Elizabeth’s stomach rejected the idea that she would dine with Mr. Darcy in but a few hours’ time as Jane fussed with her hair.
“I cannot think it wise, Jane. I was most unkind to him and the letter, well you have seen it for yourself. Would that I had known all of it before his proposal.”
Jane’s hand ceased the brushing of her sister’s hair and her eyes lit with excitement. “Would you have accepted him, Lizzy?”
Elizabeth could not hide her anguish. “I could not see the goodness in him Jane. Not after the way he hurt you. And I gave Wickham more consideration simply because he spoke so sweetly and paid calls to Longbourn. Do you not see how childish I have been? Mr. Darcy must despise me now.”
Jane placed her brush upon the dressing table and sat next to her sister. “I do not believe he hates you, Lizzy. He would not have bothered with the letter if that were true. He only wrote it because he could not bear for you to think ill of him a moment longer. You say he gave it to you early the very next morning. He must have been up the entire night composing it.”
Elizabeth had not thought of this and it gave her an odd sense of pride. She silently scolded herself for being so affected by vanity. It was how Wickham had won her trust.
Aunt Madeline knocked upon the door and entered, her excitement palpable. “The carriage from Darcy House has come. Will you keep them waiting?”
Elizabeth squirmed on the upholstered bench she and Jane shared before the looking glass. Their eyes met in its surface. Together they stood and quit the room with Aunt Madeline following behind.
“Do ask the ladies to come for tea again, Jane, and be certain to mind your tongue, Lizzy. Mr. Darcy’s name is known throughout the whole of London. It would not hurt your uncle’s business to make a friend of the man.”
Aunt Madeline was not a scheming matchmaker like their mother, but her words were not lost on her nieces. Though London was much larger than Meryton, the gossip traveled twice as quickly. Elizabeth gave her aunt her solemn vow she would be polite and avoid all manner of provocation.
Elizabeth had not shared Mr. Darcy’s letter with the Gardiners but she feared she must at least confide in her father and soon. Her youngest sister Lydia had grown quite fond of Wickham and the Forsters had invited her to join them in Brighton as the militia moved there for the summer.
With the knowledge of Miss Darcy’s near ruin at the hands of the rakish Lieutenant, Elizabeth determined she must write to her father and give a warning.
Joining Jane at the front door, Elizabeth allowed her aunt one last inspection. “It is not the full moon, Aunt! I will not change into a hideous beast nor bounce home inside a pumpkin shell at the stroke of midnight.”
Aunt Madeline fixed her favorite niece with a withering glance that was softened by the hint of a smirk. “My dear Lizzy, the very last to believe in fairytales. Just for tonight, live as though you were a princess...without stinging the poor prince with the tip of that sword you call a tongue.”
Elizabeth wished her aunt knew how her tongue would be tied when she met Mr. Darcy once more. All the words she wished to say were not welcome to his ears. She had unleashed her quicksilver sword on him at Hunsford and dealt a killing blow.
“Come Lizzy, we must not be late.” Jane took her arm and the sisters descended the front steps to the waiting carriage.
The streets of London lit up before them as the elegant conveyance rolled comfortably along. The Mayfair district always delighted Elizabeth and Jane but this particular evening, the Miss Bennets were each lost in thought, too distracted to admire the homes and shops they passed.
When at last the carriage stopped before a townhome on Grosvenor, Elizabeth looked to her sister. “Oh Jane, I do not think we should have come!”
Jane smiled sweetly and took Elizabeth’s hand. “How might we have refused an invitation from Miss Darcy and Miss de Bourgh? Mr. Darcy is a gentleman, Lizzy. He will not behave otherwise.”
The sisters alit from the carriage and Jane placed a hand on Elizabeth’s back to keep her moving forward. Too soon, they were standing in the entryway. The butler escorted them to the salon where the Darcy family awaited the announcement of dinner.
Jane caught her sister’s apprehension as she spied Mr. Bingley standing by the fireplace.
He crossed the room with Darcy, a look of pure joy upon his face. “Miss Bennet! I had not known you were to come for dinner this evening! It has been too long since last we met.”
Jane allowed him to take her hand and he bowed over it just restraining himself from placing a kiss upon its gloved surface. “Mr. Bingley, I am delighted to meet you again.”
Elizabeth looked to Jane hoping the evening would not lead to further heartache for her dear sister.
She turned her eyes to Mr. Darcy. He glanced briefly her way and seemed embarrassed and not the least bit aware that she and her sister had been invited to dinner. Mr. Bingley turned to his friend and confirmed Elizabeth’s fear.
“Darcy, why did you not say the Bennet sisters were to dine with us this evening?”
Mr. Darcy’s lips formed a thin line as his sister and Miss de Bourgh joined them with Colonel Fitzwilliam.
“I was not aware we expected dinner guests, but I am pleased to welcome Miss Elizabeth and Miss Bennet to Darcy House.”
Anne de Bourgh greeted the sisters and introduced Jane to Colonel Fitzwilliam.
“Fitzwilliam, we have endured the company of the Bingley sisters for several nights in good humor. ’Tis only fair Georgiana and I are allowed to invite ladies we wish to see.”
Bingley laughed amiably for he knew the tedious company of his sisters very well. “Miss Anne, you must be in charge of the guest list more often as I am simply delighted by your choices.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam gave a happy welcome to Elizabeth going so far as to embrace her in a friendly hug. He admired her sister and gave a daring compliment as Bingley looked on protectively.
“Miss Bennet, how I wish we had made your acquaintance in Kent. It would have been lovely to walk the park with you.”
“Why thank you, Colonel, I have been in London all this time awaiting Lizzy’s return from Kent.”
Mr. Bingley was surprised by this news. “Miss Bennet, you ought to have called at Hurst House. I am certain my sisters would have been happy to have you for tea.”
Jane looked to Elizabeth but withheld the information that she had indeed visited Hurst House when he was out one day and had never returned. “I did not wish to make a nuisance of myself, Mr. Bingley. Perhaps your sisters and I shall meet again before Lizzy and I leave Town.”
The man could not have been happier to hear such for he took Jane’s hand and led her away from the others to a small sofa by a window overlooking Grosvenor. The two fell immediately into conversation and Elizabeth’s heart lifted.
Miss de Bourgh claimed her arm and Miss Darcy went to the piano forte to play for her friends and family before they all went in to dine.
Mr. Darcy and the colonel returned to the fireplace and Elizabeth glanced his way several times as she and Miss de Bourgh exchanged pleasantries. She forced herself to turn her attention to the playing of Miss Darcy and avoid looking his way again.
The music soothed her nerves and she had just become comfortable on the sofa when the colonel approached and took Anne’s hand and led her away to dance. Mr. Darcy remained by the fireplace though his eyes followed his cousins as they danced.
Elizabeth hoped for a brief moment he might ask her to dance when Mr. Bingley and Jane passed on their way to join Anne and the colonel but he remained at his fireside post.
She stood and made her way to the window on the other side of the room in order to distract herself from his brooding presence. It had been a mistake to come to Darcy House for dinner.
Hugging herself tightly, Elizabeth stared out at the darkened street below. At least she now knew that Mr. Darcy had recovered from her hurtful refusal of his proposal. It gave her little comfort as the laughter of the ladies drifted to her when the music stopped and dinner was announced.