22. Chapter 22

Previously...

In London, Darcy has been engaged with his estate duties and then distracted by his thoughts of Elizabeth. Consequently, he acts oddly enough to draw the notice of both Georgiana and Richard. The two agree to investigate further. They are unable to uncover the source, but Richard makes his suspicion known to Georgiana that he believes Darcy has taken notice of a lady, likely one he met when in Hertfordshire. While on a shopping trip with Georgiana, Darcy is surprised when Elizabeth walks in.

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XXII.

"Miss Elizabeth?!"

Georgiana's head turned sharply at her brother's voice. She noticed the strain in his tone and this, more than any other sign, alerted her to the importance of this interaction. The lady whose name Fitzwilliam had spoken seemed equally taken aback, if her surprised expression was any measure.

"Mr. Darcy?!"

Ah yes, Georgiana thought, she is most certainly affected as well! I have not seen her before; I wonder how they are acquainted?

Georgiana wished to be introduced so she may inquire further, but her shy nature did not allow her to be so bold as to request an introduction, particularly while her brother seemed so distracted by the lady's presence. Thankfully though, the lady's companion, an attractive woman in her middle years who was dressed fashionably, but not ornately, stepped forward to this 'Miss Elizabeth.'

"Elizabeth, were you planning to introduce your acquaintance?" the lady had a warm smile, with something of a teasing look in her eyes. Although Georgiana was nervous, she found she liked the tranquil confidence of the older lady.

Miss Elizabeth, seeming brought back to the moment by her companion's request, broke the eye contact she had had with Fitzwilliam – interesting to see that neither could take their eyes from the other, Georgiana mused with an inward smile – and addressed the other lady, "Aunt, of course, forgive me. I was... surprised," here she glanced to Fitzwilliam and then back to her aunt, "to see Mr. Darcy here." Then with a deep breath and a confidence remarkably similar to her aunt's, she continued, "Mr. Darcy, may I introduce my Aunt, Mrs. Margaret Gardiner? I am visiting her and my uncle for the holiday. Aunt, this is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Derbyshire. We met while he was visiting a friend in Hertfordshire near Michaelmas."

They exchanged the appropriate greetings and then Fitzwilliam turned to Georgiana. Reaching out one arm to bring her over to the ladies, he replied, "And may I present my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy? Georgiana, this is Mrs. Margaret Gardiner and Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

All of the ladies exchanged pleasantries of introduction. Georgiana was exceedingly curious to know more of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, particularly once she learned that her brother had met the lady in Hertfordshire, but she was uncomfortable with new acquaintances and unsure how to proceed. Thankfully, Mrs. Gardiner seemed to sense the need for light conversation to ease the tension.

"Mr. Darcy, Miss Darcy, I believe Elizabeth said your estate is in Derbyshire?"

"It is," Darcy confirmed.

"I was actually born and raised in Lambton, very near there. Are you familiar with the town?"

At this, both Fitzwilliam and Georgiana smiled and to everyone's surprise, Georgiana answered, "Oh but Lambton is just outside of Derbyshire, right near the eastern side of Pemberley! We go there often!"

Her excitement seemed to relax everyone and Mrs. Gardiner continued, "Pemberley? Oh my, of course, Darcy! You must be the children of the late Mr. and Mrs. Darcy?"

"That is correct. Did you know them?"

"I cannot say that I did, but I did know of them. They were both well-regarded all throughout Lambton. A few times my brothers and I would accidentally find ourselves within Pemberley's borders, when we were children of course, but even the groundskeeper would simply set us straight and then allowed us on our way. It was not until I was much older that I learned not all estates are run with such grace and goodwill. I never saw Pemberley itself, but your grounds are magnificent."

Both Darcys smiled at the praise, but Fitzwilliam thanked her.

