“William, will you introduce our hostess and her niece to us please?” Fitzwilliam requested after they all entered the drawing room.
Darcy performed the honours. He did not have to introduce Bingley’s sister to Anna thanks to their prior acquaintance. “Miss Bingley, I thank you for accommodating three more guests,” he said with a bowed head to his hostess.
“It is no trouble to have more sensible people in the house,” Hildebrand returned. “Now, we have kept you long enough, and I am sure you would like to repair to your suites to wash and change from the road. When you have done so, my niece and I will be waiting for you here.”
The three cousins and Mrs Annesley climbed the stairs to the guest floor and made for their suites.
“Miss Darcy, you did very well, and I am sure it helps that you have met the younger Miss Bingley previously. She seems like a very nice lady who will not push you to say or do more than you are able or desire,” Mrs Annesley opined once they entered her charge’s bedchamber. Miss Darcy’s maid wasalready unpacking her trunks.
“Yes but will she still want to know me when…” Anna left the rest unsaid because her maid was in the chamber.
“Has anyone who you care about treated you worse?” Mrs Annesley pushed.
Anna shook her head.
“There is your answer. I know you are nervous about meeting the five sisters of whom your brother spoke, but allow me to ask you this: would your brother want you to be known to anyone if he doubted the reception you would receive?”
‘William would do anything to protect me,’ Anna owned silently. ‘None of the things I feared have come to pass. I have not been banished; the Fitzwilliams have not rejected me; and William and Richard still love me. I have to trust William’s judgement because I know how faulty my own has been.’ Aloud she said, “You have the right of it, Mrs Annesley. I will try to calm my fears and wait until I meet the Bennet sisters to see how they treat me after I speak to them about…you know.”
“That is wise, Miss Darcy. There is no reason to assume the worst before you meet them,” Mrs Annesley said encouragingly.
Feeling a little better about everything, Anna had her maid assist her to wash and change, while Mrs Annesley made for her chamber on the other side of the shared sitting room to do the same for herself.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Bennet was working on his ledgers in the study when Hill informed him that callers had arrived in the drive. He left the ledger open on his desk, so he would know where he had left off when he returned to his work. He made his way to the drawing room to join his daughters as they waited for theirguests to be shown into the room.
Elizabeth was hoping it was a certain tall, handsome, dark haired gentleman from Derbyshire who had returned. ‘Lizzy, do not be silly. Even if you have begun again, as far as he knows you are the practically penniless daughter of an insignificant country squire, and he is a wealthy man, related to nobility, and a member of the first circles of theTon. Do not allow your expectations to be raised by a dream which can never be,’ she admonished herself silently. When Mr Darcy entered the room, she did not see the others with him, only the man himself. Her traitorous heart whispered that where there was life, there was hope.
It was then she noticed the three in the party she did not know. There was a blonde young lady, about her own height, possibly a little taller, a man, not as handsome as Mr Darcy, but certainly not homely, and an older lady whose dress was not as fine as the other ladies of the group.
“Misses Bingley and Mr Darcy, welcome to Longbourn,” Bennet said as he bowed. “Will you make the others in your party known to us?”
“Richard, Anna, and Mrs Annesley, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Mr Thomas Bennet, the master of this estate, Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary, Miss Kate, and Miss Lydia. Bennet, ladies, it is my pleasure to present the Honourable Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam of His Majesty’s Royal Dragoons, my cousin and co-guardian of this young lady, my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy. Also with us is her companion, Mrs Annesley,” Darcy stated by way of introduction.
“Welcome to Longbourn,” Jane responded in her role as the hostess.
No matter what she had promised herself, Anna felt very nervous. She relaxed a little when the two youngest Bennets asked her to come sit with them.
As soon as their guests took seats, Jane rang for tea. She was disappointed that Mr Bingley was not with the group, even though she was now aware—thanks to Lulu handing Papa a letter from her brother explaining the necessity of his absence—that he would return as soon as he was able. She pushed aside her feelings of missing him. After all, he had had to leave with the light the day he departed, it was understandable he had not been able to stop at Longbourn himself. She felt very sorry for Mr Bingley, knowing that he was carrying out a very unpleasant duty. As soon as the maids who Mrs Hill had been supervising placed the tea service and plates of cakes and biscuits before her, Jane asked each of those she had just met for their preference.
Richard Fitzwilliam thought he must have died and gone to heaven with so many beautiful angels before him. Before they came to Longbourn, Darcy had warned him that Bingley was unofficially courting the eldest Miss Bennet, and he was hoping to attract the notice of the second sister. Darcy had been candid about his insult at the assembly and his apologies. As Miss Elizabeth had agreed to begin again, Darcy had some hope of success, even if he would have to work hard to show her he was not the arrogant man he had been that first night.
Miss Mary Bennet had caught Fitzwilliam’s attention. He was not sure how old she was, but he could see by her clothing that she was out, unlike her two youngest sisters. He was pleased when she had been the one to bring him his tea and the small plate containing the items he had chosen to eat.
Bennet did not miss the way Darcy’s eyes followed Lizzy around the room. He also had to acknowledge that Lizzy did not object to his attention. With Bingley paying court to Jane, and she received him with pleasure, Bennet could not help but wonder if he would be losing two of his beloved daughters, sooner rather than later. He always knew this day would comeat some point in the future, and that he would never stand in the way of his daughters’ happiness, but that did not make the prospect of two daughters leaving home in the coming months any easier. As much as he disdained the late Fanny Gardiner—he never thought of her as a Bennet—she had given him five priceless gifts.
Louisa could see how deep in thought Mr Bennet was. She saw the direction of his eyes and guessed the subject of his reverie. ‘If you would allow me past the wall you have around your heart, even if we have no more children, you would not be alone once all of your girls eventually marry and leave for their husbands’ homes.’ Her thoughts were wistful because no matter what she thought or felt, she was sure she was falling in love with Mr Bennet, and unless he was open to marrying again and spoke to her, there was little she could do.
Hildebrand was watching her niece closely. They had not discussed Mr Bennet, but she was fairly certain Lulu had a tendre for him and had quite possibly fallen in love with the master of Longbourn.
As much as she prayed Lulu would find her happiness, Hildebrand neither would not nor could not interfere. Mr Bennet had never been anything but proper. Also, he had done nothing to excite expectations. In fact, he had been very candid about his desire to remain single. She too was aware that the two eldest Bennet sisters could be married within months. She wondered if that would be the thing which caused Mr Bennet to rethink his determination never to marry again. She was not sure if Miss Elizabeth realised that the Master of Pemberley was looking at her with longing.
As Darcy sat and watched Miss Elizabeth’s every move while she was assisting in serving the tea and treats, he could not help but imagine what a perfect mistress of his homes she would make. As much as he wanted to declare himself, he knew after his ignominious beginning, it was far too soon. Allhe could do was show her that he was not that man and be patient.
Darcy was very pleased at the attention Anna was receiving from the two youngest Bennets.
“Miss Darcy, do you play an instrument?” Lydia asked.
