“Quite good, actually; Cook was very kind to me when I first arrived. I was near starving, and she gave me a big plate of food without a word of censure.”
“Lydia, I have made a decision as to how we will move forward,” Mr. Bennet said, once plates had been filled.
Lydia put her fork down and folded her hands in her lap, waiting for the dire punishment her father had in store for her. “Yes, Papa?” she whispered.
“You are a silly, ignorant girl,” he began.
“You are right,” she said, nodding.
“We will address that, beginning tomorrow. You are to present yourself in my study every morning after breakfast, and I will assign you lessons.”
“Lessons?” Lydia looked deeply confused.
“Yes; mathematics, French, and literature, to start. Later, we will add history and current politics.”
“You are going to teach me?” Lydia was not certain she understood.
“Precisely; and you are to take these lessons quite seriously, or I will put you back in the schoolroom at once.”
“Oh! I will be very, very good!” she exclaimed, astonished at the idea of her father taking such an interest in her. “Thank you, Papa; I will study as hard as you could wish!”
“Hmmph,” he replied. “We shall see.”
“And there is one more thing I should like to learn,” Lydia added. “Mary, might you be willing to instruct me on the pianoforte?”
Mary was surprised at having been so applied to, but she replied at once that she would be happy to do so.
“Mr. Bingley will visit us tomorrow,” Jane said. “I imagine Mr. Darcy and Georgiana will join him.”
“Georgiana?” Lydia asked.
“Mr. Darcy’s young sister; she is very sweet, Lydia. I think you will like her,” Jane explained.
Lydia looked down at her plate. “And she knows about me?”
“She does, yes; after all, it was her brother, Mr. Darcy, who was ultimately responsible for your rescue.”
Elizabeth wondered if she should explain Georgiana’s history with Mr. Wickham; she glanced at Jane and raised an eyebrow;Jane quickly shook her head. Jane was right, Elizabeth thought; it was for Georgiana to tell her story, but only if and when she wished to do so.
Chapter Fifty-Four
The Bennets sent an immediate message to Netherfield telling them that Lydia had come home and was quite well. Mr. Bingley and Georgiana were delighted; Mr. Darcy did his best to act surprised. All professed their eagerness to welcome the youngest Bennet home, but understood that Miss Lydia would need a day or two before she would be ready for visitors.
That time passed slowly for Georgiana, who had become quite accustomed to visiting her “new sisters,” as she termed them, every day, but she understood that Miss Lydia needed a little time to be alone with her family. “Poor Miss Lydia! What she must have gone through – I cannot imagine it!” Georgiana cried.
“You will be everything kind to her, I am sure,” Mr. Darcy said.
“Of course I will! And this means that you can marry Lizzy!”
Mr. Darcy could not help the wide grin that spread over his face. “We are all very grateful that she has returned to her family.”
“But how was she found? Have you any idea, Brother?”
Mr. Darcy thought it best to allow Lydia to tell her own tale. “We shall all hear the story when we next visit Longbourn, no doubt.”
“Is tomorrow too soon, think you?” Mr. Bingley walked into the room in time to overhear the last bit of the conversation. “Perhaps I should send a message to Longbourn, asking when it would be convenient for us to call on them. I know we must wait, but perhaps one day is enough!”
The Darcys agreed that this was indeed the best course of action. A message was sent at once, and a reply from Miss Bennet came an hour later, assuring Mr. Bingley that the Bennets would be happy to entertain guests on the morrow.
