“Good morning, William. Lady Anne, Miss Darcy, I hope you both slept well.”
Neither replied. The silence was irksome as Mr. Darcy helped her fill her plate. “I thought today I would like to ask Mrs. Reynolds to introduce me to as many of the servants as possible, given that I was not properly introduced to them upon my arrival.”
Lady Anne gasped, and her slim white hand flew to her throat.
“Surely you do not object, Lady Anne?” Elizabeth’s words were innocent, but her tone held a trace of mockery. “The mistress of the estate must be made known to the staff.”
Mr. Darcy spoke up at once. “That is the right thing to do, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth nodded, and then said, turning to Miss Darcy, “Perhaps you would accompany me, Miss Darcy? You have doubtless known them all your life.”
Wordlessly, Miss Darcy shook her head.
“Very well; I shall rely on Mrs. Reynolds.”
Lady Anne rose from the table, but Elizabeth fixed her with a hard look. “Lady Anne, I would be grateful if you would refrain from going to Mrs. Reynolds to instruct her not to oblige me, or some such scheme. It is not right to put our housekeeper in the midst of our private battle; moreover, such tactics certainly cannot promote the smooth working of the estate, which should be our primary concern.”
“Quite right, Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy said, nodding.
Nose now completely out of joint, Lady Anne left the room in haste, knocking over one of the chairs as she went. One of the footmen hastily retrieved the fallen piece of furniture. Doubtless the substance of this morning’s breakfast conversation would make its way around the house in short order.
“I will practice my music now, Brother,” Miss Darcy said, hastily finishing her tea.
“Miss Darcy, please wait,” Elizabeth said.
The girl looked at Elizabeth fearfully and then at her brother.
“Please oblige Mrs. Darcy, Georgiana,” Mr. Darcy said, with a deep sigh.
“Miss Darcy, I know your talent on the pianoforte is extraordinary. But what can you tell me of your other studies?”
“I had a governess until two years ago,” she replied, looking down at her plate. “We studied history, geography, mathematics and literature. I learnt to sketch, and was thought to have some skill in that area.”
“French? Italian?”
“Mrs. Walker did not speak French or Italian.”
“A governess who had no languages? Odd. And then?”
“She was dismissed.”
“So now it is just music?”
“Yes, but I prefer that, truly!”
“I do not doubt you in the slightest, but – well, you are fifteen, are you not? You will be coming out in a year or two. What is being done to prepare you for that?”
“I do not wish to come out,” Miss Darcy said, heatedly. “All that curtseying, and learning titles – no, I want none of it.”
“But – William?” Elizabeth looked over at her husband in surprise.
“She is shy,” was his response. “But, Georgiana, you will have to have a Season, you know.”
Elizabeth leaned forward. “Miss Darcy, do you remember that you told me I would play better if I practiced more? And you will recall that I agreed?”
“Yeeess…” Miss Darcy hesitated, already seeing in what direction the conversation was tending.
“It is exactly the same. Once you have had a good deal of practice in the social skills, you will be happy – eager, even! – to display them. It is natural to be nervous, of course, but I understand that there is a good deal to enjoy in having a Season in Town.”
