As soon as Bingley had written to Darcy about his idea, it had been accepted. Indeed, for Darcy, leaving Meryton without knowing what was in Elizabeth’s mind had not been easy. He had tried, during the time he had spent at Netherfield before the wedding, to decipher her behaviour; but he had not seen anything encouraging. Truth be told, he had a nagging feeling that he had not made himself very clear either; but where being rejected once had been bearable, mainly because she had distinctly pointed out where his numerous flaws lay, he hadn’t thought at the time that he would survive a second refusal, not when he had not yet been able to prove to her that she had led him to change his ways. His view on the subject were now completely different; uncertainty – about his chances, about the when and the where of their next encounter – was probably more painful than rejection, and Darcy was cursing himself for not having declared his intentions to Elizabeth when he had had the chance. He missed her, her eyes, her teasing smile, their discussions. He wanted so much to see her smile, at least once, the smile she had addressed to him, that afternoon, in the Pemberley music room. Here, in London, life was dull; he was only going to the theatre or to private dinners to please Georgiana and to encourage her to overcome her shyness. At least, he was trying to be a good brother... The only activities he really enjoyed were his fencing practices and his conversations with his sister, in his library. For there, he could stop feeling heart broken: by exhausting his body in the former and by speaking of her as if everything was possible in the latter.

Convincing her sister to come with them to Town had been much more difficult for Jane than she had thought. At first, the idea had seemed to please Lizzy. But when she had understood that they would not be staying at their Uncle and Aunt Gardiner’s but at Mr. Darcy’s, she had balked.

"Really, Jane, you cannot expect me to rejoice in living in the house of a man I have so ill-judged and so ill-treated. I still don’t know what he thinks of me and I’m afraid to find out the truth. I’m sure he has agreed to your scheme only to please you. How could he have refused? Did you tell him I was willing to come?"

"No, he knows we meant to suggest the idea if he agreed to it. And why would you be afraid of his feelings? I think that, the last time he was there, his behaviour towards you was very civil. I’m sure he has forgiven you everything you told him that evening in Hunsford."

"As if you were aware of anything before your wedding!"

"Come, Lizzy, you know it’s a good idea. If you go to Cheapside, Mama might come with you! And furthermore, Mr. Darcy might be able to help you with your novel. Charles told me that Mr. Darcy is much more skilled in fencing than he is. Wouldn’t it be better to have a more talented adviser?"

Lizzy was lost. What was she to do? If only she could tell her sister about her feelings for him, Jane would understand why, staying in his town house and moreover, being his pupil in fencing lessons, was so dreadful a thought for her. But she couldn’t. She thought she should deal with that problem alone. And she knew that, if Jane was aware of her heartache, she would speak to Charles about it, and Mr. Darcy was Charles’s best friend… On the other hand, she wanted so much to see him. His presence around her before Jane’s wedding had been a source of longing but also of joy. Every time she had felt his gaze on her, every time she had been able to listen to his voice, her heart would beat faster. And it was true that she wouldn’t be able to endure her mother’s nerves much longer.

Jane was waiting, watching all the emotions Lizzy’s expressive face couldn’t hide but not understanding all of them. Finally she had her answer,

"I will go with you. When do we leave?"

"Let’s say in three days, so that we have time for packing and for informing Mr. Darcy."

On their way back to Netherfield, Jane told Charles that the plan was agreed on and that they would be leaving in three days time. She also added, "Do you think there might be something of an idyll between Mr. Darcy and Lizzy?"

Her husband was quite surprised by the question. "You can surely understand Elizabeth much better than I can. As long as Darcy is concerned, I cannot say I noticed an overflow of feelings two months ago, yet he had been much more attentive this summer in Pemberley. I recall Caroline being green with envy when she was watching the way he was acting with your sister. But then, Lydia fled to London and since then, he has returned to his old behaviour."

After a short while, he added: "In fact, he was not his old self. He was more civil towards our neighbours although more thoughtful when he thought himself unwatched. Several times, I’ve seen him as if lost in his dreams. Whether they were sweet or bitter, I cannot say but now that I think about it, it might have happened more often when he had just been with Elizabeth. Dearest, you might be right!"

"I only hope our trip will bring back her happiness to Lizzy."

The Fencing Lessons, Chapter 3