Page 183 of What Change Entails

The evening never fully recovered its former ease. How could it? A battle had occurred one room away, and everyone knew enough of it to be uneasy without knowing enough to speak. Still, the room arranged itself around the absence. Georgiana sat beside Lydia. Elizabeth took the chair nearest Mrs. Gardiner. Darcy remained where he could see them all.

Pemberley had changed in ways he had not foreseen.

No, that was not true.

Pemberley had begun to show him what it might become.

Elizabeth laughed softly at some remark of her aunt’s, then darted a look toward Darcy. The sound was small, quickly suppressed, but it reached him nonetheless. Georgiana spoke to Lydia without first checking the door. Mr. Gardiner asked him about the next day’s weather, and Bingley, returning from his sisters, stood by the fire with the weary air of a man discovering that affection and blindness were not the same virtue.

Miss Bingley had realized it too, Darcy thought.

Elizabeth was no longer merely a guest in his house.

She had become central to its peace.

He hoped Miss Bingley understood that clearly enough to withdraw.

Even as the thought formed, he knew hope was a poor guard against resentment.

Across the room, Elizabeth lifted her eyes to his again. This time she did not look away quickly.

Darcy rose and crossed to her side.

“Mrs. Gardiner,” he said, “if the weather holds, would you and Mr. Gardiner permit me to show you the old quarry path tomorrow? Miss Elizabeth mentioned an interest in wildflowers near the ridge.”

Elizabeth’s brows rose. “Did I?”

“You did.”

“I believe I mentioned flowers generally.”

“A sufficient foundation.”

Mrs. Gardiner’s eyes moved from one to the other. “We should be delighted.”

Lydia, from the sofa, called, “Miss Darcy and I shall come too.”

Georgiana lifted the bent paper list. “We are required. For supervision.”

“Of whom?” Elizabeth asked.

Lydia pointed toward Darcy. “Everyone.”

Darcy looked at Elizabeth.

Her amusement resumed, bright and dear.

“Then I submit to Miss Lydia’s authority,” he said.

“Excellent,” Lydia replied. “That is the first wise thing any gentleman has said today.”

For once, Darcy allowed himself to laugh without restraint.

The sound drew Miss Bingley’s absence into sharp relief.

No correction followed. No delicate disapproval. No attempt to reclaim the room.

He would have preferred the Bingley party to leave the following morning, but one of the carriage horses had gone lame and the replacement would not arrive until the next day. Until then, he instructed Mrs. Reynolds that Georgiana was not to be left alone with Miss Bingley. For that evening, at least, Pemberley breathed.