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Meanwhile, Bingley’s rant had gained energy.

“I must say I admire your restraint! I’ve little doubt that I would have beaten the swine within an inch of his life…

and then found myself in gaol and our family’s reputation in tatters.

Which is why, I suppose, you held back.” Suddenly his face changed to an odd expression.

“Though I can’t quite imagine how I would react if I found Caro in such a situation. ”

Abruptly Charles slumped back down into his chair.

“That’s a lie… I would be embarrassed and concerned over how her actions might harm our family’s reputation but in truth, unless it was very obvious that the man had physically overpowered her, my first instinct would be to blame her for getting herself into such a situation.

Really, I would expect to find that she had arranged it all herself, including making sure that I found them together and forced a marriage. ”

Bingley appeared increasingly disgusted although it was not clear to his friend if the emotion was directed at himself or his sister. “Good God, Darce! How is it that I can think so poorly of my own sister?”

“I believe that you know her very well, as I do my own. Charles,” Fitzwilliam waited until he was certain that he had his friend’s attention.

“I am well aware what a blessing it is to have such a gentle, obliging girl for a sister. I can’t imagine what I would have done if she had been more like yours in personality.

Probably sent her to live at Matlock or with one of our Fitzwilliam cousins, for it is God’s honest truth that I wouldn’t know how to deal with her myself. ”

Seeing that Bingley looked slightly less miserable, Darcy continued, “Charles, I sincerely believe that you have done your best by Miss Bingley.”

Bingley studied the other man for some moments before nodding seriously. “Thank you, Darcy. I appreciate it more than you can know, for I trust your honesty as well as your judgment.”

The two men were silent for some minutes, finishing their whisky. When the mantel clock began to ring out the hour, they took notice that they needed to dress quickly or be late for dinner with the Bennets.

Bingley grinned and slapped his friend on the shoulder. “I believe that I shall like us being brothers very much!” Although Darcy rolled his eyes, his smile expressed his agreement.

Dinner at Longbourn was a relatively pleasant affair, if not the easiest that the two young couples had ever enjoyed in company.

Upon her return that afternoon, Jane had maintained a facade of serenity until she could closet herself away in her bedchamber.

Luckily, Lizzy had followed after not too many minutes and, while letting her sister weep on her shoulder, pieced together what had occurred from the disjointed words and phrases that gushed out with the tears.

“I was immodest! Wanton!”

“You are not wanton, Jane.”

“I must disgust him… such behavior…”

“Mr. Bingley adores you, Jane. He could never be disgusted by you.”

“But my behavior, Lizzy! He touched me and I wished for it! I wanted him to do more! I do not even know what I wanted him to do but I wanted it… most desperately !”

This last was said in such a wail as Lizzy had never heard from her usually calm sister. Quickly deciding that a new approach was called for, she leaned back from where they sat on the bed and forced Jane to look her in the eye.

“Jane Bennet, enough ! You are not being sensible. Charles kissed you; he touched you. You enjoyed it but so did he . Those are not the actions of a man who is disgusted by your behavior; quite the opposite, in fact.”

She gave her sister a moment to digest this before taking her hand and speaking more softly; “Jane, dearest, we have been blessed with fiancés who love us. They respect our minds and I have every hope that we shall be friends as well as spouses. However, we are not marrying solely to have a companion and protector, but a lover.”

Seeing that Jane appeared quite shocked at such a sentiment, Elizabeth sighed but kept hold of her sister’s hand.

“I had some very illuminating conversations with our Aunt Gardiner while we were in Derbyshire. I fear that Uncle Edward would blush if he knew but we spoke of marriage… of the… physical aspects of it.”

Feeling her sister’s hand tense, Lizzy looked up into her wide eyes.

“Jane, we are to be married in less than two months; surely you have thought of it.” She raised her eyebrow.

“Be honest, Janie; men have been trying to kiss you for years and you’ve always managed to brush them off, usually without them even knowing that you were aware of their intentions.

Mr. Bingley would never have managed to kiss you if you hadn’t also wished for it. ”

Jane blushed a brilliant scarlet but the glint in her eye told Elizabeth that her guess was more correct than not.

