The following day, Mr. Wickham arrived at Netherfield in time for an early breakfast with the gentlemen of the house, followed by a morning of shooting. When they returned home, Mr. Bingley went out with his sisters to call upon some of their neighbors and invite them, personally, to a ball he was planning for the following Tuesday. While waiting with the other gentlemen for his sisters to ready themselves, Bingley was speaking at length of all the qualities possessed by Miss Bennet, and his joy at the prospect of seeing her at Longbourn within the hour. Wickham was amused by Bingley's evident admiration of the young lady, but he noticed that Darcy's expression remained serious. Once Bingley and his sisters had gone, Mr. Hurst also quitted the room in search of some amusement. Wickham took this opportunity to comment on Bingley's choice of subject, "your friend seems to be quite taken with the charms of the lovely Miss Bennet."

"It is quite obvious that he admires her, but I have seen him in love many times, I am sure his attachment to Miss Bennet is no more serious than the others have been."

"I will allow that you must know your friend better than I do, but I will not scruple to disagree with you nevertheless based solely on what I have seen so far. Between his attentions to her at their meeting the day before yesterday and the way I have heard him speak of her today, I would venture to say that he is very seriously attached. But I will reserve my judgment until I have seen them together."

"If you are correct, then I fear he will be disappointed, or worse yet, ill used, for I am certain that she does not return his affection."

"Yes, and when we were seven you were certain that I could not climb to the top of the oak tree at the edge of the west garden at Pemberley. And when we were twelve you were certain that you could defeat your father on the chess board. And when we were eighteen, you were certain that Miss Emily Palmer would not dance with you at the Pemberley Christmas ball if you were to ask her."

"Enough!" cried Darcy smiling at the memories conjured up by his friend's speech.

"But you were proven wrong in each of those instances, yet you have not learned to have doubt in your certainties?"

"I have also been right about many things."

"How often have you been right about the contents of a woman's heart?"

"I have seldom had occasion to be right or wrong about such a subject as I do not tend to speculate on such matters often."

"And how attentive have you been to this Miss Bennet's reaction to your friend's attentions?"

Mr. Darcy reflected on the fact that his mind was usually more agreeably engaged in contemplating her sister whenever he was in company with Miss Bennet. He smiled and replied, "very little, I confess. But I will have the opportunity to observe her closely at the upcoming ball."

"And so shall I. Undoubtedly between the two of us we can be of invaluable service to your friend. But surely you do not presume that your observations over the course of one evening, even coupled with mine, could be more reliable than your friend's impression over a month's close interaction with the lady in question. Do you not think he would be the best person to determine whether she returns his affections?"

"Perhaps, but Bingley has a stronger dependence on my judgment than his own. He will listen and give credit to my opinion."

"If that be the case, you ought to encourage him to rely on his own judgment, but if he is determined to rely upon yours, you should take care that yours is correct."

"I believe that my opinion in this case will prove to be correct, and although Bingley will be disappointed, I cannot say that I would be unhappy about it."

"What manner of friendship is this, that you would wish Mr. Bingley's love to be unrequited?"

"It is in the name of friendship that I worry about his choice. She is unsuitable for him."

"Unsuitable? In what way? She is lovely, well-mannered, intelligent, and perfectly amiable. From what I have seen, they seem to be very well suited to each other in disposition."

"It is not her person that is unsuitable, but her situation. She has no fortune and very low connections."

"But if those considerations are of less importance to Mr. Bingley than the felicity he would receive from a union with a woman well suited to him in temper and disposition, then why would you object to the match?"

"Indeed, her want of connection and fortune can not be so great an evil as the total want of propriety so frequently, so almost uniformly betrayed by her mother, her three youngest sisters and occasionally even her father. You have spent little time with the daughters of the family and have yet to meet their parents. When you do, I dare say you will agree with me."

"I know there is some merit in what you say from what I have seen of the younger Miss Bennets last evening and the day before. Indeed, the two youngest were quite shameless in their flirtation with the officers and their behavior bordered continually on the line of propriety. Thus, I can understand your concern given your conviction that Miss Bennet does not love Mr. Bingley. Certainly it cannot be desirable for him to connect himself with such a family, if they are indeed as bad as you describe, and if her motivations are solely mercenary. But you must concede that if he loves her, as I suggest, and if she loves him in return that the happiness to be obtained from such a union would make it worthwhile to suffer any ill consequences occasioned by the circumstances giving rise to your objections."

"I will concede to that, but I maintain both my doubts as to the strength of his affection and my certainty as to her indifference."

"And if you can be satisfied that you are wrong on both counts?"

"Then I will wish him well in making his addresses to her."

"Very good. Now I must confess that although I found Miss Bennet to be quite lovely, I spent a good part of the evening yesterday enjoying the charms of her sister, Miss Elizabeth, who I believe you excluded from your censure of the rest of her family." Wickham was surprised to notice Darcy start ever so slightly at the mention of that name and was interested to learn the meaning of his reaction.

"And how did you enjoy her company?" asked Darcy.

"Very well. We spoke mostly of you."

"Of me?" said Darcy, in a surprised tone, his interest obviously piqued.

"I am sorry to say that she did not have a very high opinion of you, but I did my best to correct it."

Darcy seemed surprised that he was held low in her esteem and asked with some concern, "what had she to say of me?"

"I believe her chief complaint was that you are unsociable, which she attributes to pride."

"Yes, she said something to me once of pride and vanity as being weaknesses of character. And pray, what said you to correct her ill opinion of me?"

"I simply told her of our history and of your generosity towards me."

"I would not call it generosity. I have only seen that you receive your due as my friend and the object of my father's affection and esteem. You were raised as part of our household, part of our family, and your father was an invaluable friend to mine, thus you are entitled to benefit from our prosperity."

"As pleased as I am that you take that view, I cannot take your family's generosity towards mine for granted."

"There is no need to, it is well deserved. Aside from your father's service to mine, you know that I am indebted to you for your assistance with Georgiana last summer. I care not to think how you came to know Mrs. Younge's true character, but without your warning as to her designs I know not what evil would have befallen my sister under the care of such a woman."

"I did no more than any friend would have done in the same situation, but it is in the past, let us speak no more of such unhappy events."

"Very well, were you successful in improving Miss Elizabeth's opinion of me?"

"Indeed I was," said Wickham, noticing his friend's faint smile.

"Then I thank you for defending my character."

"There is no need for you to thank me. I derived no small amount of pleasure from my conversation with Miss Elizabeth, even though you were our principal subject. I look forward to seeing her at the ball next Tuesday, and to the pleasure of dancing with her there."

"I am sure you will not find yourself in want for a partner at the ball on Tuesday."

"Are there so many delightful young ladies in this part of the kingdom?"

"I am sure that you, like Bingley, will find them all to be delightful."

"And you Darcy? Do you find any of them to be delightful?"

Darcy appeared uncomfortable for a brief moment as he thought of a way to respond to the question without actually having to answer it. Then he said, "I will not prejudice your perceptions by giving you my opinions in advance. You will meet all of the young ladies of the neighborhood soon enough, and then you can judge the delightfulness of each for yourself."

Wickham laughed heartily at his friend's response, and was convinced by his hedging that Darcy admired one of the young ladies of the neighborhood, and he had a fairly good idea of who it was. But, he did not want to push his friend further, so he did not pursue the subject. Instead, he allowed the conversation to change to other subjects, including Pemberley, Georgiana, and Mr. Wickham's new commission; and they continued to speak companionably until Bingley and his sisters returned to the house.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth related to Jane what had passed between Mr. Wickham and herself the previous evening at their aunt's home. Jane was pleased to hear confirmation of the good character of Bingley's friend, and was not so surprised by it as Elizabeth. The two young ladies were summoned from the shrubbery, where this conversation passed, by the arrival of some of the very persons of whom they had been speaking: Mr. Bingley and his sisters came to give their personal invitation for the long-expected ball at Netherfield.

Once the visitors had left, the ball was discussed at length by the inhabitants of Longbourn. To Elizabeth's dismay, Mr. Collins secured her hand for the first two dances. She had fully proposed being engaged by Mr. Wickham for those very dances. This gesture on the part of Mr. Collins, together with his continued attentions towards herself soon gave her to realize that she had been selected from among her sisters as being worthy of being the mistress of Hunsford parsonage! She was distressed by this prospect as well as her mother's obvious approval of his attentions, and could only hope to delay any argument over the matter until he actually made her an offer.

When Mr. Bingley and his sisters returned to Netherfield after extending a personal invitation for their upcoming ball to several of the neighboring families, Mr. Wickham was still visiting with Darcy. Upon entering the drawing room, Miss Bingley, who had only met Mr. Wickham very briefly that morning, and knew little of him other than his being a great friend of Darcy's, expressed her delight that he was still there and issued an invitation for him to remain for dinner along with an offer of their carriage to return him to his quarters afterwards, which was quickly seconded by her brother and accepted by their guest.

Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst then began to relate to Mr. Darcy, Mr. Hurst and Mr. Wickham, the particulars of their visits earlier in the day. When they spoke of Longbourn, Mr. Bingley was quick to add that he had enjoyed that visit very much, and that the Miss Bennets, particularly the eldest, were all looking very well today. Wickham gave his friend a knowing glance to remind him of their earlier conversation regarding the depth of Bingley's feelings, but Darcy only smiled. Miss Bingley felt that now would be as good a time as any to engage in her typical abuse of Miss Elizabeth for the benefit of Mr. Darcy.

"Yes Charles, Jane was looking very well today, considering her recent illness," began she, "but Miss Eliza was in very poor looks."

"Oh, I agree sister," chimed in Mrs. Hurst, "her features are so inelegant, and her wild ways certainly cannot help the matter." The two sisters giggled a bit at their mutual recollection of Elizabeth arriving at Netherfield, after walking three miles, with her petticoat covered in mud.

Miss Bingley then turned to her guest and asked, "so, Mr. Wickham, have you and Mr. Darcy known each other very long?"

"All our lives, Miss Bingley," replied Wickham.

"How delightful it must be for you to encounter such an old, dear friend, here in the country."

"It is indeed. In fact, I am sure you will be happy to learn of the similarity between your own mind and Miss Elizabeth Bennet's, for she made the very same comment to me just last evening, when, I might add, she was looking remarkably well." Bingley and Darcy could barely contain their amusement at this observation.

"Oh, have you had the pleasure of meeting the Miss Bennets then?" asked Miss Bingley.

"Yes, I dined at their uncle's home in Meryton yesterday."

"Ah yes, the Philipses. I am sure you enjoyed a very elegant meal there, along with the finest society in the shire."

"I did, thank you. Miss Elizabeth was very charming company."

"Of course she was, for she has many charms indeed. Surely you must have noticed her exquisitely fine eyes," replied Miss Bingley with a smirk and a glance towards Mr. Darcy, which did not go unnoticed by Wickham.

"Indeed, I did," he replied, "they were quite expressive."

Then it occurred to Miss Bingley that Mr. Wickham and Miss Eliza were very well suited to each other. Indeed, she would do everything in her power to forward a match between them. Thus, resolving to undo any damage her earlier comments on Miss Eliza's looks may have done to Mr. Wickham's opinion of her rival, she set out to contradict herself as much as possible. "I dare say, she can be very pretty, and is a rather lively sort of girl. Certainly that is an attribute a man such as yourself can appreciate, Mr. Wickham."

Miss Bingley's attentions towards Mr. Darcy had been evident to Wickham immediately, and although he was more amused than surprised, he had also seen immediately that Darcy had no interest in encouraging the woman's hopes. Thus he replied, quite mischievously, "Although I liked Miss Elizabeth very much, I do not think I would do well with such a lively woman, Miss Bingley, I tend to be a bit too excitable myself sometimes, and would prefer the company of a woman of a more gentle nature, who can soften my natural exuberance with the refined delicacy, graceful dignity, and sweet serenity of true elegance." Here Wickham paused to gaze charmingly at Miss Bingley. Then, he turned his gaze to his friend and watched carefully for Darcy's reaction as he continued, "my friend Darcy is much more lacking in liveliness than myself. I have no doubt that he could benefit greatly from the company of a more vivacious woman." Darcy's look was one of both alarm and amusement, which conveyed that he fully knew what his friend was about.

"Mr. Wickham, you must comprehend that such impertinence as must inevitably result from a young lady's unrestrained vivacity that has remained untempered by any education or discipline, must only agitate the calm and temperate mind of a respectable and well-bred man who has been accustomed to only the most superior society," responded Miss Bingley.

"To the contrary, Miss Bingley, I believe Darcy's life would be dull indeed if he sought out the company of others equally reserved and withdrawn as himself. He might never enjoy a pleasant conversation if his only companions were as reticent as he is. Surely you must acknowledge that there must be a reason he has chosen friends such as myself and your brother, who are so different from himself. Both Mr. Bingley and I have much more open and engaging manners than Darcy."

"I will thank you both to allow me to choose my own companions," interjected Darcy, before Miss Bingley could respond, "an undertaking of which I am certain I am capable.

"Certain, are you?" quipped Wickham.

"I believe there is some merit in what you say Mr. Wickham," added Bingley, "but I can not agree that similar dispositions are always unsuitable to one another."

"I agree Mr. Bingley, there must always be some commonality between the two. To be compatible, a man and a woman must share similar values and interests. For example, if they are both good natured and obliging, there will only be happiness in such a match; however, if you take a man who values conviction in his principles and honesty above all things and who despises disguise of every sort, and pair him with a woman who is artful and manipulative with no real convictions of her own, but rather whose opinions change with respect to their convenience to her immediate object. Such a match could result only in misery for both parties. Whereas, two people who share common values and perhaps even similar dispositions, but only differ in their manners, are each able to benefit from the other by finding what they lack in themselves. Without diversity in some aspect of their personalities, neither would need or value the other. What do you think Darcy?"

"I think you are a keen observer, but you talk far too much!" replied his friend with a smile.

"And you far too little," laughed Wickham.

Upon noticing the time, Mrs. Hurst suggested that the party retire to ready themselves for dinner. When the others had left the room Darcy remained behind to have a private word with his friend. "I was a bit surprised by your representations to Miss Bingley."

"What do you mean?"

"You gave her to believe that you did not care to further your acquaintance with Miss Elizabeth Bennet after having told me that you look forward to seeing her again and dancing with her next week."

"You take an eager interest in that young lady's concerns," snickered Wickham.

"I take an interest in your duplicity," replied Darcy quickly.

"Darcy, you undervalue my talent for dissembling, but I would hardly call my actions in this case duplicitous, all I did was intimate that Miss Elizabeth would be better suited as a companion to you than to myself." Wickham watched his friend carefully for a reaction to this statement, and he thought Darcy looked a bit uneasy, but his demeanor was well guarded. Darcy did not respond, so Wickham continued, "even if my actions were duplicitous, they were perfectly harmless. What does Miss Bingley care whether or not I wish to further my acquaintance with Miss Elizabeth?"

"I doubt she would care at all," said Darcy.

"Then there is no harm done," replied Wickham, and with that the two gentlemen separated to prepare for dinner.

The entire party enjoyed themselves at dinner and the primary topic of conversation was the upcoming ball. When the ladies had withdrawn, Mr. Wickham continued the conversation by inquiring of Mr. Bingley as to some of the details of his plans for the event. Feeling more at leisure to speak on the subject in the absence of his sisters, it was not long before Mr. Bingley stated how much he was looking forward to dancing with Miss Bennet, and his intent to secure her hand for the first two dances of the evening.

"Then, you will not object to my soliciting the hand of the hostess for those same two dances?" asked Wickham as he noticed Darcy's curious glance in his direction.

"Not at all," said Bingley, smiling, "I am sure Caroline will be very pleased to oblige you."

They continued speaking of various topics until it was time to rejoin the ladies.

After the gentlemen had rejoined the ladies in the drawing room, and all had enjoyed their tea, the tables were set up for cards. The evening was spent pleasantly enough, and after a few games of cards, Wickham inquired of the ladies whether they played and if so, whether either of them would oblige him with a song. Mrs. Hurst made no move towards the pianoforte, but only looked expectantly towards her sister. Soon after Miss Bingley positioned herself at the instrument, Mr. Wickham sat beside her and offered to turn the pages. She played skillfully, and he enjoyed the entertainment immensely. After she finished a long concerto, Mr. Wickham addressed her thus, "that was lovely Miss Bingley. Your playing is excellent. I have rarely had the privilege of hearing such proficiency."

"Thank you Mr. Wickham."

"I hope you will favor us with another song."

"I suppose I could play one more, then I really must insist that Mrs. Hurst play for you as well, for her talent is quite equal to my own."

"That is an excellent plan, I would like to have the pleasure of hearing Mrs. Hurst play as well."

Miss Bingley gave a slight bow in response and asked whether Mr. Wickham had a preference for what she should play next.

"Please play something lively Miss Bingley, all of this talk of the upcoming ball has caused me to look forward to an evening of dancing."

"You enjoy dancing then Mr. Wickham?"

"Very much Miss Bingley, I find it to be quite entertaining. And what about yourself? Do you care for the amusement."

"I do indeed sir," she replied, glancing at Darcy, "when one is at a dance, certainly one should dance a little, but I prefer conversation."

"Then I hope, madame, that I may be so bold as to request the honor of your hand for the first two dances at the ball on Tuesday, that we may engage in both."

"I thank you for the compliment sir, but I am sure my brother expects me to stand up with him to open the ball."

"Indeed he does not, for he told me himself of his intention to ask Miss Jane Bennet for the first two dances of the evening."

Miss Bingley could scarcely conceal her disappointment. She glared in the general direction of her brother, then stole a glance at Mr. Darcy, to whom she had fully proposed being engaged for those very dances, and noticed no reaction to his friend's request, though there could be little doubt that he had heard it. There was naught she could do however but accept Mr. Wickham's proposal with as good a grace as she could. "In that case, sir," she replied, "I would happily stand up with you for the first two dances."

"Thank you Miss Bingley," replied Wickham.

After playing another song, Miss Bingley was replaced by her sister at the instrument and she played a couple of songs before supper was served. After having eaten, Mr. Wickham announced his intention to go home and the carriage was ordered. Mr. Darcy offered to wait with his friend in front of the house for the carriage to appear. Accordingly, Mr. Wickham took leave of the others and the two walked outside the house.

"I had a very enjoyable evening Darcy," said Wickham, once they were alone.

"I am glad to hear it."

"I must say I was gratified to engage Miss Bingley for the first two dances at the ball on Tuesday."

"I must confess myself surprised by your desire to do so."

"Why should you be? She is a very handsome and fashionable woman."

"I am merely surprised that you would commit yourself to dancing the first with her. I would have expected you to wait until your arrival at the ball to survey your options."

"That may be more my style, but it is also true that my dancing the first two with her saves you from the obligation of doing so."

Darcy smiled, "am I to understand that saving me from dancing with Miss Bingley was your motivation for engaging her?"

"I do not require very much extraneous motivation to enjoy the exclusive company of a beautiful woman for half an hour. The fact that I have given you at least one half hour of freedom from her attentions is an added benefit."

"I hope that you will take care not to mislead the young lady about your intentions."

"You give me too much credit by supposing that she would take my attentions seriously enough to be mislead, or that they would engender any hope in her for something further. Nevertheless, I will take care not to set myself up as your rival."

"I believe I can safely say that there is very little likelihood of that."

By now, the carriage had pulled up beside the gentlemen, and as Wickham climbed in he replied, "perhaps you are correct, so long as Miss Bingley is the object." Darcy was a bit taken aback by this, and the carriage began moving before he could form any reply. Thus he was left to contemplate his friend's words with some uneasiness.

If there had not been a Netherfield ball to prepare for and talk of, the younger Miss Bennets would have been in a pitiable state at this time, for from the day of the invitation, to the day of the ball, there was such a succession of rain as prevented their walking to Meryton once. No aunt, no officers, no news could be sought after - the very shoe-roses for Netherfield were got by proxy. Even Elizabeth might have found some trial of her patience in weather which totally suspended the improvement of her acquaintance with Mr. Wickham; and nothing less than a dance on Tuesday, could have made such a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday endurable to Kitty and Lydia.

Likewise, the Netherfield party were quite desolate during these days, but were occupied in preparing for the ball and hoping that the rain would cease before Tuesday. Wickham was also prevented by the weather from visiting with his old friend or his new friends anymore before the day of the ball.

Elizabeth dressed for the Netherfield ball with more than usual care, and prepared in the highest spirits for the conquest of all that remained unsubdued in Mr. Wickham's heart, trusting that it was not more than might be won in the course of the evening. When she entered the ballroom, she soon noticed him speaking to Mr. Darcy on one side of the room. Wickham had reminded Darcy of his resolution to observe Bingley with Miss Bennet. Mr. Darcy had then told Wickham, "Bingley will be going to town tomorrow on business. He was disappointed when he received the news that requires him to go there and he has resolved to make his visit as short as possible. But, I am glad of it, I think some time away from Miss Bennet may help to clear his mind."

"It does not appear that you are beginning your observations this evening with an open mind. It is a good thing that I am here to make observations of my own, that they might temper the prejudices inherent in yours."

Before Darcy could reply, he noticed Elizabeth enter the room. She looked lovelier than he had ever seen. He smiled involuntarily and nodded towards her saying, "speaking of the Bennets, it appears that they have arrived." Elizabeth noticed Mr. Darcy's gesture, and although she could not hear what was said between the two gentlemen, when Wickham turned around and smiled at her it was obvious that Darcy had brought her presence to the attention of his friend, and she indulged her fancy to the point of concluding that such a gesture must mean that Mr. Wickham had told Mr. Darcy of his interest in her. Why else would Mr. Darcy point her out to his friend? The two gentlemen then approached her and made polite inquiries as to her well-being and that of her family.

Once these civilities were exchanged, Mr. Wickham said, "Miss Bennet, I am already engaged for the first two dances, but I would be honored if you would dance the two second with me."

"Thank you, Mr. Wickham, I will be happy to dance with you," she replied, slightly disappointed that he had not reserved the first two for her. Even though she was already engaged to Mr. Collins for those dances, there was no way Mr. Wickham could have known that and she was curious to know whose hand he had secured to open the ball.

Wickham thanked her and then excused himself to find his partner for the first dances, fully expecting that Darcy would secure Miss Elizabeth's hand for the first two dances. It was not to be, however, for just as Mr. Darcy was about to ask Elizabeth to dance the first two with him, Mr. Collins approached to claim her hand. After Mr. Collins thoroughly flattered Mr. Darcy for several minutes, he excused himself and his cousin as they made their way to the dance floor. So effusive was Mr. Collins in his praises of the esteemed nephew of his noble patroness, that he and Elizabeth scarcely made it to the line in time for the first steps of the dance. Mr. Darcy was disheartened to see Elizabeth dancing with Mr. Collins. But, he was relieved that he had been prevented from requesting her hand, for he would have been turned down in favor of her prior engagement with Mr. Collins. He contented himself with watching Elizabeth's figure as she elegantly executed the steps of the dance. He clearly observed in her countenance that she was displeased with her partner.

Indeed, Elizabeth was distressed and mortified by her first two dances. Mr. Collins, awkward and solemn, apologising instead of attending, and often moving wrong without being aware of it, gave her all the shame and misery which a disagreeable partner for a couple of dances can give. She consoled herself by noticing that Mr. Bingley was opening the ball with Jane as his dance partner. As the host, this was a compliment of the highest order, and everyone had expected that he should dance with his sister, instead. This thought led her to seek out Miss Bingley in the line, fully expecting her to be dancing with Mr. Darcy. Instead, she noticed with surprise, that it was Mr. Wickham who had engaged the lady of the house for the first two dances, and Elizabeth wondered to herself how such a circumstance could have come about, for she was certain that the young lady was not pleased by it in the least.

Naturally, her thoughts turned to Mr. Darcy and she was not surprised to find that he was not dancing. She was, however, surprised that when she noticed him, he was looking at her. When she caught his eye, he did not look abashed, nor did he make any effort to avert his gaze. Believing as she did that he looked at her because he did not approve of her, she was all the more infuriated by his utter lack of shame in having been caught doing so. She decided that she cared not about his opinion and tried to return her attention to the dance, where it was sorely needed. She could not help but consider however, the weight Mr. Darcy's opinion would have with his friend, who obviously thought very highly of Mr. Darcy. Would Mr. Darcy attempt to dissuade Mr. Wickham from forming an attachment to her? Surely she, the daughter of a gentleman, would be good enough for the son of his father's steward! She could not, however, discredit the possibility that Mr. Darcy might influence his friend against her, and her indignation at that gentleman was rekindled, in spite of her having learned of his good character, as a result of an offense born solely in her imagination.

She considered further, all that Mr. Wickham had told her about the assistance he had received from Darcy. Although Mr. Wickham was independent now, due to the fortune left him by his godfather, and his current employment in the militia, she could not help but foresee, if her hopes came to fruition, that her own domestic felicity with one man would, in all probability, be influenced significantly by the other. She knew that Wickham did not behave in a subservient manner towards Darcy, but the thought of the latter gentleman having any power over her own happiness was unsettling. She could allow that he had a good character and a generous nature, but nothing could undermine her firm conviction in his arrogance, his vanity and his conceit, not even his recent behavior that she had witnessed to be complete devoid of these characteristics or what she had learned of his acceptance and treatment of Mr. Wickham.

Darcy, for his part, observed Elizabeth and Mr. Collins for several minutes after she had caught his eye and looked away. Then, remembering his resolve to observe Bingley and Miss Bennet, he shifted his gaze to that couple. He tried to maintain his attention on Bingley and Miss Bennet, but he felt constantly drawn by Elizabeth and could not stop himself from looking at her every few minutes. It required a concerted effort on his part to remain attentive to the interaction between his friend and his partner. Even when he was able to fix his gaze on Bingley and Miss Bennet, he was distracted by thoughts of Elizabeth. He never considered forming any serious design on her, she was unsuitable with respect to family, connections, status, and fortune. Nevertheless, he was drawn to her, and he saw no harm in looking at her and even indulging in the pleasure of dancing with her, which he fully intended to do before the close of the evening. He knew he was in complete control of himself, and would not allow his feelings to overcome his reason.

Mr. Wickham, was also attempting to be diligent in his resolve to observe Bingley and Miss Bennet. In his effort to do so, he noticed that while his friend was also observing the couple, his attention was often cast in another direction. Any doubt in his suspicion that Darcy admired Miss Elizabeth vanished at that moment. The look on Darcy's face as he regarded Miss Elizabeth seemed to indicate to Wickham that his feelings for that young lady were even stronger than Wickham had supposed.

As for himself, Mr. Wickham, was enjoying his dances with Miss Bingley immensely. She was a beautiful and challenging woman. As their dance began, her behavior towards him was cold and indifferent, however, this only provoked his interest further. They had stood for some time without speaking a word and he began to imagine that she intended for their silence to last through the two dances. He, however, was resolved to make her speak. Thus, he attempted to begin a conversation by complimenting her arrangements for the ball. She thanked him very succinctly. He made a second attempt by complimenting her attire and her looks this evening and received a similar and even less enthusiastic response. He then made a third attempt by complimenting her dancing ability, to which she merely bowed. Finally, after a few more minutes of silence, he said, "it is your turn to say something, Miss Bingley, I have made three attempts to converse with you thus far, and you ought to make some kind of remark in return."

"Do you talk by rule then while you are dancing, Mr. Wickham?" she asked him.

Wickham could not help but laugh at this characterization of his last speech. "Only as a last resort, when I find my partner reluctant to converse. One must speak a little you know. It would look odd to be entirely silent for half an hour together. However, if you like, we may arrange the conversation so that you may have the trouble of saying as little as possible."

"I am most obliged to you, I am sure."

To her surprise, Mr. Wickham did not become indignant in response to her impertinent remark, but instead smiled. Miss Bingley noticed his smile but did not comment. She was nearly as well acquainted with unwanted suitors as the object of her own designs. Many young men had courted her and flattered her with the prospect of how well her twenty thousand pounds could improve their fortunes foremost in their thoughts. She certainly was not going to succumb to the wiles of a fortune hunter barely half a step removed from servitude, no matter how dashingly handsome said young man might be. For, being a red blooded woman, she could not overlook his handsome features and well formed physique. Nonetheless, forgetting her own roots in trade, and apparently believing the same did not hold true for ladies, she reflected with disdain that a gentleman's education did not make a gentleman. No, her fortune would not be wasted on the likes of such a one as George Wickham. She intended to improve her own fortune and social status by marriage, not that of her husband. As for Mr. Wickham, she had to be careful not to offend him since he was such a good friend of Darcy's, but she would be certain to nip his designs in the bud.

Mr. Wickham however, was intrigued by this young lady. He was not deterred by her air of superiority in the least, after all, he had grown up dealing with Fitzwilliam Darcy. He knew how to handle snobbishness. She was certainly a beautiful woman, well-bred, elegant, intelligent, and educated; but evidently a bit too well pleased with herself, a trifle shallow, and, he suspected, somewhat manipulative. But, he was not intimidated. Instead, his courage rose to meet the challenge of her disdain. Having already learned her ill opinion of the Bennets, he decided to embark on that subject. "Your brother and Miss Bennet look well together, do you not agree Miss Bingley?"

"No, I do not. She is tolerably pretty, but she and Charles are not well matched at all. In my opinion they look very awkward together."

"Well, I believe you must be alone in your opinion, for I have heard said from more than one quarter that they make a very handsome couple, and I cannot help but agree."

"Perhaps you only heard it several times from the same source, Mr. Wickham," she replied with a smirk, nodding towards Mrs. Bennet.

"Indeed, you are mistaken for I heard Sir William Lucas himself comment on his expectation of their engagement soon." Knowing something of Bingley's family background he added, "his obvious affection aside, your brother must feel fortunate to have made such a favorable match."

Wickham was surprised that she did not express indignation at the remark, but he could see he had affected her. "A favorable match?" she said in a menacingly calm tone, and then with a light laugh she summoned all the hauteur she possessed and replied in a low voice, "you know she has no dowry to speak of, and her connections are not likely to recommend her."

"Nevertheless, she is the daughter of a landed gentleman, an eligible circumstance for your brother, considering his situation."

Wickham smiled as he observed his companion flinch ever so slightly, telling him he had hit on a sensitive subject; but, showing no other outward signs of her discomposure, Miss Bingley said in a chilling tone, "not as such, Mr. Wickham, for her family's establishment will not endure. Her father's estate is entailed on Mr. Collins," she nodded towards the clumsy clergyman dancing with Elizabeth, "which is why, I suppose, the family is forwarding a match between him and Miss Elizabeth. Now there is a handsome couple if ever I saw one, and quite an eligible match for her. Although I do not know how the poor man will suffer her impertinence," finished Miss Bingley triumphantly. Then (without having realized that she had revealed that Miss Eliza had no fortune to the man she hoped would pursue her), after a moment's pause, while her companion looked at the couple in question, she added, "It does not appear she will be unattached for very much longer. That is unfortunate for her many admirers, and I would venture to say that if one of them wished to secure her hand, he should not lose any time in doing so."

When Wickham looked towards Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Collins, he did not think they were a handsome couple at all. Then he looked again at his friend, and noticed him still watching the same couple intently, apparently having given up entirely on observing Mr. Bingley and Miss Bennet. "It appears that you are not the only one who takes an interest in that couple's affairs, I wonder why Darcy looks upon them so intently. Do you suppose he is also meditating on what a fine pair they make?"

Miss Bingley immediately looked at Darcy and followed his gaze to Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Collins. Wickham was amused as he watched her become visibly disturbed by what she saw. At length she replied, "I cannot guess what Mr. Darcy is thinking," recalling the last time she had tried to do just that, and unsure of whether Mr. Wickham's reference to a 'fine pair' had meant Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Collins or Miss Elizabeth's eyes.

"Shall we speculate on the eligibility of any other matches to be made this evening then, Miss Bingley, or have you wearied of that employment?"

"There are no other matches in which I have any interest."

Now Mr. Wickham knew he had her. She had slipped, and he did not miss it. "None other than the two we have discussed? I can see why you would take an interest in your brother's affairs, but I am surprised you would care who Mr. Collins marries." Then, with raised eyebrows, he added, "unless . . . ."

Before he could finish however, Miss Bingley, incredulous that he would make such an implication regarding her preferences, quickly replied, "I have no interest whatsoever in who Mr. Collins marries, Mr. Wickham, I assure you."

"Then it must be Miss Elizabeth that you are concerned with. I did not know that you and she were such good friends."

There was nothing Miss Bingley could say in response to this that would be both polite and true, so she said nothing. She knew very well that her interest in Miss Elizabeth was to have her safely married, or at least engaged, to someone, anyone, except Mr. Darcy. In spite of his strong temptation to do so, Mr. Wickham wisely refrained from observing that perhaps it was not who Miss Elizabeth married that concerned Miss Bingley so much as who she did not marry. They continued down the rest of the dance with Mr. Wickham persistently making conversation and Miss Bingley, with equal effort, attempting to deter him by replying as little as possible to his constant remarks.

When the dance ended, he thanked her sincerely, and complimented her again on her dancing and her looks. She received his compliments gracefully, and when he excused himself to search out Elizabeth, she was free to seek out Mr. Darcy's company. When Miss Bingley approached him, Mr. Darcy felt obligated to engage her for the next dance. He was disgusted by her feigned surprise at being asked by him, because he knew she had been expecting it, and had probably moved towards him in the hope of receiving just such an offer. Nevertheless, he knew he would have to dance with her this evening, so he decided he might as well have done with it. He watched with no small amount of envy as his friend approached Miss Elizabeth with his usual easy manner.

The moment of her release from Mr. Collins' company was ecstasy for Elizabeth. She could scarcely contain her pleasure when Mr. Wickham approached her to claim her hand for the next two dances. His object in dancing with her, aside from his own pleasure, had been, of course, to awaken something in his friend akin to jealousy, that might cause him to acknowledge his own feelings. A secondary motive had been to see what he could learn about her sister's heart. Wickham and Darcy had been challenging each other their entire lives, and these challenges were taken very seriously. Wickham felt certain that he was right about Bingley and Miss Bennet, and he was determined to apply himself diligently to the task of proving it to his friend.

He fell into conversation easily with Miss Elizabeth. They each spoke of their previous dances, and the mention of his dance with Miss Bingley naturally led him to explain how that had come about, which in turn, he hoped, would provide an opening to embark on the topic Wickham wished to discuss. "Upon hearing of Bingley's intentions the other night at dinner to open the ball with your sister, I took the opportunity to engage Miss Bingley for the first two dances."

"Your application must have surprised her, your being such a new acquaintance."

"Yes, I believe it did, she was counting on opening the ball with her brother."

"I was also surprised to see Mr. Bingley engage my sister for the first two. I can scarcely believe he formed the resolution to do so nearly a week ago."

"I dare say he had formed it before that, I am only able to tell when I heard him say it. It is evident that he admires her. He called at Longbourn on the day I was at Netherfield, and when he returned, he seemed quite happy with the visit and in particular, with your sister's company."

"I am happy to hear it. I am very pleased for her. I could perceive that she was gratified by his compliment in dancing the first two with her. I have never seen Jane this happy before, and I do not believe that anyone deserves it more. She is the sweetest, most generous person. I think they are very well suited to each other."

"I agree, but unfortunately, not everyone seems to be pleased with the match."

"I cannot but agree with you there, I believe that his sisters do not approve." Then perceiving Darcy watching Jane and Mr. Bingley together, she continued, "nor his friend. Although Jane does not perceive it, I am sure they deem her unworthy of Mr. Bingley."

"Perhaps they are only concerned about Mr. Bingley's happiness. It is possible that they fear his feelings are unrequited . . . ."

"Unrequited?!" interjected Elizabeth with feeling, "how can you speak so Mr. Wickham? Have you not seen them together? No, his sisters can have no concern on that head. They object to her, or I should say her situation, because there can be nothing objectionable about Jane, herself."

Wickham was satisfied by her impassioned response. "I will venture to say, Miss Elizabeth, that your sister's feelings towards Mr. Bingley are not nearly as evident as his are for her."

"That is to her credit, I think, Mr. Wickham," Elizabeth said defensively.

"Yes, I agree, but, despite the propriety of her reserved behavior, it must leave Mr. Bingley a bit uncertain as to how his attentions are being received."

Elizabeth glanced at Jane and Bingley. They were talking to one another in a corner of the room animatedly, each smiling contentedly at the other. "Mr. Bingley appears to me to be quite satisfied with her reception of his attentions."

Mr. Wickham followed Elizabeth's gaze and upon fixing his own on the same couple, could not but agree with her observation. Then he said, "I understand that he was a bit put out to learn that he would have to go to town tomorrow on business. I think his reluctance has to do with your sister."

"I had no idea he was to go, do you know how long he will be gone?"

"A few days I think."

"I fear Jane will be disappointed, but she will be happy when he returns."

"I do not believe he would be able to stay away, even if he wished to."

Elizabeth and Wickham enjoyed the remainder of their dance together in lighthearted conversation.

Darcy found far less enjoyment in the company of his partner. Miss Bingley began thus, immediately upon the commencement of the dancing, "I dare say, your friend and the lady of the fine eyes look very well together. They do make such a fine couple, and they are so well suited to one another in both situation and disposition."

Darcy began to think he could not bear this talk for half an hour, but only replied, "they do look well dancing together."

"I have noticed that Mr. Collins seemed to have his eye on her as well, poor Miss Eliza, with so many fine suitors, I do hope she will not have too much trouble making a choice. On the one hand, she has the heir to her family's estate, who is well situated, while on the other hand, an officer with a comfortable situation who has qualities of his own, not the least of which is a generous benefactor. What an accomplishment for one in her situation, with no fortune and no connections, to have attracted two very eligible young men. I dare say with such prospects for your favorite, you had better get on with making your addresses or she will be lost to you forever."

Ignoring the end of her speech, he replied, "Once again, your mind jumps quickly to the idea of matrimony. Yet you have had no guidance excepting your observations of one evening. The intentions of the gentlemen in question may not be as you imagine."

"Well, I would not be surprised if she was engaged to one or the other of them before the week's end. I am very happy for her, it is my dear wish that she find herself contentedly settled in a suitable establishment." He had no doubt as to her sincerity in wishing for Elizabeth to be married and settled, and in a suitable establishment - suitable for Elizabeth meaning someone other than himself - but whether she cared that Elizabeth was content he seriously doubted.

Unknown to Miss Bingley, the effect on Mr. Darcy of her speculations regarding Miss Elizabeth's marital prospects was exactly contrariwise to her intent. He began to think more and more of how little he liked the idea of her marrying anyone but himself. Darcy changed the subject, and Miss Bingley chattered almost incessantly during the remainder of their time together. In addition to abusing Miss Elizabeth and her relations, she spoke, in a contrasting manner, of Miss Darcy and all her accomplishments, asking whether Darcy had received a response from her to his last letter and inquiring as to all the particulars of his sister's affairs. Darcy answered as civilly as he could, but he was often distracted by his desire to observe Bingley and Miss Bennet, and his less voluntary awareness of Miss Elizabeth and Wickham.

When the dance was over, Elizabeth led Mr. Wickham over to where Charlotte was standing and introduced her to him. He immediately engaged her for the next dance and the two soon moved away to line up with the other couples. Elizabeth turned towards the refreshment table when she heard a voice behind her, "Cousin Elizabeth, did you enjoy your dances with Mr. Wickham? I must say you are an extremely accomplished dancer. Your movements are so graceful."

Elizabeth had not time to reply to Mr. Collins' speech due to its continuation, upon his noticing her destination and asking her if he could get her a glass of punch. Before he completed the question she had arrived at the punch bowl and just as her cousin was reaching for an empty glass to fill for her she noticed Mr. Darcy - who had just relinquished Miss Bingley's company to her brother with all the haste induced by listening to her talk nearly continuously for half an hour - standing next to her offering her an already full glass. "Perhaps you would care for some punch, Miss Bennet," he said.

"Yes, thank you," she replied, taking the glass and reflecting with some surprise at his civility.

"Yes, of course, thank you," Mr. Collins repeated, "you are so kind to take notice of my dear cousin's thirst Mr. Darcy. Such benevolence is rarely seen."

Elizabeth could barely contain her laughter as her cousin continued his effusions on Mr. Darcy's kindness. Mr. Darcy perceived the mirth in her eyes and smiled ever so slightly. "Miss Bennet," he began, when Mr. Collins paused for breath, "if you would do me the honor of dancing the next with me, I believe we can still line up in time."

"I would be happy to dance with you Mr. Darcy, but I dare say, we should be quick," she replied with a smirk. They hastily excused themselves from Mr. Collins and repaired to the dance floor together.

Once the dancing had begun, Elizabeth said, "thank you Mr. Darcy."

"You are welcome I am sure, but may I ask for what I am being thanked?"

"For saving me from the continued attentions of Mr. Collins by asking me to dance," replied Elizabeth laughing lightly.

"I am happy to assist you in any way I can, Miss Bennet, but you give me more credit than I deserve, for my reasons for asking you to dance with me were more selfish than you imply."

"Oh? Did you wish to escape someone yourself?"

"No indeed, I wished only for your company. I had already formed the intent to request your hand before your cousin appeared at your side."

Elizabeth was more than a little surprised at this declaration, and replied with exaggerated feeling, "that is a compliment of the highest order indeed!"

"I would be highly gratified if you really felt that way, but I know that you sometimes take great pleasure in expressing opinions that are not your own, and I fear this may be one such occasion."

"Mr. Darcy, are you challenging my veracity?" she asked incredulously.

"Not at all, I simply believe that your statement, which you did not attribute to anyone, including yourself, was a reflection of what you believe my opinion to be rather than your own."

"I cannot deny it Mr. Darcy, but you have already heard my opinion on the subject of vanity."

"You attribute to me an opinion that I have not expressed, as well as a motivation for it that I have not acknowledged."

"But sir," she replied with an air of playful innocence, "since you have been in the neighborhood, until now, you had never danced with anyone other than Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. Do you not agree that I should feel the compliment of being the only resident of Hertfordshire that you have condescended to engage for an amusement that you despise so vehemently?" Mr. Darcy was startled at the realization that he had been entertaining thoughts similar to those she had just attributed to him. "But that is the way of it," she continued, "the compliment in dancing must always be felt by the woman, which I suppose makes up for the inequity inherent in the manner in which balls are conducted."

Darcy asked with some amusement, "and what is it about a ball that you deem so inequitable?"

"Well, the man has the advantage of choice, and the woman only the power of refusal."

He smiled and said, "but should not the man feel the compliment of not having been refused?"

"How can he? If he is refused, the lady can dance no more that evening, lest she offend him. I have known more than one young lady to accept an offer to dance with someone she would prefer not to stand up with, to avoid foreclosing her opportunities for further pleasure in the same evening, should someone she prefers more be inclined to apply for her hand. I do not see how a man can feel complimented, because he never knows a lady's motive for accepting him. A woman, on the other hand, can always take pleasure in knowing that she is the object of her partner's choice."

"But that is not always the case. A woman may, at times, feel disappointed that she is the object of a man's choice," he glanced at Mr. Collins, "such as in circumstances as you have described, where the lady accepts the offer against her wishes."

"That is true, but whether or not a woman feels pleasure in being chosen depends upon her own preference, while a man can never be certain that her acceptance can be taken as a compliment to himself, regardless of his preferences."

"Nor can a woman always take pleasure in being chosen, there are many reasons a man might choose to dance with a particular lady. Admiration is not always the motive."

"Of that, Mr. Darcy, I am certain," she replied laughing, "but your observation presupposes that a suspicion that the man admires her is the source of the lady's pleasure in being chosen."

"I cannot believe any woman would take pleasure in knowing that she was chosen for any other motive."

"Well I suppose it would depend on what the other motive might be, since I am not a man I cannot say what motivates their choices, but perhaps you might enlighten me."

"Perhaps the man might feel an obligation to dance with a particular lady due to his association with her family."

Elizabeth understood immediately that he was speaking of Miss Bingley. "In such a case, however, the lady would be aware of the existence of such an obligation, and would be guarded against attributing the gentlemen's attention to a different motive. Also, she herself may not wish for the gentleman's admiration."

"Nevertheless, she cannot be certain whether he admires her or not in such a circumstance. I cannot imagine that any lady would feel more pleasure in being chosen out of obligation than admiration even if she does not wish for the gentleman's attentions. Therefore, she cannot always feel complimented by a gentleman's application for her hand."

"I will allow you an exception to my rule for the limited circumstances of your example, wherein the relationship between the two is such that the gentleman feels a duty to stand up with the lady."

"Thank you," he said with a gallant smile.

"Now, what other motivation could a man have for choosing to dance with a particular woman than admiration or a sense of obligation due to his relationship with her family?"

"I suppose if the gentleman had mercenary intentions, he might wish to dance with a lady that he does not admire."

"Yes, but since his intentions will probably be the same as one who does admire, it would probably be best for both if the lady believes he feels some affection for her. Have you any other examples?"

"I can think of no other." Elizabeth did not realize at that moment the implication of his response when considered in light of the fact that in the present case there could be no perceived obligation to motivate Darcy to ask her to dance and nor could his intentions be mercenary. If she had bothered to employ the process of elimination, she would have realized that by his own words that there could be no other reason, that he had admitted to admiring her. Nor did Darcy realize what he had unintentionally revealed as his mind was quickly occupied by her next inquiry.

"I will help you by giving you another example for your argument." He smiled and bowed his thanks as she continued, "Perhaps, if the gentleman perceives that the ladies at a ball outnumber the gentlemen, he may feel inclined to stand up with one of them to prevent her from having to sit down for a set of dances due to the scarcity of gentlemen."

Darcy blushed slightly, then smiled and said, "but your example is not a good one because it addresses a motivation to dance with any lady present who does not happen to have a partner, rather than a motivation to dance with a particular lady, which is, I believe, what we were discussing."

"That is true, but it applies nonetheless, for if the gentleman is motivated merely by a sense of social duty, the lady, whomever she might be, cannot feel complimented that she was chosen. If she happens to be the only one sitting down at that particular time, she has even less occasion to feel the compliment since his choice was only in whether to dance, and he did not, in fact, choose her from among a group of young ladies."

"Likewise, there is no compliment to the lady when the gentleman is urged by another to seek her hand, rather than making the choice himself. Indeed, your whole basis for the compliment, that the lady was the gentleman's choice, is undermined. And a lady, undoubtedly, would prefer not to partake in the dance at all under such circumstances."

It was now Elizabeth's turn to blush. She was surprised that he had picked up on her challenge and rose to the occasion, and without attempting to defend his previous ungentlemanlike behavior. Indeed, he had addressed at once both his slight of her at the assembly rooms as well as her refusal to dance with him at Lucas Lodge, all the while remaining within the confines of their topic of conversation.

Darcy smiled as he reflected how becoming the blush that overspread her face rendered her countenance. However, she did not seem inclined to make any response and he felt that she was equally desirous of changing the subject as he was. Thus, he waited a few moments and then asked, "do you and your sisters often walk into Meryton?"

"Yes, quite often. My younger sisters are particularly fond of visiting my aunt, Mrs. Phillips. Your friend, Mr. Wickham, dined with us at her house last week."

"Yes, he told me that he enjoyed his evening very much."

This statement made Elizabeth wonder whether Mr. Wickham had told Mr. Darcy of their conversation about him that night. Elizabeth was a little embarrassed as she considered the impropriety of expressing her dislike of Mr. Darcy to someone so intimately acquainted with him. She felt certain that Mr. Wickham must have told Mr. Darcy of her ill opinion. This thought finally gave her an understanding of why Mr. Darcy had singled her out as a dance partner. His vanity could not tolerate that anyone should not think well of him. Knowing of her opinion, he must have thought she would be so flattered by being asked to dance, that she would cease to think ill of him. Finally, she said, "I am glad to hear it. I enjoyed his company very much. He certainly spoke very highly of you. I confess I was surprised to hear of your intimacy with him, the two of you seem very different."

Mr. Darcy was a bit disheartened by her avowal of how much she enjoyed Wickham's company, immediately followed by an observation of how different Wickham was from himself. "I suppose that is what happens," he replied, "when two people are thrown together constantly from a very young age. By the time our different personalities fully emerged, we had already become close."

Elizabeth then asked, "and how do you explain your association with Mr. Bingley? Surely he was not a childhood friend as well. Yet, he is also very different from you."

Darcy thought for a moment, and then smiled at his own cleverness when he said, "I suppose I enjoy lively company."

Elizabeth laughed again. Such an assertion was so contrary to everything she felt about this man. "That is very well for you Mr. Darcy, but what of Mr. Bingley? Will you next have me believe that he enjoys the company of those who are quiet, reserved and withdrawn?"

He looked at her curiously and smiled again at her description of himself. "For the answer to that question, Miss Bennet, you must apply to Mr. Bingley. As for your description of myself, I cannot pretend to say how near it may be to my own character. You think it a faithful portrait, undoubtedly."

"I must not decide on my own performance."

Recalling what Wickham had said of her ill opinion of himself, Darcy replied, "I could wish Miss Bennet, that you were not to sketch my character at the present moment, as there is reason to fear that the performance would reflect no credit on either."

This gave Elizabeth to know that Wickham had indeed shared her opinion of Darcy with him. She was not ready to relent however, and so she said, "what have you to fear from my assessment of your character, Mr. Darcy? I assure you, I could do little harm to your reputation with your gallant friend heralding your many virtues to any that will listen. Anyway, if I do not take your likeness now, I may never have another opportunity."

"I would by no means suspend any pleasure of yours."

Elizabeth was surprised by the gallantry of his response, and thinking of his influence over Mr. Wickham, she replied, "I may hold you to that sir." He looked a bit startled, but said nothing.

At that moment, Sir William Lucas appeared close to them, meaning to pass through the set to the other side of the room; but on perceiving Mr. Darcy, he stopped with a bow of superior courtesy to compliment him on his dancing and his partner.

"I have been most highly gratified indeed, my dear sir. Such very superior dancing is not often seen. It is evident that you belong to the first circles. Allow me to say, however, that your fair partner does not disgrace you, and that I must hope to have this pleasure often repeated, especially when a certain desirable event, my dear Miss Eliza (glancing at her sister and Bingley) shall take place. What congratulations will then flow in! I appeal to Mr. Darcy: - but let me not interrupt you, sir. You will not thank me for detaining you from the bewitching converse of that young lady, whose bright eyes are also upbraiding me."

The latter part of this address was scarcely heard by Darcy; but Sir William's allusion to his friend seemed to strike him forcibly, and his eyes were directed with a very serious expression towards Bingley and Jane, who were talking together.

Elizabeth perceived his reaction and said, "what is it that has caused you to become so grave all of a sudden?"

"Something Sir William said," he replied without thinking.

"But surely his speculations cannot be a surprise to you. You cannot have failed to notice your friend's continuing attentions to my sister."

"No, indeed. It is only that I had not realized such a general expectation to have been created as alluded to by Sir William."

"If such an expectation exists, Mr. Darcy, it is your friend's own doing, and he does not seem to mind it."

"And what of your sister? Does she mind?"

"I believe that she would prefer not to have her private affairs canvassed publicly. She is always mindful of maintaining a guarded demeanor to avoid becoming an object of speculation." Then remembering what Mr. Wickham had said of Mr. Darcy's and Mr. Bingley's sisters' possible concerns that Jane did not return Mr. Bingley's regard, she continued, "But, such things are not always within her control, and she has told me herself that she takes great pleasure in your friend's attentions." Darcy looked again at the couple, but remained skeptical.

After a few moments of silence, Elizabeth spoke again, hoping to gain further intelligence regarding Mr. Bingley's intended trip into town. "I understand that Mr. Bingley leaves for London in the morning."

"Yes, he has some business there to attend to."

"Have you any idea how long he will be gone?"

"A few days, I believe. He has not told me for certain."

"And the rest of you will remain here?"

Thinking she was trying to learn whether or not he was also going to town, Darcy replied with a complacent smile, "yes."

"It is lucky for you that you have your friend Mr. Wickham in the neighborhood to keep you company during his absence, but I do not suppose you are ever dissatisfied with solitude."

Darcy reflected that he could find little time for solitude in the same house with Miss Bingley. He replied, "I confess, I do enjoy some time alone for reading and other solitary pursuits, but I enjoy company as well . . . "

"Yes, of the lively variety, if I recall correctly," interjected his companion, laughing.

"In any case," replied Darcy, not in any way agitated that she had interrupted him, "I do not suppose Wickham will leave me to myself very much, although he does have duties to attend to."

