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“However, my family’s connection to the de Bourghs has recently become closer, albeit in a most unexpected way.

My wife’s aunt by marriage is Mrs. Madeleine Gardiner, née de Bourgh.

Her father was Mr. Jonathan de Bourgh, a most principled gentleman who held the rectorship of one of the Darcy family livings at Lambton in Derbyshire.

” In a few short but moving sentences, Fitzwilliam summarized the life and tragic death of that family and Madeleine’s adoption by her mother’s relations until her marriage.

“The Churchills?” exclaimed the Duke. “Of course—that would be Sir Paul Churchill! My own father knew him well; I recall how pleased he was with his daughter’s match—this was the same young clergyman who founded St. Elmo’s, was it not?”

Darcy agreed, pleased to introduce some relations for whom there was no need to blush.

“We have only recently discovered that, just before his death, Sir Lewis named Mr. Jonathan de Bourgh as his heir, should his own sons and daughter pass on without issue. As a result, the Gardiners’ eldest son is now the heir of Rosings Park. ”

“I say, that is a remarkable story,” exclaimed the Marquess. “It gives me some hope that the virtuous among us shall not always lose out to the immoral.”

“Take care, Andrew,” counseled the Duke, “that speech savors strongly of bitterness.” He turned to Mr. Darcy; “You will find that my son tends to take prodigious care of those who have earned his loyalty, whether or not they desire his interference.”

Darcy could not help but smile a little and admitted that he himself had been accused of just such a proclivity.

“Although I have attempted to avoid those intercessions that might be considered officious, I fear it is the natural tendency of an eldest child (and particularly an eldest son) to be protective of those for whom he feels responsible.”

The Duke and his heir were unanimous in their assent.

After some further discussion on the topic, Fitzwilliam referred to the upcoming dinner party.

“I would be pleased to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner to you, as they have recently returned from Kent; they are truly excellent people and I am proud to call them family.” It was as explicit as he was willing to be in warning the Duke and his heir that condescension toward the Gardiners would not be tolerated, tradesman or no.

He need not have worried; Grafton sincerely believed in his party’s platform and his eldest son was even more Whiggish than his sire.

When the plates were finally cleared and the gentlemen stood to bid each other farewell, Lord Worcester shook Darcy’s hand with every indication of good will. “Thank you for bearing my questions with such equanimity, sir. I look forward to knowing you better.”

Darcy found himself genuinely returning the sentiment and the party broke up with great civility.

When Fitzwilliam later recounted the occasion to Elizabeth, she was visibly pleased.

“I’m very glad that you found Lord Worcester’s company to be tolerable, for I liked his wife a great deal and would be happy for us all to become better acquainted. ”

Darcy only smiled and pulled his wife into his lap so that he might steal a kiss.

Silently, he congratulated himself once again for marrying one of the few ladies of his acquaintance who could honestly express such a sentiment without any consideration for the rank of those whom she hoped to befriend.

Indeed, when the day of the fateful dinner party finally arrived, the mistress of Derwent House was remarkably calm; a sentiment that was entirely foreign to Miss Darcy and, as a consequence, that young lady’s brother.

Joining her sister in the mistresses’ study after luncheon, Georgiana turned her attention to the seating arrangement. “Elizabeth, are you certain it’s prudent to seat Richard so close to Lord Jonah? Perhaps we had best exchange him with the Marquess.”

Understanding her fears, Elizabeth responded gently, “I am afraid that you will have to allow Richard speak to Lord Jonah at some point, Georgiana; he is your guardian, after all.”

The younger lady looked as if she might argue the point but they were interrupted by a rather timid knock. “Lizzy? Are you busy?” asked Miss Catherine Bennet uncertainly, opening the door barely more than a crack so that the Darcys could see only half her head.

Mr. Bennet had arrived in London with his middle daughter earlier that day, just in time for the noon meal.

That gentleman was now happily ensconced in the Darcys’ library and Elizabeth could tell that her sister was not quite sure what to do with herself.

“Yes, Kitty—please, come in. Are you feeling rested from your travels?”

Thankful that her sister and Miss Darcy appeared welcoming, Catherine came slipped into the room. “Oh, I’m perfectly well—after the trip to Derbyshire last summer, driving from Meryton to London seems like nothing. You have a sweet room here, Lizzy, and a pretty view from the window.”

