He recognized how Elizabeth had chosen her words to evoke a reaction from him, so Darcy tempered his response. “True, my dear, but I’m your cad,” he taunted.



“Welcome to Pemberley,” Georgiana greeted Elizabeth’s family. A time had existed when the prospect of acting as her brother’s hostess would have brought her to tears, but under Elizabeth’s tutelage as well as that of her companion, Mrs. Annesley, Georgiana had developed more confidence.

Kitty Bennet boisterously caught Georgiana in a quick embrace. “I’m so happy to return to Pemberley. Hertfordshire is positively humdrum.”

Georgiana smiled warmly. She and Elizabeth’s sister had fashioned a companionable relationship over the past two years. Although Kitty didn’t share Georgiana’s interest in music and art, they both had questions about marriage and love and men, and for Georgiana, sharing their uncertainties had a calming effect. It said that she was not an aberration. Since the weakness she had displayed at age fifteen, she had often questioned her own curiosity. Finding Kitty Bennet equally at a loss for what to do to find love had served as a revelation to the awkwardly demure Georgiana. “It is always a pleasure to see you, Kitty. You’ve been sorely missed.”

Georgiana turned her attention to the Bennets. “Mr. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet.We’re pleased you joined us in Derbyshire.”

She followed the man’s gaze as he said, “The house is all Lizzy said it was.” The man sighed deeply. “Where is Lizzy? I expected her to greet us with open arms. It’s not like Elizabeth to avoid the cold. Has life at Pemberley made my daughter soft, a real lady of leisure?”

Georgiana blinked away the comment. If she had not heard Elizabeth use a similar teasing tone, she might’ve believed Mr. Bennet’s words held true censure. At first, she had often listened with an astonishment bordering on alarm at Elizabeth’s lively, sportive manner of talking to Fitzwilliam, but now Georgiana accepted Elizabeth’s sharp wit as the woman’s charm. In fact, Georgiana missed Elizabeth’s barbed humor. Since Elizabeth’s last disappointment, her brother’s wife had lost her sparkle. “Fitzwilliam is away on business. He and Elizabeth shan’t return until tomorrow. My brother had wanted your presence at Pemberley to be Mrs. Darcy’s surprise.You shall have time to settle in before my sister arrives.”

Mrs. Bennet caught at her daughter’s hand. “Show me Pemberley’s grandeur, Kitty. That’s all of which you’ve spoken for months. Although neither Lizzy nor Mr. Darcy saw fit to greet us, we shall persevere. I imagine an estate as grand as Pemberley will have a fair cup of tea to warm my bones and to settle my nerves.”

Kitty shrugged good-naturedly as she assisted her suddenly frail mother along the entranceway.

“Miss Darcy,” Mr. Bennet interrupted Georgiana’s thoughts. “You remember my daughter Mary.”

Georgiana curtsied. “Of course, I do. Welcome to Pemberley, Miss Bennet.”

“Thank you, Miss Darcy, for your hospitality.”

Mr. Bennet cleared his throat. “And this young man is Mary’s intended, Mr. Robert Grange. Mr. Grange is a clerk in my brother Philips’s law firm.”

Georgiana’s eyes widened. Mr. Grange was not on Darcy’s guest list. “I extend our Pemberley welcome, Mr. Grange.”

“Thank you for receiving me, Miss Darcy.” The spindly young man with a boyish face bowed stiffly to Georgiana before placing Mary on his arm.

Mr. Bennet bowed formally to Georgiana and then accepted her hand to walk with her. “Mrs. Bennet insisted that Mr. Grange join us. After all, Robert will soon be part of the family. Is that not right, Grange?” Mr. Bennet said jovially over his shoulder. He leaned closer to Georgiana. “I might require something stronger than tea to warm my old bones, Miss Darcy. Besides a fair cup of tea, I pray Mr. Darcy also serves a respectable spot of brandy.”

Mr. Bennet grinned conspiratorially at her, and all of Georgiana’s apprehension fell to the wayside. “Mr. Bennet, a smooth brandy and my brother’s library await you.”



“Miss Darcy,” Jane Bingley apologized. “How do I express my regret for thrusting an uninvited guest upon Mr. Darcy’s household? I realize your brother designed this Christmas celebration for Elizabeth’s benefit, and my sister Miss Bingley is not among Lizzy’s devotees, but I appreciate your accepting Caroline’s presence so graciously.”

Georgiana had accommodated a second unexpected guest with as much elegance as she could muster. Although her brother would have relayed his dismay about people imposing on the Pemberley household’s goodwill, Georgiana couldn’t follow suit. For her, serving as Fitzwilliam’s hostess spoke of how far she had come from that girl who had foolishly consented to an elopement. “Miss Bingley has a long-standing relationship with my family. It’s not an imposition, Mrs. Bingley.” Georgiana motioned a waiting footman forward. “Please show Mrs. Bingley’s nurse to the children’s rooms and ask Mrs. Reynolds to prepare a room for Miss Bingley.”

“You’re too kind, Miss Darcy. My husband and family are in the blue drawing room.” With a curtsy, Elizabeth’s older sister disappeared into the house’s interior.

Feeling the agitation of being Pemberley’s “mistress,” Georgiana let out a slow breath. She would have liked to spend private time at the pianoforte, to secret herself away from the world, but Fitzwilliam had asked her to organize Elizabeth’s surprise, and Georgiana would do her best. So, despite wondering whether she was designed to run any man’s household, Georgiana straightened her shoulders. She loved Elizabeth, and her sister had suffered enough. Steadying her resolve, she followed Mrs. Bingley toward the room where her brother’s guests waited. “Does anyone require fresh tea?” she asked as she swept into the room.