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Elizabeth and Jane had little peace when they returned to Longbourn, for their mother and sisters could not be satisfied until they heard every detail of each day the two sisters had spent in town.

Mrs. Bennet was in a huff that Jane had not returned engaged to Mr. Bingley, but when the sisters mentioned Colonel Fitzwilliam, she began to hope for two daughters soon to be wed.

Elizabeth did her best to refute these expectations, and was so assiduous in her denial that she quite talked herself out of any interest in the colonel.

By unspoken agreement, the sisters claimed exhaustion and retired early that night; they were indeed fatigued, but once cozy in their bed they indulged in some private conversation about their week away.

“I was surprised that Miss Darcy accompanied her brother to Netherfield,” Elizabeth mused.

“Why should you be? She seemed to be on friendly terms with… Miss Bingley.”

“Oh, Jane,” Elizabeth sighed. “I suppose I should not have been surprised, with both her guardians staying there, and I can easily understand Mr. Darcy wishing to remove his sister from the influence of the countess and her horrid daughters.”

“They were very unpleasant - perhaps that may account for….” Jane hesitated, ever unwilling to speak an unkind word.

Elizabeth had no such qualms. “For why Miss Darcy was so uncivil toward you? Yes, likely so. I cannot think why Mr. Darcy should look down on our family, with such relations. Our sisters are influenced by Mamma, but I should rather be swayed towards a little silliness than such outright incivility. Miss Darcy is not quite as rude; I believe she is only a little envious of Mr. Bingley’s apparent partiality for you. ”

“But is it apparent?”

“Jane, he spoke more to you in the carriage ride back to Meryton than he did to every other woman we spent time with combined. And even when he was obliged to speak to Miss Darcy or the superior sisters, he stared at you from afar.”

“I can easily believe he was merely being polite toward the colonel’s sisters. But as regards Miss Darcy, I cannot be so sure.”

“I can,” Elizabeth insisted. “We have heard it from Mr. Darcy himself.”

“He spoke of the reason for his sister’s behavior, but there must be some foundation for her expectations. She has been acquainted with Mr. Bingley for several years.”

“But this must be a mark in your favor - she is barely a woman now , and if Mr. Bingley has known her since a younger age, surely he must regard her only as a sister. Could you imagine any sensible gentleman meeting Lydia at the age of thirteen and considering her as a future bride?”

Jane gave a rueful laugh. “But she is the sister of his dearest friend. Surely he must have considered what a fine thing it would be if they were to become brothers.”

“Which might be accomplished by a different union,” Elizabeth said with a pointed look. Her stomach churned.

Jane chewed her lip in contemplation, curling her legs inward and slumping forward.

“I cannot dispel the notion that Caroline invited us to London so that I might see for myself that her brother is expected to wed Miss Darcy. He is young enough that he may not mind waiting for her to come out in society,”

“Jane, he adores you. Miss Darcy could certainly perceive it, or she would not have been so determined to slight you at every turn. And Caroline has been nothing but encouraging; indeed, at Lucas Lodge, she spoke very favorably of his interest in you. She even hinted….”

Elizabeth stopped herself before she could agitate her sister any further, but Jane gave her a pleading look.

“Well, she hinted that you ought to be more demonstrative of your affection. I disagreed at the time, for the acquaintance was so new, but perhaps now…. If you are sure that you like him above any other gentleman, Jane, I should hate to see you bullied out of the attachment by a petulant child with as much fluff in her head as certain persons we know, who have no business marrying until they can speak two words of sense together.”

Elizabeth feared her sister would be mortified and instantly protest - but Jane considered Elizabeth’s advice with a slow smile.

“Lizzy, I do like him. I have been frightened to admit it, but I know there is little use in denying it to you . He was so charming with our aunt and uncle, and I thought… it was such a joy to imagine them getting on so well at other family gatherings. If he is not attached to Miss Darcy, and if Mr. Darcy does not even desire the match… I could not bear to lose him.”

“Then you ought to let him know it,” Elizabeth said with a grin.

“It would be cruel to flaunt our attachment before Miss Darcy. Whatever her feelings, I would not wish to cause her undue pain.”

“You are too good, Jane. You have never flaunted anything a day in your life. But you must be the best judge of your own behavior. You need not flirt with him as brazenly as the colonel flirts with everyone, but neither should you conceal your feelings so well from Miss Darcy that Mr. Bingley no longer perceives them.”

