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Elizabeth hoped she was not lecturing him.

"Oh," Elizabeth said, not really sure what she was supposed to say to that.

It was clearly an insult, thinly veiled at best. She was not willing to say that she herself had been surprised, because she didn’t think that was the sort of thing she should be saying to a woman who clearly did not like her.

"Indeed," Miss Bingley said. "We were not sure if Mr Darcy would ever marry, for he has shown no inclination to do so, and if he did, well, we thought it would be a sensible, well-planned-out match," she said.

Elizabeth bristled at the repeated barbs Miss Bingley was throwing, but she refused to rise to them.

After all, what use was there in getting angry? Mr Darcy himself had admitted that this was not the engagement he would have expected. Although perhaps not in quite those words.

Now she was discovering that he was not as confident as she had thought he was, and that she wondered if sometimes he said things without realising they came across as rude or dismissive.

"Well, I am sure we are both sorry to have surprised you so," Elizabeth said. "Please excuse me. I promised to speak with Miss Darcy before dinner."

She removed herself from Miss Bingley’s poisonous presence and approached the young Miss Darcy, who was talking with Kitty and Lydia.

Although the three were of a similar age, they certainly seemed to have very different temperaments. Miss Darcy was shy, where the younger Bennets were full of confidence, and where Miss Darcy seemed to think through what she was saying carefully, Lydia and Kitty seemed to say whatever came into their heads.

Lizzy thought that perhaps they could both benefit from learning a little of the other’s behaviours.

"Miss Darcy," Elizabeth said, hoping for some warmth after the cold words of Caroline Bingley.

"It is a pleasure to see you again," she said.

"And you, Miss Bennet," she said with a broad smile on her face. "I am most excited about your upcoming wedding."

Elizabeth was pleased that someone present was, for her mother seemed disinterested, and Miss Bingley certainly wasn’t pleased with the situation.

"I’m so pleased you could come," Elizabeth said. "I hope you will enjoy being in Netherfield before you return home. I do adore the countryside here, although I’m sure it is also exquisite in Derbyshire."

Miss Darcy’s smile grew. "Oh yes," she said. "I cannot wait for you to see Pemberley. I think you will fall in love with it, as most everyone does. And Darcy has said once you are wed, if I wish, I can return home and live with you both there permanently. As long as it is not an inconvenience to you."

To live at Pemberley. This house she had never seen. It was hard to imagine such a thing, and for a moment she was struck by another huge change in her life, and the fact that Miss Darcy should be concerned whether Elizabeth minded her living in her own home.

But then she supposed she would be the mistress of that home, and her opinion did matter. And she rather thought that perhaps it was even harder to be the younger sister of a brother than it was to have no brother at all to take on the home and the title, for you were immediately displaced once he decided to take a wife.

"Of course you should live there," Elizabeth said. "I am used to four sisters, you see. So I very much hope that you will be a fifth to me, for I will miss their company."

Miss Darcy beamed at that. "I do not think I could replace four sisters," she said, "but I will do my very best."

From the corner of the room, Elizabeth felt Darcy watching her, and when she looked up, he was smiling.

Yes, she thought. They could get along nicely.

And Georgiana was a sweet girl who she’d be more than happy to call sister.

◆◆◆

Darcy had been keen to sit next to Elizabeth at dinner, but Miss Bingley had organised the seating arrangements and had placed him at the head of the table, opposite Bingley.

The Hursts were on opposite sides of the table, and Mr Darcy had Mary Bennet to his left and, somehow, Mrs Bennet to his right. Elizabeth seemed to be miles down the table, sat between Miss Bingley and Georgiana.

Well, he thought, at least Elizabeth would get a chance to get to know Georgiana, even if he had hoped to spend the time talking to her himself.

They could talk after dinner, he supposed. And right now he needed to make a good impression on his soon-to-be in-laws.

"Mr Darcy," Mrs Bennet said when the first course was served, "your residence in Derbyshire, is it as grand as Netherfield, do you think? For of course I have not seen it. I cannot imagine where my daughter will be living."