Page 31 of Regrets

“Georgiana!” he replied, moving toward the instrument.

“Look at this; Mary can actually reach the nine note spread here in Herr Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata! I have been trying and trying, and I still cannot accomplish it!”

Mary explained, “Look, Georgiana; the only way I can do it is by leaning back and touching the keys at their very edges. You are trying to reach nine notes on the top of the keys, and clearly our hands are too small to accomplish that.”

“Oh! Oh! You are right!”

“But you must be very quick; lean back, strike the keys, and then sit up straight again.”

“Herr Beethoven doubtless has much larger hands than ours,” Georgiana declared. “It seems rather unfair.”

“It is a disadvantage that we ladies face,” Mary agreed. “But we can find ways around it.”

Mr. Darcy thanked Miss Mary for helping his sister, and then went to sit near Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, noting absently that Bingley had already claimed Miss Bennet’s attention. “Have you enjoyed your afternoon here at Netherfield?” he asked Miss Elizabeth.

She turned to face him. “Shall I mimic you and say that I have only been here a few hours, so how could I have an opinion? No, no, I apologise, Mr. Darcy; that was ill done of me. Your sister has been everything kind and welcoming.”

“As was everyone at Netherfield and Longbourn; my comment at your home was uncalled for.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No, you were weary, and that is a legitimate excuse. I have no such justification for bringing it up again.” She wondered why she had; surely it had been of no importance.

He smiled at her. “Let us both forget it and begin again, shall we? Miss Elizabeth, I find Meryton very lovely indeed, and I like it quite well.”

He had a very nice smile, and she could not help but smile back. “And I have enjoyed my afternoon at Netherfield very much.”

“Good; I am glad.”

He really did have a very nice smile, she thought. But noticing it made her rather uncomfortable, so she looked away hastily, saying, “And the drawing room is very lovely. Of course, this is hardly the first time I have been here.”

“Ah; you must have visited other tenants.”

“I have, yes; Mr. Rochester is very careful to lease only to gentleman of good reputation. My Uncle Philips is responsible for finding suitable tenants, so we usually know something of them before they even arrive. This is the first time there has been a young lady near our own age, however, so having her here has been a special treat.”

“I am glad to hear it. My sister is certainly grateful to find friends so close by.”

His voice was low-pitched and somehow both soothing and exciting. Elizabeth felt the discomfort rise again, and she asked, quickly, “Did you enjoy your visit to my father’s library?”

“I did, yes; he has a good collection.”

“I recall him telling you that it was not what it once was.”

“Yes; he said it more than once. I was not inclined to enquire into the particulars; I imagined there was an accident, a fire, perhaps, or a flood of some sort.”

“Not quite that, no. Have you a collection of your own, Mr. Darcy?”

He answered quietly. “I do, though I think of it as not belonging to me, but being only entrusted to me.”

“I do not understand.”

“It is the work of several generations; it is my responsibility to keep it safe and add to it as I feel appropriate.”

She shook her head at this, wondering how much money and attention had gone into the library that should have been directed elsewhere.

“What is it, Miss Elizabeth?” His voice was gentle.

“Nothing whatever.” She shook off her disquiet and smiled brightly. “I have enjoyed watching our sisters play on the piano together. Mary has had no one to share her passion until now, and she is so very happy!”

He understood that the subject was to be changed, and he followed her lead. “It is good for Georgiana as well. There are few young ladies who can meet Georgiana at the instrument as anything near an equal.”