“Now then, out of bed!”
Mrs. Gardiner took hold of Elizabeth’s nightgown and began to pull her out of bed. Elizabeth shrieked and tried to get away, batting at her aunt’s hands.
“You may as well surrender, Lizzy. I am an expert at getting my children out of bed. I have perfected several tricks, and I will not hesitate to use them.”
“Then I admit defeat. I will do as you ask.”
“Good. Because, when you come downstairs, I will tell you about my cunning plan.”
***
In the end, Elizabeth was motivated by curiosity to go downstairs. She found the household in a frenzy of cleaning, with the silver being polished, and Mrs. Gardiner in the center of everything, giving orders.
“What is going on?”
“I am preparing for my cunning plan.”
“The servants are cleaning the house. That does not appear very cunning to me. In fact, it appears remarkably mundane.”
“Have faith, Lizzy! Let us have breakfast and I will tell you.”
By now, Elizabeth was more than intrigued. She was not hungry, but she agreed to drink a cup of chocolate.
“Well?”
“I have sent a message inviting Miss Darcy to a family dinner. She is not out, but with the children present, there could be no object. At first, I thought tea would do, but then I changed my mind.”
Elizabeth frowned in puzzlement. “That is your cunning plan?”
“Yes, because if Miss Darcy sends her apologies, we will know Mr. Darcy has forbidden her from coming, and that she cannot convince him to change his mind. I do believe Miss Darcy will want to accept the invitation.”
Elizabeth nodded slowly. “I suppose that is a good way to discover how Mr. Darcy feels. Of course, Miss Darcy may decline the invitation for other reasons.”
“If that is the case, I would expect her to say not, then suggest another possibility. Tea, perhaps, or another time.”
Elizabeth grinned. “You are right. It may not be as cunning as you think, Aunt, but it is a good plan.”
“I am glad I have won your approval. Now, are you going to help me with the preparations?”
Elizabeth sighed. “Of course.”
As she participated in selecting items for the menu, it seemed to Elizabeth that all this preparation was too excessive for a simple family dinner with a young girl.
“Are you certain we need all these courses?”
“It is nothing to what the Darcys are accustomed to. This would be considered a simple meal by their standards. Besides, we want to make a good impression, in case Mr. Darcy asks his sister about it.”
“And what if she turns down the invitation? All our work would be for nothing.” Elizabeth thought glumly that this was the most likely outcome of her aunt’s plan.
“Then we can enjoy an excellent dinner ourselves.”
Half an hour later, a note arrived from Miss Darcy, in which she thanked Mrs. Gardiner, and accepted the invitation.
“There!” said her aunt in triumph. “Now we know.”
Elizabeth’s spirits soared. Mr. Darcy had given his approval. He was not holding a grudge! “Now we know,” she said, and threw herself wholeheartedly into the preparations.
Then later, a message arrived from her uncle. He had invited Mr. Millett to join them.
