‘Or long carriage rides,’ I said, kissing her on the lips.
‘Or picnics,’ said Elizabeth, kissing me in return.
‘My love, I had better lock the door.’
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December
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Friday 5th December
Elizabeth has ordered a phaeton and pair for Christmas.
Her aunt and uncle will be joining us, and they will be
here in just over a fortnight. Elizabeth has persuaded me
that I must invite my aunt, too. It is time to put an end
to the hostilities, she says, and she is right. I cannot be on
bad terms with Lady Catherine for ever.
Jane and Bingley are coming to stay, and they are
bringing with them Caroline and Louisa. Mr and Mrs
Bennet will also be coming with Mary and Kitty, and
Lydia will be one of their party. I have reluctantly agreed
to welcome her, but on condition that Wickham does
not come with her. I will not have him at Pemberley,
now or ever. Elizabeth understands. She has no wish to
see him, and we both know it would be mortifying for
Georgiana.
The two people we will not see are Mr and Mrs
Collins. Charlotte is in an interesting condition and cannot travel. Elizabeth has reminded me to look for a living for Mr Collins, something better than the one he has
at present.
‘A larger house for Charlotte,’ said Elizabeth,‘and one
with plenty to keep Mr Collins occupied. If there is
something for him to do outside the house, perhaps
some alms-houses to run, so much the better. And make
sure the house has two pleasant rooms, so that Charlotte
can have one as well as her husband.’
‘Very well, but I will not have them within an hour’s
drive of Pemberley. I like Charlotte well enough, but not
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even your friendship with her can reconcile me to her
husband.’
In this, Elizabeth and I are as one.
Saturday 13th December
Our guests will all be arriving on Monday. One more has
been added to their number. Colonel Fitzwilliam will be
coming with Lady Catherine and Anne.
Monday 15th December
At last, they are here. Bingley and Jane were the first to
arrive, bringing with them Caroline and Louisa.
‘Mrs Darcy,’ said Caroline, with an excess of civility.
‘How pleased I am to see you again.’ She smiled as
though she and Elizabeth had always been the best of
friends, then turned to me. ‘Mr Darcy, how well you
look,’ she said.‘And Georgiana. How you have grown! It
must be this Derbyshire air. It is so invigorating.’
Louisa was less vocal but greeted us pleasantly. Mr
Hurst merely grunted before retiring to the billiard
room. Caroline and Louisa went upstairs, led there by
Georgiana, and Elizabeth and I were free to talk to Jane
and Bingley.
‘So Lydia is coming?’ asked Bingley, as we all sat down
in the drawing-room.
‘Yes, she is, though not her husband,’ said Elizabeth.
‘You do not think it wrong of me not to invite him?’ she
asked Jane.
‘Dear Lizzy, of course not. It is not as though he and
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Lydia have nowhere else to go. They have been to stay
with us twice already. It is cheaper for them to stay with
us than to live on their own. They gave up one set of
lodgings before coming to us, so that they would not
have to pay any rent, and then they took another set
when they returned.’
‘How very distressing,’ said Elizabeth.
‘Not to Lydia. She is the same as ever, exuberant and
high spirited. She thrives on the change.’
‘The next time they come, I think I will have the servants say we are not at home!’ said Bingley.
‘We are too convenient at Netherfield, that is the
trouble,’ said Jane. ‘They visit Longbourn, and then they
come to us when they have outstayed their welcome
there.And it is not only Lydia who visits us. It seems that
every day my mother finds some reason to call. We are
thinking of taking a house elsewhere.’
‘Poor Jane! You must come and live in Derbyshire,’
said Elizabeth.
‘There are some very fine properties hereabouts,’ I
said.
‘I think we might,’ said Bingley.
A coach drawing up outside alerted us to the fact that
Lady Catherine had arrived. She descended with all state
and entered the house.A few minutes later she swept into
the drawing-room without waiting to be announced.
She looked round with a jaundiced eye.
‘The furniture has not been replaced, I see,’ she said,
without greeting either myself or Elizabeth. ‘I thought
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you would have put my sister’s furniture in the attic and
replaced it with something of inferior workmanship.’
‘Your ladyship cannot think I would wish to spoil my
own home,’ said Elizabeth.
‘Your home. Hah!’ said my aunt.
Elizabeth cast me a satirical glance, but making a
determined effort she welcomed Lady Catherine, Anne
and Colonel Fitzwilliam.
‘We meet again,’ he said.
‘We do.’
‘And in happy circumstances. Darcy is a lucky man,’
he told her.
‘Darcy is no such thing,’ said my aunt.‘He should have
married Anne.’
Anne cast her eyes to the floor.
‘You had a good journey, I hope?’ Elizabeth asked her.
Anne raised her eyes a little but did not reply. I was
struck by the difference in her demeanour from the last
time I had seen her, and I thought of what my cousin had
said, that she had much more spirit away from her
mother.
‘Anne’s health is precarious. She never travels well,’
said my aunt.
‘But the journey was good,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam.
‘Lady Catherine’s coach is comfortable, and the roads
were not too bad.’
‘Let me show you to your rooms,’ said Elizabeth.
‘That is the housekeeper’s job,’ said Lady Catherine
disdainfully.
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‘Then I will ask Mrs Reynolds to show you the way,’
said Elizabeth. She turned to Anne. ‘Allow me to show
you to your room,’ she said. ‘It is the room you always
have. I asked Mrs Reynolds which one
