Page 109 of Regrets

When Lady Catherine, Anne and Mrs. Jenkinson were announced, Georgiana dropped the tart she had been about to bite into and leapt to her feet.

The Countess was gratified to see the look of pure joy that crossed Georgiana’s face before she launched herself into Anne’s arms. “Anne! Oh, I am so very glad!”

“Georgiana! Once I heard you were here, I could not wait to come!”

The two older ladies, amused, watched the young girls chatter together for about five minutes before recalling them to their manners.

“Oh, Aunt Eleanor; I am sorry,” Anne murmured, blushing rosily.

“Not at all, Anne; come, let me look at you. Why, you have grown, have you not?”

“No, but I have put on a bit more weight.”

“That must be it; you look very well, Anne, I am happy to say.”

“I do a good deal of walking now, Aunt, thanks to Georgiana!”

At the same time, Georgiana was now properly greeting her Aunt Catherine, who had rather a different reaction to their meeting.

“Georgiana, have you lost weight? You look rather thinner than I recall.”

“I may have, Aunt, yes.”

“It is not at all becoming; I must insist that you eat regularly. Why, I know just the thing! I will have Doctor Addison procure more of those special pills of Anne’s and send them to you! Anne?!”

“Yes, Mother?”

“What was the name of those brown pills that did you so much good?”

“Oh, Triticum, was it not?”

“Yes, that was it. Georgiana, I shall have some Triticum sent to you directly. Mind that you take it exactly as the doctor directed!”

Georgiana managed to contain her amusement at this reminder of the little brown bits of bread, and thanked her aunt for her concern.

***

When the two cousins were finally alone, Anne looked at Georgiana properly and her brows knit in concern. “You do look rather peaked, Georgiana. Have you not been well?”

“There has just been quite a lot happening, I think, Anne,” Georgiana replied. Part of her desperately wished to confide in her cousin, but it was impossible. She could not tell Anne about George Wickham without also telling her about Lydia, and no one could be allowed to know what Lydia had done.

“Oh, yes, I suppose so. Will you tell me about the wedding?”

Georgiana brightened. “Oh, you must meet Lizzy! She is wonderful, and utterly perfect for my brother!”

“Are they at Pemberley?”

“No, as it happens, they are here in London, at Darcy House.”

Anne paused, clearly wondering why Georgiana was not with them; Georgiana, reddening, answered the unspoken question. “I thought it best to let them have some privacy in their first week of married life.”

“I see,” Anne replied, though Georgiana rather doubted that Anne did. “Go on, then. What did you wear? Did all three sisters truly get married at once? I never heard of that happening; come on, tell me!”

Georgiana did so, giving her cousin as much detail as she could recall – how Mary had come to be secretly engaged, who wore what, what was at the wedding breakfast, and so on.

Anne was an enthusiastic listener, interjecting questions and showing her delight at the proceedings. At the end, she said, “How wonderful that three young ladies found eligible gentlemen! And now we are both here at Matlock House together! What fun!” She bounced on her bed.

Georgiana was glad to have Anne with her, while at the same time, her secret pressed against her heart. She did her best to meet Anne with her own gratitude and joy at seeing her cousin again. She thought Anne was entirely convinced, but she herself knew that something was lacking.