Page 83 of Sweet on Mr Darcy

“It was an honour to be of service, Mr Darcy, Miss Bennet.” The man bowed as his daughters giggled in excitement behind him. “No charge today. It was a privilege to serve you both. I hope you will visit us again.”

Elizabeth laughed. “I assure you, sir. You have our loyal patronage when it comes to sweet adventures.”

Two weeks later…

Lady Barry’s garden party in honour of the engagement was immediately declared the social miracle of the Ramsgate season. First, because it happened at all. Second, because Lady Barry herself had actually invited her neighbours and the other locals. And third, because Nethercourt House–which had for years maintained the atmosphere of a mildly elegant fortress–had suddenly opened to entertain at all. Her neighbours were amazed…thrilled…and impossibly excited to attend.

The day itself could not have been finer. The coastal breeze softened the warmth of the sunny day. Nethercourt’s green was immaculate; the gardens pruned and trimmed to perfection. There were tables beneath white canopies groaning with flowers, fine foods, towers of the freshest fruit Ramsgate had to offer, and enough confectionery to suggest that either Lady Barry or Darcy had purchased the entire wares of the sweet shop. Elizabeth privately suspected that they had.

Lady Barry sat under the largest canopy like a benevolent and beloved tyrant. Everyone approached to pay their respects and thank her for the invitation to congratulate her favourite young people upon their engagement.

She accepted congratulations upon the engagement with great satisfaction, as if she had arranged the betrothal herself.

“You seem to approve highly of the match, Lady Barry?” asked one local matron cautiously.

Lady Barry looked offended. “How could I do anything but approve?”

She paused. “I have spent weeks on end watching Lady Anne’s boy gazing at Lizzy-girl as though she personally invented the sun.”

Lady Barry continued. “And since no one except perhaps Anne Darcy’s son would ever have satisfied me for Lizzy-girl, matters have concluded quite tolerably. I have no complaints whatsoever.”

“You honour me, ma’am.” Darcy bowed his head.

“Indeed, I do, Darcy-boy,” said Lady Barry. “Do not disappoint me…and most especially, do not disappoint my Lizzy-girl.”

Georgiana was in a state of impossibly high spirits. She had scarcely left Elizabeth’s side for the last fortnight. Every so often she appeared to realise anew that Elizabeth was truly to become her sister, and that she would be connected as family to all of her dearest friends.

Charlotte Bennet watched this with deep satisfaction. She herself looked completely recovered from the frailty that brought the Bennets to Ramsgate in the first place. Her son, young Master Lucas Bennet, was the favourite of all the guests.

Mr Bennet stood nearby with Darcy Senior. Both men wore the expression of fathers who had surrendered to events with great satisfaction.

“Well,” Bennet said at last, “I believe I must now admit that she prefers him to absolutely everyone.”

Darcy Senior smiled warmly. “I believe the feeling is mutual between them, and I am overjoyed to see it come about.”

“I knew it must happen eventually.” Mr Bennet sighed.

Lady Priscilla Fitzwilliam enjoyed the afternoon with the air of a woman who knew this outcome would come to pass the entire time.

Kitty sat beside her making plans to visit Elizabeth and Georgiana. “I cannot wait to see the lake at Pemberley. And I hear there is a river too.”

“And the house,” said Lydia. “Georgiana says it will take days to tour it all.”

“And the peaks,” Kitty added.

Lydia nodded. “And Mr Darcy’s handsome northern friends.”

“Lydia!” said Kitty.

“What? We shall merely observe them. There is no harm in that.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam obviously considered himself to be the master of festive disruption. He drifted jovially between guests, dispensing diversion wherever he went.

“So.” He paused beside his cousin.

Darcy eyed him in apprehension. Richard was capable of untold foolishness. “Yes?”

“You are finally engaged, Cousin.” Richard continued.