A substantial crowd of well-dressed men in respectable lines of trade gathered in a rented dining hall at Guildhall to well wish Mr. Peake before his wedding. Elizabeth stood near the shy Georgiana, who smiled and blushed and nodded each time an acquaintance of Peake bowed to kiss her hand; usually their business acquaintances displayed polished manners, but sometimes they greeted her with the crudity of manner the high gentry such as the Darcys expected from Cits.

There was convivial chattering, discussions of business, and a great many wives and daughters of the guests were also present, having dressed to their best to match what they imagined was the splendor of the aristocratic woman who had captured the heart and grand business prospects of Mr. Peake. Within the closed circles of the London merchants in his line of trade, he had been seen as a promising catch, especially since he had been made a full partner of Gardiner.

Thus the women gathered there often felt an inkling (at least!) of jealousy towards Georgiana Darcy. There certainly was conversation of the scandal, and some of the women were determined to be a little rude only on that account. But the soon-to-be-former Miss Darcy was too sweet, too shy, and too much the elegant blushing bride to let people disdain her for long. She talked at length to several of the vicars of local parishes, and they all could speak for her speaking morality, and that she was repentant.

The tradesmen present all wished to remain on the good side of Peake, especially as it was expected that the money his marriage would bring to Peake would lead his firm to make substantial purchases, and that he would either become a more formidable competitor, a more valuable customer, or supplier of greater importance. The women studied Georgiana, but her dress was elegant simplicity itself: modest, unassuming, lacking flash, yet made of the finest materials, and with the best lines. She neither outshone those who must shine, nor did she sink beneath the notice of those who looked with critical eyes.

In sum Georgiana was a success amongst this group of London merchants, just as she had been in the rural society of Hertfordshire.

Two hours after the crowd gathered, and a little before the large dinner was to be served and everyone was to sit down, Mr. Darcy’s cousin who Elizabeth had met at Rosings Park was ushered into the building to give his greetings to Georgiana.

“Good day, and congratulations, Georgiana — if your cousin might give you such.” Colonel Fitzwilliam — no Elizabeth had heard from Darcy that he had been made a brigadier — stood grinning and pleased.

Georgiana allowed General Fitzwilliam to embrace her. Then she studied him. “Did Fitzwilliam send you? What does he want me to know? Why could he not come himself?”

“Fitzwilliam? No, no. Not him. I am present to deliver my father’s message that you ought abandon your plan to debase the noble Fitzwilliam blood. We — you and I — descend from royalty on the wrong side of the sheets, and to debase this royal blood of sceptered kings with that of a bottom dwelling tradesman, who is not even ridiculously rich, is a stain upon our families, a blot. Your marriage is the inky darkness which will be used to obscure your name in the family tree. Your choice, he ordered me to inform you, will bring you nothing but deepest unhappiness and the universal despite. And so on and so on, and so on for a deuced long time — Aunt Catty was present, and the two topped one another for a great length in this vein. I took no notes, so I cannot do their rant justice, but if you should visit the old earl, he might repeat the choicest bits before having you thrown out upon your ear.”

Georgiana laughed. “I thought they finished with me long ago.”

General Fitzwilliam grinned and exchanged a knowing look with Georgiana. “Congratulations, Georgie. Congratulations. Deuced glad to see you show some spirit. You were too nice to Darcy for my taste when I visited Pemberley. But you had this sly plan in your mind already, did you not?”

Georgiana blushed. “I did.”

“Sly girl! I hope the man is worthwhile, but if Miss Bennet jilted my cousin over the matter, he cannot be a bad sort.” General Fitzwilliam bowed and took Elizabeth’s hand and kissed it easily. “Lovelier than ever. Pity my cousin’s pride and your temper ended matters. I would have delighted to call you cousin.”

“I thank you,” Elizabeth replied with a little stiffness. “Did he tell you the manner I ended it with? I would not have thought he would speak of it.”

“We are close. Again close. I am glad for that. Damned fool, Darcy. But he is my close cousin, and we care deeply. I owe you a deuced great deal, Miss Bennet. Darcy sent me a letter asking for a reconciliation — we had not been close since Georgie’s youthful indiscretion. I am very glad.”

“I hope for him to have friends.”

“He will not be alone — though he has lost you.” General Fitzwilliam lowered his voice so those around them could not hear, and he said with a sly smirk of approval, “Throwing the ring!”

“Not on this matter. I pray, laugh upon another subject. No laughter here. This still hurts.”

“I apologize.” Colonel Fitzwilliam bowed his head. “I might say I am a crude military man, unused to the society of proper women after so many years. But you would know that to be a lie. I sympathize too much with Darcy having seen his pain.”