There followed a brief moment of awkwardness before Miss Elizabeth spoke again, "Well, we would best be on our way. Mr. Darcy, it was a, er, pleasure to see you again. Miss Darcy, it was a pleasure to meet you. We will not take up any more of your time –"

They are leaving? So soon?! No! Georgiana could not allow this; she had yet to gain the information she needed about this woman and Fitzwilliam's time in Hertfordshire. "Miss Bennet!" She interrupted the lady and though this caused her cheeks to flame, she bravely continued, despite her wavering voice, "I am disappointed to hear you must be on your way, but I wonder if you and your aunt and uncle would be free to join us for dinner tomorrow evening?"

Darcy's head whipped toward his sister in disbelief. She interrupted Miss Elizabeth Bennet and is inviting the lady to our home?! He did not know what to make of his previously-shy sister!

Elizabeth, misinterpreting Darcy's shocked reaction, attempted to demur, "Miss Darcy, you are most kind, but we would not wish to intrude –"

And now Darcy's head was back facing Miss Bennet; all this turning about is giving my neck a strain! "It is no intrusion!" He had spoken the words before contemplating their meaning or his opinion on the matter, but once spoken, he could not retract them.

Now all three ladies were eyeing him with varying degrees of interest: Georgiana had a small smile and appeared somehow satisfied; Mrs. Gardiner's face was serene, but with undisguised interest; and Miss Elizabeth's face held only shock.

Georgiana recovered first and agreed with her brother, "Precisely; it is no intrusion. If tomorrow does not suit, perhaps another evening?"

Mrs. Gardiner answered, as was most proper considering she was elder and, at any rate, Elizabeth seemed to still be unable to speak, "We would be delighted, thank you for the kind invitation. We have no other engagements tomorrow evening, so that will be lovely."

Georgiana beamed, while Darcy found one of his cards with their London address. Shortly after, Darcy and Georgiana purchased her desired sheets and then departed the store. Elizabeth merely curtsied at them as a farewell, not trusting her voice to speak.

Once she was certain they were out of the shop and into their carriage, Lizzy turned to her Aunt Gardiner with some heat and demanded in whispers, "Aunt! How could you have accepted their invitation?!"

Mrs. Gardiner, more amused by her niece's reaction than bothered, replied, "Because the Darcy family is very well-regarded and declining an invitation to dine with them would be highly improper. Furthermore, I saw no indication from either Mr. or Miss Darcy that they will be anything apart from gracious hosts. Do you know something I do not?"

Elizabeth, though not generally one to be at a loss for words, was forced to pause. Do I have a reason I can offer Aunt Margaret to have refused the invitation? What of the claims made by Mr. Wickham? And yet, Mr. Bingley seemed to be of the opinion that Mr. Wickham was not a man to be trusted... Aunt Margaret is correct about the Darcys' standing and likely their hospitality as well, but oh, how shall I spend an entire evening with Mr. Darcy without giving myself away? Surely, he will see through any attempts I make to hide my feelings for him! Then again, perhaps this will not matter? After all, he is quite accustomed to ladies being enamoured with him. This thought gave her no pleasure and instead, created a twisting sensation within her abdomen. I must admit, there is a part of me that wonders – no! I will not humour those thoughts again!

Her resolve cleared her head some and with a deep breath, she finally offered her aunt a rather delayed and subdued, "No, Aunt. Of course you are quite right."

Mrs. Gardiner smiled at Lizzy's clear distraction, but did not comment beyond, "Very well, then, it is settled." With that, she decided to peruse the sheets on the other side of the shop to give her niece some time to recompose herself. As they were in public, she let the matter drop for the time being, but she had every intention to speak more with Elizabeth on the subject that evening.

ooOoo

The carriage ride back to Darcy House – both siblings apparently no longer in need of a visit to the bookshop, it seemed – was quiet, but with an air of anticipation.

