“I fear the sentiment can become a rather meaningless one,” Elizabeth answered softly. “Many express their regrets, but most know not how to speak comfort into the face of grief, if they do not also share in it.”
Georgiana’s eyes widened and her lips parted in amazement, but she quickly lifted her cup to conceal her speechlessness. It was the colonel who made reply.
“I am afraid, Miss Bennet, that my dear cousin has too long been shut away with only her dreary relations,” he gestured self-deprecatingly to his own person. “Certain matters have dominated all the conversations in our family circle, and fresh topics and faces have become all the more dear. You must imagine her delight when we heard that our friend Mr Bingley had wed your sister, and that Longbourn was a mere half-day’s journey from London. We are most grateful that you are not put out by our unexpected visit.”
Elizabeth smiled. “I am pleased that you came, sir, and pray do not apologise further. It is no trouble, but a delight to receive such agreeable company.”
Fitzwilliam chuckled his agreement, then his gaze went to Mr Bingley, standing near the hearth. “Well, Bingley, I think my cousin would prefer to renew her acquaintance with Miss Bennet without the benefit of a dour old bear looking over her shoulder. She has seen quite enough of me of late! Shall we leave the ladies to their refreshments? I am craving an introduction to Mr Bennet and Mr Gardiner, if I may presume so far.”
“You will find them in the library, Colonel,” Mrs Bennet preened, fluttering her fan in that direction before shielding her face with it to exchange significant glances with Elizabeth. Elizabeth suppressed an audible groan. Had her mother already assumed that the colonel had come on her account, and was eagerly awaiting an opportunity to speak with her father? If so, her mother knew precious little of the man’s expectations beyond that he was the son of an earl! Asecondson.
The gentlemen retired, and with them they took the tense calm which had permeated the drawing room full of females. The door had scarcely closed when cheerful uproar burst forth, with Kitty claiming the now vacant seat to Georgiana’s left and Mrs Bennet assailing them all with her admiration of Miss Darcy’s lace.
Georgiana absorbed the Bennet merriment with shy reserve, casting hesitant glances now and again to Elizabeth and to Jane, in whose company she had found herself instantly at ease. At length, when Mrs Bennet had exhausted her admiration for Georgiana’s sense of fashion, Mrs Gardiner quietly noted to her sister that Mr Gardiner had just developed a new trade interest, and that he had recently obtained a deal of satin—not quite so dear, but nearly as lovely as that worn by Miss Darcy. This won Mrs Bennet’s praise, and soon that worthy lady was drawn in thoroughly by wise Mrs Gardiner’s sensible observations.
Elizabeth tactfully questioned Georgiana about the Derbyshire winter, contrasting it gaily to the less bitter, but equally dreary days experienced by Hertfordshire. Georgiana responded amiably enough, but her eyes had begun to stray toward the instrument in the corner. It was safe and peaceful to her there, Elizabeth assumed, a thing which could not be said of any other part of Longbourn’ s drawing room.
“Snow and freezing temperatures since October!” Kitty was lamenting from Georgiana’s left. “Lizzy, you could never take your long walks in such a clime. I think our aunt’s old home of Lambton is near there, is that not right, Lizzy? Would it be near enough to walk, Miss Darcy? Surely it would be a jolly village for a regiment to be stationed.”
“There have been no regiments quartered there in my memory, Miss Catherine,” was Georgiana’s prim, yet bashful response. “As for walking, Pemberley is far too large to travel its borders on foot.”
“I was told once,” Elizabeth’s face softened in sentimental humour, “that a young lady must take care to improve her horsemanship for that very reason. It is a useful skill for a mistress.”
Georgiana’s eyes rose sharply. “That is precisely what Fitzwilliam used to tell me when I was learning to ride,” she answered in a low voice. “I never knew how true his words would prove!”
“He wished to secure your future,” Elizabeth answered. “I believe he did all he could to protect and prepare you.”
Georgiana’s knuckles whitened again on her cup. “I only wish it had not been necessary!” she whispered.
