She tried again, this time choosing a gentleman who looked a little less proper. She repeated her question. “Excuse me, sir; can you tell me how to get to Grosvenor Square?”
He eyed her quizzically, then came closer and took her arm. “What business might you have in Grosvenor Square?”
She stammered, “I – I have relatives who live there.”
He looked her up and down and then said, “I rather doubt it, by the looks of you. But I think I can give you what you are looking for!” And he tried to pull her away with him.
She hissed, “Let me go or I will scream!”
He pushed her away and she fell on the ground. No one stopped to help her up. No one asked how she was. No one even glanced her way. She managed to get up and limped to a nearby building, leaning against a wall to try to recover her wits. She had thought she had no more tears left, but she had been wrong. She sobbed, afraid and helpless. She had thought she would be able to escape to the Matlocks, but what if she could not find them? London was enormous.
Still, this was likely her last chance, and she must make the most of it. She set off again, staring at the street signs as she walked. Was she even going in the right direction? Perhaps she should try asking a lady for directions, not a gentleman.
She saw two well-dressed young ladies, just a bit older than herself, laughing together as they looked in the shop windows. “Excuse me, could you please tell me the way to Grosvenor Square?”
They both raised their noses in the air as if they smelled something foul and ignored her.
“Please, I beg you, I am in terrible trouble!”
One of them looked at Georgiana’s abdomen and said, “I should say that you are!” And the other one laughed as if this was the most amusing thing she had ever heard.
“Here,” the first one said, handing her a coin. “Now run off.” And they hurried away.
Georgiana stared after them. Had she ever been that mean, that proud? She did not think so. She looked at her palm; she had been given a shilling.
Then she saw an old woman, shabbily dressed, walking on the opposite side of the street. Georgiana ran across to her, dodging carts and horses, and stopped her. “Please, ma’am, I will give you this shilling if you will tell me how to get to Grosvenor Square.”
The woman eagerly reached a hand for the shilling. Georgiana began to hand the coin over, but then thought better of it. Life in Mrs. Younge’s boarding house had made her wiser than she had been.
“No; directions first.”
The woman said, “For that shilling, I’ll even walk you halfway there.” The woman was as good as her word, for she walked with Georgiana for what seemed to be a very long time before saying, “There – see that tree?”
“That tall one?”
“Yes; that is in the center of the square. Do you know which house you are looking for?”
“No; but I believe I will recognise it when I see it.”
“Now give me the shilling.”
Georgiana did so, thanking the woman sincerely.
“Good luck to you, missy. Looks like you could use some.” And with that, the woman turned and walked away.
Georgiana took a deep breath and continued on her journey. Finally arriving at the square, she paused for breath and looked around. The square was enormous. It was lined with fashionable townhouses that all looked very much alike. She did not think she would recognise Matlock House after all.
She approached the first townhouse on the corner; climbing the steps, she was heartened to see that the house had a plaque announcing its name just to the left of the front door. It was Derby House. Good; she need not bother knocking there.
The next house was Huntingdon House. The next was Lindsey House. Then Winchilsea House. Then Essex House.
Georgiana was in despair. Would she never find her aunt and uncle?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
It was perhaps fortunate that Mr. Bennet had forgotten to inform his wife of the expected visit of his cousin and heir to the estate, Mr. Collins. His oversight had spared the family hours and hours of Mrs. Bennet wailing about the unfairness of the entail. Indeed, the family had heard quite enough of that over the years.
But as a result of this oversight, there was quite a furor when Mr. Collins arrived at Longbourn. Mrs. Bennet stomped into Mr. Bennet’s sanctuary without even knocking. “Mr. Bennet!” she screeched.