Elizabeth smiled, for however much Catherine had improved over the last year, she could rarely focus on one subject for long.

Thinking quickly, Mrs. Darcy suggested, “Georgiana, it’s so lovely outside.

Why don’t the two of you find Mrs. Annesley and go for a walk?

There’s really nothing left to do for the party—Mrs. Wilkins will only become flustered if we try.

Kitty—didn’t you wish to purchase a new sketch book and pencils while you were in London? ”

Miss Bennet’s enthusiasm quickly won over Georgiana’s misgivings and the pair was soon off to the shops, footmen and companion in tow.

Rather envious, Elizabeth turned back to the letter she was attempting to write with a sigh.

The Bennets had arrived carrying not one but two lengthy epistles for her from her mother, and Lizzy was determined to finish her reply in time for her father to carry it with him when he and Kitty returned to Hertfordshire.

Mrs. Bennet’s letters had been increasing in both frequency and volume over the last few months, although Elizabeth could not speak to the value of their content.

Indeed, her mother’s obsession with finding good matches for her daughters appeared to have abated, only to be replaced by a passionate desire to see them reproduce.

If Lizzy had once cringed at her mother’s advice on catching a husband, she now discovered that there was indeed a worse subject upon which Fanny Bennet could spout an infinite variety of “wisdom.” In Elizabeth’s mind, the only ameliorating aspect of the situation was that, given the distance between Longbourn and Derwent House, it was unlikely that Mr. Darcy would ever be present to hear his wife subjected to an embarrassing lecture on the subject.

After some minutes, Elizabeth reminded herself that it was not worth dwelling upon her mother’s idiosyncrasies.

After sharpening her pen, she proceeded to fill a page with such chatty nothings as she knew Mrs. Bennet would enjoy but that the Darcys would not mind having repeated in drawing rooms across Hertfordshire.

By the time she had sanded and sealed the letter, Lizzy deemed herself more than deserving of a respite.

There was no need to look far, as not surprisingly, she was able to discover both her husband and her father comfortably settled in the library and gladly joined them for the remainder of the afternoon.

When the family gathered in the drawing room to await their guests later that evening, Elizabeth was pleased to see that Georgiana’s excursion with Kitty appeared to have settled her nerves.

The arrival of the Fitzwilliams and Gardiners almost simultaneously added to the conviviality of the group; Charlotte had such a contented glow about her that made all her old friends from Hertfordshire very glad, and Richard’s pride in his wife made his homely face appear quite handsome.

The couple was immediately peppered with questions about their travels and had such fascinating stories to tell that it came as something of a surprise when the butler announced the Somersets .

Elizabeth and Darcy moved immediately to greet the Duke of Grafton and his family, and then turned to begin introducing the other guests. Before they could commence, however, something quite astonishing occurred.

Mr. Bennet had been standing by the fire and conversing with the Gardiners. Even from the other side of the room, Elizabeth recognized the mischievous glint in her father’s eye as he turned to face the new arrivals. She was not, however, prepared for what happened next.

“Tommy Bennet, as I live and breathe!”

As the rest of the party froze in surprise at the Duke’s outburst, Mr. Bennet only chuckled; “Hullo Harry.” The two men met in the center of the room and the Duke brushed aside his old friend’s outstretched hand and embraced him, thumping his back enthusiastically.

When they stepped back, each with suspiciously glassy eyes, Elizabeth’s curiosity overcame her surprise. “Papa, you never told me that you were acquainted with His Grace,” she accused.

“Ah well, my dear; I can’t say that I know the Duke of Grafton.

Harry Somerset, on the other hand—I could tell you more than a few tales about him .

” Seeing his daughter’s beseeching look, he explained, “We were good friends at school, my dear, but lost touch soon after university. Life intruded, I’m afraid. ”

“And by life , Mrs. Darcy, Bennet here means that he preferred to live in his philosophy books and was afraid I would drag him into the Battle of Grafton,” smirked the Duke.

At this point, most of the company was arrayed in a loose circle around the two older gentlemen and Mrs. Darcy.

This last comment caught the attention of the Duke’s eldest son, however, instantly recognizing his father’s euphemism for the last, messy succession of the title. “Whatever do you mean, Papa?”