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Mr. Bingley welcomed the Gardiner party into his childhood home on Waverley Street with a gleeful smile and effusive greetings, although even those did not adequately express the thrill he felt when his future wife stepped across the threshold.

He had not seen Jane for two entire days and the warmth that swept through him when their eyes met told him that opening up his parents’ house had been the right decision.

Unfortunately, his sister’s shrill voice forced him back to more immediate concerns. “Charles! You must listen to me on this, Charles! You cannot possibly…”

“ Caroline, ” he cut her off with a sharp look. “How good of you to help me welcome my guests. Unless you were leaving for an appointment?”

Miss Bingley’s sour expression was extremely unattractive, but she did manage to nod at the group before stalking away to the drawing room.

This time, Charles’ smile was pinched, but he waved for the group to follow his sister and hoped for the best. Holding Jane back so that they might have a moment of privacy, he spoke ruefully, “I’m sorry, Janie—Caro showed up less than an hour ago and has been acting like the queen of the manor ever since. ”

Jane smiled gently. “I’m sure it will be fine. We must remember how difficult it must be for her to lose her position in your household. She has been your hostess for several years, after all.”

“You are an angel—she does not deserve such compassion,” Charles murmured and kissed her hand again.

There is no telling how long the couple might have remained standing in the hall, gazing into each other’s eyes, had not the appearance of two elderly servants put an end to the moment.

“Ah… Excellent. Jane, allow me to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Barton, butler and housekeeper of this establishment for as long as I can remember. Ba rton, Mrs. Barton, this is Miss Jane Bennet, my fiancée.”

Both servants smiled at the very great pride with which young Master Charles (for such he would always be to them) made the introduction. Any fears they might have had about their future mistress were soon laid to rest as Miss Bennet’s amiability became readily apparent.

After Jane had exchanged a few words with the Bartons, Bingley urged them to join the rest of the party so that they could discuss what needed to be done to reopen the house.

When the foursome appeared, Miss Bingley’s appalled expression made it clear that she did not consider the front drawing room to be the proper place to meet with servants.

To his credit, Charles simply ignored her.

Jane appeared rather bewildered over how to begin, but Elizabeth’s subtle encouragement and a few astute questions from Mrs. Gardiner helped her along.

According to the housekeeper, the home was quite well equipped; none of the Bingley children had set up a household of their own since their parents had died so everything had been kept just as it was, locked away and covered with dust sheets.

“And don’t you worry that the mice have been at any of it, Miss Bennet. I’ve two cats and I dare anyone to produce a better pair of mousers in all of London.”

Mr. Barton muttered something about grimalkins before cocking his head at the sound of the front door knocker and slipping quietly from the room. Mrs. Barton chose to ignore him and was explaining the progress she had made in hiring a staff when the butler returned with an unexpected guest.

“Darce—excellent! You were able to come after all!” exclaimed Bingley.

After greetings were exchanged, their host announced that the first order of business should be a tour of the house and encouraged Mrs. Barton to lead the way with Jane.

It required all of Charles’ attention to keep Caroline in check, and as a result he did not notice when Darcy held back and spoke quietly with his future father-in-law.

“Mr. Bennet, I wonder if I might have a few minutes to speak with Miss Elizabeth?”

Jane’s father had found himself looking forward to seeing his eldest daughter’s future home and was not inclined to have his afternoon soured by news of Lieutenant Wickham (for such was what he assumed was on Mr. Darcy’s mind).

As a result, he waved off any further explanation from the gentleman and followed the rest of the party without a backward glance.

Darcy’s solemn demeanor had caused Elizabeth some concern upon his initial arrival, and his request to her father lent credence to her feeling that something was wrong.

However, once they were left alone, the gentleman remained rigidly silent, standing by the fireplace as if holding up the mantelpiece required his complete attention .

“Mr. Darcy?” When there was no response, Lizzy moved to touch his arm. “Fitzwilliam?” He started and she could see that his mind had been very far away. “What is it? You’re beginning to frighten me, Will.”

He finally stirred himself to speak, though he still did not quite meet her eye. “It is nothing, really. I apologize—you desired to see your sister’s new home and I am interrupting.”

