SEVEN

"Brother, Aunt asked me why we are not dining with them on Christmas Day," Georgiana said.

"Would you like to go? I know I am poor company," Darcy replied.

"You are teasing me now, Brother. I prefer your company to any other. And we have always had Christmas dinner at home."

"Please think on it, my dear, and we shall do as you please. Do you have plans for today?"

"No…we shall decorate the house for Christmas — I believe the servants anticipate it as much as I."

"Has Mrs Annesley left yet?"

"Yes. She will spend the next few days with her sister's family and will return on the twenty-seventh. Did you have a pleasant time at the Gardiners' yesterday? You looked tired last night."

"I was a little tired, but I am well now. Yes, it was pleasant, as always. My dear, there is something of great importance that I wish to discuss with you. Something that a man of my age should not discuss with his young sister, but I trust you and value your opinion. In truth, your opinion is the only one that matters to me."

"Oh…thank you for your trust, Brother! You are always so kind to me. What is it?"

"My dear, you might be surprised to hear this but…I admire Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

"Oh? Truly? I believed that might be the case since you wrote to me of her in your letters from Netherfield. But you mentioned nothing more once you returned."

"You did not expect that, I am sure."

"I did not, because I kept hearing that you two had so many disagreements…"

"We did, and most were my fault. When we first met, my behaviour towards her and her family was arrogant, even offensive."

"I am sure it was not so bad…"

"It was. Our introduction was at an assembly in Meryton. Bingley insisted on me dancing with her, and I said she was tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me."

Georgiana stared at him in such astonishment that Darcy laughed.

"Yes, and the worst part is that I believe she heard me…"

"Oh dear!"

"There were more other instances that induced her to have a very poor opinion of me, and deservedly so."

"I am sorry to hear that. Is that why she said you were more enemies than friends?"

"Very likely…"

"But Brother, may I ask…you admire her in what way?"

He hesitated a moment, looking at his young sister who was still a child yet.

"I admire her in every way. She has a bright mind, is well educated, determined, spirited, has a strong character and a great sense of loyalty to those she loves. She is everything a woman should be."

"Oh…I see…"

"What do you think?"

"Think?"

"Yes. What I mean is that I would like to pursue her. I would like to show her my admiration and try to gain her good opinion."

"This is what I fear…do you know what her opinion of you is? Forgive me for asking that, but I have seen no sign of affection on her part…"

"You are very perceptive. Her opinion of me is rather low, though I was so arrogant that for a while I assumed the opposite. I shall try to improve that, and if I succeed, I might take a further step."

"You mean…"

"My dear, I strongly believe that Miss Elizabeth could be perfectly suited to be my wife. I am sure she could be a loving sister to you and an excellent Mrs Darcy."

"Oh…but…what if…?"

"What is it? Please speak your mind. I truly wish to have your honest opinion. Do you disagree that she has all these qualities?"

"I do not doubt that. In truth, I hardly know her, but I trust your judgment. My only concern is — what if she accepts your pursuit, even if her feelings are not the same as yours? You are an excellent man, and your situation in life is impressive to everyone, even those with fortune and connections… What if…? Even you said that Mrs Bennet is desperate to find good husbands for her daughters."

"I understand your concern. It is fair and wise. I do not suspect either of the eldest Miss Bennets of being a fortune hunter. I was wrong when I judged Miss Jane Bennet, but Miss Elizabeth seems too obstinate to be convinced to do anything against her will. Besides, I promise I shall not make any hasty decisions. I shall take my time to get to know her and to allow her time to know me. I hope we shall form a friendship that will develop into something more."

"That is very wise indeed."

"My dear, I have shared my intentions with nobody else yet, not even Richard. I would like to keep the secret for a while."

"I thank you for confiding in me, Brother. I pray that you will be very happy — as happy as you deserve. There is no better man than you, and I hope Miss Bennet will see that."

Georgiana left, and for a while, Darcy was alone. He felt relieved after the conversation with his sister. At least she was warned and would know that her opinion mattered. Her concerns were also valid and proved that wisdom was not a matter of age.

During breakfast, he could see his sister was distracted and assumed he knew the reason. After a while, she finally spoke.

"Brother, I was thinking…we both wish to know Miss Bennet as well as possible. What if we invite them all to dine with us on Christmas Day? We shall be alone, and I wonder if they have any other engagements."

"Christmas Day? The day after tomorrow? My dear, the occasion is too important to send an invitation at such short notice. They must have plans, but if they do not, it must be quite an effort to travel from their home to ours. They cannot leave the children at home on such a day, and they have been ill recently, so they need to rest. As much as I would enjoy such a party, I am afraid it is not possible."

"You are right, of course. How silly of me. I shall think of something else."

The girl's disappointment was similar to Darcy's. Such an evening would have been wonderful if it were not impossible.

