“Yes, of course! I thought I would die—I wanted to at first. It was worse than I could have ever imagined!”
“But you were comforted,” he suggested. “Others came to you, and brought you cheer.”
“Yes,” she answered slowly.
“I had nothing of the sort, only my memories of home—of you, of Richard.”
“And of Elizabeth?”
His brow dimpled. “Georgiana, I was afraid that in a moment of weakness, I might be induced to say something that would endanger you. I prayed, I hoped that you were safe, but there was nothing I could do to protect you. I fought in every way I could to avoid letting my thoughts stray to you.”
She sighed and nodded solemnly. “So, you thought of Elizabeth. And she must have thought of you, because everyone was turning to her for comfort, and she had no one herself.”
“That explanation will suffice.” He tapped his finger on his saucer. “Georgiana, I hope that one day you will love, as I have learned to. It has given me life when I had none, brought hope into the darkness, and now it has offered me a future. I will always treasure you, and none could ever replace you, but Elizabeth owns a part of me that I never knew to exist. You must not feel threatened by her.”
Georgiana pursed her lips and tilted her head to allow her gaze to rove over him for a long, uncomfortable minute. “Elizabeth sent you here,” she pronounced at last, a faint smile touching her eyes.
He shifted in his seat. “She recommended it, yes.”
She set aside her cup and saucer and patted her hands on her lap in mild amusement. “I have never seen you bend to another person’s wishes so easily!”
“Do you not think her advice sound?”
She sighed, her faint smile growing in colour and vibrancy. “Lydia said I was being foolish, and now you have seconded her opinion. It is hard, Fitzwilliam, I will not lie. You have been away for so long, and I have missed you so!”
His face softened. “I imagine you must have had a dreadful time of it.”
“Yes,” she bit her lip and looked down, apparently deciding against sharing more. “But I will try, Fitzwilliam. I had begun to think I would have liked her for a sister. Now she will be, and I think it a fine thing.”
“You will no longer be troubled by her presence?”
She drew back her shoulders in a brave manner. “I will try,” she repeated. A light came to her eyes and she smiled again. “But will you return the favour, Fitzwilliam?”
He lifted a brow. “Of course, Georgiana, you may ask for anything.”
Her face grew ever livelier, inspired by the joy she expected in his answer to her great request. “I would like for Lydia Wickham to stay with us after her child is born!”
His entire body flinched. “Save for that.”
Chapter fifty-one
Lambton
Richarddidnotsleepfor most of the night. He prowled the floor until half past eleven, his boots clapping loudly against the boards until he began to fear that Williams, the innkeeper, would come personally to see what was the matter with his guest. He tossed himself on the bed then, prying off his boots and wishing for his batman.Anyface would have been welcome, for that matter, save his cousin’s!
He fell back on the pillow, staring at the black ceiling. HowdareDarcy cast aspersions on the woman who had thrown herself into danger to save his worthless hide! Had the man any notion of the sacrifice she had made? Had he even noticed that hideous bruise over her beautiful face—the price of disobedience?
How fresh and angry it must have been then! Richard’s own fingers pressed into his eye sockets, wishing he could blot out the image, but instead revisiting it. The tender purple streaking over her cheekbones, the tears slipping over it from her golden eyes, it was all as real now as it had been days ago. How had it happened? Had that beast Vasconcelos thrown her to the ground, held her against her will—forced her?
Richard snatched the pillow from under his head to crush it over his face. At least it muffled the broken sobs and captured the hot tears, if it did not erase the horrible scene in his mind. She… shemustbe safe now! He had to believe she was, or he would go mad. Surely, the captain would have arranged something for his sister, if she could not remain at the camp. Ruy would have found a way….
Twohourslater,sleephad still not found him. He was up and pacing again, now in his stocking feet. His thoughts had turned back to his block-headed cousin, because he preferred anger on which he could act over grief he was helpless to mitigate. The fool was staring at the harmless insect, and was going to look right over the snake until it rose out of the grass to bite him!
Richard stopped pacing for a moment, then fumbled through his travel case until he found a small bunch of notepaper. He lit his lantern and scratched a few notes to himself, listing out possible avenues. Not that he expected Darcy to pursue them, of course, but he could investigate on his own. It was his family involved as well, after all.
Broderick—perhaps he might uncover something. Richard listed a few possible places for the man to search. Wickham had been seen in the area recently, that seemed a plausible place to begin. He seemed to know something, though whether he had intended to feed Miss Bennet the truth or a lie was yet unknown. Richard would give his whole inheritance, pittance that it was, for just one hour alone with the man in a windowless room!
It was a shame that he had not found an opportunity to question the ladies at Pemberley a little more. Elizabeth had expressed her reservations clearly, but by that moment he had already set foot in his carriage and would not be turned. Perhaps he ought to reconsider, for she was certainly correct that at least Mrs Annesley’s behaviour merited some explanation.
