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“We are pleased to see you too, sir,” Elizabeth answered, smiling. “And you, of course, Mr. Bingley.”

“May I detain you a moment longer, to ask to be introduced to your aunt?”

“Of course,” Elizabeth responded.

The introduction was made and greetings and pleasantries exchanged. Bingley barely said a few words, and Jane Bennet none, so Darcy assumed the task of carrying on the conversation.

“Mrs. Gardiner, before we leave, my friend Bingley would like to ask your permission to call on you tomorrow or on another day that is acceptable.”

“Yes, yes.” Bingley finally found his voice. “Darcy just told me you were here…I mean in London…and I would like to call on you if you do not mind…”

“We should be delighted, Mr. Bingley,” Mrs. Gardiner answered graciously. “And of course, it would be a great honour if you were to come too, Mr. Darcy.”

It was Darcy’s turn to be wordless. He had not considered calling on the Gardiners, and now he tried to find a reason to refuse.

“I am sure Mr. Darcy is a very busy man, and he certainly has no business in that part of town,” Elizabeth interjected.

He looked at her, and their eyes met briefly.

“I thank you, Mrs. Gardiner. I am indeed very busy. I shall discuss it with Bingley and see whether I can join him. Regardless, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance and to see Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth again. Now please excuse us. It is time for me and Bingley to leave and allow you ladies the pleasure of each other’s company.”

None of the ladies tried to persuade them otherwise, so minutes later they were back out in the cold.

“Darcy, I shall be forever grateful for what you have done,” Bingley said with regained liveliness. “Miss Bennet looked so beautiful, though a little pale. And silent. Do you think she was displeased to see me? Her aunt did not seem to oppose me calling on them. How wonderful that we entered to speak to them! Now I can call tomorrow, and I know they will be expecting me!”

“Bingley, there were signs that you will have a pleasant call tomorrow. You just have to calm down a little. And to be less generous with your praise and gratitude, as I deserve none. Now let us go to the club — we both could use a drink.”

Five

After two hours spent at their club, in the company of the earl and his two sons, Colonel Fitzwilliam and the viscount, Darcy and Bingley each returned home. Bingley’s enthusiasm remained high, and every time he had the chance to speak, he mentioned something in regard to Hertfordshire. Darcy felt the colonel’s gaze upon him, and he knew the meaning of it. No, Bingley was certainly not likely to fall in love with another woman and to forget Miss Bennet soon.

When Darcy arrived home, Georgiana had not yet returned. Instead, the butler informed him that Lady Matlock had sent word that he was expected there, so he had little choice but to obey.

At the Matlock residence, his aunt, his sister, his uncle, and his cousins were all talking animatedly about the subject that brought him so much discomfort.

“Darcy! Come here, son!” Lady Matlock invited him. His aunt was in a dangerously high disposition, which could threaten the delicate threads of peace of mind he still had remaining.

“My dear boy, I called you here because there is something I must tell you immediately.”

“Please do so, Aunt,” he said, defeated, causing the lady to laugh.

“I have always admired your qualities, and I admit — and your uncle agrees — that there are many areas where you surpass gentlemen twice your age.”

“Thank you…”

“However, when it comes to matters of the heart, you have extremely poor judgment! It shows that you do not have much experience and that you have practised very little — something that Catherine always insists on people doing.”

Everybody else laughed, and even Georgiana smiled shyly.

“I have only spent an hour with Miss Bennet,” Lady Matlock continued, “and five minutes with Mr. Bingley, and it was enough to observe those two are in love with each other. It was so obvious that it is laughable that anyone would assume otherwise.”

“Your aunt is determined to see those two reunited,” the earl jested. “She has taken this on as a personal project, and there is nothing you can do to stop her.”

“I have no intention of stopping her,” Darcy answered in earnest. “And yes, I admit I was convinced that Miss Bennet did not return Bingley’s affection. It was an honest judgment made for his benefit. But we should not even speak of this. If I had not had the imprudence to tell Geoffrey, who was eager to share it further—”

“So you blame Geoffrey for telling me?” Lady Matlock enquired.

“I do, Aunt. Furthermore, I blame myself for talking about it in the first place. It is a personal matter of Bingley’s, and I do not like it that you all seem to be amused by it. I strongly believe we should not speak of it any longer, nor interfere in any way. Since Bingley and Miss Bennet have now met again, it should be entirely their decision and their affair.”