An hour later, Darcy was alone in his library when Bingley burst in. He looked agitated, with a large smile on his face.

"Darcy, look what I just received!"

"I see a letter. It must be something special to have put you in such an excellent mood."

"It is from Mr Gardiner! Do you remember when he asked what plans I had for Christmas?"

"I do not. I was slightly distracted yesterday."

"Yes, I noticed. So I said I had no particular plans. And he has just written to me to invite me to join them for dinner the day after tomorrow! On Christmas Day! Surely there can be only one meaning behind this: that they consider me part of the family! And surely Miss Bennet cannot be a stranger to the invitation! They wish me to dine with them on a special evening! Can you believe it?"

"I can, and I agree with your assumption about the meaning behind it. Will you go? Your response will also indicate to them whether you wish to be part of the family."

"Of course I shall go! On my own. Without my sisters! And after that, I must find a moment alone with Miss Bennet. I am ready to make a decision since I have thought about it countless times. I see no reason to delay proposing! It is what I have wished and prayed for since the 26th of November, at the ball."

He paused, looking at Darcy, then continued.

"Do I have your blessing?"

"Do you need my blessing?"

"I do not, but I would like to have it."

"If you are certain of your decision, I heartily support you."

"I am glad to hear that! Oh, here is the letter. Mr Gardiner included you and Miss Darcy in the invitation, but he assumed you already have plans."

"Did he? May I see the letter?" Darcy asked, surprised, reading with curiosity.

"Indeed, the invitation is clear. Allow me a moment to speak to Georgiana. We do not have any particular plans, so we might attend after all," he said with a strange sense of joy. He overlooked the fact that he had already refused the invitation from the Matlocks. It felt more exhilarating to dine in Gracechurch Street than in Park Lane.

***

The house was beautifully decorated, with holly, hawthorn, rosemary, a few Christmas roses, and even a few sprigs of mistletoe. The dinner table was rich and a little crowded, filled with so much joy and talking and laughter as Darcy did not remember experiencing in many years.

The Gardiners' children had been shy and intimidated at first, but they needed only a few minutes to become easy and outspoken. They seemed attached to their cousins, especially to Elizabeth. The boys tried to act in a manly way, copying their father.

Darcy was enchanted to see his sister very much at ease and trying to make conversation with Elizabeth. He was also delighted that — as she had promised in her letter — Elizabeth whispered an apology to him, then welcomed him with a smile he had not seen before.

As much as he feared to assume too much, he could not overlook the obvious change in Elizabeth's manners towards him. She was friendly, without doubt.

"I am truly grateful, and I thank the Lord for this lovely reunion," Mrs Gardiner said sometime later. "Who would believe that an almost accident in Hyde Park would lead to such a wonderful outcome?"

"I must say I am grateful to Darcy for telling me about your presence in town," Bingley added. "If not for him, I might have discovered the truth much later. I might have even left town, as I had several invitations to spend Christmas in the country."

"We are also grateful to Mr Darcy and must thank him," Elizabeth replied. Her voice was teasing, but the little smile on her lips and in her eyes was alluring.

"If we are to follow the same logical line, we should be grateful to Miss Elizabeth's passion for walking, which led you to the near accident," Darcy added, causing cheers of approval. Elizabeth was still looking at him, and he smiled at her.

"Mama always claimed nothing good would come from my wild habit of taking long walks. I am pleased that she was wrong," Elizabeth joked.

After dinner, there was no separation, and — to Darcy's astonishment — Georgiana mentioned she had seen a pianoforte in the corner and suggested some music. He could not remember another instance when his sister had offered to play, not even with their family. She always accepted any requests shyly but was reluctant to perform.

Bingley supported the request, and Mr and Mrs Gardiner thanked him.

"I wonder whether Miss Elizabeth or Miss Bennet could accompany me?" the girl suggested.

"Oh, my playing is quite poor," Miss Bennet said. "But Lizzy performs beautifully. I am sure she would be delighted to play with you, Miss Darcy."

"I would indeed be delighted to play with Miss Darcy — and ashamed," Elizabeth said. "Your playing might be poor, Jane, but mine is not much better. And considering all the praise I have heard about Miss Darcy; I am sure she will be appalled to hear me."

"That is certainly not the case," Darcy interjected. "I have had the pleasure of hearing Miss Elizabeth play, and I was far from appalled. I shall not deny my sister's proficiency, but it will certainly not reduce the charm of your playing, Miss Elizabeth."

"Mr Darcy, your choice of words is truly commendable," Elizabeth responded, laughing. "You somehow managed to admit I play rather ill without offending me. I see a clear improvement in your wording, sir."

He knew what she meant and answered, "I am trying to improve, Miss Elizabeth. I am counting on you for an honest critical opinion."

"Then you will have it, sir. Be warned."

