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“I suppose you have a point.”

“Does that mean you are agreeable to spending Christmas at Pemberley?”

“If that is your wish, I am obliged to say yes.”

“I should like it very much. I shall write a letter to my sister straight away letting her know of our intentions.”

Collins refused to surrender his wife from his embrace. “I believe the letter can wait, my dear wife.” He graced her lips with a tender kiss and guided her astride his person. “Need I remind you that you have my full attention?”

Mr. William Collins nearly tripped over his feet as he raced up the steps to the hall. He paused long enough to encourage his wife, Charlotte, to make haste. He took her by the hand and pulled her through the ante-chamber to the room where his patroness was sitting.

“Mr. Collins, Mrs. Collins, what is the meaning of this delay? Did I not make my carriage available to deliver you here? Why was I forced to endure such a wait?”

“Good morning, your ladyship. Pardon our tardiness.”

“There is nothing to be done now. However, I will be most displeased should it happen again.”

“Yes, Lady Catherine.”

“You two can have no doubt of the reason for my summons. My niece informs me that she has invited the two of you to join our family at Pemberley for Christmas. Heaven only knows what she was thinking, what with Mr. Collins’s obligation to look out for the less fortunate and the poor amongst us, especially at Christmastime ... to assist where he might. Alas, it cannot be helped for I have decided that we shall travel to Derbyshire together, the three of us.”

“You are most kind, your ladyship.”

“Indeed. You need not suffer any misgivings for your inability to tend to your duties. I shall take it upon myself to find a visiting parson to act in your stead.”

“I shall be forever in your debt, your ladyship.”

“Fate is on your side, Richard. You will have yet another chance to secure Anne’s hand in marriage what with all of us being invited to spend Christmas at Pemberley this year.” Lord Matlock handed the snifter filled with his finest brandy to his youngest son. He took his own glass to the table and set it down.

“I know not which is harder to believe ... that Darcy would invite you to spend Christmas with his family, or that you might actually accept,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam.

“I will have you know, son, that I value Christmas as much as anyone else.”

“I beg your pardon. Since when did you value Christmas, my lord? I know of no one who values it less. Was it not you who pronounced Christmas to be nothing more than an excuse for excessive idleness and nonsensical frivolity?”

“Rubbish! I have always honoured Christmas, as you have well known.”

“Of course, that explains why we have not gathered here as a family since my grandparents passed away.”

A hint of concern graced Lord Matlock’s countenance. He took a seat and reached for his pipe. “I never knew you felt this strongly, son. What do you expect me to say?”

“Perhaps, if you had bothered to ask, you would have known. There is nothing to be done. Thanks to Georgiana and young Ben, we have all been invited to spend Christmas together at Pemberley, as a family.”

“Capital!” Lord Matlock lit his pipe and took a long draw. “Back to the matter at hand, what are your plans as regards Anne? I understand you were quite instrumental in helping her recover from the loss of your cousin’s affections to his recent bride. I have considered that you might parlay your newfound friendship into something more. Need I remind you that, as a second son, Anne would be quite a catch?”

“You need not continue to remind me, my lord. I am well aware of my need to win the hand of a wealthy woman if I am to continue to live in the style I am accustomed to.”

“Indeed. Anne will make a decent wife. I am convinced of it. You know how fond I am of my niece.”

“Be that as it may, your opinion of Anne is of little concern to me. I shall not choose my bride on the basis of your recommendation.”

“We shall see about that, son.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam’s mother, Lady Ellen, walked into the room. “We shall see about what, my lord?”

Richard huffed. “Come now, Mother. You can hardly suffer any doubt over what my father is discussing, for it seems he has no greater ambition of late than to see me settled with Anne.”

“A father wants what is best for his son,” said his lordship.

Lady Ellen looked at her husband with dismay. “For the sake of familial harmony, I do wish you would give your matchmaking attempts a rest, my lord. Shall we all agree to do or say nothing that will take away from the joyousness of spending Christmas together at Pemberley once again after so many years?” She placed her hand on her husband’s. “What a happy time this will be for all.”