He’d never seen a person’s face become that particular shade of purple before. She trembled with rage and finally threw a small china teacup, watching it shatter on the marble mantelpiece. He stopped her before she threw a figurine in the same direction. After sending her off to be tended by her maid, he had a serious conversation with his brother Hurst. Neither man wanted the responsibility of taking care of Caroline for the long term, and now that her plans to wed Darcy had been thwarted, they agreed it was time to look elsewhere. The season was dwindling to a close and every week there were reports of friends removing to their country estates. There were still some activities and many would not leave town until the middle or end of the month, but they certainly were not spoiled for choice.

Louisa Hurst had an old school friend who had married a distant cousin of her husband’s. They were hosting a house party in the summer and the Hursts had been invited. There would be a great variety of guests, including a few single men, and the neighborhood was known to be prosperous. The two men agreed Caroline would make what she could of the remaining weeks in town before accompanying her sister and brother-in-law to the house party in the hopes of finding a man willing to marry her.

Charles Bingley was pleased with his decision and hoped he was one step closer to gaining Jane Bennet’s favor.

~

Mr. Darcy left for London early Monday morning and Elizabeth spent the next two days at the shore with her sisters. There was a dinner party to attend but otherwise, the Bennet family was alone. A sense of nostalgia had settled over them as they all recognized that soon, their numbers would be diminished. Elizabeth would marry in a little over a week and Jane was sure not to be too far behind her. The Bennet family as it had always been would end, and the sisters would move away, adding brothers and distance to their family.

Tuesday, the girls took one last picnic down to the shore. The five of them sat scattered across two blankets in a sheltered cove not too far from their cottage. Kitty was sketching Jane and Mary where they sat side by side, the sea at their backs, while Lydia braided long grasses and made crowns for each of her sisters.

“Do you think you will have many children, Lizzy?” asked Lydia suddenly.

“Lydia!” exclaimed Jane. “That is not an appropriate question.”

“Why not?” Lydia responded, looking genuinely confused. “We are all sisters here. It is not as if Mr. Darcy were sitting beside us.”

Jane acknowledged her point and four sets of eyes turned to Elizabeth.

“I hardly know!” Elizabeth declared, her cheeks slightly red. “One cannot always predict these things.”

“Maybe you will have five daughters like Mama!” said Lydia.

“Oh, name one after me!” cried Kitty.