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There was a great deal to process in what Georgiana had said, but Percy did not want to focus on much of it. Instead, he honed in on what she had said about his relationship with Lydia and decided to fend off his initial instinct of becoming defensive.
“You’re sure this is what she wants?” he asked her seriously. “This isn’t one of your attempts to ruin my social life?”
Georgiana chuckled. “Brother dear, I thought you knew me well enough by now to know that if I wanted to do that, I would be taking far more extreme measures than simply giving you advice about a young woman. Contrary to popular opinion, I actually like the look of this girl, and so I believe that there might be a way – some small, shining hope – that you might be able to salvage your relationship with her.”
Percy was quiet for a moment, looking down at his hands and playing with his fingers. He found it so surprising how he and Georgiana could go from wanting to tear each other’s throats out to discussing Percy’s love life in the same visit. But when he thought of that, he realized that he had been speaking to his sister as though he was thinking about courting Miss Seymour. And that was dangerous.
“You know that I am only speaking to you about this as I believe Miss Seymour and I could become good friends, right?” Percy checked with his sister.
She arched an eyebrow at him, but then nodded half-heartedly. “Oh yes indeed,” Georgiana said sarcastically. “I truly believe that you only want to be friends with this gorgeous young woman who you can discuss all of your boring medical theories with.”
“But that is the truth!” Percy tried to convince her. “Lydia and I …”
“Lydia?” Georgiana interrupted him. “How informal. I’ve only ever heard you refer to women who you like by their first names.”
Percy could see that he was getting nowhere quickly with his conversation with his sister, and so he got up from his stool in a huff and started making for the door. When he reached it, however, he thought better of leaving without saying anything nice to her.
He turned around, looked at her perched proudly on her gardening stool with her dirty gardening gloves dangling from her knee, and said, “Your ... calceolaria is blooming nicely. You took care of it well.”
He saw the small smile on his sister’s face, and then went through the door to brood in his room about what they had discussed this afternoon.