Then, his previous words having reminded her of a recent folly that had diverted her, Elizabeth stated, "you know Mr. Darcy, reading does not always have to be a solitary pursuit. With the right company and the right book, reading aloud can be very pleasurable." The look Darcy returned to her was a mixture of surprise and amusement, as he imagined himself sitting close to her in front of a fire in his personal sitting room at Pemberley, reading poetry - no not poetry, something else - aloud to her. He quickly shook the thought out of his head wondering how he could allow himself to think of such a thing. Elizabeth, having no idea of the direction in which his thoughts were bent, and indeed had she an inclination to speculate, his true thoughts would never have even entered the realm of her mind, continued, "why just the other night Mr. Collins was kind enough to read aloud to all of us from Fordyce's Sermons. Although, I confess, such a way of passing the time was not well received by Lydia." The picture she painted was sufficient to awaken Mr. Darcy from his reverie, and he was delighted by her amused expression. Her warm smile and bright eyes stirred feelings in him that he cared not to acknowledge at present. He simply enjoyed her company. She, on the other hand, was wholly oblivious to the effect her lively expression was having on her partner and, with an arch smile and raised brow, delivered her coup de gras, "perhaps you could perform the same service for the ladies at Netherfield. I understand that Mrs. Hurst is married and must now look to her husband for instruction, but perhaps Miss Bingley could benefit from the teachings of Reverend Fordyce." Mr. Darcy looked at her incredulously, as he considered that Miss Bingley could indeed stand to benefit from, at least, that section of Fordyce's Sermons dedicated to instructing young ladies on the impropriety of openly pursuing a gentleman. Her smile grew broader in response to his expression, and when she broke out in full laughter, he could do nothing else but laugh with her. She immediately became serious with surprise, and said, "why, Mr. Darcy, I had no idea you ever laughed."

"I do, on occasion, Miss Bennet."

"You should do it more often."

He was inclined to reply that he would endeavor to do so, to please her, but he checked himself and became serious again. His dances with Elizabeth were soon over and he felt no small amount of regret at having to part company with her. Dancing with her had not satisfied his desire for her company, as he had intended. Instead, it caused him to long for her even more, for in his breast there was a tolerable powerful feeling towards her which he could not ignore, and what was worse, he began to lose faith in not only his ability to control it, but in his willingness to do so. He considered that perhaps dancing with her had been a mistake, but his heart would not allow it to be the case.

After their dance, he was able to meditate on the revelation that she knew of his refusal to dance with her at the Assembly ball. He could only assume that she had overheard him. He could not help but be impressed by her boldness in challenging his behavior, and by the fact that she apparently found it amusing, and did not seem to be offended. Nevertheless, he could not deny that his behavior had been ungentlemanlike. He should have danced, or not attended the ball. He was unsure however, whether he should attempt an apology.

Mr. Wickham had enjoyed his dances with Miss Lucas very well. Although she was quite plain and the eldest unmarried young lady present, he found her to be amiable, intelligent and sensible, which was refreshing. During the dance he was able to examine her features more closely, and by the end of the dance, he concluded that she was more handsome than he would earlier allow. She seemed neither flattered nor affronted by his attentions and compliments, and simply accepted them gracefully. In spite of evincing a very practical outlook on most things, she had a pleasing sense of humor that was neither dry nor indelicate. She seemed to possess a certain strength combined with an endearing natural gentleness that rendered her countenance highly favorable. He enjoyed her conversation, and when the dance was ended they continued talking for a few moments, before he was summoned by an inviting gesture by Mr. Denny from across the room. He excused himself and walked towards his friend contemplating how much he had enjoyed Miss Lucas' company.

Elizabeth had not been long separated from Mr. Darcy when Miss Bingley came towards her, and with an expression of affected amity thus accosted her: - "So, Miss Eliza, I hear you are quite delighted with George Wickham! Your sister has been talking to me about him. I must say, I am quite impressed with your choice. He is exceedingly handsome, and quite charming. The two of you looked so well when you were dancing together. And he is of such strong character. According to Mr. Darcy, he is both amiable and honorable. I do not think you could do better."

Elizabeth was at a loss to understand the possible motivation for such a speech from such a quarter. The meaning of the last sentence in particular was dubious, and she thought it was probably intended more as an insult to herself than a compliment to the gentleman. She simply replied in kind saying, "I could see that you think highly of him. You paid him the greatest compliment by opening the ball with him."

Miss Bingley laughed, and said quietly, "do not concern yourself on account of me, dear Miss Eliza. I have no intention of being your rival." Elizabeth did not catch the dubious meaning of this sentence, as she had no way of even speculating that Miss Bingley could be motivated by jealousy of Mr. Darcy. "You are safe to enjoy the attentions of your favorite, unhindered by me," continued Miss Bingley, "but I cannot say the same for some of the other young ladies present." She nodded towards Mr. Wickham standing with Mr. Denny amidst a group of young women, including Kitty and Lydia. "Let me recommend you, as a friend, to take every opportunity to resolve things between the two of you as hastily as possible," finished Miss Bingley, as she turned away triumphantly.

Elizabeth was surprised as much by Miss Bingley's interest in the matter as she was by the fact that the lady would speak so openly on such a subject. She wondered what Miss Bingley had to gain by urging her to attach Mr. Wickham. The most likely explanation, considering Mr. Wickham's having engaged her for the first dances a week in advance of the ball, was that Miss Bingley wished to foreclose any continued attentions by that gentleman towards herself, by having him distracted by Elizabeth. Since Elizabeth liked Mr. Wickham anyhow, she was not deterred by the prospect that her own hopes might be in accord with Miss Bingley's wishes. She could not deny her growing admiration of Mr. Wickham, but she was a bit disconcerted that her feelings had been perceived so easily. She had hoped her behavior had been more guarded against such a display. But, when she considered that Miss Bingley obviously had a motive for perceiving Elizabeth's regard, she decided it had been that much easier to see, and she remained content with the propriety of her own behavior.

Elizabeth then sought out her eldest sister, and upon finding her, listened with delight to the happy, though modest hopes which Jane entertained of Bingley's regard, and said all in her power to heighten her confidence in it. On their being joined by Mr. Bingley himself, Elizabeth withdrew to Miss Lucas; to whose inquiry after the pleasantness of her last partner she had scarcely replied, before Mr. Collins came up to them to bask in the presence of his intended, proclaim the perfections of his benefactress, and foreclose any hope of private conversation between the two ladies.

Meanwhile, Miss Bingley had been walking back towards the other side of the room in search of her sister, when she passed behind where Mr. Wickham and Mr. Denny were standing in conversation. They had removed themselves from the presence of the young ladies to engage in private discourse. Mr. Denny was expressing his wish to learn how Mr. Wickham had managed to open the dancing with the lady of the house, and Wickham revealed the circumstances of his having asked her for the honor. Upon hearing herself spoken of, Miss Bingley stopped, and heard Mr. Denny next ask, "And how did you enjoy your dance with her?"

"Very much. I confess I like her very well, and I hope to continue the acquaintance."

"Undoubtedly," laughed Denny, "and her fortune, I am sure, has little to do with such a wish."

Miss Bingley smiled triumphantly, fully expecting Mr. Wickham to confirm her suspicion of his motives until she heard his response. "I know nothing of her fortune. She is obviously a very elegant and fashionable woman, but I understand the bulk of her father's wealth was left to her brother for the purpose of purchasing a family estate."

"I have heard tell that she has twenty thousand pounds." Mr. Wickham was visibly surprised at this disclosure, but was foreclosed from commenting further by the approach of Miss Lydia. Miss Bingley resumed her course undetected. She could not help but be pleased that a man whose looks and countenance could easily afford him the attention of any woman, had sought to obtain hers, and wished to further their acquaintance, without knowing anything of her fortune! She now viewed in a different light his liberally bestowed compliments to herself and could not help but acknowledge the possibility that his admiration of her might have been sincere.

Mr. Wickham had been anxious to speak to Darcy after the latter's dance with Elizabeth, but he had not yet had an opportunity to do so. When the party was called into supper, he immediately searched out his friend and found him seated at a table where Mrs. Bennet was dominating the conversation and just beginning to talk freely and openly of her expectation that Jane would be soon married to Mr. Bingley.

Wickham's interruption was a refreshing excuse for Darcy to leave his present company; and he happily walked to a part of the room that afforded some privacy, luckily missing Mrs. Bennet's enumeration of the advantages of the expected match. When they were alone, Wickham said, "how did you enjoy your dance with Miss Bennet?"

Darcy's countenance betrayed one of those smiles that only someone as intimately acquainted with him as Wickham might perceive, "I enjoyed it very much, thank you."

"She is delightful company is she not?"

"She is indeed."

"I believe I saw you actually laughing with her."

"She did say something rather diverting."

"Can you share it with me?"

"She was relating to me that her cousin, Mr. Collins, had been reading aloud to her and her sisters the other night from Fordyce's Sermons, and she suggested that I do the same for Miss Bingley's benefit."

Wickham chuckled at this, and asked, "what else did you talk of?"

"Dancing, you, Mr. Bingley's disposition, my character, Mr. Bingley and her sister, Mr. Bingley's trip to London, what I will do while he is away, and reading aloud."

Wickham was impressed by Darcy's excellent recollection of his conversation with Miss Elizabeth, "and what did she say of me?"

"That she enjoyed your company at the Phillipses the other night, and that she was surprised that you and I are such intimate friends."

"Did she say why that surprised her?"

"Because we are so different in disposition."

"And what had she to say of her sister and Mr. Bingley?"

"That her sister is guarded in displaying her feelings, but that she enjoys Bingley's attentions."

Both men were distracted by the sound of music and looked to the pianoforte to see that Miss Mary Bennet had begun to play. They took another few steps away from the crowd for greater privacy, and to avoid distracting the audience from the performer before continuing their discourse. Mr. Wickham was about to continue the conversation in the same vein by relating to Darcy the substance of his own conversation on the same subject with Miss Bennet, but Darcy wished to change the subject, as he did not like the danger of revealing his feelings, that he was placed in by discussing Elizabeth and how much he enjoyed her company with one who knew him so well. Thus, when they had returned their attention to each other, but before Wickham could speak, he said, "and what about you? You seem to be enjoying your evening." Then, not wanting to continue discussing Elizabeth, Darcy directed the conversation towards one of his other dance partners, "How was your dance with Miss Bingley?"

"It was enjoyable, but the conversation was more than a little one-sided. I found it difficult to obtain even a word from her beyond a monosyllable."

"That is odd," replied Darcy, "she was extremely talkative during my dance with her."

"I am not surprised," replied Wickham, "for, I dare say, she likes you far better than she does me."

Darcy found that discussing Miss Bingley was no more desirable and far less pleasant than discussing Miss Elizabeth, so he changed the subject again. This time, he and Wickham talked about Georgiana, and Darcy told Wickham how his sister was faring with her new companion and of all her accomplishments, with all the pride of an elder brother who also plays the role of a father. When that topic was exhausted Wickham, told Darcy that he would take it upon himself to entertain his friend while Mr. Bingley was out of the country. Thus, they made plans to go riding the next morning, and it was settled that Wickham would come to Netherfield after breakfast.

When they finally turned their attention back to the room, it was just in time to see Mr. Collins make a bow in their direction as he appeared to be delivering a speech to half the room. Darcy simply sighed and took his seat. After supper, the dancing was resumed, Wickham danced with several other young ladies, as did Bingley. Elizabeth stood about the rest of the evening with Mr. Collins hovering near her, and she danced no more. Darcy sympathized with her as he recalled what she had told him about a young lady turning down a partner she did not desire to dance with even if it meant she could dance no more for the rest of the evening, as well as her comments about wishing to avoid Mr. Collins. He did not dance again either, but merely stood about, often within a very short distance of her. And though he was quite disengaged, he never went near enough to speak to her. In spite of his strong temptation to relieve - or at least share - her suffering due to Mr. Collins' attentions, he was guarded against paying her too much attention. Indeed, he had said more than enough for one evening. He still had, at least, some measure of control, and he was determined to exercise it. Darcy's proximity to Miss Elizabeth during the rest of the evening did not escape Mr. Wickham's notice. He stopped to approach Darcy from time to time between dances. Likewise, he would speak briefly to Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Collins, whenever he had the chance. These conversations were often attended by Miss Lucas as well. But he could find no opportunity to bring Darcy near enough to Miss Elizabeth for the two of them to engage in conversation together.

The Longbourn party were the last of all the company to depart, except Mr. Wickham, and by a maneuver of Mrs. Bennet, had to wait for their carriage a quarter of an hour after everybody else was gone. Once they had finally departed however, Mr. Wickham bid goodnight to Bingley and his sisters and thanked them for an enjoyable evening. He was to borrow one of Darcy's horses to ride back to his quarters, stable it in Meryton overnight, and return on it in the morning. As he and Darcy walked outside, Wickham looked wistfully at the departing carriages heading towards Longbourn. It was time to leave his friend with something to think about again. "There go two of the finest young ladies in the country, Darcy," he observed. His friend could not but agree. "I find that I like Miss Elizabeth very well, indeed."

Darcy made every effort to appear unaffected as he replied, "Miss Bingley suspected as much, and told me so during our dance."

Wickham was pleased by this evidence of Miss Bingley's possible jealousy on his account, but would not be deterred, if Darcy perceived his interest in any other woman, he would not be convinced enough of his regard for Miss Elizabeth to be properly jealous. Darcy's reference, however, suited his purpose, as he was able to reply, "I had not realized I was being so unguarded in my admiration."

Darcy looked a bit startled, and then collected himself quickly and said, "you had better make haste, I believe you have a rival in Mr. Collins."

This was not the reaction Wickham desired. He laughed and replied, "I have no fear of competition from that quarter. I believe her feelings and intentions towards him were made as evident this evening as his towards her, at least to anyone with an interest in observing them."

"Except her mother, perhaps?"

Wickham laughed again, "yes, well, I believe Mrs. Bennet sees only what she wishes to see, which might explain why Miss Elizabeth's apparent desire to discourage Mr. Collins' addresses might have escaped her notice."

"She may wish to discourage his addresses, but once they are made, it does not follow that she would not accept them. She may hope that he does not propose, and that he may perhaps choose one of her other sisters, but once he does, her duty to her family and her unfortunate situation may dispose her towards accepting him."

Wickham was annoyed with his friend's apparent disinterested manner of arguing in favor of the probability that the woman he loved - Wickham was in little doubt of his friend's feelings - would soon be engaged to another, and one such as Mr. Collins!

"I do not believe she would accept him in any event," replied Wickham, as a stable hand approached leading the horse.

"Perhaps not, if she has perceived your regard, and she likes you better, she may reject him in the hopes of receiving an offer from you."

Wickham simply looked incredulously at his friend, and said, "you, Darcy, are insufferable," as he mounted the horse.

Mr. Darcy, unaware that Wickham was feigning regard for Elizabeth and of his motives for doing so, was confused by this remark and only replied in kind to his friend's ensuing, "good night, I shall see you in the morning."

Wickham was disappointed in his apparent failure to induce Darcy to acknowledge his feelings for Miss Bennet, and act on them. Then it occurred to him that he had gone about the business all wrong. He had hoped to provoke a response out of Darcy prompted by jealousy, but perhaps Darcy was so honorable a gentleman, that he would suppress his own feelings for the young lady if he perceived his most intimate friend to have serious designs on her. If he was indeed still wavering about his feelings, he might even be relieved by Wickham's interest in Miss Elizabeth. Thus, Wickham rode home wondering whether he had only made things worse for his friend. He wanted his friend to be happy. He perceived easily, what most others could not, that Darcy admired Miss Elizabeth, and he believed heartily that she would make him happy. But he could also perceive that Darcy was fighting his attraction. He recalled what Darcy had said about Miss Bennet's unsuitability for Bingley, and realized that he must feel the same objections, with even greater conviction, in his own case. With such doubt and uncertainty as to the state of his friend's heart, introducing the possibility of pursuing her himself into Darcy's understanding, might only have served to further dissuade Darcy from his suit. Wickham decided that on the morrow, he would make Darcy aware that he had no real designs on Miss Elizabeth, and that he never had.

Wickham would have been gratified to know how closely he had read Darcy's reaction. Though while his friend could not rejoice in the possibility of Miss Elizabeth being married to another, he could feel all the relief to himself of being foreclosed from furthering his own desires by her engagement to his best friend. He knew they would both be happy, and that pleased him. He could not marry Elizabeth himself, so seeing her married to a man he knew to be of good character was the best alternative; and there could be no doubt as to Wickham's happiness with such a woman, although he would have liked to have seen his friend marry a woman with some modest fortune, he had always feared that would be Wickham's sole consideration in choosing a wife, and was pleased to see that he would marry for affection. He had always planned on giving Wickham a gift upon his marriage, so their situation would not be so bad with that and Wickham's income as well as whatever small dowry her father would undoubtedly settle on her. They would make a suitable match, they were compatible in disposition and situation, and he had no doubt of their happiness together.

Once Darcy had the marriage of Wickham and Elizabeth neatly arranged in his mind, it was a certainty for him. He had no doubt that it would occur. She was lost to him forever and he was ready to feel all the relief he expected to flow as a result of his freedom from her power. But things rarely happen as one expects them to, and as he thought about the matter further he felt all the pain and disappointment a man violently in love can be supposed to feel at the prospect of the object of his affections being married to another. It did not help that the thoughts he usually indulged when going to sleep at night, of being with Elizabeth, were severely thwarted by his realization on exactly what would occur between his best friend and the woman he loved upon their marriage. He groaned out loud as he began to feel the regret of not having made his addresses to her. He began to reproach himself for giving more weight to his objections than his own happiness. He tortured himself by replaying the events of the evening in his mind. His every interaction with her had been pleasurable. He could not sleep, but as he lay awake acknowledging to himself the true depth of his feelings, he was resolved that to the world he would rejoice in his friend's connubial felicity. He was confident that in time he would overcome his own present attachment, and marry another. In the meantime, he was resolved that no one would ever know of his feelings for Elizabeth. Wickham would again have been gratified to know that his original plan to induce Darcy to acknowledge his true feelings for Elizabeth had worked after all.

For her part, Elizabeth contemplated the evening with pleasure. She chose not to think about the attentions of Mr. Collins, and subscribed instead to her philosophy to think only of the past as its remembrance would give her pleasure. Thus, she reflected with delight on her time spent with Mr. Wickham. She recalled every look and every exchange they shared with pleasure, particularly, their dance; and she spent some time trying to determine whether or not he had shown her any particular attention. He had, indeed, spent a lot of time making himself agreeable to many of the other young ladies present, but she felt certain that he had displayed a particular regard for her, especially while she was standing with Mr. Collins after supper when he had approached her a few times for brief bits of conversation.

She also found her thoughts bent towards Mr. Darcy. She could not understand his behavior. Had it been anyone else, she would have guessed that he admired her, but she knew that such could not be the case with Mr. Darcy. Perhaps, knowing that Mr. Wickham liked her, he only wished to make himself agreeable for his friend's sake. She recalled his laughter with pleasure. She had never known him to laugh in the past. She recalled how kindly he had offered her a drink. He must have perceived her walking in that direction, and anticipated her object in doing so, for he was ready with the glass when she arrived; and the fact that he did not serve himself one after handing her the one he was holding, told her that he had not, upon her approach, merely offered her a glass he had happened to be preparing for himself. He must have filled it on purpose for her! She recalled his concern that she not sketch his character, when he must have known of her ill opinion of him from his friend. She recalled that she was the only woman with whom he had danced, other than those of his own party. She recalled that he had said he asked her to dance solely out of a desire to be in her company. If her meditations had continued in this vein, she might have begun to see some of his prior behavior towards her in a different light as well, particularly behavior that occurred before Mr. Wickham entered the neighborhood and gave her a reason to which she could attribute Darcy's increased civility towards her; but as it was, her thoughts took a less productive turn, and she, instead, recalled his initial slight of her and his subsequent arrogant behavior, and would not allow that she had any reason to believe his opinion of her had changed. Although they had acknowledged what had happened between them, he had made no attempt to apologise for slighting her, nor did he appear remorseful. She readily gave in to her established habit of disliking him and returned her thoughts to his friend.

Chapter 4

The morning after the Netherfield ball opened a new scene at Longbourn. Mr. Collins made his intentions known and requested Elizabeth's hand in marriage. She turned him down, gently, at first, but when he persisted in not believing her refusal, she had to be firm with him. Elizabeth's mother was characteristically distressed when Mr. Collins gave her to know that he had been refused, and enlisted her assistance in persuading her daughter. Mrs. Bennet appealed to her husband to force the marriage, but Mr. Bennet would not. Thus, Elizabeth escaped a fate she did not desire, and only had to bear the effects of her mother's disappointment for the rest of the day.

Meanwhile, at Netherfield, Bingley left for London shortly after breakfast. He had already expressed to his friend and relations both the night before, after the ball, and that morning, what a delightful time he had had the previous evening; and he spoke of Miss Bennet in such terms as gave rise to serious distress in his sisters over what his intentions might be towards that young lady. After he was gone, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst began openly discussing their objections to a match between their brother and Miss Bennet. When asked for his opinion, Darcy agreed with them that Miss Bennet was unsuitable as a prospective bride for their brother. Miss Bingley was pleased that his opinion was in accordance with her own. Further discussion, however, was foreclosed by the entrance of Mr. Wickham.

Miss Bingley felt the color rise to her cheeks when Mr. Wickham greeted her, as she recalled their dances the previous evening. She thought to well of herself to be surprised that Mr. Wickham might really like her, but the fact that her fortune had not been the reason for his attentions had pleased her. Her experiences with gentlemen of little fortune had taught her that they could not truly appreciate all of her qualities and accomplishments, but had a great appreciation for her fortune. Thus, she had been surprised that a man in his situation, whose greatest hope of improving his own fortune was in marrying a woman of means, had been so attentive and appreciative of her without knowing of her fortune, and that he had secured her hand for the first two dances in advance of the ball rather than waiting to see what other prospects would be before him. She had conceded last night, in her private meditations after the ball, that she liked him very well and she could not help feeling delighted at the evidence of his returned regard. He was handsome, charming, and engaging, and she considered the conquest of his heart in so short a time quite an accomplishment even if he was not wealthy. But she would never allow anything beyond mutual admiration. She would certainly not demean herself by even considering an alliance with such a man. She reminded herself that she must maintain her focus on her object, Mr. Darcy. When she saw the two of them side by side, she acknowledged that Mr. Wickham was more handsome, but Mr. Darcy was more elegant and refined. Nevertheless, she found Mr. Wickham's easy manners very appealing. Mr. Wickham noticed Miss Bingley blush when he addressed her and his smile grew broader. He could not but be pleased that he had such an effect on her.

After conversing with the ladies for a few moments, Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy secured some privacy in the library and Mr. Wickham began discussing the topic of their most recent disagreement. Wickham was eager to let his friend know that he had no intention of pursuing Miss Elizabeth, but he had decided that since Darcy most likely felt the same objections in his own situation as he felt with respect to Bingley's then those objections should be addressed first. Thus, he began, "What have you to say now about your friend Bingley's attachment to Miss Bennet? Were you able to observe them together last night?"

"I did, and they seemed to enjoy each other's company, but that does not mean that either of them is in love."

"Do you still doubt the strength of your friend's regard?" asked Wickham incredulously.

Darcy thought for a moment and then replied honestly, "no, I suppose I have seen enough to convince me that Bingley does love Miss Bennet. He could not stop talking about her neither last night nor this morning, all the while smiling ridiculously. He made us all well aware that she is the most delightful angel he has ever had the good fortune to meet."

Wickham laughed lightly at Mr. Darcy's repetition of Mr. Bingley's words. "Then all we have left to determine is how the lady feels."

"I could discern no sign of peculiar regard in her behavior towards Bingley," said Darcy dismissively.

"Have you already forgotten the assurances you received last night from her sister?"

"She only told me that her sister enjoys Bingley's attentions, hardly a declaration of love."

"I had forgotten, I did not have the opportunity to tell you during our conversation last night what Miss Elizabeth told me about her sister's feelings."

"And what was that?"

"Well, I suggested the possibility that Mr. Bingley's feelings were unrequited and she was absolutely indignant. She replied with great enthusiasm that her sister's regard could not be doubted and she went on to explain her sister's reserved nature, and her concern in letting her feelings show. Have you considered that Miss Bennet's lack of observable affection is only the result of her adherence to the dictates of propriety? I dare say that if she had shown her feelings, you would censure her for behaving in an unladylike manner. Miss Elizabeth was quite adamant."

"From your description of her reaction, Miss Elizabeth seems certain that Miss Bennet returns Bingley's regard. As a close sister, she must have intimate knowledge of Miss Bennet's heart. Therefore, her words on the subject cannot be doubted. Miss Bennet certainly does not appear to me to be a fortune hunter, and Bingley has always been the one to initiate any intimacy with her."

Wickham smiled at how easily Darcy accepted Miss Elizabeth's assurances, "then you concede that she returns his love."

"I suppose I must, after hearing the information you obtained from her sister."

"You promised you would give your blessing to the union in that case."

"I also said that I would bring all the objections to the match to Bingley's attention, but I will not influence his choice."

"You can have little doubt what his choice will be. It appears that his fate is sealed."

"Yes, I believe it does," replied Darcy, obviously disappointed.

"You need not appear so morose Darcy, he will be happy."

"I know he will, and I am happy for him. It is just that, . . . ."

It appeared that Darcy did not intend to finish his thought so his friend prodded him, expecting to hear something about Elizabeth, "what is it Darcy."

"I had hoped he would marry Georgiana."

Wickham laughed at his friend.

"What is so funny?"

"You wanting to have your sister safely settled with a man who depends so heavily upon your judgment. It is a manner of assuring your continued control over her life."

"I believe that they could be happy together. Think if you had a sister, is there any man you would rather see her with than one who is always friendly and agreeable, gentle and compassionate, and who you can have no doubt will treat her well."

"I do look upon Georgiana as a sister, and as appealing as Mr. Bingley's disposition may be to an elder brother as a match for his young sister, I would still prefer to see her happily married to someone she loves, and who loves her - someone of her own choice."

"Do you not think they could have fallen in love, had it not been for this Miss Bennet."

"I do not know Darcy, but you cannot allow those thoughts to intrude. Miss Bennet does exist, and Mr. Bingley loves her. There can be no guarantee that had he never met her he would have married your sister. Besides, Georgiana is far too young and you cannot expect him to wait for her. And surely there could be no affection of that kind on either side. Have you discerned anything in either that would give you reason to suspect an attachment."

"No, I have not, but I am sure they could have developed at least some level of mutual regard, even love. And as for her age, he is still very young as well, and could stand to wait a few years before marrying. He is only six years older than her."

"Darcy, do you not see that by harboring such hopes you are doing the same thing to Georgiana that Lady Catherine has done to you and Miss de Bourgh?" Darcy looked up at his friend in surprise but did not say anything. Wickham let his friend think about that for a few moments and then asked, "do you know when Bingley is to return?"

"I believe he returns on Monday, if he is not delayed."

The ladies of the house, in the meantime, had been discussing the best way in which to prevent their brother's engagement to Miss Bennet. They determined that their best course of action would be to follow their brother to London and keep him there, by pointing out all of the disadvantages of the match, and if need be, by assuring him that Miss Bennet does not return his affection. Miss Bingley was certain Darcy would agree to the plan. She and Mrs. Hurst wished to speak to him in private, and they contrived a way to divide him from his friend. They interrupted the gentlemen's conversation and invited them to walk outside.

When they reached the lane, Miss Bingley claimed her place at Mr. Darcy' side, while Mrs. Hurst took Mr. Wickham's offered arm. The two ladies set their paces such that the two couples were soon far enough apart to afford private conversation. Mrs. Hurst kept Mr. Wickham entertained while Miss Bingley addressed Mr. Darcy thus, "Louisa and I have been discussing this business of my brother's attachment to Miss Bennet. We are in agreement that she is an unsuitable match for him. I know you agree, and I had hoped that, as his friend, you would assist us in preventing a marriage between them. We are decided to follow him to London tomorrow with the intent of influencing him to stay there. But we know how he relies on your judgment. Your assistance in convincing him of the unsuitability of the match would be invaluable."

"I agree with you that there are many disadvantages to the match, and I intend to make my objections known to him. As his friend, that is all I can do, he must make his own choice once he has been apprised of all the considerations. I will not go to London and manipulate him into staying there. He has expressed his intention of returning and we have agreed to still be here when he does. I will speak to him on Monday, and if he heeds my objections, he will understand that an immediate removal from the area is for the best. But if those objections are insufficient to overcome his regard, and he wishes to stay, then I can do nothing but offer him my congratulations. You and the Hursts may, of course, do as you please."

Miss Bingley was surprised and after trying to convince him to change his mind, for a few more minutes, she could see that he was becoming agitated, and she wisely desisted. The ladies soon grew tired and expressed their wish to return indoors. The gentlemen escorted the ladies inside, and after a few moments of silence Wickham addressed Darcy, "if you have no other plans today, I had hoped you would call at Lucas Lodge with me."

Darcy appeared surprised and quickly expressed his agreement. The two ladies were petitioned to join them, but both declined, pleading something else to do of an important nature. The gentlemen arose and Darcy ordered for two horses to be readied. They went outdoors to wait and began walking the length of the house as they spoke.

Darcy spoke first, addressing his friend in a tone that bespoke his curiosity, "Lucas Lodge? I had supposed from our conversation last night that you would be visiting Longbourn today."

"Perhaps we will have time to visit both, but I enjoyed my dance with Miss Lucas last night and I regret not having had more of an opportunity to get to know her better. I would like to see her again."

"What are you playing at Wickham? I'll not have you running about Hertfordshire toying with the heart of every maiden in the country." Darcy then stopped, and turning to face his friend, said seriously, "if you conduct yourself in such a manner as to be bound by honor to any woman, I will see to it that you marry her."

"Darcy, I will not take offense to that remark for the sake of our friendship, but I had hoped you knew better that to suppose I would do anything dishonorable."

Darcy looked into Wickham's eyes, the eyes of his friend, his brother. "Please forgive me Wickham. I know you would not."

"I only wish to become better acquainted with my new neighbors. I met several amiable young ladies yesterday evening. I scarcely know any of them and there are some that I would very much like to get to know better, Miss Lucas being one of them. There can be no harm in that. I promise I will take care not to raise expectations of anything further, unless and until they would be justified."

"I suppose I will have to be content with that for now. I am surprised though, I had thought, from something you said last night, that there was one lady in particular that you admired."

"You must mean Miss Elizabeth. I am afraid I may have been misleading in my expression last night. I assure you, I do not wish for anything beyond friendship with Miss Elizabeth."

Darcy was surprised by the amount of relief and joy he felt at his friend's revelation. "And to what can I attribute this sudden change in sentiment?"

"There has been no change in my sentiments towards that young lady. I like her very well, and would be happy to further my acquaintance with her. I simply have no intent or desire to form any designs of a serious nature on her."

As pleased as Darcy was by his friend's resignation of any designs on Elizabeth, he could not help but feel that there had been more in Wickham's expression last night than he would now own. He then asked incredulously, "so, you prefer Miss Lucas? I am surprised, she does not seem like the type of woman who would attract you."

"I confess that I did not notice her last evening until we were introduced by Miss Elizabeth and then I only asked her to dance out of politeness, but as it turned out, I enjoyed her company very much, and found myself wishing to see her again."

"She seems a very amiable woman," replied Darcy, still puzzled. He decided that seeing his friend with Miss Lucas and then with Miss Elizabeth would be more enlightening than the present conversation, so he did not pursue it further. Upon arriving at Lucas Lodge however, they were informed that Miss Lucas was spending the day at Longbourn and after sitting with Sir William and Lady Lucas for a quarter hour, they took their leave with the intent of calling there. Wickham could not be happier with this turn of events. He would be able to see Miss Lucas again, and at the same time, Darcy would be thrown into company with Miss Elizabeth. Darcy was equally pleased, first with the prospect of seeing Elizabeth again, but also for the hope of having his confusion over his friend's feelings cleared up by seeing him with both ladies together.

Upon being shown into the drawing room at Longbourn, they found Mrs. Bennet with only Miss Lucas, and Mr. Collins. Miss Lucas was standing by the window on the far side of the room, and Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Collins were sitting together apparently engaged in earnest conversation. They stopped talking suddenly upon the entrance of the gentlemen.

Mr. Wickham was received warmly by Mrs. Bennet, while Mr. Darcy's reception was only civil. Mr. Wickham immediately took a seat near Miss Lucas and Darcy took the chair suggested by his hostess, while the servant summoned her five daughters. When the girls entered the room, they first greeted the gentlemen. Darcy was disconcerted when Miss Elizabeth went to sit with Miss Lucas and Wickham. The other ladies sat down around a table and Miss Bennet and Miss Mary began working diligently while Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia were whispering and giggling together. Darcy immediately noticed some uneasiness in Elizabeth's countenance. She was not her usual lively self and scarcely looked away from her immediate vicinity. She participated little in the conversation with Miss Lucas and Mr. Wickham. He also noticed that Mr. Collins had not given any attention to Elizabeth since she entered the room. In fact, he had decidedly avoided even looking at her. This was a marked change from his hovering around her the previous evening. Darcy then noticed that Miss Bennet seemed likewise quiet and pensive, and even Mrs. Bennet was a bit subdued. He returned his glance to the two younger girls upon hearing a loud peel of laughter from Miss Lydia and as he watched them interact he noticed that they often looked at Mr. Collins and Elizabeth. Darcy was able, from these observations, to surmise something close to the truth of what had happened at Longbourn that morning.

While Darcy was preoccupied with these ruminations, Mrs. Bennet had begun speaking to Mr. Wickham, "so, Mr. Wickham, how did you enjoy the ball last evening?"

"Very well, madame, I thank you. I had the pleasure of dancing with several delightful young ladies."

"I am glad to hear it. I am sure they were all equally delighted with your company."

"Thank you ma'am, but I am sure some were more delighted than others." Elizabeth smirked at his intentional mischaracterization of her mother's speech and Darcy smiled in response to her reaction. At that moment, she ventured a look in his direction and noticed his smile. She quickly returned her attention to Charlotte.

Mrs. Bennet seemed sufficiently confused by Wickham's reply to be unequal to forming any response. She then turned to Mr. Darcy, saying, "and how did you enjoy the ball Mr. Darcy? I dare say you were not as pleased with it as your friend, for you danced much fewer dances."

"It is not the quantity of dance partners that I value, Mrs. Bennet, but the quality. I can assure you, I enjoyed the evening very well."

Elizabeth looked up, amazed at his response, but he dared not glance her way lest she should read his feelings in his expression.

"Yes, well, both Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley are women of quality to be sure, and I also noticed you dancing with Lizzy, but I did not notice any of your other partners."

"I did not engage any other partners, Madame."

"Of course, I believe I remember something about your dislike for the amusement."

"I confess that I do not enjoy dancing very much in general, but I did take great pleasure in some of my dances last night."

Mrs. Bennet then continued to converse primarily with Mr. Collins and Miss Bennet. She tried to draw Wickham into the conversation a few times, but he politely rebuffed her attempts. Darcy noticed his attentiveness to Miss Lucas, and Elizabeth's uncharacteristic silence. She appeared content to allow Wickham and Miss Lucas to carry the conversation while she sat pensively nearby. After sitting for about twenty minutes, the three of them appeared to have agreed upon a scheme to walk outdoors. When Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy both agreed to go with them, Mrs. Bennet urged Mr. Collins to accompany them as well. Mr. Wickham offered his arm to Miss Lucas, and on seeing Mr. Collins approaching Elizabeth, Jane quickly walked towards him and took his arm. Darcy then turned to Elizabeth and the two fell in step together behind the other two couples.

Elizabeth began teasing him directly, "I suppose the privilege of walking with me has fallen upon you by default, Mr. Darcy. I shall, however, make every attempt to keep you adequately entertained."

Darcy was glad to see her playful manner returned, after witnessing her solemnity indoors. He replied, "I am quite content to simply walk with you."

"You do not wish to converse with me?"

"To the contrary, I would be happy to do so, I only meant that you should not feel obliged to talk for my benefit."

"I think talking might be a welcome distraction from one's own thoughts which sometimes tend towards the unpleasant."

"If you have any unpleasant meditations, I am sorry for it, and I would be happy to provide any distraction that might improve your mood. What would you wish to speak of? Shall we talk of books?"

"I would like that, what have you read lately?"

Thus, they spoke of books at length while they walked along the lane through Longbourn park. Darcy noticed that Mr. Collins turned back to look at them several times and then turned haughtily away. He felt confident that his supposition had been correct, Mr. Collins had proposed, and Elizabeth had refused. He smiled as he contemplated her refusal of such a man. Elizabeth noticed his expression and asked what had caused it, as she could discern nothing amusing in what she had been saying.

"I apologize Miss Bennet I was not attending to your speech. I was thinking of something else entirely. Please forgive my rudeness."

Elizabeth was surprised by the extent of his civility but replied, "your expression leads me to suppose that your thoughts are much more amusing, or at least more interesting, than our present conversation. Perhaps you could tell me what they are so that I might enjoy them as well."

He smiled again and said, "I regret that I cannot disclose them to you, but I do promise to try to maintain my attention on our conversation from now on."

Elizabeth was a bit put off by his disinclination to share his thoughts, and said, "I would not wish to continue to burden you with my company any longer sir, if you do not wish for it."

He looked at her in surprise, "not at all Miss Bennet. I enjoy your company very much." After this reassurance he began another conversation and they walked on talking amiably about many subjects. Elizabeth was pleased by his sense, intelligence and vast knowledge. They discovered that their opinions coincided on many things. She also learned that he observed the landscape around them and had a great appreciation for the beauties of nature. By the time they returned to the house and the two gentlemen took their leave, Elizabeth found that she had been very satisfied with the way the call had turned out. She had scarcely given Mr. Wickham a thought during her walk with Mr. Darcy. She even felt happy for Charlotte as she realized the attention Wickham had shown her today. Charlotte confided to Elizabeth that she had been very well pleased with Mr. Wickham's attention to herself, but she would not allow herself to hope for anything more. She did not scruple, however, to offer her opinions on Mr. Darcy's attentions to Elizabeth. Elizabeth likewise discounted the significance of her time spent with Mr. Darcy, but she did reflect with some satisfaction on how much she had enjoyed his company, and remembered a bit ruefully how much she had previously been disposed to dislike him. She still felt the sting of his initial insult to her, but he had, at least, acknowledged it to her during their dance yesterday. Perhaps if their friendship grew more intimate she would feel comfortable enough to mention it to him.

Charlotte remained for dinner, and Elizabeth was pleased that she was attentive to Mr. Collins for most of the remainder of the day. Mr. Collins was clearly in ill humor all day and had, by the end of the day, resigned himself to the failure of his suit. He retired with thoughts of Charlotte Lucas' attentions during the afternoon at the forefront of his mind, and he weighed the possibility of success with her. True, she had been the object of Mr. Wickham's attentions during his visit, but then she had been very attentive to himself. Surely, if he would ask her first, she would be too sensible to put him off in the hopes of receiving an offer from Mr. Wickham. This, he thought to himself, had been exactly what Elizabeth had done. Clearly, she was hoping for a better match with Mr. Darcy. That she could presume to attach someone so far outside her sphere was laughable to Mr. Collins, and he looked forward to witnessing her disappointment, which would, undoubtedly, be followed by regret at having refused himself. Thus, he considered forwarding his acquaintance with Miss Lucas, weighing that possibility against moving on to one of the younger Bennet daughters. Mary was next eldest, but also the plainest. Miss Lucas was also plain and certainly both Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia were prettier than either Miss Lucas or Miss Mary, and both were livelier as well. He nearly decided in favor of Miss Lucas but he hesitated on account of what he had witnessed between herself and Mr. Wickham. He decided that he would decide tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Jane were finally able to secure time alone together to discuss the past two days. Elizabeth told Jane of her confusion regarding Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy. Although she had supposed the former to have some regard for her, she could not help but be pleased by his attentions to her friend. As for the latter, she explained how puzzled she was by his manner. She described all that had passed between them at the ball and on their walk earlier that day. After she had finished, Jane said, "I cannot but conclude that he must admire you Lizzy."

"But how can it be Jane? He has disliked me from the beginning."

"Oh Lizzy, do not put so much emphasis on his first impression. Certainly, his refusal to dance with you and his insult were rude, but that is all, you cannot hold him to that opinion. He has had a chance to get to know you much better since then. Perhaps his opinion has changed."

"That seems the most reasonable explanation, and yet the most difficult for me to accept. I can explain away his walking with me today well enough, and even his comments to Mama about the quality of his dance partners at the ball. But I cannot account for his wanting to dance with me in the first place."

"There is no other way to account for it Lizzy, he must admire you. It seems to me that he all but admitted it during your dance. Did the two of you not you speak about the reasons a man might ask a lady to dance."

"Yes, and we came up with three, admiration, obligation based on a relationship, and obligation based on a scarcity of gentlemen."

"Well, neither of the latter two applied to your situation last night Lizzy, so it must be the former."

"Jane, I am sure there are many other reasons than those three, it was merely a silly conversation. Although I did ask him if there were any other reasons, and he said he could think of none."

"There you have it Lizzy, how can you doubt what he meant by that?"

"I certainly do not believe he intended to confess any regard for me."

"Whether he meant to or not, that is exactly what he did."

When Wickham and Darcy had left Longbourn, Wickham only went as far as Meryton, as he had some duties to attend to in the afternoon, and Darcy led the other horse back to Netherfield. Thus, there was little opportunity for them to discuss their visit at Longbourn, except for both men to express their satisfaction in it. Each however, was left with much to think about in the privacy of his own thoughts.

On Thursday, Mr. Collins awoke with the expectation of determining the identity of his bride before the end of the day. As he dressed for breakfast he narrowed his choices to Miss Lucas and Miss Mary. Neither Miss Kitty nor Miss Lydia could be considered as they were both of them too silly and their behavior far too questionable for Lady Catherine's approval. Moreover, Lydia was not yet of marrying age, although he felt confident that such a consideration would not prevent Mrs. Bennet from giving her approval to the match. Of the Longbourn ladies, Miss Mary was the best choice. Although she was plain, she most closely matched Lady' Catherine's description of what he should look for in a wife. He would have to check her eagerness to perform, but in every other respect she seemed capable. Miss Lucas in disposition seemed even more ideal, but there was the matter of Mr. Wickham. He had not witnessed any attentions to Mary from another gentleman, a circumstance highly in her favor.

When Mr. Collins entered the breakfast room, he found Miss Mary alone. He immediately engaged her in conversation and when they had finished eating, he solicited her company for a turn about the gardens. Mary was exceedingly surprised by his application, but consented readily. When they arrived outdoors, Jane and Elizabeth could be seen walking at the far end of the lawn.

Mr. Collins had danced with Miss Mary once at the Netherfield ball, but he could not recall what they had spoken of. Now, he opened the conversation with a discussion of the book she was currently reading. He listened to her discuss the lessons she had gained from her reading and was gratified to hear her expostulations on the proper manner in which young ladies should conduct themselves. She further described the importance of a woman entering the state of matrimony to defer to her husband on every matter and to accept his rule without question. She spoke of the importance of maintaining a carefully tended household and of living within one's means. By the end of the conversation, Mr. Collins was close to fancying himself as in love with Miss Mary as he had thought himself to be with Miss Elizabeth less than twenty-four hours prior. His vanity had been so gratified by her opinions regarding the relative roles of husband and wife and their confirmation of everything he had come to believe of women, that he could not think of a better companion for himself. He resolved however, to maintain an open mind, at least until the next time he was in company with Miss Lucas.

As for Jane and Elizabeth, their conversation on the other end of the garden was interrupted by the curious sight of Mr. Collins walking out with Mary. They speculated on the meaning of it and finally agreed that Mr. Collins must have transferred his affections and his hopes to their next sister. They agreed that such a match would be a desirable circumstance, as it would please their mother and ensure that Longbourn would remain in the family, and because Mr. Collins and Mary seemed well suited for one another. They were confident that Mary could be prevailed upon to accept Mr. Collins and that she could be happy with him.

Soon, they all entered the house and went about their daily work. Mr. Collins' attentions to Mary continued, though they were more temperate than those he had shown to Elizabeth. Mrs. Bennet was clearly pleased with this development and was happy to perceive that Elizabeth's ill-judged refusal had not completely deterred the man from choosing a wife from among her daughters. She had thought yesterday that Mr. Collins might be interested in Miss Lucas, and was gratified to see confirmation of his resolve to marry one of the Miss Bennets. This reminded her of Miss Lucas' behavior with Mr. Wickham the day before. She could not help but be embittered by the possibility that this might mean the dear Mr. Wickham would not be captured by one of her own daughters as well. To have three daughters well married this year would have been a triumph indeed, but it would appear that she must settle for only Jane and Mary being soon disposed of in marriage. The notion that Mr. Wickham might marry one of her own daughters was not, however, given up entirely. She blamed Miss Lucas for her blatant attempts to secure Mr. Wickham's attentions to herself all of yesterday. Obviously he had chosen to call at Longbourn with the intent of spending time with her daughters, but Miss Lucas had kept him quite to herself. If she had not been at Longbourn he might have spent his time there with one of her younger daughters or perhaps even Elizabeth, though she did not deserve it.

For Elizabeth's part, she had been thinking carefully of Jane's words to her the night before, although they had not renewed the subject this morning. Jane had been certain that Mr. Darcy admired Elizabeth. A large part of that had been due to his singling her out as a dance partner at the ball. Elizabeth recalled that she had neglected to relate to Jane her suspicion that Darcy had been prompted to dance with her merely to satisfy his vanity after learning of her ill opinion of him. To prove this theory, she resolved to review his behavior prior to her conversation with Wickham in an effort to confirm her prior notions of his disapprobation of herself. However, when she viewed some of her past dealings with Mr. Darcy in light of the possibility that he might admire her, even with the purpose of disproving that possibility, she could not help but see things a bit differently.

Ever since the second or third time they had dined in company together, she had noticed that he appeared to be listening to her conversations with others. Then, at Lucas Lodge he had gallantly offered to dance with her, but only after being prompted by Sir William, he had had little choice at the time. Then she recalled her time at Netherfield. He had engaged her in conversation on more than one occasion. She recalled his comment that an accomplished woman should be well read, this had been said following a discussion of Elizabeth's choice of reading as entertainment for the evening. Then she recalled his manner of looking at her, his asking whether she had felt inclined to dance a reel and his gallant response to her impertinent answer. Finally, she recalled Miss Bingley's attempts to get his attention and her asking Elizabeth to walk about the room. It now occurred to Elizabeth for the first time that Mr. Darcy had been inattentive to Miss Bingley the entire evening, but as soon as Elizabeth had joined her in walking, his attention had been captured, indeed, he had closed his book. Then he had commented on being able to observe their figures. At the time Elizabeth had only thought his comment as a way of indicating that he knew Miss Bingley's motivations, but now she reconsidered everything. Finally, she recalled his civility when she had been out walking with Mrs. Hurst and encountered him with Miss Bingley. She was nearly ready to conclude that Jane had been correct about his feelings when she recalled their last day at Netherfield, when he had been alone with her for half an hour and had not spoken at all. This left her in a state of confusion.

Then, she began to reconsider Darcy's behavior towards her since Mr. Wickham's appearance in the neighborhood. Everything Darcy had said and done with respect to her since then could be interpreted as a sign of regard; from asking her to dance at the ball, to admitting how much he enjoyed her company both at the ball and the day after it. On a rational level she acknowledged that it certainly appeared that he liked her, but she could not accept that to be the case, and she remained certain there must be some other explanation for his behavior.

She then considered her own feelings. Her ill opinion had been removed some time ago by Mr. Wickham's account of his good character. His manners had certainly improved since his friend had come into the neighborhood. His proud air had dissipated considerably and she had seen a side of him since then that had not been exposed to her in the month prior. She could say with certainty that she no longer disliked him, and she felt equally confident that she had some favorable feelings for him. He was first and foremost a good man of impeccable character, he was, in addition, honest and sincere as well as handsome. She could easily perceive that he was a man of sense and education who had both knowledge and understanding. He was, by all reports, an excellent brother and she could see for herself that he was a good friend. She recalled fondly the time they had spent together the day before and at the ball, and she acknowledged that she liked him very well. She could not yet call it more, however, and she was in no way certain as to his own feelings. Therefore, she resolved to be cautious in her dealings with him to avoid the risk of disappointment.

Miss Lucas likewise, had been preoccupied by thoughts of a romantic nature. She had been utterly surprised at the attention Mr. Wickham had shown to her the day before. He had acknowledged having gone to Lucas Lodge to call on her and then having followed her to Longbourn. He had spoken almost exclusively to her at Longbourn and then had walked with her in the garden. She was gratified and she could not help being more hopeful than she had owned the day before to Elizabeth, but she was also wary. At twenty seven and being always plain, Miss Lucas had learned to view the prospect of marriage with some cynicism. She had never been the object of notice from men, and she had long abandoned her girlhood ideas of love and romance. She had grown to hope only for an eligible situation with a respectable and tolerable man. She knew she was plain and, having outgrown the bloom of youth, she had learned to focus on the more practical benefits she had to offer a potential husband. She did all she could to quell the glimmer of contentment that glowed within her as she thought of Wickham's attentions to her. She was aware that he had not noticed her prior to their dance, and that he had only danced with her out of politeness, but she felt that he had enjoyed their time together. These suspicions had been confirmed yesterday, when he had deliberately sought out her company. She had been particularly surprised that he would seek herself out before Elizabeth. He and Elizabeth obviously got on well and Elizabeth was quite amenable to receiving his attentions, and was unattached, but his attentions had been far more liberally bestowed on herself than on Elizabeth. Charlotte could not allow herself to speculate further on his feelings, however, and it was really rather too early to say what might come from them.

Her satisfaction in the possibility that Wickham might like her, was only heightened by Charlotte's own admiration of him in return. He was extremely handsome. This circumstance alone made his attentions to someone as plain as she all the more valuable. Clearly, his estimation of a woman's worth would not be based solely on her looks. And she could not be insensible of the compliment to herself underlying the attentions of a man accustomed to being the object of notice to most women. Aside from being handsome, Charlotte could not but admire his easy and engaging manners. Every word and gesture was said or done with an endearing charm that was accompanied by a disarming sincerity. She had also been able to discern that he was intelligent and sensible as well as honorable. As for his situation, Charlotte could scarcely ask for more, he had sufficient means to be independent and their lifestyle could be comfortable, though moderate. And there was every reason to expect that Mr. Darcy might make him some further gift on the occasion of his wedding.

Charlotte then thought of Mr. Collins. Knowing that he was in search of a wife, and that Elizabeth had rejected him, she had been forming the intent to secure a situation with him. She had little doubt that such a scheme might be successful with some little gratification of his vanity along with encouragement of his addresses. But that was before Mr. Wickham had made his visit. She now found herself in a quandary. She knew her opportunity to secure Mr. Collins was limited, and she certainly preferred Mr. Wickham, but if she gave up Mr. Collins and then Mr. Wickham did not make her an offer she knew she had little chance of ever having another opportunity to secure an establishment for herself. She had already remained with her parents longer than she had wished to, and her brothers were all younger than herself and would be struggling to establish themselves already, without the additional burden of a spinster sister to provide for. She resolved to encourage both gentlemen to the extent that she could within the bounds of propriety, and accept the first one to make her an offer. She shuddered as she considered that Mr. Collins would be more likely to propose first as he clearly wished to become engaged before departing the neighborhood on Saturday, while Mr. Wickham could have no reason to be in a hurry to select a wife.

Wickham had likewise been thinking extensively of his meeting with Charlotte on the previous day. He could not recall ever feeling so content after time spent with a lady. Every quality that he had admired about her at the Netherfield ball had been confirmed by her behavior yesterday. He was surprised by the amount he was smiling to himself as he thought of her. He had never considered that a woman of her nature could attract him. He had always admired women of a very different variety. He thought to himself that this may be the reason he had never considered matrimony with any of the previous women of his acquaintance. He had liked many of them well enough, but they were not what he wanted in a wife. This thought awakened within him the idea of whether he was actually considering matrimony with Miss Lucas. He felt confident that she would accept him, a woman in her position had few choices, but he did not wish for her to accept merely out of her need for an establishment. If he offered for her, he would want her to want him as much as he wanted her, but he knew not how to be sure of that before declaring himself. He laughed to himself as he considered that he was getting far ahead of himself. He had never imagined, considering his hesitance to form any serious design on a woman in the past, that once he had found the right woman his feelings and wishes would progress so quickly.

