Speaking to Parker almost made Darcy forget about his questions about the opened room and what, if anything, hissister’s revelation would be. Those in the expanded drawing room had been speaking for about an hour when Douglas appeared at the open drawing room door and nodded to his sister.
“William, I must go take care of something, I will be back shortly,” Georgiana stated as she stood before her brother could react. “Richard, would you mind assisting me?”
“Do you need my help?” Darcy enquired.
“No, but thank you, brother. One of us needs to remain here with our guests,” Georgiana insisted before she disappeared on her cousin’s arm.
Were it not untenable to do so in public, Darcy would have scratched his head.
Once they were sure no one in the drawing room could hear them, Richard stopped his young cousin who was effervescent with joy at being able to so completely pull the wool over her brother’s eyes.
“Giana, you must tell Miss Bennet that William is unaware who is joining us. We know how he feels, but she may not want to be part of a surprise like this.”
“You are right, Richard, I will do so,” Georgiana promised. The two continued towards the door to the courtyard.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Elizabeth had been travelling in the lead coach with her sisters, Charlotte, Lilly, and Addie. After they had travelled past the gatepost, passing some miles worth of forest either side of the drive, Elizabeth had been able to visualise the miles of trees at their verdant best, even though the branches were at present bare and stark. Now that she was very comfortable atop a horse, she could only imagine what a pleasure it would be to explore this estate, on foot as well as on horseback.
As much as the woods had impressed her, they were nothing to the view which greeted her when they had crestedthe rise which allowed her first view of the mansion and the valley below. The enchanting sight was made even more magical with the sparkling sunlight on the dusting of fresh snow.
It was well over a half mile down the other side of the rise until the coachman guided his team under aporte cochère, and into a large internal courtyard. From the courtyard, the house looked ever more imposing. As soon as the three carriages were drawn to a halt, footmen placed the steps and opened the doors. The arriving guests were guided to the steps which led to the entrance into the house, where Miss Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam stood ready to greet them.
Although Elizabeth wanted to ask if Mr Darcy was away from the house, she waited until the butler and several of his footmen assisted all of them out of their outerwear.
“Miss Bennet, before we proceed, I need to make you aware of something,” Georgiana began. Elizabeth nodded for her hostess to continue. “My brother is unaware of your presence, yours or anyone else in your party for that matter. Knowing how much he enjoyed meeting the Bennets in Hertfordshire, before the tragic events which took your sister, and how he has been concerned you are well, I decided to surprise him and you… all of you are his Christmas surprise.”
Elizabeth had to fight not to blush. She was very good at reading between the lines, but she did not want to think of the meaning of Mr Darcy’s sister wanting to have her at his home, unknown to the master of the estate. She was glad she had left the handkerchief in her chamber at Lambert Hills, because she was sure she would have been embarrassed beyond words had Mr Darcy discovered it was in her possession.
“Should my sisters and I enter last?” Elizabeth enquired.
“No, if it is all the same to you, I would prefer you enter on my one arm, with Miss Mary on my other, while Richard escorts Miss Catherine and Miss Lydia.” Georgiana turned tothe Gardiners and Lamberts. “Will you follow us into the drawing room?” It was agreed by all.
Giana offered Miss Bennet her right arm and Miss Mary the left. As soon as she noted that Richard and his two Miss Bennets were ready, she began to walk towards the drawing room. Walking behind his young cousin and the older two Miss Bennets, the Colonel would have preferred to swap one of the young ladies on his arm for one on his cousin’s arm.
Darcy had been discussing the upcoming spring planting with his older cousin and his uncle when he heard footfalls in the hallway, and it sounded like more walkers than just Richard and Giana. He was about to go investigate when his sister entered the drawing room, a lady on each of her arms. At first, Darcy did not comprehend what he was seeing, until Richard followed his sister into the drawing room with the two youngest Bennets accompanying him. Darcy looked at his sister’s companions with much closer scrutiny, and as his jaw dropped to the floor he knew what his surprise was.
As her sisters were, Miss Bennet stood smiling at him, clothed in a deep mourning gown. Unlike the previous time he had seen the woman who held his heart, rather than her eyes being dull with sorrow, they were shining with mirth. As if he could not be more shocked, the Gardiners entered the room with Miss Lucas. They were followed by the Lamberts. He suddenly realised where Miss Bennet and Miss Mary had been staying. Of course! Lambert was Mrs Gardiner’s older brother, and his estate was near…Metting! That was where Giana had gone to shop, but it was more than an hour of travelling unless…they changed the team at the Blue Bird Inn. Why had he not thought about that? He realised everyone was looking at him with varying degrees of amusement. He needed to snap out of it before Miss Bennet thought him a blithering idiot.
“Bennets, Gardiners, Lamberts, and Miss Lucas, even though I had not an idea you would be joining us today,” Darcy speared his family members, especially his sister with a ‘justyou wait’ look. He turned back to the arriving guests. “I am more than pleased to welcome you all to Pemberley and wish all of you a happy Christmas.”
Elizabeth was impressed, rather than express anger at his sister, for getting the better of her much older brother with his cousin’s assistance, Mr Darcy was displaying good humour about the situation .
After greeting all of the arriving adults and the older children—the younger ones had been guided to the nursery to join a very happy Joshua, overjoyed at so many playmates—Darcy felt himself drawn to Miss Bennet who was chatting to Miss Lucas and his sister. One thing he could not but notice was the difference in the comportment and behaviour of the two youngest Bennets. It had improved by leaps and bounds. Before he reached Miss Bennet, Bingley and the Hursts stopped before her to greet her.
“Miss Bennet, when we were notified you and Miss Mary were to Town, we never expected to see you here,” Bingley stated.
There was no missing the black armband he wore, or that his older sister was somewhat uncomfortable. “It is good to see allthreeof you, Mr Bingley.” Elizabeth saw how Mrs Hurst relaxed when she emphasised three. She leaned over to the lady. “Did you forget I accepted your apology and forgave you?”
“Given the tumult at the time, I was concerned you may have done so, though I hoped not, Miss Bennet,” Mrs Hurst revealed quietly.
“Not at all, I appreciated it and hold nothing against you,” Elizabeth reassured the woman. Mr Bingley and the Hursts moved away and were replaced by Mr Darcy .
“You know there was only one reason I accepted your sister’s kind invitation, do you not?” Darcy shook his head. “To visit the books you purchased from my father which are in your library,” Elizabeth teased.
“I did not know they were from Mr Bennet until I saw a bookplate in one of the books,” Darcy revealed. “How are you, all of you doing?”
Before she could answer, two couples approached. Elizabeth guessed based on the similarity of the looks to the Colonel, the older man was his father and the other a brother.
