Georgiana smiled and promised, and they both returned their attention to Neddy. If Elizabeth grieved, she did it silently, and the girl never knew.
Thirty-One
AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE
Georgiana was acting a little strangely. All through dinner, she continuously smiled at him, eyes shining, as if she was bursting with news. Or, as if she carried an exciting secret she could not wait to share.
Darcy and Bingley had been out settling a property dispute between two tenants and while settled satisfactorily, it had taken the whole of the day. Therefore, he had been unable to share any time alone with his sister, nor to make the usual enquiries regarding Edward and Elizabeth.
Those questions and her answers were a meagre consolation, but all he had; hearing them was all that helped him to keep his countenance, to keep hisfeelingsunder good regulation. His sister had become somewhat more talkative when it came to her friend Elizabeth, and Darcy exploited this weakness mercilessly to eke out information.We will be leaving soon, he justified.Directly after Christmas. Or perhaps…perhaps later in January.
After dinner, he watched his sister closely, searching for an opportunity to speak privately. Miss Bingley, however, was a constant source of annoyance. If she was not badgering him with compliments and questions, she was making Georgiana uncomfortable with repeated requests that she demonstrate her extraordinary talent with the pianoforte. For the first time, it occurred to him that by pushing a match with Bingley, he was condemning her to a sisterhood with the Bingley siblings.
For some, it would not have mattered so much, but for Georgiana, he could see what a trial it was for her to endure the endless recitals of praise. Worse, Miss Bingley was obviously campaigning to be a much closer comrade, inundating her on every subject from the latest fashions to her personal nervous complaints. His sister did not take much interest in either clothing or illnesses, and upon any topic to which she was unsure how to respond, she was in obvious agonies of apprehension.
Surely she will become accustomed to them, he reassured himself. She did need to learn more conversational adeptness. It was probably best for her to learn it here, in an uncritical environment.
All the same, the relentless attention meant there was no opportunity to take her aside. She gave him a long look before she excused herself from the company and, with Mrs Annesley in tow, went off to bed. He was almost envious of the youth that gave her the excuse to retire early and avoid the game of loo Hurst insisted upon. It was after midnight before he managed to break free.
To his surprise, Georgiana was asleep on the settee in the sitting room attached to his chambers. Exhausted and thinking of nothing except his wish for privacy to think his own drearythoughts, he might not have even noticed her in there, had not his valet, Havers, quietly pointed it out.
He gently shook her shoulder. “Georgiana,” he said softly.
“Mm,” she mumbled.
He shook a little harder and she opened her eyes, blinking owlishly in the candlelight.
“There you are,” she said, sitting up and yawning. “I thought you would never come.”
“You could have sent a note with a servant, and I would have come immediately.”
“I did not want to make a fuss. Or do anything that might lead to more questions from Miss Bingley. She is the nosiest woman I know. Not that I know all that many. Mrs Hurst is not so bad, except that she is so full of nerves.”
“I presume you had a reason for wishing to speak with me?” he asked, trying to subdue his impatience.
“Oh. Yes. It is very confidential, however. I must have your word that this is between you and me.” She yawned again. “Well, and possibly one other person. But that remains to be seen.”
He grit his teeth and, counselling himself to patience, sat down beside her. “Very well. What is it?”
“It is about arranging a future marriage.”
Immediately, the image of herself and Bingley flashed into his mind. Had his friend spoken to her about italready? And she was willing? Surely notnow, however, despite her willingness to elope with Wickham. He was so surprised, his voice took a few seconds to catch up to his mind. In the meanwhile, she kept speaking.
“There must be conditions, however. I think you are the very person to insist upon them.”
Yes, there will be conditions! Such as, the marriage will not take place for at least another two years!
“You have enough influence to ensure he holds to those conditions. It would be desirable, I think, to get it all in writing, in case you need to remind him later.”
“Any settlement wouldof coursebe in writing,” he assured in a choked tone, nearly speechless at this entire conversation. When had they spoken? He could swear Bingley had been avoiding her! What had been said?
“Good. Not that I do not trust Mr Morris—I only think it well to be certain he understands his duty.”
“What in the world?” His tone emerged in a near shout. There were two Mr Morrises in the area of whom he was aware, and the one who was not married was in no way suitable for his young sister.
She frowned at him. “Fitzwilliam?”
He forced his voice to calm. “Excuse me. I thought I heard you say you wish to marry Mr Morris? I must have misheard.”