“My uncle and your brother? How do they do?” Georgiana touched General Fitzwilliam’s arm to gain his full attention. “They of course are angry, but do they actually care that I am marrying Mr. Peake enough to be unhappy?”

“Unhappy? Delighted rather. It takes you away from Pemberley and Darcy. Aunt Catty is happier with your brother than she has been for many years.”

“Aunt Catty! Such a good name.” Georgiana snorted.

“She came to London upon receipt of the news — and she traveled to Pemberley with Anne to push her upon Darcy again. I will travel to Pemberley as well, tomorrow. I do worry for your brother.” He glanced between the two women and cleared his throat. “I…well I hope to achieve a reconciliation. Darcy needs you. Both of you.”

“I hope so! I hope so!” Georgiana clutched her hands together and bounced in her adorable manner. “I desperately want to have him yet be my brother.”

“Do not count upon my success. Darcy is a proud and stubborn man.”

“If only he would still marry Lizzy.”

“Georgie, I have asked you,” Elizabeth said, “to give up any such hope. I will not marry him.”

“Are you a proud and stubborn woman as well?” Colonel Fitzwilliam smiled at Elizabeth.

“I am determined. In the future I will be rational. I shall not be driven by passions into making a mistake.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam held his hands wide. “To ignore your deepest heart’s feelings. To ignore what chance you have for human happiness. To live in fear of what might go wrong, when you could be killed upon any happening. That is not rational.”

Elizabeth ground her teeth together, but before she replied the dinner bell rang.

Georgiana and Mr. Peake sat next to each other — the dinner was to celebrate their matrimony, so they must be seated together — and darted glances to each other. Elizabeth chatted with the gentlemen and ladies around her. She could not help feeling some jealousy and unhappiness at seeing Georgiana’s happiness. It was irrational, wrong to feel, but she still ached in that way.

It was late when the dinner finished. As the dining hall was less than a half mile from the Gardiners’ house on Gracechurch Street, and as the weather this evening was unseasonably mild, they bundled up and walked the short distance rather than waiting for a carriage to be brought round. Mr. Peake held Georgiana’s arm, while Elizabeth walked to the side and behind them. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner hurried together ahead of the slowly strolling couple, who admired the façades of the houses, the occasional street with trees along the road, and the light traffic as a few late carriages ran back and forth, with lamps hanging from every side.

Even though it was past midnight, neither Mr. Peake nor Georgiana were ready to sleep; it was just two days until they planned to marry. They settled into the drawing room to talk and enjoy a light late supper, while Elizabeth provided a chaperone. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, being older and wiser, went direct to sleep. Elizabeth yawned, and looked at a book while the couple cooed at each other. She did not mind staying up later, as her novel had reached its most interesting point.

Elizabeth smiled when the door was quietly snuck open.

Little Anne had apparently been woken by the noise. Georgiana picked her up and embraced her on seeing the girl, but after a few minutes Georgiana’s attention had returned to Mr. Peake, and Anne went to Elizabeth. She squeezed Elizabeth’s thigh and said happily, “Aunt Lizzy!”

“Yes!” Elizabeth picked the girl and sat her on her lap.

“Will you stay with me in London? Mama spends all the time with Daddy Peake — I shouldn’t call him that until Mama marries him. But I can to you!”

“Yes.” Elizabeth kissed the girl’s forehead. “You can say anything to me.”

“I miss Uncle Will! Why did Mama come without him? Uncle Will must be lonely, lonely without me.”

There was a low outside rumble, like a carriage arriving, but it was too late in the evening for any late guest to arrive. There was constant traffic along the street at all hours. Only a wagon passing along, delivering its load.

Elizabeth kissed Anne on the forehead. “I miss him too.”

“You keep him company! Mama won’t let me. You don’t do anything but walk, and Uncle Will can walk with you.” The heartbreak was returning. She would probably never have a child — and was her independence worth that loss?

Elizabeth gave Anne a biscuit she had gotten from the kitchen but not finished. “Eat this, sweetling.”

“Oooh!” Anne pointed. “It’s so pretty. Looks like a dragon! I want to keep it.”

“Yes, sweet — we can get you a carved dragon, just like this. We will paint it green, if you wish, for your birthday.”

Anne thought carefully and pushed her little fist against her mouth. “But I want a pony.”

Elizabeth laughed.

There was a loud knocking upon the outside door. Elizabeth looked up frowning and walked to the window. At this hour?

The butler had been awake, so he opened the door for them. They all stood and looked out, but no carriage was visible on the street. Mr. Peake said, “I hope nothing is amiss with the business — I was once awoken at this hour due to a shipwreck.”

“Uncle Will! Uncle Will!”

Anne leapt from beside Elizabeth and ran towards the drawing room door. Mr. Darcy stood there, with intense bloodshot baggy eyes. He looked at her. Elizabeth’s stomach seized with some emotion that mixed terror, longing and happiness.

