Darcy looked mildly appalled, but thinking he would want to know the same thing about a man who wanted to marry Georgiana, he answered, “No, sir. I do not gamble as a general rule, beyond a drawing room game, and I have never forgotten myself. I believe the worst instance was on the eve of my cousin’s wedding and I sang a very bad rendition of an Italian love song and was put to bed by my valet.”

Mr. Bennet stifled a laugh. “Very well. Is your estate mortgaged or entailed?”

Darcy was more prepared for this question and relaxed significantly. No one could find fault with Pemberley. “No and somewhat. The estate is not mortgaged and there is an entailment on the original portion of the land and the house, but it is not entailed away from the female line and should I not have any children, my sister’s child would inherit. The remaining property is mine to do with as I please.”

Mr. Bennet nodded. “And your sister, would she live with you and my daughter?”

“I hope she would, after a period of adjustment for us to become accustomed to each other.” Mr. Bennet smiled slightly and Darcy shifted in his seat. “Georgiana is only sixteen and a sweet, unassuming girl. I believe she and Miss Elizabeth would get along well.”

“Where would you live?” Mr. Bennet sat back in his chair as if he were just relaxing on a Sunday evening, which, once Darcy thought of it, he supposed he was.

“I currently spend roughly half the year at Pemberley. Once I marry, I hope to increase my time there. I also have a house in town and spend the season there.”

“Would Elizabeth be permitted to visit her family?” he asked quietly. Bennet’s eyes were on the floor.

Darcy paused. He had hoped, originally, to minimize her contact with her family and see them only when necessary, but after speaking to Elizabeth about her father and hearing about the changes made in their household, he wondered if Mr. Bennet was coming to the end of his life. And the youngest two girls, who had always been the biggest problem besides the mother—who had been remarkably well-mannered on this visit—were no longer out and seemed to have been taken in hand by their father. He could not know if it would continue, but he could hope.

“Yes, sir, I would ensure she had the means to travel to Hertfordshire whenever she wanted, and it would be no hardship to visit on the way to and from London. You would always be welcome at Pemberley, sir.” Darcy almost hadn’t said the last, but seeing the old man already missing his daughter made him think about Georgiana and how, some day soon, he would have to give her up to a man he would hope loved her as much as he.