But he managed not to feel embarrassed when he turned to Elizabeth, because her ageless beauty always drove more paltry concerns out of his mind. On this occasion, her golden overlay against the dark green gown was simply breathtaking as it emphasised her curves, and the emeralds sparkled almost as much as her twinkling eyes and the glints in her dark hair.
He caught her eye from across the enormous assembly room, and as if they were responding to magnetic forces that overcame decorum, they both hurried towards one another.
“Have you seen Jane?” she asked just as he was asking, “Have you seen Georgiana?”
They laughed and began to walk together in a circuit around the room, checking in with all their beloved siblings. Jane and Bingley were bubbling with joy over the engagement of their eldest son.
“Only six more marriages to secure,” Bingley teased, pretending to channel the dearly departed Mrs Bennet.
Mary and Henry Barker stood with Catherine and Julian Gascoigne. Barker was a barrister, and Gascoigne was an attorney who worked closely with Barker. The sisters who had not been even a little bit close during their formative years were extremely close as adults, both physically and emotionally.
The four girls and three boys of the two combined families ran back and forth between their neighbouring houses in Queen Square in Bath, and cries of “Mama, Auntie!” were common as each of the Barker and Gascoigne children benefitted from an excess of doting adults.
Lydia Stewart had brought her twin daughters to the celebration; they were twenty years old and very much “out.” Colonel Robert Stewart was unable to attend; he was trapped at Whitehall meeting with others regarding the rebellion occurring in Canada.
All three Stewart ladies were lively and even a bit flirtatious, although Lydia was acknowledged by all as being completely loyal to her husband, and the three so-called gentlemen who had attempted to importune either Margaret or Susannah Stewart had swiftly learnt that their father had taught them how to defend themselves against cads. The word had spread: theStewarts had unblemished reputations, and young bucks would be wise to toe the mark.
Georgiana Harris, her husband, the Earl of Keswick, and their only child, a son, came despite the fact that the composer they patronised was set to debut his latest symphony in London later that week. Lady Keswick was the patron of five musicians and three composers, and her son was a gifted cello player.
Having hugged and kissed all of the relations who had come, Darcy and Elizabeth found themselves swept up to a little stage at one end of the assembly room. They were introduced to the crowd, but when asked to give a speech, Darcy said, “Anyone who knows me would acknowledge that speaking to a crowd is not my forte.” He paused for the inevitable laugh, then continued, “However, in 1812, I proved to the world to be one of the greatest decision makers of all time…when I decided to woo a young woman named Elizabeth Bennet.”
Elizabeth, shocked to be mentioned in a speech about the founding ofThe Peak Report, blushed and dipped a little curtsey to the warm approval of the crowd.
Darcy continued, “However, Miss Bennet was not necessarily all that easy to impress; I had to work hard for her regard, and part of that was using my prodigious decision-making skill to less selfish purposes.”
Darcy saw that the crowd was beginning to understand where he was going with this speech. “Hence my decision to found a newspaper for northern Derbyshire, and my decision to choose Theodore James to be the editor of that newspaper.”
Darcy waved his arm towards James, who was still the heart and soul ofThe Peak Report. The applause swelled, and Darcy finished with the words, “And now I will follow my heart, which is telling me to sit down and allow Mr James to do whatever speaking remains to be done.”
“Well done, you,” Elizabeth whispered as he sat and captured her hand in his.
“Yes,” Darcy said. “I have done very, very well—brilliantly, really—by securing the hand of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, all those years ago. Happy Jubilee, Lizzy-love.”
“Happy Jubilee, Fitzwilliam.”
The End
