“I do not know,” Elizabeth replied, laughing. “She seemed to thinktheywould apply tome, but I shall not know whether that is true until I am there.” Elizabeth was rather hoping Mrs Fairlight would recommend someone and that would be the problem solved.
Kitty regarded her with a mixture of fear and pity. “I am glad it is you doing this, and not me. It sounds altogether too exhausting.”
Elizabeth did not bother to tell her that this constituted less than half of Mrs Wallis’s advice. There was also a warning against taking recommendations from either the butler, the steward, or her future husband, for ‘it could not be sensible to allow a man to choose who ought to do a woman’s work’. A list of essential skills had been provided, from numeracy, jam making, and distilling, to appearance, judiciousness, and discretion. She had even given guidance on what could be considered an acceptable range for a housekeeper’s salary. Had Elizabeth been the sort of person who succumbed to spells of self-doubt, she might have wished Mrs Wallis had not written such a daunting list of considerations. As it was, she was exceedingly thankful for it.
“My aunt has been of infinite use. All I need her to do now is agree to like my husband as well as she seems to like my house.”
“Aunt Philips is a much easier godmother to me than your Mrs Wallis is to you. The only advice she tries to give me is about the length of my sleeves. Andsheapproves of Mr Darcy very much.”
“Does she?” Elizabeth said brightly.
“Why yes! She and I agree that he is much handsomer than Mr Bingley, although much scarier, too.”
“You think Mr Darcy is scary?”
“Well, you know—he is so tall, and stern, and he does not say very much. ’Tis unnerving.”
Elizabeth smirked. ‘Unnerving’ was not the word she would use to describe Darcy’s formidable presence, though it often left her breathless for other reasons. “You could learn from his example, Kitty. If you talked a little less, people might pay more attention when you did speak, then they might decide that you had something interesting to say.”
Kitty scoffed at the notion and then, with a surprisingly knowing look, which emphasised her likeness to Jane, asked, “Do you love him?”
“Yes, I do. Very much.”
“And it does not worry you that his aunt is so horrible?”
“It does not give me one moment’s concern. Besides, it was rather wonderful to hear him defend me in the way he did.”
“Aye, from what you told us, it sounded awfully romantic. Has he kissed you yet?”
Her sister obviously expected that this would shock her, and it did, thoroughly, but only because she was wholly unprepared for it to make her cry.
Kitty was all confusion. “La! Lizzy, I was only teasing!”
“I know, ignore me, I am being silly.” She pressed the heel of her palm to her eyes to soak up her tears with her gloves. “I just miss him.”
“Thank goodness! I thought I had said something wrong. It is very unlike you to cry.”
Elizabeth shrugged. “I miss him a great deal.”
After a slight pause, Kitty said, “I hope I love whomever I marry as much as you love Mr Darcy.”
“Oh, so do I, Kitty. I wish it for all my sisters.”
Though her wish was too late to help Lydia, it seemed to work wonders for Jane, for when they arrived home, it was to the news that Mr Bingley had proposed. Celebrations flowed warmly and sincerely between the sisters. It was wonderful to see Jane at peace at last. The little frown that had marred her handsome features of late was gone, her countenance returned to its natural serenity now that all her doubt was banished. Mr Bingley, too, was the picture of contentment. He beamed at Elizabeth when she took his hands and wished him all the joy in the world.
“I am sure to have it now, for not only shall I be blessed with the loveliest wife, but the best brother and sister, too.” He leant towards her slightly and said under his breath, “You and Darcy have been invaluable in your services to my happiness. I thank you for your words of encouragement and beg you would pass on my gratitude when you next write to him.”
Elizabeth assured him she would, and though she spent the rest of the day agreeing with her mother and sisters’ praise of all Bingley’s finest qualities, her private thoughts were dedicated entirely to Darcy. That he had kept his word about speaking to Bingley when he had so much else on his mind showed a generosity of spirit that suffused her with pride and made her feel his absence ever more keenly.
* * *
Bingley’s sisters arrived in Hertfordshire less than forty-eight hours later. Jane thought it a fine compliment that her future relations should come so soon to express their joy. Elizabeth was not fooled into thinking they had come for any other purpose than to judge whether they could yet persuade their brother to change his mind. It rendered her barely civil when they called at Longbourn.
“I hear congratulations are in order for you as well, Miss Eliza,” Miss Bingley said. “How amazed we all were to hear of your engagement, after you left Derbyshire without even a farewell.”
“Thank you.”
“But now it is Mr Darcy’s turn to abandon you. How sad that he had to leave you so soon after you came to an understanding.”
