“Lizzy, love is the most important thing in the world. You love each other still.”
“Love is not the only important matter.”
“It is, when it is true love, and when—”
“You and Mr. Peake are in a different situation than me and Fitzwilliam. And I would kindly ask you to leave off discussing this matter.”
Georgiana cried. She smiled through her tears. “Thereishope. If you do not wish to talk about yourlove, you must still feel much. You must love him still, as he loves you still.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Why did she think that Georgiana was qualified to make her own decisions about marriage?
“I…Lizzy…”
“Georgie, if you only intend to marry because you think Fitzwilliam shall join us, and then marry me — I consider you my sister already.”
“That is not it.”
“Darcy is a proud man; one who will not support a woman in her foolishness. We are best off without him.”
“Are you very angry at him? Youshouldbe. He can be infuriating — you feel that worse than I. But anger is not…your love matters more.”
“I shouldn't have had to do it.”
“What?”
Elizabeth slumped. She would not have been able to throw off the ring in a calm manner.
The poesy ring was stored safely in the bottom of her trunk awaiting the proper time to return it to Fitzwilliam. One of Bingley’s housemaids had found it the day after, rolled in a corner under the tiled stove. Some part of her hoped what Georgiana had hoped, and like afoolshe had brought the ring with her to London, instead of leaving it stagnant in the bottom her jewelry case in Longbourn.
Stuffing the love ring into an envelope and mailing hisringby post — too cold.
Georgiana shook her head. “You both will realize the mistake you are making.”
“It would be irrational. I have determined to never let my passions misguide me again.” They stood next to the drawing room door, but Elizabeth stopped Georgiana from opening it. “I am happy for you, Georgie. I am happy that you shall marry. You shall be happy. But I…I confess the truth you have guessed: though I pretend otherwise, I am not wholly happy at present.”
Elizabeth left Georgiana by the drawing room door and walked to her own room. She felt Fitzwilliam’s memory, like a physical presence. He could kiss her so well. They had been happy.
Elizabeth stared out her window. Carriages rushed past. Men wore top hats and workmen’s caps. Women wore bonnets and fashionable small hats. The clouds had begun to weep once more, and a hawk circled high in the mournful sky.
Damned old maid.
We can discuss nothing. You have no voice.
She had not made a mistake.
Chapter Twenty-Five
A substantial crowd of well-dressed men in respectable lines of trade gathered in a rented dining hall at Guildhall to well wish Mr. Peake before his wedding. Elizabeth stood near the shy Georgiana, who smiled and blushed and nodded each time an acquaintance of Peake bowed to kiss her hand; usually their business acquaintances displayed polished manners, but sometimes they greeted her with the crudity of manner the high gentry such as the Darcys expected from Cits.
There was convivial chattering, discussions of business, and a great many wives and daughters of the guests were also present, having dressed to their best to match what they imagined was the splendor of the aristocratic woman who had captured the heart and grand business prospects of Mr. Peake. Within the closed circles of the London merchants in his line of trade, he had been seen as a promising catch, especially since he had been made a full partner of Gardiner.
Thus thewomengathered there often felt an inkling (at least!) of jealousy towards Georgiana Darcy. There certainly was conversation of the scandal, and some of the women were determined to be a little rude only on that account. But the soon-to-be-former Miss Darcy was too sweet, too shy, and too much the elegant blushing bride to let people disdain her for long. She talked at length to several of the vicars of local parishes, and they all could speak for herspeakingmorality, and that she was repentant.
The tradesmen present all wished to remain on the good side of Peake, especially as it was expected that the money his marriage would bring to Peake would lead his firm to make substantial purchases, and that he would either become a more formidable competitor, a more valuable customer, or supplier of greater importance. The women studied Georgiana, but her dress was elegant simplicity itself: modest, unassuming, lacking flash, yet made of the finest materials, and with the best lines. She neither outshone those who must shine, nor did she sink beneath the notice of those who looked with critical eyes.
In sum Georgiana was a success amongst this group of London merchants, just as she had been in the rural society of Hertfordshire.
Two hours after the crowd gathered, and a little before the large dinner was to be served and everyone was to sit down, Mr. Darcy’s cousin who Elizabeth had met at Rosings Park was ushered into the building to give his greetings to Georgiana.
