Lady Anne rose as the party of young people entered her parlor. The beauty of her face was enhanced by the rarity of the smile she now wore. “Mr. Bingley, how wonderful you have come to Pemberley at last with your bride.” She turned to Jane and held out a hand, “Please do come sit with me dear, the men would rather retire to the study before dinner, I think.”
Jane approached the mistress of Pemberley at a gentle pace. Elizabeth admired the ability of her sister to put others at ease. As much as Jane brought calm to any situation, Elizabeth was quite the opposite. Her happy nature and inquisitive mind leant her presence a livelier turn.
Lady Anne took Jane’s hand and sat with her while Elizabeth instructed the footman to deliver her small case to the Rose bedroom.
“How do you find Brambling, Mrs. Bingley? I attended a luncheon there once many years ago and found it most pleasing for a country home.”
Jane smiled sweetly and Elizabeth could see Lady Anne was as taken with Jane’s mild manner as she had been with her own adventurous one. Elizabeth imagined she and her sister were fine company for the woman.
“Brambling Hall is a lovely home and having my sister with me is a dream come true. Managing such a house continues to provide many valuable lessons, some which I hope Lizzy shall learn with me.”
Lady Anne nodded her approval. “Your sister has a quick wit and a caring nature. I imagine she would do well as the mistress of a country home.”
Elizabeth glanced at Lady Anne and found the sparkle in her eye to be an encouragement. Did Mr. Darcy’s mother find her a suitable match for her only son? Perhaps it was her own hope that made it seem so.
The butler announced dinner and the gentlemen returned to escort the ladies into the dining room. Elizabeth’s heart soared as Lady Anne took Mr. Bingley’s free arm and left her son to escort the young lady delivered from her lake. Mr. Darcy offered his arm and Elizabeth took it, greatly pleased by his charming smile.
The dining room of Pemberley shone brightly in the soft light of the candles flickering about the room. Brambling Hall’s dining room was a sight to behold, much grander than Longbourn, but Pemberley was something from a dream.
Again Elizabeth imagined herself the mistress of Pemberley and became nervous at the very idea. A grand home of this scale and immense beauty was an occupation of its own to manage, she was quite certain. She thought now that Mr. Darcy had many reasons for his weariness when she had seen him from afar during her stay at Brambling.
Elizabeth sat beside Lady Anne as Mr. Darcy took a seat at the head of the table. She watched him from the corner of her eye as he held a conversation with Charles. Lady Anne turned to her and Elizabeth found herself reluctant to lose sight of Mr. Darcy.
“My dear, I am quite pleased to have you as a guest at Pemberley. It is my hope you might consider the company of a lady my age to be beneficial.”
Elizabeth smiled warmly at her host and included Jane in their conversation. “I am deeply honored, Lady Anne. My sister may become a regular visitor as well. Jane and I are quite close, you see. I cannot imagine we should find a better friend than the mistress of Pemberley.”
Lady Anne’s clear blue eyes twinkled with merriment at Elizabeth’s words. “I would be pleased to have her company as often as she wishes. I imagine Brambling would run as smoothly if she were to sit at tea with us from time to time. I must warn you both, I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.”
Jane blushed at the generosity of Lady Anne Darcy. She was accustomed to Lizzy speaking her mind and hoped the woman did not imagine she wished to impose upon her hospitality. “Lizzy is correct, we are as close as two sisters could ever be, but I would not dream of intruding upon your kindness, Lady Anne.”
The mistress of Pemberley smiled at Jane Bingley, the warmth of her welcome evident in her eyes. “I assure you, Mrs. Bingley, you could never be thought of as an intruder at Pemberley. I believe your sister was drawn to the grounds as a means of releasing me from the loneliness of my grief. My son has tried over these months to reach me, but it was Miss Elizabeth’s lively presence that found the place in my heart long shadowed and hidden.”
Elizabeth lowered her lashes as Lady Anne took her hand. Mr. Darcy glanced at the pair and Charles Bingley inclined his head in their direction. “It would seem your mother has opened her heart to Elizabeth.”
Mr. Darcy found himself staring at the young woman’s hair wondering how the weight of it would rest in his hands were he to release it from its pins. He looked away quickly, the picture in his head surprising him.
Elizabeth noted Mr. Darcy’s lingering gaze and lowered her lashes, her heart racing wildly at the emotions warring in her breast. The Mr. Darcy she had known from his time in Hertfordshire was far more aloof than the one who watched her now. She was certain her friendship with his mother had altered the control he had carefully exerted all those months ago.
She returned to her conversation with Lady Anne and Jane, sparing glances for the handsome man at the head of the table often enough that little doubt remained in the mind of her hostess.
Lady Anne glanced to her son and asked the question whose answer she was certain her young guest wished most fervently to know. “William, I wondered if you might consider staying longer at Pemberley this visit? I cannot bear to think of parting so soon.”
