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Darcy had barely agreed before his sister was skipping out the door. Shaking his head over the changes that a year had wrought, he turned back to Elizabeth with a raised eyebrow. She only smiled and cuddled up against his chest.

“Truly, Will, it all went exceptionally well. Georgiana comported herself perfectly. She was reserved, but no more than one would expect of a modest young lady unaccustomed to Society, and her performance on the piano was flawless. You should be very proud,” she added softly.

“I am proud, but it is all to her own credit, and to yours, I am sure.”

She shook her head sternly. “Now it is you who is being overly modest. Georgiana has looked up to you all her life; her character was formed through observation of your own. I may not have always appreciated it, but she could not have had a better model.”

Darcy’s cheeks colored at her praise. However, before he might begin to protest, Lizzy returned her head to his shoulder and pleaded, “Please, my love, don’t argue—I have not the energy for it after the day I’ve had.”

He looked at her with concern. “Did they mistreat you? I can’t imagine that my aunt would allow…”

“No, no—not at all. I was merely referring to all the time spent worrying and preparing for what, in the end, was a rather short conference.” She fiddled with his cravat pin before recalling herself to the present.

“Though I did have a rather interesting conversation with Princess von Lieven about the death penalty.”

Elizabeth looked to him expectantly, but Fitzwilliam could not make out why she would think such a topic would be of particular significance to him.

When he responded only with a mystified expression, she studied his face for a moment before deciding that their commitment to honesty with one another was more important than the temporary disquiet her disclosure might cause.

“We discussed our mutual dislike of such a final measure, given the imperfections of our respective legal systems; she had some truly horrific stories about judicial blunders in her homeland. However, that is neither here nor there. You will be most interested in what she said when she informed me that, although she does not approve of the death penalty, she is not certain if the Russian practice of deporting criminals to Siberia is any better… for it is just as dangerous as the English transporting our own to Australia.”

Darcy drew a sharp breath. “And you believe that she was speaking of Wickham?”

Elizabeth nodded seriously. “Later, she turned our conversation to the punishment of blackmailers, and we spent several minutes discussing whether it was even possible to prevent that sort of criminal from returning to his evil ways as soon as he is free from incarceration.”

She was silent for a few moments before continuing, “Now that I have time to consider her words carefully, I believe it unlikely that she knows Georgiana was one of his victims. Rather, I suspect that the Princess is somehow cognizant of Mr. Wickham’s nefarious activities and your role in providing evidence at his trial…

and perhaps that you used your influence to have him deported rather than hung, as well. ”

Darcy considered this information for several minutes before admitting that there did not appear to be any reason for panic.

Elizabeth agreed, adding, “My guess is that the Princess herself is personally acquainted with someone whom Mr. Wickham hurt.” She turned to look her husband in the eye.

“And that could be how she knows of your involvement, for did you not take it upon yourself to return all the letters and valuables that were recovered to his victims?”

Although Darcy agreed with her conclusion, he was uncomfortable with the praise, for he considered making restitution to Wickham’s victims to be nothing more than his duty.

Remembering something he had read earlier in the newspaper, he turned their conversation toward some new legislation that parliament was considering with regard to the treatment of the prisoners at Newgate.

With a bemused look that told him she was entirely aware of his maneuver but would allow it, Elizabeth responded with a question and they spent the remaining time until dinner debating such current issues and reading the newspapers.

Although Darcy’s thoughts returned to her revelation a number of times over the next month and he would eventually discuss the situation with Richard, nothing further ever came of the matter.

Over the following week, Elizabeth and Georgiana were honored with (or subjected to, depending on one’s point of view) the privileges that every fashionable young lady dreamt of, namely, admission to Almack’s and presentation at court.

Writing to her father, Lizzy admitted to being somewhat disappointed by the latter.

For, after a great deal of pomp and even more polite waiting (during which time we were not allowed to talk, much less twiddle our thumbs) we were eventually admitted to the Queen’s drawing room.

