Elizabeth shook her head, swallowing against the lump in her throat. “Perhaps. But I fear that time is slipping away, Jane. And when it is gone, I will have no one to blame but myself.”
The carriage wheels creakedsoftly over the gravel drive as Darcy leaned back in his seat, casting a glance toward his sister. Georgiana sat across from him, her posture relaxed for the first time in weeks. The faintest smile played on her lips as she gazed out the window at the retreating view of the Pomeroys’ grand estate.
“I cannot tell you how glad I am to be leaving,” she said, her voice light but sincere. “Mrs. Pomeroy means well, but she insists on speaking of nothing but London society, as though it were the only thing in the world that mattered.”
Darcy’s lips curved into a faint smile. “She does enjoy her gossip.”
“Enjoy it? She thrives on it,” Georgiana replied, rolling her eyes. “And Miss Pomeroy—she is perfectly polite, but I do not think she has ever read a book that was not about fashion or manners. I felt like an interloper every time I so much as opened the piano.”
Darcy chuckled softly. “I believe Elizabeth Bennet would say the same.”
Georgiana’s head tilted curiously, her attention snapping to him. “Miss Bennet? You wrote about her in your last letter. What is she like?”
Darcy stiffened slightly, caught off guard by the question. How had her name slipped past his lips so readily? He hesitated, the image of Elizabeth’s sharp wit and sparkling eyes flashing unbidden in his mind. “She is…” He faltered, searching for the right words. “She is… unconventional.”
Georgiana’s brow lifted. “Unconventional? That is not very descriptive.”
Darcy’s gaze flicked to the window, his jaw tightening. “She is clever, independent, and unafraid to speak her mind.”
Georgiana smiled. “She sounds fascinating. Do you think I shall have the chance to meet her?”
The question struck him like a blow. Darcy’s grip on his knee tightened as he forced himself to maintain an even tone. “That is unlikely,” he said curtly, avoiding her gaze. “Circumstances… have changed.”
Georgiana frowned, leaning forward slightly. “Circumstances? Fitzwilliam, what happened?”
“Nothing that need concern you,” Darcy replied, his voice firmer now. He turned his attention back to her, softening slightly at the confusion in her expression. “Georgiana, let us leave the topic.”
His sister looked as though she might press further but relented, leaning back in her seat with a sigh. For a moment, silence stretched between them, broken only by the steady rhythm of the carriage wheels.
“You seem restless,” Georgiana said after a pause, her tone quieter now. “Is it because of Miss Bennet?”
Darcy’s chest tightened, but he forced himself to remain calm. “I have much on my mind, Georgiana. That is all.”
She studied him for a moment, her brow furrowed, but eventually nodded. “Where will we go next? Are we returning to London?”
Darcy hesitated, the thought of London filling him with unease. The idea of its bustling streets and glittering parlors, with their endless chatter and probing questions, felt unbearable. “I am considering turning north,” he said at last. “To Pemberley.”
Georgiana’s face fell, her earlier brightness dimming. “But Richard is in London for Christmas,” she said, her voice almost pleading. “I was hoping to see him before his leave ends.”
Darcy’s resolve wavered at the mention of their cousin. Colonel Fitzwilliam’s warmth and humor were a balm for Georgiana, and she had always adored their time together. Darcy sighed, leaning his head back against the seat. “Very well. We will return to London.”
Georgiana’s relief was immediate, her smile returning. “Thank you, Fitzwilliam. I know you do not care for London, but it will mean so much to see him.”
He nodded, though the weight of his thoughts pressed heavily on him. Georgiana turned her attention back to the window,her spirits noticeably lighter, but Darcy’s mind was a tangle of contradictions. Elizabeth’s advice had been sound—sending Georgiana to the Pomeroys had indeed been a mistake, and the guilt of his stubbornness stung bitterly now.
And yet, the very thought of Elizabeth brought fresh pain. How had he allowed himself to be so thoroughly deceived? Her laughter, her teasing, her charm—it had felt so real, so genuine. And now, knowing it had all been part of a wager, left him hollow. His jaw tightened as he stared out at the passing landscape, willing the memories to fade.
Georgiana spoke again, her voice soft. “Do you think Miss Bennet would have liked me?”
Darcy closed his eyes briefly, his chest tightening further. “I cannot say.”
Georgiana frowned. “Why not? You seemed to think so highly of her before.”
Darcy’s gaze snapped back to her, his tone sharper than he intended. “Because it is a question that does not matter, Georgiana.”
She blinked at his uncharacteristic brusqueness, her mouth opening slightly in surprise. Darcy immediately regretted his tone, exhaling heavily. “Forgive me. It has been a long journey, and I am tired.”
The pony cart rattledalong the uneven lane, its wheels crunching against the frost-touched earth. Elizabeth kept her hands tight on the reins, her jaw set in grim determination as Lucas Lodge came into view. The neatly kept house stood asserene and unbothered as ever, utterly unaware of the turmoil its occupant had caused.
