Page 42 of The Marriage Game

Jane, of course, could not wait to give her sister the news. No sooner had Caroline and Richard left for Matlock House then she was in her carriage headed for Darcy House. She found Lizzy and Georgiana in the drawing room, with a number of Georgiana’s friends. Jane was far too well-bred to want news of this engagement spread around Town before the Matlocks formally announced it, so she waited, albeit rather impatiently, for the other ladies to leave.

Finally, Jane was alone with Elizabeth and Georgiana. She opened her mouth, eyes twinkling, but Georgiana was faster. “He proposed and she said yes!”

Jane stared. “How did you know of this, Georgiana?”

“Am I blind?” the girl demanded, laughing. “I think we all saw how Richard favored her at Elmstree, did we not? And what use has my brother for a horse farm, if not to enable Richard to leave the Army and marry?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “It really was too obvious, Jane.”

“She was so afraid that the Countess would disapprove,” Jane said.

“The Countess will be delighted, I assure you,” Elizabeth said.

“Which is what I kept trying to tell her. They are at Matlock House now.”

“I am so happy for Richard,” Elizabeth said. “But I confess I never imagined that Caroline Bingley – of all people! – would be his wife.”

“She is a vastly different creature from who she was just a few short months ago. On that note, I believe we owe Mrs. Annesley a good deal of the credit.”

“Oh! I will go get her,” Georgiana said, and she was off. She was glad of an excuse to leave the room; she was happy for Caroline, but oh, oh how she wished for her own happy ending!

Georgiana knocked on Mrs. Annesley’s door, and asked her to join them in the drawing room. The moment Mrs. Annesley saw Jane and Elizabeth, she began to laugh. “So the good Colonel finally woke up!” she said.

“You knew as well?” Jane asked.

“It seemed clear enough,” Mrs. Annesley said. “Georgiana told me about Elmstree, and that was evidently the missing piece.”

“Wait until Mama hears that Caroline will be married to the second son of an Earl,” Jane said.

“Oh, no, Jane! Do not tell her, she will be so angry that it is not Mary or Kitty!”

“Tell her? Oh, Lizzy, do you not realise that it will be in all the papers?’

***

Indeed, the Morning Post ran the announcement the very next day.

The Earl and Countess of Matlock are delighted to announce the engagement of their son, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, to Miss Caroline Bingley, of Netherfield Park.

And the day after that, the expected letter from Meryton arrived.

Lizzy! Do you mean to tell me that that spiteful creature, Caroline Bingley, snared the son of an Earl – of an EARL, Lizzy! – and you did not think to introduce your own sisters to him? I have nothing more to say to you!

Mama

Sighing, Elizabeth tucked this letter into her writing desk. Some day soon, perhaps tomorrow, she would write to her mother and try to placate her. Perhaps send some new bonnets and gloves for her sisters…