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Such was the sight that met Elizabeth’s eyes when she emerged from the shrubbery, Rebecca at her side. Fitzwilliam blushed slightly at her warm glance even as her father rolled his eyes and muttered something acerbic about “young lovers” before Mrs. Gardiner shushed him.

When Bingley appeared, Mr. Bennet noted that Jane was walking at the gentleman’s side and seemed significantly more comfortable than she had on the previous evening.

Once the children’s eager descriptions of their walk dissolved into yawns, Mrs. Gardiner gently herded them all upstairs to wash up and have a short lie down.

While the ladies went to wash up, Mr. Darcy tracked Elizabeth’s father to his study.

Longbourn’s master had retreated for a moment of quiet and, although he had come to rather like the younger gentleman after their morning ride, he was not particularly pleased to have his peace interrupted.

His mood deteriorated even more when he saw Darcy’s serious expression.

The younger man stood before him, eyes on the rug and hands clasped behind his back.

Thomas settled back in his chair and let the silence stretch out.

Finally Mr. Darcy appeared to reach a resolution; he squared his shoulders and looked Mr. Bennet dead in the eye.

“Sir, I wish to ask for your permission to court your daughter.” The sentence came out in a rush.

Although Thomas should have known it was coming, he still felt like pulling out his shotgun. “I suppose you have already spoken with Lizzy?” he asked eventually.

The young man’s smile was enough to confirm it.

“Yes, sir. I asked Miss Elizabeth if her… feelings… had changed while we were in London, before I invited the Gardiners to stay at my estate. I did not wish her to be made uncomfortable and I feared that if her opinion of me was unchanged since Kent...”

“And she agreed?” Thomas had to ask, although it was painful to him.

“Yes, sir.” Darcy’s tone indicated that he appreciated the second chance he had been given. He was about to speak further but Mr. Bennet waved him off, not interested in hearing the ranting of a young lover.

“I shall have to speak with Lizzy, you understand.” The young man’s confident nod made her father feel very old. He stood and turned to stare out of the window. “Well, then. She should be in the drawing room by now. Please send her in to me.”

“Of course, sir.” Darcy stood and studied the older gentleman’s back for a minute.

He was tempted to feel affronted by such a curt dismissal, but reminded himself that Elizabeth was this man’s favorite daughter.

Before leaving, he spoke softly, “Should your daughter ever accept my offer of marriage, I would consider it to be the greatest honor of my life.”

Mr. Bennet could not speak, but a slight nod acknowledging Darcy’s words was enough. When Elizabeth knocked on the door some minutes later, he had himself under firmer control and their interview was conducted expeditiously.

Lizzy agreed that, now that her misconceptions had been put aside, she found that the effort of getting to know Mr. Darcy to be very rewarding indeed. “I find that I like him very much, Papa, and I should like to know him better.” She paused and Mr. Bennet gave her the time to frame her thoughts.

“I know him to be a very good man, but I still feel as if there is much I do not understand about him. When he speaks of Pemberley, it is almost as if it is a part of him, like a leg or a heart, not just some grand estate to brag about. Somehow, I feel that if I can see him there, at his home, I may finally understand him… see him complete and unmasked.” Elizabeth flushed slightly.

“I’m sorry, Papa. Am I speaking nonsense? ”

Mr. Bennet sighed and took both of his daughter’s hands in his own. “No, my dear. I believe that you are very sensible, indeed.” He kissed her forehead before stepping back. “Now then, run along; I am certain that your mother has much for you to do for our picnic this afternoon!”

After exchanging a few more affectionate words, Bennet shut the door behind his favorite daughter before she noticed the tears that threatened to leak from his eyes.

He treated himself to a small glass of port and sat in the chair by the window, sternly reminding himself that Elizabeth would be loved and respected, should she continue along her present course.

When Miss Darcy arrived an hour later, her carriage deposited her on Longbourn’s front steps but she was drawn toward the gardens before she had even set foot in the house.

When she rounded the corner, the sound of voices that had drawn her was revealed to be the entire Bennet-Gardiner-Phillips clan bustling about, carrying things to a little copse.

Georgiana was particularly amused to see her brother carrying two chairs and being directed as to their placement by Mrs. Bennet.

“Ah, Miss Darcy. I’m glad that you were able to join us.”

Georgiana turned to find Longbourn’s patriarch approaching. She curtsied and managed a small smile. “Mr. Bennet.” She had not quite figured the older man out, yet.

Thomas nodded back pleasantly, reminding himself that the girl was probably not accustomed to the rambunctious tenor that characterized his own household.

“Come, come, no need to stand on ceremony. As you can see, the girls have organized a picnic so that the children may join us. You met the Gardiners in London, I understand?” Mr. Bennet had exchanged little beyond greetings with the young lady and was curious to know Mr. Darcy’s sister better.

Georgiana exerted herself to respond. “Yes, sir. We spent the day at Kew gardens together.” She smiled when little Amelia Gardiner came running out of the house in a flurry of skirts and launched herself at Mr. Darcy. “My brother has always had a way with children.”

Thomas had turned in the same direction and could not help but be amused when the tall, serious young man from Derbyshire bent down so that he might converse with the littlest Gardiner.

Soon after, Miss Darcy’s arrival was noticed by Catherine and she found herself drawn into the happy rabble.

There was no ceremony or artifice and Georgiana found herself relaxing as she would never have imagined possible in a crowd of relative strangers.

When her brother caught her eye and raised an eyebrow, silently inquiring after her welfare, she broke into a sunny smile that he had not seen since before Ramsgate.

The party was soon happily settled in a grassy corner of the gardens; the Bennets had obviously done this before and there was an easy order to their chaos.

Lawn chairs were set beneath an old oak tree for Mrs. Bennet and her sisters.

The others arranged themselves on blankets around them while the servants set out the food on a simple trestle table low to the ground.

There was no ceremony, just a great deal of good food, happy laughter and comfortable teasing.

The children were full of energy after their nap and it was not long before their attention wandered.

After being pelted by a poorly aimed grape, Mr. Bennet recruited Jonathan and Tommy to help him bring out the cricket bats and wickets.

Once Mr. Bingley and the Darcys had been educated as to ‘Longbourn House rules’ (which seemed to consist primarily of dire consequences should a fielder step off the lawn and stumble into the flower beds), a pleasant afternoon was had by all.

Darcy was amazed to see his own sister step up to bat and cheered as loudly as any when she scored a run on her first try.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent in relaxed amiability. Even Lydia was convinced to join in the cricket game and showed that, when her energy was focused in a more positive direction, she was quite an exceptional wicketkeeper.

When the Darcys and Mr. Bingley finally returned to Netherfield, it was nearly dark and they stood for a few minutes on the front steps, admiring the colors of the twilight sky. Georgiana squeezed her brother’s hand and looked up at him with eyebrows raised.

Fitzwilliam glanced over to see a similar expression on Charles’ face and couldn’t help laughing. A happiness that he had never felt before seemed to settle over him like a warm blanket. “Yes; Mr. Bennet has given me permission to court his daughter.”