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“Oh, their behavior has been quite proper, have no fear! Mr. Tucker has just informed me that he desires to marry my Mary before he leaves for Africa, where they shall spend some unknown number of years working as missionaries. I suppose that I should be merry at the thought of my Mary wishing to marry !” Mr. Bennet’s half-hearted attempt at humor did little to amuse any of them.

“Good heavens!” Bingley exclaimed, as such an inclination was quite beyond him.

“Indeed,” responded his father-in-law, and the trio spent some minutes in thoughtful silence.

Eventually, Darcy began carefully; “Your daughter is not yet of age, I believe.”

Bennet nodded his understanding, though it did not appear to lessen his concern. “Mary is nineteen, so according to the law I can forbid her from having anything to do with the man.” He eyed Mr. Darcy keenly. “You, I think, would forbid your sister from even considering such a path.”

The Master of Pemberley nodded decidedly but before he could say anything, Bingley snorted and then began to snicker uncontrollably. Eyes watering, he waved at the other two. “Please, ignore me… I was only considering what I might say if my sister came to me with such a plan…”

The bizarre image of Miss Caroline Bingley proselytizing to the African tribes was enough to cause chuckles all around, and the atmosphere was significantly lighter by the time the gentlemen returned to the original subject.

“I should forbid her, I know that,” noted Mr. Bennet thoughtfully.

“However, this enthusiasm for religion is not new, and to be quite frank, Mary has never enjoyed any of the usual entertainments that English society has to offer. Indeed, I’ve never seen her happier than she has been these past days.

” He sighed and took another sip of wine.

After several minutes of earnest contemplation, Darcy spoke slowly, “Does Mr. Tucker have some means of support? I’ve heard of the Missionary Society in London, of course, but I don’t know anything of the practicalities in funding such a venture.”

While Bingley’s eyebrows rose to his hairline, Mr. Bennet considered the younger man.

“I know only what Mr. Tucker has told me, though I suppose I could write some letters of inquiry. The expedition is to be led by the Reverend John Philip—a Scottish Methodist, as I understand it. Apparently the Missionary Society has stations in the Cape Colony where the newcomers stay for a few months before being sent out to establish their own parish… or tribe, or whatever they call it.”

“And for how long…” asked Bingley hesitantly, not quite sure if he should take the discussion seriously.

Thomas did not bother to suppress his sigh.

“Mr. Tucker could not say precisely, but he was speaking in terms of years.” After a moment’s pause, he added gruffly, “In addition to paying their living expenses, an annuity of two hundred pounds will be deposited in a trust account each year, the entirety of which would be made available to Mr. Tucker upon his return to England… or else released to his widow or heirs.”

The three gentlemen remained quiet for some minutes, digesting the implications of such an arrangement. However, before anything further could be discussed, a servant came to inform them that it was time to dress for dinner.

In the end, Mr. Bennet allowed a courtship.

Mary would accompany the Gardiners when they returned to London, and Mr. Tucker might call upon her there as he made his own arrangements.

Lizzy and Jane assured their father that they would include their sister in as many social gatherings as they could in order to expose her to other young men.

However, in his own mind, Thomas knew that he hoped rather than believed the attachment would lessen upon further acquaintance.

Mrs. Gardiner was perhaps the least dismayed by Mary and her new beau’s ambition.

As the daughter of a vicar herself, she had met a number of missionaries who had worked in the Orient and Africa and did not consider it to be a mad adventure at all.

In addition, the Gardiners were active in the abolitionist movement and many in that circle were evangelists hoping to disrupt the triangle trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Madeleine spoke kindly but bluntly to her niece regarding the dangers of such a life, but even in her cautions she did not dismiss the spiritual rewards of such an endeavor.

Mrs. Bennet could not comprehend the notion at all, but what she did understand was that a suitable gentleman (brother to Mr. Darcy’s vicar) was interested in her eldest unmarried daughter and that was quite enough for her.

Catherine and Lydia were relieved because their mother had ceased her lectures on child-bearing in order to focus her energies on prompting Mary to act in a demeanor best calculated (in Fanny’s opinion) to maintain Mr. Tucker’s interest.

Fortunately, Mr. Bennet had delayed informing his wife of the courtship until after the Fitzwilliam party returned to Matlock, so Mary’s embarrassment over her mother’s attempts to push her forward were witnessed only by her closest and most empathetic family members.

In addition, Mr. Bennet coupled the announcement of Mr. Tucker’s courtship with other information designed to capture Mrs. Bennet’s attention; namely, the status of Mrs. Collins’ son as Longbourn’s heir and the widow’s relocation to Meryton.