“I do wish to see it, but that does not necessarily mean that your interruption is unwelcome.” When he did not respond, she added in a conspiratorial tone, “To be honest, I would much prefer to come back at a time when Miss Bingley is occupied elsewhere.”

Darcy managed a small nod but said nothing. Elizabeth found that he reminded her disturbingly of the silent, dour gentleman whom she had so disliked the previous autumn. “For heaven’s sake, Will—is it Mr. Wickham? Has he escaped from prison?”

“No! No… nothing like that. Forgive me—I cannot seem to concentrate today.” He turned toward her and took one of her hands in his own. “And I appear to be even less articulate than usual.”

“Yes, I had noticed something of that sort,” she responded in a dry tone, before adding more gently, “Please tell me what is bothering you so, Will.”

“I…” Honestly, Darcy had not the faintest idea of where to start.

He had intended to spend the day on several pressing matters of business that he had put off while dealing with the Wickham matter.

However, despite his cousin’s reassuring words the previous evening, he had spent much of the morning brooding over the outcome of the trial.

Without quite knowing why he did it, he had finally collected his coat and hat and walked briskly toward his friend’s once and future home, unconsciously knowing that Elizabeth would help him settle.

Now that his lovely fiancée was standing before him, however, Fitzwilliam felt rather foolish.

Fortunately, his lady decided to take matters into her own hands.

Sliding her hands gently up the lapels of his jacket, Elizabeth whispered softly, “I’ve missed you.

” The next instant, she found herself caught up in a passionate embrace from which she had no desire to extricate herself.

Their kisses grew hot and eager, as if they had been parted for months instead of only days.

Before she lost all capacity for thought, Lizzy managed to pull back slightly in order to ask in a breathless voice, “Did you really have something you needed to talk about, or was that just a convenient excuse to get me away from my father?”

In between kisses, he admitted, “There’s a great deal I wish to discuss with you, and some of it has to do with Wickham, but I cannot say that any of it seems particularly significant at this moment.”

Elizabeth giggled a little. “Ah, so now you would have me affecting your mind, sir? When I told you that in some situations, a good memory is unpardonable, I did not mean for you to apply it to all of our interactions, Mr. Darcy!”

“When one has a tendency to brood as much as I, it may be a necessary skill.”

Now Elizabeth laughed gaily. “Not at all, sir! Merely keep me by your side and I promise to always tease you out of your doldrums.”

Darcy smiled and kissed her lips very gently. “Do you know how you have changed me? I, who always prided myself on my self-reliance, find myself wishing to share every little event, every thought with you. I suppose I did misled your father, though—please forgive me.”

Elizabeth stopped him by pressing a finger against his lips. “Please don’t apologize. I’ve been daydreaming of how to steal a few minutes alone with you since we arrived in London.”

Darcy’s eyes seemed to flare with a fire that he had spent most of his adult life keeping carefully banked and she felt the passion swell between them again.

Elizabeth nearly shrieked when she felt him lift her up to sit on the lid of the piano that she had come to lean against, as if she were no heavier than a feather.

Seeing her shock, he opened his mouth to say something.

Whether it was to be an apology or something else will never be known, for her finger, still pressed to his lips, moved beyond those barriers and brushed against his tongue.

Such an intimate touch nearly caused him to lose his mind and when their lips met the next time, the mouths of both were already half open and Darcy’s entire world shrank to the woman in his arms.

Meanwhile, Miss Bingley was enduring one of the most exasperating afternoons of her life.

Her brother was proving to be exceedingly recalcitrant on the issue of Miss Jane Bennet, and Caroline was forced to accept that there was little hope of preventing the marriage.

Deciding that it would be wise to hedge her bets, she had turned her attention to Jane in the hope of educating the poor girl a bit on how one would go about redecorating a house in London.

However, the normally docile Miss Bennet had not shown much enthusiasm for Miss Bingley’s advice and had even dared to disagree entirely on one occasion.

Frustrated, Caroline suddenly noticed that Mr. Darcy was missing from the group. Instantly changing her focus, she detached herself from the party and retraced her steps.