I spent my time admiring the other ladies’ feathers, for, as a required part of our ensemble, you understand, there was an impressive variety.

I concluded that our Lady’s Aid Society should take up knitting little coats for all the birds, as I am quite certain that the vast majority must have been plucked naked.

Of course, officially, the court is in mourning for Queen Charlotte and the Prince Regent’s daughter (although His Royal Highness’ wife is still abroad), so the event was more subdued than in years past (or so I am told).

However, the Prince of Wales and several of HRH’s royal brothers and sisters were present, in addition to such a multitude of magnificent ladies and gentlemen that I might have been quite intimidated, had you not gifted me with your satirical eye.

In contrast, Almack’s was something of a pleasant surprise to the former Miss Bennet.

Although the rooms were full, it was nothing like the crush she had regularly experienced at many public assemblies in Hertfordshire.

Good manners were the order of the day and the absence of alcohol in the punch boded well for the continuation of such behavior as the evening wore on.

Elizabeth had no doubt that the usual gossips and scandalmongers were present, but the sharpest tongues appeared to be sheathed.

When she said as much to Lady Matlock, however, that woman only smiled.

“It is early days yet, my dear. Give the debutantes a few weeks to form their cliques and for those ladies who have been out for a season or two to become truly desperate. Then it will become a veritable fencing match.”

“With more than one reputation left in bloody tatters,” added the dowager Lady Trowbridge darkly.

Georgiana’s first appearance at Almack’s was successful enough to establish her position in the first circles of Society without alarming her guardians.

Between her innate shyness and her brother’s threatening glare, Miss Darcy danced only a few dances with gentlemen who were not related to her.

Elizabeth prodded her husband very gently to sweeten his demeanor, but decided to let it be for the present.

Her sister did not appear unhappy with the situation and, indeed, Miss Darcy appeared perfectly content to spend much of her evening catching up with several young ladies whom she had known at school.

Although some guardians might have been disappointed that their charge did not immediately attain the very pinnacle of popularity, Mr. Darcy was quite relieved and, as a result, was observed to dance not just once but twice with his lovely bride.

No less of a judge than Princess von Lieven nodded her approval when the Darcys performed her beloved waltz.

The subsequent days passed in such a whirl of teas, dinners, garden parties, and soirées that in hindsight it would be difficult to differentiate one from another.

Despite this, Elizabeth had not forgotten her commitment to expose her sister Mary to a broader transect of society while she was staying with the Gardiners.

Mr. Tucker had proven to be a dependable suitor during Miss Bennet’s time in London and, during a private conference with her aunt, Mary had demonstrated that her enthusiasm for the man and his mission had not diminished.

Indeed, Mary’s inclusion in the Gardiners’ usual company of dinner parties appeared to have merely brought her a greater degree of self-awareness.

One afternoon as they rode in the Darcy carriage to a tea at Lady Trowbridge’s home, Mary gathered herself to make a request of her sister. “Lizzy,” she said softly, “Please don’t ask me to play or sing today.”

Normally, Elizabeth would have been relieved that Mary did not wish to expose her weak voice and pedantic style in company.

However, the request was made in such a subdued tone that her concern for her sister outweighed any other feelings.

“I will not press you to do anything you dislike, Mary, but may I ask why? You’ve always seemed to enjoy it. ”

Miss Bennet studied her sister’s face for some moments before deciding that Elizabeth was not teasing.

Although their father had improved his manner in the last year, a lifetime spent enduring his caustic comments could not be overcome by a few months of more gentle attentions, and to her, Lizzy’s humor was too much like Mr. Bennet’s for Mary to easily dismiss the suspicion that her sister was making fun of her.

Deciding that Elizabeth was genuinely interested, Mary shrugged one shoulder.

“I still enjoy practicing; I believe that such application is a valuable exercise for building character. However, I no longer fool myself that my performance is anything out of the ordinary, and indeed, I now understand it is considered to be quite inferior by some.”