Darcy awoke with the same meditations at the forefront of his mind that had delayed his sleep the night before until the early morning hours. He went riding after breakfast to clear his mind and think about Elizabeth. He had acknowledged and accepted his feelings for her the night before last, in his meditations following the ball. He was in love with her. The question that presented itself now was whether to do anything about it. He weighed the advantages and disadvantages of the match. The considerations against the match included her lack of fortune, her low connections, the impropriety often displayed by her family, the inevitable disapproval by his own family, and her initial ill opinion of him. The considerations in favor of the match were . . . that he loved her. He sighed deeply. While her situation was unsuitable, there could not be a woman more well suited to him in disposition. She was intelligent and sensible; she conducted herself with the utmost propriety and had a strong sense of justice; she was playful and lovely; she was sensitive and generous; and he could not but consider how well she would do with Georgiana. But, above everything, he loved her and he wanted her. He had ridden into an open field and stopped his horse to take in the view. He made a full circle and admired the scenery. There was not a single person or structure within his view. He was utterly alone. "I love her," he said out loud, quietly, tentatively. Hearing his voice repeat the words that his mind had so long endeavored to suppress made his feelings seem more real. He smiled to himself and said "I love Elizabeth," more loudly, more firmly. His smile grew as he imagined saying those words to her and her delighted response to them. The thought of her looking upon him with her fine eyes full of emotion, and her enchanting smile only for him caused him to catch his breath. His imagination needed little time to move from her look to her touch to her kiss. He stopped himself from pursuing that train of thought, however; and, laughing out loud at himself, urged his horse back into a trot, as he resumed his consideration of whether he could possibly marry her. Was loving her enough? He recalled how he had felt when he was sure she would marry Wickham, he had repented that he had never acted on his feelings and he had wanted to make her his. Now that Wickham had made his preference for Miss Lucas evident, Darcy was relieved and felt the urge to secure Elizabeth for himself before she could be lost to him again. Still, he could not reconcile his desires and affections with the very real claims of duty to his family, to his name, and to his children, yet unborn. To align himself with her would be to cast off everything he held valuable, including his very identity. He could not succumb. He became despondent at the thought but he was determined. He must overcome his feelings, and above all, he must take care not to let any further sign of his regard escape him.

The Bennets were engaged to dine with the Lucases and in consequence of the visit from Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy to Lucas Lodge on the previous day, the invitation had been extended to them as well, and of necessity to the other Netherfield inhabitants. The Hursts and Miss Bingley had, however, determined to follow their purpose of removing to London, early that morning, leaving Darcy alone at Netherfield and entrusting him with the commission of conveying their regrets to the Lucases. Miss Bingley had been loathe to leave Darcy, but had decided that preventing her brother from an unfortunate marriage was a greater priority, and that once her brother indicated his intent to remain in London, Darcy would follow within a few days. Thus, Miss Bingley had written a short note to Jane explaining their departure and making it clear that she expected the last inhabitant of Netherfield to be vacating it within a few days, after which time the house would be closed, with no present prospect of being reopened.

When the Bennets arrived at Lucas Lodge, Mr. Collins was intent on discerning whether a pursuit of Miss Lucas would be successful. To that end, he was very attentive to Miss Lucas from the moment of his arrival. Elizabeth observed this and was disheartened by Mary's low spirits in response to observing it as well. Mrs. Bennet, too, was displeased with Mr. Collins' behavior and attempted to distract his attention away from Charlotte as much as possible. Elizabeth took the opportunity for a moment of private conversation with Charlotte, "I am so sorry that Mr. Collins seems to have transferred his attentions from me to you, Charlotte."

"You seem to assume, Eliza, that because you did not welcome his attentions I would not be inclined to do so either."

"Charlotte, you cannot be saying that you mean to encourage him?"

"A woman in my situation can hardly afford to be selective."

"But what of Mr. Wickham?"

"What of him?"

"He seemed very attentive to you yesterday."

"He was merely being agreeable."

"I beg your pardon, Charlotte, but he has shown you a level of agreeability beyond what is commonly seen."

"Perhaps, but I can hardly stake all of my hopes on one afternoon's attentions and it would not do to allow another opportunity to pass me by when I can scarcely even hope that he would form any serious intentions towards me."

"But you do prefer Mr. Wickham?"

"I confess that I do, but I have not had enough attention from either of them to form any particular expectations, I certainly do not anticipate that I shall have a choice between the two."

They were, at that moment, rejoined by Mr. Collins who had been drawn by Mrs. Bennet into a conversation with Mary, but who had escaped when the latter had been entreated to perform by Sir William.

In accordance with a note he had sent to Wickham earlier in the day, making the arrangements, Darcy stopped in Meryton to collect his friend on the way to Lucas Lodge, and they arrived together. When they entered, Mary Bennet was playing at the pianoforte, and the others were standing about the room engaged in conversation. The eyes of both gentlemen were immediately drawn to Elizabeth and Charlotte who were talking to Mr. Collins. After greeting their hosts and the other guests the gentlemen joined the group. Mr. Collins immediately began his obsequious attentions to Mr. Darcy, giving Mr. Wickham the opportunity to address the ladies, "I hope you have both been well since yesterday."

They both thanked him and assured him that they were quite well. Elizabeth discerned something in his look towards Charlotte and wishing to give them the opportunity for some private conversation she turned her attention towards the other two gentlemen and made a comment on their discourse. Wickham quickly took the opportunity to draw Charlotte further away from the others.

Darcy appeared relieved by Elizabeth's interjection, but he noticed the wistful gaze emanating from Mr. Collins towards Charlotte as Wickham drew her away, and immediately comprehended Elizabeth's purpose. To Elizabeth's utter amazement, Darcy then condescended to make further inquiry of Mr. Collins and kept him in conversation until dinner. Elizabeth remained with them, to assist Darcy in keeping Mr. Collins occupied.

Elizabeth found herself seated by Mr. Darcy at dinner, and said quietly to him, "thank you for your assistance earlier in conversing with Mr. Collins. I am sure your friend appreciates your efforts on his behalf."

Darcy smiled, and replied, "I am not accustomed to employing such arts, but I know that my friend had hoped for some conversation with yours and I could perceive that your cousin might prevent their opportunity for such a circumstance, by remaining in conversation with them."

Elizabeth glanced at Charlotte and Wickham who were seated next to each other, and remembering Charlotte's earlier concerns, said, "I only pray we have not done her a disservice, for it appears that Mr. Collins has already transferred his attentions," as she finished she shifted her glance to Mr. Collins who was conversing with Mary across the table from him, "again," she remembered to add. Darcy gave her a small smile, and she continued, "but he will be departing on Saturday, so time is of the essence." Darcy's smile widened, but they were called upon to join in the general conversation at the table before he could reply.

After dinner, when the gentlemen rejoined the ladies, Wickham and Darcy immediately joined Elizabeth and Charlotte. Mary again seated herself at the pianoforte, and Elizabeth requested that she play a particular song that she knew Mary did not know by heart.

"I will be happy to oblige you Lizzy, but I will need someone to turn pages for me."

True to Elizabeth's hopes, Mrs. Bennet seized on the opportunity, "I am sure Mr. Collins will be happy to offer his assistance Mary."

Mr. Collins looked startled, he had been attempting to join in Charlotte's conversation with Mr. Wickham when he had heard his name. He could do nothing but oblige his cousin, "of course, I should be happy to render any assistance to my dear cousin Mary."

With that, he was soon seated next to Mary at the instrument where he remained employed in turning pages for the remainder of the evening. Elizabeth was satisfied with the result of her efforts and she looked at Darcy who smiled back at her.

They took a few steps away from Mr. Wickham and Charlotte and she said, "After having noticed your interest in conversing with Mr. Collins earlier, I feel that I must apologize for having deprived you of his conversation for the remainder of the evening."

"Then I hope you will offer me your own instead," he found himself saying. He recalled his prior resolution to discourage any expectations she might have formed as he felt his self control unraveling. It was hopeless, he could not resist. They found two chairs near each other and began to talk amiably.

"Have you heard anything from Mr. Bingley?" asked Elizabeth.

"Yes, I received a letter from him today, expressing his hopes that he may be able to return as early as Saturday, but when he wrote it his sisters had not yet arrived in town. Their presence may delay his return to the country."

"Jane was surprised to receive a note from Miss Bingley advising her of their removal. We had understood that your entire party had planned to remain at Netherfield until January."

"Yes, we had planned it so. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst only decided to follow their brother to London after his departure yesterday."

"I am surprised you did not quit the neighborhood with them, Miss Bingley's note gave us to understand that you would be following them shortly and that none of you would be returning this winter. But, I imagine that you wished to stay a little longer to have more time with your friend."

"I certainly have made no plans to quit Netherfield in the near future, and I fully expect Bingley to return as planned. I have received no word from him of a change in his plans."

"But you believe that his sisters may keep him in London."

"I do not know, I imagine they may delay his return, but I am fairly certain that he will return soon."

"I am happy to hear it," replied Elizabeth.

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes during which Elizabeth noticed Darcy watching her in his usual manner. She became self-conscious as she wondered what could be the source of his disapprobation this time. She considered just asking him and after deciding that it would not be any more impertinent than his staring at her to begin with, she said, "Mr. Darcy, please forgive my impertinence but I wish you would tell me why you look at me in that way." He was visibly startled, "is there something about me that you find offensive?"

"Not at all. Please allow me apologize, I suppose I was allowing my thoughts to wander."

But she wasn't ready to give in so easily, "but this is not the first time I have noticed it. If these looks are merely blank stares, then why do they seem to always be directed at me?"

"And what makes you think I look at you because I find something offensive?"

"I could not imagine another reason."

"Could you not?"

Elizabeth blushed. "Not one that would be believable, Mr. Darcy."

He smiled, but did not respond. After a few minutes of silence he leaned forward and asked her, "shall we hear you play this evening?"

"Oh, I would not dare attempt to usurp Mary at the instrument." Darcy was a little disappointed, but he consoled himself with the fact that she would remain next to him and not be near Mr. Collins if she did not play.

After another long silence he said, "Miss Bennet, you said earlier at dinner that you hoped we did not do Miss Lucas a disservice by preventing her conversation with Mr. Collins, what did you mean by that?"

"Mr. Darcy, I cannot expect someone like you to understand my friend's situation. But if you consider it, you must realize that her choices are limited. She would not wish to foreclose any opportunities." Darcy furrowed his brow and looked at Wickham and Charlotte. To Elizabeth, this meant that Darcy was concerned Charlotte may be viewing Wickham simply as another opportunity. "Please do not misunderstand me, sir, she likes your friend very much, but she hardly knows what will happen. She may feel that it would be unwise to give up one opportunity on a mere hope that another one would present itself, even if the one hoped for is infinitely more desirable to her. You may consider it a very cold way of looking at things, but it is the reality. Not everyone finds love and sometimes one has to settle for what level of comfort and security can be found."

Darcy had never considered the plight of single young women without fortune. He had always simply looked upon them as an annoyance to himself and attributed to them mercenary intentions. But, when he thought about it, he realized that there were no choices for gentlewomen, other than to marry or continue as a burden on their families. Miss Lucas, he believed, was about seven and twenty, very plain, and without fortune or connections. She could not afford to be selective. Then he thought about Elizabeth. She had, he was certain, turned down Mr. Collins even though he was heir to her family's estate. "You do not ascribe to that philosophy," he said.

"No, I confess that I do not. But Miss Lucas has had more time to nurture her practical point of view. I have not yet given up hope on making a marriage of affection. Indeed, I do not think I could marry without it. But one never knows, my way of thinking might change if I am still single in five years."

Darcy was fairly certain she would not be single for five more years. If he had his wish, she would not be single for five more months. "And what of fortune?"

"It would be imprudent indeed for someone in my situation to fall in love with a man of little fortune, would it not?" she said laughing, "And yet, I cannot expect to attract a man of significant means either. But, I would not require much in that regard, I would only wish for a comfortable home."

Darcy did not trust himself to continue talking about Elizabeth's marital prospects, lest he declare himself then and there, so he returned the topic of conversation back to her friend, "I confess that I do not know anything of my friend's intentions towards yours. He has only been acquainted with her for a few days. He cannot be expected to know his own wishes in so short a time."

"No, of course not. It is only bad timing for her, I suppose."

There being nothing more to say on that subject, they talked about other things until the card tables were set up.

During their ride to Meryton, after the evening ended, Darcy addressed his friend, "you seemed to enjoy the evening very much."

Wickham grinned, "I did indeed Darcy."

"I hope you know what you are about, for you were quite particular in your attentions to Miss Lucas."

"I am surprised to find that I admire her so very much so soon after meeting her, Darcy. I was extremely vexed at that Collins fellow when he tried to turn her attention to himself."

"I do hope you understand that she may have given up an opportunity for an eligible establishment with him to devote her attention to you this evening. For, by the end of the evening, I dare say Mr. Collins had decided in favor of Miss Mary."

"I am glad to hear it. Miss Mary is much better suited to him than Miss Lucas."

"That is hardly the point Wickham. She might have been able to secure a situation with Mr. Collins and another similar opportunity is unlikely to cross her path."

"Since when are you so sympathetic to the plight of unmarried women? I thought you disdained the idea of marrying to secure an establishment."

"What I disdain is women who use flattery and false affection to gain an establishment. I do not oppose a situation where both parties understand that their union is one of mutual benefit, although there may be little or no affection."

"And how do you suppose she would have 'secured' Collins? Do you think she might have been successful without flattery?"

"There is a difference between being attentive and even encouraging to someone, and projecting false admiration or, still worse, leading them to believe in feelings that do not exist."

"I have known her two days, Darcy, and though my heart feels ready to profess that she is the one, my head is aware that it is too soon for such a reaction to be rational."

Darcy allowed it to be the case and did not pursue the conversation further. Instead, he wondered to himself at his friend's admiration of Miss Lucas. He had to own that he had never given that young lady very much thought. She was rather plain, and rather old to be still unmarried, but she was Elizabeth's nearest friend, so she must have some value. Her manner had always been significantly more subdued than Elizabeth's but she seemed very sensible. Wickham's interest in the lady had been awakened only after dancing and conversing with her. Darcy had to admit that he had never taken the time to talk to her himself. Darcy had always hoped that Wickham would marry a woman of fortune, but the more he considered what he knew of Miss Lucas' disposition the more he approved of the match. A woman of fortune was unlikely to be as economical and able to live within her means as one such as Miss Lucas. Although she would not bring a fortune into the marriage, she would bring an ability to manage comfortably on what was available. With the five thousand pounds Darcy intended to give Wickham upon his marriage, his fortune would be raised to about ten thousand pounds, and provide him with an income of about 500 pounds per year, which was quite a bit for a steward's son. And with his career in the military Wickham would always have opportunities for adding to his fortune.

The gentlemen separated at the officers' quarters in Meryton and Darcy returned to Netherfield quite alone, to think about Elizabeth. He had all but given away his feelings when talking to her this evening. He could not stay here and maintain his resolve. He had to either leave Hertfordshire or surrender to his feelings for her.

Later that evening, Elizabeth considered all that had passed between herself and Mr. Darcy. He had, once again, been exceedingly agreeable to her. She wondered at length on the meaning of his comments regarding why he looked at her. The manner in which he had asked, 'can you not?' had been very suggestive. Then he had asked her some very personal questions regarding her preferences and views with respect to marriage. They had seemed to flow naturally from the course of the conversation, but in retrospect Elizabeth was uncomfortable with what had been said. She hoped she had not said too much about Charlotte's situation. She felt confident that Darcy would convey the substance of their conversation to Wickham. She did not feel that Wickham would sport with Charlotte's feelings, but it was important for him to be conscientious of her situation.

Mr. Collins determined that he would propose to Miss Mary in the morning.

Friday passed without further incident than the middle and plainest Bennet daughter becoming the first to be engaged. The Miss Bennets, except for Mary, walked to Meryton and spent most of the day in the company of their aunt. Mr. Collins had opted to remain at home as well, in the hopes of gaining a private interview with Miss Mary. By the time the others had returned for dinner, all had been arranged between the two lovers and parental consent had been secured.

Wickham's duties prevented him from visiting any of his friends throughout the day, and Darcy spent Friday in solitary pursuits. He enjoyed his time alone very much and took the opportunity to write to his sister. Having spent the entire day alone with his thoughts, it is not surprising that they wandered to Elizabeth more often than not. Yet, by the end of the day he was no closer to deciding whether to stay at Netherfield and accept his fate, or leave Hertfordshire altogether before seeing her again, and falling further into danger.

On Saturday morning Darcy sent a note to Wickham inviting him to dine at Netherfield, should his duties allow it. Then, he prepared to spend the day much as he had the previous day. Some time after his morning ride, Darcy was reading in the library, when Mr. Bingley arrived at Netherfield. Darcy was surprised to see him, but was pleased that his sisters had been unsuccessful in detaining him in London, although it also probably meant that Bingley had decided in favor of marriage to Miss Bennet. At least Miss Bingley and the Hursts had not returned with him.

The friends greeted each other warmly and Darcy expressed his surprise at Bingley's return.

"Did you not receive my letter, informing you of my plan to return today?"

"I did, but you wrote it before your sisters arrived in London, I thought they might detain you."

"Yes, well, they certainly tried. I was very surprised to see them, and even more surprised to learn that the reason for their following me was to dissuade me from returning to Netherfield. And I am sure you can guess why they attempted to do so."

"They object to your attachment to Miss Bennet."

"My sisters assured me of your agreement with them."

"I will not deny that I agree with some of their concerns, and they did ask me to assist them in persuading you against continuing the acquaintance."

"They told me she does not return my affections, Darcy, I must know what your opinion is on the matter."

"What is your opinion?"

"I believe that she feels something for me, perhaps not equal to my regard for her, but I am convinced that she returns my affections."

"I cannot say, based on my own observations, that I agree." Bingley looked crestfallen. "Her countenance has never betrayed any sign of peculiar regard. But, her sister, Miss Elizabeth has suggested that she does return your feelings." Bingley brightened. "During his dance with her at your ball, Wickham suggested that your feelings for her sister could be unrequited and the strength of her immediate protestations gave him to understand that he was mistaken."

Bingley grinned. "Thank you, Darcy. Miss Elizabeth is her closest sister, and must have the best information of what is in her heart."

"Yes, but I do wish to speak to you about your intentions towards Miss Bennet."

"I intend to marry her, if she will have me."

"And have you considered all of the consequences that must be appurtenant to such a match?"

"I know she has no fortune to speak of, but mine is ample. The value she holds to me transcends anything that can be measured in pounds. She has so much to give, that I feel she would be bringing more to the marriage than myself."

Darcy smiled, and then added. "But there are other things to consider. She has very low connections."

"She has two uncles in trade. My fortune was made in trade, so how can I object? The Phillipses, I suppose are not the most fashionable or sophisticated of people, but she speaks very highly of the Gardiners."

"And what of the improper behavior of her mother and younger sisters, and even occasionally her father?"

"Miss Bennet has always behaved with the utmost propriety and decorum. She cannot be faulted for the behavior of her family. Anyhow, I am not fixed at Netherfield. We need not remain here beyond the term of the lease if the associations become intolerable."

"I hope you understand Bingley, that as your friend, I want to be sure that you have considered your course of action carefully, and that you are aware of all the disadvantages of such a choice."

"I appreciate your concern for me Darcy, but do you not see that there can be no disadvantages to the match for me? The objections you have raised are unimportant, because I love her, and, more importantly, because she returns my affections. With the assurances you have given me of her feelings, based on Miss Elizabeth's information, I can see but one course of action for myself: to secure her hand, and my happiness."

Darcy looked at his friend curiously for a long moment, his thoughts wandering to Elizabeth as he considered Bingley's words. At last, he said, "very well then," and extended his hand as he continued, "I wish you success in your suit and only happiness as a result of it." Bingley shook Darcy's hand happily and the gentleman spent a quiet afternoon at home.

Wickham arrived at Netherfield just before dinner and Darcy had his fill, before the night was over, of the many wonders of both Miss Bennet and Miss Lucas. He retired to his room thinking only of the many wonders of a different woman entirely. And as he drifted off to sleep, Bingley's words echoed in his mind, 'the objections you have raised are unimportant, because I love her,' and just as Darcy slipped into the world of dreams, he mumbled, "I love her."

Saturday brought relief to some of the Longbourn inhabitants in the form of the departure of Mr. Collins. After many professions of love and schemes of felicity, he left them with the promise of returning in six weeks time for another visit, and again for the wedding which was to take place after six more weeks. Elizabeth was happy for Mary, and felt that she had made a good match, and she was pleased Charlotte had escaped what Elizabeth deemed would have been an unhappy match for her. She did however, fervently hope that Charlotte had not lost her only opportunity to acquire an independent situation. After all, Mary was still young enough to hope for more opportunities to cross her path, while Charlotte would soon not be considered of marriageable age.

On Sunday morning at breakfast, Bingley announced his intent of calling at Longbourn the following morning, and convinced Darcy to go with him. Darcy tried to resist, but it was futile, he could not but agree to go. He had awoken to find Bingley even more jubilant than he had been the night before and he wondered how long his friend would be able to wait before proposing. Thus, after their plans had been arranged, Darcy observed, "You are in a good mood this morning, Bingley."

"I have every reason to be Darcy. Yesterday, I received very reliable assurance that Miss Bennet returns my affections."

So it was not the prospect of proposing that had Bingley so happy, but the knowledge that his love was returned, mused Darcy.

"Being in love is very exciting," continued Bingley, "but it can be frustrating at times, trying to make out the lady's feelings. Being loved in return, Darcy, is pure joy."

The thought struck Darcy forcefully: it is being loved in return that is the key. Bingley's words from the night before were still fresh in his mind, 'the objections you have raised are unimportant, because I love her,' and he quickly recalled what Bingley had said next, 'and, more importantly, because she returns my affections.' Darcy knew he loved Elizabeth. He loved her, and he certainly wanted her, but his consideration had gone no farther than that because marriage to her was an impossibility. But what if Elizabeth loved him back? This possibility brought on a surge of anxious delight that Darcy had never before experienced. Nothing could compare to being loved by Elizabeth. Bingley was right, if she could love him back, nothing else would matter. He smiled to himself.

The thought of Elizabeth being in love with him, gave Darcy many new ideas to ponder. Had she been in love with him all this time? Had he been confusing her with his alternating attentiveness and avoidance? He recalled their walk on Wednesday, she had thought he did not want to be in her company because he had been allowing his mind to wander. Yet, he had been thinking about her. He wondered whether he had caused her any pain or anxiety with his behavior throughout their acquaintance; whether he had alternately been raising her hopes and disappointing her. The idea of her being pained because of him was not appealing.

Then he was struck with another notion entirely, what if she didn't love him? The pain of this possibility was felt keenly. He remembered Wickham's report of her former ill opinion of him. How much had her opinion been elevated?

These were questions that required answers. He must learn her feelings. Thus, he realized that the decision he had been pondering, of whether to leave Hertfordshire or stay was never his choice. It would depend on Elizabeth. If she loved him, he would have to stay, if she did not he would have to go. Darcy was unused to lacking control over his own life, and the fact that his future was so dependent on someone else, a woman, was rather disconcerting. But he could not be separated from his heart, and his heart was lodged firmly in Elizabeth's grasp, whether she wanted it or not, and even whether she knew it or not. And so to Longbourn he would go.

Darcy remembered his friend and said in response to his comment, "I hope you will not rush your suit."

Bingley was surprised that Darcy had spoken again after such a long, thoughtful pause. Believing that Darcy's meditations had to do with his own situation, and considering the nature of Darcy's comment, he became concerned that his friend would renew his objections to his intention to marry Miss Bennet. "I believe I will try to wait a few weeks, but I assure you my mind is quite made up. I will not be persuaded to alter my intentions, now that I am reasonably certain of Miss Bennet's affections."

"I am quite reconciled to your choice Bingley; and, as I said last night, I am very happy for you."

Bingley was satisfied with this response, and the two gentlemen went to Church and spent another quiet afternoon engaging in gentlemanly pursuits.

The next morning, when they arrived at Longbourn, Darcy could perceive Miss Bennet's happiness and Elizabeth's relief at seeing Bingley. Both of their reactions, however, were eclipsed by their mother's effusive greeting and her expression of fear that Bingley might not return. Darcy was frustrated however, to perceive no particular reaction from Elizabeth in response to his own presence.

Mrs. Bennet's first order of business was to announce the engagement of Miss Mary to Mr. Collins. The proud mother and the daughter in question were duly congratulated by the two gentlemen. The second matter to be attended to was the promise Bingley had made prior to his departure to enjoy a family dinner at Longbourn, and plans were made accordingly. After another half hour of conversation was had in the drawing room, a scheme was agreed upon to walk outdoors. Kitty and Lydia readily agreed to accompany their sisters and the gentlemen, and as they wished to call on Miss Maria Lucas, the six began walking towards Lucas Lodge with Kitty and Lydia walking ahead, followed by Elizabeth and Darcy and then Bingley and Jane.

Jane and Bingley talked amiably and Kitty and Lydia chattered incessantly, only the pair in between walked in relative silence. Their conversation was sparse and subdued as neither felt entirely comfortable after the intimacy of the conversation they had shared during their last meeting.

"I am pleased to see that Bingley was able to return early after all," ventured Elizabeth, "I imagine that you are pleased to have his company again."

"Yes I was. Although I value some solitude, I believe I was beginning to grow lonely by myself at Netherfield."

"Now that I have been informed of your fondness for lively company, I am not surprised."

Darcy smiled at her recollection of his words during their dance. "I must commend your cousin on his choice of wife. I believe Miss Mary is well suited to be the wife of a parson. I wish them every happiness."

"Thank you Mr. Darcy. I think she will be happy in her situation, and in a prudential light, it is a good match for her."

"I imagine that she is well pleased to be settling within so easy a distance of her home and family."

"An easy distance do you call it? It is nearly fifty miles."

"And what is fifty miles of good road? Little more than half a day's journey. Yes, I call it a very easy distance."

"I should never have considered the distance as one of the advantages of the match," replied Elizabeth, "I would not say that Mary will be settling near her family."

"It is proof of your own attachment to Hertfordshire. Anything beyond the very neighborhood of Longbourn, I suppose, would appear far."

As he spoke, there was a sort of smile, which Elizabeth fancied she understood, in light of Jane's assertion of Mr. Darcy's preferences, he must be thinking of herself at Pemberley. She blushed as she answered.

"I do not mean to say that a woman may not be settled too near her family. The far and near must be relative, and depend on many varying circumstances. Where there is fortune to make the expense of traveling unimportant, distance becomes no evil." She became wary of encouraging him too much as she had not yet decided whether she would welcome his addresses. Thus, she sought to turn the conversation back to Mary, "But that is not the case with Mary and Mr. Collins. He has a comfortable income, but not such a one as will allow of frequent journeys, and I am persuaded that my sister would not consider herself to be near her family under less than half the distance from Longbourn to Hunsford."

Darcy was encouraged significantly by her speech, and he replied, "You cannot have a right to such very strong local attachment. You cannot have always been at Longbourn."

Elizabeth was surprised, this was a more direct reference than anything he had yet said regarding her preferences with respect to marriage. It caused her to give more credit to Jane's suspicions regarding his feelings than she ever had. She answered, "I have never really given much thought to where I might settle. I suppose it has never really been a consideration. I confess that I would like to be able to visit my family on occasion, but I do not think I would feel like I had to be close enough for daily interaction with them." Then, in a second attempt to turn the conversation away from herself, she added, "as for Mary, she is not going so far as to foreclose any opportunity of visiting her family, and she will be near enough for them to go to her as well, from time to time."

Darcy took the hint, and made a point to keep the conversation away from Elizabeth's marriage prospects. He replied, "I am sure that Mr. Wickham will also be pleased with the news of her engagement." Elizabeth smiled in response, but little more was said. They had not walked much further when they met with Mr. Wickham himself with Miss Lucas and Miss Maria on their way from Lucas Lodge to Longbourn. The entire group stopped for a brief conversation. The three younger girls agreed to return to Lucas Lodge together, and the remaining six continued to walk companionably.

The ladies led the gentlemen along a path off of the main road that led to a clearing on the bank of a river. There, the six sat together and conversed amicably. Mr. Wickham was told of the news of Mary's engagement, but he professed that he had already learned of it from the Lucases. Elizabeth noticed that he seemed very well pleased with the information. She also noticed that Charlotte was positively glowing. She wondered what the two of them had been discussing prior to meeting the others. She knew it was too soon for him to have proposed, and she simply attributed Charlotte's felicity to her companion's attentiveness. Elizabeth was very pleased with what the sincere admiration and attentions of a good man apparently did for her friend's countenance. She could only hope that Charlotte would not be disappointed. But a look at Wickham quickly quelled any concern she felt. It was clear that he already felt a great deal of affection for Charlotte.

Darcy was intent, during this conversation, to determine Elizabeth's feelings for him. It was not so easy as he had hoped it would be to discern whether she liked him. The others began to talk about another assembly ball to be held the following week. Elizabeth noticed Darcy's pensive demeanor, but recalling his behavior at the previous assembly ball, she decided that his reticence this morning was most likely due to his distaste for the topic of conversation. She wondered if he would find an excuse not to attend the ball. Soon the entire party agreed to return to Longbourn. Charlotte had not yet had a chance to congratulate Mary on her engagement, personally, due to Mrs. Bennet's dragging her along to announce her good fortune to all their neighbors the previous morning after church.

As they walked back toward Longbourn house in pairs, all three gentlemen still had the upcoming ball on their minds, and all were struck with the same thought. Thus, Mr. Bingley addressed Jane, "I hope that you will do me the honor of dancing the first set with me at the ball next week, Miss Bennet."

Jane blushed, "I would be happy to, Mr. Bingley."

"Thank you."

Likewise, Mr. Wickham said to Charlotte, "I hope it is not too soon to solicit the first dances of the evening with you at the upcoming assembly ball, Miss Lucas."

"Not at all, I would be happy to reserve them for you."

"Thank you."

Darcy turned to Elizabeth and said, "Miss Bennet, may I request the honor of your hand for the first two dances at the assembly ball next week?"

Elizabeth was as surprised by the application as she was gratified. "Do you mean to attend then?"

"Yes, of course," he was a bit agitated that she had not given him an immediate answer.

She looked at him curiously as she recalled all the questions he had been asking her recently about her preferences with respect to marriage. She decided that a little impertinence was called for to learn why he would ask her such questions. "And are you certain you will be in humor to dance when the time comes?"

"Yes."

Elizabeth smiled at the unequivocal certainty in his response, "I am surprised to hear it, considering your dislike for the amusement."

"I have found that dancing can be enjoyable."

"I am glad of that, at least I can rest assured that I will not be punishing you by accepting your offer."

"So you are accepting it?"

Elizabeth smiled, and remembering their conversation from the Netherfield ball, she said, "Well, that depends upon which of the motivations which induce gentlemen to ask ladies to dance has precipitated your present request."

"I believe, of the possibilities that we discussed, only one would apply to the current circumstance." If giving her an idea of his feelings was the only way to learn hers, then so be it, thought Darcy.

Elizabeth was surprised at the boldness of his admission, but she was not ready to relent. "How so, Mr. Darcy?"

"Well, we do not yet know whether there will be a scarcity of gentlemen, but I would imagine with the presence of the militia, there will be more than enough to prevent any young ladies from sitting out if they wish to dance." Elizabeth smiled at this. "And, there is no social obligation that would require me to stand up with you, such as, for example, you being the sister of a close friend." Her smile grew broader. "That leaves only one reason."

Elizabeth blushed and was highly gratified as she realized that he had just admitted to admiring her. "Then I shall feel duly complimented by your offer," she replied, still referring to their previous conversation, "and I will accept it."

Darcy was pleased by her acceptance, and thanked her, but he persisted in his endeavor to learn her feelings, "We also discussed the motivations for a woman's acceptance, Miss Bennet. I have given you the reason for my request, will you not return the favor by telling me what motivated you to accept it?"

"Well, as you know, it would be improper for me to refuse you if I expect to dance at all that evening." Darcy appeared disheartened. "Therefore, I am glad to have had the opportunity to promise the first two dances to someone whose company I enjoy."

Darcy's disappointed expression slowly changed into a smile. Then, he thought to add gallantly, "oh, and dancing with you would never be a punishment, Miss Bennet."

"I am glad to hear it."

Over the course of the next week, there were several visits among the ladies and gentlemen and all dined together in company twice, including the dinner at Longbourn. Wickham continued to improve his acquaintance with Charlotte, and Bingley was openly courting Jane. As for Darcy and Elizabeth, Mrs. Bennet began to entertain hopes of a match, but it seemed well nigh impossible that such would occur. She had a difficult time discerning anything definite about the feelings of either of them. The lady and gentlemen in question however, were both growing ever more fond of the idea. Darcy remained uncertain as to the nature of Elizabeth's feelings for him, but he was not averse to persisting in his attempts to learn them, and perhaps even do what he could to encourage them. He could easily perceive that she liked him, and she seemed to take pleasure in his company, but whether there was anything beyond that he could not readily discern.

The evening of the ball finally arrived, and the first dances were carried out by the three couples, as promised. Elizabeth and Darcy were both very pleased with their dance, but there was little opportunity over the course of the evening for further conversation between the two of them, as Elizabeth was engaged for every dance, and Darcy for scarcely fewer. Elizabeth was happy to perceive, however, that Mr. Darcy's behavior at this second assembly was far different from what it had been at the first. He talked a great deal more and to a much greater number of people, and seemed to take greater pleasure in this ball than the first one he had attended in Meryton. He thoroughly enjoyed his dances with Elizabeth, and he also danced with Miss Bennet, Miss Lucas, and Miss Mary. The information he obtained from Wickham, that Elizabeth's initial ill opinion of him had been based, at least in part, on his being unsociable, may have had something to do with his changed behavior.

Charlotte enjoyed her dances with Wickham very much, and was becoming more and more comfortable with his continued attentions towards her. After he had danced with Jane, Elizabeth and Maria, he danced with Mary King. Charlotte and Elizabeth had learned from Mrs. Long, earlier in the evening, that Miss King had recently inherited ten-thousand pounds. When the dance ended, Charlotte thanked her partner and was making her way to find Maria when she passed Mr. Wickham speaking to Denny and overheard the latter observe, "I see you have already claimed a dance with the most recent heiress," as he nodded towards Wickham's last partner.

"I have just enjoyed a dance with Miss King," replied Wickham.

"And had you not learned that she recently inherited the sum of ten thousand pounds."

"No, I had not yet been informed of it."

"That makes her rather eligible for one in your situation, does it not Wickham?"

"Yes, I suppose it does," replied Wickham, smiling ruefully as he considered that his heart had already been captured, "I confess that I had always hoped to attach a young lady of some fortune." Charlotte could listen to no more. She hurried away, her heart full of despair and her eyes full of tears. Unfortunately her hasty departure precluded her from hearing Wickham's subsequent statement, "But, although Miss King is a pleasant young lady, I do not feel any inclination towards her and I do not believe a woman's fortune is sufficient inducement upon which to pursue her." Then looking around he added, "have you seen Miss Lucas?"

Denny laughed because he had known that his friend's heart was already engaged elsewhere, and he replied that he had not seen her.

Spotting Miss Elizabeth, Wickham excused himself from Denny and said, "good evening, Miss Elizabeth, I hope you are having an enjoyable time?"

"Yes, I am, thank you Mr. Wickham." Then she laughed as she added, "at the last assembly ball I attended there was a shortage of gentlemen, but tonight, with all the officers, there is a shortage of ladies, and I find that I have not sat out a single dance, and I have had to turn down several offers." Wickham was glad that Darcy had reserved the first two dances with Elizabeth, or he might otherwise have not had the opportunity to dance with her at all; although he regretted that it did not seem that his friend would have a chance to dance with her a second time, which reminded him of his purpose. "Have you seen Miss Lucas, Miss Bennet?"

Elizabeth paused and thought for a moment. She had been in conversation with her mother at the time, but she recalled Charlotte passing her briefly just a few moments ago and pausing to say she was going into the hallway for some air. Elizabeth had not been able to take much notice of her friend, and had not had any chance to respond to her. But she was at least able to answer Mr. Wickham's inquiry, "she went out into the hallway, she said she needed to get some air as it is very crowded in the ballroom."

Elizabeth smiled as she watched Mr. Wickham disappear into the hall. He looked in vain for Miss Lucas and then walked down the hallway until he heard a noise that sounded like crying. He paused outside a small sitting room and saw her standing with her back to the door, her shoulders trembling gently. "Miss Lucas," he said quietly.

She turned with tears streaming down her cheeks to face him. She had been berating herself for allowing herself to indulge in romantic fantasies that she had abandoned years ago, for allowing her heart to be touched. She should have known that she would be disappointed. She had nothing to offer such a man. Now, she had not only allowed herself to become attached, but she had given up her chances with Mr. Collins. Her worst nightmare would come true. She would be alone and dependent for the rest of her life. All of her friends would marry and go away and she would be passed from relative to relative, living off of their generosity. But worse than that, she knew she would never stop loving Mr. Wickham, she would have to live with her lost hopes the rest of her life.

While these thoughts passed through her head, Mr. Wickham approached her and led her to a chair. "Will you not tell me what is the matter? Is there something I can get you to alleviate your distress? Would you like a glass of wine? Shall I fetch your mother, or perhaps Miss Elizabeth?"

"No, thank you sir, I am well. Please leave me."

"I will not leave you alone in this condition. Please allow me to be of assistance," he replied with grave concern.

"Sir, I implore you to leave me be and I demand that you desist in your attentions towards me."

Wickham was dumbfounded. He had been under the impression that she enjoyed his attentions. "Miss Lucas, please, if I have done anything to offend you, I beg you would tell me what it is. I thought my attentions to you had been well received. Why have I suddenly fallen out of your favor?"

"What difference does it make whether you are in or out of favor with me? You have been misleading me from the beginning."

He was again astonished, "I beg your pardon, Miss Lucas, but I have done no such thing."

"You claim now that you have not been particular in your attentions to myself?"

"No, I will make no such claim. I freely admit that I have been deliberately particular in my attentions to you."

"And yet with no intention of following through on the natural expectations that your attentions have caused."

"Miss Lucas, we have known each other just above two weeks, surely you cannot expect anything of me so soon. You must allow me more time than that to follow through on even the most marked attentions."

"Time is not a factor when there was never a chance that you would follow through."

"What makes you believe, so suddenly and so strongly, that there was never such a chance? Do you truly believe me as dishonorable as that suggests?"

"I did not want to. I wanted to believe your intentions were honorable, but I now know that it is impossible. I am unsuitable for you, I do not meet your needs."

He was shocked and saddened by her assertion. "Why are you saying this? You are eminently suitable."

"Mr. Wickham, your circumstances have limited your choices, just as my circumstances have limited mine. I heard you say so yourself, you have always looked for a woman of fortune."

Understanding dawned on Wickham and he smiled as he replied, "and at which point did you desist overlistening to my conversation, Miss Lucas?" Charlotte blushed, "I imagine it was before I pointed out to my friend that fortune is not a good reason to pursue a young lady, and that I had no inclination towards Miss King, the reason being, of course, that my heart is already quite engaged elsewhere, and then asked Mr. Denny whether he knew your whereabouts."

Charlotte cast down her eyes contritely, she had misjudged him, but she was not yet willing to relent, "you would be a fool to marry a woman with no fortune."

"Then count me a fool, because I wish to marry none but you." She smiled as she looked up at him, but her tears began to flow even more freely. "Please do not cry anymore," he said as he began to wipe her tears. Then he tilted her chin up to catch her eyes and said, "will you have me? I have but little to offer you except for my eternal love and devotion."

"Please, Mr. Wickham, you were right, it is too soon. I would not wish for my silliness to induce you into a premature proposal."

"Nonsense. I know what I want. If it is too soon for you, only say the word and I will wait and ask again."

"No, it is not too soon for me."

He smiled, "was that an acceptance?"

"Yes," she replied, smiling. He grinned and swept her up into his arms. "I love you, my dearest, loveliest, Charlotte," he whispered.

"I love you, . . . Mr. . . . "

"George," he interrupted.

"Mr. George?"

They laughed together and shared several delightful kisses. Then, before they returned to the ballroom, she said, "would you be willing to agree to keep our engagement secret for at least another few weeks? We have only known each other two weeks and I fear that others might not understand that we could have fallen in love so quickly."

"As you wish, my love," he replied, giving her a final kiss. As they made their way down the hall he said, "are you already engaged for the last set of dances for the evening?"

"No. I was hoping you would claim them."

"Then consider them claimed," he replied as he escorted her back into the ballroom.

Upon re-entering the room, Charlotte immediately went to find Elizabeth, and Wickham was accosted by Darcy and Bingley, who had noticed his absence. When asked where he had been he explained that he had gone out for a breath of fresh air with Miss Lucas. Bingley appeared interested by this explanation and as Sir William approached the three to inquire whether they were having an enjoyable evening, and as he happened to address Darcy first, Wickham drew Bingley aside and said, "there is a quiet sitting room, quite conducive to private conversation, just down the hall outside the ballroom, where Miss Lucas and I found the air to be particularly refreshing."

"Indeed?" replied Bingley, then he added, "please excuse me."

When Sir William and Darcy turned to Wickham, Darcy asked where Bingley had gone, Wickham replied with a meaningful smile, "I believe he also needed some air." Within moments, the dance had ended and as soon as she had relinquished her partner's hand, Mr. Bingley could be seen leading Miss Bennet out of the ballroom.

Mr. Darcy said, "I wish you would not encourage such impropriety, Wickham."

"I dare say it will be well, Darcy," replied Wickham glancing at Mr. Bennet. Darcy followed Wickham's gaze to see the older gentleman's eyes following in his eldest daughter's wake with a look of contentment. Darcy next turned his eyes to Elizabeth, who had obviously also noticed her sister's exit. She was engaged in an animated conversation with Miss Lucas, who was blushing becomingly. And though Darcy did not notice Charlotte's heightened color, his companion most certainly did, "she is lovely, is she not, Darcy?"

"Yes, indeed she is," replied Darcy, without thinking.

Wickham laughed, "I was talking about Miss Lucas, Darcy. Pray, to whom were you referring?"

Darcy did not answer.

When Charlotte had returned to the ballroom, she immediately went to where Elizabeth and Jane were talking together, between dances. "I see Mr. Wickham was able to find you," said Elizabeth, having seen the two re-enter the room together.

"Yes," said Charlotte, smiling, as a pink blush rose in her cheeks.

"He seemed to wish to speak to you about something in particular."

"He asked me for the last two dances of the evening."

"That is quite a distinction, Charlotte, and certainly not one that can be bestowed in the presence of others. I am glad to see things going so well between the two of you."

Charlotte grinned, "so am I."

"Well, you need only suffer through three more pairs of dances before you dance with him again."

"It pleases me to see you so happy, Charlotte," added Jane, "I do believe he cares about you quite a lot."

"Thank you, Jane. I like him very well too, but we have only known each other two weeks. It seems like so little time."

"I believe that in many cases, it is possible to fall in love on a short acquaintance. It does not require much time spent in a gentleman's company to know that you enjoy it," replied Jane.

Charlotte and Elizabeth glanced at each other as they guessed the direction of Jane's thoughts. Just then, Bingley approached them and said, "Miss Bennet, will you do me the honor of joining me on a short walk for a breath of fresh air, it is very crowded in the ballroom, but I understand the hallway is less so."

"Oh yes, Jane," interjected Charlotte, "you do appear a bit flushed, perhaps it is the heat. I have just returned from a stroll in the hallway myself, and I found it very refreshing."

Jane's color deepened, "Yes, thank you, Mr. Bingley," she replied with a look to Charlotte, and allowed him to take her arm and direct her towards the door.

Elizabeth and Charlotte shared a look of surprised amusement and perhaps hope, and then the former glanced at her father who was watching Jane leave the room with Mr. Bingley complacently. When she returned her gaze to Charlotte, she noticed that her friend was blushing and she followed her gaze to Mr. Wickham. She also noticed Mr. Darcy looking in their direction until something Mr. Wickham said to him caused him to avert his gaze.

Jane was relieved to escape the heat of the ballroom, and found that the hallway was a bit more refreshing. Mr. Bingley guided her down the hall and they soon found a small sitting room, where two young ladies were conversing quietly. Mr. Bingley guided Jane to a chair and offered to fetch her some wine. She sat down but declined the drink. Mr. Bingley sat down next to her and they talked amiably about the ball for a few minutes.

The two young ladies, apparently unhappy that their privacy had been interrupted, left the room within only moments of the arrival of Mr. Bingley and Jane. As soon as they were gone, Mr. Bingley turned to Jane, "Miss Bennet, I must confess that I have been hoping for a moment to speak with you in private. It has been a long time since I have wished to express my feelings to you. From the earliest moments of our acquaintance I have felt a strong admiration for you. In the weeks that have followed, that admiration has grown into an affection that I have never before experienced. You are the sweetest, gentlest woman I have ever known. I love you, Jane, more than I can express, and I know that I always will. I would be honored to call you my wife. Will you, please, marry me?"

Jane had understood his intentions from the very beginning of his speech, and by the end of it, tears of joy were rolling freely down her cheeks. She blushed becomingly and whispered in reply, "yes, Charles, nothing could make me happier than to be your wife. I am so pleased to know that you love me, for I love you in return, ever so much. Yes, I will marry you."

Bingley was pleased beyond expression and swept Jane into his arms, bestowing a gentle, chaste kiss upon her lips. They immediately separated, lest they be spied in a compromising position. Bingley requested and was granted leave to call on Mr. Bennet tomorrow, and the couple agreed only to tell their closest friends until her parents had sanctioned the match. They returned to the ballroom together, both beaming with happiness and, before relinquishing her company, Bingley secured her hand for the last two dances of the evening. Darcy immediately perceived them when they re-entered the room and he gave Wickham a menacing look, but Wickham's happiness could not be touched, even by one of Darcy's glares, and to see Bingley experiencing similar joy delighted him. The three were soon standing together and Wickham was congratulating Bingley before the latter could even reveal the cause for such a gesture. Bingley laughed as he shook Wickham's hand. "Thank you, but I would not wish my good news to be made generally known until I have received her father's consent, then you may congratulate me most heartily."

"So you have reached an understanding with Miss Bennet?" asked Darcy.

"Yes, we only just spoke about it," replied Bingley, glancing at Jane. The other two gentlemen followed his gaze to see Jane talking with her sister Mary. Darcy noticed a shared look between Jane and Elizabeth, who was dancing, and he could see understanding and contentment evident in Elizabeth's countenance as a result of her sister's meaningful smile. He smiled to himself, before turning to offer Bingley his own congratulations.

Wickham had noticed Darcy's look to Elizabeth and his smile, and he said, "perhaps you should take a tour of the hallway as well Darcy. I believe you might find a willing companion among the ladies here this evening." Wickham did not mention Elizabeth's name in front of Bingley because he knew Bingley was unaware of where his friend's partiality lie, and that said friend would not be appreciative of his preferences being made known to those whom he himself had not yet seen fit to disclose them. Wickham had not even confirmed Darcy's feelings with the man himself, but Darcy's quick glance at Elizabeth and a return of his menacing glare towards Wickham was all the confirmation Wickham needed.

"And what have you to say for yourself Wickham? We know the nature of Bingley's business in the hallway, what was yours? Should we be congratulating you as well?" asked Darcy, in an attempt to direct the conversation away from himself.

"I am not at liberty to divulge the nature of my business with the lovely Miss Lucas, Darcy, the lady herself has forbidden it, and as a man of honor, I must obey." Bingley and Wickham both laughed, but Darcy did not find his friend's comment so amusing.

When Elizabeth's dances were finally over, she went immediately to Jane who wasted no time in telling her sister about her proposal from Mr. Bingley. "Oh Lizzy, it is too much, I do not deserve such happiness. He loves me Lizzy. I am so happy. To think of all the joy I shall bring to all my dear family. He shall call tomorrow to speak to Papa."

"And I am happy for you Jane. I can think of no one who deserves such happiness so much as you do."

"And what about you, Lizzy? If only I could see you as happy. If only you could return Mr. Darcy's affection, Lizzy. He is such a good man."

"Jane, you must not speak so," replied Elizabeth, coloring at the recollection of Darcy's bold admission of his admiration for her the week before, during their walk. "Please do not think of my situation, for I am quite content with it, and so very happy for you. I only hope that Charlotte and Mr. Wickham will also reach an understanding soon."

"I hope so too, but Lizzy, I thought you believed it to be too soon for them."

"Perhaps, but I know that something happened between them in the hallway."

"He does seem to like her very well, and she obviously returns his regard. I am sure that when he is ready, all will be settled between them."

"I truly hope so Jane."

"And, I am equally sure that when it does occur, we shall be among the first to know."

"Of course, you are right."

At that time, the next dance was beginning and the hands of both ladies were claimed. Charlotte was not engaged for this dance and had been continuing her conversation from the last dance with her partner, until he left her to line up with his next partner. When she was alone, Wickham joined her for conversation while Bingley danced, and Darcy walked about the room in deep contemplation regarding his envy of Bingley's and Wickham's happiness, and his jealousy of every man who danced with Elizabeth.

"I hope you are enjoying your evening, Miss Lucas," said Wickham as he approached his beloved.

"I am, thank you, it has turned out to be one of the best evenings I can remember."

"Only one of the best?" he asked, with a tone of mock pain.

Charlotte giggled as the color rose to her cheeks. "And how has your evening been, Mr. Wickham?"

"I have never spent a more delightful evening, I confess that I enjoyed the Netherfield ball very well, but even that fair evening cannot compare to this one," he replied meaningfully.

"Jane and Mr. Bingley seemed to follow our example in seeking the quiet to be found without the ball room. I wonder what inspired Mr. Bingley with such a notion."

Wickham smiled, "I may have mentioned that the air was particularly refreshing down the hall." Charlotte laughed. "And my suggestion proved to be fruitful."

"Did it indeed?"

"Yes, did Miss Bennet not tell you of her conversation with Mr. Bingley?"

"I have not yet had an opportunity to speak with her since her return."

"According to Mr. Bingley, they are engaged, but they do not wish the information to become generally known until her parents have given their consent."

"That is wonderful news!" said Charlotte. "I am very happy for Jane, for I know how much she loves Mr. Bingley."

"He is quite taken with her as well," replied Wickham.

"I feel rather guilty now, not sharing our own news with our friends," she said quietly, looking around to insure that she was not overheard.

"I am at your disposal, we may tell everyone now, or we may wait, whatever you choose."

"You are very amenable today."

"I only wish to please you."

"You have already done so."

"Then I wish to continue doing so."

"What do you think? Do you believe my reluctance to share our news at present is justified?"

"I only wish you to be content. If telling others now will make you uncomfortable, then we should wait. As long as you remain unsure, we should wait."

"I believe you are right, especially since Jane will be soon announcing her engagement." Then she observed, "I must admit, I am surprised at the usefulness of the sitting room down the hall."

Wickham smiled, "yes, it has turned out to be a rather convenient room. Now if only Darcy would make use of it with Miss Elizabeth . . . ."

"Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth?!" exclaimed Charlotte, trying to remain quiet.

"Certainly. He is quite in love with her, although I do not know if he has even admitted it to himself."

As he said this, Charlotte glanced at Darcy who had his gaze fixed on the dancers, she followed it to Elizabeth. "You have not spoken to him of it?"

"No," laughed Wickham as he thought of speaking openly about his reticent friend's tender feelings.

"Then how can you be certain?"

"I have known Darcy a very long time, Miss Lucas. I am quite certain about his feelings, it is the lady's feelings that I cannot discern."

"I know she used to dislike him quite a bit, but she has softened towards him lately," said Charlotte, still reeling over Wickham's disclosure regarding Darcy's feelings. She had always thought Darcy and Elizabeth had paired off out of convenience to Jane and Bingley and herself and Wickham.

Wickham turned to look directly at Charlotte and could not help smiling at the sight of her face glowing with love for him, "you must not tell anyone of this, Charlotte," he whispered, "promise me that you will tell no one about my suspicions regarding his feelings."

"Of course," replied she quietly.

"Thank you."

They talked happily through the rest of the two dances and, as Charlotte was asked to dance for the next set, Wickham also participated in the ensuing dances.

When those dances were over, the time for the last dance of the evening was at hand. Darcy had been wishing to dance with Elizabeth again, but could not find an opportunity to engage her. When the last dance was announced, Wickham lined up with Miss Lucas and Bingley with Miss Bennet. Darcy looked at Elizabeth, who was standing alone. He was surprised she had not already been engaged to dance the last two, but he was not going to waste the opportunity to ask her himself. Then he became concerned that she might already be engaged and waiting for her partner to claim her hand. He would be humiliated if he was turned down in favor of a prior engagement, with no chance of a later dance, and he could not imagine that she had not yet been engaged. By the time these meditations had raced through his mind he was in front of her. He took a deep breath, "Miss Bennet, will you do me the honor of dancing with me?"

