“Yes, quite smoothly,” Fitz assured him.
Gardiner nodded. “I am glad to hear it.”
“Gardiner, I wonder if I might have a word with you?” Whit asked.
Gardiner smiled. “Of course, Whit!”
“Darcy and I will leave you both to it then,” Fitz said with a grin.
Darcy grinned as well. He and Fitz clearly had the same suspicions regarding Whit’s reasons for a private word with Gardiner. Darcy nodded to the gentlemen, then he and Fitz left the library.
Elizabeth was almost finished getting ready. Mary had come to her room, and they were chatting as Elizabeth prepared for the evening. There was a knock at the door, and Mary went to answer it.
“Mary, there you are!” Uncle Edward said. “I have been looking for you. Whit has asked for a private audience with you. Are you inclined to grant him one?”
For a moment, Mary was speechless. She quickly recovered and said, “Yes, Uncle, I am.”
He smiled. “Very well, then, my dear. Come with me.”
Mary looked back at Elizabeth with a stunned but delighted expression on her face. Elizabeth was thrilled for her sister! She gave Mary an excited grin, then her sister left the room with Uncle Edward.
It was not long before they left Darcy House. Elizabeth hummed with excitement all the way to Gracechurch Street. When they reached her uncle’s house, she went to Mary, linked her arm through her sister’s, and squeezed. They shared a grin as they walked inside. Aunt Madeleine welcomed everyone into the drawing room. As soon as all were seated, Uncle Edward spoke.
“I have an announcement to make. Mary and Whit are now courting!”
“What wonderful news!” Aunt Madeleine exclaimed.
Everyone expressed their agreement. Mary and Mr. Hadley both looked very happy. Elizabeth was ecstatic for her younger sister. She deserved every happiness.
Later, after they had dressed for bed, Elizabeth and her sisters met in Jane’s bedchamber.
“Can you believe it?” Jane asked. “All three of us are being courted by such honorable gentlemen!”
“I know!” Elizabeth said. “And is it not ironic that we initially met each of them in Hertfordshire?”
“You are right, Lizzy,” Mary replied. “That is ironic! Fortunately, though, we were able to further our acquaintance with the gentlemen away from Hertfordshire.”
“Yes!" Elizabeth said. "Aunt Madeleine recommended as much, did she not?”
"She did indeed," Jane agreed. "And, as we have so often found with Aunt Madeleine, she was right!"
The next morning, Darcy, Fitz, and Whit rode together to the Gardiners'. They had made plans with the ladies to come after breakfast and spend the day.
When they arrived, they were surprised to find Elizabeth and her sisters playing with the children. Greetings were exchanged, and then the ladies introduced the children. Darcy, Fitz, and Whit joined in, and they all played a few games together to the children’s delight. After about an hour, the nurse and governess came to take the children back to the nursery.
Darcy held his hand out to Elizabeth, who took it and stood.
“I see you are fond of children,” he said as they walked over to the window. “At least you seem to be fond of your aunt and uncle’s children as well as Miss Margaret.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Yes, I do like children. What about you?”
“I do as well. I would consider it a blessing to have several of my own,” Darcy said with a sly smile.
“Several, you say?” she asked in surprise.
“Well, you know, at least three or four.”
“You are quite ambitious!”