For her part, Georgiana was considering the new information she now possessed as a result of this chance encounter. She was confident that her brother was not so distracted by any other ladies of their acquaintance, which meant that Miss Elizabeth Bennet must be special in some way. Richard's suspicions from last week were still fresh in her mind and she wondered at the possibility that this Miss Elizabeth Bennet may in fact be the cause of Fitzwilliam's strange moods recently. At some point, she determined that there was no sense in dwelling further on the subject and instead re-directed her attention toward hosting the dinner tomorrow evening. The realisation that an entire evening's dinner courses would need deciding came upon her sharply and she was quickly diverted to mental inventories of the best dishes for the season and whether or not they had the proper meats in supply. After all, if this lady is important to Fitzwilliam, he will be upset if I do not ensure that she and her family are well-cared for in our home!

Darcy barely registered the carriage ride at all. He was passively aware of having completed purchases for Georgiana and assisted her into their coach, but since that point, he was entirely lost to his own thoughts. He struggled with the fresh images that seemed to assault his mind's eye: Elizabeth's blush, the depth and sparkle of her eyes, and the graceful curve of her neck as she looked away. She is so much lovelier than I remembered, his mind bemoaned. How am I to spend an evening with her in my home and not lose control of my thoughts and words? The lady is utterly beguiling and I nearly always speak without thinking near her! It would not do to lose my head and confess these foolish feelings!

He tried to remind himself of his duties to his sister, but thinking of how boldly Georgiana had invited Miss Elizabeth – or no, I suppose without her sister here, she is Miss Bennet, he realised – and her relatives for dinner, he was forced to admit that Little Gigi was not so little any longer. But even still, I have not seen the lady for nearly two months and I left without any farewell; she must certainly think I had no interest in her or else was abominably rude. He reminded himself that this was as he had intended! The thought brought no true comfort, but with that reprimand in mind, he finally settled that he would behave as a polite, but indifferent acquaintance. In this manner, he might converse with Miss Bennet without drawing particular notice by the lady or her relatives nor give rise to expectations. As much as it pains me, I will also need to converse with her relatives. At least the aunt seemed intelligent and we shall get by well enough with talk of Lambton, I daresay. Perhaps these relatives will not be so low as those in Hertfordshire; it seems I shall learn one way or the other tomorrow evening.

Not too long after these conclusions, they arrived back at Darcy House. Georgiana quickly set off to begin preparations with the housekeeper for tomorrow evening and Darcy was more than amenable to stew in his own thoughts in his study until supper.

ooOoo

That evening at the Gardiners' home in Cheapside, following a family dinner and then some time spent entertaining the children, Elizabeth felt herself entirely exhausted and was looking forward to retiring for the evening. Aunt Margaret had other plans, it seemed, since she offered to join Elizabeth upstairs. Elizabeth knew right away that this would be about Mr. and Miss Darcy, but she could not prevent such a discussion, no matter how much she may wish to.

Mrs. Gardiner and her niece had always been rather close, so she had been somewhat surprised earlier in the day to learn her niece was acquainted with a man of Mr. Darcy's standing and to the level of receiving an invitation to dine at his home! An acquaintance of that level would generally have been cause for some gossip, even if Elizabeth herself had chosen not to mention it, so Margaret was surprised not to have heard tell of Mr. Darcy's visit to Hertfordshire sooner.

But it was Elizabeth's reaction that assured Mrs. Gardiner that something was indeed amiss in this situation. Certainly she knew Elizabeth was a charming and intelligent lady, so she might merely have dismissed the matter as an oversight on Elizabeth's part had it not been for Elizabeth's uncharacteristic reaction to the man. Had she not known better, Margaret might have believed that there was a romantic history between the two; however, she was quite confident Elizabeth would have related something of that nature to her already. And indeed, upon closer observation, it was clear that there was not an established familiarity between the two young people, but instead a tension the lady recognised only too well from her own youth when Mr. Gardiner was courting her. She was determined to hear their history in full from her niece.

Walking up the stairs, Mrs. Gardiner noted the slower steps Elizabeth seemed to be taking and wondered if this was the result of fatigue or an attempt at avoidance. She did not pressure and instead matched her niece's pace until they were in the doorway of Elizabeth's bedchamber. Aunt Margaret gestured for them to go inside and Elizabeth was not in a position to refuse.