It was not until this moment that Elizabeth realized her wish that Darcy would ask her to dance again. She smiled, and said quietly, "yes."

He led her to the line just as the music was starting. They began the dance in silence, and Darcy did not seem disposed to speak. He was very contemplative and she did not wish to interrupt his meditations, so she contented herself with dancing in silence. After a moment he caught her eye abruptly and smiled. "I am sorry, Miss Bennet, I seemed to have allowed my thoughts to wander again."

"I see," was all she said. She wondered why, if he admired her so much, he seemed unable to keep his attention fixed on her. After his refusal to share his thoughts with her the last time he admitted to allowing them to wander, she was not going to ask him to do so again.

He remembered the same previous conversation and volunteered, "I was thinking about the last time we were both here together."

"Oh," she replied.

"My behavior that evening was reprehensible."

"Yes, it was," she replied, surprising herself as well as him. He appeared disheartened, so she quickly added, "but I am happy to see that it has improved."

He seemed encouraged, "I said some things that evening that I am particularly ashamed of."

She was suddenly taken with sympathy and said, "Mr. Darcy, let us both forget that it ever occurred. I believe both of our initial opinions of one another have been changed."

That comment elicited a smile from the gentleman, "I hope so, Miss Bennet."

Darcy was content. He had learned enough of what he most wanted to know to satisfy him for the moment, and he felt that she did indeed like him, in fact, she seemed to be encouraging him. Surely, she would be disposed to accept his proposal.

The next day, Bingley appeared at Longbourn seeking an audience with Mr. Bennet. Their business was speedily concluded and Mrs. Bennet was soon thereafter informed of its nature. Her raptures as a result of such an event can only be imagined, or for the less imaginative, they can be read elsewhere. Jane immediately replaced Mary, who had recently replaced Lydia, as Mrs. Bennet's favorite daughter. The next few days were spent in another round of visits to all the neighbors. This time, Mrs. Bennet insisted that both Jane and Mary attend her. Her feelings of triumph during her visit to Lady Lucas even served to ameliorate her vexation at finding Mr. Wickham there calling on Miss Lucas, for he would have done very well indeed for Kitty or Lydia, or even Elizabeth.

On the following Monday, Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure of expressing her effusions to a new audience, for her brother and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, were received at Longbourn for their usual Christmas visit. The Gardiners stayed two weeks, and Mrs. Bennet had so carefully provided for their entertainment that there was not a day without its engagement. The first order of business, of course, was for them to make the acquaintance of one of their future nephews. This was accomplished without delay as Mr. Bingley called at Longbourn the morning after their arrival. Darcy had accompanied his friend, and Elizabeth was surprised by his receptive manner towards her relations. He had known their situation prior to ever making their acquaintance, and her previous notion that his amiability was reserved only for those with whom he was intimately acquainted was overthrown by his friendly behavior towards them. She was able to credit him for responding to their obvious sense, intelligence and good breeding, rather than dismissing them as beneath his notice, as she might have expected a month ago. She was pleased to observe that he extended his conversation with Mr. Gardiner beyond the civilities of their initial greeting; and was gratified by the easiness with which he fell into conversation with Mrs. Gardiner once they both learned that she had, before her marriage, spent a considerable time in that very part of Derbyshire to which he belonged. When Mr. Wickham was added to their party, later in the day, Mrs. Gardiner was delighted to have his conversation as well, on the same subject of discourse.

Darcy removed to London the following day, for he wished to spend Christmas in town with his sister, with the intent to return to Netherfield in January. When Wickham learned of his friend's impending departure he obtained Charlotte's consent to reveal their engagement to Darcy, as they planned to announce it during the time he would be away. She readily agreed, and the evening before Darcy's departure Wickham went to Netherfield to deliver his news. Darcy was unsurprised by the news, and pleased for his friend, but he was concerned about their situation. After extending his congratulations, he asked, "What are your plans with respect to a home?"

"I cannot stay in the regiment here, they will be moving on in a few months, and a soldiers' encampment is hardly an ideal place for a wife. I will seek a position in the regulars. Perhaps I can find a location with some permanency. I will be able to afford a modest house wherever we end up."

"I can check on what is available while I am in town."

"Thank you, that is very kind."

"Wickham, I had always intended on making a further gift to you upon your wedding."

"Darcy, I appreciate the thought, but it is hardly necessary, you have been very kind to me already."

"Do you recall when my father spoke to us about marriage when we were one and twenty?"

"Yes. He told us both to marry for love, among other things."

"After you left, he and I continued the conversation. He told me that he suspected I would be more likely than you to attract a woman of fortune. He expressed his concern to me that you might be tempted to give more consideration to fortune than affection, and he told me that he intended to give you something upon your marriage regardless of the fortune of the lady you should choose, but that he would happily provide amply for you to see you happily married. He did not live to see you married, so I must carry out his wishes in his stead."

"Darcy, I already received upon his death whatever could be considered my due as a result of those sentiments."

"No, there was another provision in his will pertaining to you that I never disclosed to you before, only because I had always hoped you would give some consideration to fortune in marriage, though I never wished to see you unhappy. I do not mean to imply that I find fault with your choice, for it is clear that your marriage will be a happy one. In his will, my father requested that something be given to you upon your marriage, though the amount was left to my discretion since there was no way of knowing the fortune your wife would bring you."

"Darcy, you have already met that obligation. It is only because of you that I am able to marry the woman I love at all."

"I have always regretted that the disparity in our situations has caused you discomfort, Wickham, but you must remember that my father loved you as another son. Please accept his gift as one a son would accept from a father and do not think of it as anything else."

"I would not wish to disrespect his wishes, Darcy," said Wickham as his eyes glistened with unshed tears, "but what if the situations were reversed, would you accept it?"

"Allow me to remind you that you only recently advised me as to the wisdom of not dwelling on what might have been. Nevertheless, I will say, that though I cannot readily answer your question I do understand your reluctance, but I would like to think that I would be disposed to honor my godfather's wishes. In any case, you really have little choice in the matter."

Wickham smiled, "I suppose that is true, but this is the last, Darcy. Once I am married, I will not be satisfied unless I make my own way."

"Very well, but I cannot promise that I will not wish to bestow gifts upon your children."

Wickham smiled, "yes, but I will bestow them on yours as well, though perhaps not always of a monetary nature."

"I believe that will make them all the more valuable."

The two gentlemen shook hands and Wickham went home, his head full of fond recollections of his godfather.

During the weeks that Darcy was away, Elizabeth felt his absence more than she would have expected. She now realized how much she enjoyed his conversation and his company. She had seen him only once since the dance, on the day her relatives had arrived at Longbourn, and they had not had any opportunity for conversation that day. She remembered fondly his attempt, at the recent assembly, to apologize to her for his behavior upon their first meeting, and though she had cut him short, his gesture had meant a lot to her. She remembered his thinly veiled acknowledgment that he admired her, but she was not one of those women disposed to fancy that admiration means more than it does.

She often wondered about his time in London, whether he was enjoying his time with his sister, whether he was thinking about her, and whether he was enjoying the superior social events offered in town during this time of year. She imagined he was meeting with all of the women with whom he was acquainted, as well as some new ones. Undoubtedly, many of them were very elegant, and wealthy and she wondered if she would just be forgotten as a passing fancy or if he might come to regret his attentions towards her.

The going away of her aunt and uncle Gardiner, a sad circumstance in itself, was met with unusual cheerfulness by Elizabeth because it marked the time when she could begin to expect Darcy's return, and the beginning of every apprehension and anxiety attendant on the possibility that he might not return at all. Her cheerfulness at the possibility that Darcy might soon return was significantly tempered by the certainty that the following week would bring Mr. Collins as well.

Meanwhile, in London, Elizabeth would have been gratified to know that none of her fears were well founded. Darcy was faring no better than she. She occupied his mind constantly. He was enjoying his time with his sister, but he did not go out much and was certainly not disposed to entertain the company of eligible ladies. Although his thoughts were not as she feared, that is not to say that Darcy was not dealing with some apprehension with respect to his feelings for Elizabeth. He had long ago acknowledged them for what they were, and he had resigned himself to acting upon them if he could be reasonably sure that she returned his affections. Although he did not feel confident enough to label the feelings she showed as love, he had found her reception of his attentions encouraging enough for him to feel confident of a favorable reply should he propose.

His conversation with Wickham on the night before his departure, however, had given him much to think about. His recollection of the conversation with his father had re-opened the struggle appurtenant to his feelings for Elizabeth, in his own mind. When speaking to both he and Wickham his father had stressed the importance of making a marriage that was both eligible and based on affection. He emphasized that if both of them only considered women with eligible situations there was no fear that each of them could not find one lady among those acquaintances whom he could love. Old Mr. Darcy further urged each of them to take responsibility for his own feelings by taking care to not put himself in the way of danger where nothing could come from the association. He explained that love was not the work of a moment, but was something to be nurtured over time, that they should not confuse a fleeting attraction with true regard, and that any ineligible attractions should be avoided before they could turn into love.

Darcy understood that his father had wanted for both he and Wickham to find the true happiness associated with real affection, but to also avoid the very real danger of misery and discord that could result from an inequitable match, no matter the depth of feeling involved. Darcy contemplated Wickham's choice. His father would approve the match. Miss Lucas was above Wickham in station and she was well-bred and genteel. Her fortune, though small, was not out of line with what he might expect, given his background. Darcy's father had wished Wickham to marry a woman of greater fortune only because he wished to see the Wickham family's status elevated in society. Indeed, old Mr. Darcy had hoped that Wickham's friendship with Darcy might place his godson in company with ladies who would not otherwise consider him, and that Wickham's charming and engaging manners would do the rest in winning the heart of at least one respectable lady of fortune. Wickham's match with Miss Lucas, though not what his godfather had hoped for, was not inequitable, and the mutual affection of the couple would have pleased old Mr. Darcy.

Darcy's situation, however, was very different from Wickham's. He remembered his conversation with his father after Wickham had left them that day, and after they had discussed his father's plans for Wickham's future marriage.

"Son, I hope you comprehend the disparity between yourself and your friend when it comes to choosing a wife. Your station in life is at a different level, and your responsibility to your name and your family is a great one. I would never see wish to see you marry without affection, Fitzwilliam, but I urge you, most strenuously, to avoid any situation that might lead to an imprudent attachment. Once your heart is engaged, I fear you will find your choices severely limited. It is of utmost importance that you only allow your heart to go where your hand can follow. Fortune, though important, is not the highest priority, as yours will be ample, but the wife you choose must be such a one as will not disgrace your name. Her family and connections must be considered as well as her breeding, and when these are of the highest standard, fortune is a usual accompaniment. I have no doubt that you will be able to find a lady whom you can love and who will befit your situation in life. But above all, Fitzwilliam, do not choose a wife based solely on her situation. Do not marry without love."

Darcy then considered his mother's wishes. She had never spoken directly to him of her desire that he marry his cousin, Anne de Bourgh, but he knew she had spoken fondly of the possibility with her sister, Lady Catherine, when he was very young. He knew Anne would meet his father's idea of an eligible lady, except that he did not love her.

He felt he had done everything he could to follow his father's advice. He had avoided situations where he found himself consorting with ineligible women, though he acknowledged this was never out of a fear that he might fall in love with one of them. His heart had never been touched before meeting Elizabeth, and he supposed that such a circumstance had made him feel invulnerable to falling in love against his wishes.

When he had realized his attachment to her, he had struggled against it, but he acknowledged that he had also given in to it on more than one occasion. He did not separate himself from her by leaving Hertfordshire sooner, which perhaps he should have done. His father would have had him leave the neighborhood when he felt himself to be in danger, but before he had fallen in love. But Darcy seriously wondered whether there had indeed been such an interim. He believed that he had been completely lost to her before he ever realized it.

There was one thing he could be certain of, his father would have been delighted with Elizabeth, if only her person were to be considered. This thought led him to wonder whether Elizabeth was within the sphere that his father would have considered eligible for him or not. He had, from the beginning, believed that she was not. She had no fortune (admittedly a scant consideration), low connections, and family whose behavior bordered constantly on the lines of propriety and decorum, often crossing them. Yet, she was the daughter of a landed gentleman. That circumstance in itself placed her within his sphere of his consideration. As to her person, no fault could be found. She was elegant, cheerful, sincere, sensible, intelligent, generous and positively charming. As mistress of his name and his home, he had no doubt of her abilities; she would not disgrace either.

The idea that he might have been looking at her situation all wrong from the beginning was heartening. Perhaps his father had been intending to warn him off of an entirely different category of women, one that did not include Elizabeth. That she was beneath him in social status was unquestionable, but the measure of her inequality was relative. Perhaps Darcy was putting more emphasis on their differences than his father would have intended. Perhaps his father had purposely left out a description of the ladies he would consider unsuitable, because he felt his son should be the one to make such a determination for himself.

Darcy considered the reasoning behind his father's speech. Why had it been so important to him for his son to find both love and an eligible match? Darcy's happiness was one reason. Obviously he would be unhappy if he married without love, but he might find an equal amount of discontent in an unequal marriage. He knew instinctively he could never be unhappy married to Elizabeth, even considering all the disadvantages associated with the union. But his father had also spoken of his responsibility to his name and family. Again, Elizabeth as a person could not be faulted, she would bring censure upon neither. But did he owe it to his family, both past and future to add to their esteem, as measured by society, through his marriage? Suddenly, he remembered something Bingley had said when they were discussing Miss Bennet, "She has so much to give that I feel she would be bringing more to the marriage than myself."

He sighed deeply and considered his mother. He could not be so certain of her approval of Elizabeth as his father's. Still, he felt that while she might disapprove of her situation, she would probably like Elizabeth well enough. He also considered her reception by his family still living. He gave little weight to his Aunt Catherine's reaction because she would approve no one but Anne. He did consider with greater concern how his uncle, the head of his family, might receive her. He felt certain that he would like her, but he was less certain whether he would approve the match. His cousins, he felt, would like her very well, and his aunt, Lady ? would love her.

His thoughts however, progressed back to his father's advice. He could reconcile it with his intentions towards Elizabeth by reasoning that she was not so far beneath him as to be considered ineligible; although, undoubtedly, she was not the most prudent choice if only eligibility was considered. Then Darcy was struck, as if by lightning, with the realization that his father's hopes for him could never come to fruition. It was now an impossibility and would remain so forever, to have both love and the kind of eligible match his father had hoped for. If he gave up Elizabeth, he knew there was no hope he would ever fall in love again. Instead, he would spend the rest of his life regretting her. He might find someone more eligible, but he could never love anyone else. The only way for him to have the kind of happiness his father had hoped for him was to marry Elizabeth. The one thing his father had emphasized throughout his speeches that day above everything else was that he should not marry without love. Marriage to anyone other than Elizabeth would be exactly that.

His father had described the ideal situation that he hoped his son would find, but his father had not counted on Miss Elizabeth Bennet. The ideal his father had described was impossible, but Darcy counted himself fortunate to be able to honor the spirit of his father's hopes and wishes, by finding the kind of happiness that those hopes and wishes had contemplated through marriage to the one woman that Darcy considered to be the ideal for himself.

It had taken Darcy several days of contemplation on the subject to reach these conclusions, during which he thought of little else. He had however, been able to conduct some business between his meditations on Elizabeth. With some little inquiry, he soon gained information about a possible position for Wickham. There was a regiment of regulars in Newcastle that he could join within a few months. As Darcy did not yet know the date of Wickham's marriage he left the negotiations open with the colonel of the regiment and indicated that he would write to arrange all of the particulars of the purchase of Wickham's commission. In the meantime, the colonel offered to make inquiries as to available housing in the area for Wickham and his bride. The situation seemed ideal, except for the distance from Miss Lucas' family, but Darcy was certain Wickham would agree to it. Having done all he could for his friend, and having resolved the matter plaguing his own heart, Darcy was eager to return to Hertfordshire and waste no time claiming the hand of the woman in whom his every hope for happiness was lodged.

During Darcy's absence from Hertfordshire, Jane and Bingley had been talking privately one day, and Jane happened to reveal her suspicions that Darcy admired Elizabeth. Bingley was surprised and protested that she was imagining it, that Darcy had only spent time with Elizabeth to allow for privacy between themselves as well as Wickham and Charlotte. Jane, who had only raised the subject in the hopes of learning something more definite about Darcy's feelings from Bingley, and not wanting to betray her sister's confidence, did not to explain the circumstances that had given rise to her suspicions. Instead, she let the subject drop.

It was around this time, that Wickham and Charlotte decided to apply to her parents for consent to their engagement. They had now known each other above a month, and the demeanor of her parents during Wickham's visits indicated approval. Her parents had planned to host a large dinner during the second week in January and they decided to make the revelation on the morning of the day the dinner was to occur, so that her father could make a general announcement in the evening. Charlotte was hoping, as a result of having a formal announcement, that she could avoid the visits with her mother to inform all of the neighbors of their good fortune.

On the evening before the dinner at Lucas Lodge was to occur, Bingley had, due to his lacking any other engagement, invited Wickham to dine with him. During the course of the evening, Bingley decided to ask what Wickham thought of Jane's suspicions. Wickham gave him an opening by telling him of his most recent letter from their mutual friend. Once the news of their latest letters had been compared and they agreed that Darcy had written less than was his usual custom and in a detached manner that bespoke a preoccupation of his thoughts, Bingley said, "I wonder if he is not missing someone in particular from Hertfordshire."

Wickham was surprised, for he knew that Bingley had no suspicion of Darcy's feelings towards Elizabeth, and with Darcy away nothing could have occurred to raise such a suspicion. "Who do you mean?"

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

Wickham's surprise grew more evident, but its meaning was probably misunderstood by Bingley. "Do you believe him to be attached to her?"

"Well, I had never considered it, but Miss Bennet mentioned a few days ago, a suspicion that he might be."

"Miss Bennet believes that Darcy admires Miss Elizabeth?"

"That is what she said, and she seemed fairly certain of it."

"Did she reveal the source of her suspicions?"

"No, but she seemed surprised that I had never even considered the possibility."

The conversation soon turned, with Wickham unwilling to offer his opinion on the subject. Bingley was disappointed not to learn more, but took Wickham's reaction as a confirmation that Jane had been mistaken in her perception.

Wickham could not help but feel that Charlotte had told Miss Bennet what he had confided in her about Darcy's feelings. It was the only explanation for Mr. Bingley's description of his conversation with Miss Bennet. He was extremely hurt and disappointed with Charlotte. He comprehended that she must have felt that she could trust Miss Bennet, but she must also have known that Miss Bennet would, in turn, tell Miss Elizabeth what he had said, and though her receiving such intelligence might very well help along his friend's suit, he still felt the injury to Darcy of allowing such intimate information regarding his feelings to be spread to the object of those feelings. In spite of his understanding of the close friendship between the two ladies, Wickham could not help but feel betrayed that Charlotte had mentioned his suspicions to anyone after having given him her promise not to do so.

When he left Netherfield that evening, Wickham was pensive, and more than a little hurt. By the time he saw Charlotte the following morning, he was angry. Seeing her, still touched his tender feelings, but this only made his pain and anger more acute. She noticed the change in his manner towards her, and was surprised, that upon his arrival he invited her to walk out rather than going directly to her father as planned. Once they were alone together she asked him, "is something troubling you my dear? You do not seem at all like your usual self today."

"How should a man act upon learning that he cannot trust the woman to whom he has pledged his life?"

Charlotte was stunned, and replied with indignation, "I beg your pardon, but I have not the pleasure of understanding you sir, of what are you talking?"

"You do not know?" he asked with growing anger, "Then pray, is there more than one circumstance in which you have betrayed my confidence, for I would like to be fully aware of every such instance."

"How dare you speak to me in this manner," she replied with heightened feeling, "I did not walk out with you to be insulted, nor to have my honor called into question. I have attempted to address whatever is troubling you in a civilized manner, but that appears to be beyond your ability today. Please excuse me." And with that, she turned back towards Lucas Lodge.

"How dare you claim such self righteousness, Madame. It is your ill behavior that is at the root of this matter. If you truly do not know of what I speak, then I am only further pained because it must mean there is more than one possible cause to justify my disappointment."

She turned around to face him and exclaimed, "Or none at all!"

"But I know that you told Miss Bennet what I disclosed to you in confidence of Darcy's feelings." By now his anger was evident in his every feature. "You promised me you would not repeat it, and then you disclosed my suspicions of his feelings to the very sister of their object."

"At least now I know of what I am being accused and convicted. You claim to know this, without even asking me first! Am I not entitled to the benefit of the doubt?"

"There can be no doubt in this situation," he said with a laugh, incredulous that she would not even own her transgression, "you cannot deny that you told her."

"If you say I cannot, then it must be so," she replied indignantly, "and perhaps you would not wish to be married to someone you cannot trust."

Wickham was stunned as he stood looking at her. "Perhaps not," replied he in a tone of mixed incredulity and mortification, "but let me remind you, Miss Lucas, that you are in no position to be threatening this engagement."

This observation provoked Charlotte's ire beyond all rationality, and though she recognized better than most the reality of her situation and the practical benefits of her engagement, it was nevertheless an engagement based on emotion rather than practicalities and thus, it was emotion that got the better of her as she replied with feeling, "sir, I would rather be a spinster, dependent on my brothers, or a governess, or even a maid, before binding myself to a man with so little respect for me or faith in me as you have this morning demonstrated. I do have choices yet, and I would choose not to be married to a man who does not trust me. I believe it is best we had this conversation before speaking to my parents. Good day, sir." With that, she turned on her heel and walked away briskly, leaving a bewildered Mr. Wickham in her wake. His anger and astonishment prevented him from making any move to stop her or to follow her. The interview had not proceeded as he had hoped, and only after she was gone and after he was struck with the realization that she had just broken their engagement, did he wish he had been softer in his approach.

Charlotte was as much confused as she was angry. Her anger and her pride had prevented her from denying the offense. She felt she should not have been put in a defensive position from the beginning. He had immediately thought the worst of her without so much as asking for an explanation. She cried alone in her room for half an hour with painful thoughts consuming her mind.

It was over, she could not believe it. All of the happiness she had felt in the past few weeks was gone. There was no more love, no more joy, no more Wickham, and it had been her doing, she had broken the engagement. He would never forgive what she had said, much less realize his error in judging her to have broken her promise to him as he obviously had. When she was able to think more rationally, it occurred to her to wonder what had happened to cause him to believe that she had betrayed his confidence. It did not matter. He had accused her without even giving her a chance, and that was something she did not think she could forgive even if he did repent. At length, she was able to return to help her mother prepare for the evening. She was at least relieved by her certainty that Wickham would not come.

The Bennets were the first family to arrive at Lucas Lodge for the evening, due to Mrs. Bennet's eagerness to parade her two engaged daughters and future sons in law to the neighborhood, now that both gentlemen were available for display, as Mr. Collins had arrived at Longbourn the day before for his promised visit. Mr. Collins was pleased to see that Miss Lucas appeared forlorn and depressed upon his arrival and could only attribute it to her regret at having lost her opportunity with himself. Likewise, he had noted no small amount of agitation and melancholy in Miss Elizabeth and felt that she too, must now realize what she had given up. Having seen no sign of either Mr. Darcy or Mr. Wickham since re-entering the neighborhood he could only conclude with pleasure that both young ladies had been disappointed in their expectations. His suspicion was further confirmed by the arrival of Mr. Wickham, giving him an opportunity to observe that gentleman's interaction with Miss Lucas, which was marked by so little cordiality as left Mr. Collins in no doubt that nothing had come of their previous flirtation.

Charlotte was stunned when Mr. Wickham was shown into the drawing room. He had struggled with himself about whether to go, but hoping that their separation of a few hours had cooled her anger and that she would be in more of a humor to be reasonable he had decided in favor of attending the dinner. But if he had hoped to be received warmly by her, his hopes were disappointed, for it was not to be.

When their eyes had met, he had smiled, but Charlotte had perceived in his look a smug confidence that disgusted her. Apparently, he had no respect for the sentiments she had earlier avowed, and he obviously felt that he could simply charm his way back into her good graces. He had not taken her earlier statements seriously, and this only angered her further. She maintained her composure however, and returned his smile with cold indifference. Her coldness and inattentiveness towards him only rekindled his prior anger as he reminded himself that she was the party at fault to begin with.

Both Elizabeth and Jane noted the tension between Charlotte and Mr. Wickham, and neither could account for it. Elizabeth took a moment to ask Charlotte about it, but she could not reveal the cause of their quarrel without revealing Wickham's secret. She simply told her friends that they had determined themselves to be incompatible. Jane urged Mr. Bingley to try to talk to Wickham, but upon his attempt, Wickham's response was so uninviting that he soon desisted.

When the ladies withdrew after dinner, Wickham contemplated Miss Lucas' treatment of him with growing anger and indignation. She was the one who had violated his confidence, she was the one in the wrong, what right did she have to break their engagement and then treat him with such incivility? Mr. Wickham wondered how she would feel to see his attentions redirected to another young lady. She would then realize that she could not take him for granted. When he returned to the drawing room, therefore, he immediately became very attentive to both Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia, to the surprise of nearly everyone in the room. Considering his continued affection for Miss Lucas and his hope of a reconciliation, it was not the wisest course of action to be sure. But angry people are not always wise, and in unabashedly flirting with the two youngest Miss Bennets he only stirred the true object of his affection to further anger and disgust, while making a fool of himself in the process. The only one who was happy to see the change in his attentions was Mrs. Bennet, and perhaps Mr. Collins.

After tea, Jane and Bingley had some private conversation in a corner of the room while the others sat down to cards. They began by discussing what could be the matter between Charlotte and Wickham, but since it was a mystery with few clues, and speculation could be more harmful than helpful, they soon abandoned the topic. Jane then observed that Elizabeth also seemed out of sorts and wondered whether it could be due to Mr. Darcy's absence. Mr. Bingley did not wish to see Jane persist in vain hopes for her favorite sister, and replied, "I hope not."

"Why ever not? Although I dislike seeing her unhappy, I would be pleased to note any sign that she returns Mr. Darcy's affections."

"Dearest Jane, I fear that you are seeing what you wish to see rather than the truth. I do not think as you do, that Darcy is in love with Elizabeth. I asked Mr. Wickham about your suspicions and received no confirmation of them from him."

"But Mr. Darcy is very reserved, perhaps he has not spoken to Mr. Wickham of his feelings, just as he has not spoken of them to you."

"Perhaps, but even if Darcy does feel something for her, he will never act on it."

"Why would he not?" asked Jane, surprised that Darcy would allow his feelings to show without any intention of acting on them.

"Because he would consider her unsuitable due to her lack of fortune and connections."

"Why do you believe this?"

Bingley hesitated for a moment, and then said, "because he brought these circumstances to my attention when I began to seriously consider proposing to you."

"But you did not heed his warnings."

"No. Such considerations were insufficient to overcome my regard for you," he said smiling.

"Then why should you believe that Mr. Darcy would not make the same choice? Why would his affection for Lizzy not likewise overcome these other considerations? He must comprehend, as you did, that his happiness in marrying where there is true affection is of greater importance than her lack of connections; and her lack of fortune can be nothing to him."

In an effort to defend his friend, Bingley replied, "you must understand that my situation is different from Darcy's. Such considerations are far more important to a man of his position."

Jane was affronted, "I see," she responded contemplatively as she considered the implication of this statement. Then after a moment, she continued, "I am happy to learn that the moderation of my ambitions has spared me from a broken heart, and that your relative inferiority has allowed you to attach yourself to me. I suppose if you had been wealthier, or more than one generation removed from trade, or had titled relations you would not have been able to allow yourself the pleasure of my company so readily. Indeed, you might, perhaps, have even made a more eligible match. I am truly sorry that your choices have been so limited by your comparative lack of importance. But I can assure you that my sister is equally as suitable for your friend as I am for you, and probably better than he deserves considering his early manner of treating her." Jane was as stunned as Mr. Bingley by her own speech and she sat there for a moment in mortified astonishment before putting her hand over her mouth to cover a gasp and moving to another part of the room. Mr. Bingley made a move to go to her, but Elizabeth was at her side first, and he thought it would be better to give her some time to calm down.

Jane could not speak of her quarrel with Bingley to Elizabeth, because she felt that some of what she had learned from Bingley might hurt her sister. She simply said that she had quarreled with him and did not wish to speak to him anymore that evening. Elizabeth gently urged her sister to talk to him, that they might resolve their dispute quickly, but Jane did not trust her ability to behave rationally after her shameful outburst. The evening soon ended, with no further private conversation between Jane and Mr. Bingley.

The morning following the dinner Mrs. Bennet went visiting with Mary, Jane, and Mr. Collins. Lydia and Kitty walked to Meryton and Mr. Bennet locked himself up in the library. Bingley called at Longbourn after the departure of Mrs. Bennet and her daughters and while Elizabeth was out walking. He spent a few minutes with Mr. Bennet and then returned to Netherfield, still distressed over his last conversation with Jane. He was a little angry that she had not waited to speak to him before going out, for she had to have known he would call. He realized that she had obviously wanted to avoid him, and he began to doubt whether she even wished to discuss her misunderstanding of his words the night before.

Elizabeth, after having taken a long walk, found herself home alone, and was just settling into her work when Mr. Darcy called. He had just arrived from London and had decided to go to Longbourn before even going to Netherfield. Elizabeth was filled with both pleasure and anxiety at seeing him again. Neither had truly realized how much they had missed the other until they found themselves face to face and quite alone. Darcy resisted the nearly overwhelming temptation to take her into his arms, and after exchanging civilities and explaining that he had just arrived, they fell into an uncomfortable silence. He sat down for a few moments; and then, getting up, walked about the room, his mind flooded with every thought that had lead up to this moment, the strength of his feelings for her, his former conviction that marriage to her would be impossible, and his recent capitulation to his feelings. Elizabeth was surprised by his thoughtful restlessness, but said not a word, as she wondered with anxiety that this might be the moment she had been anticipating. She knew not whether she was prepared for what was to come as she waited apprehensively. After a silence of several minutes he came towards her in an agitated manner, and thus began, "In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."

Elizabeth's heart began to pound fiercely in response to Darcy's declaration. At first, his use of the words, "struggled" and "repressed" went unnoticed by her as she continued to stare at him in silence, the color rising to her cheeks. This he considered sufficient encouragement, and the avowal of all that he felt and had long felt for her immediately followed. He spoke well, his eloquence proof that he had given the matter much thought; but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed, and he carefully explained the extent of deliberation he had undergone in making his choice, in an effort to give her an understanding of the self scrutiny his affection had withstood. He returned with even greater eloquence to the subject of tenderness, and concluded with articulating the strength of that attachment which, according to his representation, far surpassed anything she had ever supposed him to feel; and with expressing his hope that it would now be rewarded by her acceptance of his hand. As he said this, she could easily perceive his doubt of a favorable answer. He spoke of his apprehension and anxiety, of his uncertainty of her feelings, and these sentiments were expressed as visibly in his countenance as the sincerity of his affections.

The eloquence and strength of his words together with the passion and sincerity in which they had been delivered left Elizabeth breathless. She could not but be sensible of the difficulty of his present situation, and she endeavored to force herself to speak, until she realized she did not know what she wanted to say. She felt she had to say something and began weakly, "Mr. Darcy, I thank you for your compliments," she glanced up at him, he looked positively wretched in anticipation, and she fell silent. Realizing that she needed a moment to think, Darcy simply watched her in hopeful silence while she contemplated all that he had just said. His words of affection warmed her and she realized that she was pleased by them, but some of his other words were a source of concern. At length she began to speak again, this time with purpose, "I confess, that I am a little concerned by the idea that you have struggled against and tried to repress your feelings for me. I would not wish you to regret your choice, or to resent me because you chose me against your will."

After a moment of thoughtful reflection he responded, "It is true that I tried to repress my feelings in the beginning. When I first became aware of my attraction to you, I could not help but consider your situation as compared to mine. Although you are a gentleman's daughter, your situation does not match what has always been expected of me, and what I was always taught to expect of myself. The very fact that my feelings were irrepressible proved to me that they are real and steadfast. The struggles I spoke of contemplated my attempts to reconcile my feelings and my wishes with what was expected of me, my duty. My conclusion was that there was no great disparity between the two. To me, you are perfection itself and the circumstances of your family's situation pale in importance when compared to all that I will gain by having you for a wife, and all that my children will gain by having you for a mother. My family will not suffer as a result of our union, to the contrary, I believe you have so much to offer that their association with you can only reflect favorably on them." Elizabeth smiled in embarrassment as tears began to form in her eyes. He approached her chair and kneeling beside her so as to be at eye level with her, took her hand and said fervently, "I could never regret or resent you. Never." He paused to kiss her hand, "I do not offer myself to you against my will. I do so willingly, happily, and completely." He searched her eyes for a moment, then sensing her uneasiness, he relinquished her hand, moved to the chair opposite her, and watched her as she wiped away the tears that had begun to flow.

She immediately felt the loss of his proximity. She knew now that she must give him an answer. His response to her inquiry had been more than satisfactory. She now had only to consider her own feelings. She had long ago acknowledged the worth of his character, as well as his superiority as a companion. She could not deny the flutterings within her that had long accompanied his presence and often her thoughts of him, which had lately become almost constant. She had felt his absence keenly, while he had been away and she had felt overwhelming happiness when he had appeared at Longbourn this morning. But was this love? Was this enough? Could there be anything more than this? She did not think so, except perhaps the kind of comfort and security sustained by a love nurtured over time. She was happy now, and she knew that greater happiness was possible, but only with him. She realized that she already felt everything for him that she had ever expected to feel upon falling in love, but now found that she had been reluctant to call it love because of her fear and apprehension, due mostly to his initial treatment of her and her initial perceptions of him.

She looked up to see him regarding her intensely. She smiled, a bright warm smile, a smile for him and because of him. He knew his answer. He caught his breath and smiled back to her, his joy evident in his every feature. "Yes," was all she said.

The happiness which this reply produced, was such as he had probably never felt before. He was on his feet and at her side in a moment. She stood to face him, and he took one of her hands in his and gently touched the side of her face with the other. "Thank you," he whispered. Elizabeth looked up timidly and, encountering his eye, she was able to see how well the expression of heartfelt delight, diffused over his face, became him. She listened in quiet contentment as he went on to express himself as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do; and he told her of such feelings, which, in proving of what importance she was to him, made his affection every moment more valuable. When his first expressions of rapture were gotten out of the way, they separated to a more respectable distance. He was keenly aware that she had not professed to loving him, but he was not inclined to push her into a declaration. He knew in his heart that she would not consent to marry him if she did not love him, and the look she had given him before speaking her answer had expressed enough tenderness to satisfy him for now.

They resumed their seats and spoke at length of the course of their acquaintance and their interactions with one another, and learned each other's thoughts and motivations during their previous encounters. Soon, she asked him about Georgiana and he expressed his eagerness for her to meet his sister. She too expressed her desire for a meeting and he explained that she may have the opportunity soon as Miss Bingley had been speaking of returning to Netherfield, and inviting Georgiana to stay with them. Elizabeth was delighted with the news. They continued to speak of his sister and of his time in London. When this topic was exhausted he asked her about the goings on in the neighborhood, and particularly among his friends, during his absence. It was during this part of the conversation when Darcy said, "I hope the announcement of Wickham's engagement to Miss Lucas was well received."

Elizabeth was surprised at the assumption inherent in his inquiry and replied, "we had expected that they might become engaged in time, but it now seems as though it is unlikely to happen."

"They have not announced their engagement?"

"No, they are not engaged."

"But they are. Wickham told me they had reached an understanding before I left, and that they were only waiting until they had known each other longer to announce it."

Elizabeth's surprise was evident. "I had no idea that they had ever become engaged. Oh, poor Charlotte, things are even worse than I thought."

"What has happened?"

"I do not know, but it was very clear last evening that they were extremely displeased with one another. I do believe they must have had a terrible quarrel. I fear they may even have broken their engagement."

"Wickham would not break it, no matter how terrible an argument they might have had."

"They both appeared angry and dispirited yesterday evening. Neither of them was willing to talk of it. Do you suppose Mr. Wickham will talk to you?"

"I believe he will. I will attempt to learn what the trouble is."

Elizabeth was pensive for a moment and then said, "you may wish to speak to Mr. Bingley as well."

"Does he know something of Wickham's situation?"

"No. He and Jane quarreled last night also."

"Good Lord, do not tell me they are at odds as well!"

"I am afraid so," she replied, then in a lighter tone, she added, "this is the result of you having gone away. You must not do so anymore, for it seems that your friends can hardly get on without you."

He smiled and, seeing her spirits rising to playfulness again, was emboldened to ask, "did you miss me, Elizabeth?" savoring her name as it came off his lips.

"I did," she replied with some embarrassment.

His pleasure in response to this admission was evident. "I missed you as well, and it seems I must go on missing you because I have to leave you, much as I would like to stay," he said as he rose from his chair, "shall I request an interview with your father now?"

She stood up also and said, "I have been thinking that perhaps we should not tell anyone of our engagement just yet, considering the current state of things with Jane and Mr. Bingley and Charlotte and Mr. Wickham. I think our happiness might be a source of pain for them at present."

"You are too generous, my sweet Elizabeth. Neither Bingley nor Wickham hesitated to share their previous delight with me."

"Yes, but they did not know of your feelings."

"I suspect Wickham had some idea, but I believe Bingley never had the slightest suspicion."

"Jane knew."

"Did she?"

"Yes, she's been telling me for weeks that you've been in love with me."

"She is very perceptive. I had not thought my feelings so readily discernible."

"Perhaps they would not have been if I did not give her more information than would otherwise have been available to her. I spoke to her about nearly everything that passed between us and expressed to her my confusion regarding much of your behavior. It was not so confusing to her, though. I suppose she was able to be more objective."

"That explains it then. I believe you are right that we should keep this between us at present. Though I am anxious to tell the world, I like the idea of sharing this little secret with you." Elizabeth laughed, and he continued, "but I hope you will not object to me sharing it with Georgiana."

"Not at all."

Darcy then bid her good day and turned towards the door. Impulsively, she said, "Mr. Darcy."

He turned to face her, "yes, Elizabeth?"

She took a few steps towards him as she said, "I wished to tell you . . . I mean, . . . I wanted you to know . . . that . . . I love you too."

No sooner had the words left her lips than he closed the remaining distance between them and, placing both hands on her face, kissed her softly. She was surprised by the gesture, but not averse to participating in it. He pulled back to look at her and whispered, "my dearest love," before claiming her lips again, more ardently. After a few blissful moments he pulled away from her again, and dropping his hands from her face, he took one of her hands in his and brought it to his lips to bestow a series of gentle kisses on the palm. Then he said, "call me Fitzwilliam."

"Fitzwilliam?"

"That is my name. It is my mother's family name."

"Very well then, Fitzwilliam, my love, I hope to see you again soon."

He pulled her to him and kissed her again before saying, "you cannot expect me to leave if you keep insisting on saying such sweet things to me, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth laughed and said, "perhaps it is my way of holding you to your promise, as I warned you I might."

He smiled, remembering exactly to what she referred, and replied, "I can assure you that the promise to which you refer is one you will never have to enforce upon me. Believe me when I tell you how much I look forward to the time when I shall never have to leave you again. However, as happy as I am to know that my presence gives you pleasure, I do believe I have stayed too long today."

"Then you had better go quickly before I think of any more sweet things to say."

He smiled, and too soon he was out of the room, and Elizabeth heard him the next moment open the front door and quit the house. She looked out the window and watched as he rode away, then sighed heavily as she sank contentedly into a chair.

Mr. Wickham had spent the morning brooding. He went about his duties with detached monotony and at the conclusion of them sat in his quarters staring ahead of him and reliving in his mind the worst moments of his life: his quarrel with Charlotte on the previous morning. This was how Darcy found him.

Darcy had ridden to Meryton from Longbourn at a leisurely pace, reveling in his elation and preparing to have to conceal his felicity from the man who knew him best. Upon hearing the knock on his door, Wickham groaned. He was in no humor to be disturbed. "Enter," he reluctantly called in the general direction of the doorway. Darcy walked into the room and Wickham scarcely lifted his head, "welcome back," he said dryly.

Darcy realized that his efforts to conceal his own feelings were unnecessary. He could have walked into the room with three heads and Wickham would not have noticed. "My journey was very pleasant, thank you," he said jovially, taking a seat opposite his friend.

"How was your journey?" asked Wickham sarcastically.

"What is the matter Wickham?"

"I have had a long day, that is all."

"I hope my news will cheer you up. I have secured a position for you with a regiment stationed in Newcastle. All of the arrangements have been made, and only your approval is wanting. You may transfer in the next three months or so."

"Thank you Darcy, but I will not be needing the transfer," he said bitterly; then he added almost inaudibly, "though, I certainly cannot stay here."

"What do you mean you no longer require the transfer? What are your plans for after you are married?"

"I am not to marry after all, Darcy."

Darcy did not bother feigning surprise as there was no need, "why not?"

"Miss Lucas has changed her mind."

"Has she? I am surprised that she would do so. Did she give her reason?"

"Yes. In fact, she did. She does not wish to be married to a man who cannot trust her."

"Why does she feel that you do not trust her, Wickham?"

Wickham chuckled darkly, "That is the marvel of it all. She became angry, indignant, self righteous even, because I expressed my disappointment that I could not trust her, when it was she who betrayed my confidence, and then would not even own having done it."

"Well that does not really make sense, Wickham, and she is a sensible woman. Perhaps, she would not admit it because she did not betray you at all, or at least she did not perceive that she did."

"But she did not deny it either. If she was innocent why would she fail to deny it? Besides, I am certain I was not mistaken."

"And you have not yet learned to have doubt in your certainties?"

Wickham gave Darcy a dark look for throwing his own words back at him. "Do you not have somewhere else to be?"

Darcy ignored his friend's effort to be rid of him and asked, "how did she betray your confidence?"

Wickham sighed in frustration at Darcy's persistence, "I told her a secret and she promised me, she promised," he repeated emphatically, "she would not reveal it to anyone, and yet she did."

"Can you tell me about this secret?" asked Darcy, grasping for any further information that might be helpful to understanding his friend's unhappy situation, and perhaps assisting in setting it to right.

"It concerns you actually." Darcy's surprise was evident. "At the last assembly ball, after she and I . . . " he took a deep breath, ". . . talked, I told her that I believed you were in love with Miss Elizabeth," here he paused, looked at Darcy and added, "I am sorry, I should not have said anything."

Darcy said, "it is all right, please continue."

"Some time later, after you had gone to London, Mr. Bingley asked me about whether I thought you admired her and I asked him where he had gotten such an idea. He told me that Miss Bennet had mentioned her suspicion of it to him." Darcy immediately comprehended their misunderstanding, but realized he could not presently reveal his friend's mistake without disclosing his own engagement. How else could he account for knowing for certain that Miss Bennet suspected his feelings on her own? He and Elizabeth could not have spoken of it under circumstances different than those that had actually occurred. He hoped Wickham would not require certainty, perhaps a suggestion would be enough. Wickham continued, "I knew that Miss Lucas must have told her. And I am sure Miss Bennet has told Miss Elizabeth by now."

"And you confronted Miss Lucas with no further proof?"

"What further proof was required?"

"Has it occurred to you that perhaps Miss Bennet's suspicion was induced by nothing more than her own perception?"

Wickham looked at Darcy and said, "no."

"Do you not think it a possibility?"

Wickham was quiet for a long, pensive moment, until he finally acknowledged the possibility, by saying "I suppose." Then burying his face in his hands he was quiet for another long moment, then he said, "Oh God, what have I done? I did not even ask her. I only accused her. There was no guilt in her reaction, only surprise and confusion."

After another long moment of silence, Darcy asked, "will you not go and talk to her?"

"She will not see me."

Darcy stood up and approached his friend and, placing his hand on Wickham's shoulder, said, "George, is it not worth a try?" then exited the room.

Wickham was not far behind him, but his destination lie in the opposite direction of Darcy's.

When Darcy arrived at Netherfield, he was shown into the billiards room where Bingley was alone.

"Welcome back," said Bingley, upon perceiving his friend, and although he was glad to see that Bingley's mood was better than Wickham's Darcy could not help but be amused by the similarity of their greetings.

"Thank you."

"How was your journey?"

"Fine, I thank you."

"I hope you are not too fatigued to oblige me in a game," said Bingley, motioning to the table.

"No indeed," he said, removing his coat.

As they played, Darcy noted that Bingley's manner was very subdued, he had not before realized how little disposed he was to talking and how much Bingley had previously carried their conversations. They spoke sparsely and the only matter of importance that was touched on was a confirmation of Miss Bingley's plans to return to Netherfield and of her invitation to Miss Darcy, whose brother indicated that she would certainly come to Netherfield if she wished it.

Darcy easily won the first game, and half way through the second, with the game fast approaching the same result, he ventured a comment on Bingley's distracted manner. "I have never seen you play so ill, Bingley, I dare say your mind is else where."

Bingley grunted in reply.

"I suppose you are thinking of Miss Bennet. I hope she is well."

"I would not know," said Bingley, bitterly.

"No? Why ever not?"

"When I called this morning, she had already gone out."

"But you saw her yesterday, did you not?"

"Yes, but I am afraid we did not part on the best of terms."

"And why was that?"

"She seems to have gotten the notion that you are in love with her sister, Miss Elizabeth. I explained to her that she was mistaken, but she was insistent. Then I explained that even if you were, it would not signify, because you would never act on your feelings. As evidence, I told her of your advice to me when I had decided to propose to her and she wondered why I would not expect you to allow your feelings to overcome your objections, as I had. I then told her that your situation was different from mine and that those considerations mattered more to a man of your position. She became extremely angry and talked of my inferiority as being the reason I could marry her. I do not understand it at all, Darcy."

"You do not understand why she would be angry with you for giving her to know that you were not important enough to reject her as a potential wife*? Bingley, I am surprised at you!"

"She overreacted."

"She may very well have overreacted, but have you tried to consider viewing things from her perspective?"

"No, I do not suppose that I have. I wanted to discuss it with her, but when I went to speak to her this morning, she was not there. She did not want to see me."

"Perhaps she did not have a choice in going out. What said her sister, this morning?"

"None of her sisters was at home." Darcy realized his slip, but he was relieved that Bingley had not seemed to notice it. "But I spoke to Mr. Bennet, and he said Miss Bennet had gone out with her mother and her sister, Miss Mary, and her cousin, Mr. Collins."

"Then perhaps it was out of her power to wait, perhaps Mrs. Bennet was eager to depart early. Did she know you were to call?"

"I had not told her specifically that I would, but she must have known it."

"Or, perhaps, she thought, as you did, that you would wish to avoid her and did not see a reason to prevail upon her mother to wait." Bingley acknowledged the possibility. "Will you not go to her now, it is probable they have returned home from their call."

"Do you think she will see me?"

"I am certain she will."

"Will you accompany me to Longbourn then?"

Darcy smiled in amusement at such an agreeable proposal, "that is an excellent idea, Bingley."

When Wickham arrived at Lucas Lodge, he was shown into the drawing room with Lady Lucas, Miss Lucas and Miss Maria. After talking with the ladies for several minutes, Lady Lucas left the room to attend to her younger children, taking Maria with her on the pretense of requiring her assistance. Wickham smirked to himself at the matron's obvious machinations to get him alone with Charlotte so he could propose. He was happy for the opportunity to speak privately with her, and did not waste any time in addressing her, "Charlotte, I have come here to apologize for quarreling with you yesterday. I realize now that I accused you too hastily. I did not acknowledge the possibility that I may have been mistaken. I should have given you the chance to explain, and I would like to do that now."

"You would now like to give me the chance to explain?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"I am afraid it is too late for that Mr. Wickham. Just because you now realize what you should have done then, does not mean that you should have a second opportunity to act as you should have to begin with. Why should I simply forget all that has transpired as if none of it ever happened? If I do, it will simply encourage you to continue to behave in like manner, thinking you will always have another chance."

"So what am I to do?"

"I do not know."

"What do you expect from me?"

"I do not expect anything from you, sir."

"I apologized and yet that was not enough!"

"And what was it that caused you to apologize? The last time I saw you, you did not appear in the least bit contrite."

"I spoke to Darcy. He made me understand that I may have judged too hastily and that, perhaps, there was another possible explanation for Miss Bennet's knowledge of something I told you in confidence."

"It is too bad that you required the advice of your friend to realize what you should have seen on your own, and what not even my words to you yesterday morning could make you see."

"But you did not deny it yesterday morning. You did not explain why I might be wrong."

"I should not have had to. I should not have been made to defend myself then, and now you come here seeking a reconciliation, but still expecting me to defend myself to you, to say nothing of the offensive and insulting manner in which you addressed me yesterday morning, and your subsequent behavior yesterday evening."

Wickham decided that a change of tactic was in order and with great tenderness, he approached Charlotte and said, "but I am truly sorry for my behavior. Please, Charlotte, I love you, can we not put this quarrel behind us and start anew?"

She turned away from him, unable to hold her resolve while looking into his eyes so full of love and hope. "No. It is not that simple, Mr. Wickham."

Wickham felt helpless. He sat heavily down into a chair sighing in frustration. Silence reigned until Lady Lucas returned to the room, disappointed to see Charlotte and Wickham seated on opposite sides of the room and not even speaking to one another. Things were not going as she hoped, and what she did not know was that both of the other occupants in the room felt the exact same way. It was not long before Wickham realized that Charlotte had no intention of speaking to him further and he would have no more opportunity for private conversation with her that day. He soon took his leave and returned to Meryton.

After Darcy had left her, Elizabeth sat alone in the drawing room at Longbourn having every appearance of reading a book, but she was neither absorbing any of the information contained therein, nor turning the pages. Her mind was much more agreeably engaged meditating on the very great pleasure that had been bestowed by the sweet kisses of her beloved. At length, the other inhabitants of the house returned. Upon their arrival, Jane learned from her father, that Mr. Bingley had called shortly after her departure. Elizabeth noted how disappointed her sister was and wished for an opportunity to speak to her regarding her quarrel with Bingley, as they had not had a moment for private conversation since returning home the night before.

Elizabeth was discontented further by her mother's exclamations of joy that Mr. Wickham had finally given her daughters the attention they deserve. Her new favorite employment was to conjecture on which of her two youngest daughters he would settle on, and boast that she had known all along he would never form any serious design on Charlotte Lucas.

"I always knew dear Wickham was a sensible young man and that he would see beyond Charlotte Lucas' attempts to secure him for herself. To think she would actually believe such a handsome man would choose her over my girls. She is so plain and so old, after all, and I say only the truth. Kitty, Lydia, both of you are much more handsome than she and I am glad to see that he finally realizes it, I was beginning to despair of his discernment. It will be a good match for one of you. Oh how wonderful it will be to have three daughters well married this year."

Elizabeth could not help smiling at this last observation by Mrs. Bennet, knowing her mother would have this wish after all. It was evident to Elizabeth that Mrs. Bennet had been making her expectation that Wickham would marry one of her daughters known to her neighbors during their morning calls; and this caused her to reflect on how ridiculous her mother must have appeared to so many who had been observing his attentions to Charlotte for several weeks now.

Even worse still, during the course of the morning, Mrs. Bennet had infected Lydia and Kitty with the same expectation and they began to argue over which of them Wickham would choose. Elizabeth was soon meditating on the appropriateness of a convent as a home for both of them.

After witnessing these expressions with a profound sense of shame for her family, she secured some privacy with Jane in the garden in the hopes of discussing her quarrel with Bingley. No sooner had they gone outside however, than they were called back in by Hill on account of the arrival of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth looked to her sister who appeared very apprehensive about the impending meeting.

When they walked into the drawing room, Elizabeth did not dare meet Darcy's eye. She, instead, kept her attention on Jane and observed her interaction with Bingley. Their meeting was cordial and they exchanged smiles. It seemed promising. Mrs. Bennet's first order of business had been to insist that the gentlemen stay for dinner, which invitation was accepted. By the time Jane and Elizabeth walked into the room, their mother was asking the gentlemen, and Mr. Darcy in particular, about their friend, "and where is dear Mr. Wickham today? I am disappointed that he was unable to join you in calling on us."

Darcy appeared a bit confused that she would have such an expectation since Wickham was not staying at Netherfield with them. Nevertheless he simply said, "I believe he is calling at Lucas Lodge, Madame," and gave Elizabeth a significant look. She smiled, but could not maintain his eye contact for long. She was pleased to learn that Wickham and Charlotte were probably reconciling at that very moment.

