“If my cousin is content at Tunbridge Wells,” replied Mr. Darcy, “then I wish him very happy, although I hope he will bestir himself to meet us in Milan, as he promises us. I have never seen him in love before, but he is, in general, very rational in his method. If George has formed an attachment, as your feminine intuition suggests, I do not doubt that he will have made himself an excellent match, as he has always been a good judge of character. You are right, Lizzy; we must deal with our disappointment, that he does not come to join us, as best we can, and make ready to question him at length about the reasons for his unpardonable delay, when we are finally together again.” With this last, he looked across at Georgiana, and easily perceiving her increasing distress, gently suggested that she retire to rest for a few hours more, after which time he would go with her to the library. Georgiana nodded her assent, and excused herself from the breakfast table.

“Would to Heaven that anything could be done to relieve such unhappiness!” exclaimed Darcy, as he watched his sister leave the room. “I will be back in time for lunch, Elizabeth, as I must undertake some matters of business this morning. If we are to quit Geneva this week—as I think we should; a change of scene must be preferable after this unhappy episode—it is necessary to hurry my business here.”

In truth, it was not business, but pleasure, which was to occupy Mr. Darcy’s morning. In their walks around the city, Elizabeth had admired en passant some jewellery that was displayed in a window of one of the joaillières; fixing their departure date made his errand consequently more urgent. Darcy had decided on an ornament for the hair that he was sure would suit her taste for small, fine pieces, and selected one that had the additional benefit of its being able to be fitted up as a brooch. He chose a pair of diamond ear pendants that would look well with the other, were it stationed on the head or on the bosom. Elizabeth wore little ornament, but Darcy knew that she admired fine things; he further reasoned that he had never purchased a proper wedding-present for her—the pearls had been his mother’s—and was pleased with the results of such an unusual employment.