Once inside, Aunt Margaret began, "Surely Elizabeth, you have some notion of why I wished to speak with you?"

Elizabeth briefly considered playing coy, but there was no point and she really was rather tired. Best to get on with it, she decided as she took a seat on her bed. "Yes, Aunt, I imagine you will want to discuss Mr. Darcy."

Mrs. Gardiner nodded, "I must admit to being rather surprised to discover your acquaintance with a gentleman of his standing and I wondered at your never mentioning it before."

Elizabeth was not entirely comfortable with the implied meanings in that statement. "I do not see why it should be so shocking that I might have acquaintances above our level. If you must know, Mr. Darcy is a close friend of Mr. Bingley, Jane's fiancé, and had originally accompanied Mr. Bingley to Netherfield. Nearly two months ago, Mr. Darcy was compelled to return to the city for business and I had not seen him since then. I was not withholding information, Aunt; it was simply not at the forefront of my mind at the time." Elizabeth fought to keep her expression neutral despite the lie; of course Mr. Darcy had indeed been at the forefront of her mind, but it was quite against her will that he be so and she had no desire to admit such foolishness!

Mrs. Gardiner was not so easily fooled: "Elizabeth! Do you think so little of me? Any person with eyes and sense would see that there is more than a passing acquaintance between Mr. Darcy and yourself; and need I remind you that not only do I have eyes and sense, but I know you better than most?"

This speech was delivered with a raised brow and Elizabeth knew she was not fooling her aunt. She sighed, "Very well, Aunt, you are correct. I must admit to some … attachment on my part that I had not expected. When Jane was taken ill while she visited Netherfield in early October, I went to tend to her. While there, Mr. Darcy and I saw each other sometimes, at breakfast or walking in the gardens or after dinner with the rest of the party. He is an uncommonly intelligent man, although somewhat taciturn and intimidating at first; I found that I liked him better with further acquaintance. But I do believe I was cautious and proper and I never gave Mr. Darcy cause to believe I had developed any inappropriate feelings for him, nor did he do anything to raise expectations. I know that I am not the sort of lady with whom he would be expected to make a match. The feelings are – were – one-sided."

Mrs. Gardiner made a slight scoffing noise before replying, "Not as far as I can see."

Elizabeth looked up, startled, at her aunt's assertions, but did not speak. Mrs. Gardiner continued, "Lizzy, the man could not take his eyes from you. Surely, you do not think that is normal for a casual acquaintance?"

Elizabeth was confused and did not know what she ought to think. "I – well, I do not – I am sure he was simply surprised to see me in London."

"I am quite confident that Mr. Darcy routinely comes across acquaintances while about in London. I cannot imagine that he experiences a state of shock so pronounced that he can barely form coherent sentences each and every time. Or has that been your routine impression of the gentleman?"

Elizabeth was irked at her aunt's poorly disguised humour. "Aunt Margaret, do not patronise me! I do not know why Mr. Darcy was in such a state at the music store, but it hardly signifies. I am not so foolish as to believe we are equals. What I do know is that if he had any designs on me, he would have made them clearly known while he was in Hertfordshire. The fact that he left without a word of departure is all that I need to know in determining how I must comport myself tomorrow evening." Despite an enquiring look from her aunt, she continued on, "And now I do believe there is nothing more to say on the subject."

Mrs. Gardiner continued to scrutinise her niece, but finally sighed and said, "Very well, Lizzy, I know better than to attempt to dissuade you once your mind is set, but dear, please be mindful that Mr. Darcy, though a well-respected gentleman, is still a man; and men may often times be confused about their feelings and attachments. Perhaps even while in Hertfordshire he may have been unsure. He may be looking to your behaviour to gauge his own."