Mrs. Bennet's surprise at his reaction was evident. "Well, I am sure he is simply thanking Lady Lucas for her hospitality yesterday. You missed a lovely evening at Lucas Lodge last night, Mr. Darcy. Your friend, Wickham was in particularly good spirits, I have never seen him so agreeable." Darcy gave Elizabeth a questioning look and she simply shook her head in disapproval at her mother's statements. Mrs. Bennet continued, "he was so very attentive to my younger girls, Mr. Darcy. I always felt that he liked them very well. Perhaps we will see him yet today." There was nothing Darcy could say in response to that, and luckily, Elizabeth was able to divert her mother's attention with a comment on the preparations for Mary's wedding.

Bingley, who was eager to have a private conversation with Jane, suggested that they walk outdoors. All of the young people agreed to the scheme and were soon dispersed in the garden. Lydia and Kitty were talking and giggling about Mr. Wickham, Mary and Mr. Collins were walking together and talking quietly to one another, and Jane and Bingley were doing the same. Elizabeth was happy to see it, and hoped they would soon resolve their differences.

This pairing off of the others made it perfectly natural for Darcy to join Elizabeth, and they began walking in a direction different from that of Jane and Bingley. "Please permit me to say that you are looking lovely today, Miss Bennet."

Elizabeth blushed, "thank you, Mr. Darcy. I did not expect to see you again today."

"When I arrived at Netherfield, I spoke to Bingley and he was eager to call on your sister. I was more than happy to agree to join him."

"Did you speak with him about his quarrel with Jane? For I have not yet had the opportunity to talk to her about it."

"I fear you were interrupted by our arrival."

"Yes, but that does not mean your arrival was unwelcome."

He smiled, "I did speak to Bingley and I learned that their argument was about us, actually." Elizabeth looked surprised and he went on to explain what he had learned from Bingley.

Elizabeth expressed her confidence that they would reconcile and then asked, "am I to understand from your comments earlier that you spoke to Mr. Wickham as well?"

"Yes. It seems his quarrel with Miss Lucas also resulted from speculations about the two of us." Elizabeth was even more surprised by this revelation, and he again gave her an explanation of the information he had learned from Wickham.

"Well," she responded, "I am glad that you spoke to both of them. After learning that both arguments had to do with our situation I feel a bit responsible for them."

"You should not. Perhaps it will teach them not to speculate on such matters."

"But they are our friends, and I believe their speculations were made solely out of concern for us rather than any desire to meddle in the affairs of others."

"I am sure you are right, my love," he replied.

Elizabeth smiled and blushed becomingly at his manner of addressing her. "Are you? Or have you learned something from your friends, and simply wish to avoid quarreling with me?"

He was a little disheartened by her implication that he would be dishonest. "I would not mislead you about my opinion, Elizabeth."

"I know you would not, . . . Fitzwilliam," she almost whispered.

He grinned when she said his name and replied, "but I can safely say that I would not wish to have a serious quarrel with you. I believe you would be quite capable of giving me a set down, and I would never wish for you to be really angry with me."

Elizabeth laughed and replied, "this is a sweet image you have of me!"

"I have a very sweet image of you, Elizabeth."

She blushed and they walked in silence for a little while before starting a new conversation about the gardens surrounding them. Soon he gave her to know of his anticipation of her happiness with the grounds of Pemberley and she asked him to describe them. He was happy to tell her of the gardens and the paths surrounding his house and they spent the rest of their time together in happy conversation of their expected future together.

Elizabeth and Darcy would have been pleased to learn the easiness with which all was made well between Jane and Bingley. He took the first opportunity to apologize for his insensitive comments and explain that he did not intend them in the way she took them and that he was very proud that he would have her for his wife. She replied with an apology of her own for her outburst and expressed her understanding that she had overreacted to his comments. They spent some time discussing their happiness, exchanging promises to never quarrel in that way again, and anticipating their future together.

Their conversation, however, then took a turn that was less than satisfactory. As they wound their way back to the subject of their quarrel, Bingley observed, glancing at Darcy and Elizabeth, "I believe that you may be right about them. I do not know whether he is in love with her or not, but if he is, he would be a fool to let anything stand in his way."

Jane smiled, "I am fairly certain of his feelings and now, seeing them together, I believe that they may be returned. I only hope that the considerations he brought to your attention with respect to our situation will not deter him, but I cannot believe he would be so open in his regard and so attentive to her if he did not intend to marry her."

"Now that I think of it, he was completely unaffected when I told him of your suspicions, it did not seem to concern him in the least."

"You told him?" asked Jane, incredulously.

"He saw that I was unhappy and asked me about our quarrel, so I told him what happened between us."

"You told him what I said to you last night as well as my suspicions of his feelings for Lizzy?"

"Yes," replied Bingley with growing concern.

Jane fell silent, she did not wish to risk another outburst like the one the night before, so she simply said, "I believe I would like to return to the house."

"Jane, please," said Bingley, "let us not part again on unhappy terms. I could not bear it."

"Perhaps you should have considered that before you disclosed things to your friend that were not intended for his ears."

"But you did not mind when I told Mr. Wickham."

"No, but they were not about Mr. Wickham, and you told Mr. Darcy more than just my suspicions about his feelings, you told him what I said last night as well."

"I am sorry, my dear, I had no idea that you would not wish me to say anything."

"Perhaps that is the trouble, Mr. Bingley, please excuse me." And with that, she walked towards the house.

Elizabeth immediately noticed her sister's separation from Mr. Bingley and the agitation in her countenance. She excused herself from Mr. Darcy and followed Jane into the house. Mr. Darcy, meanwhile, went to talk to his friend. Bingley however, absolutely refused to speak to Darcy about his troubles. Jane had been unhappy that he had done so with respect to their quarrel the night before and he would not make that mistake again.

Indoors, Elizabeth found Jane sitting in her room. "Jane, dearest, please tell me what is the matter, did you and Mr. Bingley quarrel again?" Jane turned to Elizabeth and began to cry, but her concern for Elizabeth's anxiety over learning that Darcy had been told of her suspicions of his feelings for Elizabeth prevented her from revealing all. She merely told Elizabeth that she was unhappy because Bingley told Darcy certain details of their quarrel from the night before. Elizabeth, for her part, could not reveal that she knew all about the original quarrel, but she was beginning to have an idea of the source of Jane's present anxiety. At length, Elizabeth said, "Jane, you love Mr. Bingley, and he loves you as well. Surely he would not do something with the intent of hurting you. Perhaps if you simply explain to him why his behavior has hurt you, he will understand and similar troubles can be prevented in the future. But you must speak to him."

"You are right Lizzy. I will soon be married to him and I am behaving like a child, running away from him whenever I am displeased. I do not know what has come over me. Will you please go to him and tell him that I would like to speak with him in a few minutes?"

"Yes of course, Jane. Are you certain you wish to be alone?"

"Yes. I only require a few moments to collect myself, that is all."

"Very well."

Elizabeth kissed her sister and then went back to the garden to find Bingley and Darcy conversing with Kitty and Lydia. When she approached them, Bingley immediately asked after Jane and Elizabeth assured him that her sister was well and would return in a few moments to speak to him.

The conversation between Bingley and Jane was quick and to the point. He apologized for failing to consider how his disclosures to Darcy regarding what she had said and done might affect her, and she apologized for her childish behavior. They forgave one another with alacrity and soon all was well. The remainder of the evening passed uneventfully and was enjoyed by everyone. Darcy's happiness was only tempered by his concern for Wickham's situation. He knew it would not be repaired as easily as Bingley's and he hoped that Wickham had been successful in reconciling with Miss Lucas.

When Mr. Wickham returned to Meryton, he went directly to the inn for dinner. As it turned out his ill humor prevented him from eating much of his meal. Although he could not eat he could drink, and drink he did. He kept asking himself what he had done that was so wrong. He had gone back to her, he had apologized, he could not understand why she was being so difficult. He had done what she wanted, he had given her a chance to explain. He was angry, but he was more hurt. The pain resulting from the cold treatment of the woman he loved was more acutely felt than anything he had ever experienced. He spent the next two hours drinking steadily and going round and round with these thoughts in his head, reliving the painful moments of the past two days over and over again. During this time, several men had assembled at one end of the room to play cards, and upon noticing him sitting alone, one of the men called him over to join the game. Thus, Wickham spent the evening drinking and losing money at cards.

After a few hours, the card party broke up and Wickham was alone once again, with much lighter pockets. The owner and his wife had disappeared into the kitchen. The serving girl who had been bringing him drink after drink for several hours, had noticed his melancholy and asked him to share his troubles. He hadn't noticed her before, but now he saw that she was a very pretty girl, very pretty indeed. Her dress was a bit revealing on top and he could see the tempting curves that lie beneath her bodice as she bent forward to talk to him. He simply grunted in response to her inquiry and she replied, "ah, 'tis woman trouble is it?" He grunted again. "I'll be closing up the place now," she said in response, then placing her hand under his chin and tilting his handsome face towards her she continued, "why don't you come upstairs with me and see if we can make you feel any better?"

Wickham smiled to himself, he was well aware of what he was being offered: comfort . . . solace . . . warmth . . . pleasure . . . escape . . . .

When Wickham awoke the next morning, he could not open his eyes, for the light was too painful. His head ached and he felt nauseous. He rolled over in bed and realized that he had slept stark naked, he must have been quite bad off last night to not even have bothered putting on a night shirt, particularly in the middle of January. From the feel of the sun on his face, it appeared that he had not bothered drawing the curtains either.

Suddenly, he became abruptly still as he felt a movement in the bed beside him. The memory came flooding back . . . the serving girl . . . at the inn . . . what had he done? Afraid to make any attempt to verify the presence of anyone in bed with him, either by touch or speech, he instead tried to recall the evening more clearly. Surely he had paid her for his ale and gone home, was there not some vague recollection? He became apprehensive, was it possible that he simply did not recall? But, certainly even in his sorry state last night he must have had enough of his wits about him to refuse such an offer as the one she had made him. He had not been tempted, he remembered that much, for he was a man in love. Nevertheless, there had been movement in the bed not caused by himself.

"Hello?" he said tentatively, steeling himself for the sound of a feminine voice. There was no reply. He repeated his inquiry more loudly, but still there was no response. He sighed, no one was there, it had been his imagination. He was relieved, and he relaxed himself in the warm comfort of his blankets, until he felt someone stir beside him again. Now he sat up abruptly, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, and opened his eyes. The sudden movement caused a sensation of dizziness to overwhelm him, and the sunlight coming through the windows was unmercifully blinding, causing the throbbing of his head to grow ever more forceful. He rubbed and blinked his eyes until they adjusted to the painful light. After a moment or two, he was finally able to see around him. He was in his own room. Relief flooded him, he would not bring a woman here, not even when he was drunk. Had the girl not mentioned going upstairs at the inn? He was not at the inn, he was in his own room, all was well.

Then there was movement beside him again, and he again filled with dread. Just who was in his bed? With no small amount of apprehension he turned to his side and looked down to see the large orange cat, who made his home in the alley behind the building in which the officers were quartered, sprawled out on his bed. He sighed to himself and shook his head, "what are you doing in here, Tom? Did you sneak in with me when I came home last night?" he asked as he began rubbing the cat's head, "you ought to have better manners, you know, for you gave me quite a scare." Then he chuckled, "I have been a fool, Tom, a damn fool." He was quiet for a moment as he absently continued to stroke the cat's head. Then, he looked at the animal again and said, "it is cold outdoors at night, is it not? I cannot blame you for seeking a warm bed, now can I?" He desisted his attentions to pull on his breeches that were thrown carelessly on the floor beside his bed, "but that blasted sun is high and bright now, you should be warm enough outdoors in the day." He walked across the room and opened the window, feeling the brisk morning air on his bare chest, "now out with you, old boy, go on and find yourself some breakfast." The cat stood on the empty bed and stretched his body. With the warmth that had been next to him gone, and the pleasant attentions withdrawn, there was no reason to lie there any longer. Then seeing the open window, and seemingly aware that there would be nothing to eat in this room, he scrambled outside.*

Wickham closed the window behind the cat, and walked to the water basin to wash his face. He needed a bath. He sat back down on his bed and let himself fall back with a sigh, "Charlotte," he said out loud, "what am I going to do about you, my sweet?" There was a knock at the door. He quickly pulled on his shirt and said, "come in." A messenger entered the room carrying a note from Colonel Forster, requesting Wickham's presence at his home immediately. There would be no time for a bath or for breakfast. Wickham splashed more water on his neck and chest, put on fresh clothes and departed, wondering what Colonel Forster wanted with him.

After the gentlemen greeted one another, Colonel Forster said, "Wickham, you seem out of sorts lately, is anything the matter?"

"No sir," replied Wickham, ashamed that he had let 'woman trouble' affect the performance of his duties.

"Well, I believe it might benefit you to get away for a few days. I have an errand that will require you to go to town for a week or so." Wickham listened attentively as the colonel instructed him carefully on what needed to be done and gave him to understand that he was to leave immediately, he would not even have time for a bath. He returned to his quarters to get a few things for his journey and dispatched a quick note to Netherfield:

Darcy,

I have been commissioned by Colonel Forster on an errand to town, and I shall be gone for about a week. I do not wish to go away at present, but I was not given a choice in the matter. Things did not go well with Miss Lucas yesterday, but I have no time to explain. If it is not too much to ask, I beg that you would find a way to make certain she does not believe I am leaving Meryton on account of her. I will write again when I get to town and give you the direction of where I will be staying.

Thank you,

G. Wickham

That morning, Elizabeth was eager to learn what had transpired between Charlotte and Wickham the previous day. She made her way to Lucas Lodge after breakfast, with every anticipation of hearing the happy news of a reconciliation between her friends, and of the possibility of being able to share her own happy news soon. When she arrived, however, she was disappointed to find Charlotte in as melancholy a humor as ever. They went for a long walk and, at length, Elizabeth asked, "will you not tell me what is troubling you, Charlotte, your spirits seemed very low the other night at dinner, and they do not appear to have improved."

"Oh, Lizzy! I am so unhappy." Then, after a moment's reflection, she continued, "I suppose I can tell you something of what has happened. You did not know this, but Mr. Wickham and I entered into a secret engagement a few weeks ago."

"Charlotte, that is wonderful," replied Elizabeth, "but what is the matter, then?"

Charlotte smiled, "we knew everyone would feel that it was too soon and we did not know one another well enough, so we did not tell anyone, except Mr. Darcy before he left for London because we expected to announce it during his absence. We were going to make the announcement at the dinner two nights ago, but we had a terrible quarrel that morning." She hesitated a moment, and then forged on, "Mr. Wickham believed I had repeated something he told me in confidence, because someone else seemed to have the same idea. When next he saw me he was very angry and accused me without even asking whether I had indeed betrayed his confidence or giving me a chance to explain. When I became angry in response to his accusation, he made the observation that I was not in any position to threaten our engagement. I was so outraged by that remark that I broke the engagement and walked away from him. I did not expect him to show up for dinner, but when he did he seemed to want to behave as if nothing had occurred and that infuriated me all the more. Then you saw how he behaved towards Lydia and Kitty. I was disgusted with him by the end of the evening."

"Oh Charlotte, I am so sorry, but there must be a way to work this out between you. You do still love him?"

"Yes, of course I still love him and he says he still loves me."

"When did he tell you this?"

"Yesterday. He called to apologize for accusing me too hastily, but then he said he wished to give me the chance to explain that he had failed to give me the day before, making no reference to the other things he had said and done. I was also a bit put out by the fact that he only came to talk to me because Mr. Darcy had urged him to consider that he might be wrong. Perhaps I should have listened to him, but I was so angry."

"Do you not believe his apology was sincere?"

"Oh, I do not know. I believe he wanted to effect a reconciliation. He said he understood that he should not have accused me so readily, and yet, I cannot shake this sense of dread that this incident is simply an example of what I can expect from him once we are married."

"Charlotte, I believe that he too has suffered a great deal as a result of this. You love him and you know he loves you. Ought you not to have more faith in him? I do not believe he will always behave in the way you fear. He has simply made a mistake, as we all do, which he has acknowledged and apologized for. Your forgiving him for his mistake will not preclude him from learning from it, you know. And, perhaps he was only wanting some encouragement from you with respect to that mistake before apologizing for his other transgressions."

Charlotte thought about what Elizabeth had said for a few minutes and then replied, "I would like another chance to talk to him, but after my behavior yesterday, I doubt he will attempt to see me again soon."

Elizabeth smiled, "I will not be surprised if he is waiting for you at Lucas Lodge when we return, and if he is not, I am sure the two of you will be in company together again soon."

As they walked towards Lucas Lodge, they noticed a group of people on the path from Longbourn and were able to discern Jane and Mr. Bingley, Mary and Mr. Collins, Lydia and Kitty, and Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth giggled a little when she saw them and as she and Charlotte began to approach the group, she said, "Now, does not that make a charming sight? My mother would be all aflutter if she could only see her two youngest girls each on an arm of, as Mr. Collins refers to him, one of the most illustrious personages in the land!"

Charlotte laughed, "poor Mr. Darcy."

"Oh, I do not feel sorry for him. He appears quite captivated by their conversation. I had no idea he was so susceptible to their charms."

"If only Miss Bingley could see him now," observed Charlotte, and they both laughed heartily.

"Yes, poor Miss Bingley," said Elizabeth cryptically.

The group from Longbourn soon met the two ladies and after greetings were exchanged all around, Kitty and Lydia continued on to Lucas Lodge with the intent of calling on Miss Maria Lucas, and the others all turned back into the lane from which Charlotte and Elizabeth had just emerged, while Jane explained that when the gentlemen came calling they had all agreed to go out in the hopes of meeting Elizabeth and Charlotte. Elizabeth and Charlotte then walked with Mr. Darcy behind the two couples.

"I received a note from Mr. Wickham this morning," said Darcy, "he has been sent to town on an errand by Colonel Forster."

Charlotte was silent, though she knew Darcy had been aware of her engagement and was saying this for her benefit. Elizabeth knew Charlotte would want to know more so she asked "did he say how long he would be gone?"

"About a week." Elizabeth thought Charlotte appeared a bit disappointed by the news. "He was not pleased about having to go."

Mary and Mr. Collins paused ahead of them for a moment as the former turned and said, "Lizzy, may we appeal to you for your opinion on a matter related to our wedding?"

"Certainly," she replied, giving her companions a questioning glance to which they both returned very amused expressions. She then joined Mary and Mr. Collins and walked on with them.

Darcy paused a moment with Miss Lucas to put some distance between themselves and the others, then he said, "I am glad to have the opportunity to speak with you, Miss Lucas. I know you are aware that Wickham told me of your secret engagement. When he wrote to me this morning, he asked me to convey a message to you, but I think it best if I simply show you his note."

He withdrew the note from his pocket and handed it to Charlotte who read it quickly and then handed it back saying, "Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I also told Lizzy about the engagement this morning, so there is no reason not to discuss it in her presence."

Charlotte was pleased with the note. It was enough to know that Wickham had thought of her before leaving, and that he had been concerned about her reaction. Perhaps the time apart would be beneficial for both of them. For the first time since their argument two days before, she felt that she missed him.

Darcy nodded his understanding, but was foreclosed from making any further response to her comment by an appeal for his opinion from Mr. Collins, who apparently was not pleased with Elizabeth's view on the point of contention being discussed, and felt that a man of Mr. Darcy's position and intelligence would be better equipped to decide the matter. He was extremely vexed when Darcy agreed with Elizabeth's opinion after all.

The group returned to Lucas Lodge, where Charlotte stayed. Lydia and Kitty were not ready to return home, so they remained as well, and the other six walked back to Longbourn. Darcy and Elizabeth were happy for the time together and for the private conversation it afforded. They exchanged information regarding Charlotte and Mr. Wickham and expressed their hope that the time apart might do both their friends good and facilitate an expedient resolution to their disagreement upon his return.

After a few moments of contemplation, Darcy said, "I wonder, Elizabeth, if things might be easier if we would simply announce our engagement rather than keep it a secret."**

"Perhaps you may be right, I have actually been considering the same idea. But would you not prefer to wait until your friend returns from London before making an announcement?"

"Yes, I suppose I would not feel right doing so during his absence. Our disclosure can be of little assistance to his situation until he returns in any case."

"Very well then we will make the announcement as soon as possible after his return." He agreed, and with that decided, Elizabeth then took it upon herself to tease Mr. Darcy, "I must say, sir, that you looked very well escorting Kitty and Lydia. If you continue exhibiting such gallantry you will soon be in a fair way to becoming quite a favorite of Mrs. Bennet's."

Darcy smiled, "it would give me great pleasure to gain your mother's favor, Elizabeth."

"I dare say you have already done enough to merit that distinction sir, although she does not yet know it. I hope that my sisters were not terribly intolerable during your walk with them."

"Not at all. I enjoyed their company." Elizabeth looked at him with surprise and amusement. "They were full of questions about Mr. Wickham."

"I believe his ill-judged attention to them two nights ago may have done too much for their vanity."

There was nothing positive Darcy could say in response to that and he would much rather discuss Elizabeth than her sisters. "I must confess, I was rather disappointed that you were not at Longbourn when I arrived there this morning."

"Perhaps you should have arrived sooner then," she replied archly.

"I will keep that in mind," was his gallant response.

They continued talking contentedly, in similar manner, until they reached Longbourn, where the two gentlemen soon took their leave.

Upon arriving at Netherfield, each of the gentlemen had received a letter from his sister, both conveying the same news. Miss Bingley had fixed a date to return to Netherfield the following week, and Miss Darcy would travel there with her.

When Wickham arrived in London, he immediately went about conducting the business that was the reason for his journey. When he was finished for the day, he settled himself in the quarters that had been secured for him by Colonel Forster and took a bath. Then, he sent the following note to Darcy:

I have arrived in London. The following is the direction of where I am staying, ___, if you wish to write to me. I would be glad for any news of Miss Lucas. Have you had a chance to talk to her? I believe I will have some time available tomorrow morning to call on Georgiana. Please give my regards to all my friends in Hertfordshire. I hope to return there within a few days.

Yours, etc.,
George Wickham

He spent the evening alone and slept uneasily, his mind still much preoccupied by his unhappy situation with Miss Lucas. The following morning, he found that he indeed had a few hours free before he was again needed to attend to Colonel Forster's business, so he took the opportunity to call upon Miss Darcy.

Georgiana was very happy to see her friend and their visit was, of course, attended by her companion, Mrs. Annesley who was acquainted with Mr. Wickham as an intimate friend of the family and a visitor approved and trusted by her employer. "What brings you to London?" asked Georgiana when Wickham had settled in the chair across from her.

"I am here on an errand for the colonel of my regiment."

"And how did you leave my brother?"

"I suppose he was well. I only saw him briefly the day before yesterday, after his return from town, and I was a bit preoccupied at the time."

"Did he tell you that I will be joining him at Netherfield next week?"

"No, he has not had a chance. That is wonderful news."

"I am most eager to meet your Miss Lucas," said Georgiana. She did not mention Miss Bennet, as her brother had specifically told her that his engagement had not been disclosed to her present companion. Wickham appeared surprised. "Fitzwilliam told me of your engagement. I am so happy for you."

"Oh my dear Georgiana," he sighed, "I thank you, but your happiness on my behalf is unwarranted at present, for my engagement has been canceled by the lady."

"Good heavens, what has happened?"

Wickham looked tentatively at Mrs. Annesley who was seated in a corner attending to her embroidery, and then quietly gave Georgiana a general account of his engagement with Charlotte and the quarrels between them.

"Oh I am so sorry, for both you and Miss Lucas," she said sincerely.

Georgiana's heartfelt compassion for a young lady she had never before even met, as well as for himself, touched Wickham. "I would do anything I could to improve the situation. Indeed, that is what I hoped to accomplish the last time I spoke to her, but I am beginning to believe she does not wish for a reconciliation."

"No, you must not give way to such thoughts, George. I am sure that she wants to reconcile."

"And I am at a loss as to how to bring that about, what to do, what she might want. I thought I was giving her what she wanted when I offered to hear her explanation."

"Perhaps that is what she wanted at the time of your initial quarrel, but by the time you spoke to her again, much had happened."

"Yes, but why should that change what the right course of action in the situation would have been?"

"I think that simply giving her what she initially expected from you was no longer enough, for she would still remain unable to reconcile the reason you did not behave as you should have to begin with." Wickham contracted his brow, and appeared to be pondering what she was saying, but he said nothing so she continued, "your actions may have given rise to a fear on her part that you may act in a similar manner again on future occasions."

Wickham smiled, "you are wise beyond your years, Georgiana."

She blushed at the compliment, "I read a lot of books."

He then asked her about the books she was reading. After they had talked for some time, Wickham took his leave. He rose from his chair, thanked her for her advice, and placed a brotherly kiss her on her forehead before exiting the room.

Wickham's conversation with Georgiana shed a new light on his quarrel with Charlotte, and he gave what she said a great deal of thought over the next few days. He had not before considered things in the way she described, but in light of her explanation, Charlotte's actions finally began to make sense to him. He knew that it was his wrong that had caused their current unhappy situation. He had been wrong to judge her, and though he had realized it and tried to apologize, he had not considered the effect on her of his having behaved as he did in the first place.

She had been justly angry with him, and he had only responded in a manner that gave her further cause for anger. His attempted apology had been nothing more than a patronizing attempt to conciliate her. He had been the one in the wrong and yet he had communicated an expectation of something from her.

As he continued to relive their first quarrel in his mind yet again, he began to regret the stinging observation he had made regarding her position with respect to ending their engagement. It had been a denigrating comment laden with arrogance. He had said it in anger, and he had not meant it. He knew she had so much to offer. Was he not now suffering from the loss of her?

Then he considered his behavior towards the younger Miss Bennets on the night he last dined at Lucas Lodge. It too had been reprehensible. He had given them his attentions insincerely, and he had done so in front of Charlotte, with the most improper motives.

By the third day after his visit with Georgiana he began to wonder whether the list of his sins would ever come to an end. On that morning, he received the following letter from Darcy:

Wickham:

I have received your two letters. I showed the first to Miss Lucas on the same day that I received it. She did not say anything about your departure, except to thank me for showing her the note, but she did inform me that she spoke to Miss Elizabeth Bennet regarding your situation. I think her discussing the situation with a friend bodes well of her hope for a reconciliation. Do not despair, I am confident that you will be able to resolve things when you return.

How did you find Georgiana? Did she tell you that she is planning to come to Netherfield? She will be traveling with Miss Bingley, but the Hursts will not be returning to Netherfield, so there will only be ladies in the party. They will, of course, have the servants, but I have been of a mind to go to London and return with her myself. However, if your departure from town happens to coincide with hers, I would be grateful if you would travel together with them in my stead. They will be traveling on Saturday, the 25th. Mr. Bingley joins in this request. Please let me know whether it will be possible.

Yours, etc.,

F. Darcy

Wickham was able to learn that same day that Colonel Forster's business would keep him in town until Friday. He would have liked to return to Hertfordshire that same day, but he was always happy to have the chance to be of assistance to Darcy, as he had done so much for him, and he would probably not be able to leave until late Friday anyway. Thus he sent an express to Darcy that evening:

I received your letter this morning, and am happy to say that I will be able to travel with Georgiana and her friend on Saturday. I will call on her again on Friday. I assume you will send a letter to Mrs. Annesley advising her of these arrangements.

I thank you for speaking to Miss Lucas as I asked. Please give her my regards if you should see her again before my return.

Your friend,
George Wickham

And so it was arranged that Wickham would ride alongside the carriage conveying Miss Darcy and Miss Bingley to Netherfield.

During Wickham's week in London, things continued as usual in Hertfordshire. Mr. Collins returned to his parsonage at Hunsford with plans to travel back to Longbourn to claim his bride in six weeks' time. The planning of Mary's wedding now became the focus of Mrs. Bennet's life. When Jane had become engaged, about a month before, she had assumed that, in the interests of economy, she would be married on the same day as Mary, however as the date approached Mrs. Bennet did nothing to prepare for Jane's wedding and only preoccupied herself with Mary. Based on her assumption, Jane had not discussed a possible wedding date for herself with her parents, but now, as the time for Mary's wedding drew near, she asked her mother about it.

"Mama, I believe I shall need to order my wedding clothes soon."

Since Jane never asked for anything, Mrs. Bennet was taken by surprise, "my dear child, I believe there is ample time for that. Why, we have not yet even set a date for your wedding. We must get Mary's out of the way first."

"Then I will not be married on the same day as Mary?" asked Jane, surprised.

"Heavens no! Whatever gave you the idea that you would?"

"I just thought that it would be easier, since you were already planning one wedding for that day, to have both."

"No, Jane, you must have your own wedding. I will speak to your father about it after Mary's wedding and then we will decide on a date." And thus, the conversation was ended.

Jane continued to see Bingley almost daily, and although they were a bit disappointed to have to wait longer than they had anticipated to be married, they did not mind having their own wedding, separate from Mary and Mr. Collins.

Elizabeth and Darcy also saw one another frequently during the week. After receiving Wickham's second letter from London, Darcy was eager to convey his friend's regards to Miss Lucas, however, he did not see her again. Charlotte was avoiding company, and was spending the time of Wickham's absence lost in her own reflections. She learned from a brief visit that Elizabeth made to her the date of Wickham's expected return to the neighborhood, and she wondered what the occasion would bring. She could not help but hope that he would try to see her again soon after his return, and she resolved that if he did, she would do everything in her power to effect a reconciliation.

When Miss Bingley received her brother's letter with the information that Wickham was to accompany their carriage, she was surprised. She had hoped that Darcy would escort the carriage, but she was not wholly disappointed in the substitution. It seemed odd to her, because she scarcely knew Wickham, but she knew that he was really traveling as an escort for Georgiana. When she arrived at the Darcy townhouse on Saturday morning, she was surprised and more than little disturbed by the fluttering sensation that coursed through her upon meeting with him again. He smiled as he greeted her, and she blushed.

During the journey, Miss Bingley found her eye venturing out the window in the direction of Mr. Wickham more often than he liked. She remembered the feelings he had stirred in her two months ago and to be honest she had scarcely thought of him since her removal from Netherfield, so it was no wonder that she was surprised to find herself so affected by him now.

In order to be at Netherfield for the arrival of their sisters, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy had called early at Longbourn. They returned to Netherfield with plenty of time, and when the carriage arrived, they were happy to welcome their sisters warmly. After the initial greetings were made and the ladies brought inside to partake of refreshment, Darcy said, "thank you for accompanying them, Wickham. Knowing that you were traveling with Georgiana eased my mind significantly." Bingley echoed his friend's thanks for Wickham's services, and Wickham told both gentlemen that it had been a pleasure to be of service to their sisters. He did not stay long at Netherfield however, as the day was still young and it was not too late to call at Lucas Lodge.

Wickham was conveyed back to Meryton in Darcy's carriage, and from there, he planned to walk to Lucas Lodge. As he walked along the main road through Meryton, he was surprised to see Miss Lucas standing in front of the inn, speaking to the self same serving girl who had offered him her comfort the week prior. As he walked towards the ladies, the serving girl looked up and, seeing him approach, she excused herself and disappeared inside. Wickham was still a few steps away when Charlotte began to walk in the direction of Lucas Lodge. He quickened his step, and as he gained on her he said, "Miss Lucas."

Charlotte turned abruptly upon hearing his voice, her cheeks blazing. "Mr. Wickham," she said quietly.

"May I walk with you?" he asked.

"If you wish," she replied.

Charlotte and Wickham walked in silence together away from Meryton for several minutes, each lost in thought. Once they were well out of the town and in a more isolated part of the road, Wickham took the opportunity to speak, "Miss Lucas,"

She was startled out of her thoughts, "yes, Mr. Wickham?"

"I wish to apologize to you for my behavior during the few days prior to my departure to London." She paused momentarily, to glance at him, and remembering her resolve to hear him out said nothing, but returned her gaze to the road. This he considered sufficient encouragement to go on. "I should not have accused you of betraying my confidence as I did. I know it is of little consolation now, but I no longer believe that you did so. More importantly, I realize how distressing it must be to you that I ever believed it. I cannot take back that I did, but I can assure you that I realize my mistake, and that I have learned from it." He could go no longer without looking at her, so he stopped walking and turned towards her, she did the same and he smiled as he looked into her eyes, how could he have ever thought she was plain? He said, "I know I do not deserve it, but I beg your forgiveness." Then he hastily added, "for that and for my other transgressions as well. I behaved badly at your family's dinner party, and . . . "

"George," he stopped talking suddenly, heartened by her use of his given name, "what did you do the night before you left for London?"

Wickham averted his eyes from her gaze, "I went to the inn for dinner, but I could not eat. I did drink . . . a lot . . . too much. I also played cards, and I lost some money. How did you know?" As he asked the question, the image of the serving girl talking to Charlotte in Meryton returned to his mind.

This revelation was probably fortunate for him, as Charlotte did not seem disposed to answer his inquiry. Instead, she posed another one of her own, "and do you often drink too much and gamble at cards, sir?" As she spoke, she began walking again, down a more private path that led off of the main road and through the countryside.

Wickham walked with her. "No. I was . . . well, it does not signify, there is no excuse."

"You were what?"

Wickham drew in his breath, "I was extremely aggrieved because of our conversation earlier that day."

"And is this your usual method of responding to grief?"

"No."

"Then please explain to me why you behaved this way."

"I was very sad, and, I confess, angry and resentful. After what had passed between us, I despaired of any chance that we could reconcile, and I could not face the prospect of living the rest of my life without you. I felt helpless. I felt that I had made an attempt to reconcile with you and that you would not even listen. I realize now that I was wrong. My so-called attempt to reconcile was merely a demand that I had no right to make. I was pained by our continued estrangement and by my own failure to improve things between us. I simply wished to forget about my pain for awhile, but my mind could not fix on anything else. This was not my usual behavior, I assure you. The circumstances that brought it about were very unusual. I have never felt that way in my life, and I hope I shall never feel it again."

"Drinking and gambling were your only sources of solace?"

The question alarmed Wickham as he recalled the offer made to him by the girl at the inn and, for the first time, it occurred to him that the serving girl may have lied to Charlotte about that night. "I should think that it was enough, but yes, those were the only activities from which I sought solace or any form of relief, though they brought little of either."

She did not say anything for a long time, and Wickham wondered what she was thinking, and whether she believed him. At length, she said, "how was your journey to London?"

"It was tolerable. I did not wish to go."

"Why not?"

"Because I wanted to stay and see you again, and try to make amends. But, perhaps that end was better served by my having gone away. I thought extensively about our quarrel while I was away, and was able to realize that every part of it was my fault. I am heartily ashamed of my behavior towards you. I cannot think of it without abhorrence. The recollection of what I then said - my conduct, my manners, my expressions during the whole of it - is inexpressibly painful to me. But, I have learned something from all this. It has been a hard lesson indeed, but most advantageous. I will not be repeating the mistakes I made last week, I can assure you." He spoke with increased passion as he continued, "I am a better man than I was before this happened, and I have you to thank for my improvement, because you demanded it of me. You would not have me as I was, and I can only strive to be the man you deserve, one who is worthy of your trust. I only hope it is not too late. I pray that you can find it in your heart to forgive me, perhaps in time, when you have seen that I am in earnest."

Charlotte was astonished by his words, and deeply touched by his sincerity. He had taken what had passed between them to heart. She could see that his contrition was sincere. No man could be perfect, and the next best thing, of course, was one who could recognize his faults and strive to correct them. That he credited her with his improvement, rather than resenting that she had refused to accept his ill treatment, was gratifying. "I forgive you," she said quietly.

Wickham stopped in his tracks again and regarded her carefully. He was taken completely by surprise. At length, he smiled and said, "truly?"

"Truly."

"You are too generous, it was far too easy, I do not deserve it," he said, still grinning.

"I dare say you may be correct, sir."

Wickham took one of her hands in both of his and looked down at it tentatively, gently stroking her fingers. "I have missed you." She said nothing. He was keenly aware that she had, in fact, broken their engagement. He did not want to insult her by failing to acknowledge that she had done so. He did not want to presume anything. He looked up into her eyes and said in almost a whisper, "I love you so." He gently touched her cheek with one hand, while gently raising her hand to his lips with the other. "Miss Lucas, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

She had been afraid that he would simply assume their engagement was renewed upon her bestowing her forgiveness, and she was glad to see that he did not; though the renewal of his addresses did follow rather quickly. Yet, she could not help but suspect that he viewed her acceptance as a foregone conclusion, that this proposal was a mere formality. When she glanced at him, she could see uncertainty and anxiety in his countenance. At length, when she still did not speak, he said, "Perhaps it is too soon. If you are not inclined to say yes, then please do not say no. I will ask again."

She was aware of what it was that continued to concern her, and she was eager to discuss it openly. "It is not merely a matter of my own inclination, Mr. Wickham. I have learned things about you that are difficult to reconcile. What should I want with a drinker and a gambler for a husband? We would have a meager income as it is, without you gambling it away."

Wickham was more hurt that she would hold so low an opinion of him based on one night's activities, than he was angry at her accusations. But he understood the importance of maintaining his composure. She had just forgiven his grievous past conduct, rather easily, he would not now jeopardize their fragile intimacy. He took a deep breath and said, "I understand your concern. But I would wish you to know that I am neither a drinker nor a gambler. As I said, I was very aggrieved that night. I understand that it is no excuse and that such conduct is certainly not the most advantageous way for one to respond to grief, but it is not my habit to behave thus. I do not drink excessively. And, although I enjoy playing cards, I have never lost more than I could afford. Up until now, I have had only to think of myself, and the consequences of my actions have been felt by me alone. When I have a family to provide for, I will not act adverse to their interests. I will not fail to meet my responsibilities to them. I know that I do not deserve to ask you to have faith in me, after I showed such little faith in you, but I will be a worthy husband."

"I have already forgiven you your lack of faith, so it would not do for me to hold it against you now," she said quickly. Then she pondered his words further and added, "I suppose if you had someone to turn to for solace in times of grief, you would not have to resort to such other sources."

He smiled, "if that someone is you, then I agree completely. But I can assure you, that even if I did resort to drinking and gambling, I would never do so irresponsibly, and I never have." Then, he touched her chin gently and asked, "do you still love me?"

She averted her eyes momentarily, before returning them again to his and saying, "yes, I do."

He swept her up in his arms for a moment, as pure joy rushed through him. After a moment he pulled back from her again and said, "I can wait forever as long as I know that you love me; but I confess, I would rather not. If it is too soon, just say the word and I will ask again in a few weeks."

"No, it is not too soon. I will agree to marry you." He swept her into his embrace again and she added in a teasing tone, "but I believe we should announce it with all haste, before we have another quarrel."

"I have no wish to quarrel with you again."

"Nor do I, but it is inevitable."

"Perhaps, but I am in no hurry, and surely you do not believe that another quarrel would jeopardize our engagement again."

"No. Of course not."

He smiled, then placed several gentle kisses on her lips before saying, "My Charlotte, you have made me a very happy man." Further conversation was foreclosed by their pursuit of more pleasant activities.

Some time later, they desisted such pleasantries and resumed their walk towards Lucas Lodge. Wickham took the opportunity to ask her, "how did you know about the manner in which I spent the evening before I left for London?"

"Peggy told me."

"Peggy?"

"The serving girl, at the inn. She is a niece of Mrs. Martin, our housekeeper. When she saw me in town this morning, she stopped me to ask that I take a note to her aunt. Then, she began to tell me about a young gentlemen who had stopped at the inn last week who was in an ill-humor. She told me of his drinking far too much and playing at cards, but said that he could not seem to forget his melancholy. When she asked him about his troubles, he told her that he had hurt the woman he loved and despaired of any possible way to make amends."

The memory of the conversation suddenly came back to Wickham as Charlotte recounted it. He had not given Peggy any details, but after declining her offer, as he counted out the coins required to pay her for his ale, he had told her something of his misery. She had listened kindly and wished him well, before he made his way out of the inn. He did not tell Charlotte the extent to which she had been willing to console him, for he would not be the means of damaging the girl's reputation, or Charlotte's good opinion of her.

Charlotte continued, "when she looked up and saw you approach, she must have been embarrassed, for she said, 'that's him now,' then took her leave and went inside rather abruptly. Though I was curious, I thought it would appear impolite to turn and look to see of whom she had been speaking, so I was very surprised when I heard your voice."

"I could tell that you were, but did you not know that I would be returning today?"

"Yes, and I confess that I was a bit anxious that I might run into you if I went to Meryton, but my mother's errand could not wait."

"I was on my way to call on you at Lucas Lodge anyhow."

"Well I am glad we met as we did and had this chance to talk."

"As am I," he replied with a meaningful smile.

When they arrived at Lucas Lodge, Wickham obtained Sir William's consent with alacrity. Charlotte's family could not have been more pleased, and Lady Lucas immediately made plans to host a dinner two nights hence to make a formal announcement. Wickham stayed to dinner and returned to his quarters very late, and very happy.

The following morning, Wickham called upon his friends at Netherfield very early, while the household was still at breakfast. He did not notice Miss Bingley's blush when he entered the room, nor her coy smile when she greeted him. She had not been able to stop thinking of him since yesterday, and seeing him again only stirred her admiration further. He was extremely handsome, as well as charming and witty. She liked him very well, perhaps even better than Darcy, if only the person were considered, but Darcy had the fortune and position she wanted and, of course, he was more refined and fashionable. She could not stray from her purpose, so she made every attempt to dismiss Mr. Wickham from her mind.

Darcy could immediately discern from his friend's countenance that he must have reconciled with Miss Lucas. After breakfast, Bingley announced his intention of calling at Longbourn. Darcy knew that his sister was eager to meet Elizabeth, and he was equally as eager to make the introduction. Wickham was invited to join the party, and Caroline and Mrs. Hurst reluctantly agreed to join the visit as well. While the ladies prepared to go out, Darcy, in the hopes of finding a moment to speak to his friend, walked out with Wickham to await the carriage. When they were alone he asked him, "have you had the opportunity to speak to Miss Lucas since your return?"

"Yes, I spoke to her yesterday. We have made peace and reconciled. Our engagement was reinstated, and her parents have approved of it."

"I suspected that was the case by your good humor today."

"Yes, well, now that my own unhappy situation has been resolved, I have been more at leisure to think about you."

"Oh? And dare I ask what you have been thinking about me?"

"I only recently realized that last week, when I told you that I suspected you admired Miss Elizabeth Bennet, you did not react. You were not angry or even surprised."

"And because I failed to respond, you believe there must be some truth to your suspicion."

"I told you from the beginning that I believed you two would be well suited."

"So you did, but why do you think so?"

"She has a lively, playful nature and a generous heart. I believe these attributes would complement your tendency to be too serious. Her liveliness would temper your reticence, her playfulness would temper your gravity, and her sweetness ought to have prevented you from resisting. But I must have underestimated your conviction in the objections you voiced with respect to a match between Mr. Bingley and Miss Bennet, and the measure of greater consideration you have given them in your own case."

"But in your well intentioned designs for my happiness, you have said nothing of affection on either side. Is that not a necessary element? In fact, without it there would be no need for me to even consider the objections you just mentioned."

"Yes, but it has been evident to me ever since November that you admire her. In fact, I believe that you are in love with her. And, I can keep silent no longer, Darcy, you must do something about it. To be sure, the two of you did not get off to a good start. She certainly disliked you when I met her. But she has warmed to you significantly, and I truly feel that if she could really know you, she could love you."

Darcy grew serious. "I cannot credit that you have known of my feelings for so long. I thought I had been more guarded early on."

"I knew almost immediately upon meeting with you here in Hertfordshire. Darcy, no one knows you as well as I do. It was obvious to me. But I do not think anyone else could perceive it. You are very good at hiding your feelings"

"I believe Miss Bennet realized it as well, though not as soon" said Darcy with a reproachful glance to his friend.

"Yes, well she is very observant," he said ruefully. Then more seriously he continued, "Darcy, now that you have, at least, acknowledged that you are in love with Miss Elizabeth, I beg you not to sacrifice your happiness for your objections. They are valid considerations but they mean nothing in comparison to a life with the woman you love. Can you imagine how you would feel if you married someone you deemed more suitable? You would regret your choice for the rest of your life my friend, and she will marry someone else. Consider my own situation, my best opportunity of improving my position would have been through marriage, while you, on the other hand, have no need to improve yours. You are an independent man of fortune and consequence, and you can do as you please. I had far more to gain by making a favorable match than you do, but I have chosen to marry for love rather than fortune, without question. I can only hope that you will do the same."

Wickham's concern for Darcy was so earnest, that Darcy could keep his friend in suspense no longer. "I intend to. Miss Elizabeth will not be marrying anyone else, at least not while I draw breath."

"Then you will propose to her?"

"I already have, and she has accepted me."

Wickham was all astonishment. He congratulated Darcy and asked him when and how his engagement had come about. Darcy answered his questions, and when Wickham was satisfied, he reproached Darcy for allowing him to go on as he had. Darcy then explained that his engagement had not yet been sanctioned by Elizabeth's parents or been made generally known. Wickham wondered at this and when he learned the reason for their secrecy, he was all the more happy to learn that Darcy intended to rectify the situation very soon.

Bingley joined the other gentlemen just as Wickham was concluding his speech with more expressions of congratulations to Darcy, and insisted on knowing the cause for it. He was, of course, made privy to the information. Though Bingley was surprised, he was also very happy for his friend and could not help smiling to himself as he acknowledged that Jane had been right about Darcy's feelings after all. Wickham also shared his own good news with Bingley, who then remembered that he had just received an invitation to dine at Lucas Lodge the following evening. Wickham confirmed that the dinner was being held to make a formal announcement of his engagement to Miss Lucas.

Charlotte, who also wished to share her good news this morning, had gone to Longbourn to personally extend an invitation to dinner the following evening to the Bennet family and to visit with her friends. Mrs. Bennet's nerves could scarcely contend with the idea that the Lucases should have two large dinner parties so close together in time, while she had not even hosted one in the interim. Thus, she immediately began planning her own, much larger gathering, for a few days later, while Charlotte, Elizabeth, and Jane walked into the garden, leaving her to the ministrations of her middle daughter, as Lydia and Kitty had already departed for Meryton to visit with their aunt Phillips.

Once they were outdoors, Elizabeth said to Charlotte, "I am glad to see that you seem to be in better spirits than you have been of late. I wonder whether it has anything to do with the return of a certain gentleman to the neighborhood, yesterday."

Charlotte confirmed that it did and quickly gave her friends to know that the engagement had been renewed and her father's permission granted. Elizabeth and Jane expressed their delight for her and offered their best wishes for her future happiness. When their raptures were concluded, their conversation naturally turned to the subject that had caused such discord between Charlotte and Wickham and Jane quickly explained that she had, indeed, drawn her own conclusions as to the direction of Mr. Darcy's inclinations. Charlotte then said, "but I wonder if there is anything to it Lizzy, do you think he is in love with you?"

Looking guilty, Elizabeth replied, "I know he is, he told me so when he proposed. We are engaged."

The other two women were astonished by the news and too happy for Elizabeth to be offended that they had not been told sooner. When she explained the reasons she and Darcy had decided not to tell them, they were both sorry that their own situations had prevented Elizabeth from sharing her good news. Soon all was forgotten except for their collective joy, and the talk turned to wedding plans.

The three ladies were thus engaged when they were summoned from the garden by a servant with news that visitors had just arrived from Netherfield. When the three ladies entered the room, the faces of the three gentlemen lit up. After greeting everyone, Elizabeth immediately sat down next to Georgiana, much to the satisfaction of the latter's brother.

Darcy looked on contentedly as Elizabeth drew Georgiana into a conversation. Elizabeth could easily perceive from this exchange, that Georgiana was very shy.

"I am so happy to finally meet you, Miss Darcy."

"And I you," said Georgiana meaningfully.

"I understand that you are a very accomplished young lady. Miss Bingley has spoken very highly of your performance on the pianoforte."

Georgiana blushed, and said, "thank you," then meekly, she added in almost a whisper, "I understand that you also play."

"Yes, but not very well. I do not practice as I should."

"I am sure you are too modest. My brother has told me that he takes great pleasure in hearing you play."

"Perhaps he does, but it does not necessarily follow that I play well."

Georgiana smiled at the implication that her brother would be biased by his feelings for Elizabeth.

It was obvious that Georgiana did not intend to speak so Elizabeth asked her, "how do you like living in London?"

"I prefer Pemberley."

Elizabeth was delighted with this response. "I must profess a preference for the country as well. Do you go to Pemberley often?"

"Only during the summers. Although last summer I spent some time at Ramsgate as well."

"Oh? I have never visited the seaside, how did you find it?"

"I liked it very well, thank you."

At that moment, the two girls were interrupted by Jane who, together with Charlotte, Bingley and Wickham, had formulated a scheme to walk outdoors. She asked whether Elizabeth and Georgiana cared to join them. The two girls joined the party, as did Mr. Darcy. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst had just turned down Jane's request that they join the party, and now found that they would be left in the exclusive company of Mary and Mrs. Bennet.

Once outdoors, Georgiana spent a few minutes becoming better acquainted with Charlotte, as she had been seated too far away from her for conversation when they were indoors. As the other five talked amiably together, Darcy drew Elizabeth away from the crowd for a moment.

"Your sister is delightful, though she seems quite shy," said Elizabeth as soon as they were out of the hearing of the others.

"I am glad you like her, I can see that she likes you as well. And I hope that your influence will help her become less shy." Then, after a pause he said, "Elizabeth, I must confess something to you. I hope you will not be angry."

She became a bit apprehensive, "what is it?"

"I told Wickham and Bingley about our engagement, this morning."

She smiled, "is that all? Of course I am not angry. In fact, I told Jane and Charlotte this morning as well. I felt terribly guilty about keeping it from Jane in particular, for so long."

"Shall I speak to your father before the news spreads any further?"

"Do you mean you wish to speak to him now?"

"If that is agreeable to you."

"Certainly, but I will tell my mother myself, once you all have gone."

He smiled, and then giving a quick bow said, "wish me luck then."

"Good luck, though you shall not need it, I am sure he can have no objection" she replied.

With that he turned towards the house and Elizabeth returned to the others. When Georgiana asked why her brother was walking towards the house, Elizabeth blushed and said quietly, "he has some business with my father." The others were kind enough not to remark on the probable nature of Darcy's business with Mr. Bennet.

Elizabeth then began walking with Georgiana, showing her the various garden paths, while the other four remained together talking. Soon, Darcy returned from his errand, with a smile gracing his handsome features. Georgiana pretended to study a curious flowering bush by the side of the path while Elizabeth asked him, "I suppose it went well?"

"Yes. He wishes to see you."

Elizabeth went immediately to her father, and Darcy took her place by his sister's side.

When she entered the library, Mr. Bennet asked Elizabeth to sit down. "I have just been approached by Mr. Darcy, for your hand in marriage. He claimed that you have accepted him. I assume this is the case."

"Yes Papa."

"I am convinced that he is quite in love with you, but I was under the impression that you found him disagreeable."

"I did, when I first knew him, but it has been some time since my feelings for him have begun to change. I am now convinced that he is the best of men."

"And, does your change of heart have anything to do with his fortune? He is rich to be sure, but I hope you are not supposing that his money will make you happy."

"No indeed, Papa. I care not for his fortune," said Elizabeth with feeling. "If you have no other objection than your belief in my indifference, then let me assure you that I love him."

"If that is how you feel, then you have my consent. I have already given it to him. But let me advise you to give the matter some more thought. I know your disposition, Lizzy, I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable unless you truly esteemed your husband. Your lively talents would place you in the greatest danger in an unequal marriage. You could scarcely escape discredit and misery. My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life."

"I do respect and esteem him, Papa. Please believe me when I tell you that he is the kindest, most generous man. I mistook his reserved nature for disagreeableness before, but I know now that he is very amiable. If only you could get to know him better you would see that he is sensible and clever, and that he has good judgment. He is a good brother and takes excellent care of Miss Darcy, and he has been a good friend to both Mr. Bingley and Mr. Wickham. He will take good care of me as well."

"Well, my dear, I have no more to say. If this be the case, he deserves you. I could not have parted with you, my Lizzy, to anyone less worthy."

Elizabeth was happy that she had finally satisfied her father's concerns. Then she said, "I wish to tell Mama myself, alone, for I anticipate that her reaction will be . . . effusive."

"Very well then, I will not say anything to her or your sisters."

"Thank you, Papa," she said, and bestowing a kiss on his cheek, she left the room.

When Elizabeth returned to the garden, Darcy could see that she was satisfied with the interview. As she joined the others, she learned that Charlotte and Wickham planned to walk back to Lucas Lodge, and Jane and Bingley, feeling that they had left his sisters indoors with Mrs. Bennet too long, had decided to return to the house.

