“Georgiana, might we have this conversation inside your room, rather than in the hallway?”
She stepped back and allowed him to come inside.
“Mr. Bingley was so upset by what Miss Bingley said that he has sent her to her room to contemplate her behaviour.
“Really?” Georgiana’s eyes opened wide.
“Yes; it was completely beyond the pale, and everyone at the table knew it.”
“But it does not necessarily follow that it was untrue,” Georgiana replied, casting her eyes down.
“We both know that there are and will continue to be repercussions from that article,” Mr. Darcy said. “We are in turbulent waters, and we will navigate them as best we can together. But not everything that has resulted from the article is bad.” He pulled Anne’s letter from his coat pocket and read it aloud, happy to see his sister’s smile as he did so.
“Silver lining indeed!” Georgiana said. “But if you are not to marry Anne, then who will you marry?”
“Like Bingley, I will marry someone who makes me happy.” As he spoke, Mr. Darcy felt an unaccustomed spurt of joy. He realised, at that moment, that he had never before expected to do so. He was free now, in a way that he had never been before. He could marry someone he loved! He could be happy!
“Brother,” Georgiana said, softly. “Richard will be very angry with me, will he not?”
“No, he will be very angry withme,” Mr. Darcy replied.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Netherfield Park
Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam clattered up to Netherfield’s front door, dismounted in one swift motion, threw the reins to the stableboy who ran out to meet him, issued terse instructions for the care of the horse, and then strode up to the front door.
Thurston had been alerted to the expected arrival, and immediately opened the door and bowed. “Colonel Fitzwilliam,” he said. “You are expected.” He ushered the Colonel into the drawing room and announced him.
Mrs. Hurst, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy rose to their feet. Mr. Darcy performed the introductions, which the Colonel acknowledged politely.
“Your room is ready for you, Colonel,” Mrs. Hurst said. “And refreshments have been prepared. Would you prefer to wash first? I imagine there was a good deal of road dust between here and London.”
“I thank you for opening your home to me, Mrs. Hurst, Mr. Bingley,” the Colonel said. “In truth, I would like to speak with my cousins as soon as may be.” His tone was polite enough but he spoke quickly, sharply. “Where is Georgiana?” he asked Mr. Darcy.
“In her room; she knows you will want to speak with her as soon as –”
The Colonel interrupted. “I will wash off the road dust before I visit with her. Darcy, will you accompany me?” It was phrased as a question, but it sounded a good deal like a command.
Mrs. Hurst rose to show the Colonel to his room; the Colonel bowed to Mr. Bingley and followed her, Mr. Darcy accompanied them.
As soon as the guest room door closed behind them, the Colonel spun around and had Mr. Darcy pinned against a wall in a moment. “I promised my mother that I would give you a chance to explain yourself, but I admit that it is a struggle just now.”
Mr. Darcy replied, softly, “There is nothing you can do to me that I do not entirely deserve.”
“I already know that,” the Colonel spat out.
The two men stood, motionless, staring at one another, until the Colonel finally dropped his hands and sighed. “How did Wickham even find her?”
“Georgiana’s companion planned the whole thing with him, as near as I can tell,” Mr. Darcy said. “They vanished together.”
“Mother says the companion’s references were fake.”
“Yes, and I did not bother to check them. My fault entirely.” Mr. Darcy sighed deeply. “Richard, there is nothing you can say to me that I have not already said to myself a thousand times. There is no harm you can do to me that I do not deserve. I only ask that you inflict your anger upon me, not Georgiana.”
“I have not yet heard Georgiana’s part of the tale. I will reserve judgment until I do. I suspect she is not entirely without blame.”
“You are right; but you must recall that she is but fifteen years of age, with little experience of life.”