Mr. Darcy considered his mother’s ploy. Her question was clearly a request made sweetly in the presence of their dinner guests where he could not entertain the idea of denying her wishes. He found he did not wish to deny her, for the sadness of her grief lifting was a blessing he could not have foreseen. The added presence of one Elizabeth Bennet, for he could not deny the enticement, settled his decision.
“Mother, I cannot bear to deny you. I would stay as long as you might require. London can wait.”
When dinner was done, Lady Anne accepted her son’s arm and stood before her guests. Her voice was tinged with regret as she addressed them. “I have found great joy in your company this evening, but I must retire. It seems my desire for company is tempered by my lack of stamina after all this time alone,” she turned to Elizabeth and nodded, “I shall see you come the morrow, my dear.”
The same evening, Mr. Bennet sat in his study with his cousin William Collins. The man had come from Hunsford and had yet to take a breath in his endless bout of speeches.
“Here now, Mr. Collins, the study is a haven from the constant chatter of the ladies of Longbourn. Please, let us reflect upon the matters of the day quietly as we sip a good port.”
Mr. Collins halted his speech and stared oddly at his host. “Mr. Bennet, surely good conversation with a worthy and amiable guest would serve the same purpose as peace and quiet?”
Mr. Bennet sighed and poured himself a bit more port than was his habit. “If we must speak, and I strongly suggest we must not, then let it be of the daughter you intend to have for your wife. Though I caution you against any other than Mary. The younger girls are not suited to a life of service and piety.”
Mr. Collins fell silent at the turn in conversation as he considered the meekest of the five Bennet girls. He would have preferred Elizabeth, though she lived in Derbyshire with Jane and her husband.
“Mary is a lovely young woman in her manner but Elizabeth would be better suited, I believe. She has surely benefitted from her time with the Bingleys. Lady Catherine did advise me to choose well. Mary might be a bit timid yet to become the wife of a parson with many important duties.”
Mr. Bennet sighed as he came to see his study would not be the refuge he hoped whilst his cousin was visiting. Elizabeth was the last daughter he would suggest become the man’s wife. However, he knew Mrs. Bennet would demand he write to Lizzy as soon as she knew of his cousin’s desire for her hand in marriage.
“I would caution against Lizzy if I am honest. She is headstrong and opinionated. And I must admit she is my favorite. She is not one to mold and shape as you wish. I am not sure your patroness would appreciate those traits in any young woman tasked as the wife of her parson.”
Mr. Collins nodded to his host, a silly smile plastered on his face. “Lady Catherine did mention I ought to choose a wife from one of my cousins here at Longbourn. With the unfortunate entailment hanging over the home, it would be a fair gesture. I admit the portrait of Cousin Elizabeth in the parlor has me intrigued. Your wife believes Cousin Jane to be the fairest of her daughters but I must disagree vehemently. Cousin Elizabeth bests her elder sister easily, if I may be so bold as to say.”
Mr. Bennet sighed in resignation. He had known his Lizzy would appeal to the man far more than her younger sisters. “Mrs. Bennet will be pleased to know of it. Lizzy can be made to return home but she would not arrive before your visit ends, I fear.”
The parson stood and excused himself from his cousin’s study. “I am certain Lady Catherine would allow me to come again when cousin Elizabeth has returned home. A marriage partner is an important choice, as you well know Mr. Bennet.”
Mrs. Bennet frowned as Mr. Collins entered the parlor. She hoped he might spend more time in the study with her husband.
“Mrs. Bennet, might I sit with you and discuss which of your daughters would be a suitable match?”
Mrs. Bennet clasped her hands and called for tea. Her disdain for the man set to inherit Longbourn after her husband’s death softened in that moment. “Why, Mr. Collins, I had no notion you might choose one of my girls as your wife. I must say Mary is the one I would suggest as Lydia and Kitty are still young girls.”
Mr. Collins could see both mother and father were eager to place Mary as a suitable match. He would not consider her now even had he found himself attracted to her. The Bennets did not seem the least concerned with his need of a good wife so much as their own need to see the meek Mary settled.
“I spoke with Mr. Bennet in the study and he assured me you would likely know better than he which daughter I ought to offer for, but you have chosen Mary as well. I would prefer Cousin Elizabeth for two reasons. As the older girls should be married before their younger sisters, Lady Catherine might be displeased should I choose Mary. I cannot have her sensibilities offended. And as I confided in Mr. Bennet, Cousin Elizabeth has captured me with her beauty.”
Mr. Collins rose and crossed the room to admire the portrait of Mr. Bennet’s beloved favorite daughter.
Mrs. Bennet smiled. Of course he would choose Lizzy with Jane already married. The idea had not occurred to her with Lizzy having gone to stay at Brambling. “Mr. Bennet and I would prefer to have Mary settled, but Elizabeth would do as well. I shall have Mr. Bennet write her this afternoon.”
Mr. Collins nodded and took Mrs. Bennet’s hand. “You have chosen well, dear lady. With your older daughters married, perhaps it will be easier to find a match for Cousin Mary?”