Before taking leave, Charlotte turned to Georgiana, "would you like to come with us, Miss Darcy, and meet my sister, Maria? She is close to your age, and I know she would enjoy meeting you."

Miss Darcy looked at her brother who said, "you may go, if you wish it."

She beamed at him and then said to Charlotte, "thank you, Miss Lucas, I would like that very much."

"I will fetch you from there in an hour," said Darcy.

Thus, Wickham offered his other arm to Georgiana and the three set off for Lucas Lodge. Bingley and Jane then turned back towards Longbourn house, but when Elizabeth made to follow them, Darcy took hold of her hand to stop her.

She gave him an arch look and said, "yes, Mr. Darcy?"

They were well outside the view from the house, so he gently drew her to him as they watched Jane and Bingley continue down the path. When they were out of sight, Darcy gently kissed her lips and whispered, "I just wanted to tell you that I love you, Elizabeth."

She smiled up at him as she lifted her hand to caress his cheek, and replied, "and I love you, Fitzwilliam." He kissed her again, and then she said, "shall we return to the house?"

He offered his arm in assent and they began walking together. "I hope your talk with your father went well."

"It was a bit trying. He was concerned that I do not feel . . . that I might be indifferent towards you. That I only accepted you because . . . ." She could not finish the sentence, but she could see that he understood. "Well, I was able to convince him otherwise and he has accepted it. I believe in time, as he sees us together, he will realize my true feelings and he will be better reconciled to our engagement. I hope that as he becomes better acquainted with you he may even come to rejoice in it."

"I will do everything I can to forward my acquaintance with him."

"Thank you."

They soon entered the house and returned to the drawing room, where the others were assembled. Miss Bingley eyed them suspiciously when they entered the room, but said nothing. She was very absorbed in sorting out all the information she had just learned. Mr. Wickham had gone to Lucas Lodge with Miss Lucas and Georgiana, and Mr. Darcy had remained outside for a moment with Miss Elizabeth.

Although she did not consider Mr. Wickham worth her time, she spent quite a bit of it thinking about him. Miss Lucas was so plain, and Miss Bingley had been certain that Wickham admired her, and that he would fall in love with her. The fact that she had no intention of accepting him did not evoke any feelings in her of hope that he might not fall in love with her, so that his heart would not be broken. Instead she was indignant that he might prefer the company of Miss Lucas, who had nothing to recommend herself, no beauty, no fortune, no fashion, no breeding. It was unthinkable. But Jane had mentioned that Miss Darcy expressed a wish to meet Miss Maria. Perhaps Wickham was just accompanying her to be polite, although she could hardly conceive why Georgiana should be consorting with such people. And, if Wickham had only gone to accompany Georgiana, then, why did he go instead of Darcy?

This thought, of course brought on the even more distressing consideration of why Mr. Darcy would have stayed outdoors with Miss Elizabeth. This was more easily reconciled in her mind, as she was certain that Miss Elizabeth was attempting to ensnare Darcy with her arts. She was equally certain in that gentleman's conviction of what type of woman he should marry, although his acquiescence to her brother's choice had been a bit disconcerting, and she decided not to be concerned. Certainly he would know how to effectively rebuff her thinly veiled attempts to gain his favor. Her suspicions were confirmed when she noted how soon they followed after Jane and her brother's return. Clearly, whatever Miss Elizabeth had planned, she did not succeed in detaining Darcy for very long.

As Miss Bingley and her sister were eager to be gone, they announced their departure soon after Darcy's return. It was too early to stop for Georgiana, so Darcy returned to Netherfield with the others and then went to Lucas Lodge to collect his sister. He also offered Mr. Wickham a ride back to Meryton.

In the carriage, Darcy asked his sister about her time with Miss Lucas and Miss Maria, and she told him that she had enjoyed her visit very much. Then she said, "I enjoyed meeting both your Elizabeth," looking at Darcy, "and your Charlotte," looking at Wickham, "very much today. They are both lovely women and I look forward to getting to know them better. I am especially glad that you will be marrying women who are such good friends. I am so pleased for both of you. You deserve such happiness." Then looking at Wickham again she said, "and I am glad that you were able to make amends with Miss Lucas."

Darcy said, "you knew of his quarrel with her?"

"He told me all about it when he called on me in London."

"Georgiana helped me to see things more clearly, Darcy. She has great wisdom and insight," said Wickham. Georgiana beamed at his praise. Then, in a teasing tone he added, "those novels she has been reading have really improved her understanding."

Georgiana's expression changed from one of delight to alarm, "you have been reading novels?" asked her brother in a serious tone.

"Yes," she said quietly, "but only a few, and they are all approved by Mrs. Annesley."

"Why did you not tell me?"

"I did not purposely conceal it from you. I simply never talked about them with you because I knew they would not be of any interest to you."

"Anything that you are doing is of interest to me, my dear."

"Then you do not mind me reading novels?"

"Not at all."

Georgiana was delighted, "Oh, I am so glad. I have recently begun reading one about a young girl from a poor family who has gone to live with her wealthy relations. It is very good so far. At first I believed she was going to marry one of her cousins, but now there is a new gentlemen who likes her, and her cousin likes his sister. I have read another by the same authoress, and I enjoyed it a great deal. It was a love story, or, I should say, two love stories, about a pair of sisters. I believe this one will turn out to be just as delightful."

Both gentlemen listened indulgently as Georgiana spent the remainder of their short journey describing the novel she was currently reading.

The following morning, after breakfast, Mr. Bennet asked his second daughter to join him in the library. "Lizzy," he began, "it appears to me, from your mother's subdued manner at breakfast, that you have not yet shared your good news with her. It was my understanding that you would do so last night."

"Yes, sir, that was my intention, until I remembered that the Lucases will be announcing Charlotte's engagement to Mr. Wickham at dinner tonight. I believe that if Mama knows of my engagement, she will not be able to prevent herself from mentioning it. I would not wish to inhibit Charlotte and Mr. Wickham's enjoyment of the attention that should be theirs this evening. I will tell her as soon as we return from Lucas Lodge, tonight."

"Very well, Lizzy, your reasoning is sound, and we shall have one more day of peace around here."

Except for Mr. Wickham, the Bennets were the first guests to arrive at Lucas Lodge for dinner that evening. When the Netherfield party arrived, Darcy immediately discerned from Elizabeth's demeanor that his engagement was not yet publicly known, though he did not understand why.

As greetings were exchanged, Elizabeth was surprised to note Miss Bingley's heightened color when she was addressed by Mr. Wickham. She immediately looked at the gentleman, and was relieved to see that he did not seem to notice. Indeed, he seemed to have eyes only for Charlotte.

As for Miss Bingley, she had spent a good part of the previous night sorting out her feelings and was now tolerably well acquainted with them in regards to both gentlemen. She had never fooled herself into a belief that she felt any true affection for Darcy. Luckily (or unluckily as the case may be), however, she had never been a believer in marriage for reasons of affection. She had pursued Darcy solely because of his position in society and his fortune, and because his connection with her brother had afforded her the opportunity to cultivate an intimacy with him that she did not have with any of the other wealthy gentleman of her acquaintance.

Upon reviewing her feelings for Mr. Wickham, however, she began to consider whether a realignment of her beliefs was in order. She could not deny that she liked him very well. Nor could she deny that she could easily have fallen in love with him had he been in possession of a greater fortune. She could not forget his attention to her early in their acquaintance, and she began to feel that with her considerable charms it would not be difficult to bring on a renewal of them. His attentions to Miss Lucas warranted a momentary pause, but she brushed them off as being of no more concern than Darcy's infatuation with Miss Eliza. Just as Darcy would never consider marriage to someone with Miss Eliza's lack of fortune or connections, not to mention her family, Wickham would not give up his only opportunity to elevate his own position in life by marrying a woman of no fortune. Being on intimate terms with a family of such wealth and consequence as the Darcys would only have given Mr. Wickham a keener understanding of the importance of marrying for fortune. Miss Lucas had so little to recommend her and was considered by Miss Bingley as so inferior to herself in every aspect that very little thought was expended by her on the subject. As Miss Bingley considered it further, she knew that her own fortune must be sufficiently attractive to a man such as Wickham to induce him to propose. The attentions he had shown her early in their acquaintance, before ever learning of her fortune, only gave her further confidence in her ability to bring on such a proposal.

Her dilemma was whether or not she would be inclined to accept him. At first, her answer to that consideration had been absolutely negative. However, further consideration had caused her to question her earlier conviction. Her fortune was certainly sufficient to afford them a comfortable lifestyle, though not quite as comfortable as she would wish. Yet, if she could be with this man, the man she could love, would it be worthwhile? She imagined their life together. She would always have the upper hand because of the elevation in his position that marriage to her would afford him. He would, of course, always admire and adore her. He was probably, at this very moment, laboring under the anxious apprehension that she was so superior to him that he could never hope to gain her favor. It was really quite endearing. She imagined how pleased and grateful he would be to know that she would condescend to bestow her hand upon him. He would live to please her and to continually show his appreciation of his good fortune in having won her for all the days of their life together. Indeed, Miss Bingley was letting her fancy run away with her.

To a woman who has been bending her efforts strenuously for some time to the goal of pleasing a particular man in the hope of winning his favor, the idea of a possible reversal of her role, that she might be the object of a man's desire and efforts to please her, was quite appealing, particularly if that man had all the charms possessed by Mr. Wickham. Miss Bingley had never been one to get carried away by fanciful romantic ideas, but the thought of domestic bliss with Mr. Wickham at her side was becoming increasingly pleasing. That he was so far beneath her was her only impediment. Surely there were those who would call his intentions mercenary, but she liked the thought of his obvious admiration convincing them otherwise. The idea of her being responsible for his elevation in society, and of dazzling her friends with his good looks and charm certainly had its appeal as well. Thus, when she met him at Lucas Lodge, she blushed with the recollection of her musings from the evening before. She could not account for the fact that he was able to discompose her so thoroughly with but a glance, but the sensation was not altogether unpleasant. As much as Miss Bingley's fancy, and perhaps her vanity, may have led her to believe that Mr. Wickham's thoughts were similarly bent, he was, in fact, quite oblivious to her admiration and her flirtatious overtures.

Soon after greetings were exchanged between the Netherfield party and the Bennets and the Lucases, the other guests began to arrive. After some time was spent greeting and speaking to the various other guests, Darcy took the opportunity to draw Elizabeth aside for a private word. "I can see that our engagement still has not become generally known."

"No, I have not yet told my mother. Charlotte's engagement is to be announced after dinner, and I believe that is enough good news to celebrate for one evening."

Darcy revealed an amused smile and simply said, "I see." Then he said, "have I told you how lovely you look this evening, Miss Bennet?"

"No, you have not," she said playfully.

Just then the party was called into dinner. Being already next to her, Darcy offered Elizabeth his arm to escort her into the dining room and said, "then you will have to remind me to tell you later."

"Sir," said she indignantly, "if you cannot remember to do so yourself, then I have no desire to hear your compliments."

"Ah, madame, but it is your radiant beauty that causes me to forget all else."

"Then it is lucky that your intended compliments happen to be on that very subject, and will, therefore, by your own reasoning, not be forgotten by you at all."

He had nothing to say in response. Once again, she had gotten the better of him. He simply smiled and pulled out her chair for her.

The dinner passed pleasantly and without incident. When the gentlemen rejoined the ladies for tea, Sir William announced the engagement of his daughter Charlotte, to Mr. Wickham. Miss Bingley had been talking to Georgiana when the announcement was made, and suddenly turned pale when she heard the name of the intended groom. Georgiana, who was extremely happy on the occasion, had been looking towards the bride and groom. When she turned back to her friend, she could see that Miss Bingley was unwell. "Miss Bingley," she said worriedly, "are you well? Come," she said leading her to the sofa, "sit down."

Everyone had begun to express their congratulations to the newly engaged couple, allowing the activities of the two ladies to go unnoticed, by most. Elizabeth however, did notice, and recollected Miss Bingley's reaction to meeting with Wickham earlier in the evening. She began to consider the possibility that Miss Bingley might like Mr. Wickham. The idea seemed close to ridiculous, but yet, the evidence was before her.

Meanwhile, Miss Darcy was attempting to ascertain what could be the matter with Miss Bingley, and to do her best to comfort her. "Is there something I can get for you?" she asked, "would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes, please," said Miss Bingley, hoping that she could have a moment to collect herself, while Georgiana went for the tea. She had much to think about. She had spent the past two days reflecting on the possibility of a future with Mr. Wickham, anticipating their happiness together, and revising her entire manner of thinking towards the institution of marriage in order to accommodate her inexplicable feelings for him. She had been on the verge of giving up all of her previous hopes and ambitions for him. To now learn that he had long since chosen another, one who was inferior to her in every way, was a heavy blow. To realize that her blossoming tender feelings were not returned, and never would be, was even more painful. And she could not help but wonder, for the briefest, most fleeting moment, whether things might have turned out differently had she been more encouraging to him in the very beginning of their acquaintance. Luckily, her fanciful jaunt into the realm of romance had been so brief that she was quickly able to recall her previous aversion to such nonsensical notions. She grasped upon her recently abandoned mercenary attitude with a conviction that, if it did not soothe her aching heart, at least numbed it to its prior chill.

What a fool she had been to ever consider such nonsense as love. What a fool was Mr. Wickham to be so blinded by silly romantic ideas that he would make such an imprudent choice. This is what comes of casting off one's reason in favor of passion, she reasoned. Such choices invariably result in disappointment and foolishness. But she was glad for his folly, as it had prevented hers. She felt fortunate to have been saved from the consequences of treading the wayward course she had been about to embark upon. She welcomed the return of her old opinions to her sensibility as a comfortable friend; and with them returned her old resolution: she would marry Mr. Darcy. She wondered now, how she could ever have allowed herself to stray from the course to her only possible destiny. Mr. Darcy's opinions on the subject of marriage, she knew, were in accord with hers. He would choose for the proper reasons, and she renewed her determination to make sure that he would choose her. She was happy again, her confusion was gone, her prospects were restored, and the order of her life resumed the normalcy and balance she had enjoyed prior to being catapulted, as a result of nearly succumbing to the false hopes of chimerical folly, into a tumultuous and uncertain milieu of emotion that had, however briefly, wreaked havoc in her otherwise dispassionate existence. Her renewal of her old ways failed to take into account that she had been equally certain that Wickham would not marry Charlotte Lucas as she was that Darcy would not marry Elizabeth Bennet, and the former was indeed to occur.

By the time Miss Darcy returned with her tea, Miss Bingley was the picture of placidity. She sipped her tea quickly, as if to fortify herself for the required well-wishing that was to follow, and then joined her friend in congratulating the happy couple. The two ladies then walked back to the sofa together as Miss Darcy expressed her happiness with the match. She could see that Mr. Wickham was truly happy with Miss Lucas and she predicted that their marriage would be a felicitous one. Miss Bingley agreed that they both seemed very pleased, and that they were well matched in situation.

Mrs. Bennet was the only other person in the room who was not pleased by the announcement. She felt that Miss Lucas had positively stolen Wickham away from her daughters, and she was rather indignant about the entire situation. She joined her husband in wishing the couple well, but made her displeasure with the match quite evident for the remainder of the evening.

At this time, Sir William suggested that the happy news be celebrated with dancing, and Mary was asked to provide music for that purpose. Wickham and Charlotte led the way to the dance floor, smiling, and were followed by Bingley and Jane. Darcy and Elizabeth had been separated during the bustle that had followed the announcement, and he now began to move towards her to claim her hand for a dance. He was forestalled however, by watching another young man claim the honor, and he exchanged a brief smiling glance with her as she was being led away.

As if to confirm the renewal of her resolution, Miss Bingley approached Darcy, intending to take the opportunity to solicit his agreement on the unpleasantness of such a manner of passing the evening. She noted, upon arriving at his side, that he was watching the dancing, and she surmised that he must be observing his friend and reflecting on his poor choice of bride. (Apparently any lesson Miss Bingley's prior experience had taught her about the dangers of conjecturing as to the nature of Darcy's thoughts had been forgotten.)

"I am surprised by your friend's choice," she began, "it is certainly not an unequal match, but I had thought he might find a more eligible bride."

"They are very happy together," he replied evenly.

"Yes, so it would seem," she said, with a hint of bitterness, that was luckily unnoticed by her companion, who was usually more perceptive but was presently a bit distracted. He was not inclined to respond so she added, "I should have known an evening in this house would include dancing. But really, we could not expect better from such people. I had almost forgotten, while spending time in the superior society found in town, how dull the company and how tedious the entertainment are in this neighborhood. Charles has chosen his lot, but I am glad that my own future is not so bleak. I would not wish to spend many such evenings."

Just then, Sir William approached them, "ah, Mr. Darcy, Miss Bingley, why are you not dancing? You both dance so well, you must give me the pleasure of seeing you partake of the amusement together."

Before Miss Bingley could give her hearty assent to a dance with Darcy, the gentleman himself said, "I would be happy to oblige you, Sir William. Unfortunately, however, Miss Bingley was only just now communicating to me her disinclination towards any dancing this evening." Darcy knew from experience that Sir William would persist in his object by attempting to change the lady's mind, so he continued, "and sir, allow me to congratulate you on the engagement of your daughter. I have never seen Mr. Wickham happier, and I know he will make her a good husband."

Miss Bingley rolled her eyes.

"Thank you, Mr. Darcy," replied Sir William, "we are all very pleased that she has made a match that will bring her so much happiness." They turned together and glanced at the couples dancing, then Sir William continued, "it is such a pleasure to see so many young ladies on the verge of marriage. To think that not only my own dear Charlotte, but Miss Mary and Miss Bennet as well will soon be happily settled, warms my heart. Now, we need only find a husband for Miss Elizabeth."

Darcy smiled and looked away as he said, "I think she will have no trouble finding one on her own, sir."

Miss Bingley was surprised by Darcy's statement. She would not have expected him to give voice to his inexplicable and fleeting admiration for Miss Eliza, particularly to a man such as Sir William who was as eager a matchmaker as most matriarchs.

"Indeed she will not. It will take quite a man to win her heart, though, I fear. But what a prize it would be," observed Sir William.

"Indeed," said Darcy, trying to conceal his emotion.

Miss Darcy, who had been talking to Mrs. Hurst since Miss Bingley had left her company in favor of her brother's, now joined the group. The four remained talking pleasantly together until Sir William moved on to concern himself in the affairs of some of his other neighbors. Darcy watched his sister as she gazed at the dancing. She was not yet out, and he realized that she had never been to any balls and that dancing was not generally on the entertainment agenda at the family dinner parties she occasionally attended. This was the first time she had really been in company with actual dancing. He knew the circumstances of the evening, an informal dance among friends and neighbors at a dinner party, would be an ideal setting to initiate her into the proper enjoyment of mixed company. He also knew, however, that few of the gentlemen present were acquainted with his sister and that those who knew who she was might be intimidated by her rank and her association with him. Thus, he resolved to dance the next with her. He was a bit disappointed to miss dancing with Elizabeth, but he was sure there would be several more opportunities before the end of the evening.

As the music was winding down Darcy turned to his sister and said, "will you do me the honor of dancing the next with me Miss Darcy?" Miss Bingley was horrified. That Darcy would engage in dancing under such circumstances was incredible, that he would do so in front of his sister, thus indicating his tacit approval of such a method of passing the evening was incomprehensible, but that he would actually encourage her to partake was preposterous.

Georgiana grinned in response to his request, and said, "it would be my pleasure sir."

As he took her hand, they were approached by Mr. Wickham and Charlotte. The former turned to Miss Darcy and said, "madame, I would be honored if you would consent to dance with me."

Georgiana almost giggled as she said, "thank you sir, I would be very pleased to oblige you, but I am engaged for the next dance."

"Then I hope you will reserve the one following for me."

"With pleasure."

The Darcys then moved to the dance floor and Darcy sought out Elizabeth. When he finally caught her gaze he gave her an apologetic look and she returned an understanding smile. Georgiana witnessed the exchange and gasped slightly, "Brother, if you would prefer to dance with Miss Elizabeth . . . ."

"Georgiana," he gently interrupted her, "when dancing with a gentlemen, never ask him if he would prefer another. If he is dancing with you, it is because that is his choice."

"I would never say such a thing to anyone else."

"I know you would not," he replied smiling.

Wickham's first inclination, upon seeing Darcy move to the dance with Georgiana, was to ask Elizabeth, but apparently Bingley had the same notion as Elizabeth was already lining up with him. He then looked to Jane to see that her hand had been claimed by an officer. Thus, Wickham turned to Miss Bingley, as she happened to be standing right next to him, and asked, "Miss Bingley, would you do me the honor of this dance?"

Miss Bingley colored at his request, and her first impulse was to decline, but then she recalled that Darcy was under the impression that she did not wish to dance, and if she turned down Wickham she would be foreclosed from dancing with Darcy. Once Darcy saw her dancing with Wickham, he would ask her as well. She would not allow Wickham to affect her so. She was certain she could dance once with him without losing her composure, and it would serve her interests with Darcy. "I would be happy to, sir, " she replied.

Miss Bingley suffered through the dance tolerably well, though Wickham was intent on engaging her in conversation throughout, particularly on the subject of his happiness in consequence of his engagement. After it was over, Darcy brought his sister to Wickham. Miss Bingley, who was still standing next to her previous partner, waited expectantly for Darcy to solicit her hand for the next dance; but to her amazement he, instead, walked over to Elizabeth Bennet, who was still in conversation with Charles, and asked her to dance the next. She then imagined her brother would dance with her, and was regretting that she would not be able to turn him down if she still wished to dance with Darcy later, when she saw him leading Miss Lucas to the floor. She was surprised, but relieved. She did not wish to dance with anyone but Darcy.

When Elizabeth and Darcy lined up to dance he began the conversation by saying, "you look lovely this evening, Miss Bennet."

Elizabeth blushed, "thank you, sir, I am happy to see that you did not need any reminder to say so." Then she said, "how did Georgiana enjoy her dance?"

"Very much. I do believe this is actually her very first time dancing in company."

"Is it?"

"I am glad it is at such a comfortable, informal gathering, rather than a large ball. And, I am even more glad that when she does begin to attend large balls, she will have you there with her."

Elizabeth smiled, "it will be my pleasure to accompany her." She paused, then said, "I noticed you talking with Sir William, how did you enjoy his conversation? I suspect he may have been urging you to dance with Miss Bingley."

"He did, but she was not inclined to dance." Elizabeth looked surprised but said nothing. "Then we talked of you."

"Of me?"

"Yes. He observed that with the engagements of Miss Lucas, Miss Bennet and Miss Mary, he hopes you too will soon find equal happiness."

"I have," she replied.

"I am glad to hear it," Darcy said quietly. Then he added in a more serious tone, "I am most anxious for our engagement to become generally known, I dislike having to employ the arts of disguise."

"I know. I shall tell my mother this evening. I assure you, by dinner time tomorrow all of Hertfordshire will be apprized of your happiness."

"Then tomorrow I shall write to my family, as well, and inform them."

"Yes, and I must inform my aunt and uncle Gardiner."

They were quiet for some moments when suddenly Darcy asked her, "what think you of novels?"

"We have spoken of books before and you know that I read them. Why do you ask?"

"I learned that Georgiana has been reading novels."

"Do you disapprove?"

"No, I told her I did not."

"Is she neglecting her other reading?"

"Not at all."

"Then I can see no harm in it. I believe it may actually do her good."

"She has been reading love stories."

Elizabeth smiled, "does this concern you?"

"I only fear that she may gain an unrealistic understanding of the matter." He paused for a moment while the dance separated them, and Elizabeth remained silent. "I was hoping you might speak to her about what she has been reading. She has Mrs. Annesley, but I would feel better if you would talk to her, though I do not wish to impose upon you."

Elizabeth was touched by his request, "I will happily talk to her about it, and I am pleased that you asked me. It is no imposition."

"Thank you."

They continued talking pleasantly for the remainder of the dance, and when it was over, Miss Bingley, once again, expected that Darcy would now seek to dance with her. Instead, he lingered in conversation with Miss Elizabeth for a few moments, during which time they were joined by Georgiana, who had been delivered to her brother's side by Mr. Wickham before claiming Jane's hand for the next dance. Miss Bingley approached the group as well, just as Mr. Darcy was walking away. The three ladies were thus left standing together, and Georgiana was considering that perhaps she ought to relieve Mary at the instrument and wondering how she could manage it without having the appearance of merely wishing to display her talents, when a young man approached them, greeted Elizabeth and was duly introduced to Georgiana, whom he rapidly appealed to for the next dance. Miss Bingley was mortified by the occurrence, and was just contemplating that this was the result of allowing Miss Darcy to dance at all when she was amazed to see Georgiana look to Elizabeth with a questioning glance.

For Georgiana, dancing with her brother and his best friend, whom she had known her whole life, was not terribly unsettling, but this was a complete stranger. Thus she looked to Elizabeth, who gave her an approving and encouraging smile, and she accepted the gentleman's offer quietly. She was walking away with him just as Mr. Darcy returned with two glasses of wine. She glanced at him as she moved to line up for the dance, but he did not show any sign of disapproval.

Miss Bingley was amazed by what had just passed. Georgiana had been asked to dance, though she was not yet out, by a young man unworthy of her in every way, and she had turned to Elizabeth to seek approval, which had been readily granted with but a glance, a rather presumptuous display by Elizabeth. And Darcy did not appear concerned by any of it. When he returned to the ladies he handed Elizabeth one of the glasses of wine he carried and then offered the other, which had been intended for Georgiana, to Miss Bingley.

"I believe Miss Darcy is having an enjoyable time," said Elizabeth.

"Yes, she does appear to be pleased with the way the evening is turning out."

"I dare say she was rather surprised by Mr. Goulding's request to dance with her."

They continued talking thus about his sister, until the dance ended. Georgiana enjoyed her dance with Mr. Goulding a great deal. After it was over, she noticed that Miss Bingley was still standing near her brother and Elizabeth. She knew they could not dance together again, but she hoped they would have a chance for some private conversation. Thus, she approached them and after some time was able to draw Miss Bingley away from the other two, by speaking quietly of different matters to Miss Bingley while Darcy and Elizabeth continued to converse between themselves. When they were finally alone, Darcy noticed Wickham dancing again with Charlotte and observed to his companion, "I see Wickham is enjoying the advantages of being engaged."

"Surely you do not envy him!' said Elizabeth playfully, "I know how much you dislike dancing."

"I dislike it in general, but I would welcome another opportunity to dance with you."

"You will simply have to be content with merely conversing with me, sir."

"That is no sacrifice on my part, I assure you."

Meanwhile, Georgiana and Miss Bingley had seated themselves on a nearby sofa. Georgiana, who had also noticed that Wickham and Charlotte were dancing again, observed to Miss Bingley, "do they not appear happy together?"

"To whom are you referring?" asked Miss Bingley with a start, as she had been watching Darcy and Elizabeth.

"Mr. Wickham and Miss Lucas, of course," replied Georgiana, "I regard him almost as a brother, and it pleases me to see that he has made a match of affection." Then she glanced at her brother still talking to Elizabeth, and Miss Bingley received her second blow for the evening, delivered unknowingly by her sweet, shy companion who added, "and I am especially happy that Mr. Wickham and my brother will be marrying such good friends."

Miss Bingley's immediate reaction was the thought that she and Miss Lucas were not friends. In less than the blink of an eye, however, she realized the full meaning of Georgiana's statement. She remained calm, however, thinking that perhaps something had been said or done to mislead her friend. "Oh," she said with affected indifference, "is your brother contemplating marriage?"

Georgiana then realized that Miss Bingley had not been informed of her brother's engagement, in spite of it being known by Mr. Bingley. She was, of course, aware of Miss Bingley's ambitions with respect to her brother, and she felt all the awkwardness of her current situation. The engagement was not publicly known, but she reasoned that it was extremely unlikely that Miss Bingley would share such news with anyone other than Mrs. Hurst. Thus, she deemed it better to disclose the truth, "he is engaged to Miss Elizabeth Bennet," she replied, "he obtained her father's consent yesterday."

Miss Bingley became numb, impervious to feeling the tumult of emotion that raged inside her. Anger, resentment, jealousy, disappointment, and hatred all presented themselves to her sensibilities, but she would acknowledge none of them. She maintained her capacity to reason enough to realize that if Georgiana knew the particulars of Darcy having gained Mr. Bennet's consent, then there could be no mistake as to the accuracy of the news she had just received. "I see," she whispered weakly.

This time, Georgiana was not at a loss as to the cause of Miss Bingley's discomposure, but she knew not how she could improve her friend's disposition. Georgiana was immeasurably relieved when Mrs. Hurst approached them. She quickly excused herself from the two ladies, leaving Miss Bingley to the capable ministrations of her sister, who was quickly made aware of the news of Darcy's engagement.

Georgiana immediately went to Darcy and Elizabeth. When Darcy saw her look of concern he stopped his conversation with Elizabeth, abruptly, and said, "what is it Georgiana?"

She looked around and said quietly, "I inadvertently revealed your engagement to Miss Bingley. I had not realized she was uninformed. Please forgive me."

"It is quite all right, Georgiana," said Darcy.

"Yes," added Elizabeth, "by tomorrow everyone will know."

"I am concerned for Miss Bingley, though," said Georgiana, "she was a bit out of sorts earlier this evening as well."

"Do you know what caused her discomfort earlier?" asked Elizabeth.

"No, I could not make out what could be troubling her, but I feel certain that this time her distress is a direct consequence of hearing the news of your engagement."

"Do not distress yourself, dearest," said Darcy, "I am sure she will be quite well." Then he said quietly to her, "you do realize that she never had any true affection for me?"

Although everyone knew that Miss Bingley had ambitions regarding her brother, Miss Darcy felt uncomfortable discussing the matter openly. "I am sure you are right," she replied.

As they continued talking, Miss Bingley watched from where she sat with her sister. "Look at them, they are talking about me right now."

"Perhaps they are not," said Mrs. Hurst.

"Georgiana went to them with the specific purpose of telling them of my reaction to their news. I am sure Miss Eliza is gloating at the very idea of having disappointed me."

"Caroline, perhaps we should return to Netherfield early, we could say that you have a headache."

"No, that will simply make me appear even more pathetic. I will not run away defeated. I know what I must do, Louisa." With that, Miss Bingley stood up and walked over to where Darcy and Elizabeth stood. Making no effort to speak in hushed tones, she said in a mirthful tone, "Mr. Darcy, Miss Eliza, I understand that I am to congratulate the two of you as well."

"Thank you Miss Bingley," said Elizabeth quickly, and she began to explain that her engagement was still not generally known, but it was too late, Mrs. Bennet had overheard the exchange.

"My dear Miss Bingley, why are you congratulating Lizzy and Mr. Darcy?" asked Mrs. Bennet. Then Miss Bingley experienced hope and mortification simultaneously. Perhaps the news had been erroneous. If Miss Elizabeth was engaged, surely her mother would be aware of it, but if they were not engaged, how would she explain her recent comment. Elizabeth was directing a pleading glance towards her father, while understanding dawned upon her mother. "Why, have you become engaged?" she asked just as her husband arrived at her side.

"Yes, Mrs. Bennet, Lizzy and Mr. Darcy have become engaged," he said leading her away to a quiet corner.

"Oh my, what wonderful news. She will be so rich, what clothes and jewels she will have. Oh I knew how it would be, she will be the mistress of a great estate. And you always did say she was a clever girl. But why was I not told? Oh it does not signify, I shall have three daughters married." She continued her effusions while her husband attempted to quiet her. His success was limited however, as she soon called across the room to Lady Lucas and nearly demanded to be congratulated. Miss Bingley, upon realizing what she had done, was not displeased with the result.

When Elizabeth looked to Darcy, she saw a grim expression in his countenance. There was no opportunity for talk, however, as word of their engagement spread throughout the room and they were approached by several friends wishing to confirm the rumor and congratulate them. When Sir William approached, he winked at Darcy and said, "you are very sly, sir, allowing me go on like that about finding her a husband and all the while you were keeping such a secret. Well, let me congratulate you then," he grasped Darcy's hand, "you are a lucky man and I dare say you will be carrying off the brightest jewel in the country." Darcy did not know what to say in response, but merely shook the man's hand and was relieved to see that he did not seem to expect any reply.

He was further relieved when Wickham appeared at his side, "that was a rather unorthodox way of announcing your engagement, Darcy," laughed his friend. But Darcy did not mind Wickham's familiar teasing. In fact, he found it far preferable to the feeling of being appraised by Elizabeth's neighbors as a good catch.

"We did not intend to announce it at all, actually," replied Darcy.

"Well I do not see why not," said Wickham, "I understood that you were no longer keeping it secret."

Darcy was happy to see that his conversation with Wickham was causing most of the crowd to forego addressing him with their well wishes, and to simply congratulate Elizabeth. As she did not seem at all distressed with this situation, he moved away slightly and continued his conversation. "Miss Elizabeth thought that one such announcement was quite enough for one evening, and I am beginning to agree with her."

The room soon settled again. The dancing had stopped and the instrument had been abandoned in the activity following this second announcement. Now, Lady Lucas ordered supper and had the card tables set up. The remainder of the evening was spent quite merrily with talk of weddings and engagements dominating the conversation. Mrs. Bennet was so satisfied with her second daughter's conquest that she almost felt charitable enough to give up her resentment of Wickham's choice, though he would have done quite well for Kitty or Lydia. She spoke of nothing else for the rest of the evening, to the extreme dismay and mortification of her, now most favored, daughter. Elizabeth had hoped and planned to spare Darcy from hearing just this type of vulgarity from her mother, and she winced each time she glimpsed his grim expression. She longed for an opportunity to talk to him and to apologize. Fortunately, they were placed at the same table, along with Wickham and Charlotte, for the evening. Georgiana also sat with them to observe the game. Thus, although they could still hear everything that was said in the rest of the room, at least some enjoyment was salvaged from the remainder of the evening.

Soon, the guests began to depart. As the Netherfield party bade farewell to their hosts, Elizabeth could see that Darcy continued in his sober mood. He exchanged a perfunctory goodbye with her as she stood next to her mother, and Elizabeth could not help but feel disappointed by his lack of warmth. Just as he was leaving however, she caught his gaze and his expression briefly softened into a small smile. She smiled back to him and he immediately turned away and was gone out the door.

During the carriage ride back to Netherfield, Miss Bingley was preoccupied with not showing her distress to Mr. Darcy. It was not until she reached her own rooms and had dismissed her maid that she was able to allow herself to experience the feelings that had been burdening her most of the evening. And as she did so, she found herself lamenting the loss of Mr. Wickham at least as much as Mr. Darcy. She had been disappointed on so many levels, that her mind seemed filled with a maelstrom of conflicting thoughts and feelings. She felt her self control slip away from her, and she could do naught but succumb to the contrariety of emotions that overtook her. Her heart was forced open by the sheer intensity and volume of the feelings that she had long deprived herself of experiencing, and they now flooded upon all at once, leading to a catharsis that was as violent as it was overdue. At length, she collapsed limply onto her bed and fell asleep from emotional exhaustion.

The next morning, Miss Bingley awoke to the memory of all that had befallen her the night before. Her face felt sticky, so she stood shakily and walked over to the wash basin. While she poured the water, she caught a glimpse of her face in the looking glass, and she could see the stains from tears that had fallen for so many hours the night before. She slowly washed her face, neck and shoulders, enjoying the feeling of the cool, refreshing water against her skin. Then she walked over to the window and opened it, allowing the brisk morning air to tingle against her still damp skin. She felt light and free, as she never had before, as if she had shed a burden she never knew she was carrying. Last night she had allowed herself, no she had been forced, to feel emotions she had been suppressing for as long as she could remember. She had experienced in one evening possibly the full range of feelings known to human sensibility.

She realized now that she had not allowed herself to feel anything, for the longest time. She also knew that she had done it to protect herself. Whether this was the result of the deaths of both her parents in quick succession while she was very young, or because she had allowed herself to be in love at the age of fifteen only to be disappointed and mocked by the object of her affections, or because she had been raised to believe that money and position were all that mattered and that having feelings was merely one of the disadvantages suffered by the lower classes, she could not say. But, whatever the reason, she had wrapped herself in a cold mantle of apathy that, rather than protecting her, had detached her from the world of human emotion, turning her into a callous shrew. She could see now that she had been preventing herself from experiencing a natural and necessary part of her existence. She could no more stop feeling emotion than she could stop breathing, and any attempt to resist the former must be as vain as any attempt to resist the latter. She had not been above being touched by emotion, she had merely repressed and accumulated every natural feeling that should have been expressed. And, last night all of them had come rushing forth gaining their release at last.

When her maid entered, she dressed and asked for her breakfast to be sent to her room. She had to think and sort things out before she could face the others. She drew her chair by the open window and began to consider the events that had brought her to this point. Months ago, Mr. Wickham had awakened in her the idea that she could be liked, even loved, for herself. She had never considered such a thing in the past, much less deemed it desirable. Her thoughts pertaining to men and marriage had always revolved around the ideas of fortune, fashion, connections and social status, and she had considered her own desirability on the same terms as she had considered theirs. She knew she was desirable because of her fortune, because she was fashionable, and because her family had gained a favorable social position. She had been raised to have the grace and poise of a gentlewoman, and she had mastered the common accomplishments. She laughed to herself when she realized that she took little pleasure in playing the pianoforte, and she resolved to find something that she enjoyed doing.

The idea that Mr. Wickham might like her had been entirely new to her sensibilities, and she had found that it was both pleasing and desirable. But, instead of taking pleasure in it, she had resisted it, and when she had been separated from him, she had scarcely thought of him. It was not until she saw him again, months later, that her desire to be loved had been reawakened. She had not been in love with Wickham, she barely knew him. She had been feeling the effects of a long suppressed desire to be loved, and she had looked to him to fulfill that desire because it had been he who had awakened it in her. He had found love with Miss Lucas. Miss Bingley sill could not see why, but she now realized that was because she did not really know Miss Lucas. Undoubtedly, Wickham saw something beyond the facts that she was seven and twenty, plain, and had no fortune, which was all Miss Bingley had ever seen in her.

As she pondered her situation further, Miss Bingley realized that she had soothed her disappointment in learning that Wickham did not love her after all, by re-affirming the invulnerability of her heart and returning her efforts to the conquest of the man who represented the ideal of all the considerations she had previously valued united. She had pursued Darcy based on the assumption that he was guided by the same principles as she with respect to marriage. She had never loved him, she had never even tried to love him. Love had never entered into her consideration. She had merely tried to show him that she was an ideal candidate in all of the aspects that she had previously considered important, when, apparently, he had wanted to love and be loved. When her ideal fell out of the paradigm she had constructed, disappointing her yet again, she'd had nowhere to turn. Allowing her emotions to intrude (as she thought she had done) had not worked, and excluding them completely had failed as well. She had been lost beneath layer upon layer of discarded emotion, with nothing to grasp onto that would allow her to persist in her delusion that she could go through this world without feeling. The force of unfelt emotion finally became too great, and her mantle had been shattered, last night, by its powerful emergence upon her sensibilities.

Now, she wanted to feel everything; to give expression to every emotion that affected her. She did not need protection from feeling, it was feeling that she needed. She understood that by allowing herself to feel, she would be exposing herself to the possibility of experiencing pain and hurt, but she would also be able to experience real pleasure and happiness. She found that she welcomed the prospect of both. She wanted to love, to really love, and to be loved in return, (preferably by the same person). She suddenly realized that if anyone was ever to love her for herself, he would first have to know her, the real Caroline Bingley. She would have to be herself, and shed her previous affected manner. She also realized that she needed balance, lest she run off with one of her brother's footmen. She hoped to find love, but she could not completely discard those other considerations. Finally, she was able to be thankful that her situation was such that if she never found an appropriate combination of both, her fortune would support her quite nicely. She did not need a husband.

While Miss Bingley was engaged in finding herself, her friends and neighbors were carrying on with their lives oblivious to her enlightenment. Things were almost all in place for Mary's wedding and Mrs. Bennet had turned her thoughts to making a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Collins around Easter time to see how her daughter got on in her new situation. Mr. Bennet was hesitant to agree with the plan, but decided that he would speak to Jane and Elizabeth and if one of them would go with their mother, he would give his consent. With little left to arrange for Mary's wedding and with yet another daughter engaged, Mrs. Bennet, and all of Longbourn with her, soon began to bend their thoughts to the weddings of her two eldest children.

On the very morning following the rather unceremonious announcement of Elizabeth's engagement, Miss Lucas came to Longbourn to call on her friends. At the time of her arrival, Jane and Elizabeth had been discussing the possibility of having a double wedding. Neither of the two sisters could say who had thought of it first, but they were both delighted with the prospect of sharing such a happy event.

"I am not sure that Mama would approve the idea, Jane," said Elizabeth.

"No, I must agree with you for when I mentioned the possibility that I might marry on the same day as Mary, she insisted that I must have my own wedding day."

"Perhaps, then, it would be best to approach our father with the idea first. But Jane, you have been engaged several weeks longer than I, surely you would not wish to further prolong your engagement by waiting to get married on the same day as me."

"Oh, I was only engaged a few weeks before you. Anyway, I would not mind waiting a little longer if it meant that I could share such a joyous occasion with you."

Elizabeth then said teasingly, "yes, but will Mr. Bingley mind, do you suppose?"

Jane blushed a bit and smiled, "I think he will approve the idea very much."

"Then it is settled, we must talk to Papa today."

It was soon after this point in the conversation that Charlotte found them in the garden. When their friend approached, Elizabeth considered what she had just been discussing with Jane and then gave her sister a knowing glance. Jane simply smiled her understanding.

After the sisters had greeted their friend, Elizabeth said, "Charlotte, Jane and I have just been discussing wedding dates. Have you and Mr. Wickham set a date for your wedding yet?"

"No, not yet, so much has happened that we have hardly spared a thought for such details," she teased.

"Jane and I have just been discussing the possibility of sharing a wedding," said Elizabeth.

"That is a lovely idea," replied Charlotte.

Jane and Elizabeth exchanged a glance, then Jane ventured forth, "Charlotte, you are our dearest friend, and Mr. Wickham is like a brother to Mr. Darcy," Charlotte's eyes grew wide with excitement and understanding as Jane continued, "and we would very much like you to share this occasion with us, if you would like."

"Oh, I would like that very much," she said smiling. Then her face became more solemn as she observed, "though I do not know whether my mother will approve."

Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other and laughed. Elizabeth explained, "we were just discussing the probability that Mrs. Bennet will not even like the idea of the two of us sharing a wedding day. I suppose she would be even more opposed to a triple wedding."

"Perhaps suggesting a triple wedding will help expedite her approval of a double wedding," said Charlotte.

"No Charlotte," said Elizabeth quickly, "I believe we can all get married together. We were planning on speaking to our father about the matter before suggesting it to our mother. Perhaps, you could do the same."

"But what about the wedding breakfast," said Charlotte, "surely both our families will wish to host it."

"We can have a picnic in the gardens of Longbourn church," said Jane, "by the time of the wedding, it will be spring and the weather will be perfect. This way we will not have to have it at one house or the other, and our families can share the duties of planning and hosting it."

"Jane, that is a wonderful idea," said Elizabeth.

"Yes, but even if we could get our families to agree to it, will our mothers ever agree on the planning of it?" asked Charlotte.

All three girls giggled and Elizabeth said, "let us do one thing at a time. First, we must get them to agree to it. We shall speak to our father today."

"I will speak to mine as well, when I arrive at home later."

Meanwhile, in consequence of an agreement the evening before, Wickham called at Netherfield to discuss with Darcy the business of his career. The two gentlemen were soon afforded the use of Mr. Bingley's study, and once comfortably situated therein, Darcy began, "you may not recall, but on the day I returned from London, I told you that I had found a commission for you with a regiment of the regulars in Newcastle."

"Yes, I do recall that, is it still available?"

"I have not heard anything from the colonel of the regiment, so I must assume that it is. As we left things, he was to await word from me regarding your acceptance."

"I have not discussed it with Charlotte. I would like to do so before I agree to it."

"I understand. Will you see her today?"

"Yes, I plan to call at Lucas Lodge as soon as we have finished our business here. I will speak to her about it and let you know today. I am all but certain that I will accept the position. I do not anticipate that she would have any objection, other than it being so far from her family."

"But in Newcastle, Miss Lucas will be closer to Pemberley, and consequently to Elizabeth. I will be taking her far from her family as well, and I had hoped that she and Miss Lucas might both find comfort in being somewhat near to each other."

"Yes, and I am sure that we will be moving around quite a bit, so we might end up very close to here again sometime in the future."

"Very well then. Bingley and I are to call at Longbourn. We will be taking the carriage as Georgiana is to come with us. Would you like to join us there before going on to Lucas Lodge?"

"Yes, I believe I will, but only for a short time."

Thus, Wickham and Darcy collected Bingley and Georgiana, and they all proceeded to Longbourn. When they arrived they were greeted by Mrs. Bennet and Miss Mary. The former quickly told them that her eldest daughters were in the garden with Miss Lucas. When she offered to fetch the girls inside, Mr. Bingley was quick to save her the trouble by insisting that they would go out into the gardens and find the young ladies themselves. Mrs. Bennet could not but agree to such a scheme, and she sent a reluctant Mary along with the gentlemen and Miss Darcy.

And so it was that Darcy, Bingley and Wickham found their ladies with their heads together talking and giggling animatedly in the garden. When everyone had greeted one another, they all decided to walk to Oakham Mount together. Each of the couples walked together, while Miss Darcy walked with Mary. It was at this time that it was settled between Mr. Wickham and Charlotte that he would accept the commission in Newcastle. She did own that she was a bit disappointed to be going so far away, but that she knew they would be moving around a lot due to Wickham's career.

They also discussed the possibility of sharing their wedding with their friends. Wickham was pleased with the idea, and gave his beloved to know that he would agree to anything that would make her happy. The other two ladies discussed the matter with their respective intended husbands as well, and both were pleased to find the gentlemen's reception of the plan to be favorable.

With everything settled amongst the lovers, they returned to Longbourn with the purpose of bringing their hopes to fruition. Wickham returned to Lucas Lodge with Charlotte, where she had little trouble gaining her father's approval for the scheme. Her mother, was a bit more difficult to convince. However, in the end, her greatest priority was to have Charlotte married and off her hands. She had other daughters to think about and there would be other opportunities for her to give a wedding. She did not wish to go against her daughter's desires, particularly when so much economy was achieved by acceding to them.

Mrs. Bennet, however, was not won over so easily. Jane and Elizabeth had little trouble obtaining their father's agreement to the scheme, except for what trouble he chose to give them by teasing them and pretending to object to the idea. Once he was won over, however, they were relieved for they knew the matter was decided. Reconciling their mother to it was, nevertheless, a formidable task. It was certainly not the work of a day, but once Elizabeth was able to draw out Mr. Darcy's approbation of the idea in Mrs. Bennet's presence, she began to acknowledge the possibility of it. After several conversations in which both Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley described their delight with the idea in progressively more ardent terms, she finally embraced the scheme. Indeed, a triple wedding was just the thing, it would be the event of the year, people would speak of it for miles around for years to come!

On the evening following the announcement of his engagement, after dining at Lucas Lodge, Mr. Wickham had returned to Netherfield to tell his friend that he would accept the commission in Newcastle. Mr. Darcy penned a brief letter to the colonel of the regiment advising him of Wickham's acceptance,, and one to his solicitor in London directing him to pay for the commission. Wickham expressed his surprise with this, stating that Darcy had only said he would find a position not that he would purchase it. Darcy simply smiled and replied, "it is done, Wickham," as he extended his hand to his friend.

Wickham shook his friend's hand as he recalled their previous conversation on the subject. Darcy had said he would be giving Wickham a gift on the occasion of his marriage and they had agreed that it would be the last. He said, "I appreciate all you have done for me Darcy; but, as I said previously, this is the last."

Darcy furrowed his brow and said, "I believe there must be some misunderstanding, I am bound both by honor and my father's will to provide you with every possible assistance in the furtherance of your career. That obligation does not end upon your marriage. The gift I spoke of on the evening you have referred to will be a monetary one, which I am also bound by my father's wishes to provide. We agreed that it would be the last gift of that nature."

Wickham looked at his friend with confusion. At last he said, "it is too much. You need not make me any further gift. Let the purchase of the commission serve as the gift your father wished to provide me upon my marriage."

"That, my friend, would be a breach of honor," replied Darcy, "you cannot ask it of me."

Wickham said nothing. He simply slumped back in his chair and put his face in his hands helplessly. At last he looked up when Darcy said, "who will be drawing up the settlement papers for your marriage?"

"I believe Sir William will retain Mr. Phillips for that service."

"Very well then, I will have my solicitor contact Mr. Phillips and arrange everything."

Darcy purposely refrained from disclosing the amount of his intended gift, as he knew Wickham would protest further. And, as the amount had been left to his own discretion, he could not so easily overcome his friend's objections by stating that he was simply following his father's wishes. He knew Wickham was in a difficult position, and he could not conceive how his friend must feel about the arrangement. He had trouble with what his own reaction would be if he was in the same situation.

Their business concluded, the gentlemen joined Bingley and the ladies in the drawing room for the remainder of the evening. Neither was in a humor to notice or question Miss Bingley's subdued manner.

During the days that followed, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth received responses from their family members who they had informed of their engagement by letter. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were delighted with the match, and looked forward to meeting Mr. Darcy again at Mary's wedding. Mr. Darcy's family, however, was not so easily won over, as it might be said by some that his bride was the only one who would gain anything from the match. His uncle, the Earl of ____ wrote that he was somewhat concerned with Darcy's choice. After writing at length on the importance of considerations other than affection in choosing a bride, he ultimately gave his blessing. Lady ___ wrote separately to tell her nephew that, although she joined in some of her husband's concerns, she was pleased to know that he was happy and she looked forward to meeting Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

Both of their sons, Mr. Darcy's cousins, wrote of their surprise with the match. The eldest echoed some of his father's concerns, but sent his congratulations. The youngest, Colonel Fitzwilliam, Darcy's closest cousin, was the most surprised by the announcement and he expressed that he was delighted with the match. He was very pleased that Darcy had chosen to marry for affection, as he believed his own choices to be a bit more limited by monetary concerns and he had always feared that Darcy would marry solely for considerations of fortune and connections. He stated that he was already disposed to like Miss Elizabeth very much based upon Darcy's description of her and he was most eager to make her acquaintance.

Mr. Darcy's aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh was not at all pleased with the match, and was the only one who expressly refused to give Darcy her blessing. This, of course, was in consequence of her desire that Darcy marry her daughter, Anne. Lady Catherine's letter to Darcy consisted of a vehement exposition on his duty to his family, the breach of honor that he had perpetrated by entering into such an engagement, a reminder of his mother's wishes, and her daughter's disappoint over the match. Her letter also contained some allusions to her assessment of Miss Elizabeth Bennet's motivations, but its primary focus was on Darcy, his family, and Miss de Bourgh. Having never met Elizabeth and thinking very little of her, Lady Catherine was not so abusive of her as to cause Darcy to disconnect himself from his aunt altogether. In fact, he had anticipated her response, and he hoped that by making his usual visit to her home at Easter, she would see that he wished to continue their good relations, and he hoped to reconcile her to his choice at that time. Likewise, Lady Catherine was eager for her nephew to visit in the hopes of persuading him to break this ill-advised engagement.

After Mrs. Bennet's approval of the triple wedding was finally granted, there was little to do but fix a date for the grand affair and begin the planning of it. Thus, a date in the first week in May was fixed on. Mr. Bennet had judged it wise to refrain from asking one of his daughters to accompany their mother to Hunsford until after the matter of their own weddings was decided. Indeed, he found them much more amenable after it was all settled than he might have during the preceding days while their mother's nerves had been so adversely affected by the proposed scheme. He also had some difficulty deciding which of his daughters to send on this grand adventure. At last, he recalled that Mr. Collins' noble patroness was related to Mr. Darcy, and he decided that Elizabeth would benefit more from having the honor of making that noble Lady's acquaintance. Having decided this much, he summoned her into his library.

"Elizabeth, as you know your mother plans to impose upon the Collinses so soon after their marriage as April. I have decided to allow her to go but I wish for you to accompany her. I believe I will gain a much more accurate report of Mary's situation if you have witnessed her domestic felicity. I also believe it wise to have someone with sense about your mother when she becomes acquainted with your future relations at Rosings. It will also behoove you to have the earliest opportunity of making the acquaintance of the right honorable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, though I do not believe she will take kindly to the constant reminder that her nephew has chosen the sister of her parson's bride!"