At this, Elizabeth could only roll her eyes, admittedly not her most ladylike moment, but the very idea of Mr. Darcy watching her for cues as to how he should act was entirely absurd. "Thank you, Aunt," was the only reply she offered, and it was rather curt at that.

"Goodnight, Elizabeth." Mrs. Gardiner knew that her niece was headstrong and was not likely to take her guidance to heart, but she hoped nonetheless that on some level, Lizzy would recognise her aunt's additional years would have granted her experience of life and men from which to base her advice.

However, as her aunt had predicted, Elizabeth took no heed of the older woman's counsel. Readying herself quickly for bed, Elizabeth attempted to keep her thoughts focused anywhere but Mr. Darcy; it was a losing battle. While some part of herself wished to believe that her aunt's observation was accurate and that Mr. Darcy felt more than polite regard for her as a casual acquaintance, Lizzy knew she must protect herself from re-experiencing the hurt and loss from which she had only recently begun to heal. With the bitter reminder of how Mr. Darcy had not even valued their friendship enough to offer a farewell before returning to London, Elizabeth reiterated to herself once and for all that she would approach tomorrow's dinner with polite indifference.

ooOoo

The carriage to Darcy House was filled with contrary emotions from its occupants. While Mr. Gardiner was exceedingly pleased to be on his way to dine with a gentleman of Darcy's standing, his wife was simultaneously amused and exasperated by their taciturn and ruminative niece. It was quite unlike Elizabeth to appear so out of sorts over any person, let alone a man. She had always been sharp in her wit and that had protected her from the flights of romantic fancy many girls her age often indulged. And yet in spite of her many assurances to herself that this dinner was no more special than a visit to the Gouldings' or Lucases' and that she would act accordingly, she could not seem to gain control of her thoughts. One moment she would feel something akin to elation mixed with anticipation, a fluttering feeling in her middle; the next, though, she noted her hands were unsteady and she was anxious to avoid seeing Mr. Darcy. The force with which her emotions and thoughts vacillated from one extreme to the other was unsettling and served ultimately to put her in an unpleasant mood. Her aunt's obvious amusement at her discomfort made her all the more sullen. However, once they came into the more fashionable neighbourhood, where Darcy House must certainly be, she could not help but feel some small amount of awe developing within. This bloomed into sheer wonderment once they actually arrived. In fact, she was rather intimidated by the size and grandeur of the home. In spite of this, Elizabeth was determined that she should not show these feelings to Mr. and Miss Darcy. So with a final deep breath, she exited the carriage after her aunt.

Once inside, both Darcys were present to greet their party. Elizabeth was surprised to see no other dinner guests, but hid her surprise well. She glanced briefly about the room, but did not look for long as she could not keep her eyes from wandering back time and again to their favourite view, their host. She noted he seemed especially handsome this evening and wondered with sardonic humour if he had planned such a thing to torment her further.

Her half-smile at her internal joke was not lost on Mr. Darcy who had himself been rather focused on Miss Bennet since her arrival. He wished he might ask her what she had found amusing, but he knew that such an inquiry would draw inappropriate attention and conclusions. He contented himself to watch her as the servants assisted the party with their outer-clothes before Georgiana offered a brief tour of their home. Darcy had never cared for opulent displays of wealth and liked the idea of a tour even less now as it seemed to further illustrate for him the difference in his and Miss Bennet's stations, but it was a customary gesture for new guests so he did not interrupt. He reminded himself that he must be content to keep Miss Elizabeth Bennet solely as an acquaintance and so perhaps the tour was a good idea, after all, he reasoned.

ooOoo

Dining at Darcy House was certainly the most prestigious meal Elizabeth Bennet had ever attended, but despite this knowledge and her initial impressions, she found the experience rather sedate. She might even have found it to be comfortable, had it not been for her struggles with her emotions. Miss Darcy had elected to keep the party small, whether for her own comfort or that of her guests, Elizabeth could not say, but the effect was nearer to a cosy family meal than an elegant dinner party. This was not to suggest that the experience was not elegant; in fact, Elizabeth was quite sure that the china alone was priced well above her dowry and the spread of food was far greater than necessary for their party of five. The servants were all well-dressed and exceedingly responsive. In all, she could find no faults whatever with the house, food, servants, or hospitality. And yet, for it all, she was excessively uncomfortable. Her aunt and uncle were polite and appreciative, their host and hostess attentive to every need, and there seemed to be a general air of enjoyment, but it was all too much for Elizabeth.

