“Dear Jane will not be well enough to come downstairs today,” said Caroline. “She needs her rest.”

“She was talking of it only this morning,” Bingley contradicted her.

“My dear Charles, you must not allow it,” said Caroline. “It will be too much for her. I am at your disposal for as long as you need, you know that. I have managed the household not too ill this last month, as I am sure you will agree. Dear Jane need do nothing more than remain in the nursery until she is quite recovered.” She turned to Darcy. “I kept house for Charles before his marriage and as soon as Jane was no longer able to manage affairs, owing to her condition, I arrived at once to care for the household.”

“That was very good of you!” remarked Darcy with a speaking glance at Bingley.

“Yes, was it not?” said Bingley. “Caroline did not even wait for an invitation.”

“I thought it my duty to come. The inconvenience was nothing to me, and family, you know, never wait for an invitation,” said Caroline.

She walked across the room, displaying her figure, and then seated herself at the pianoforte and began to play.

“This is your favourite song, is it not, Mr. Darcy?” she asked.

He was forced to admit that it was, but he was saved from further attentions by Bingley saying, “I still have not shown you the billiard room, Darcy. Would you care for a game?”

Darcy agreed with alacrity and the two men left the room.

“Why did you not tell Caroline that she was not needed?” asked Darcy. “You have a house full of servants to look after you, and I am sure Jane does not want her here.”

“Oh, you know, Darcy, Caroline is not so bad. She is very efficient and she frightens the servants into honesty.”

“Honesty?” asked Darcy in surprise.

At that moment, a movement caught his eye and he saw Elizabeth coming down the stairs. She had evidently overheard their conversation for she said to Bingley, “So my father was right! He said that you and Jane were both so complying that nothing would ever be resolved upon and that every servant would cheat you.”

“Yes, well, perhaps we are too easygoing,” admitted Bingley. Then he asked eagerly, “How is Jane? Do you think she is looking well?”

“I think she is looking very well,” Elizabeth assured him. “And very happy.”

“And the baby?”

“He is contented. He is sleeping. Jane is resting now, but she hopes to join us in the drawing-room after dinner.”

“There you are! What did I say?” asked Bingley in delight. “I knew she would join us. Darcy and I were just going into the billiard room, but we will gladly return to the drawing-room with you if you wish.”

“Caroline is in the drawing-room,” remarked Darcy.

“Ah!” said Elizabeth. “Then I will come and watch the two of you play.”

They went into the billiard room. Darcy and Elizabeth commented on its fine proportions and remarked on the beauty and elegance of the house.

“It took us a long time to find it, but it has repaid our efforts,” said Bingley. “Jane and I are both settled here and we mean to make this our ancestral seat. Perhaps one day it will be as renowned as Pemberley.”

Darcy and Bingley began to play and Elizabeth looked around the room, thinking that Jane had chosen very well. The house was comfortable and elegant, and she knew that Jane was very happy with it. It gave her great pleasure to think of Jane being so well settled, and within an easy distance of Pemberley.

The three of them exchanged news as the two men played. When the game was over, Elizabeth and Darcy retired to their suite of rooms to dress for dinner. Jane and Charles kept country hours and dinner was served, in the winter, almost as soon as it was dark.

“Now, are you glad I talked you into coming?” Elizabeth asked her husband as she sat down at her dressing table and began to unpin her hair.

He helped her in her task, taking the pins out of her dark hair and letting it fall about her shoulders. He stroked it, letting his hands linger on the soft tresses.

“Yes, I am, as long as you are not feeling any ill effects from the journey.”

“No, none at all other than a little fatigue. I think I will lie down for half an hour before changing for dinner.”

She suited the action to the words and Darcy rubbed her feet in a way she found relaxing and pleasurable. She was glad to have some time alone with him. She had greatly enjoyed talking to Jane, and she had adored seeing the baby, but she had grown used to having Darcy to herself and she treasured their time alone. They stayed together, talking, until the clock struck the hour, and then they changed for dinner.

Elizabeth took Darcy’s arm and they descended the stairs. Jane and Bingley were in the hall, and together they went into the drawing-room.

