A Wife for Mr. Darcy

everyone went back to their country estates, Mr. Darcy went to Derbyshire with his sister. For the whole month of August, while Miss Montford was in the country with her family, he never visited her.
    “I also learned Mr. Darcy’s name was once linked to Mrs. Conway, the widow of a Whig Member of Parliament. She is a few years older than he is, but because there was no issue from her marriage to Mr. Conway, Charles believes marriage was never a consideration. He added that Mr. Darcy would not even consider what he calls ‘the latest crop’ of eighteen-year-olds, as he craves mature conversation and debate. He likes to be challenged.”
    “And Miss Montford is lacking in that area?”
    “Apparently. But even so, after the ball, he is to return to London to begin the courtship in earnest or he risks hearing from Sir John that he is playing loose with his daughter’s affections by his inconstant attentions.”
    “To a man like Mr. Darcy, such a charge would be insupportable, so there is little doubt he will marry Miss Montford.”
    Jane looked at her sister and thought what Lizzy could not say. She was in love with Mr. Darcy, and in all likelihood, Mr. Darcy was falling in love with her. But they were destined to be separated because of class differences.
    “Do not look at me like that, Jane. I already have a plan. I shall ask Mr. Bingley to introduce me to some of his wealthy friends, but from a less lofty position in society than Mr. Darcy. However, if I do not find a husband, I shall live in an attic room at Netherfield and become the governess to your many children.”
    Jane took her sister’s hand in hers and smiled. “Lizzy, I would never make you live in the attic, and you have my permission to teach the children how to play the pianoforte but, please, no French. Your accent is worse than mine.”
    Although the two sisters laughed, Jane could not continue to appear cheerful when she was not. The thought that there would be no Mr. Bingley in her sister’s life made her profoundly sad.
    “Please do not trouble yourself on my account,” Lizzy said. “I shall go to the ball and position myself in such a way that Mr. Darcy will be forced to ask me to dance. I shall write at length about it in my diary, and then I shall turn the page and write of other things. As I have repeatedly told you, I am of a practical nature, and I never imagined that it would end in any other way.”

    Georgiana wished she could fall asleep in a carriage the way her lady’s maid, Mrs. Brotherton, and her brother’s man-servant, Mercer, did. But the rocking of the carriage that lulled them to sleep kept her awake as she could not block out the sound of the grinding of the wheels or the sound of the whip. With her companion in a deep sleep, she looked to her brother for conversation.
    “Will, when you visited Miss Montford, did you notice her new coiffure?”
    Darcy shook his head. This disappointed Georgiana because it was she who had encouraged Letitia to adopt a softer look. “Because her face is so angular, I suggested she not wear it so high and to have curls around her face to make it look rounder.”
    “You know I do not pay attention to such things, but I promise to take notice when I next see her,” and he turned his attention to the passing countryside.
    “May I ask when that will be?”
    “As I have said, after the ball at Netherfield.” Looking at his sister with a quizzical expression, he asked, “Is that why you have come along—to drag me back to London to court Miss Montford as soon as the ball is over?”
    “Of course not,” she answered quickly. “I would never try to force you to do anything.”
    Darcy could see he had hurt his sister’s feelings, and so he gave her his full attention. “We have already established that Miss Montford is all that a young lady of twenty-two years should be, so why are you so concerned?”
    “Caroline Bingley.”
    “Surely, you do not think I am in danger of being ensnared by Miss Bingley.”
    “Not Miss Bingley in particular, but someone like her. For example, Augusta Selridge, who is very beautiful…”
    “…and a viper. You look surprised that I know her true nature. That is why I move slowly and methodically, so I am not taken in by someone like Miss Selridge.”
    “You are my darling brother, and all I want is for you to marry someone who is sweet and kind and who will be a good wife to you.”
    “Then you will be comforted to know that when I placed