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Lizzy deduced it was the posh surroundings and the meal fit for Buckingham Palace that brought about this temporary change.

Mr Darcy’s attention was frequently engaged by Miss Bingley, but every so often, he’d send a long look her way.

The intensity of his gaze sent a thrill through her, which she made an effort to ignore.

His sister, Georgiana, stayed very quiet.

She certainly did her duty well at the piano before dinner during the singing but seemed shy and reserved whenever conversation was required.

After dinner, they gathered in the drawing room, and Mr Bingley didn’t have the gentlemen withdraw.

Elizabeth suspected that he didn’t want to miss one moment with Jane.

They did seem to gaze at each other longingly, and Elizabeth wondered if he might use this festive occasion to ask her to marry him.

He did shake himself free of his admiration and play host, however.

Cards were brought out, but Elizabeth needed air and a moment to think.

“I hope you don’t mind, Mr Bingley, but I would like to take a walk.”

“The sun is setting, Miss Bennet. Don’t be out too long…” He then offered to accompany her.

“No thank you. I just need some air. I won’t be long.”

For all the jollity, being in the same house with Mr Darcy was disconcerting, and Lizzy needed to think.

He promised in his letter never again to bring up the subject of marriage, but the letter set her back on her heels.

Her work at Selfridges, the suffragette movement, and of course, trying to rein in Lydia all occupied her mind, but now that he was there, in the same room with her, it was disconcerting to say the least. Certainly, seeing him at the pool today sent a flood of animal desire coursing through her.

He was a fine-looking man. She was also beginning to suspect that he was a fine man—full stop.

He certainly was protective of his sister, and of his friends—devoted to his duty as the lord and master of Pemberley—even lowered himself to visit a police station to, and it must be admitted, rescue her.

The cold refreshed her body after the heavy dinner, but her emotions were in tumult.

No matter how many times she turned over in her mind the brief encounters she had with him, the words they exchanged, she couldn’t deny that he wrenched from her a torrent of raw feeling that no amount of willpower on her part could dissipate.

He, no doubt, still harboured some resentment of her, for which she could not fault him.

As darkness descended, she returned to the house.

She didn’t ring the bell, as she wanted to slip in quietly.

A low roar of conversation with occasional squeals and bursts of laughter came from the drawing room.

From what Elizabeth could make out, the company had forgone the more complex bridge and whist games for a rowdy game of Bread and Honey.

The younger girls must have suggested it.

Perhaps they finally drew out Georgiana from her reserve and encouraged her to play.

Elizabeth tiptoed past the door. She wasn’t quite ready to join in, but… what to do now?

Barely audible above the din, Lizzy heard music.

Yes, quite exquisitely rendered piano music.

It had to be Georgiana. Elizabeth made her way down the hall.

The pocket doors of the music room were partially open, and Elizabeth peered in.

From where she stood, she could see the top of Georgiana’s head behind the music stand on the grand piano, but other than that, she seemed alone.

Darkness had descended outside the nearly floor-length windows and a sole gas light made a silhouette of the piano, sending shadows across the unlit music room.

Elizabeth crept in, and slowly approached, not wanting to disturb the melancholy melodies emanating from the instrument.

She stood mid-room until the piece was finished.

Before she began again, Lizzy moved closer.

“Was that Chopin?”

Georgiana jerked her head towards Elizabeth. “You startled me.”

“I am sorry. That was beautiful.”

“To answer your question, that was Chopin.” A masculine voice arose from the shadows. Lizzy started as Mr Darcy stepped into the light of the gas lamp.

“Oh, I didn’t see you there. So sorry to disturb the two of you. I’ll be…” She turned to escape.

“Don’t go.” Darcy lit the gas light near the sofa.

Elizabeth turned fully to look at him, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

Georgina broke the silence. “I’ll play a waltz, shall I?”

Darcy raised his eyebrows, then offered his hand to Elizabeth. “May I have this dance?”

Netherfield wasn’t fully furnished as it was, after all, a house that was let. Carpets would be left to the new owner, so there was a large expanse of inlaid floor in the middle of the room. Elizabeth took Mr Darcy’s hand, and he took her in his arms.

As the notes of Chopin’s Waltz in B Minor drifted through the room, Elizabeth floated in Mr Darcy’s embrace.

She inhaled the scent of him—witch hazel and the fresh scent of pressed linen.

The music was poignant and melancholy. Gently locked in Darcy’s whirling embrace, she tried hard to keep her eyes from brimming.

Stop it, Lizzy. Stop. Swallowing hard, she dared not look at him.

He drew her closer as they glided around the music room, his cheek brushing hers.

She yielded to him. It was so easy to yield to him.

Was he still in love with her? She resolved to speak to him, once her head was clear.

There was so much to say: his proposal, the letter, his timely rescue of her from the police…

her change of heart, if that was what this was.

Meanwhile, she couldn’t think, only turn in gentle arcs with him in this intimate ballroom where only the two of them existed.

“There you all are. We wondered.” Bingley broke the spell. Darcy didn’t let go of her at once, but softly brought her to a stop and stepped away.

“We want to dance. Lizzy, why don’t you play some ragtime music for us?” Kitty led the way as the rest of party rushed into the room.

It felt as if a bucket of cold water had woken her from a dream. At first, she said nothing. Then, glancing over at Georgiana, she balked at the proposal. “Oh, I don’t think I’d better.”

Georgiana didn’t hesitate. “I have some of Scott Joplin’s music here, Miss Elizabeth.”

“Oh, then you play… please.”

Kitty bounced on her toes with impatience. “Just play together, for goodness’ sake. I want to teach everyone the Grizzly Bear.”

“Oh, I know it.” Lydia began pushing furniture aside to make the dance floor even larger. Someone lit more gas lamps.

“Here’s the music. Why don’t you play the right hand and I’ll play the left?” Georgiana sent Lizzy an encouraging look as she leapt up from the bench and ran to a small trunk. The girl traveled with her music.

“Oh, no. If we are to attempt this, I will play the left hand, you play the right. I am barely competent at the piano, and you are a genius… I’ll play the clunk, clunk part.”

Lizzy was flattered but knew her limitations.

Georgiana was smiling broadly and quite animated. “Oh, Miss Bennet. I am sure you are a very good musician.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” And so they began.

Elizabeth was correct in her assessment of their relative proficiency.

Sometimes, she made such clumsy mistakes that she began to laugh, and so did Georgiana, but they persisted while her sisters taught the animated company The Grizzly Bear.

When Lizzy looked up after the first piece was finished, Mr Darcy had left the room.