“Jane, may I come in?” Elizabeth asked as she rapped on her sister’s door before bed.

“Of course, dearest. Please, join me.” She patted the chair next to hers where she was seated in her dressing gown with a letter open on her lap.

“Who is the letter from?”

“My friend in town, Mrs. Pearson,” Jane answered.

“Is she the one with the very eligible elder brother?” Elizabeth asked, wrapping her shawl around her shoulders and settling into the chair by the open window. The only light in the room was the lamp on the table between their chairs and the pale glow of the moon outside.

“Yes, she is. Mr. Walker.” Jane looked down self-consciously, then coming to a decision, looked her sister in the eye. “She says her brother has asked after me several times and that she has twice taken the liberty of reading my letters to him.”

“Does she?” Elizabeth was slightly surprised with her sister’s proclamation, as Jane was usually more circumspect and modest, but she tried not to show it.

“She hints that he is interested in me romantically and wishes to see me when I return to town if it is possible.” Jane held the letter out to her sister. “Or do I mistake her?” she added.

Ah, there is the Jane I know. Elizabeth took the letter from her sister and read it through twice before handing it back.

“I do not think you are mistaken, Jane. She sounds very much like she would like to have you in the family and that her brother is eager to perform the job.” Jane flushed and looked out the dark window.

“That is what I thought.”

“Do you wish to join the Walker family, Jane?”

“I do not know. He is a very kind man, but as yet my feelings are not any stronger than friendship.” The name Bingley hung in the air between them, unspoken but not unthought. “His sisters are very kind.”

“There is more than one?”

“Yes, he has an older sister living in London. Her husband does business with Uncle. She is very genteel and kind, not unlike Aunt Gardiner, and has the most adorable children.” Jane smiled sadly. “There is another brother as well, but I have not met him. He is much younger than the others and is away at school. Martha, Mrs. Pearson, assures me he is a lovely boy.”

“Sounds like an ideal family,” Elizabeth said softly.

“Yes, they are,” Jane said distractedly. After several minutes of silence, she asked her sister, “Do you think it is possible to grow to love someone? I mean someone that you do not love after you know them, but perhaps after knowing them more intimately and for a longer period of time, you may come to love them? Do you think it is possible?”