Being inside Mr. Darcy's home, watching and hearing as he interacted pleasantly with her favourite aunt and uncle, seeing the care and concern he offered his sister, and the polite authority he employed with his staff, she felt fit to burst. It was not enough to be a casual acquaintance and yet it was too much to hope for anything more! The conversation swirled around her as she tried to compose herself.

For a brief time, she managed to nearly regain her lost composure while listening to Miss Darcy shyly share her love for music. Elizabeth was intrigued to hear that in addition to the pianoforte, which was Miss Darcy's favourite instrument at present, she had also been taught to sing – although she apparently disliked the task immensely – as well as play the harp and flute.

"I must admit," offered Georgiana softly, but with a smile, "I enjoyed the flute sometimes more than the pianoforte if only because no one could request I sing."

Elizabeth laughed at the younger girl's candour and inquired, "Then why ever did you give it up?"

Before Georgiana could answer, Elizabeth became aware of Mr. Darcy's gaze on her. She was not looking in his direction, but she was certain she could feel his stare nonetheless. She could not know that the sound of her laughter – a sound which had not yet been heard this evening – was what drew his notice.

It seemed Georgiana did notice her brother, though, and she turned toward him and then back to Miss Bennet with a conspiratorial look. She leaned in as she spoke, but was sure to make her voice loud enough so Fitzwilliam might hear, "My brother will be displeased with me, but do you know that when we were younger, he would play music with me?"

Elizabeth tensed at the inclusion of personal information about Mr. Darcy, but all the same could not resist the lure. She glanced toward the gentleman in question, meaning it to be surreptitious, but he was intently staring at her, so there was no way of avoiding his notice. Their eyes locked as she answered Georgiana, "No, I did not. Your brother is a rather private man; there are many things I do not know about him." Darcy dropped her gaze and she was able to return her focus to his sister, her tone lighter and seemingly unaffected to any who did not know her well, "But come, you must tell me which instrument he played."

Despite Georgiana's openness and many attempts to return Lizzy to her more unguarded state, Elizabeth was feeling overwhelmed and unable to release her pent-up energy as she would wish. Because of this, she had expressed a desire for fresh air to her aunt and Georgiana before stepping out to Darcy House's back garden.

As she braced herself against the coolness of the evening air, Lizzy noticed a bench off to the right and went to sit. She knew that her behaviour was questionable at best, but she reasoned that it was better to have removed herself than to do something truly improper and likely offensive to her host and hostess.

She sighed heavily and dropped her head into her hands. She did not wish to upset anyone. Indeed, she had very much enjoyed her conversations with Miss Darcy, the food was excellent, and Mr. Darcy was even rather amiable toward her relatives. She sighed again as she recounted, not for the first or even second time, how well he looked this evening. Particularly when he smiles, she thought wistfully.

A moment later her head shot upward at a twig snapping near the house. She thought perhaps a servant would have been sent to retrieve her, but she was both elated and terrified to see that it was, in fact, Mr. Darcy himself. Elizabeth steeled her insides, willing that her feelings would not show on her face as she greeted, "Mr. Darcy."

He had continued walking toward her – he moves so gracefully, she noted – and stopped a few paces before her. With a slight bow and smile he returned her greeting in kind, "Miss Elizabeth."

For a few moments, they both simply stared at one another, neither sure what to say to break the silence. Darcy was first, but his voice held tension for some reason Elizabeth could not comprehend.

