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The two small beds separated by a bed table would never do. Darcy turned to his man, Waters. “Mrs. Darcy and I will remain at Longbourn for as little time as feasible while Netherfield is being prepared. Please do what you can to see that this room is suitable to our needs—starting with the beds.”

“Shall I have another bed—perhaps a larger one—brought up, sir?”

Darcy waved his hand. “It is entirely possible that these beds will suffice; however, the arrangement does not suit. How do you find your own accommodations?”

“There is not much room, what with the deluge of additional staff from both Lincolnshire as well as Pemberley, but I am certain we shall all manage during the brevity of our stay.

“Once you have seen to the rearrangement of this room, I would have you head over to Netherfield Park and oversee the preparations for our arrival. I am sure I do not need to tell you what all that entails.”

“No, sir. I have a fine idea of your requirements.”

“Good man,” Darcy said and then headed out the door into the hallway to make his way back to Elizabeth’s side.

The next day, Geoffrey Collins involved himself with the arduous task of poring over Longbourn’s accounts. Always fastidious, he was rattled by the disorderly chaos of Mr. Bennet’s library.

Tapping his fingers on the cluttered desk, he released a heavy sigh. It is bad enough that it will require a small fortune to bring the management of the estate under control; I must also see to the refurbishing of the manor house. In addition, there was the added expense of bringing a physician from town to oversee Mr. Bennet’s care. As matters of wealth—or rather, lack thereof—robbed him of his tranquillity, so did thoughts of Longbourn’s newest houseguest. Collins had been more aggrieved by Darcy’s presumptuousness regarding consulting a specialist from town than he had let on.

By all accounts, that gentleman never deigned to set foot in Longbourn before yesterday. He thinks he will arrive and start directing matters according to his wishes.

It is only proper that I should make the decisions on behalf of the Bennets in Mr. Bennet’s stead. My only question is why Darcy would even presume otherwise. “What of it that he has over ten thousand pounds a year and he owns half of Derbyshire?” Collins muttered. “Neither of those things are of consequence in this situation.” He leaned back in the chair. I am Mr. Bennet’s heir. I am married to Mr. Bennet’s eldest daughter. As long as Mr. Bennet is incapacitated, and certainly after he is no longer with us and as long as the Bennet daughters as well as Mrs. Bennet reside at Longbourn, I am their protector. I will not have an outsider dictate the management of my own home.

Speaking to no one in particular, for he was the only one in the room, Collins said, “Should the proud Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire raise any objections, he may very well carry his point by removing Mrs. Bennet and her unmarried daughters into an establishment that he owns—even the great halls of Pemberley if it comes to that.” Remembering the magnificence of the place and still smarting that anyone should live in the lap of such luxury, Collins huffed. “It is not as though he does not have the room.”

Gillian and Emily raced into the parlour, just ahead of Elizabeth’s next eldest sister, Mary.

“Where is young Ben? Does he remain in Kent with Lady Catherine de Bourgh?”

“Good morning, young ladies,” said Elizabeth as she proceeded to give each of them a loving hug. “Ben is in London.”

“Why did you not bring him with you? I should hate to think he is in London with complete strangers,” said Gillian.

“Actually, Ben is with his aunt Georgiana and his cousin Anne. They are hardly strangers. And you remember the colonel, do you not?”

Bright smiles covered the girls’ faces—likely a consequence of his having spent time entertaining them when they were all at Pemberley at Christmas. They nodded in perfect timing. Elizabeth said, “Colonel Fitzwilliam will see that the three of them are settled at Matlock House today.”

Elizabeth’s next eldest sister, Mary, adjusted her spectacles. “Why Matlock House? I am sure they would have been welcome to stay here at Longbourn, although the house is rather crowded what with Jane and our brother Geoffrey and Gillian and Emily and their governess.” Mary went silent for a moment. “I suppose we could have—no, on the other hand…”

Elizabeth said, “Now, you understand my decision perfectly well for you have illustrated it yourself. Mr. Darcy and I rightly anticipated that there would be no room for our rather large party. Arrangements will be made to accommodate us all, and then Colonel Fitzwilliam will bring everyone to Hertfordshire. Ben sends his love, and he told me to tell you that he looks forward to seeing you again.”

This was information enough to bring a warm smile to Mary’s face. Elizabeth knew that Mary knew that, of all his Bennet aunts, she was Ben’s favourite and for good reason too. She was the aunt who always treated him best, taking time to read to him, even if it was Fordyce’s Sermons, as well as spending hours with him discussing his own favourite books from time to time. Certainly neither of the two younger sisters, Lydia and Kitty, could be bothered with their young nephew. Elizabeth had little doubt that Ben had as much use for them as they had for him. But his Aunt Mary—well, she was special to him.

Mary said, “How wonderful. I pray we shall see each other soon. Ben’s liveliness might be just the thing that is needed here at Longbourn.”

“I am apt to agree with you. In the meantime, he will be safe and protected with Lord and Lady Matlock in town.”

Jane set aside her mending. “So, it is true that Mr. Bingley is returning to Netherfield and that you mean to reside there during your stay, as opposed to remaining with the family at Longbourn.”

“Surely you can understand that our party is large and has strained Longbourn’s resources considerably.”

“Oh, Lizzy, you know that is all inconsequential where family is concerned.”

Elizabeth huffed. “I am afraid my husband will disagree.” As will your own husband if I know anything about him at all.