Georgiana jumped up to greet him with a hug. “Brother, it is so good to see you. But what a surprise!”
Once Fitzwilliam had greeted Richard, he settled himself into a chair. His face was more relaxed and more cheerful than Georgiana could ever remember seeing. Perhaps he had been like this before their father died six years ago, but eversince then, Fitzwilliam always carried himself as though he was carrying a great weight of expectations upon his shoulders. He bore this weight with dignity but not cheerfulness.
“What brings you to London so suddenly?” Georgiana asked. She hoped he was here to stay. Life was always more interesting with her brother around. He did not ignore her the way Aunt Matlock did.
“I am afraid I will need to stay in Hertfordshire longer than I had anticipated. It will almost certainly be until after Christmas, possibly even into the new year,” said Fitzwilliam.
Georgiana’s heart sank. It would be a very lonely Christmas, indeed, if she was forced to spend it without her brother.
“I came here to tell you this,” said Fitzwilliam, “but also to see if you would like to join me there. I would not wish to spend Christmas apart from you.”
“Of course,” cried Georgiana, almost interrupting her brother. “Of course, I would like to come with you. That sounds wonderful!”
Fitzwilliam smiled at her apparent excitement. “Before you say for certain, there are a few things you should be aware of. First, I haven’t yet asked Bingley. It’s possible he won’t be returning to the country. If that is the case, I will have to take different lodgings, and they may be smaller than what you are used to.”
“I don’t mind,” said Georgiana quickly. “The little cottage I stayed at in Ramsgate last summer wasn’t particularly big, but it was still comfortable.”
Fitzwilliam nodded, as though she had responded the way he expected. Then, his face grew more serious. “The other issue is that Mr. Wickham is in the neighborhood.”
Georgiana felt the blood drain from her face. Mr. Wickham. He had been her father’s godson, and as such, she had trusted him. When she came across him in Ramsgate last summer, she had trusted him enough to believe herself to be in love with him. He even convinced her to elope with him.
Only the fact that Fitzwilliam had arrived earlier than planned had saved her from what would have been an absolutely miserable existence. As Fitzwilliam cast Mr. Wickham from the house, the man’s last words had been, “I suppose it’s just as well. She is so boring, I was beginning to think that being stuck with her might not be worth it after all.”
His words had inflamed Fitzwilliam’s anger enough that he attempted to punch Mr. Wickham, but that slippery snake managed to dodge, and he quickly left the house. Georgiana hadn’t seen him since that day, though she had thought about him often, usually in her darkest, most unhappy moments.
Fitzwilliam continued. “With him in the neighborhood, you would need to stay indoors unless I am with you. It might be stifling, and I wouldn’t blame you if you preferred to stay here.”
An unhappy choice lay before her. She would either have to live in fear near Mr. Wickham, or she would have to give up Fitzwilliam’s company for Christmas.
“Can you tell me what is so important that you must extend your time in Hertfordshire for so long?” she asked.
“I have found a lady I wish to marry,” said Fitzwilliam.
Georgiana was shocked. Fitzwilliam had seldom spoken highly of any lady, and Georgiana had been of the opinion that there was no lady in all of England who could truly deserve her brother. A memory flitted across her mind of a letter she had received describing a clever young lady and her beautiful eyes.
“Is it Miss Elizabeth?” she asked.
“Who is that?” asked Richard at the same time that Fitzwilliam said, “Where have you heard that name?”
She laughed. “I heard the name from you less than a fortnight ago. In your letter, you described how she cleverly turned your criticism of Mr. Bingley’s tendency to be easily swayed into a compliment to him. You also mentioned something about her eyes, though I cannot remember exactly what you wrote.”
“Darcy wrote about a lady’s eyes?” asked Richard. “I must see this lady myself.”
Fitzwilliam rolled his eyes. “I am certain it is not the first time I have admired a lady’s features,” he said. “However, in this case you are correct. It is indeed Miss Elizabeth Bennet I wish to marry. The situation is not so simple, though, for I have made her dislike me intensely. If I wish to be successful, I have an uphill battle, which is why it will take until after Christmas.”
“Then, I shall join you,” said Georgiana. “If I approve of her, then I shall help you as much as I can.”
“I am certain you shall approve of her,” said Fitzwilliam warmly. “I have never met a friendlier, more cheerful young lady. In fact, I hope you become good friends. She has four sisters that you may get along with as well, though the youngest has unusually high spirits and is not particularly well-mannered.”
“That sounds far more interesting than staying here,” said Georgiana, thinking about the long days she would spend indoors while Aunt Matlock was out visiting or attending parties.
“I agree,” said Richard. “I think I shall accompany you, if you don’t mind. Perhaps I can be of assistance where Wickhamis concerned, and if not, at the very least, I shall enjoy the sight of you being brought low by a woman.”
“I do not mind,” said Fitzwilliam, “but I will need to find out from Bingley what his plans are and if he would like your company.”
“Perhaps you should do that now,” said Richard. “Since both Georgiana and I are quite anxious to see this paragon of cheerfulness that you admire, you should go make arrangements with Mr. Bingley right away.”
Fitzwilliam smiled a tiny bit as he shook his head at their cousin’s nonsense. “Very well. I was hoping to see him today anyway, so I might as well go now.” He rose, but before he left, he asked Georgiana, “Are you certain?”
