“‘Perhaps’ it is none of these,” he answered. “And ‘perhaps’ I am being as oblique as you, speaking in false trails and riddles.”
“What is a false trail, but an option not explored? And what is a riddle, but a kernel of truth taken out of context?” A faint curve appeared at the corner of her mouth, though she still did not look at him. Her shoulder pressed against his until he crossed his hands and invited her to pirouette under his arm. The way she floated by his side, each step sweetly musical—this was a woman who knew the ballroom floor; knew it well, was mistress of the evening when she stepped out. Her eyes met his, and a hint of amusement played at their corners. “Any sensible employer would consider me impertinent for such speech.”
“Madam, impertinent does not begin to describe you. Any sensible lady’s companion would think better of her manner.”
She laughed, and her eyes… egad, they danced. Darcy caught his breath in some astonishment at the queer sensations panging against his ribs.
“If you wish to reprimand my manner, you may. It is your house, after all. But I am afraid you have made it nearly impossible to dismiss me.” She tipped her head with a rather provocative expression, then made a graceful parting gesture with her left hand, taking care to flash that gold ring as she did so.
He stepped back, permitting her to rejoin his sister at the pianoforte. Odd, how she could be so… so present and sharp when she spoke to him, and yet seconds later, her attention was wholly fixed on Georgiana.
As it should be, he reminded himself. At last, he had secured for Georgiana a companion who truly seemed to take an interest in her. A lady of poise and elegance, and yet raw, simple humanity lay close upon the surface. There was a gentleness in her, for all her tart speech and irreverence. And she was clever… far too clever.
Hopefully, he would not regret that.
Four
February 1813
Elizabeth’smotherclutchedherhand as their coach drew to the front of the house. “Lizzy, is it true? We are to live in a real house again? Oh, my dearest girl, pinch me if it is not true!”
Elizabeth grimaced, for the pinching was being inflicted upon her own hand. “It is true, Mama. Corbett is to be your home now. No more living as the poor relation, no more saving all month for bread or dividing us between our relatives or thinking of going out as a governess.” As if her mother could have passed for a governess.
Mrs Bennet’s eyes were moist, and she looked as if she might expire with her next breath. “My clever Lizzy! How it used to annoy me when your father called you the clever one, but it is true! How daring and wonderful of you to marry so prudently! Always thinking of your poor mother, you are.”
“It was not entirely my idea, Mama,” Elizabeth protested, but her mother was beyond hearing. She was tumbling down from Mr Darcy’s coach, which had brought Mrs Bennet and her remaining daughters from their most recent abode with Mr and Mrs Philips. Elizabeth waited for Lydia, Kitty and Mary to disembark in all their rowdy commotion before attempting the step herself.
“Oh, Lizzy!” Kitty cried. “You did not say the chicken coop was already full! We shall have fresh eggs every day. And look, Mama! There is a cow!”
Mrs Bennet was clutching Mary’s arm now, dabbing her eyes and sobbing incoherently. “If only Jane were here,” she blubbered, “we would have everything. Why would she not come when we wrote?”
“Mama,” Elizabeth soothed, “Jane is a woman of her word, and she gave it to the Robertson family. They are searching for a replacement for her, and she will come when she can.”
“But how silly!” insisted Mrs Bennet. “She is a lady of leisure! How dare they keep her?”
Elizabeth gave up and merely took her mother’s other arm to guide her into the stone house that now belonged to them. It was nearly the size of Longbourn but was not nearly so well kept. Mr Darcy had a horde of men working on it for weeks, and Elizabeth had spent every waking minute there that had not been devoted to Miss Darcy. The house was now rid of the stench of old filth, but the chimney piece was still crumbling, the kitchen yet showed evidence of a recent fire, and many of the floorboards in the upper rooms were liable to splinter into unsuspecting bare feet. But the roof was patched, and it was all hers.
In a manner of speaking.
She had not been without her moments of panic, self-loathing, and worry. Mr Darcy’s ludicrous plan had been carried off before she had quite known what to think, but now she had had time to reflect. Indeed, she had provided her mother with a home in which to pass her later years, and a place for her younger siblings to grow to maturity away from the questionable influence of officers.
But she had traded her father’s good name for that of a reprobate, and all for financial gain. That deed still dragged at her heart in her weary moments, causing her inner parts to bubble and twist in moral torment. And each time she would suffer, she could not help but think with a mixture of vexation and gratitude on the man responsible for her present state. It was all the fault of—
“Mr Darcy is so terribly kind to us!” exulted Mrs Bennet. “Why, the larder is full! And is that a smoked ham? Oh, Lizzy, we’ve not had one of those since… well, never mind.”
“Lizzy, what is Miss Darcy like?” Kitty wondered. “Did you not say that Pemberley manor is but three miles away? Why, we shall be the very jolliest of friends!”
“I would not pin your hopes on that, Kitty,” Elizabeth said diplomatically. “Miss Darcy is… well, she is a very sweet girl, but I do not think her brother would permit—”
“But she is my own age, is she not?” Kitty whined. “Why should we not be close friends? What other young ladies are in the neighbourhood but her?”
“Yes, Kitty, but you forget that Miss Darcy is of a different sphere,” Elizabeth explained. “It is not the same for her.”
“Oh, bother with Miss Darcy anyway,” Lydia interrupted. “I want to hear about Mr Darcy. Is it true he owns half of Derbyshire?”
“No, Lydia.”
“But he is vastly wealthy, is he not? Why, that carriage we rode in is probably his oldest and smallest one. And I heard he is fearfully handsome and had his heart broken by a woman!”
