.
“Just like Rory,” Lambert said. He looked to his sister. “It will take us close to Lambton where we grew up, so unless you and Gardiner object…”
“Not at all, Tim, I would love to see Pemberley again,” Madeline responded. “I used to go there with our late mother on occasion, and I remember seeing Lady Anne on several of our visits.”
“You met my mother!” Georgiana enthused. “In the times I called on you when William was with Mr Gardiner, I never knew that. Will you tell me what you remember when you come to Pemberley, please, Mrs Gardiner. I love to hear about her as it makes me feel closer to the mother I was not fortunate enough to meet.”
“It will be my pleasure,” Madeline agreed.
“Come Giana, we must away, before your brother sends the militia to find you. You know he has been in Lambton by now, trying to see what you are purchasing for him,” the Colonel reminded his ward.
“Please come after church on Tuesday,” Georgiana conveyed.
The two farewelled all assembled in the drawing room. It would only be a few days before they all met again.
As soon as they had seen the Darcy coach off, Elizabeth and Mary returned to the drawing room. “Out with it, how did this occur without anyone breathing a word to us?” Elizabeth demanded with mock affront.
“We did not want you to be without us over Christmastide,” Madeline explained. “Your father gave his permission for Catherine and Lydia to travel with us, and you had requested that Charlotte join you for the summer, so we invited her as well, once Gwen and Tim had agreed to host all of us.”
