Everything seemed impossibly still. Like a dam before it broke, or a battle before it began.
Georgiana came first.
“What is the matter, Fitzwilliam?”
Darcy studied her.
His voice did not want to come.
He emphatically gestured to her to sit down.
She picked at the threads of the sofa. “What is it? Did I say something to Aunt Matlock?”
Darcy just simply couldn’t speak.
He wanted to ask… demand… scream at Elizabeth. Did she love Mr. Wickham? Why did she hate Georgiana? Why… Why did she disobey him? Why did she convince his oldest and most trustworthy servant to betray him?
Why had Elizabeth betrayed him for a useless creature like Mr. Wickham?
He was not rational at present. He ought to send Georgiana off. Have this conversation tomorrow. After he’d calmed.
Georgiana said, “Brother, please tell me what is the matter — is it about… are you going to send me away?”
“Why would I send you away?” The question was not rhetorical. He wished to hear what she would say.
Georgiana flushed and looked down.
“I don’t know.”
Darcy waited.
Where the damned hell was Elizabeth?
“I thought… did I embarrass myself horribly?”
Darcy idly wondered if Georgiana’s guessing would eventually touch on what he wished to talk about. This was not the way he should behave as her guardian. It was not kind to make her guess why he was angry.
Elizabeth entered the door.
She was pale. “What is such an urgent matter? I was deep in a discussion about the preserves and what dried apples we have available for the rest of the winter with Cook, and—”
“Why!”
She halted.
Eyes widened… she went entirely still, several feet from the seat she’d walked towards.
Darcy let out a deep breath. He must master himself.
Elizabeth smoothed down her dress. She said in a clear voice, “Mr. Darcy, I have no notion of what has angered you.”
“Why did you stop Mrs. Reynolds from destroying Mr. Wickham’s portrait?”
She opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Then she shrugged. “It seemed like the thing to do.”
Are you in love with him?
Darcy could not voice the question. At least not in front of Georgiana.