“Janie, dearest sister of my heart. Shall you condemn me as well? For I have kissed Mr. Darcy, shamelessly sought his kisses, in fact. There are times when I feel like a… a… wanton seductress when I’m near him, so much do I desire his touch. And he feels the same.”

The elder Miss Bennet blinked rapidly, overwhelmed by these new confidences. “But Mr. Darcy always seems so serious… so very… grave . I can’t imagine him thinking such things.”

Lizzy grinned and bumped her shoulder against her sister’s.

“And how often have I heard my own, dear Jane called frigid and untouchable? I know how big your heart is though you may not wear it upon your sleeve. Fitzwilliam is much the same; matchmakers and Society ladies have pursued him for years and he puts on that stone-faced mask to protect himself. But to those whom he trusts… oh, Jane! How I wish our wedding was tomorrow!” Lizzy flung her hands above her head theatrically and flopped back on the pillows, staring up at the bed curtains while wrapping a ringlet of hair around her finger.

Miss Bennet studied her sister for some minutes while the other remained lost in more pleasant imaginings. When Elizabeth finally remembered that she was not alone, she met her sister’s eyes. Although she blushed, Jane could easily see that Lizzy was not greatly troubled by her preoccupation.

Jane spoke cautiously, still thinking out the conflict between her emotions and the rules of behavior that she had been taught since girlhood. “But it is not proper to feel so… such desire is not seemly.”

Lizzy moved slightly so that she was able to take Jane’s hand in her own again.

Studying their linked fingers, she spoke quietly, “It isn’t seemly to display affection in public, any more than it would be proper to walk through Meryton on market day with no clothes on.

A kiss would not be proper if there was no intention of marriage; I do not dispute any of that.

“However, we are both engaged and ours will not be marriages of convenience. Aunt Maddy gave me some advice that I treasure; she said that though we must abide by society’s rules in public, what a married couple does in private, behind closed doors, is their own business.”

Seeing that Jane was thoroughly shocked, Elizabeth rushed to explain. “We did not speak of… the physical congress… only of how a man and a woman might… act.”

Lizzy sighed in frustration. “I’m not explaining this well.

We were discussing the mistress and master’s private apartments at Pemberley, you see.

They haven’t been used in many years and there was some water damage from a leaky pipe so Fitzwilliam and I began to talk about redecorating and that led to possible renovations. ”

She was silent for a moment. “The original floor plan had just one bed chamber for the master and mistress to share, you see.”

Jane blinked rapidly, having never considered such a thing. “But surely the house is large enough that there is no shortage of rooms…” she trailed off at the sight of her sister’s brilliant smile.

“Not at all. It was designed so because the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy of the time wished to share their bed chamber.”

“Every night!?!” Jane was genuinely shocked even as a warm feeling began to collect in the pit of her stomach.

Lizzy looked down and pressed her sister’s hand with her own. “Every night. It is as our aunt and uncle do… and as Fitzwilliam and I plan to do. ”

Appearing rather dazed, Jane spoke without thinking, “I can’t imagine Mama and Papa…”

She trailed off and then couldn’t help but giggle at her sister’s horrified look.

By the time the sisters’ laughter finally quieted, they were both laying back on the bed, arm in arm. Lizzy raised their joined hands with a smile. “You see, Janie? Charles shall be stealing you away from me so I must have Fitzwilliam nearby to share my secrets and keep me sensible.”

Jane continued to stare at the ceiling, though the look on her face was soft.

“I’d never thought of marriage in such a way.

I’d considered what it would mean to be mistress of my husband’s house, to bear his children…

” She blushed but continued softly, “…of being… lovers. But I had not thought of being such friends and confidantes as you describe. And yet, as soon as you said it, I realized that it is very much what I wish for, as well.”

Jane turned to study her younger sister with some admiration. “Thank you, Lizzy. You are very wise.”

When Elizabeth rolled her eyes and laughed, Jane sat up and spoke firmly.

“No, you must listen to me, now. We do not often speak of it, you and I, for it is Mama’s praise of my looks and Papa’s of your mind that creates so much tension in this house.

We’ve been closer than sisters, you and I, perhaps in spite of our parents’ favoritism.

Certainly we can both see its effects on our younger sisters. ”

Elizabeth could only nod sadly in agreement.