Georgiana laughed and ignored the interruption.
“SupposeyourMilo encountered a wise person, who said, ‘Milo, you do realise if you set that bull down, he can walk on his own, and to be honest, I am not certain you need to keep a bull with you at all times. You might occasionally let it enjoy life among the other cattle.’”
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.
“Milo’s bull sits upstairs somewhere, probably in the mistress’ suite.”
They laughed, and Georgiana went on. “When Fitzwilliam returned from Rosings, he was like another man. Hetalkedto me… not like a silly younger sister, but like a friend, like a… well,not like an adult per se, but not a child either. He even did the best thing he has ever done.”
“Which is?”
“Hechastisedme for my silliness and lack of sense last summer. It is not as if I was never taught that eloping was both wrong and incredibly stupid. I was 15, had an excellent education, and did something I should have known was wrong; and for the past year he tried to take all the responsibility.Heshould have taught me better.Hefailed to hire a proper companion.Hefailed to bring Mr Wickham to heel sooner… you understand my meaning.”
“I see.”
“At long last, a few days ago, he gave me a proper scolding. He chastised me within an inch of my life for my blatant stupidity, then explained inexcruciatingdetail how much was wrong with the scheme, and how very, very wretched my life would have been had I gone along with it.”
“It sounds barbaric!”
“It was wonderful. The hardest but most wonderful hour of my life.”
“How so?”
“Because he respected me enough to stop treating me like a child. Iknowmy conduct was stupid, and he knew but would not admit it. Now, using Anne’s mirror analogy, we both look into the same mirror and see the same thing.”
“I may strangle your cousin over that mirror story.”
“So, you see, Lizzy… your Mr Darcy is a changed man. Shall we get back to my original question?”
“Which was?”
“What in the world have you done to my brother?”
“Are you expecting an answer?”
Georgiana leaned forward again and took Elizabeth’s hands.
“Actually, no! That is the best part.It does not matter!Somehow,youbroke through his shell of reserve and manners and responsibility and hurt and pain and awkwardness. Somehow, you made him closer to whole. I imagineyoumust have had a strong conversation, as that would appear to be your forte. I imagine he looked in the mirror, decided he did not like what he saw, and set about cleaning himself up to make his reflection closer to his true nature. He is probably stropping his razor as we speak.”
“I will neither confirm nor deny. I already violated his privacy more than I am comfortable with.”
“However you did it, I must say I like it. He is like a hideous but expensive piece of jewellery that can be melted down and remade into something pretty.”
“I am not certain he would appreciatethatanalogy.” Elizabeth laughed.
“It worked. He is like a new man. I should not be surprised if he made you an offer.”
Panic seized Georgiana—she had gone a step too far.
Elizabeth replied with surprising calm, “He already has.”
Georgiana’s face lit up like the sunrise, only to fall at once. “You must have declined. If you had an understanding, you would have steered this conversation in an entirely different direction.”
“I did. It was as gentle as I could make it, but I did decline.”
Georgiana looked pensive. “Might I know why? Or whether you declined before or after his transformation?”
“You wish to establish cause and effect?”