Elizabeth sighed, she did not wish to leave Mr. Darcy, and she thought it ironic that she should be in company with his aunt while he was at Netherfield. But she could see that her father was determined, and she also wished to see how her sister would be getting on in her new home. Ignoring her father's closing remarks, she agreed to the plan readily, and it did not occur to her until some time later to wonder whether Darcy could possibly plan to visit his aunt around the same time.

It was the following day, during a walk in a private part of the garden, that Darcy decided to tell Elizabeth about his plans to leave Hertfordshire for part of their engagement, and about his family's reaction to his engagement. Hesitant to bring up Lady Catherine's disapproval of his choice, and eager for Elizabeth to know that he would soon have the opportunity to change his aunt's mind he began by saying, "Elizabeth, I will be leaving Netherfield for some time this spring. I must go to Pemberley and then to Rosings to visit my aunt, Lady Catherine, as I do every year, for Easter."

Elizabeth was visibly disappointed when Mr. Darcy began this speech, but her countenance brightened when he came to the end of it. He noticed her smile and said, "are you happy that I shall be going away?"

"Not at all. It is just that my father asked me to go to Hunsford with my mother over Easter. We will see each other in Kent."

Darcy's countenance betrayed the disturbance of his thoughts. "Elizabeth," he replied, "I must tell you that I have received a letter from my Aunt Catherine in response to the announcement of my engagement. She was not pleased, she wished for me to marry her daughter, and she refused to give her blessing."

"Then I am glad you will be there when I meet her."

He touched her cheek and said, "perhaps it is for the best. I do believe that becoming acquainted with you is just the thing she needs to reconcile herself to the match. Once she knows you, she will not be able to help but love you."

Elizabeth smiled and averted her gaze, "and what of your other relatives?"

"My uncle and aunt Fitzwilliam have both given their blessings. My cousins, also, have said they are happy for me. You will meet the younger of the two, Colonel Fitzwilliam, in Kent as well. He accompanies me there each year."

"I look forward to it," she replied.

Activities far more pleasant than talking ensued between the two before they returned to the house.

Mary's wedding was accomplished in late February, and the happy couple left for Hunsford immediately following a brief wedding breakfast. The Darcys removed from Netherfield in mid-March; and within a fortnight, Mrs. Bennet and Elizabeth departed for Kent, spending one night in town with the Gardiners before being welcomed at Hunsford parsonage.

Darcy arrived at Rosings the day before Elizabeth's arrival at Hunsford. He was greeted coolly by his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who, having learned from the Collinses that Miss Elizabeth Bennet was to arrive on the morrow, was most seriously displeased that said young lady would make such an attempt to insinuate herself into Darcy's family by coming here, particularly during Darcy's visit to Rosings.

Darcy explained to his aunt that she was visiting her sister and that the timing of their visits was, in his opinion, fortuitous, as he would have the opportunity of presenting his future bride to his relations at Rosings.

Her reply was characteristic, "let me be rightly understood, Nephew, this match to which this young lady has the presumption to aspire shall not occur. I have not lost hope that you will be made to see reason. I refuse to give my blessing and you shall not marry without it."

"Aunt Catherine, I too must be understood, I do not wish to marry without your blessing," Lady Catherine smiled in triumph, "but I assure you that I will, without hesitation, if you persist in your refusal to give it. I have already received the sanction of my uncle, the Earl of ____, and the head of this family. But believe me when I tell you that I would have married her without the approval of any of my family if I had to. Miss Bennet and I will be wed."

Lady Catherine was shocked by this speech, "I have never been suffered to bear such insolence! You would discard your duty to your family, to Anne, and dishonor your mother's own wishes for such a one as this Miss Elizabeth? Do you think me a fool, Darcy? I know what has happened here, you have been drawn in by her arts and allurements."

"Tread carefully, Aunt," he warned, "you speak of my future wife."

"That is not yet a certainty."

"But it is, I have entered into an engagement with her, I have sought and received her father's consent, it has been formally announced, and all the terms have been decided; there is naught left to do but publish the banns." Then he tried a different tactic, "you speak of honor, Aunt, would it not be a breach of honor for me to cast off this engagement now, after all this has been done?"

"And what of your breach of honor to Anne?"

"I was never engaged to Anne."

"Not formally, but you knew it was expected of you. You knew it was your mother's dearest wish, as well as hers. You knew that we planned the union while you were in your cradles. Yet you have disregarded all of this and you speak of honor. Perhaps you feel bound by honor to keep this engagement, but you have made an error in judgment Darcy, and it is your place to correct it, for your sake as well as Miss Bennet's."

"For her sake?"

"Yes, she would do better not to quit the sphere in which she has been brought up."

"I am a gentleman, she is a gentleman's daughter, so far we are equal."

"But who is her mother? Who are her uncles and aunts? Do you think me ignorant of their condition simply because you did not disclose it? I have learned all about this girl from Mr. Collins."

"Oh yes, Mr. Collins, he is a veritable fountain of knowledge and information. One would think that his own recent connection to her family would cause him to speak more judiciously of them, but perhaps he is a bit short-sighted. Has it not occurred to you Aunt, that Mr. Collins had reason to speak bitterly of my future bride?"

"If she'd had any sense, she would have accepted him."

Darcy was astonished by the revelation that Mr. Collins had made his rejection known to Lady Catherine.

"Mr. Collins' account cannot be trusted."

"Do you deny then, that she has an uncle who is an attorney in the village near her home, and another who is in trade and lives in Cheapside?"

"I have no wish to deny it."

"The gentility, as you call it, of her family will not endure. Even her father's estate is entailed to Mr. Collins."

"And her sister is Mr. Collins' wife. Her other sister is to be the wife of Mr. Bingley. Three of Mr. Bennet's daughters will be married to gentlemen, I believe the gentility of his bloodline will certainly endure. But these arguments are futile. None of this matters. I will marry her and that is an end of it."

"Marrying a respectable gentleman will not change who she is: a young woman without family, connections or fortune. Her manners, by all reports, are coarse and ill-bred."

"All reports by Mr. Collins, a man who has been disappointed by her? There was a time, I can assure you, when he spoke quite highly of her. And, I wonder, if he now thinks her so ill-bred that he would have chosen her sister, who is quite of the same breeding, for his own wife."

"Mr. Collins knows his place, surely he can marry into such a family. And his wife, I understand, is very different from her sister. Mrs. Collins is well mannered and well studied. She is a bit preachy, but she is learning to pay deference where it is owed. That you would choose your wife from the same source as his is an abomination."

"It is commendable that Mrs. Collins is devoted to keeping her vow of obedience to her husband. Although I believe if a woman makes such a vow she should first assure that the man she intends to obey is one of sense and education. Miss Elizabeth has shown a remarkable degree of intelligence in making just such a choice."

"She may be intelligent, she obviously was clever enough to capture you, but that does not change who and what she is."

"You are perfectly right. She is a lovely, charming young lady, and I am confident that once you meet her you will like her."

"Even if I could like her, Darcy, I will never approve of your marriage to her."

"Then I regret that I shall have to marry without your approval," replied Darcy, before leaving the room abruptly.

Dinner was an uncomfortable affair that evening. Lady Catherine was still displeased by their prior conversation. She had expected to use these weeks during Darcy's visit to work on him with the result of convincing him to break his engagement. But she now understood that she would not be able to do that with the young lady herself, at the parsonage. Miss Bennet had spoiled her plans. The girl must be a manipulative shrew to have orchestrated a visit to her sister's home while Darcy was at Rosings. As Lady Catherine was meditating on how she could best go about convincing Darcy of his error while the girl resided in such close proximity, the gentleman in question addressed his cousin, "Fitzwilliam, I intend to call at the parsonage tomorrow afternoon. I believe Mrs. Bennet and Miss Bennet will be arriving by midday. Will you join me?"

"No, he will most certainly not join you. And I see no reason for you to be running over there on the very day of her arrival. She should await an invitation to see you here."

The gentlemen exchanged glances that expressed their mutual understanding that if Darcy waited to see Elizabeth until his aunt extended her an invitation, he would never see her during her stay at Hunsford.

"To the contrary Aunt," said Fitzwilliam, with a smirk, "I think the proper etiquette is for us to pay a welcoming call to our neighbors' guests." While his aunt glared at him for daring to instruct her on proper etiquette, he looked at Darcy and said, before his aunt had a chance to give verbal expression to her disapproval, "yes, I will join you. I have desired to meet your Miss Bennet ever since I received your letter announcing your engagement." Then turning to Miss de Bourgh, he said, "would you like to join us, Anne."

"Anne will not join you," said Lady Catherine. "I will not have her exposed to further disappointment by watching her cousin fawn over this inferior Miss Bennet"

Anne turned red and looked steadily into her lap. Darcy said nothing for the rest of the meal, and only stayed with the ladies a quarter hour after tea, before retiring to his rooms for the evening.

Elizabeth was relieved to see Darcy at Hunsford cottage on the very day of her arrival there. He brought his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, with him. Elizabeth liked the colonel and got on very well with him. Mrs. Bennet, of course, appraised him as a possible match for one of her remaining two daughters, and was soon extolling the virtues of Kitty and Lydia.

"Oh, I knew I should have brought my younger girls with me on this visit. I did not see any reason why Elizabeth should come. She would have been quite content to remain at Longbourn and prepare for her wedding with Jane. And goodness knows she will be visiting at Rosings itself often enough after she is married. Kitty and Lydia were in need of some diversion, though, and they would have very much liked to meet you, I am sure, for they do delight in the company of officers. Mr. Bennet would not allow them to accompany me, though I do not understand why. Well, to own the truth, they did not wish to leave the neighborhood and the company of their friends, particularly the officers, but I am sure they would have liked to make your acquaintance sir."

"Thank you Madame, I am sure they are delightful girls."

"Oh indeed, they are such dear girls and both of them quite pretty. I know they are my own daughters, but I only speak what has been told to me by everyone. Do not you agree, Mr. Darcy, that Lydia and Kitty are very pretty?"

"Indeed they are Mrs. Bennet," said Darcy.

"Your friend Mr. Wickham was quite taken with them, I believe, before he settled for Charlotte Lucas. Are you acquainted with Mr. Wickham, Colonel Fitzwilliam?"

"Yes I am. I understand he has found a bride in Hertfordshire as well."

"He is to marry our neighbor, Miss Lucas. And Mr. Bingley is to marry my dear Jane."

Fitzwilliam chuckled, "first Mr. Collins, then Bingley, Wickham and even my own cousin, Hertfordshire certainly seems the place to get a bride, Mrs. Bennet," he said playfully.

"Oh yes, you must come for a visit. I am sure we can find a nice young lady for you as well," she returned in the same teasing manner.

Mrs. Bennet then went on to discuss in detail her plans for the upcoming triple wedding. Thus, while Colonel Fitzwilliam was left to be entertained by Mrs. Bennet and the Collinses, Darcy and Elizabeth walked into the garden where he informed her of his conversation with his aunt the day before. Elizabeth was sad that she had been the cause of any discord within his family. Darcy reassured her that she was not the cause of it, and it was all due to his aunt's desire that he marry Anne. The gentlemen returned to Rosings in time for dinner, after making a promise to call at the parsonage again on the following day.

The next few days were strained at Rosings. Each morning, Darcy asked his aunt whether they were expecting guests that day, and she invariably responded that Anne's health was not equal to receiving visitors. Darcy and Elizabeth saw one another every day, sometimes at the parsonage and sometimes out walking through the grounds of the park. Usually Colonel Fitzwilliam accompanied his cousin. He and Elizabeth became fast friends during this time, and after every meeting with her, the colonel reaffirmed his approval of Darcy's choice. This continued reassurance by his cousin gave Darcy some fortification against his aunt's continued disapprobation. The lovers also often found moments to be alone together. Darcy used this time to apprize Elizabeth of the state of things at Rosings, as well as for the purpose of engaging in other, more pleasant, pursuits. Elizabeth found comfort in Darcy's continued expressions of affection for her. She had feared that his aunt's vehement refusal to give her consent to the engagement might shake his conviction in his choice, but it only seemed to strengthen it.

At the parsonage, Mrs. Bennet was growing puzzled and concerned by the lack of attention of her ladyship. Mary had said that they had been favored with invitations to tea or dinner at least twice a week since her marriage. Yet, there had been no invitation forthcoming since the Bennets had arrived at Hunsford. Mr. Collins was, of course, well aware of the reason for the lack of invitations; and although, he was disappointed to lose the opportunity to boast of Lady Catherine's attentiveness towards himself, he could not help but approve her ladyship's course of action. He walked to Rosings to wait on Lady Catherine and her daughter nearly everyday, should they be in need of spiritual guidance. Lady Catherine gleaned much information as to the goings on at the parsonage from Mr. Collins on these occasions, including the details of the calls made by her nephews and the doings of a certain young lady in residence there.

As the end of the first week of their visit arrived, Mrs. Bennet and Miss Bennet were finally able to cast their eyes upon her ladyship at church on Good Friday. Mr. Darcy sat with his aunt, and dutifully attended the lengthy sermon, but as soon as it was over he would not lose the opportunity to introduce Elizabeth and her mother to his aunt, whether the latter liked it or not. The introduction was made, with Lady Catherine scarcely inclining her head to acknowledge the two ladies and then quickly scurrying with Anne into their carriage. She waited a moment before giving the order to drive, looking expectantly at her nephews. When they both communicated their intent to walk back to Rosings, she drove off most seriously displeased. Mrs. Bennet did not know what to make of the encounter. As she and Lady Catherine were soon to be relatives, she could not take the Lady's behavior as any kind of personal slight, so she decided that there must be some very good reason that Lady Catherine had to go home quickly. Mrs. Bennet was aware that Miss de Bourgh was of a sickly constitution and reasoned that the girl must not have been well today.

On Saturday, Lady Catherine was vexing herself by ruminating further over her disappointment with Darcy's choice of wife. She could not, however, resign herself to the match and persisted in her resolve to change his mind. Then it occurred to her suddenly that perhaps it was not his mind that required changing. He had spoken of honor. Certainly, as a gentleman, he could not break an engagement. But the lady certainly could do so. Keenly aware as she was of what an excellent match the marriage would be for the young woman in question, she knew it would not be easy to persuade her to renounce the engagement. Yet, her nephew was immoveable and her choices were few. Perhaps Miss Bennet could be made to see reason, to understand that it was within Lady Catherine's power to make her life miserable if she married Darcy. Lady Catherine knew the details of Miss Elizabeth's upbringing from her inquisition of Mrs. Collins on her first visit to Rosings. Miss Elizabeth was a simple, uneducated girl who would be easy to intimidate. To succeed in her plan she would first have to get to know Miss Elizabeth Bennet a little better. So it was, that the following morning, after church, Lady Catherine, to the amazement of her nephews, invited the Collinses and the Bennets to tea that evening.

Mr. Collins presented such a mixture of pride and humility in response to being thus noticed that Elizabeth could not contain her amusement. He was humble enough to acknowledge the beneficent condescension and affability shown by Lady Catherine in extending the much awaited invitation. And in his eyes, that she would do so in spite of Elizabeth's presumption in becoming engaged to her nephew showed a quality of mercy and goodwill that was not commonly seen. He was at the same time boastful of his own worth in meriting such notice, and in his own mind his sense of worth was augmented by the fact that he was the recipient of her ladyship's kind invitation while harboring a treacherous, mercenary vixen as a resident in his own home.

After listening to her cousin's reminders of the kindness being extended to them by Lady Catherine and his tips on how she should comport herself at tea, for most of the day, Elizabeth could no longer tolerate his nonsense. She walked out and was happy to meet Darcy in the lane on his way to call on her. When she described her cousin's constant effusive discourse on the upcoming evening, he listened with a sympathetic ear. He then told her the purpose of his intended call.

"I was afraid you had been misled to believe that this invitation means that my aunt has changed her mind about our engagement. I do not know why she has finally invited you and your mother to tea, but she has not given us her blessing."

"Perhaps she has changed her mind, but only wished to tell you this evening with me present."

"I am afraid not, Elizabeth. You must be prepared for her disapprobation. If you do not wish to go, I will understand."

"Of course I will go. Perhaps I can make a favorable impression on her."

He touched her cheek, "I can scarcely conceive that anyone could ever have an unfavorable impression of you, my love, but I believe your hope for this evening is in vain."

"Well, I shall do my best."

"I appreciate it, my dear. I am pleased that you are not so easily intimidated."

"I must face her sometime, Fitzwilliam, and with your support I know I will not falter no matter what happens."

"That you shall have," he vowed before kissing her briefly and walking her back to the parsonage. After a short visit there, he returned to Rosings.

Elizabeth approached the great house with no small amount of trepidation, though her anxiety had nothing to do with her cousin's admonitions. But for her engagement she might have approached this meeting with a much lighter heart, and with an anticipation of cataloguing the many follies she was sure to encounter. As it was, however, she did not wish to disgrace her future husband or widen the breach that had occurred in his relationship with his aunt as a result of his engagement to her.

Mrs. Bennet was also anxious. She had never been in a place so grand, and was equally in awe of the house and its mistress. Elizabeth hoped that such a circumstance might serve to check the vulgarity of her manner.

They were shown into the drawing room where they were presented in turn first to her ladyship then to Miss de Bourgh. The gentlemen greeted them less formally, and Darcy immediately directed Elizabeth to sit next to him and near his aunt. Colonel Fitzwilliam began a quite conversation with Anne, while Darcy, unwilling to wait for her ladyship to begin a conversation, made civil inquiries of Mrs. Bennet and the Collinses. Meanwhile Lady Catherine meditated on how best to begin to work on Miss Elizabeth. Then, she noticed how Mrs. Bennet marveled at her surroundings, though she had not spoken.

Mr. Collins had described Mrs. Bennet as talkative, yet now she was quiet, out of deference and awe for Lady Catherine's person. She was the daughter of a village attorney, perhaps she could be made to see the disparity in the match better than her daughter could. She was obviously not possessed of great intelligence, which would make her easy to manipulate and intimidate. Yet, it would be no easy task to convince Mrs. Bennet that her daughter should not enter into this marriage, particularly when all the benefit in the match was on her daughter's side. And, even if she could be persuaded, how useful would that be in ultimately swaying her daughter? Miss Elizabeth had defied her mother's wishes when Mrs. Bennet had insisted that she marry Mr. Collins, there was no reason for her to listen to her mother now, should she ask her to break her engagement to Mr. Darcy. Nevertheless, Lady Catherine resolved that she would test the waters with the mother first, then move on to the daughter.

"Mrs. Bennet," began Lady Catherine, regally when Darcy paused in his speech, "I understand that you have five daughters."

"Quite so, Lady Catherine."

"And, I understand that your husband's estate is entailed upon Mr. Collins."

Mr. Collins bowed in silent deference to Lady Catherine for having bestowed upon him the great favor of mentioning his humble name.

"Yes, a most unfortunate circumstance to be sure," replied Mrs. Bennet, becoming more easy, "particularly after we despaired of having any sons. But thankfully, that is all resolved most happily now," she finished nodding towards Mary.

"You should be grateful that Mr. Collins was kind enough to choose a wife from among your daughters."

Another grateful nod was dutifully bestowed by the vicar, who looked as if he was about to speak but was foreclosed by his mother in law.

"Oh yes, I was delighted to learn that his purpose in visiting us last fall was to take one of my girls away with him. I could not be more pleased that Mary has done so well for herself, and will succeed me as mistress of Longbourn. I certainly did not expect her, of all my daughters, to be the first to marry, but, I dare say they are all of them good girls and Mr. Collins has made a happy match as well."

There was no nod of deference for Mrs. Bennet from her son in law to mark his reception of this civil observation.

"Oh yes, your Mrs. Collins is a very good girl. She has done her duty by her family," here she paused to glare at Darcy, "and you must appreciate her all the more for it." Elizabeth then glanced at Mary, who simply sat placidly by as if the weather was being spoken of rather than her marriage. Lady Catherine continued without pause, "I know how satisfying it is to have an obedient daughter. My Anne is dedicated to honoring her family whenever possible. I can only imagine how wretched it must be to have a child who is selfish and disobedient," finished she, giving Elizabeth a pointed look.

Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged a worried glance. Under any other circumstances they might find this dialogue humorous. In spite of the hostile turn the conversation was taking, however, neither was inclined at present to attempt to come between the two women, perhaps out of curiosity and perhaps out of an understanding that neither woman could be reasoned with.

"Ah yes, but children do make mistakes, my dear Lady Catherine, and must be forgiven. Particularly when things work out so well in the end."

"I always believe that a good governess is crucial to raising obedient and dutiful daughters. I understand that you did not deem it necessary to employ one, it is quite a shame," as this was said she glanced again at Elizabeth, "good young girls are often ruined by the neglect of their parents in providing adequate instruction. My dear Anne had the most delightful governess, a Miss Eyre, who came to me with the highest of recommendations. And, of course, she has had only the best masters in every endeavor she has undertaken. Sadly, her ill health has prevented her from excelling at music or drawing, but she would be quite proficient in even the most demanding accomplishments had her health allowed it."

"I am sure she would be, but I found that my girls did quite well without the benefit of a governess. The masters that passed through Meryton from time to time taught them to play and sing and dance quite well enough, as it turns out. My eldest three have already done very well for themselves, and I have no reason to expect anything less for my younger two daughters with such connections as they will soon have," as she said this, she glanced at Colonel Fitzwilliam. "So, in the end, I am pleased that I did not waste good money on a governess or on any special masters. It is indeed a pleasure to have daughters with such beauty and natural charm that accomplishments are scarcely needed for getting them well married," finished Mrs. Bennet smugly.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and drew in her breath. For his part Darcy, though acknowledging the lack of manners displayed by both ladies, could not help but be cognizant that it was his aunt who had undertaken the offensive. Darcy's eyes then met Elizabeth's and they shared a look of incredulity at this apparent competition in ill-breeding between his aunt and her mother. Yet, Elizabeth could not help feeling some pride in her mother's ability to meet Lady Catherine blow for blow, though she doubted Mrs. Bennet had any idea of her ladyship's malicious intent.

"I understand that all of your daughters are out, Mrs. Bennet, and that they have all been out for quite some time, before even Mrs. Collins was engaged. I must say that I was surprised when Mrs. Collins informed me that you had five girls all out at once, and the youngest only fifteen years old. I believe it is prudent to have the elder girls married before allowing the younger ones to enter society. That is how things are done in the most upper circles."

"I can understand why you would be of that mind, having only one daughter. But as the mother of five, I believe I can speak with some authority on the subject. To deprive the younger girls of their fair share of amusement and company simply because the elder ones have not yet got themselves husbands is a cruelty I would not wish to inflict on my girls. I would not have their beauty wasted on the four walls of Longbourn's parlor. After all," she added suggestively, "how would they find husbands if they were never allowed out?"

"Thankfully, some young ladies have no need to dangle for husbands."

"And it is a good thing for a girl to have an independent fortune, particularly if she is not graced with natural beauty and a sweet temperament."

Elizabeth quickly looked to Anne, her face burning with shame, but thankfully she was engrossed with Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mary, who had joined them across the room. The trio did not seem to be following the conversation between Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennet at all. Elizabeth's usual inclination to quietly scold her mother or appeal to her sense of propriety at moments like this was tempered by her greater unwillingness to give Lady Catherine the satisfaction of seeing Elizabeth publicly reprimand her mother's behavior. They two women had not yet descended to a level of direct incivility, after all, and Darcy seemed to have as little inclination to intervene as herself.

It was evident that Mrs. Bennet had made an enemy of Lady Catherine with her last remark, but, the latter seemed determined that her discomposure would not show. "Mrs. Bennet, I do not expect you to understand the importance that the higher levels of society place upon preserving their family's wealth and dignity by making advantageous alliances. Beauty and disposition have little to do with it."

"Apparently they have everything to do with it," replied Mrs. Bennet, glancing triumphantly at Elizabeth and Darcy. It was at this point that Elizabeth began to doubt whether her mother was truly oblivious to Lady Catherine's thinly veiled insults.

Lady Catherine would not be outdone. "Perhaps, from time to time, there are those who make poor choices, but unless such choices are rectified, they risk losing the notice and attention of their valued connections. Defiance must have its price, Mrs. Bennet."

"Ah well, Lady Catherine, in the end, we must let the young people have their way, or I dare say they would refuse to take care of us in our old age," Mrs. Bennet laughed lightly, "Elizabeth defied me once and it seems that she certainly knew what she was about then."

"Of that, I have no doubt, Mrs. Bennet."

At this time, Colonel Fitzwilliam spoke up, "have you finally agreed on something then?" he asked jovially. Then turning to Elizabeth, he said, "did you not promise to play for me some time ago, Miss Bennet? I long for some music. I will turn your pages if you will oblige me."

Elizabeth happily moved to the instrument, hoping that some music would put an end to all conversation. Colonel Fitzwilliam seated himself next to Elizabeth, while Darcy remained near the two older women. "He appears as though he is intent upon keeping the peace. Does he not, Colonel Fitzwilliam?"

The colonel laughed at her characterization as he picked a song for her to play. "He does indeed, Miss Bennet. To own the truth, I was surprised that the two of you let them go on for so long."

With that, she began to play the song he had chosen. Lady Catherine listened to half of it and then talked to Mr. and Mrs. Collins throughout the remainder of the performance. When Elizabeth was finished, Lady Catherine saw that she and her nephew were talking quietly together. It was time to begin with the daughter. "What is that you are saying, Fitzwilliam? What are you talking of? What are you telling Miss Bennet? Let me hear what it is," she called to them.

"We are speaking of music, madam," said he, when no longer able to avoid a reply.

"Of music! Then pray speak aloud. It is of all subjects my delight. I must have my share in the conversation if you are speaking of music. There are few people in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. It I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient. And so would Anne, if her health had allowed her to apply. I am confident that she would have performed delightfully. How does Georgiana get on, Darcy?" The last was said in an apparent attempt to contrast her niece's superior playing with Elizabeth's mediocre performance.

Mr. Darcy spoke with affectionate praise of his sister' s proficiency and then added a compliment for Elizabeth's playing.

"I am very glad to hear such a good account of Georgiana," said Lady Catherine; "and pray tell her from me, that she cannot expect to excel if she does not practice a great deal."

"I assure you madam," he replied, "that she does not need such advice. She practices very constantly."

"So much the better. It cannot be done too much; and when I next write to her, I shall charge her not to neglect it on any account. I often tell young ladies that no excellence in music is to be acquired without constant practice. Miss Bennet, for example, will never play really well unless she practices more; and though Mrs. Collins has no instrument, she is very welcome to come to Rosings and practice on the pianoforte in Mrs. Jenkinson's room. She would be in nobody's way in that part of the house. Mrs. Collins practices there quite often while her husband is in conference with me regarding his sermons."

Mr. Collins gaped in astonishment at his esteemed patroness following her delivery of this most undeserved stroke of civility.

"We are quite indebted to you, I am sure Lady Catherine, for I know how much Mrs. Collins enjoys playing," said Mrs. Bennet, "but it does not signify now what level of excellence Lizzy achieves in her playing. I am sure she will have little time for such pursuits as mistress of Pemberley."

"Mr. Darcy is very fond of music Mrs. Bennet," said Colonel Fitzwilliam mischievously. Both Elizabeth and Darcy stared at him for adding fuel to the fire, and apparently enjoying it.

"Then it is quite lucky for him, Colonel Fitzwilliam, that his sister is so proficient," replied Mrs. Bennet sweetly.

"Proficiency aside, I would be greatly surprised if he did not take at least equal pleasure in Miss Bennet's playing."

Darcy took his cousin's cue and said, "I cannot deny it Fitzwilliam, I take great pleasure in listening to Miss Bennet play. No one admitted to the privilege of hearing her can think anything wanting." As he finished, he looked to his aunt, almost challenging her to contradict him.

Mrs. Bennet smiled her approbation while Lady Catherine's look turned sour.

Elizabeth relinquished the instrument to her sister and sat down again next to Mr. Darcy, while Colonel Fitzwilliam remained to turn the pages for Mary. Lady Catherine attempted to engage Elizabeth in further conversation, and while Elizabeth responded civilly, she would not be provoked; instead, she diffused each of Lady Catherine's intended affronts until Darcy was able to turn the conversation to a neutral topic and maintain it. On any subject, however, Lady Catherine offered her advice and instruction liberally.

The remainder of the evening was spent thus, until her ladyship's carriage as ready to take them all home. As soon as they were alone in the carriage, Mrs. Bennet began to say what a lovely evening she had passed, and what delightful company Lady Catherine had been. Meanwhile, Lady Catherine had begun abusing Mrs. Bennet as soon as she had left the room. Colonel Fitzwilliam and Darcy removed themselves from her company, to play billiards until bedtime. It had been a very long evening.

The following morning, Elizabeth intended to go into Hunsford Village with her mother and sister, so Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam spent the morning riding through their aunt's extensive property. They ended their ride at the parsonage, and by the time they approached it Elizabeth, Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Collins had returned from the village and, leaving Mrs. Bennet at home, Elizabeth had gone out for her daily walk while the Collinses made some calls. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam overtook her on her way back to the parsonage, and upon discerning her in the road, they had dismounted and joined her walking. They discussed the previous evening and each described their matriarch's reaction to it. Surprisingly, both ladies were reportedly in good spirits that morning, and had not mentioned the previous evening at all.

When they arrived at the parsonage, the three walked in together; and upon entering the drawing room, they were shocked to see Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennet enjoying tea while talking and laughing together amiably, as if they had been life long friends. The former had come just before the Collinses had set out, with the intent of continuing her efforts from the previous evening. Thus, she insisted that she would not detain the Collinses from their outing and had come to call upon Mrs. Bennet with whom she would be satisfied to visit over a cup of tea.

When Elizabeth and Darcy saw the two ladies, they exchanged a worried glance while Colonel Fitzwilliam suppressed a chuckle and all three eyed the elder women warily. "Ah, there are my wayward nephews," said Lady Catherine. Then looking at the two young men she said, "and what have the two of you to say for yourselves, abandoning me before dawn to seek companionship elsewhere?" She emphasized the word elsewhere, and gave a less than subtle sideways glance towards Mrs. Bennet who was refilling both their tea cups.

Before either man could reply, Mrs. Bennet said, "oh Catherine, do leave the young people be. Will you and the gentlemen be joining us for tea, Lizzy?" As she asked the question, the last drop of tea fell from the tea pot into Lady Catherine's cup. "Would you look at that, Catherine, we've gone and run out again. Do ring the bell, Lizzy, we'll need more tea."

"Oh yes, Fanny, more tea would be just the thing," added Lady Catherine, then turning to Elizabeth she said, "and do ask for some more of those delicious cakes as well. I am afraid we have quite run out." She held up the empty plate as if to prove there were no more cakes, while she winked at Mrs. Bennet, and the two laughed lightly.

Neither Lizzy, nor Darcy, nor Colonel Fitzwilliam knew what to make of the scene before them. Lizzy rang the bell as she was told, and when the maid appeared she ordered her to bring another pot of tea for the ladies and another plate of cakes. The maid took away the tea pot and plate and returned with them refilled as well as a second tray of tea things for Elizabeth and the gentlemen who had, by now, found seats.

"That Sofie is a good girl to bring a separate pot of tea for them," said Lady Catherine as she waived her hand towards the young people, "I recommended her to Mrs. Collins myself, chosen from the very kitchen staff at Rosings, and she has been an absolute treasure. Mrs. Collins has thanked me for her more than once."

"Oh, yes, what a dear thing she was to think of it, two pots of tea, a happy thought indeed," chimed in Mrs. Bennet, "I confess I was rather vexed when they," a glance at the young people, "arrived, by the idea that we would have to share ours." The two ladies giggled.

"Indeed," added her companion, "I have never had better tea than this. I see Mrs. Collins must have taken my advice. I am very particular about the type of tea I would have her buy, and she must store it just so, to preserve the flavor. I am so pleased that I was able to assist her in the arrangement of her cupboards."

Meanwhile Elizabeth had poured out the tea for herself and the two gentlemen, giving them something to do at least, while they continued to witness the spectacle before them.

"You are such an attentive neighbor, Catherine," said Mrs. Bennet, "Mrs. Collins has told me so in every one of her letters, I am sure. If only I had such a neighbor. But alas, I must contend with those artful Lucases."

Lady Catherine put her hand over Mrs. Bennet's in a gesture of sympathy, "I can scarcely believe the way their eldest daughter stole that lovely Mr. Wickham right from under your nose. Though he was only the son of my brother's steward, I always remember him being a dear boy and quite a friend of Darcy's. I could never approve of their connection, of course, but I dare say he would have done very well for one of your girls; and if I had been in your place he would not have been lost to them, for I would not have allowed it. I dare say I know just how you feel. The very young man I had in mind for my Anne was stolen from me as well, and he was my own nephew. Really, Fanny, you should not feel so slighted, Mr. Wickham had no obligation of loyalty to you."

Elizabeth and Darcy shared a look of alarm, but all three of the young people were so transfixed by the scene unfolding before them that they were speechless, though Colonel Fitzwilliam's inclination was tending towards laughter.

"Ah well, there is nothing to be done for it, I suppose. At least we can commiserate together. And though your loss has been my gain, I understand how you must feel." This time it was Mrs. Bennet who gave Lady Catherine a sympathetic pat.

Then Lady Catherine looked at Mrs. Bennet strangely and said, "good lord, my dear, I nearly forgot that it was your daughter who stole him from me!"

There was a moment of suspense, in which the mood of the room seemed to stand on the edge of a knife. Elizabeth and Darcy held their breath. Then, Mrs. Bennet said, "my dear Catherine, I do believe you have had too much tea," and both women broke out in laughter again.

Just then Colonel Fitzwilliam and Darcy exchanged a glance as if both had just had a revelation.

They both moved to get up simultaneously as Mrs. Bennet went on to say, "but you must tell me now whether you have set your cap on your other nephew," glancing at the colonel, "for your dear Anne. I promise that if you have I will not introduce him to my other two girls." Colonel Fitzwilliam froze in his place, stalling the progress the gentlemen had been making towards the elder ladies.

The gentlemen stood still, awaiting Lady Catherine's pronouncement of Colonel Fitzwilliam's fate. "Good heavens, Fanny, will you never be satisfied? I dare say your past accomplishments have given your ambitions an air of greatness! But it is one thing when there is fortune on at least one side, as in Darcy's case. Fitzwilliam's situation is a different matter entirely. He is only a second son and, I fear, your daughters would not do for him. As for Anne, I still have reason to hope that she will make a more fortunate alliance." Both gentlemen were now gaping at their aunt, who ignored them.

"Perhaps a season in town would be just the thing for getting her well married, then," suggested Mrs. Bennet. "I dare say she would do very well next winter under the chaperonage of Mrs. Darcy. And, it is the least Lizzy can do for Anne after depriving her of Mr. Darcy." Elizabeth blushed heavily.

"Oh yes, your Miss Elizabeth is certainly indebted to Anne, and she has proven her ability to catch a wealthy husband. While I am sure she would be happy to impart that knowledge to my daughter, though, Anne has a fortune of her own as sufficient inducement, and has no use for such arts."

Darcy glanced at Elizabeth who seemed a little discomposed by the discussion, and resumed his seat next to her to give her some comfort. Colonel Fitzwilliam seemed to awaken from the shock occasioned by the recent discussion of his prospects, now that he was no longer being talked of; and, seeing Darcy preoccupied, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Remembering his purpose, he resumed moving towards the ladies, with his usual deliberation, but was forestalled by the entrance of the Collinses.

Upon entering the drawing room, Mary immediately greeted the two ladies, and did not seem the least bit surprised by their behavior. She asked how they had enjoyed their visit and whether the tea had been to their liking.

When their raptures over the visit and the tea and the cakes and Sofie's conscientious service were at an end, Mr. Collins took over the conversation and Elizabeth took Mary aside and said, "do you not think Mama and Lady Catherine are behaving oddly, Mary?"

"Not at all, Elizabeth, I am pleased to see them getting along so well."

"And do you have any notion of what may be responsible for the transformation in both of them from their behavior towards one another last night?"

"Perhaps it is due to the special care Sofie has taken in preparing their tea."

"What special care, Mary?" asked Lizzy impatiently

"Why Lizzy, I instructed her to put a nip of brandy in it, that is all."

Elizabeth was aghast, "Mary, how could you?"

"They were in need of something to put them at ease with one another. I dare say the effect has been good. Do not you see how well they are getting on?"

"Whatever made you think of such a thing Mary?"

"I learned soon after I married that a bit of brandy helps put me at ease when my husband desires my company in the evenings."

Elizabeth shuddered at the thought. She turned away from Mary and, seeing Sofie in the hall, asked her how many pots of tea the ladies had consumed.

"That is the fourth, ma'am," she said as she nodded towards Lady Catherine who was emptying the tea pot into Mrs. Bennet's cup.

Sofie moved to walk towards them when she heard Mrs. Bennet say something about ringing for more, but Elizabeth stopped her, "I think they have had quite enough of your special tea, Sofie."

Mary and Elizabeth returned to the drawing room to witness Colonel Fitzwilliam sniffing the tea pot suspiciously and then giving Darcy a knowing look. Elizabeth confirmed Darcy's suspicions by whispering to him, "Mary told Sofie to put brandy in their tea."

"So we've discovered," said Darcy dryly, "I can say, I have never been more impressed with your sister than at this moment."

The two elder ladies saw Darcy and Elizabeth whispering together and Mrs. Bennet called out to them, "Lizzy, Mr. Darcy, of what are you talking? I must have my share in the conversation."

"Pay them no mind Fanny," said Lady Catherine, "for they are surely talking in secret about us, but we care not."

Before Mrs. Bennet could reply, the gentlemen began to suggest that they accompany their aunt back to Rosings, and both ladies responded by lamenting their impending separation. They scrupled not in maligning the young people for intruding on their delightful visit and forcing them apart. The scene ended with Lady Catherine extending an invitation to her dear friend for dinner and once it was accepted, adding, "the others may come also, if they will," with a dismissive waive of her hand in their direction. Then with many fond expressions, flutterings of handkerchiefs, and affectionate handshakes between the two ladies, to mark the forthcoming separation of a most lengthy three hours, the Rosings party left the parsonage.

Darcy returned to the parsonage alone about a half hour after they had departed. He reported that his aunt had decided to take a nap before dinner and Elizabeth stated that her mother was doing the same. As they walked in the garden, they expressed their concern that the ladies' good rapport might not survive once the brandy had worn off. Neither looked forward to the evening with any hope of pleasure, and both had every expectation that the bitterness of the previous evening would resurface between the ladies.

To the surprise of everyone, except Mary, the ladies greeted one another with the same affectionate cordiality that had marked their separation earlier in the day. The dinner was pleasant, and the time spent after dinner was quite comfortable. The two ladies chatted and laughed together as old friends and Lady Catherine seemed completely reconciled to her nephew's match and even spoke lightly of the ruin of her prior expectations. Fueled by Mrs. Bennet's enthusiasm, she began to speak fondly of the possibility of Anne being presented at court the following winter.

To the bewilderment of Elizabeth and Darcy, the relationship between the ladies remained thus for the duration of Mrs. Bennet's and Elizabeth's stay in the country. It had been soon settled that Lady Catherine and Anne would attend the triple wedding to be held in May. Mrs. Bennet would not hear of Lady Catherine staying at Netherfield, and would not be satisfied but to have her dear friend under her own roof. Lady Catherine was happy to oblige Mrs. Bennet by agreeing to stay at Longbourn where she could be of service in seeing that her copious advice pertaining to the wedding was being followed and to be available should any matter, not the smallest of which was beneath her notice, should require her attention. Mrs. Bennet felt confident that with such an ally, not to mention the greater claim that two of the three brides were her daughters, she would prevail on any last minute disagreement about the arrangements for the wedding that might occur between herself and Lady Lucas. Mrs. Bennet could not conceive of Lady Catherine coming later than a fortnight before the wedding, but with the protestations of her nephews Lady Catherine was convinced that she could not be spared from Rosings for more than a week, and so it was planned that she would be at Longbourn one week before the wedding was to take place. Elizabeth made sure to express her gratitude to both Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam for their assistance in resolving this matter, after this conversation took place. She was, perhaps, a bit more diligent in expressing her thanks to Darcy than to his cousin.

On the morning of the departure of Elizabeth and Mrs. Bennet, Lady Catherine accompanied her nephews to Hunsford. Colonel Fitzwilliam had accepted Bingley's invitation to come to Netherfield directly and stay through the wedding, and both he and Darcy were to ride alongside the carriage to London with the Bennet ladies, where they would stay at Darcy's townhouse for two days while the ladies stayed at Gracechurch Street. After two days in town, they would then accompany the ladies to Meryton. Mrs. Bennet, who could not help but believe that the prospect of meeting her two youngest daughters had been Colonel Fitzwilliam's inducement in coming to Hertfordshire, was greatly pleased by the arrangement. The entire company now bore witness to the effusive lamentations of their parting and the promises to write faithfully for the two weeks they would be apart, accompanying the farewell shared by Mrs. Bennet and Lady Catherine. At length the two Bennet women were handed into the carriage and the gentlemen took their places beside it as they departed Hunsford.

When Elizabeth and Mrs. Bennet arrived at Gracechurch Street, they were surprised to see both Jane and Charlotte there. Mrs. Gardiner had invited them to London for the two days that Elizabeth would be there so that all three brides could purchase things they might need for the wedding that could not be acquired in Meryton.

After depositing the ladies at the Gardiner home, and accepting an invitation to dine there that evening, the gentlemen went on to Darcy's home in Brook Street where they were happy to be greeted by Georgiana. In order to shield her from the unpleasantness he expected to encounter at Rosings, as a result of his aunt's letter, Darcy had left Georgiana in London with Mrs. Annesley, where she could catch up on her studies and with her friends while he was in Kent. After a happy reunion, Darcy recounted to his sister the change in their aunt's view of his engagement. She was surprised in the extreme by the alteration in Lady Catherine, but happy to have the unpleasantness behind them.

The rest of the day until dinner was spent in similar conversation at Gracechurch Street. The others were surprised to hear of Mrs. Bennet's new friendship with Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Jane was extremely relieved to learn that Darcy's aunt had accepted his engagement to Elizabeth. Charlotte was amazed that Lady Catherine had become such fast friends with someone so decidedly beneath her. It was not until later, when she received the whole of the story from Elizabeth in a more private conversation, that she fully understood what had occurred. Nevertheless, she was still surprised that the friendship had outlasted the effects of the 'special' tea.

During dinner it was settled that Georgiana would accompany the other ladies the following morning and then the entire party would dine at Darcy's townhouse in the evening. The six ladies visited London's finest shops the next day, and the three brides made their purchases. The dinner which followed, at the Darcy townhouse, was very pleasant. Elizabeth was happy for the opportunity to see the house, and was pleased with everything in it. Mrs. Bennet's pleasure in visiting Darcy's townhouse was perhaps even greater than her daughter's, and she eagerly praised all that she saw.

Finally, on the morning of the third day, Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, Jane, Charlotte, and Georgiana were handed into Mr. Darcy's spacious carriage while he and Colonel Fitzwilliam mounted their horses to ride beside it. The Gardiners farewelled the travelers sincerely, with assurances that they would be at Longbourn two days before the wedding.

At last, the party arrived at Longbourn. Mr. Wickham and Mr. Bingley were there to meet them and after an extended visit Mr. Wickham escorted Charlotte to Lucas Lodge and the other three gentlemen returned to Netherfield with Georgiana. When they entered the house, they went immediately to the drawing room to greet Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. Colonel Fitzwilliam, having been recently inundated with tales of the two youngest Miss Bennets by their mother, had nearly forgotten that Bingley had two sisters who he would be meeting as well. Darcy had spoken little of Bingley's sisters in the past, so he knew not what to expect, but if they were anything like their brother he was sure they would be everything that was sweet and amiable.

Colonel Fitzwilliam's expectation upon the meeting was only that he would have the opportunity to enjoy the company of pleasant young women during his stay at Netherfield. He knew that at the age of thirty it was time for him to start thinking about settling down. Indeed, his mind had been bending more and more in that direction, with no little pressure from his parents, for many months now. But, he also knew he must choose carefully. A woman of fortune she must be (which removed the Miss Bennets from his consideration), but he also refused to settle for a woman he could neither love nor respect. Finding the correct balance of the two had proven more difficult than expected, but in all fairness he had not really been seeking a wife. Even in the past months when he had begun to think of marrying, he had not put any degree of effort into casting himself into the paths of eligible young ladies. Even now he would not say he was looking for a wife, but nor was he was one to fail to notice a good opportunity. He knew Miss Bingley had a good fortune and believed her personality must be similar to her brother's. As such, she was certainly a prospect he could not ignore.

These thoughts raced through Colonel Fitzwilliam's mind after he was reminded that Mr. Bingley had two sisters when that gentleman mentioned meeting the ladies, as they alighted in front of Netherfield. Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley appeared much as Colonel Fitzwilliam had expected. They were both very handsome and quite fashionable, and their manners were well-bred. His eyes lingered but little time on the one wearing a lace cap, but he allowed himself to study the other a bit more diligently. He was happy to see there was nothing lacking in her looks. In fact, he found that she was strikingly handsome. After her curtsey, she met his eyes and he could not help smiling slightly as a faint blush crept into her cheeks.

For her part, Miss Bingley had spent the past several weeks, since the time of the announcement of Darcy's engagement, in self examination. She had looked at herself carefully and, seeing the person she had become, determined that she was not satisfied. She had then resolved to be a person she could love and respect. She had found it difficult at first, and had tried to emulate others who seemed to be well liked and well respected. Yet, something was lacking, she was not being herself. After some time she had learned to be herself and still be a better person, a better version of herself. She identified matters of substance that interested her, matters other than fashion and gossip. She began to look to others with a view of finding something she could admire or respect about them. And, when she realized that she could never find happiness in the places she had been looking, such as in a man or in material concerns, she resolved to find it from within, by being the person she wanted to be, a woman she could be truly proud of in character rather than a woman obsessed with vanity in her own looks and fortune. It was long after these realizations had taken place, and long after she had implemented her resolve and even after she had begun to see the results of her efforts, in the tendencies of her own behavior that Miss Bingley met Colonel Fitzwilliam.

She found that neither the knowledge that he was the son of an earl and Darcy's cousin nor the knowledge that he was only a second son with little fortune was the foremost thought in her mind when she was introduced to him. She was rather thinking of his looks and his manner. He was not the most striking man she had ever laid eyes on (Mr. Wickham still held that distinction) but his countenance was pleasant and inviting. Every moment that she was in his presence he grew more attractive. After the introductions had been made, the gentlemen remained in the drawing room with the ladies a good quarter of an hour before Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam finally went to their rooms to refresh themselves from their morning of traveling. During this time, the conversation was dominated by Darcy telling the others of his travels and Bingley's sisters telling him their news of the neighborhood.

Darcy was relieved to find Miss Bingley's manner towards him as subdued as it had been prior to his departure from the country. He had witnessed the lingering glance exchanged between Colonel Fitzwilliam and Miss Bingley and feared that his cousin would now become the object of the young lady's attentions. He then considered that with her fortune her attentions might not be unwelcome by his cousin, but he knew Colonel Fitzwilliam wanted more from a wife than just a good fortune and would not be taken in by her empty flattery. To his surprise, however, Miss Bingley hardly spoke while they remained in the drawing room, and attended most diligently to her sewing during the entire conversation. He was put somewhat at ease by her behavior as he realized that Colonel Fitzwilliam's lack of fortune was likely sufficient to deter her from pursuing him.

Later, when Colonel Fitzwilliam emerged from his room, he was unable to locate his cousin in the house and so walked outdoors to tour Netherfield's pleasure gardens. It was there that he came upon the most charming sight of Miss Bingley sitting on a bench in the sun, surrounded by blooming flowers and reading a book.

Upon his approach, she looked up from her book and greeted him. After returning her greeting, he inquired as to what she was reading. "It is a novel that Georgiana recommended to me, actually."

"Ah, a novel, does Darcy know that Georgiana has been reading novels?"

"I believe he does. In fact she expressed to me her surprise upon gaining his approbation of her doing so."

"I am all amazement!" said Colonel Fitzwilliam, "this easiness in his manner must be the effect of his association with Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

"I dare say it is," said Miss Bingley without the slightest sign of dissatisfaction, "they seem to compliment one another very well."

"I have never seen my cousin happier. Being in love does have a wondrous effect on some."

"Indeed," she replied quietly.

Colonel Fitzwilliam smiled, "and pray what type of story is told in your novel?"

"A love story," replied she, "or two love stories I should say." Miss Bingley went on to describe the basic story of the novel she was reading to Colonel Fitzwilliam.

"This sounds to be a very interesting novel, who is the author and what is it called?"

"'Sense and Sensibility' is the title, and it is merely said to be by 'A Lady.' Georgiana has another by the same author that she has also offered to lend me."

"You seem to enjoy reading very much," commented the gentleman.

Miss Bingley cast down her eyes and replied, "I confess I have never been a great reader. I tend to find proper books quite dull. It never occurred to me to try a novel until I heard Georgiana praise this one so enthusiastically. She was kind enough to lend it to me before she went away. So you see my passion for reading has developed rather recently, but I have found myself lost in this novel, as never before."

"You have found a charming spot for the activity. Your gardens here are quite lovely."

"I thank you. I recently discovered this bench, situated so perfectly for the enjoyment of both the warmth of the sunshine and the fragrance of the early spring blooms. I admit that I have always preferred being in town, but I have acquired a greater appreciation for the beauties of the country these past few weeks." Miss Bingley now realized that the conversation had been dominated by talk of her own preferences and she became embarrassed. It was still a struggle for her not to recede to her old habits, however much she now disapproved of them. Thus she added, "what is your own preference?"

"Both the city and the country have their advantages, Miss Bingley, I cannot profess a preference for one over the other. I am fortunate that I have been able to divide my time between both, but I spend most of it with my regiment." He went on to describe his career and the duties associated with it to her, in response to her inquiries which seemed to be fueled by genuine interest.

At length, Miss Bingley excused herself to see to the preparations for dinner as they were expecting a large party of guests. Colonel Fitzwilliam escorted her back to the house and in the hall they parted, each pleased with their meeting. Colonel Fitzwilliam found Darcy in the library where he told him of his encounter with Miss Bingley.

"I have found you at last, Darcy. I have just had a most pleasant walk in the gardens, where I encountered Miss Bingley situated most charmingly reading a book. Why did you never tell me how lovely she is, Darcy?"

"I believe I told you that both she and her sister are handsome young women."

"Yes, but that description did not do justice to her looks."

"I am surprised that you are so affected by them."

"And I am surprised that you were not. You were acquainted with her long before you met Miss Elizabeth and yet I wonder that she never attracted your interest."

"Perhaps that is because I took more than her looks into consideration. I hope that you will do the same."

"Of course Darcy, and I know I have only just met her, but she seems to be both amiable and intelligent. I had a delightful conversation with her in the garden."

Darcy looked at his cousin skeptically then replied, "I had thought, cousin, that you were above falling for the arts and allurements too often employed by the fairer sex."

Colonel Fitzwilliam chuckled, "I saw nothing artful in her manner, and if she was in the habit of employing such arts then why direct them towards me? I am but a younger son with very little fortune. She could set her sights much higher."

"You are the younger son of an earl. Her family's roots are in trade. An alliance with you would give her a title and secure her a position in the highest circles. The appearance of wealth and fashion are more important to her than actual fortune. You only need look to her sister's husband for proof of it. He is not as wealthy as his wife appears."

"You seem to have a very low opinion of both of Bingley's sisters."

"With good reason."

"Then tell me why, if Miss Bingley is so mercenary in her intentions, did she not use her arts to secure your hand long ago, for she could have had both status and fortune by marrying you."

"Why do you assume she did not make an effort to do so? Do you think I would succumb so easily?"

"I do find it hard to believe that you could resist the attentions of a creature so lovely and sweet."

Darcy laughed, "lovely she may very well be, but sweet she certainly is not. Miss Bingley has made her aspirations with respect to me painfully clear since I met her. That is how I am so familiar with her ways. Her efforts only subsided after the announcement of my engagement."

"I did not detect any bitterness in her tone when we spoke of your engagement. She even said herself that you and Miss Elizabeth compliment one another very well."

Darcy appeared surprised, "did she? That is odd. Perhaps she was lacking in sincerity.

"Not at all. I detected no sarcasm in her tone. She seemed truly indifferent."

"It has been above three months since my engagement was announced. I believe she has had time to reconcile herself to the news. As for her arts, it took no great effort on my part to resist them, and I hope that, in spite of your perception of her sweetness, you will be on your guard in your dealings with her."

