Page 32 of Elizabeth’s Choice

Georgiana Darcy shyly entered the room and curtsied to Miss Bennet. Jane smiled and commented, “Lizzie has been telling me so much about you and what a wonderful friend you have been to her. I am feeling much better today and am hopeful to go to Ashworth tomorrow. I apologise for your inconvenience that you could not go directly to Lizzie’s home instead.”

Miss Darcy returned the smile, “I am only happy to be with Lizzie again so please do not worry and only focus on regaining your strength. I am relieved that you are feeling better.”

Elizabeth squeezed Georgiana’s hand and declared, “You are too kind, Georgie. Let us leave my sister in Susie’s capable hands and catch up. Oh, but Miss Bingley is downstairs, is she not?” She furrowed her brows, wondering where she might find some privacy.

Just then, Darcy knocked on the open door and grinned, “I know you think I live in the library but I will offer you the space for you to use with Georgie and Mrs. Annesley. I can even stand guard at the door so you are not disturbed.”

Elizabeth grinned, “How do you always know what I need? It sounds like a good plan. Let us go.” She turned to Jane and explained, “I will return in an hour. Get some sleep, sister. You had a long night last night but the worst is over.”

The group descended the stairs and was about to enter the library but Miss Bingley called out, “There you are! I thought to call for tea if you are all settled in, Georgiana.”

Seeing the young lady’s face pale, Elizabeth quickly retorted, “Oh, we are about to catch up in the library and if you can ask Mrs. Nicholls to bring the tea here, it would be most appreciated. You are certainly an excellent hostess, Miss Bingley, and I am sure Mr. Darcy is truly appreciative of the privacy so that just the four of us can speak freely. Alone. Thank you!” And she herded Georgiana, Mrs. Annesley, and Mr. Darcy into the library and rapidly closed the door behind her.

Georgiana giggled into her hands as Darcy chuckled and commented, “I did not think you wanted me here. Why did you pull me inside?”

Elizabeth wiped her brows dramatically as she replied, “I did not know how else to keep her away from you, otherwise you would have had to suffer her company out there! Would you rather be in the sitting room with her?”

Darcy kissed her hand, “Never, my dear.”

Georgiana excitedly shook Elizabeth’s other arm, “Does this mean you are together again? I prayed you would not stay angry with my brother forever!”

Elizabeth fondly looked up at Darcy and stated, “We are figuring out what to do but I have forgiven him. But our… friendship… is still a secret and I am not ready to announce anything yet. Please keep it to yourselves about our history while we sort it out. When you meet my mother, you will understand why, Georgie.”

“Oh, but that you are even cordial to each other now brings me hope and I am willing to be patient. I am so happy,” Georgiana embraced her dear friend.

Darcy sat at a distant chair in an attempt to read a book but hearing his sister and Elizabeth converse gave him much hope, and he could envision many hours spent like this in the future in their home together.

The tea did finally arrive and after an hour of joyful conversation, Elizabeth returned to Jane while Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley took their rest until dinnertime.

Darcy smiled to himself to watch the ladies depart but hearing Miss Bingley in the sitting room as he turned the corner, he paused for a moment to listen to what she was saying to Mrs. Hurst.

“…that Miss Eliza has something over the Darcys and why she acts as if she is superior to all of us, Louisa! Perhaps she found out some secret about Mr. Darcy while she was in Derbyshire and is holding it over his head! What if she blackmailed him and that is how she is able to afford Ashworth? How scandalous!”

Darcy could only laugh as he walked away, thinking that Miss Bingley had lost her mind and that he could not care less about what the harridan thought.

~*~

Elizabeth was able to leave Netherfield with Jane, Georgiana, and Mrs. Annesley on Friday, with a slight delay to give Jane more time to recover as well as to spend one evening with Mr. Bingley. Darcy had explained that although the young gentleman was in and out of love often, he was truly enamoured with Miss Bennet and wanted to know her better.

Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley loved being at Ashworth and found it tenfold more peaceful than at Netherfield, and although somewhat awkward, they agreed to dine at Longbourn on Sunday to meet the Bennet Family and to get to know them better.

Elizabeth dreaded putting Georgiana through it but appreciated Mrs. Annesley’s calm demeanour and exchanged several glances with her former companion who had heard of Elizabeth’s woes while growing up with her mother. And although Georgiana had been shy during the earlier evening, Mary had been very kind in speaking of music and Kitty took an immediate liking to the graceful young lady and attempted to emulate her mannerisms.

Lydia was the only one who scowled several times at Miss Darcy, realising her own significance in comparison to such an accomplished girl who was of the same age.

Mrs. Bennet was able to control her speech a little better, sympathising with the orphan who lost both parents at such a young age, and Mr. Bennet had tears in his eyes when reminiscing about his friend and how ecstatic the late Mr. Darcy had been when Miss Darcy was born.

The evening was going very well when Mr. Bennet announced, “I hope you have a good dinner planned for tomorrow, Mrs. Bennet, for we shall have a visitor arrive at precisely four in the afternoon. It will be Mr. Collins of Kent, who is the heir-presumed and will own Mary’s piano stool once I pass from this world. He is coming to offer an olive branch at the behest of his patroness and I believe he means to offer for one of our daughters to mend the break in our family.”

Mrs. Bennet huffed, “What ridiculousness! It is not widely known but our daughters have good dowries and Lizzie will take care of us all, so what need have we to accept his olive branch? Although I would not mind one of our daughters getting Longbourn, if he is not a good man, I shall refuse to give one of them away to an unworthy man.”

“That is the absolute truth, Mrs. Bennet! You have no worries with Lizzie’s plans to care for you!” Georgiana loudly declared but seeing everyone’s eyes on her, she turned bright red and closed her lips.

Mrs. Bennet grinned broadly, “You are so correct, Miss Darcy! Our Lizzie is better than ten sons and we have no worries for our future. Although I would have liked for Jane to have spent more time with Mr. Bingley at Netherfield, Lizzie was right to take her to Ashworth to recover and my Jane looks much improved already. I have no fears for my future and we will be hospitable to Mr. Collins but no more than necessary.”

Georgiana turned to Mr. Bennet and asked, “Do you know where in Kent he resides? I have an aunt in Kent.”

“I believe he mentioned a Lady Catherine de Bourgh of Rosings?” Mr. Bennet answered. Seeing the surprise on Miss Darcy’s face, he asked, “Is she your aunt?”