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Mrs Bennet rose from the bed to embrace Elizabeth again, but her daughter gently persuaded her to remain seated.

“My dear, have you heard of the tragedy that has befallen our family…” she began, tears flowing again, until Elizabeth interrupted.

“Pray, Mama, compose yourself and listen to me. I need your support, and you cannot give it in your present state.”

“Support you?” Mrs Bennet cried, rising again. “It is Lydia we must think of now, not you! And what is that detestable man doing in my house?”

“Mama,” Elizabeth replied, trying hard to remain calm, “Mr Darcy does not deserve such words. He is the most honourable gentleman I have ever met! He has come to help us find Lydia, and I hope you will approve of him, for he has proposed to me and I have accepted!”

Mrs Bennet sank onto the bed, so bewildered that her tears stopped, although she seemed unable to understand what Elizabeth had told her. Too much had happened in recent days. Jane’s engagement ought to have brought them joy, but Lydia’s conduct had destroyed their happiness almost at once. Mrs Bennet scarcely knew whether to rejoice or grieve.

That morning she had found Jane weeping in bed, her reddened eyes showing how long she had been crying.

“Will Mr Bingley marry me now?” Jane asked, and the question broke her mother’s heart.

Mrs Bennet was torn between her fear for Lydia and her sorrow for her eldest daughter. Her beautiful, sensible Jane might suffer because that heedless girl could not wait for a respectable match with a worthy gentleman. Yet Lydia remained her favourite, a preference she would never admit. She reminded Mrs Bennet of herself when young, except for this dreadful conduct that threatened to ruin her.

Now Elizabeth had arrived and was speaking of Mr Darcy. Mrs Bennet could scarcely follow what was happening in her own family, and she began to cry again.

“Mama!” Elizabeth almost shouted. “Please listen to me. Look at me!”

Her mother turned towards her, trying to understand.

“Mr Darcy has come to help us find Lydia. I hope we shall soon have better news.”

“Mr Darcy?” Mrs Bennet repeated, still distracted.

“Yes, Mama,” Elizabeth replied with an affectionate smile. “He has proposed to me. I need you to accompany us to Mr Walters and give notice of our marriage here in our parish.”

“Your marriage…”

“Yes. Under these circumstances, we do not wish to delay. We both want to marry soon. Once he reaches London, who knows what his family may say or do? They may try to persuade him not to marry into our family. If we have already given notice for the banns, they will know we are determined.”

“Persuade him against marrying you? Mr Darcy? He proposed to you? Good heavens, can it be true? Indeed, we must go to Mr Walters!” Mrs Bennet’s face reddened as she stared at her daughter. “But Lizzy, do you not dislike him? Tell me you will not refuse him later!”

“No, Mama, I love him, and I have already accepted his proposal. Since Papa is away, will you come downstairs and give him your consent, then accompany us to the vicarage?”

“Go downstairs? Yes! Yes, indeed! Come, help me arrange my hair. No, no, go and tell him I shall come down to speak with him. We shall meet in the library, where no one will interrupt us.”

Elizabeth remained seated on the bed for a few moments to compose herself and make certain her mother would dress suitably. They had little time, but matters seemed to be going well enough.

Everyone looked towards Elizabeth when she returned. Darcy helped her to a chair, and Jane gave her a cup of tea, but she could neither eat nor drink; a lump in her throat made it hard even to swallow.

“Aunt, you must rest a little,” she told Mrs Gardiner. “Mama, Mr Darcy and I have some business with our vicar. We shall leave for London this afternoon.”

“Are you certain you do not need our assistance, Lizzy?” Mr Gardiner asked.

“Yes,” she replied firmly.

The Gardiners left them, and for a few moments no one spoke. Jane watched Darcy and Elizabeth, noticing how attentive he was and how her sister looked towards him. She needed no explanation to see that Elizabeth loved him and that he adored her. Jane was happy for them, but she could not forget their family’s situation. Would either engagement survive Lydia’s conduct?

Kitty was quieter than Elizabeth had ever seen her, keeping her eyes lowered whenever her sister looked towards her.

“Mr Darcy and I must speak with Mama in the library. We shall return shortly,” Elizabeth told them, leaving the room with him.

Once they were in the hall, Darcy took her into his arms. Ordinarily, he would have disliked speaking alone with Mrs Bennet, but now he was ready to endure far worse to marry Elizabeth and take her home to Pemberley.

“Just ask Mama for her consent. In Papa’s absence, she is our only hope,” Elizabeth told him, smiling into his eyes.