"Thank you cousin, but I believe I can handle my own affairs quite well. For all your present happiness I do not believe I require advice on matters of the heart from a man three years my junior. I have seen more of the ways of the world than you, Darcy, and I have certainly had enough dealings with the fairer sex to have learned a thing or two. I know what I am about."

"I certainly hope so cousin," replied Darcy, "now I am going to dress for dinner so that I can be ready when the guests arrive."

"We both know that it is only the arrival of one guest that you are concerned with, Darcy."

Darcy smiled, murmured a quiet, "indeed," and left the room. Colonel Fitzwilliam followed shortly thereafter.

When Colonel Fitzwilliam returned to the drawing room he could not help but laugh at the sight that met him. There sat Bingley, Darcy and Wickham ready for dinner and awaiting the arrival of the other guests. Upon entering the room he greeted Mr. Wickham warmly and then said, "the three of you are quite a sight, all awaiting your ladies fair! It is a good quarter hour before any of the other guests are expected is it not?"

"Your teasing shall not affect us," said Wickham, "I will own without scruple that I am a hopeless case."

"Miss Bennet and Miss Lucas have been away in town these three days," added Bingley, "I am happy to have them safely home."

"Ah, yes," teased Colonel Fitzwilliam, "I enjoyed their company very much while we were all in town together."

Darcy smiled and said to Wickham and Bingley, "let him have his fun now, for someday we shall have our turn to tease him in kind."

"Do you truly suppose we will?" asked Wickham, "I am beginning to despair that Fitzwilliam will ever fall in love."

Just then Miss Bingley appeared in the doorway to the drawing room. "Good evening gentlemen," she said, catching Colonel Fitzwilliam's gaze. Then, looking at her brother she quickly added, "have Miss Darcy and Mrs. Hurst not yet come down?"

The answer to her question was obvious, but Bingley responded nevertheless, "we have not yet had the pleasure of seeing them." Miss Bingley then excused herself to see to some last minute preparations for the dinner. This was the first large dinner party held at Netherfield since the announcement of Darcy's engagement to Elizabeth. The Bennets and the Lucases had been invited as well as the Longs, the Gouldings and even the Phillipses.

After Miss Bingley left the room Wickham said, "perhaps we shall have that opportunity sooner than expected."

Bingley was unsure what Mr. Wickham intended to imply and whether it had anything to do with his sister, but did not have an opportunity to ask as Miss Darcy and the Hursts entered the room the next moment. Miss Bingley soon returned to them and collected her brother to meet the guests at the door, while the others talked among themselves.

The Bennets were the first family to arrive. They were shown into the drawing room, where they were welcomed readily by the others. Jane and Elizabeth seated themselves next to Georgiana, while Kitty and Lydia took chairs opposite the sofa occupied by Mr. Wickham and Colonel Fitzwilliam. Mrs. Bennet looked on with approval as she struck up a conversation with Mrs. Hurst, while Mr. Bennet began speaking to Darcy, who had been more than willing to give up Elizabeth's company for the sake of seeing her with Georgiana. Mr. Bennet amused himself by noting the furtive glances that often passed between his companion and his second daughter.

Colonel Fitzwilliam, in turn, amused himself by watching Wickham fidget uncomfortably as he glanced towards the door at every sound that might signify the arrival of more guests, while the Bennet sisters chattered away. At last, Wickham's anxiety was answered with the arrival of the Lucases. Colonel Fitzwilliam was duly introduced to the rest of that family. Lady Lucas then sat down on the opposite end of the sofa on which he sat, now that it had been vacated by Wickham in favor of a chair in a more private corner of the room and next to the one in which Charlotte had seated herself, placing her daughter, Maria, between them. She soon had more than Kitty and Lydia to contend with to gain his attention for her daughter, as the Longs soon arrived with their nieces. After the family was introduced to him, the Miss Longs sat in chairs near the younger Miss Bennets and Colonel Fitzwilliam found himself seated amidst five young girls who were all chatting away quite animatedly. He noticed Darcy spare a glance in his direction, then say something to Mr. Bennet who looked at him as well before the two men chuckled together. Colonel Fitzwilliam rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the young ladies to find that he had just become the topic of their conversation.

The Gouldings and the Phillipses arrived at about the same time, just a few minutes later. William Goulding was with his parents, and the Phillipses brought with them a Mr. Olsen, who was Mr. Phillips' new clerk. Colonel Fitzwilliam was relieved to find two more apparently eligible men present, even if they both seemed very young. Mr. and Miss Bingley entered the room behind the last of their guests. Colonel Fitzwilliam had not realized he had been waiting for their entrance until he found himself looking beyond the five young ladies vying for his attention and smiling into the eyes of his hostess. The lady, however, quickly looked away. Bingley moved to Jane's side with alacrity and took her arm to lead the way into the dining room. Miss Bingley's brother in law did not seem awake to her necessity of an escort and Mr. Bennet was about to offer her his arm when Colonel Fitzwilliam approached her instead, "may I escort you into the dining room, Madame?"

"Yes, thank you," she replied with sincerity.

Mrs. Bennet, Mrs. Long, and Lady Lucas were all vexed by what they perceived as a slight to their daughters or nieces respectively. Colonel Fitzwilliam found himself pleased to be seated next to Miss Bingley where he was able to enjoy her conversation throughout dinner. He observed nothing in her demeanor to confirm Darcy's earlier report of her character, yet he knew Darcy too well to believe he could be exaggerating. Nor could he attribute his cousin's perception to mere vanity. Though vanity was one of Darcy's weaknesses, his vanity was of a different sort; and he had been too accustomed to receiving the attentions of women to imagine himself to be the object of admiration, whether sincere or not, without reason. Nevertheless, while he would not completely disregard his cousin's warning, Colonel Fitzwilliam was determined to judge this woman for himself. For Miss Bingley's part, as this was her first appearance in a large social party since her transformation, her changed manner did not go unnoticed by many of her guests.

After an enjoyable dinner, the ladies removed to the drawing room, leaving the gentlemen to themselves. Wickham wasted little time in teasing Colonel Fitzwilliam about his apparent pleasure with his dining companions. Colonel Fitzwilliam owned that he had enjoyed Miss Bingley's company greatly. Then, turning to Darcy who was nearby (while Bingley was engaged with his future father-in-law) he added, "I have seen nothing in her demeanor to match your previous account of her, Darcy."

"I have noticed that she is behaving very differently this evening than what I have been accustomed to seeing. I cannot account for it," replied Darcy.

"How long have you been acquainted with her, Wickham?" asked Colonel Fitzwilliam, turning to Mr. Wickham.

"I first met her last November, but I cannot boast of knowing her nearly as well as Darcy. I have only had the pleasure of her company a very few number of times."

"And is she the same now as when you first knew her?"

"There is a difference in her that I cannot quite explain. She is as handsome and intelligent as ever, but there seems to be less of an edge about her now. She seems to be more agreeable than she was previously, particularly with the other ladies."

"You seem to take an eager interest in her, Fitzwilliam," observed Darcy.

"I am merely trying to reconcile your account of this rather remarkable young woman with what I have seen of her myself."

The three gentlemen were then joined by Mr. Olsen, who inquired about some of the young ladies present. After exchanging pleasantries through which it was determined that Mr. Olsen had been in town only two days and before this evening had been far too occupied with settling in and acquainting himself with the business, that he had not had the opportunity to meet any of the young ladies of the neighborhood. "I declare," he then added, "Mr. Bingley is a lucky man. His Miss Bennet is quite a beauty. But her next sister is nearly as pretty, is she not?"

Wickham and Fitzwilliam immediately looked to Darcy who wasted no time in saying, with a small smile, "more so in my opinion, sir, and spoken for as well."

"Forgive me, sir, I had no idea. Please accept my best wishes for your future happiness."

Darcy simply bowed.

Colonel Fitzwilliam then added, "I had better warn you, my good sir, before you continue, that the eldest Miss Lucas is also engaged to Mr. Wickham here."

"I thank you, sir," replied Mr. Olsen with a light laugh, "I would not wish to embarrass myself twice in one conversation." Then turning to Wickham, he said, "and may I offer you my congratulations as well, sir"

Wickham said, "I thank you."

Mr. Olsen looked thoughtful for a moment, then continued, "our hostess this evening is also a very handsome woman," Wickham noticed Fitzwilliam's attention become more focused on the speaker at this point, "but I suppose she is far out of my reach. I believe I will look to the youngest Miss Bennets and the Miss Longs for company this evening."

Wickham found himself relieved that the gentlemen had overlooked both Miss Darcy and Miss Maria Lucas in his quest for feminine companionship. He was not of the opinion that whichever of the young ladies Mr. Olsen settled his attentions on would be a fortunate one.

The gentlemen soon joined the ladies in the drawing room, where Darcy immediately went to Elizabeth's side, glancing at Georgiana who was in earnest conversation with Kitty and Maria Lucas. Colonel Fitzwilliam entered last, hoping that Mr. Olsen would capture the attention of some of the eligible young ladies present before he made his appearance. His plan was a good one, and left him able to approach Miss Bingley. "I am told, Madame, that you are an accomplished musician. I would very much like to hear you play."

A few months ago Miss Bingley would have disregarded such a compliment, attributing it to some motive other than sincerity. Now, she blushed lightly and replied, "I thank you, sir. I would be most willing to play for you, but perhaps you would like to hear from some of the other young ladies first." As hostess, Miss Bingley could not play without first entreating the other ladies present to do so. Luckily, very few of them played. Thus, Elizabeth played first, then she persuaded Georgiana to perform a duet with her. Mrs. Hurst then played for the company, and after two songs, Miss Bingley replaced her.

Colonel Fitzwilliam had been turning the pages for all of the performers and so remained at his post when Miss Bingley approached the pianoforte. He listened to her with great pleasure, her proficiency was rivaled only by Georgiana's. He complimented her playing with sincerity, and she was surprised to learn how truly pleased she was by his attentions.

After her performances, Elizabeth rejoined Darcy at one end of the room. Mr. Wickham soon joined them, as Miss Lucas had been called away by her sister to partake of conversation meant exclusively for the ears of ladies. "My dear Miss Elizabeth," he said, "allow me to express my great pleasure in hearing you play and in your ability to draw out Georgiana. The two of you will do very well together, I think."

"Thank you, Mr. Wickham, she is a dear girl."

"It seems she is nearly as delighted with your company as her brother is."

Elizabeth smiled, "oh I dare say she is much more delighted with me than Mr. Darcy," she teased. Darcy looked at her with an injured expression and she explained, "you see, Mr. Wickham, Mr. Darcy has never sung a duet with me."

"Ah but you are too hard on him, Miss Elizabeth, I dare say you would not be so severe if you had witnessed his speed and enthusiasm in claiming you as his own only a few moments ago."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and Darcy blushed slightly. "You have excited my curiosity indeed, Mr. Wickham, and you must tell me all about it, for I fear I will get no information from him," she replied.

"Alas," replied Wickham, "I must leave you to use whatever means are within your power to extract the intelligence from him for I see Sir William beckoning to me. But I have no doubt of your success, dear lady." He then gallantly kissed her hand, with a mischievous glance towards Darcy, and left her laughing lightly in his wake.

Elizabeth looked at Darcy expectantly and he said, "I will readily tell you anything you wish to know, my dear, though I confess I might have enjoyed waiting to see what means you would attempt to use to extract information from me."

"I would not wish you to reveal anything against your will," she replied seriously.

"I have no secrets from you Elizabeth," he responded quietly.

"I could not, of course, confess it in front of Mr. Wickham," she replied, "but I do rather like the idea of you claiming me as your own."

Darcy smiled, obviously also pleased with such a notion. "As usual, Wickham has made more of the occurrence than what it merited. After making some general statements about the young women in the neighborhood, Mr. Olsen simply observed that Mr. Bingley was a very lucky man for having won the hand of your very lovely sister. He then commented that you were quite handsome as well, with which opinion I could not but agree. I then gave him to know of our engagement. He wished me well and then began speaking of some of the other young ladies present."

"It sounds as if Mr. Olsen is indeed seeking a wife. He should be a favorite with my mother."

"It is only natural that he should do so. Now that he has established himself in his situation, and stands to inherit your uncle's business in time, he must begin thinking of starting a family."

"Yes, but as he is neither rich nor in possession of a red coat, I am afraid neither Lydia nor Kitty will give him a second glance. What sort of man does he seem to be?"

"I have not had very much time with him, but he seems to be a sensible, good sort of young man, though his mind is, I think, too much engaged with the charms of young women. He does not seem to be a man of great discernment."

"I will try not to let that last observation cheapen the compliment he made to my beauty," replied Elizabeth with an impertinent smirk.

"His insipid observations cannot do justice to your beauty, Elizabeth."

They continued in conversation until Miss Bingley finished playing and the card tables were set up. The remainder of the evening was spent at cards, until supper was served and then the guests departed.

Wickham was the last guest to depart. Both Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam lingered outside with him long. When they re-entered the drawing room, they found Miss Bingley saying to her brother, "I am glad you had such an enjoyable evening, Charles. It pleases me to see that you have found such happiness."

Darcy was surprised by these assertions, and Colonel Fitzwilliam only smiled. When Mr. Bingley perceived them he explained, "the Hursts have retired to their chambers, and I was just describing how much I enjoyed the evening to Caroline."

"Allow me to congratulate you on a very successful dinner party, Miss Bingley," said Colonel Fitzwilliam. "The dinner was impeccable and the company even better. I do believe all of your guests had an enjoyable evening."

"I thank you, sir," she replied, casting down her gaze. Then after a moment she said, "I believe I shall retire as well. Good night Charles, Mr. Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam." With that, she ascended the stairs and went to bed with thoughts of Colonel Fitzwilliam filling her mind. Little did she know how prominently she figured in his thoughts as well.

The morning after the dinner party at Netherfield, Bingley and the Darcys called at Longbourn rather early. They invited Colonel Fitzwilliam to accompany them, but he declined, stating he would prefer to take a long ride to investigate the surrounding countryside. When Colonel Fitzwilliam returned, he cleaned up and then went into the pleasure gardens, in the hope of meeting with Miss Bingley again. He found her as she had been the day before, reading on the same bench.

Upon his approach, she closed her book and they enjoyed a pleasant conversation as they strolled through the gardens taking little heed of the time. They talked of many things, including books, music, art, and the gardens that surrounded them. Colonel Fitzwilliam enjoyed every moment of the conversation, as Miss Bingley continued to prove herself intelligent, well-informed and very agreeable. He took the opportunity again to tell her how much he had enjoyed the previous evening. By the time they were summoned indoors by a servant sent by Mrs. Hurst, Colonel Fitzwilliam was quite bewitched by his companion. He had never before been so affected by a woman. He would have been gratified to know that she felt the same about him.

Miss Bingley was reveling in the genuine and natural affection she had begun to feel for Colonel Fitzwilliam. She was thrilled with the sensation of admiring a man simply because she enjoyed being with him, and not for more superficial attractions. She had never known feelings such as this and she was so pleased with simply experiencing them herself that she scarcely gave a thought to whether they might be returned. For a woman who had denied herself the sensation of any real emotion for years, she was content for now to just feel the exquisite sensations inspired by his attentions.

While Colonel Fitzwilliam and Miss Bingley were enjoying one another's company, Bingley, Darcy and Miss Darcy were spending time with the Bennets. Upon arriving at Longbourn, they had visited with all the ladies of the house, save Lydia, who was thought to be out walking on her own. A scheme to walk to Oakham Mount was decided upon by the young people and they set out together. Jane and Mr. Bingley soon outstripped the others, who had not gotten far before Kitty professed a disinclination for walking the distance to the mount. Instead, she suggested showing Miss Darcy some of Longbourn's pleasure gardens. By the time, this was all decided and the two youngest ladies were left behind, Bingley and Jane could scarcely be seen ahead of Darcy and Elizabeth who continued together up the path at a leisurely pace.

When Bingley and Jane had set off the former had set a quick pace with the purpose of gaining some privacy by distance. Jane had only laughed as she struggled to keep up with him. When they were out of sight of the others he boldly grabbed her hand to assist her as she scrambled along, laughing with him. They reached the top of the mount in good time, and were able to rest at last. Jane sat on a grassy slope that overlooked a large field of wild flowers and Bingley sat beside her. After some brief conversation of the beauties surrounding them, Bingley asked Jane, "did you enjoy your evening yesterday?"

"Very much," she replied, "Caroline is a very gracious hostess."

"She was gracious last evening, but I do not know that she has always been so. Have you noticed a change in her recently?"

Jane was thoughtful for a moment, and then replied, "she seemed better pleased with her company than she had been in the past. These past few weeks she has appeared more content."

"I have noticed that her manner seems less affected than what it used to be. I do not know if you are aware of this, but she opposed a match between us at first. But since her return to the neighborhood in January, she seems more than merely reconciled to it, I believe she is sincerely happy for us. I only hope I am not seeing what I wish rather than the truth, but I never failed to notice her artifice in the past. What is your opinion? Do you believe the change in her manner to be genuine?"

"I do," said Jane, without hesitation.

Bingley smiled, "you are too good."

"That is what Lizzy says. But truly Charles, your sister deserves that benefit of the doubt, and if she is truly attempting to amend her ways, your faith could be of great service to her."

"Of course, you are right, as always," he replied, standing and then assisting her to her feet. They walked to the other end of the mount where a rocky ledge overlooked a patchwork of fields just beginning to give forth their green sprouts, and a river that ran along the edge of them.

Jane pointed towards the river and said, "if you follow the river down another half mile beyond that large oak tree, it leads to a small waterfall that empties into a pool. During the summer, many of the children from Longbourn village swim and play there." Bingley stood behind her and took in the view over her shoulder as she spoke. As her talk turned to fond childhood memories of she and Lizzy coming to this place together, he gently placed his hands on her arms, and she leaned back into him slightly. He was emboldened by her response to wrap his arms all the way around her. They stood there peacefully for several moments in silence, admiring the view. At length, however, Bingley could no longer resist the sweet scent that was emanating from Jane's person. Without thinking, he nuzzled into her neck and, as she did nothing to show she opposed his actions, he began placing kisses on her soft skin.

"I love you so, Janey," he said quietly.

"My dearest Charles," she replied as she turned to face him, placing her hand aside his cheek. The next moment his lips were upon hers. After an extended kiss, he paused long enough to say, "I have longed for some time alone with you lately, my love."

"Soon we shall be together always," she replied, "I hope you will not grow tired of me."

"Impossible," whispered Bingley as his lips touched hers again.

It was at this moment that they heard the voices of Elizabeth and Darcy on the path leading from Longbourn. They each took a step back from one another, just as the other couple came into sight.

Now the four of them shared some pleasant moments together taking in the views afforded by their lofty position. Elizabeth and Jane began to reminisce about their youth and Darcy and Bingley were content to watch and listen to their lady loves in admiration. Soon, it was time to return to the house, where Darcy and Bingley collected Georgiana and took their leave.

Meanwhile, Mr. Wickham had called upon Charlotte at Lucas Lodge that morning as well. After spending above half an hour in conversation with Charlotte's family during which he had accepted their invitation to remain for a family dinner, Lady Lucas charged her eldest daughter with an errand to Meryton. Wickham was happy to offer himself as an escort, and so the couple set out. As they passed through the gate from Lucas Lodge, Charlotte made towards the direction of the main road, but Wickham said, "let us take the long way," and bent his steps towards the path they had taken from Meryton the day he had proposed to her, the second time.

Charlotte assented, adding that this particular path through the countryside was one of her favorites. They spoke of many things as they walked leisurely, not the least of which was their future life together. Charlotte, having a practical mind, concerned herself with all the details of their situation and shared her plans and ideas with him. He took great pride in seeing her give so much consideration their future, and they discussed the various possibilities open to them animatedly.

As they approached the spot where they had renewed their engagement, Wickham stopped and took her hand. She looked at him with a knowing smile. "This is my favorite spot," he said pulling her closer to him.

"It is amazing how much we have in common, Mr. Wickham, for this is my favorite spot as well."

"It is just above a fortnight until we wed, my love," he observed.

"Are you counting down the days?" she asked.

"I am counting down the minutes," he replied gallantly just before he gently kissed her lips. She responded to his advances enthusiastically, and soon their kisses became more fervent. Wickham allowed his lips to travel from hers to her throat and along the lines of her neck to just beneath her ear. He only stopped when she let out a moan of pleasure. He was not in the least displeased with this reaction, but it gave him to realize that things had gone a bit too far. "I am sorry," he said, "I should not have allowed myself to . . . please forgive me."

Charlotte merely smiled and said, "there is nothing to forgive, but perhaps it is better if we continue on our way, my mother will soon wonder at the length of our absence."

Wickham had little doubt that Lady Lucas would be wholly unconcerned if they stayed away until dinner time. He replied by offering her his arm and once she had taken it and they had begun walking he replied, "I think I have found a new favorite spot."

She looked at him in confusion and said, "truly? so soon? where?"

"Right here," he replied planting one last feather light kiss on the spot just beneath her ear that he had been paying particular attention to when she had moaned. She blushed and smiled, but said nothing.

The rest of their walk was uneventful, as was their errand into Meryton. After they had met their purpose for coming into town, they walked down the main road through the town in the direction of the road to Lucas Lodge. On their way, they came upon a large orange cat lying in their path, taking advantage of a sunbeam that fell between the buildings. As they approached it the cat stood up, stretched and then rubbed himself against Wickham's legs. "Hello Tom," he said, "may I introduce Miss Lucas to you, Miss Lucas, this is Tom."

"How do you do, Tom?" asked Charlotte, as she bent to scratch his ears. Tom merely purred in response.

Charlotte stood again when she heard Wickham, say, "ah, there is Denny."

They crossed the road to meet Mr. Denny, who was just coming out of the officer's quarters. The two gentlemen spoke for a few minutes as Denny began to complain of his insufficient income.

Wickham discarded his complaints and simply told him he should exercise some economy in his spending. "You would do well with spending more evenings with a book and fewer at the card tables," he added.

Denny laughed and then, glancing at Charlotte said, "you are quite domestic already, Wickham. But if I had that five pounds you owe me, I would not be so strapped."

Charlotte turned a piercing gaze on Mr. Wickham, who was laughing with Denny, but she said nothing. The next moment, she saw Lydia emerge from around the corner of a building just ahead of them. "Lydia," said Charlotte, moving towards her, "whatever are you doing here alone?"

"I have been to visit my aunt Phillips, if you must know," replied Lydia.

"But your aunt's home is in the other direction, Lydia. Where are you coming from now?"

"I was calling upon Miss King, she had asked me to view the new dresses her uncle sent her from Liverpool."

By now, Denny had taken his leave and Wickham caught up with Charlotte and Lydia. "Did you come into town alone?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, Kitty wished to remain at home and await Miss Darcy's visit, but I could not sit indoors all day."

"We were just on our way back to Lucas Lodge, perhaps you would like to walk back with us as far as Longbourn," said Charlotte.

"No thank you, my aunt is expecting me."

"But it will be dark soon," protested Charlotte, "surely you do not intend to walk home alone, at night."

"Good lord no, I am sure I would get lost. Be so kind as to stop at Longbourn and ask my father to send the carriage round to the Phillipses after tea." With that, Lydia was on her way to the Phillips home.

Charlotte simply shrugged, and turned towards the road. There was a heavy silence for the first quarter mile. Charlotte was lost in her thoughts. Her previous fears had been reawakened, Wickham's habits would bring discord and discontent to the rest of her life. Their income would be dwindled away by his debts of honor, they would live in constant fear of threat from his creditors. Charlotte became ashamed as these thoughts reeled through her mind. She recalled the previous times she had misjudged him, but had she? In each circumstance she had only his word to prove that she had been wrong. She wished he would say something in his defense, but he did not seem inclined to discuss it. At last, Charlotte could contain herself no longer, "five pounds? You lost five pounds at cards?"

Wickham looked at her in surprise, then said, "of course not. I do not owe him any money. It is a joke. I would never wager such an amount."

"What kind of a joke?"

Wickham smiled, "Denny and I met, several months ago, in London, after we had both taken a commission in our present regiment. We rode into Meryton together on post horses. Mine was larger and stronger, a male; while Denny had a small, stout mare. When we left the city he pointed to some landmark up the road and wagered five pounds his horse could outrun mine. I told him he would be a fool to make such a wager but I would in no way risk such a sum. I then told him I'd give him five pence if he could overtake me, and urged my horse forward without warning. He caught me up though, and made it to the appointed place first. I could not believe it. I do not know how the little mare did it. I paid Denny his five pence and, though he took it, he laughed and pretended to insist that I owed him five pounds. He has teased me about it ever since."

Charlotte said nothing, but looked away from him contemplatively.

After a moment of watching her think, Wickham asked, "Charlotte, do you still harbor doubts about my honor?"

She still did not speak, but he could see from her expression that it was so. He gently took her in his arms and asked her, "why? Have I ever given you a reason to doubt my word?"

His embrace felt so good to Charlotte, so strong, so comforting. "No," she replied, sighing heavily into his chest, "it is only my own fear that causes me to doubt you."

"What do you fear?" he asked.

"Allowing my feelings to mislead me."

"Is that possible?"

"I do not know," she replied in a frustrated tone. Then she pulled away from him and they began walking again as she continued, "you know I would have been satisfied to marry without love."

Wickham nodded, as he recalled his short-lived rivalry with Mr. Collins with disgust.

"I never hoped for more than a comfortable situation. Even though it often seemed beyond my reach."

"Is my situation not comfortable enough for you?"

"Oh yes, of course it is. Our income will be more than adequate, and it is more than I have ever really allowed myself to hope for. It is allowing my feelings, rather then my judgment, to govern my choice that alarms me."

"If you had not loved me, would you have agreed to marry me?"

"Probably, your situation is an eligible one and I had not many prospects. Nay, in truth I had no other prospects, and would soon have been on the shelf."

"Charlotte!" he said.

"Well, it is true. Do not believe that I deceive myself about my looks."

Here Wickham stopped again and looked right into her eyes as he said, "I think you are beautiful."

She smiled, "I know you do, but it is only because you love me."

"You do not doubt my love for you, then?"

"No, I know that you love me."

Wickham smiled, "then how can you doubt anything else. I would never do anything that might cause you pain or grief or injury. I could not. Besides, you have already said that you would have chosen to marry me if your judgment alone had governed your choice."

Charlotte smiled, "I had never looked at it that way before."

"And do you love me?"

"You know that I do."

"Then you shall be very happy as Mrs. Wickham, for you shall have both a comfortable situation and real affection."

"Mrs. Wickham, how well that sounds!"

"I like it," he replied before kissing her. After several moments of enjoying that activity, he spoke again, "I was going to let this be a surprise, but if it will ease your concerns I will tell you that Darcy insists on giving us a monetary gift upon our marriage."

"That is very generous of him, he has already done so much for you."

"I do not feel right about it, but he insists that it was his father's will. I made him promise that this would be the last assistance he would render to me and he agreed, except for furthering my career which he believes he is bound to forever due to a promise he made his father."

"Your friend is an honorable man."

"That he is."

"And I know that you are as well, George."

Wickham smiled, "I am pleased to hear it, but you must promise to tell me of any doubts you continue to have. I would not wish you keeping such thoughts secret."

"I promise," she said solemnly.

They then resumed their walk, stopping first at Longbourn before continuing on to Lucas Lodge. When they arrived there, Charlotte conveyed Lydia's request to Mr. Bennet who sighed heavily. "Thank you for troubling yourself with conveying her message." Then he turned to Wickham, "tell me, sir, will you be staying at Lucas Lodge for dinner." Wickham replied in the affirmative. "If you will be returning to Meryton after tea I offer you the use of my carriage as it seems that it will be going there in any case."

"I thank you, sir, and I accept your gracious offer. I shall stop by here after tea."

With those arrangements settled, Charlotte and Wickham spent a few moments visiting with Jane and Elizabeth before returning to Lucas Lodge. Elizabeth looked as lively as ever, but Charlotte noticed that Jane seemed to have a glow of contentment about her that contrasted her usual serenity. After a short visit, Charlotte and Wickham departed for Lucas Lodge, and the Bennets settled in for a quiet family dinner at home.

Dinner was a quiet affair at Netherfield as well, with only those in residence in attendance. After tea, Colonel Fitzwilliam entreated Miss Bingley to play for him. She again asked Georgiana to play first, but Miss Darcy begged to be excused as she wished to finish a letter to her cousin Anne in the course of the evening. Miss Bingley said, "as you wish," and then moved to the instrument with Colonel Fitzwilliam following, to turn the pages for her. The other four sat down to cards, and Colonel Fitzwilliam found himself left in Miss Bingley's exclusive company for most of the evening. They talked and she played in turns. Then, at his request, she attempted to teach him a simple song, and they laughed together at his clumsiness. Although the others in the room noticed the intimacy between the two, no one ventured to disrupt it.

After dinner and tea at Lucas Lodge, Wickham returned to Longbourn as arranged to be conveyed back to Meryton. When the carriage pulled up in front of the Phillipses' home, he alighted and went inside to fetch Lydia, with the intent of seeing her into the carriage. When he was shown into the drawing room he saw that Mr. Olsen had also dined at the Phillipses. He announced his purpose to Mr. Phillips, and Mrs. Phillips urged him fervently to join the party. He declined her invitation and reiterated his purpose. After many complaints that the night was too young to end, Miss Lydia was ushered outdoors to the waiting carriage by her uncle. Wickham was reminded of his folly in flirting with her and her sister, Kitty, on one occasion and was thankful, not for the first time and certainly not for the last, for his Charlotte. He could not imagine being married to someone like Lydia Bennet. When Lydia was safely settled into the carriage, bound for Longbourn, Wickham walked back to his lodgings with his mind and heart full of Miss Lucas.

At Longbourn, once Lydia was safe at home, and the family had retired, Elizabeth and Jane found some time for private conversation together. Elizabeth began by asking for particulars about Jane's time on Oakham Mount with Mr. Bingley before she and Darcy had arrived.

"We spoke of Caroline," replied Jane. Elizabeth was surprised, this was certainly not the reply she had expected. Jane continued without noticing her sister's reaction, "Charles wanted my opinion as to the sincerity of her changed manner."

"What did you tell him?"

"That I believe her to be sincere, but she deserves his faith in any case. I know what you will say, that I am too apt to see the good in her, and that I am deceived."

"Indeed not, Jane. I admit that last evening her manners were very different from what they have been in the past. Yet, I have been away for so long and I was so little in her company the last few weeks before I went to Kent, that I can hardly judge her behavior. I must rely on you to tell me how she has been since I went away."

"I did see her a few times while you were in Kent. She seemed to have a real desire to become better acquainted with me. Her manners have improved gradually to what they were last night, and I have truly come to enjoy her company."

"I will say that she no longer seems in possession of that haughty air that once marked her character. She also does not talk with Mrs. Hurst as much as I remember. There is something that I cannot quite describe which gives me to believe that the changes we have seen in her are genuine, though I can hardly account for their occurrence."

The two young ladies talked late into the night about many different things before finally retiring.

The next several days passed in like manner. Longbourn house and Lucas Lodge became engulfed in the planning of the wedding. One thing the mistresses of both houses agreed upon was that it would be an affair to be remembered. The couples to be wed found their time less their own, and spent very little of it to themselves. The gentlemen, when they visited the homes of their brides, were constantly asked their opinions regarding various details about which they cared not.

Colonel Fitzwilliam often accompanied Bingley and the Darcys to Longbourn, but he found that he grew tired of Mrs. Bennet's machinations in throwing him in the way of Miss Kitty Bennet. He saw very little of the other daughter as she was seldom at home. Just as often, however, he chose to remain at Netherfield; and inevitably, when he did so, he spent much of his time in the company of his hostess. The friendship between Colonel Fitzwilliam and Miss Bingley grew into a deep affection, rather more quickly than either would have expected.

On one of his visits to Longbourn with his cousins and Bingley, Colonel Fitzwilliam found the rare opportunity for some conversation with Miss Elizabeth, without Darcy's presence; and he struck up a conversation with her. Eventually, he was able to direct their discourse towards Miss Bingley without raising Elizabeth's suspicions of his motives. What he did not know was that Elizabeth was almost as curious to learn the colonel's impression of that young lady as he was to hear her view on the matter.

She was surprised when he told her the amount of time they had spent together, their pursuits during that time, and his description of her manners and behavior. Elizabeth could not account for it. Miss Bingley's behavior towards Colonel Fitzwilliam was much different from her previous behavior towards Darcy. Yet, could she merely be trying a different tactic to capture him, having failed with her previous object? Would she consider the colonel, with his limited fortune, worth her pursuit? Then Elizabeth recalled that Miss Bingley's changed manner had been effected long before Colonel Fitzwilliam had entered the neighborhood, and therefore could not merely be a ruse to gain his attention.

"Darcy and Wickham have told me that she was, not so long ago, very different than she is now. Yet, I can see nothing in her of the woman they describe. She has a certain strength of character, as well as intelligence and wit, and I cannot discern the conceit or artifice in her manner that I am told she possesses."

"Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham's account of Miss Bingley's prior behavior is quite accurate. However, she has undergone a marked change of late. I cannot describe it, she is still much the same in her person, but she now lacks a certain mean-spiritedness that once marked her demeanor."

"And what do you think of this change you have seen in her?"

"To my perception, it appears genuine. I have not been much in company with her lately, but Jane has, and she agrees with my assessment. Have you asked Mr. Darcy for his opinion?"

"We have spoken of it. Though he too is puzzled by what he believes to be uncharacteristic behavior on her part. He has warned me to take care in my dealings with her."

"That would not be ill-advised, Colonel Fitzwilliam," said Elizabeth, smiling as she now realized the purpose of her companion's inquiries, "but I do believe you to be perfectly capable of sketching her character based on your own dealings with her."

"That is just what I intend to do, but I thank you for sharing your opinions on the matter with me nonetheless, Miss Bennet."

"You are quite welcome."

Colonel Fitzwilliam thought carefully about everything Miss Bennet had said as well as Darcy's and Wickham's assertions; but most of all he considered his own observations of Miss Bingley. He knew, instinctively, that the woman she was with him was the real Miss Bingley. Perhaps, she had been hiding her true self behind a facade of artifice and disdain, but he felt strongly that he had been shown the real beauty she possessed deep within, and that this lovely side of her character only wanted nurturing and encouragement. He continued to spend as much time with her as he could, and as time passed, the more he was disposed to rely on his own perceptions of her.

By the time the wedding was but one week away, Colonel Fitzwilliam could acknowledge to himself that he was in love with Miss Bingley. This day also marked the end of Wickham's service in Colonel Forster's regiment. He resigned his commission and took up residence at Lucas Lodge for the week. He was to join his regiment in Newcastle in three weeks time, giving him two weeks to spend with Charlotte after their marriage before he resumed the obligations of employment. They would spend one week in town, where, though they had been invited to stay with the Darcys, they secured separate lodgings. They would then remove to Newcastle to secure a house in advance of the day Wickham was required to report to his new colonel. Darcy had offered to have house ready for their arrival, but Charlotte preferred to choose for herself.

On the same day that Wickham moved into Lucas Lodge, Lady Catherine de Bourgh arrived at Longbourn with her daughter and the Collinses. Darcy's other relations would arrive two days before the wedding, the same day the Gardiners were expected, and would be staying at Netherfield.

Darcy and Bingley and Georgiana were all at Longbourn when Lady Catherine arrived. The reunion between the lady and Mrs. Bennet was brimming with mirth and enthusiasm. Lady Catherine immediately began giving her opinions as to the house and grounds, but all in all pronounced the place to be most charming. For Elizabeth, the best part about this reunion was the expression on her father's face upon witnessing it. After paying his proper respects to Lady Catherine and welcoming his daughter, Mr. Bennet locked himself in his library. Lady Catherine's first order of business was not to be shown to her rooms or to rest from her travels, but to concern herself with being made fully aware of the plans that were in progress for the upcoming wedding, and to find all the faults in them. In the confusion that ensued at Longbourn, Darcy walked up to Elizabeth, took her hand, without a word, and led her outside.

As they distanced themselves from the house he said, "how much time do you think we have before they discover we are missing."

"Not very much, I am afraid," she replied laughing.

When they were finally out of sight of the house, Darcy wasted no time in drawing Elizabeth into his arms and kissing her soundly on the lips. "I have missed you," he said.

"You spend the greater part of everyday in company with me."

"But I rarely have your attention."

"You will soon be removing me from my family forever, you would not begrudge me sparing them some of my attention now, in my last days among them?"

"No, of course not, Elizabeth, we can return to the house anytime you like."

She smiled, "I think we can remain here a few minutes more."

Her acquiescence was rewarded with a lingering kiss, which was interrupted by the sound of Hill calling, "Miss Elizabeth," from the lawn near the house.

Darcy breathed a frustrated sigh and Elizabeth said, "only one more week."

"It seems an eternity."

"I fear you will not always be so eager for my company as you are now. Someday you may indeed come to regret your present impatience."

Darcy chose to respond to this statement using a method of communication other than the spoken word. His kiss was so powerful, so passionate, that Elizabeth could scarcely remain standing. She comprehended that he was wholly absorbed in his present occupation and completely unconcerned with Hill's eminent approach. She gently pushed his chest until he backed away. "Never!" he said huskily with a smile.

Elizabeth smiled back and boldly leaned up to place a last kiss on his lips before she moved towards the house calling, "Hill, we are here."

The eternity that was the last week before the wedding passed rather quickly, as eternities go, for those involved and their families. The Gardiners arrived at Longbourn and Lord and Lady _____ arrived at Netherfield with little incident, but with great consequences -- those being their demands on the time of their nieces and nephew, respectively.

A large dinner party was held at Netherfield the last night before the wedding with all of the Longbourn, Netherfield, and Lucas Lodge inhabitants in attendance as well as the Gouldings, the Longs and the Phillipses, who brought Mr. Olsen with them. Joy, happiness and mirth abounded. It was now quite evident to everyone that Colonel Fitzwilliam admired Miss Bingley. During the separation of the sexes following the meal, Mr. Wickham approached Mr. Darcy and said, "your cousin is bewitched."

Darcy glanced at Colonel Fitzwilliam and smiled. "So it seems. You are not the only one who has noticed," he replied gesturing to his uncle who was in earnest conversation with Mr. Bingley. "He has told me, however, that he knows what he is about, so I shall leave him to his own affairs."

"A wise choice my good man," replied Wickham, "I am glad you have learned something from your early opposition to Bingley's choice."

"Bingley will be very happy."

"And so will his sister, I think."

"You have been besotted with love for too long, Wickham, your mind now moves far more quickly from admiration to matrimony than it should. You sound like a woman."

"Ha," replied Wickham, undaunted, "I'll warrant your cousin shall leave Hertfordshire an engaged man."

"He departs tomorrow!"

"I am fully aware of that, in spite of other more pressing events scheduled for that day as well."

"Simply because you fell in love in less than a fortnight does not mean that such is the way with everyone."

"I don't know Darcy, perhaps some who might fall in love just as quickly simply waste too much time fighting against it."

"Perhaps some simply take care in making important choices."

Wickham smiled and said, "I see we are both immovable in our ways," as he raised his glass of port, and continued, "to our many differences, Darcy, may they always keep our friendship interesting."

Darcy touched his glass to Wickham's and both gentlemen took a swallow.

At last, the day of the wedding arrived and the three marriages took place. A large gathering was held in the garden of the church following the ceremony, where a breakfast of fruits, breads and pastries was served with coffee and tea. The three couples, as expected, were glowing with happiness.

As the guests began milling about partaking in conversation, after they had eaten, Colonel Fitzwilliam sought out Miss Bingley and asked her to join him in a stroll through the church's pleasure gardens. He did not realize that Mr. Bingley, in spite of his own happiness this day, noticed their departure. It is not surprising that his attention should be given to his sister considering the obvious interest of her suitor. Colonel Fitzwilliam and Miss Bingley walked together for some time, until at length the gentleman stopped and gestured towards a bench for his companion to sit down. He sat next to her. They were completely alone.

Colonel Fitzwilliam cast his eyes upon his beloved, and could not help but admire her beauty. Her gown was very becoming, particularly the color, which his mind could only describe as 'peaches and cream,' and which showed her soft porcelain complexion to best advantage. "Miss Bingley," he began, "these past weeks since I have met you, I have come to feel a very strong affection for you, the likes of which I have never before known. You are the sweetest, most delightful woman I have ever met. I love you deeply, and I beg you to consent to be my wife."

Miss Bingley simply stared at her suitor. She was not prepared for this. She was still learning to experience her own feelings, she could not attend to his as well. She began to question herself. Was she ready for this? Was her transformation complete enough to undertake a marriage of affection? Her prior considerations were not a limiting factor. His family connections and position in society were impeccable. His fortune, though not of the magnitude she had previously aspired to, would be more than comfortable when coupled with her own. There could be no objection to the prudence of the match. She must decide on her feelings. She closed her eyes and examined herself as Colonel Fitzwilliam watched her in wonder. She asked herself, "what do I feel?" as she relaxed her mind and her body so that her emotions were in full control of her. She found that she felt warmth, contentment, and pure joy in response to his declaration. She felt desire, she wanted to be with him, to derive her happiness from him and to bring him as much happiness as was in her power to give. She wanted to share her joys and her sorrows with him. In addition to all of t his there was yet something more, a feeling deep within her that she could not identify, but that burned strong and fierce and gave her great pleasure. She opened her eyes in surprise as she realized what it was. Colonel Fitzwilliam was surprised by her actions, but he had little time to contemplate them as she immediately said, "I love you!" almost simultaneously with her own comprehension of the sentiment.

A broad smile graced his features and he took her hand in his, kissed it gently, and said, "I hope that is an affirmative response to my inquiry."

"Oh yes," she replied enthusiastically.

He reached out and touched her cheek, then took her into his arms. They sat thus for several minutes, then Colonel Fitzwilliam realized that Bingley had just been wed, and would not likely be available to discuss his sister's future for some time. He grew serious and in response to her questioning gaze he said, "you know I am returning to town today," she nodded, "I fear I will not have the opportunity to speak to your brother before I go."

"I will be removing to town next week with the Hursts. Then we are to go to Scarborough. But we are all invited to Pemberley in July, along with the Wickhams."

"Then I will secure an invitation from my cousin so that I might see you there. At that time I will consult with your brother about all the arrangements for our marriage." Then Colonel Fitzwilliam revealed a smirk that betrayed an amusing thought.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I never thought that I would be asking for my bride's hand from a man seven years my junior!"

Caroline laughed as well, then grew serious. "I do wish my parents could have met you."

Colonel Fitzwilliam smiled, "I would have liked to meet them as well," he replied. Then noting her grave expression as she recollected them he continued, "I am sorry, I did not intend to remind you of anything unpleasant."

"It is quite all right," she replied, regaining her spirits, "perhaps we should return to the others."

Colonel Fitzwilliam arose, and offered his arm to his beloved. Mr. Bingley saw them emerge from the garden and could not help but note the joy in their countenances. He walked over to them with Jane, who asked Caroline to join her in returning to the party. When the ladies were gone, Bingley addressed Colonel Fitzwilliam. "Is there something we should discuss, Colonel Fitzwilliam?"

The colonel was surprised by Bingley's initiative and laughed lightly before answering, "indeed, sir, Miss Bingley has consented to be my wife, and I hope that you will give us your blessing."

Bingley grasped Fitzwilliam's hand enthusiastically and said, "you have my blessing. It is clear that you are very attached to her. I know you will take good care of her."

"Thank you, I will."

As the two men were shaking hands vigorously, they were being watched from across the way by two others, "I told you," said Wickham to Darcy.

Darcy simply said, "so you did," then, looking around, added, "now where is my wife?"

During the course of the day, Bingley and Fitzwilliam planned a date for the latter's wedding to the former's sister, and agreed on the terms of the settlement while the news of the engagement spread among the company.

It is probably best that Mrs. Bennet learned of her loss of Colonel Fitzwilliam as a potential husband for one of her daughters at this particular event, for her joy at having two daughters married could not be dampened by his failure to choose Kitty, though she did not scruple to insist that he had used her daughter very ill.

Lady Catherine could not but approve the match, though she sympathized with her dear friend's loss. Miss Bingley was attractive, well- bred, well-connected, and well-dowered, she lacked nothing but some family to boast of, and that could certainly be found somewhere in her history, or invented, if necessary.

As for Lord and Lady ____, they were a bit concerned with the quickness of their son's choice, but conceded that Miss Bingley had been an attentive and capable hostess during their stay at Netherfield and seemed to be a pleasant, amiable young woman. They could find nothing to object to other than the speed in which it all had been accomplished.

Meanwhile, once the guests had begun to depart, Darcy gave Wickham a paper, folded up as if for the post. Wickham opened the page and read the terms and amount of Darcy's gift to him. Wickham was astonished when he read the amount, "five thousand pounds?" he asked. "That is too much."

"That is quite the opposite of what I was thinking, I fear it is not enough."

"Darcy . . . " said Wickham, but at that moment they were approached by their wives and Darcy offered his arm to Elizabeth, leaving Mr. Wickham to share the news of his gift with Mrs. Wickham.

"Where have you been, Mrs. Darcy?" he chided.

"Attending to our guests, Mr. Darcy," she replied.

"By my reckoning only one third of the assembled company can be considered 'our guests,'" he replied.

Mrs. Darcy simply laughed at her husband's speech, and replied, "well then, let us join some of the Bingleys' and the Wickhams' guests, shall we?" as they approached a group of their friends to discuss the loveliness of the ceremony once more.

Mr. Bennet soon grew tired of the event. The disadvantage of hosting it at the church was that he had no library to escape to. He began to walk towards the pleasure gardens for some solitude when he noticed movement from the side of the hedge that rounded the outer gardens of the church. He walked around the outside of the hedge but saw nothing. He heard some rustling and occasional giggling coming from around the corner, however, and continued in that direction.

When Mr. Bennet finally rounded the corner he was confronted with the sight of Lydia and Mr. Olsen entwined in one another's arms, kissing quite passionately. He cleared his throat.

"Papa!" said Lydia, without a trace of embarrassment.

Mr. Olsen was embarrassed enough for the two of them. "Mr. Bennet," he said weakly, and with no small amount of fear in his voice. If it is possible to turn red with shame and white with fear at the same time, Mr. Olsen certainly accomplished it.

Mr. Bennet was relieved to see that the man had some sense of shame. "I believe there was something you wished to ask me, Mr. Olsen?"

It was at this moment that the true realization of the gravity of his conduct and the consequences it would have for him overwhelmed Mr. Olsen, as his fear transcended his embarrassment. "Yes sir, of course," he said hoarsely.

"Very good, Lydia you will excuse us and return to the wedding party."

"But I want to stay and hear Mr. Olsen, Papa."

"Lydia!" said Mr. Bennet, in a voice that brooked no opposition, "you will do as you are bidden."

Olsen looked on with no small amount of anxiety as he thought of what a future with this girl would hold for him.

Without any further encouragement, Lydia ran to her mother's side.

"Now, Mr. Olsen."

"Mr. Bennet, I would like to request permission to marry your daughter, Miss Lydia."

"My permission is granted. You may call on her tomorrow and you will then be afforded a private interview with her. Unless . . . dare I hope that it is not necessary?"

Mr. Olsen felt further shame as it was discovered that he had been kissing Miss Lydia without an understanding, and indeed with no intention of forming one. He just hoped that Mr. Bennet would never learn just how much kissing he had been doing with her during the past two weeks. "A moment with her would be most appreciated, sir," he mumbled.

"Fine, we will work out the particulars of the marriage settlement after you have spoken to her."

The gentlemen returned to the party to observe that many of the guests were departing. The three carriages were lined up to take two of the newly married couples to London and one back to Netherfield. Fond farewells were exchanged among the families, friends and neighbors of the brides and grooms. Colonel Fitzwilliam returned to Netherfield and departed from there with his parents and Georgiana, after a long and heartfelt farewell with his betrothed. They went by Longbourn, so that they could travel with Lady Catherine's carriage as far as London. The Collinses were to remain at Longbourn until Saturday, when they would return to Hunsford in time for the service on Sunday. The good-byes exchanged by Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennet were perhaps, more passionate than those exchanged between the lovers at Netherfield, while Mr. Bennet looked on in amusement, still appalled with the strength of the friendship between the two women.

The morning after the wedding, Mr. Olsen proposed to Lydia, who accepted with alacrity and pretended surprise. She sent her beloved to ask her father's permission and then went to boast of her good fortune to Kitty. Mrs. Bennet was beside herself with joy when she heard the news and lamented only that she might have had all five daughters married within the space of a year had Colonel Fitzwilliam only fallen in love with Kitty. Kitty, for her part, was perfectly happy with her situation. She thought she would rather like the attention she would get as the only unmarried Bennet daughter, and she would be able to visit her elder sisters and perhaps find romance in far away places while Lydia would be stuck in Meryton with Mr. Olsen.

Mr. Olsen's hopes of keeping his prior indiscretions with Lydia a secret after the announcement of his engagement were ruined. Within two days, Lydia had seen fit to tell all her friends about the great fun she had been having sneaking around to meet Mr. Olsen clandestinely, and she did not scruple to provide particulars of the nature of the fun they had been having together. Mr. Bennet nipped her gossiping in the bud, under threat of being locked in her room until her wedding (which could not come too soon for him), but not before some damage was done. He became more hopeful for Kitty's prospects in Derbyshire, as Lydia's indiscretions could not reflect favorably on her sister.

The Olsens struggled their entire lives. Mr. Olsen continued to engage in the habits that had led to his marriage, and did not limit his attentions to his wife. Mrs. Olsen continued to engage in her habits of spending far more than she should, and seeking new ways to gratify her vanity. They remained unhappily in Meryton until the end of their days. Their eldest son, however, finding himself penniless, with scarcely an education, a family that brought only shame, and no prospects, left the kingdom forever to find his fortune in America, where he married and had two children. It is rumored that he became a pioneer of the great western frontier.

Kitty Bennet did indeed find her destiny in Derbyshire. She visited her sisters often and showed great improvement under their care. The marriages of her two eldest sisters served to cast her into the paths of many rich men, just as her mother predicted. Although she received their attentions with pleasure, she learned from the various marriages of her sisters to choose wisely. Ultimately, after turning down two marriage proposals and deterring countless others before they came to that, she accepted a very well situated clergyman within Pemberley's patronage, and was very happy.

Anne de Bourgh was introduced into society the season following her cousin's marriage, under the chaperonage of his wife. Elizabeth and Anne became dear friends during this time, and the latter fell in love with and married a young, titled, and very wealthy widower with two small children. Anne was delighted with her new family and lived out the rest of her days in happiness. Lady Catherine approved the match and remembered to give her dear friend, Mrs. Bennet, credit for the idea of presenting Anne at court. The friendship between the two ladies continued as fervent as ever, until the end of their days.

Georgiana Darcy also came out the same season as Anne did; and though she received many admirers and much attention, she spent her first season more concerned with her cousin's future than her own. Indeed, their intimacy that formed over the months they spent in London together gave them a foundation for a lifelong friendship far beyond their previous strained relationship. Eventually, after two more years, Georgiana met a man who gained both her affection and her brother's approval. She was wed from Pemberley and lived her life quietly and happily with her husband and children.

The Collinses were neither the happiest nor the unhappiest couple in this tale. It can be said that they were very content. When Mr. Bennet passed on, many years after the events herein related, they moved to Longbourn with Mrs. Bennet. Mrs. Collins was thoughtful enough to give her mother the deference of continuing to act as mistress of her house until she voluntarily gave up the office due to age and infirmity.

The Darcys, the Bingleys, the Wickhams, and the Fitzwilliams, all enjoyed long and uncommonly happy marriages. The Bingleys moved to Derbyshire within a year of their marriage. Eventually the Wickhams and the Fitzwilliams settled in the area as well, and all the friends were within fifty miles of one another. Intercourse between the families was frequent and always much looked forward to by the children of the houses.

Mr. Wickham's dream of elevating his family's status reached fruition through his own success in his career, the generosity of the Darcy family, and his wife's economy. None of Mrs. Wickham's fears regarding her husband's character came true and he proved himself time and again to be the best of men. Mr. Wickham's eldest son inherited a sufficient fortune to allow him to purchase a modest estate. Thus, the Wickham's became true members of the gentry, and their properties and holdings grew with each subsequent generation. The grandchildren of the steward of Pemberley, moved easily within the same social circles as the grandchildren of his employer. The unlikely friendship that had blossomed in the woods and on the riverbanks of some of the most beautiful grounds in Derbyshire's wilderness between two boys born so different in rank and disposition, endured throughout their lives, through good times and bad, until their very last days, and for many generations thereafter.

© 2002, 2003 Copyright held by the author.