Georgiana shook her head. “I do not know. He went out for a horse ride — did not say where he was going. But it has been three hours now and he is not yet back — I just… wondered how he means to punish me.”
How does he mean to punishme?
“I do not know. We quarreled severely after you left. And what he wished to do with regards to the portrait, besides having it burned, did not arise as a subject.”
“Oh. You quarreled? I heard that something of that sort happened. But… I can scarcely believe it. How can you argue when you love each other so much?”
“Husbands and wives often argue,” Elizabeth replied uncomfortably.
“I know — I know. But you both look at each other in such a way. You always laugh and smile more whenever Fitzwilliam is around, and he looks at you with that… intense gaze. You both are so happy, at least most of the time, when you are together. You did argue that once, about clothing.” Georgiana half laughed. “I know that whatever you argued about, it must not be serious.”
“Do I smile and laugh more when I am near Mr. Darcy?” Elizabeth replied, half in amazement.
“Oh, so much more. And you always say such clever things, and then look at him to see how he liked the joke, and you smile at each other. I watch, and I want it to be like that for me and my husband when we marry, understanding each other.”
“I would hardly say that we understand each other particularly well,” Elizabeth replied. “I beg you not to believe that things are… after we argued today, I hardly know what will happen.”
Georgiana looked at her with big eyes. “Was it about Mr.Wickham?”
“A part was about the two of you,” Elizabeth replied. “I do think… I do not know the details of how he convinced you to elope with him. And how matters were settled. I realize that I had decided Darcy’s behavior in this matter was not to my taste on the basis of too little information.”
“Oh! He saved me. Do you… do you think he should have me sent off?”
Georgiana started to shuffle away from Elizabeth on the divan, and Elizabeth embraced her sister-in-law. “Of course I do not.” And Elizabeth held her around the shoulders. “You sweet pet. I begin to suspect you merely act so meek to seek compliments.”
“I swear I do not,” Georgiana said in an offended tone. “I — oh, you are teasing.” She laughed. “I really do not. I… I suppose I judge myself so harshly.”
“You should not judge in that way. A girl of your age cannot be expected to be wise.”
“Why not! I am intelligent, educated well, widely read, I know French and Italian and German. I play the piano very well. And all of that at my age. Why can I not expect myself to not be… stupid. I could not help loving him. I had always loved him as a child. But beyond that, I was a fool. He lied to me the entire time. And I was such a goose. I would have… I would have given him my fortune even though I knew he did not actually love me, just because he needed it. But…”
“What was Wickham lying to you about?”
“Oh, many things.” A very unhappy expression crossed her face. “He had promised Mrs. Younge, my companion, three thousand pounds frommydowry if we married. He told me that the ‘misunderstanding’ between him and my brother was wholly finished. He… he told me that he thought I was beautiful.”
“That is not a lie.”
“It was… from him. That was… my brother had found letters Mrs. Younge had secreted from Wickham. Fitzwilliam said that she’d kept them so she could blackmail him if we married — isn’t that awful? They pretended to be friends, but they hated each other too. He wrote that I was ugly, fawning, willing to believe anything, and, and… And my heart still jumped when I looked at his portrait —I am so stupid.”
Elizabeth gave the girl a tight squeeze. “You are not.”
“I keep hoping… he will change his character and apologize. He’ll beg my brother for a long engagement, and for settlement terms where he would never be able to touch the money, just because he loves me and wants me.Me. Not… not that damned money — oops. I should not say that word. I know.”
“Indelicate.” Elizabeth agreed amiably. “Zounds is preferred.”
Georgiana giggled and wiped her nose with one of the conveniently nearby handkerchiefs that Mary had earlier given Elizabeth. “Why do we sayzounds? It is an odd term, if you think about it.”
“It is short for God’s wounds.”
“That does not make sense, G does not sound like Z.”
Elizabeth shrugged in a helpless way that made Georgiana giggle again.
Georgiana studied the thick blanket they shared. “He won't.”
“No, I do not think Mr. Wickham cares for you. Nor that he understands your character.”
“I know.”
