Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen
What does your father say?” Mr. Darcy asked his wife.
“Well, he is none too pleased about it, but knows not how to refuse us,” Elizabeth said, smiling to herself. “Kitty will not be joining Lydia, as she is apparently to become Papa’s new pupil!”
Mr. Darcy could only shake his head at the notion of Kitty under Mr. Bennet’s tutelage, but then again, he would not have guessed that Lydia had a taste for learning. The Bennet girls were unpredictable, that much was certain.
Elizabeth went on, “We should send a carriage, I think, as my parents will not want to be without theirs for so long, and a maid must go as well.”
“I shall arrange it,” Mr. Darcy promised. “Write to Lydia and tell her to expect the carriage in three days’ time. Will we tell Georgiana?”
“I think it might be fun to surprise her,” his wife said. “I will write back to Lydia and ask her not to tell Georgiana.”
Both Mr. and Mrs. Darcy went to Mr. Darcy’s study, where a small writing desk had been installed for Elizabeth’s use.
Mr. Darcy’s duties required him to be out of doors a good deal of the time, so the opportunity for the two of them to sit in a room together while catching up on their correspondence could not be missed!
Dear Lydia,
Your thought about coming to Pemberley to visit Georgiana is a very good one. We will send a carriage for you, along with a maid and sufficient funds.
One thing – I think it would be good for this to be a surprise for Georgiana! So do not let on!
With love,
Lizzy
And finally –
Dearest, dearest Papa,
Thank you, thank you, again and again, for allowing Lydia to come to us! I very much dislike depriving you of your star pupil, but Georgiana is very much in need of distraction. I need not explain why, I think.
I still hope you and Mama will visit us soon, not least because you must see the Pemberley library! I had no idea there were this many books in all the world!
Your grateful daughter,
Lizzy