The ball-room had been transformed into a grand drawing-room, and richly decorated, while the drawing-room itself was to be used for cards. Lady Andover and Miss Darcy were both showing signs of fatigue, but seemed pleased with their progress. Their party that evening was confined to the family and Darcy’s friend; dinner was a simple affair, as far as the menu went, for an overworked kitchen staff had not the resources to meet the usual standards of the house; but though the bill of fare might be simple, it was all done superbly well. When every one was seated, Lord Andover, with a sympathetic eye to his wife’s fatigue, asked her to join him in a glass of wine, for which she smiled her gratitude. As the soup came out, almost every one, it seemed, breathed a sigh, and let go their various struggles from the day. At table, Cousin George contrived to remind Darcy most amusingly of why he had looked forward to seeing him again, as he was in rare conversational form, drawing upon himself the notice and ire of both his parents, and the incredulous diversion of the rest, save possibly Georgiana.
