“Yes, well, perhaps we are too easygoing,” admitted Bingley. Then he asked eagerly, “How is Jane? Do you think she is looking well?”

“I think she is looking very well,” Elizabeth assured him. “And very happy.”

“And the baby?”

“He is contented. He is sleeping. Jane is resting now, but she hopes to join us in the drawing-room after dinner.”

“There you are! What did I say?” asked Bingley in delight. “I knew she would join us. Darcy and I were just going into the billiard room, but we will gladly return to the drawing-room with you if you wish.”

“Caroline is in the drawing-room,” remarked Darcy.

“Ah!” said Elizabeth. “Then I will come and watch the two of you play.”

They went into the billiard room. Darcy and Elizabeth commented on its fine proportions and remarked on the beauty and elegance of the house.

“It took us a long time to find it, but it has repaid our efforts,” said Bingley. “Jane and I are both settled here and we mean to make this our ancestral seat. Perhaps one day it will be as renowned as Pemberley.”

Darcy and Bingley began to play and Elizabeth looked around the room, thinking that Jane had chosen very well. The house was comfortable and elegant, and she knew that Jane was very happy with it. It gave her great pleasure to think of Jane being so well settled, and within an easy distance of Pemberley.

The three of them exchanged news as the two men played. When the game was over, Elizabeth and Darcy retired to their suite of rooms to dress for dinner. Jane and Charles kept country hours and dinner was served, in the winter, almost as soon as it was dark.

“Now, are you glad I talked you into coming?” Elizabeth asked her husband as she sat down at her dressing table and began to unpin her hair.

He helped her in her task, taking the pins out of her dark hair and letting it fall about her shoulders. He stroked it, letting his hands linger on the soft tresses.

“Yes, I am, as long as you are not feeling any ill effects from the journey.”

“No, none at all other than a little fatigue. I think I will lie down for half an hour before changing for dinner.”

She suited the action to the words and Darcy rubbed her feet in a way she found relaxing and pleasurable. She was glad to have some time alone with him. She had greatly enjoyed talking to Jane, and she had adored seeing the baby, but she had grown used to having Darcy to herself and she treasured their time alone. They stayed together, talking, until the clock struck the hour, and then they changed for dinner.

Elizabeth took Darcy’s arm and they descended the stairs. Jane and Bingley were in the hall, and together they went into the drawing-room.

Elizabeth’s eye ran round the room as she entered, noting the grand fireplace, the comfortable sofas, and the rich gold drapes, which had been drawn across the tall windows to keep out the December darkness. By the fire, which was burning with a cheery glow, was a screen which Jane had painted herself and a small table on which were several ornaments from the Bennet household, remembrances of home.

“Elizabeth, how well you look,” said Caroline, rising and greeting her. She turned to Jane. “My dear sister, are you sure you should be downstairs?”

“I am quite well, I do assure you,” said Jane.

Caroline opened her mouth, but Elizabeth looked at her, and Caroline quickly shut it again, for she had no wish to cross wits with Elizabeth. If she did, she was uncomfortably aware that she would come off the loser.

Bingley conducted Jane over to the fire and then arranged the screen to keep her out of any drafts.

“And how is my nephew?” asked Caroline.

“He is very well and sleeping,” said Jane.

“I do declare he is twice the size he was when he was born. He will be a fine boy before long,” said Louisa.

“He is a fine boy already,” said Bingley. “I never saw finer. His little fingers and toes, you never saw the like!”

“Do not encourage him or Charles will talk of nothing else,” said Caroline.

Indeed, the new son and heir formed most of Bingley’s conversation over dinner, and although Jane and Elizabeth managed to talk of other things from time to time, the new arrival formed most of Jane’s conversation too.

“And how is Pemberley, Mr. Darcy?” asked Caroline.

“The estate is thriving, thank you.”

“And your sister? Dear Georgiana, how I long to see her again.”

“She too is well. She is spending Christmas with friends.”

“Is she not young for such a visit?” asked Caroline.

“She is almost eighteen,” Darcy reminded her. “She will be coming out in the spring.”

“You will be going to town for the Season then,” said Caroline. She turned to her brother. “I told you, Charles, that you must buy a house in town, and see, I was right. If you will only bestir yourself, you can spend the spring in town and help Georgiana by escorting her to balls and such like.”

“I will be busy here,” said Charles.

“Then let me find a house for you.”

“We really couldn’t put you to so much trouble,” said Jane.

“It is no trouble. I would like nothing better,” said Caroline. “There, it is settled.”

Jane and Bingley looked at each other helplessly and Elizabeth thought that Caroline would very likely carry the day. She refrained from interfering but managed to say to Jane, as the ladies withdrew, “If you wish me to dissuade her, you have only to say the word.”

“Say nothing yet,” said Jane. “It will give her something to think about.”

“Something other than running the household and telling you what to do, do you mean?” asked Lizzy mischievously, as the two ladies crossed the hall behind Caroline and Louisa.

“She has been very kind, really she has,” said Jane. “Although I cannot think so well of her as I once did, for there is no denying that she tried to separate me from Charles, I believe she has seen the error of her ways and I think she is trying to make amends. She has been very helpful over the last few weeks; indeed, I would have found it difficult to manage without her. She has taken over everything.”

“I do not doubt it!”

Jane smiled but said, “Really, Lizzy, I think you misjudge her. I truly believe she is trying to be friends.”

“Jane, you are too good.”

