“If we invite you, it cannot be an intrusion,” Mr Darcy responded in a hoarse and hesitant voice. “We would be delighted to receive you and your relatives, Miss Elizabeth, if you wish to come.”
He looked at her, and their eyes met briefly; she was so surprised and unsettled that she could not gather her thoughts to give a proper reply. Was he truly inviting her to Pemberley? It was just an act of politeness initiated by his sister, but still, it was generous of him to overlook her offensive words. She hadcalled him the last man in the world she could be prevailed on to marry, and still he was offering to open the doors of his home to her.
“I only want to be sure such a visit would not cause you any disturbance, Mr Darcy,” she finally said.
“You should have no doubt in that regard, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Prepare yourself for a treat, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr Bingley interjected. “Pemberley is one of the finest estates in the entire country. I shall miss it this year.”
“Well, you may come at any time, Bingley. And perhaps Miss Bennet too,” Mr Darcy replied, increasing Elizabeth’s amazement. What had happened to him to display such generosity?
“Thank you, Mr Darcy, but I have to take care of my cousins. They will stay at Longbourn while my uncle and aunt travel,” Jane explained. “I shall depend on Lizzy to give me a full description.”
“I can give you a full description of Pemberley, too, since I have been there quite often in the last three years,” Mr Bingley offered. “I hope one day Darcy will find me an estate close to his own.”
“Oh…do you plan to leave Hertfordshire?” Jane enquired.
“Not immediately, but maybe in the future. For now, I am thrilled to be reopening Netherfield. I am sure you would enjoy Pemberley and that part of the country, Miss Bennet.”
“I am sure I would, sir.”
The conversation continued in the same manner, the bond between Mr Bingley and Jane so obvious that it warmed Elizabeth’s heart. Her sister’s sorrow seemed to have come toan end, and a bright future was ahead of her, whether it was in Hertfordshire or Derbyshire. For herself, Elizabeth did not expect much; seeing her sister happy and having a civil friendship with Mr Darcy were all she dared hope for.
Miss Darcy chatted timidly about the park’s beauties, but it was Mr Darcy who commanded Elizabeth’s attention, though he hardly spoke. Her mind kept repeating that he had invited her to Pemberley, and she could hardly become accustomed to such an unexpected idea. She found herself counting the weeks until their journey began, trying to temper the joy that rose within her.
After the walk, Miss Darcy invited them for tea. This time, Elizabeth could observe the elegant furniture and admire the fine taste without the fear that she was not welcome. Miss Darcy was a gracious host, and even Jane seemed at ease, enjoying Mr Bingley’s attentions.
They separated in the afternoon, Mr Bingley accompanying them back to Gracechurch Street. That evening, the main subject of conversation was Mr Darcy’s shocking invitation to visit Pemberley, which impressed the Gardiners as much as it had Elizabeth.
Two more days passed, then Mr Bingley called again, this time with Mr and Miss Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam. Another pleasant morning was spent together, and Elizabeth was delighted to see Mr Darcy so comfortable and friendly with her uncle and aunt.
She vividly remembered the tirade that had followed his marriage proposal, in which he had listed all his objections to her family; yet, there he was, approving of Mr Bingley’s courtship of Jane and acting every bit a close friend of the Gardiners’. What could have caused such a change?
Her heart whispered it was for her sake, but her reason could not admit that. No man would forgive and forget not just a rejected marriage proposal but one rejected in such harsh and hurtful terms. And yet, his generosity seemed to exceed even his considerable pride.
“Lady Amelia is having a little party, and she gave me this invitation for you,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. “She said it will be small, but her parties can never usually be described by such a word. Regardless, they are always entertaining.”
Jane glanced at Mr Bingley, and the colonel laughed. “Yes, Bingley will be there too, as well as Darcy — we all hope. With Darcy, one never knows, since parties are not his favourite way to spend time.”
“I shall be there,” Mr Darcy answered, with a brief look at Elizabeth.
Mrs Gardiner accepted on behalf of everyone, while Elizabeth was silenced by her surprise. Increasingly, she, her sister, and her uncle and aunt were being accepted inside a circle where they did not belong, and she was torn between being grateful and doubtful.
With the prospect of Lady Amelia’s party ahead, Mrs Gardiner proposed some shopping. It was to be the last engagement before their return to Longbourn, and an important one, since it exposed them to high society and the criticism of people with wealth and connections.
Elizabeth spent much time pondering how deeply their circumstances and her feelings had changed since returning from Kent. She had arrived in London overwhelmed with guilt and regret for misjudging two men with such opposite characters, and she had been intent on comforting Jane, who was still heartbroken, neither lady holding out any hope ofseeing either Mr Bingley or Mr Darcy again. Yet less than a month later, Mr Bingley had resumed his courtship of Jane, and Mr Darcy had become a family friend. Such a twist of fate was astounding as well as disconcerting.
Jane was now blooming as never before, her beauty enhanced by her joy, and that was enough for Elizabeth to be happy too. If Mr Darcy was a resentful, proud, and arrogant man — as she had previously believed him to be — he could easily have deterred his friend from reuniting with Jane. Instead, he had done just the opposite, making Elizabeth even more ashamed of herself.
On the day before Lady Amelia’s party, the ladies made one last shopping trip, this time taking the children with them. They returned to Gracechurch Street happy and tired, ready for refreshment, but in front of the house, they paused, puzzled, glancing at each other and at the carriage stopped there.
“That is Papa’s carriage,” Jane said. “Is he here? Has he come to fetch us?”
As they entered with trepidation, a servant immediately appeared.
“Mr Bennet is here. He arrived half an hour ago. He is wounded. I have placed him in the guest room.”
“What? Please take the children to the nursery,” Mrs Gardiner said, while Elizabeth and Jane were already running to their father.
