Lizzy was an ideal guest; quick to praise, happy to entertain herself with handiwork, reading, or rambling, equally willing to join in excursions and or stay quiet at home, and a welcome companion both at the dinner table and more privately, on account of her wit and vivacity. Charlotte remembered with pleasure how they used to laugh together, and indeed the Parsonage rang with far more mirth than usual.

Only once in the next few days did she and Lizzy disagree: in response to Charlotte’s expression of disapproval at Mr Wickham’s alteration of affection once he had discovered that poor Miss King was poor no more, Lizzy had flashed: ‘What is the difference in matrimonial affairs, between the mercenary and prudent motive? Where does discretion end and avarice begin?’

Where indeed, thought Charlotte. I wish you had been half as understanding and generous to me last winter. But then she considered that Lizzy was indeed generous; here she was, under a former suitor’s roof, as sunny and merry as always, lightening Charlotte’s days, helping with the hemming, providing company on long walks, as willing to show all the outward signs of friendship and affection as ever.

A few days after the arrival of the Meryton party, the Parsonage was gripped by a fever of anxiety and anticipation; Lady Catherine had invited their entire party to dine at Rosings, and Mr Collins was beside himself at the prospect. Charlotte thought that the pitch of his nerves better belonged to herself, as it was her relatives and friend she would be presenting. She had no anxieties on her father and sister’s score: Sir William’s passion for rank and his obliging manners, both of which qualities Maria shared, would no doubt make them acceptable to her ladyship. Lizzy – there, she was not so sure. She had nothing to fear from her friend’s public manners, and took great personal delight in her liveliness, but she was not sure Lady Catherine would be entirely enchanted by Lizzy’s habitual vigour and wit. And her concerns ran in the other direction as well; imagining the intrusive questions her ladyship would feel free to ask her friend, she could only hope that Lizzy would keep her patience and her countenance.

But there was no help for it, and they all walked over to Rosings across the park, admiring and exclaiming at the views, particularly appealing at that time of year, with enough unfurling green and bobbing daffodils to soften the crustiest heart, but not yet such a cloak of growth as to obscure the more distant vistas.