Jane nodded thoughtfully, and then gave Elizabeth a playful nudge. “And I suppose you mention the colonel because you know it is your turn to be teased?”

“Mamma is so determined, I shall have little choice in the matter,” Elizabeth laughed. “He is a pleasant fellow, and it is satisfying to know that I am worth flirting with, but there is nothing more in it.”

“Not for you, perhaps, but he may think more of it. I have not been blind to the attention he has paid you.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “I have no wish to unite his family with ours - could you imagine how that might go? I shudder to think!”

“Are his relations the only deterrent to your liking him, Lizzy? If that is the case, I may be obliged to repeat some of your own words back to you.”

“No, I merely jest. The truth is that I should prefer a husband who flirts only with me.” Elizabeth waggled her eyebrows at laugh, eliciting a peal of giggles.

“Such as Mr. Darcy, perhaps?”

“Mr. Darcy, I can confidently say, has never flirted with a woman in the whole course of his life! I have never seen him flirt with Caroline. Theirs is a more sedate attachment, I suppose.”

“What? You are not serious, Lizzy. There is no attachment between them! That is why they do not flirt with one another.”

“Caroline is beautiful and wealthy, and exceedingly accomplished - and the sister of his friend.”

Jane gave an exasperated sigh. “I have been saying the same of Miss Darcy and Mr. Bingley, and you refuted it.”

“That is different.”

“Is it?”

Elizabeth furrowed her brow, wishing to protest, but in want of any rational argument.

“I hardly know,” she admitted. “I have supposed that Caroline befriended us in order to heighten Mr. Darcy’s regard.

I believe that my first impression of her was quite correct; she felt herself very above her company.

She has since made a tremendous effort to befriend us.

She is often praising us to Mr. Darcy, and I believe she wishes to prove that she has amended her supercilious ways - just as he has expressed his regret for the insult at the assembly. ”

“Oh, Lizzy, you are so full of insight for my romance, and see nothing of your own! Caroline praises you to Mr. Darcy because she wishes him to think well of you.”

“No!” Elizabeth shook her head again, yet her disbelief was giving way to something like hope.

Jane crossed her legs and gave a wiggle of excitement. “I have been considering it for a fortnight, now. I have been waiting for you to tell me of it - but can you really be so blind? Well, I have heard your counsel, and now you shall hear mine!”

Elizabeth laughed at her sister’s boldness. “Very well, I shall hear you, and give your assertions as much credit as you give mine.”

“We have an accord,” Jane said archly.

The sisters made a handshake only they knew, and they laughed together at their own whimsy. Elizabeth was suddenly eager to hear her sister’s advice, for it may be a fine thing indeed to indulge some fancy of Caroline promoting her charms to Mr. Darcy.

“You related to me the awkward encounter at Netherfield when you brought Caroline the headache remedy - your knowledge and the kindness of the gesture impressed Caroline. When one is ill, such compassion must make an impression. And Mr. Darcy was present on that occasion - he may have also improved his opinion of you.”

“You may be correct, at least, in the first assertion. Caroline looked very ill, and alluded to her own sister lacking the compassion you and I might expect from one another.”

Jane betrayed a look of sorrow at this. “Poor Caroline. If I am to be her sister, I hope I shall be a comfort - but I digress. You said that you teased Mr. Darcy for staring at you and seeming to listen to your conversation at Lucas Lodge, and he danced with you a little that evening. I heard Caroline refuse to stand up with him, before Sir William presented you as a partner. Why would she have done such a thing if she wished him for herself?”

“Supreme confidence?” Elizabeth chortled, but motioned for Jane to continue; she was a fair way to being convinced already.

“If, as you say, Caroline did not invite us to London for the reason I feared, perhaps it was in order that she could contrive some means of throwing you and Mr. Darcy together in the presence of our most amiable relations. There seemed to be some mischief in all her talk of the gentlemen’s favorite colors.

I might also point out that Mr. Darcy and Caroline spoke to one another very little in London, and when they did speak, it was often of you. ”

“These are all great assumptions,” Elizabeth mused. “It is plausible enough that Caroline just likes to shop - she has not our pecuniary concerns.” She bit back her greatest fear, that Caroline was simply sure enough in her conquest, and more interested in his status than the gentleman himself.