Elizabeth’s eye ran round the room as she entered, noting the grand fireplace, the comfortable sofas, and the rich gold drapes, which had been drawn across the tall windows to keep out the December darkness. By the fire, which was burning with a cheery glow, was a screen which Jane had painted herself and a small table on which were several ornaments from the Bennet household, remembrances of home.

“Elizabeth, how well you look,” said Caroline, rising and greeting her. She turned to Jane. “My dear sister, are you sure you should be downstairs?”

“I am quite well, I do assure you,” said Jane.

Caroline opened her mouth, but Elizabeth looked at her, and Caroline quickly shut it again, for she had no wish to cross wits with Elizabeth. If she did, she was uncomfortably aware that she would come off the loser.

Bingley conducted Jane over to the fire and then arranged the screen to keep her out of any drafts.

“And how is my nephew?” asked Caroline.

“He is very well and sleeping,” said Jane.

“I do declare he is twice the size he was when he was born. He will be a fine boy before long,” said Louisa.

“He is a fine boy already,” said Bingley. “I never saw finer. His little fingers and toes, you never saw the like!”

“Do not encourage him or Charles will talk of nothing else,” said Caroline.

Indeed, the new son and heir formed most of Bingley’s conversation over dinner, and although Jane and Elizabeth managed to talk of other things from time to time, the new arrival formed most of Jane’s conversation too.

“And how is Pemberley, Mr. Darcy?” asked Caroline.

“The estate is thriving, thank you.”

“And your sister? Dear Georgiana, how I long to see her again.”

“She too is well. She is spending Christmas with friends.”

“Is she not young for such a visit?” asked Caroline.

“She is almost eighteen,” Darcy reminded her. “She will be coming out in the spring.”

“You will be going to town for the Season then,” said Caroline. She turned to her brother. “I told you, Charles, that you must buy a house in town, and see, I was right. If you will only bestir yourself, you can spend the spring in town and help Georgiana by escorting her to balls and such like.”

“I will be busy here,” said Charles.

“Then let me find a house for you.”

“We really couldn’t put you to so much trouble,” said Jane.

“It is no trouble. I would like nothing better,” said Caroline. “There, it is settled.”

Jane and Bingley looked at each other helplessly and Elizabeth thought that Caroline would very likely carry the day. She refrained from interfering but managed to say to Jane, as the ladies withdrew, “If you wish me to dissuade her, you have only to say the word.”

“Say nothing yet,” said Jane. “It will give her something to think about.”

“Something other than running the household and telling you what to do, do you mean?” asked Lizzy mischievously, as the two ladies crossed the hall behind Caroline and Louisa.

“She has been very kind, really she has,” said Jane. “Although I cannot think so well of her as I once did, for there is no denying that she tried to separate me from Charles, I believe she has seen the error of her ways and I think she is trying to make amends. She has been very helpful over the last few weeks; indeed, I would have found it difficult to manage without her. She has taken over everything.”

“I do not doubt it!”

Jane smiled but said, “Really, Lizzy, I think you misjudge her. I truly believe she is trying to be friends.”

“Jane, you are too good.”

“No, not too good, for I do not repose the same confidence in her as once I did. But she has been a help, there is no denying it, and I hope she will continue to be so. When Mama arrives, I am intending to leave her with Caroline.”

Elizabeth laughed at the thought of Caroline entertaining Mrs. Bennet. The two ladies had little liking for each other. Caroline thought Mrs. Bennet was excessively vulgar, and Mrs. Bennet had little time for anyone who was not an eligible young man.

“Perhaps they do not get on well together,” Jane conceded, “but it will be someone for Mama to talk to if I am indisposed.”

“And are you planning to be indisposed when Mama arrives?” teased Elizabeth.

“Really, Lizzy! I am looking forward to seeing her. But even so, I feel I will need some respite from her ways. She is to stay for a fortnight, and that is a long time.”

“With luck, she will be so enamoured of little Charles that she will be able to talk of nothing else, and you, my dear Jane, will, I am sure, be happy to talk about him all day long.”

“Indeed I will. But Mama will not be able to forget her daughters so easily, even whilst talking about her grandson. She has already told me that she expects me to give a ball, so that Kitty and Mary can find a husband,” said Jane.