A tear dripped down Georgiana cheek as she whispered, “Because they knew one another. The two of them had contrived the meeting between them.”
“How is that even possible?” Countess de Lieven asked, frowning. “How could they have known one another?”
It was Elizabeth who said, “Because my husband, Mr. Darcy, did not realise that her references were forgeries. Mrs. Younge and the man in question engineered the entire thing, from start to finish, in order to gain control of Georgiana’s dowry. Can you imagine such evil!”
“Mr. Darcy should have –“ Viscountess Castlereagh began, but Elizabeth cut her off.
“Of course he should have. And you must believe me when I tell you that this failing haunts him, night and day. There had been a fire on the estate, and there was a good deal of turmoil at the time; he could not imagine a companion supplying false references, and so did not adequately confirm them. Good people have difficulty believing that others are capable of evil,” Elizabeth finished.
Georgiana added, “And if all of this had not been dreadful enough, painful enough, then they sold a story about me to the newspaper, and – and – and everyone believed it!”
By now, tears were rolling openly down Georgiana’s cheeks; Mary was holding her and whispering comfort in her ear.
The ladies sat in silence, digesting what they had heard. Countess de Lieven was the first to speak. “I am sorry, child, that we added to your pain.”
Viscountess Castlereagh said, “I may have words to say to your brother, but it is easily seen that you were betrayed by people you should have been able to trust.”
Countess Cowper said, “Your aunt said as much to me. I told her I would have to wait and speak with you myself; now that I have done so, I am reassured as to your character.”
Countess Esterházy had been silent through most of Georgiana’s recital; now she addressed Georgiana in a low tone, “You said your companion’s name was Mrs. Younge. About thirty years of age, brown hair, brown eyes, crooked nose?”
Georgiana looked surprised. “Why, yes, Countess. How could you know that?”
The Countess dropped her head into her hands and muttered something.
“I could not understand you, Sophie,” the Countess de Lieven said. “Please repeat that?”
The Countess Esterházy raised her face and looked around the room. She whispered, “I think I may have hired her as a companion for my niece.”
Everyone in the room sat in shocked silence for a minute. Then Georgiana said, “But her references…”
“Like your brother, I did not check them adequately. There was theft in the household, and we had a good deal to…” She trailed off, her cheeks red in embarrassment. Then she said to Georgiana, “I do not wish to accuse her without being certain. May I bring her here, Miss Darcy, so that you might identify her? Or would that be too painful for you?”
Georgiana sat up straight. “Countess, if the alternative is to risk the reputation of another young lady, then I will be as brave as I possibly can and face her directly.”
“I will be with you,” Elizabeth promised.
“As will I!” Mary vowed.
Countess Esterházy turned to Elizabeth and said, “And this is your sister?”
Mary responded, “I am the middle Bennet sister, your ladyship.”
“Middle! Heavens, how many of you are there?”
Mary laughed. “There are five of us, all girls.”
Elizabeth supplied, “Our eldest sister is now Mrs. Bingley, and the youngest two are at home, doubtless making our father’s life a misery.”
“Mrs. Bingley? Charles Bingley?” Countess Cowper asked with some asperity.
“Indeed.”
“She must be a very tolerant young woman, to countenance living with Miss Bingley!”
“Miss Bingley is much changed,” Mary remarked. “She had some sort of awakening at some point, and she has become very kind.”
Elizabeth added, “Kindness is, I think, the most valuable and important of all character traits. Who among us has not made mistakes? Who has not said things they later regretted? Who has not learned from hard experience? Let us be kind to one another, ladies, for if we are not, then we will all suffer.”
