“No, I didnotknow! For what reason, pray?”
Miss Darcy looked uncomfortable now. “Well – it is not usual, is it?’
“No, indeed, as the introduction generally takes place as soon as the mistress of the house arrives, but things were rather – well, out of kilter when I arrived, if that is not too strong a term.”
“I suppose I could have called everyone together, once it became apparent that my careful arrangements had fallen apart,” Mr. Darcy said, ruefully.
“No, I do not think you could have; there was too much high emotion at the time. But no matter; I will meet with another group of servants tomorrow, and will continue until I have introduced myself to everyone. Now, then, enough of that! Miss Darcy, how was your day?”
The girl spoke, hesitantly at first, but with increasing ardour, of the music she had played, which passages had been difficult, her plans for the morrow’s practice, and so on. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth traded glances; it was clear that she had done nothing other than play the pianoforte.
Once his sister had stopped speaking, Mr. Darcy turned to Elizabeth and said, “Harp of the North! that mouldering long hast hung, On the witch-elm that shades Saint Fillan's spring.”
“Lady of the Lake,” she replied, promptly.
Miss Darcy’s eyes opened wide. “Is it a competition?”
Mr. Darcy replied, “It is, and so far I believe neither of us has bested the other.”
Elizabeth added, “It is my father’s game; it is called First Line. One person says the first line or sentence of a poem or book, and the others in the room guess the name of the work. It need not be a complete sentence, as many sentences are quite long. Just enough to give the other players a fair chance.”
“May I play as well?”
“Of course!”
Miss Darcy screwed up her face in thought, and then finally said, “Methinks, Oh! vain ill-judging Book, I see thee cast a wishful look.”
Elizabeth clapped her hands. “Oh!The Monk! Well done, Miss Darcy!”
Mr. Darcy shook his head. “I did not know that one.”
“It is a romance, not your preferred form of reading,” Elizabeth said. “My sisters and I read romances aloud to one another in the drawing room after dinner every evening, so I have rather the advantage in that particular genre.”
“It must be so nice to have sisters,” Miss Darcy said, quite softly.
“Itisnice, so imagine how happy I was to learn that I had a sister ready-made for me here at Pemberley,” Elizabeth smiled at Miss Darcy, not adding the sad truth of how that ready-made sister had treated her.
But Miss Darcy surprised her by saying, “I have not been a very good sister, though, have I? No, you need not reply; I know what my behaviour has been.”
Forced into honesty, at least of a sort, Elizabeth replied, “Well, you were surprised to learn that you had a sister; much may be forgiven on that score.”
“No, no, you shall not excuse me,” Miss Darcy said, determinedly. “It is only that I do not know how to be a good sister to you while still being a good daughter to my mother.”
Elizabeth was surprised; she had not expected that much self-awareness from this shy young girl. But before she could reply, Mr. Darcy intervened. “You should never have been called upon to make that choice, Georgiana.”
“It does not matter; that is the choice that is before me, and I know not what to do. But,” and now she cast a soulful glance at Elizabeth. “At least we may call one another by our given names, if you are still willing to allow that.”
“Nothing would make me happier, Georgiana,” was the staunch reply. “My name is Elizabeth, but my family often calls me Lizzy.”
“Lizzy! Oh, I like that very much! My brother and I have suchlongnames.”
“Then Lizzy it is.”
And just then dinner was announced, and they went in.
“Mother is still not joining us?” Georgiana asked, worriedly.
“This is her own choice, remember,” her brother said.
