THE COUPLE WERE TOO engrossed in their own affairs to consider how strange they would appear, or how they would be received, in Park Lane. Colonel Fitzwilliam entered and asked if the footman might fetch Mr. Simms and Mrs. Reynolds. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy heard the commotion in the hall and came to meet them from the sitting room, where they had been having their tea. Colonel Fitzwilliam knelt down again by Betsey, and asked if the kind Mr. Simms might have care of Tabby and her kittens, to find them a nice, warm place in the kitchen. Betsey looked as though she wanted to believe him, but knew not whether he was speaking the truth. He staid by her, and said,

“Betsey, Mr. Simms will see that Mrs. Tabby gets some fresh milk and a dish of meat. Cook will give her a bit of a bath, and put her and her kittens in a big basket with a warm blanket. Mrs. Reynolds,” he said as she approached the child, “will give you a bath, and then you may have your supper in the kitchen with Mrs. Tabby. Does this sound like a good plan?” Mrs. Reynolds looked in some doubt as to her opinion of the proceedings, but when Betsey looked up at her and said quite fearlessly, “Yes, ma’am, if you please,” every misgiving was done away. She led a staring Betsey up the wide staircase, saying, “Now then, I think we might find some of Miss Darcy’s things to fit you. I kept them all quite carefully by in hopes that there might be another Miss Darcy, and here you are!”

Through all of this, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth remained steadfastly silent. When they heard Mrs. Reynolds at the top of the stairs and the door close, Mrs. Darcy suggested that they all return to the sitting room for some tea, in a tone that indicated that she had no wish their conversation be more generally overheard. Elizabeth bade the Colonel and Georgiana be seated, and calmly began to pour out the tea. As Mr. Darcy closed the doors, he turned to his cousin, saying, “Fitzwilliam—Viscount—George! Are we to have some explanation here? Who is that child, and what is she doing here?”