“Oh, it was my pleasure. Such a sweet girl! Our duets may have been simple, but it was the first time I enjoyed playing in so long.Even though I was making mistakes, since I hardly remembered the pieces. She seemed to love it anyway.”
“We all notice our own mistakes far more than anyone else's.” How much had it meant to her to have someone look up to her so admiringly, someone who wanted nothing more than to spend more time with her? Perhaps he should not try so hard to encourage her to interact with the ladies of theton.
Her brow furrowed. “It is not just that. I felt as if no one there would care if I made mistakes, that they would like me just as well. That they would never think to make fun of me as soon as my back is turned.” She sighed. “Playing with Margaret was almost like having a sister.” Then she looked directly at him. “I wish Miss Elizabeth were my sister.”
Darcy stiffened. It was clear she was sending him a message, not mentioning an idle fancy. Should he pretend not to understand it, when for once she was telling him how she felt?
No, it was not worth the risk. “I wish that were possible.” And oh, how he ached for it, for his own sake! “Despite her many fine qualities, for the sake of our family, I must marry someone in high society, with much better connections.” And a large dowry to make up for the expense of Georgiana’s, too, but he did not want to say that.
Her shoulders drooped. “The ladies in thetoncare only about your wealth and social status. They pretend to like you only for what they can get from you, just likehepretended to like me. Is that truly what you wish for?”
Stung, he said, “Do you think Miss Elizabeth is any different? That she would not want the advantages I could offer her?”
“She befriended me when she had absolutely nothing to gain from it. And when she discovered I was your sister, she tried to run away, rather than using me to get closer to you. That is just the opposite of the girls who claim to be my friend in order to get your attention. Ihatethem and their false friendship.”
He stared at her in bafflement. What could he say? There were so many considerations in choosing a wife, and Elizabeth met none of the criteria, neither in her birth, her connections, her education, or her style. Everyone would think him a fool if he married her. His family would scorn her.
Except for Georgiana, who saw her as the one true heart in her world.
His sister was right. How were the young ladies of the marriage mart, dressed up in their silks and jewels, paraded for their accomplishments, taught to flatter any rich gentleman who deigned to dance with them, any different from George Wickham, who pursued Georgiana for her money? How often had he heard from older men at the club, bemoaning that they had married a pretty young girl who could fill their homes with her musical performances, only to have her stop practicing as soon as the vows were taken?
Elizabeth had picked a quarrel with him. She had told him how he had hurt her sister by warning Bingley off her. She had not sought out his good opinion - quite the opposite! If anything, it seemed she only tolerated him for Georgiana's sake.
But then there had been that kiss under the mistletoe. Her lovely eyes had been soft and dark afterwards, her cheeks delightfully flushed. She had not been indifferent to his kiss.
The kiss he had relived a thousand times since then, that he could still feel through his entire body whenever he looked at Elizabeth.
He took a deep breath. “I understand your point, but pray recall that not everyone in thetonis shallow and venal. There are good people there, too. Cousin Richard, for example. He wants a wealthy wife, but he has no intention of lying to get one, and he will make some heiress a fine husband.”
Georgiana turned her face as if to look out the window, her smile disappearing as if it had never existed. “I suppose.”
Damnation! Why did this have to be so hard? Elizabeth always seemed to know the right thing to say to her. But he, despite knowing her all these years, did not.
Chapter 7
Theafternoonofshoppingwas off to a good start. Elizabeth had dressed with care, suspecting that the shops involved would be a finer quality than she usually patronized. She did not want to embarrass Georgiana by looking like a poor relation.
If there was someone else she hoped would notice her improved appearance, she did not let herself admit it.
As she had expected, the shops were beyond her budget, but it was still a pleasure to see such fine goods. Her eyes were caught by a pair of exquisitely embroidered kid gloves which she longed to have as her own, but dared not even ask the price. When she saw Mr. Darcy watching her, she reluctantly set them aside.
Then they went to a milliner’s shop. Elizabeth was following Miss Darcy when the girl stopped short in the entrance and gasped. Elizabeth craned her neck to look past her at an all toofamiliar man at the counter. A plain but richly dressed young lady of sixteen or so clung to his arm. Wickham was smiling down at her with what Elizabeth could now recognize as a practiced charm.
“Thank you for allowing me buy it for you,” he said. “After all, it will give me such pleasure to see you wearing it, for it frames your beauty.”
He had said almost the same words to her once about some ribbons, before she had informed him she could not possibly receive a present from a gentleman. Why had she not realized then that he had no honor? Instead, she had been flattered. What a fool she had been!
Oh, she had some words to say to him! But first she had to protect Miss Darcy from him. The poor girl's face was white. She leaned forward and whispered to her, “Shall we go? There are other shops we can patronize.”
“No,” she said clearly, though her voice trembled a bit. “I like the bonnets here.”
Wickham turned, a delighted expression on his face. Elizabeth was still in the shadow of the doorway, so he might not see her. “Miss Darcy! This is the most pleasant surprise. I cannot tell you how often I have thought of you since our last meeting.”
Miss Darcy raised her chin. “Mr. Wickham, what a great pity it is that such a handsome face and charm of manner should be wasted on a man with no more honor than a... a pig in a sty.” The words they had prepared together.
His look of shock was quickly replaced by one of sad concern. “My dear Miss Darcy, what has happened? I fear your brother has been maligning me. He chased me away, you know. I would never have left of my own free will. You must know that.”
The girl swallowed hard, apparently having exhausted her strength. Elizabeth was glad to take over. “I suppose you did not leavemeof your own free will, either. No, you left because youwere expelled by the militia for dishonorable behavior with the colonel's wife - and for racking up enormous debts with the town merchants.” She turned to the milliner. “Good sir, for your sake, I would strongly urge you not to extend credit to this gentleman. Any tradesman in Meryton would second my suggestion with great vigor.”