He bent and picked up his niece when she grabbed his leg and he kissed her. The girl squealed about how she had missed him.

Everyone looked at Darcy. Mr. Peake hovered next to Georgiana almost defensively.

Darcy looked wonderful. He looked terrible.

He wore a dirty overcoat, getting dust over Anne’s pretty dress. His hair was wild and a mess, with part of it flattened against the side of his head in an odd shape, where Elizabeth suspected he had slept on it in his carriage. His eyes were drooping and he had the beginnings of a stubbled beard around his chin that made him somehow look more male.

Georgiana cautiously approached her brother. Mr. Peake followed his betrothed, eyeballing Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth remained by the window.

Darcy put down his niece and in a flash he embraced Georgiana. “I — I am so sorry. I was wrong…your happiness is not worth my pride. You were not happy, and…only promise you shall be happy. Peake” — Darcy shook the man’s hand, still holding his sister — “I know your character. Your basic decency. I judged wrongly.”

Peake hesitated and then asked, “Mr. Darcy, have we your blessing?”

“You do not need it — but for what worth it has, you do. Am I too late, have you yet married?”

“Your blessing matters to me. So very much.” Georgie spoke with an upturned, smiling face. “I am so happy. So happy. You can give me away still. It is as I always wanted — you will?”

“Yes.”

“And Lizzy is here. Lizzy, come here.”

Elizabeth stumbled slowly forward. She was terrified. His magnetic eyes held her. He looked so handsome. But she was too scared. Too scared.

“Elizabeth… I…” He pressed his hand over his mouth. “I had not expected to see you so soon.”

“I had not expected to see you. Not ever.”

“I can imagine well you did not.”

“Why are you here? What changed? Why?”

Darcy blinked. He smiled. “You are like always — my frankness is not alone.”

“Why?”

“I no longer hold such a high value upon the pride of the Darcy family.” He yawned and rubbed his eyes. “It is also quite useless to pretend I can control my sister, when I cannot.”

“Really?” Elizabeth’s voice sounded thin in her ears. “Does this not reduce you as a gentleman?”

“Lizzy, you promised!” Georgiana exclaimed, pushing Elizabeth’s arm.

“What did she promise?” Darcy tilted his head and yawned again, and shook himself and rubbed his eyes. “I apologize, I have been on the road for many hours. I am in no fit state for an important conversation, though I wish I were.”

“She promised,” Georgiana said, “to listen to what you said, if you were to apologize.”

“Ah.” Darcy looked at Elizabeth with his candlelit eyes. He had a serious expression. But he softened as she looked at him. Elizabeth felt a terror in her stomach — what if he wasn’t going to offer for her again.

Elizabeth said with a squeak, “Are you really here only to bless Georgiana’s marriage…at last.”

Darcy tilted his head. He looked at her as though he’d not heard the question. Then he shook his head. “I ought to return to Darcy house soon — you had been vague on when the wedding would occur. ‘When business was settled?’ That is not a date, Georgie. Not at all.”

“I apologize.” The young woman blushed. “But we did not know for sure. We discovered yesterday that we can have it be the day after tomorrow, even sooner than planned.”

“I am glad I shall be there. Lizzy, I did have a burning extra motive. One of greatest import, which drove me from Pemberley as fast as I could order my carriage prepared.”

She looked at him. Both annoyed and with her heart fluttering.

“I had a desperate hope to avoid my aunt, who has encamped herself at Pemberley. I think at worst it will be at least another day before she can catch me in London.”

“Aunt Catty! — Richard told me that she was to attend you.”

“He did not warn me.” Darcy grinned. “Georgie — might you come to stay at Darcy house, one last time as only my sister and under my roof? Our Aunt Catty cannot cross the threshold when you are present.”

After a laugh. Georgiana scrutinized Darcy. “You do not — are you really accommodated to the marriage?”

“Give credit to Aunt Catty.” Darcy chuckled. “Was it you or Richard who gave her that name?”

“Richard.”

“She repeated to me, almost down to the very words, the argument I made to explain why you ought not marry Mr. Peake. The question of honor, and the family history and — oh all that nonsense about the blood of kings and everything else. Hearing my own words in her voice…” Darcy shrugged. “I was uncertain inside from the first. But her words had a salutary effect. I only hoped I might reach here before the wedding.”

“Heavens!” Georgiana whistled after her uncharacteristic outburst. “To think I must be grateful to Lady Catherine.”

Darcy laughed, and then yawned again. And with one more searching look at Elizabeth he and Georgiana woke her maid to have a change of clothes packed. They called for a hackney cab — Darcy had sent his exhausted carriage driver home immediately — to convey them to the Darcy’s residence in a fashionable square in the aristocratic section of London near St. James Palace.