Mrs. Bennet’s reaction was just dramatic as Elizabeth had predicted; “Oh, those artful Lucases! How am I to go on living while that so-called Mrs. Collins hovers around Longbourn, just waiting for your father to die? I’ve half a mind to refuse her entrance to my house!

I’m certain she planned it all somehow!”

Jane tried to mollify her unhappy parent but had little success. “Mama, I’m sure that Charlotte has no such intention. She was perfectly content at the Hunsford parsonage.”

“Well then, she would do better to stay there!”

Elizabeth sighed and spoke firmly, hoping to end the discussion. “But surely you can see she cannot do that, Mama. A new curate will be taking Mr. Collins’ place, and that gentleman shall need a place to live. It is necessary for Charlotte and her son to return to her father’s house.”

Mrs. Bennet was not calmed at all, and in her distress she directed her vexation upon her least favorite daughter.

“Oh, rubbish—don’t think for an instant that I’ve forgotten this is all your fault, Miss Lizzy!

If only you had had the sense to accept Mr. Collins’ offer, I wouldn’t have to worry about losing my home! ”

Even Jane was shocked that her mother would say such a thing while enjoying Pemberley’s hospitality. “Mama!”

Mr. Darcy stood and excused himself in a colder manner than any of the Bennets had seen him display since they arrived in Derbyshire and, after directing a look of marked hostility at her mother, Elizabeth followed her husband out of the room.

“Oh Fanny,” exclaimed that lady’s brother. “Will you never learn to hold your tongue?”

“What did I say… oh… oh, well…” To her credit, Elizabeth’s mother looked faintly embarrassed. “But surely Mr. Darcy understands that I didn’t mean… that…”

“And just what did you mean, Mrs. Bennet?” demanded her husband in a harsher tone than he was accustomed to use. Seeing tears appear in he eyes, he sighed roughly before standing and offering her his arm. “If you will all please excuse us, I believe that my wife is in need of rest and reflection.”

No one else would ever know what passed between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet that afternoon, but when the couple appeared in the drawing room before dinner, the lady’s demeanor was much more tentative than any had ever seen.

Clutching at her husband’s arm, Fanny made her way to her son-in-law and apologized for her earlier intemperance.

Mr. Darcy accepted her apology with few words but in a more sympathetic manner than one might have predicted, having noted his mother-in-law’s strained expression and the way she clung to her husband.

The interaction certainly captured Miss Bingley’s attention. Although she had not been present for the afternoon’s altercation, she could smell tension in the air and to her, any strain between the Bennets and Mr. Darcy was like a whiff of the finest French perfume.

The entire visit had been excessively disappointing from Caroline’s point of view, particularly given the effort that she had put into convincing her brother that she had much better come with him to Derbyshire than be sent with her sister to Somerset.

(Little did Caroline know that Mr. and Mrs. Hurst had begged Charles to take her with him.)

Not only had the detestable Eliza proven herself to be a reasonably capable hostess, but Mr. Darcy, his sister, and the entire Fitzwilliam clan appeared to be completely under the girl’s spell.

Indeed, Caroline was beginning to think that the Countess of Matlock and her daughters were unworthy of her admiration, peerage or not, for despite all of her attempts, none of the Fitzwilliam ladies had treated her with more than a sort of distant coolness.

The final indignity came when she attempted to assist Miss Darcy with her music and then, when the younger lady hinted she was too tired to practice further, by helping her plan the redecoration of her private sitting room.

Miss Bingley was certain that dear, sweet little Georgiana looked up to her for an understanding of the latest fashions and, as a result, she believed the girl’s excuse of a headache and retired to her own rooms alone to write her letters.

Not much later, Caroline found that she had run out of fresh material for her compositions and decided to prowl the public rooms in the hope of finding such gaffs and blunders that she might use to criticize the former Miss Eliza Bennet’s taste and conduct.

Passing an open door, she perceived the sounds of girlish laughter emanating from the conservatory.

However, when she peeked through the foliage, she was dismayed to see not the Mrs. but the Miss.

Once free of Miss Bingley, Georgiana had quietly sought out Miss Catherine Bennet; the girls had gathered paints and easels and set them up side by side in the conservatory so that they might both attempt a likeness of a particularly lovely orchid.

Kitty had made significant progress with her technique and was glad to benefit from the other girl’s comments and encouragement.

Even Miss Bingley could see that the two young ladies were having a marvelous time.

Had the Darcys not been quite so rich and powerful, Caroline believed that she would be well on her way to hating them.