Page 37 of The Crown’s Gift

Bingley looked up from the unfinished letter he had taken from his desk again. "Miss Bennet?"

Hope transformed his face so quickly that Caroline understood how little her work had accomplished.

"Miss Mary Bennet," she said. "And Miss Eliza, naturally. Jane is still hidden in Gracechurch Street."

Bingley stood. "She is in London?"

Caroline wished the sentence back.

"For a visit. She has made no effort to see us."

"Did you call upon her?"

"I have been occupied."

"Did you know she was here?"

The room seemed to contract.

"Louisa mentioned a note."

Bingley looked at his sister as if seeing a familiar portrait cleaned of flattering varnish.

"Where is Darcy?"

"At Matlock House, I suppose. Charles—"

He was gone before she reached the door.

* * *

Georgiana Darcy expected Mary Bennet to be dazzling.

Her brother had praised Miss Mary Bennet's playing three times in four days, which from him amounted to public acclaim. Georgiana imagined a confident young woman who would hear every fault in the first measure and wonder why Darcy had burdened her with an inferior performer.

Mary expected Georgiana to be perfect.

Miss Bingley had described her accomplishments, figure, taste, and fortune so completely that Mary saw no space left for ordinary breath.

They met in Darcy's music room and feared one another for seven minutes.

Elizabeth sat with Mrs Annesley near the fire. Darcy stood by the window pretending to read a letter. Georgiana asked whether Mary preferred Mozart or Haydn. Mary answered too softly. Georgiana repeated the question, then apologized for making her repeat the answer. Silence descended.

Elizabeth caught Darcy's eye. His helplessness was unexpectedly endearing.

Mary noticed a folio open on the pianoforte. "Is that the Dussek sonata?"

Georgiana turned. "Yes. I cannot make the final page sound like anything but an exercise."

"Neither could I."

"But you played it at Lady Matlock's."

"After failing at it for six months."

The confession altered everything.

Within ten minutes they sat side by side at the instrument. Mary demonstrated the left-hand practice her master required. Georgiana admitted she hurried when nervous. Mary admitted she sometimes became so conscious of listeners that notes disappeared from the page.