He cleared his throat. "Miss Bennet, are you well? Is there anything you require or that I may get you?"

Elizabeth was unsure how to respond; his manner was so attentive and considerate. Could he perhaps have some regard for me as well? Or perhaps he is only being a good host? She stared longer than ought to have been polite, before realising her error, casting her eyes to the ground, and with a blush answered, "Thank you, no. I was only slightly warm in the drawing room, so I came out for some fresh air."

"Perhaps a walk would grant some relief?"

Once again, Elizabeth's eyes darted up to see Mr. Darcy had a small smile and an offered arm. If she had not known better, she might have thought he appeared hopeful.

When she did not immediately take his elbow, Darcy was slightly disheartened but tried again, "As I recall, you are an excellent walker." He smiled to show his humour, but was disappointed when it caused Elizabeth to recoil.

"Thank you, but I ought to go back inside. My aunt will be wondering why I have not yet returned." Her tone was flat and she did not look into his face.

Well, that certainly settles that, thought Darcy unhappily. He offered her simply, "Of course."

Upon her return to the drawing room, Lizzy went straight to her aunt, who had apparently been conversing with Miss Darcy and Uncle Edward about their favourite shops in London and Lambton. Leaning close to her aunt, Elizabeth whispered, "Aunt, my head is beginning to ache. I think it would be best if we returned home."

Aunt Margaret had looked into Lizzy's face with some alarm, but seeing her niece unharmed, she relaxed. "Are you sure, dear?" There was an edge to the words that Lizzy could not miss, but she chose to ignore them regardless.

"I am afraid so."

Mrs. Gardiner sighed slightly, but replied, "Very well," before turning to Miss Darcy and Mr. Darcy, who had returned to the room a moment ago, "I am sorry to say that I think it is time for us to return home. This was such a lovely evening. Miss Darcy, you make a positively superb hostess; I am certain your mother would be quite proud. Thank you both for your excellent hospitality."

Georgiana was disappointed that they were leaving so early, even though Mrs. Gardiner's compliments brought warmth into her cheeks. "You must leave so soon? It is still early; please stay."

"I am afraid we cannot. Elizabeth is feeling a bit of a headache beginning, so we must be on our way."

Georgiana was suspicious of this development, but knew better than to say or show as much. "Oh, well certainly! I am sorry to hear you are feeling unwell, Miss Bennet."

Lizzy was rather uncomfortable by Georgiana's kind attention, particularly when she was certain that every person in the room, with the possible exception of Mr. Gardiner, knew she was not being honest. Still, she thanked Miss Darcy for her concern and the wonderful evening. Georgiana was very animated in expressing her desire that they should repeat the event another time.

With that, their coats had been retrieved and with final farewells, the Gardiners and Elizabeth left Darcy House.

Once in the coach, Mrs. Gardiner turned to Elizabeth to enquire, but Lizzy simply closed her eyes and requested, "Please Aunt, I only wish to rest. You may interrogate me tomorrow."

Mrs. Gardiner chuckled slightly at Elizabeth's exaggeration, but complied.

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A/N: Yes, I know it has been longer than we'd all prefer. I can only say I am sorry for making you wait, but I promise I am updating as quickly as possible. Ultimately, the quality of the chapter is my top priority, so sometimes speed is sacrificed. I truly do appreciate your patience!

As to the overall plot, hopefully everyone is liking where things are going. A couple of you thought I'd torture you or put in a lot of angst, so let me just say: I do NOT like angst or what I consider to be needless pining/torment! That said, I do believe there are real obstacles for D&E that we need to get through, but there WILL be a HEA.

You all are so wonderful! I continue to be absolutely knocked backwards by your wonderful, amazing, lovely, fantastic feedback! Whether constructive, supportive, or any combination, your reviews just mean the world to me – THANK YOU x a million! Realizing that we broke 500 absolutely knocked my socks off! You guys are just amazing! Thank you also to all those who added this story or me to alerts and favorites!