“No, not too good, for I do not repose the same confidence in her as once I did. But she has been a help, there is no denying it, and I hope she will continue to be so. When Mama arrives, I am intending to leave her with Caroline.”

Elizabeth laughed at the thought of Caroline entertaining Mrs. Bennet. The two ladies had little liking for each other. Caroline thought Mrs. Bennet was excessively vulgar, and Mrs. Bennet had little time for anyone who was not an eligible young man.

“Perhaps they do not get on well together,” Jane conceded, “but it will be someone for Mama to talk to if I am indisposed.”

“And are you planning to be indisposed when Mama arrives?” teased Elizabeth.

“Really, Lizzy! I am looking forward to seeing her. But even so, I feel I will need some respite from her ways. She is to stay for a fortnight, and that is a long time.”

“With luck, she will be so enamoured of little Charles that she will be able to talk of nothing else, and you, my dear Jane, will, I am sure, be happy to talk about him all day long.”

“Indeed I will. But Mama will not be able to forget her daughters so easily, even whilst talking about her grandson. She has already told me that she expects me to give a ball, so that Kitty and Mary can find a husband,” said Jane.

“And are you giving a ball?” asked Lizzy.

“Yes. Caroline has been good enough to arrange it!”

Having reached the drawing-room, where Caroline and Louisa were already seated, the other two ladies joined in the conversation, and a discussion of the forthcoming ball ensued. Refreshments were discussed, the guest list reviewed, clothes spoken of, so that the time until the gentlemen joined them was agreeably spent.

After that, there was some general discussion about Bingley’s relatives and the new estate, but Jane soon began to tire and excused herself. Bingley followed her out of the room and their footsteps could be heard climbing the stairs to the nursery.

Elizabeth and Darcy continued to talk to Caroline and the Hursts for half an hour, but then they too excused themselves and retired for the night.

*   *   *

Elizabeth was not altogether looking forward to seeing her mother, particularly at such a time when her mother would no doubt interfere in everything she wished to eat, drink, or do, but she was longing to see her father again. He had always been very dear to her. He had defended her when her mother had tried to force her to marry Mr. Collins, and he had obliged her by discovering the good qualities in her husband, even though, at first, he had doubted they existed. He had come to realise that underneath Darcy’s reserved and proud exterior there was a man who was worthy of his daughter, and Mr. Bennet knew no higher praise than that, for he had always had a soft spot for his Lizzy.

So when, the following morning, she caught sight of the Bennet carriage appearing through heavy snow, she was delighted.

Bingley went out to greet them, quickly bringing everyone into the drawing-room, where a large fire and some refreshments awaited them.

“Lizzy, my dear,” said Mr. Bennet. His face was a picture of delighted surprise as he saw his favourite daughter. “This is an unexpected pleasure. We did not think to find you here. How are you?” He ran his eyes over her full figure. “Well, I hope?”

“Yes, Papa, very well,” said Lizzy, kissing him on the cheek. “When Jane invited us, I could not resist seeing her new house and my new nephew.”

“You should not have travelled in your condition. If I had known what you intended, I would have put a stop to it,” said Mrs. Bennet.

“Then it is as well that you did not. I am sure Lizzy was just as excited about seeing the newest addition to the family as we are,” said Mr. Bennet. There was a trace of unaccustomed pride in his voice. “Jane is well?”

“Very well. She will be down directly.”

Mr. Bingley urged them all to sit down and they settled themselves by the fire.

“It is perhaps a good thing you are here, after all, Lizzy,” said Mrs. Bennet. “I hope you will learn from your sister. I knew how it would be. I said, did I not, Mr. Bennet—did I not, Mary, Kitty, Maria?—that Jane would have a boy.” She looked around the drawing-room. “This is a very elegant drawing-room, far better than the one at Lucas Lodge, and better than Netherfield too, is it not, Mr. Bennet?”

“The relative merits of various drawing-rooms are, I am afraid, beyond me,” said Mr. Bennet.

Kitty looked around the room and pronounced it very fine. But it lost all its interest when, a moment later, Jane entered the room with little Charles in her arms. The talk was then all of the baby, with Mrs. Bennet predicting a great future for him and Mr. Bennet being quietly pleased. Kitty cooed over her first nephew and addressed herself as Aunt Kitty several times, whilst Mary said, “It is usual on such occasions to predict that the infant is destined for greatness, but I have often observed that very few of those who have greatness foretold for them manage to achieve such greatness when the full measure of their maturity unfolds.”

Elizabeth laughed. Mrs. Bennet said, “Hush, Mary, whoever asked you?” and Mr. Bennet said gravely, “Very wise, Mary. I am glad to see that your hours of study have not been wasted, but have been productive of such wisdom.”

Mary gave a gracious smile.

Little Charles was passed round all the females and, as they made a great fuss of him, Mr. Bennet said to his eldest daughter, “You have found yourself a fine house here, Jane. The situation is good and it seems comfortable. It is a true family home.”

Having passed the baby round everyone in turn, little Charles was returned to his mother.

“There is nothing finer than a fire in winter,” said Mrs. Bennet. She added complacently, “I am sure Lady Catherine will like it. She will be used to the very best fires at Rosings Park, for the chimney piece cost eight hundred pounds, and no one would wish to find a niggling fire beneath a chimney piece of such value. But even Lady Catherine, I am persuaded, will have no fault to find with this.”

Elizabeth looked at her mother in surprise, wondering why Lady Catherine had entered the conversation.