She smacked his arm and all but dragged him into his room. They curled up in the center of the bed, the open terrace door letting the sounds of the night and a light breeze blow gently into the room. She rested her head on his chest and he held her close, sighing in contentment before drifting off, only to waken and repeat the events from the terrace twice more before morning.

Chapter 28

Bingley took care of what business needed doing in town, and eight days after Darcy’s wedding, was on his way to Margate. He had arranged a room at the same hotel Darcy had stayed at when he visited. He wasn’t sure how long he would stay, but he vowed he wouldn’t leave without Jane’s agreement to marry him. Nothing but her absolute refusal could cause him to depart sooner. Maybe they could even marry at the seaside. They could go on to honeymoon nearby, perhaps in Ramsgate or Brighton, and avoid excess travel. But Jane would probably not wish to marry without Elizabeth there, and he knew the Darcys would be visiting The Lakelands through the end of July.

He shook his head of his fanciful ideas and told himself to focus on getting Jane’s agreement first. Everything else could be sorted out later. After checking his appearance for the fifth time, he made his way to the Bennets’ little blue cottage.

“Mr. Bingley! How nice to see you!” called Mrs. Bennet from the front garden where she was snipping flowers with a small pair of shears. She held a basket over one arm and waved to Bingley with the other. “I shall be in momentarily. Jane is around the back with her father.”

He thanked her and made his way around the side of the house, thinking that Mrs. Bennet really was an uncommonly pretty woman, especially for her age. It could only bode well for his future with Jane.

“Mr. Bingley! You are welcome to Margate,” cried Mr. Bennet as he came around the corner.

Jane turned to face him and blushed, greeting him softly. She thought he looked happy and nervous, or maybe it was just her imagination.

Bingley joined them for tea. Mr. Bennet invited him into the discussion they were having on a book Bingley had luckily read while at Cambridge.

“Do you think Reginald should have yielded to his friend?” asked Mr. Bennet, referring to the protagonist in the story.

“His friend’s judgment was sound, and he was certainly in possession of more information, which Reginald should have taken into account. But I cannot think it good to so wholly surrender your own judgment, regardless of the closeness of the relationship.” He looked at Jane as he said the last, his eyes serious and steady.