“Lady Catherine! Of course. You don’t believeher.”
“Well…no.” Georgiana smiled at Elizabeth's amusement.
“I can hear that old monster saying that in my head. She has a way about her — a memorable voice.”
“You know Lady Catherine?”
“My dearest friend married her parson — he is her ladyship’s greatest admirer. Charlotte is content, nonetheless.”
“Does…does Lady Catherine ever mention me?”
“In deep hushed tones filled with bottomless wells of eternal regret. But that is rare. She thinks the less said of the great scandal, the better — she knows you were not switched at birth — I understand she had a scheme to marry poor Anne—”
Little Anne piped up from where she played with Bennet, “Me! Marry who? Who? Who?”
Georgiana ruffled her daughter’s hair. “We were talking about my cousin, Miss de Bourgh. You have not met her.”
“She hasmyname? I want to meet her!”
“You both were named after my mother, who is in heaven now.”
The seriousness of this observation quieted the little girl. She exclaimed to Bennet, “My turn to pick. Draw with crayons!”
“Yay! Crayons!”
The two children went to the box where such supplies were kept, and rather messily pulled out the supplies and thick paper given to the children.
“Lady Catherine demanded Fitzwilliam expel me, and she cut the relationship when he would not. The family was fractured, but Fitzwilliam will do anything for me.”
An infatuated part of Elizabeth’s mind swooned with Georgiana. How sweet of Fitzwilliam…errr Mr. Darcy…to give up so much for his dear sister!
Elizabeth voiced herotherthought. “Ha. The entire matter was worth it because hecouldcut relations with Lady Catherine. Being forced to visit with her regularly is a matter of nightmares — I jest not, I had one about her once — ‘tis alone sufficient reason for me to be happy I refused Mr. Collins.”
“Mr. Collins?”
“Your aunt’s parson. He is my father’s heir also, so almost rich.”
“Oh. He then married your dearest friend?”
“Rare poor judgement on her part. I have come to accept nowomanis perfect. Even I err. Rarely.”
“No! Not you!” Georgiana laughed.
“You are distracting the topic. Has anyone caught your eye since Wickham?”
“No one wouldmarryme. It is a hopeless thing to wish for.”
“Do you wish for it?”
Georgiana looked down. “I do not wish to marry a man who only wishes to have my fortune.”
“You have an insultingly low opinion of yourself if you think that is the only reason a man would wish to marry you.”
“I…perhaps. You are right so often.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Do not think me wiser than I am. Even if you did not set your cap for him, some handsome creature must have caught your eye.”
Georgiana blushed.