There was more laughter, and they exchanged a few glances, ignorant of the fact that Georgiana as well as the Gardiners were watching them with either interest or puzzlement. Georgiana and Elizabeth played and sang together, and just as Elizabeth had estimated, one performance was exquisite and perfect, the other one pleasant and charming. Both received warm applause and congratulations.

"Mr Gardiner, Mrs Gardiner, Georgiana and I were talking earlier today. We would be delighted if you would have dinner with us one day. You may bring the children too, but in such a case, we must make plans for you to stay overnight. We have plenty of rooms to accommodate you all."

"Dinner would be wonderful, Mr Darcy. But to stay overnight — we would not dare. Besides, we do not wish to take the children out of the house at the moment, apart from some short walks in the nearest park," Mrs Gardiner said.

"You may decide an evening, and we shall gladly attend," Mr Gardiner added.

"Then, would December the 28th be convenient for you?" Darcy asked.

"Perfectly."

The party ended late, close to midnight. The farewells were friendly, even affectionate, and Bingley promised to call again after Boxing Day.

"Upon my word," Bingley said in the carriage that took them home, "I cannot remember when I last had a more enjoyable Christmas dinner. Perhaps in my childhood."

Georgiana nodded enthusiastically. "I agree. It was lovely, especially with the children's company. So much laughter and joy! Did you have a pleasant time, Brother?"

"Exceedingly pleasant," Darcy answered, and he knew he was smiling.

***

Boxing Day passed with much agitation in Darcy's house. Georgiana loved the joy of giving, and Darcy was happy to see her completing that important and satisfying duty. He could not help thinking that perhaps next year, Elizabeth might help Georgiana with that particular responsibility. The more he thought of it, the more that image became clearer and less impossible.

His hopes had grown more as, during the dinner at the Gardiners', he had noticed Georgiana's small exchanges with Elizabeth, and afterwards, he had heard his sister favourably talking about her.

On the 27 th of December, Colonel Fitzwilliam visited; he was surprised that they had dined at the Gardiners' on Christmas Day.

"My mother will be disappointed when she hears it."

"I hope she will understand. I shall explain it to her."

"You will have to explain it to me, too, as I am confused why you would prefer some new acquaintances over us," the colonel said mostly in jest.

"I believe Bingley is ready to propose to Miss Bennet. And our acquaintance is not so very new. Georgiana loves you all, and she has had countless opportunities to be with your family. She enjoys the company of the Gardiners and the Miss Bennets, and she has had limited chances to spend time with them thus far."

"That, I understand."

"We shall have a dinner party at our house tomorrow. You are welcome to join us, but it will be nothing formal. That is why I did not invite your parents. The dinner will be far below what they are accustomed to."

"That makes sense. I shall gladly come."

While talking to the colonel, Darcy felt guilty and distracted. He had trusted his cousin with everything, including Georgiana's attempted elopement. He would like to share his admiration for Elizabeth with him too, but it was all so uncertain yet that he could not decide how much he might say. That same day, Darcy went to speak to the Matlocks about the dinner in Gracechurch Street and the dinner he was to host. His uncle and aunt deserved as much consideration.

"So, Mr Bingley is ready to find his felicity with Miss Bennet. Against your unwise advice and his sisters' opposition."

"Indeed. I have already admitted that my advice to Bingley was unwise and wrong."

"Good. You know, I have thought about inviting Mr Bingley, the Gardiners, and their nieces to my New Year party. But they are five people, and places at the table are limited. Besides, I am not sure they would feel comfortable among strange people outside their circle."

"I have no opinion on the matter, Aunt. The decision is yours. I shall have a small dinner party, which you and Uncle are more than welcome to attend if you wish."

"We might come. Save two seats for us."

"I shall," Darcy answered, slightly surprised by the acceptance.

That evening, Darcy received the visit of a thrilled, smiling, red-faced Bingley, bursting into his library.

"Darcy, you will never guess what I did. I went to Gracechurch Street and asked for a private moment with Jane — Miss Bennet! — and I proposed! I did it! And she accepted me! Can you imagine?"

"I can easily, but I did not expect it to happen so suddenly. You have my heartfelt congratulations, Bingley."

"Thank you! I just came from there. All is done. Mr Gardiner and I wrote to Mr Bennet, asking for his consent. We should have his reply tomorrow. But Mrs Gardiner said I have no reason for concern. If you only knew how happy Jane was! And she looked beautiful! She cried with joy! I am the happiest man in the world!"

"I am very happy for you, Bingley. Have a seat, and I shall pour you a drink. So by tomorrow night, at dinner, you will likely be a betrothed man."

"I shall! By the way, did you invite my sisters for dinner?"

"I did not. And if you do not mind, I intend not to. The Matlocks might attend, though."

"I do not mind. It is your decision. Besides, they will be most displeased to hear about my engagement, so I expect them to be in a poor disposition tomorrow."

"Then it would be better for them to be allowed some time alone," Darcy concluded.