If Kitty had looked for a merry companion of her own age in the fashionable Miss Darcy, she was quickly disappointed. It was clear even to her that their young guest was on the verge of tears as she spoke of her departed brother with such mysterious candour, and equally clear that those words were meant for Elizabeth and not herself. Her expression crumpling in petulant dismay, Kitty began attending Jane and Mary’s conversation about the latter’s growing list of accomplishments. Soon after, she leapt at the opportunity to fetch Mary’s needlework basket to display her newest embroidery knot.
Elizabeth breathed in sweet relief when Kitty left them. Georgiana’s eyes had again retreated to the quiet corner where the pianoforte stood. “Do you still find much opportunity to play?” Elizabeth asked gently.
Caught in her defensive distraction, Georgiana turned quickly back. “Not so much as I should wish. I have been occupied in other things.”
“I must imagine so,” Elizabeth agreed. “But is not music a perfect method to reflect and to lift the spirits?”
“It would be,” Georgiana sighed, “but I cannot touch my instruments without remembering how proud Fitzwilliam was to give them to me. He gave me the piano at Pemberley for my last birthday, did I ever tell you that?”
“You did. It is a beautiful instrument, and I know he intended for you to grace it with your talents.”
Georgiana’s face fell. “I was trying to believe the same, do you know. I had begun to play once more—not only my piano, but my new harp. Oh, that one hurt the most! Just before Christmas it was delivered, while Richard was away on business. I had not the heart to tell him about it when he returned. Fitzwilliam had commissioned it months ago, to replace my mother’s old harp that was in disrepair. He must have meant it as a surprise, and I cried so when I knew I could never thank him for it! Yet, I was so eager to learn to play it, but my cousin Miss de Bourgh found it irreverent. I thought perhaps I was wrong to be finding joy in the gifts he had given me, so I ceased.”
“Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth took her hand, “as my acquaintance with Mr Darcy was short, I cannot declare that I knew him well, but I can assure you that he would not have countenanced others imposing feelings of guilt or regret upon you. He wished to see you happy, more than anything else, and I have seen some proof of the measures to which he would have gone to ensure that.”
Georgiana’s expression broke wistfully. “He was so good to me! Richard knows all of this, and there is much I cannot tell anyone else, but…” her brow creased and she squeezed Elizabeth’s hand with sudden fervour. “Miss Elizabeth, you would not mind if I shared some of my more cherished memories with you? I have no one else who would care to listen, to whom they are not already known.”
Elizabeth threaded the fingers of her other hand over Georgiana’s. “I would be honoured, Miss Darcy.”
Chapter sixteen
Itwasallbetterthan Richard could have hoped. Mr Bennet, though a deliberately contrary, dry-witted sort, was not at all a bad fellow. He may have been an indolent parent, as Bingley had cautioned before making the introduction, but he was not the man to be swayed to another’s interest at the expense of his own. He would pose no ulterior threat to Georgiana, and by one or two comments gleaned from his speech, he appeared genuinely interested in promoting adventures afield for his eldest unmarried daughter. It was precisely as Bingley had apprised him earlier—Mr Bennet would not deny the request he had hoped to make.
Mr Gardiner proved the backbone to the whole scheme. Richard had laughed and sported gaily with the man, but in truth he had been heavily evaluating every nuance of inflection and manner. What he found pleased him greatly. This tradesman was far from the tufthunter he might have feared—in fact, it was probably no leap to surmise that the two Bennet sisters with whom he had spoken the most had learnt their grace and dignity more from their aunt and uncle than their parents.
Gardiner had been watching him with a hawk-like gaze as well, and Richard grunted at last in satisfaction. This tradesman would be a fierce protector, and Bingley’s glowing testimony only served to reinforce his own conclusion. He could trust this man with his very life.
Drawing a desperate gasp of courage, Richard angled for his opportunity, and made his proposition. His words were initially met with silence, raised brows, and pursed lips. Bingley, his eyes roving between Richard and the other two men, voiced his endorsement of the plan, and a careful discussion ensued.
