Revelations

by Kirsten Bij't Vuur

  So she'd noticed, too.

  'I did invite her, it would be a bit rude to have her leave after dinner, of course, and she was pleased to accept. Said she spent most evenings at home nowadays and would be forgiven spending an evening of pleasure.'

  Turning the black horse, he added, 'If we can't gallop, we may as well turn back, maybe the snow will stick less tomorrow. Georgie will be so disappointed if you aren't there to help with the tuning.'

  When they got to their room, Fanny was waiting to help Elizabeth dress, but even Darcy had a hard time accepting that. They really needed those moments together, they could not have servants keeping them from being intimate. Fortunately, Elizabeth seemed to have found some inner calm to deal with the situation.

  'Fanny, can you please come back say, at six? I'm going to help Miss Darcy tune the old piano so I'll be hanging over a dusty instrument for at least an hour, dressing up now would be entirely useless. Did my new dress arrive?'

  'It did, ma'am, I put it in your closet to keep it in perfect shape for the wedding.'

  'Very good, I'm glad it's already here. What would you say to our meeting here around six, and your dressing me up as if we had the wedding tonight?

  We can test the look, and after that you can tone it down for a simple night's entertainment at home. I can get familiar with the dress, and we get to know how long it takes to gild me. We can have Miss Darcy over and dress her up, too, I think she needs to practise looking stunning even more than I. Is that a good idea?'

  That clearly made up for being sent away now, for Fanny looked overjoyed.

  'Thank you so much ma'am, I was a bit nervous to not practise your look before such an important happening as a wedding. I'll be here at six.'

  And instead of an unhappy girl feeling rejected, a very relieved girl left their bedroom, in happy anticipation of dressing up the mistress and Miss Darcy that very night. And a very happy Elizabeth remained with him, very eager

  to remove his riding clothes and have him remove hers, and with great determination they managed to stay awake this time, though sorely tempted to remain in their lovely warm bed, snuggling and kissing after some heated loving.

  But tuning the piano with Georgiana would be great fun as well, and Elizabeth gave her handsome husband one more hug and a loving kiss, then rolled out of the bed into the cold and washed herself thoroughly. She dried off quickly and put on an older dress, tuning a piano could be a messy job if the piano in question was situated in a dusty room that they had not asked the staff to clean, both preferring the authentic atmosphere of the cluttered place as it was. A woollen shawl ensured she felt warm again within minutes, and she bent over her beloved and kissed him goodbye, for at least an hour.

  'I'll tell Simon he can wake you however it pleases him,' she said cheekily, and got an adoring smile in return.

  'Your father was right this afternoon, Elizabeth. You have grown into a beautiful woman, you are no longer a girl, nor merely pretty. And I hadn't even noticed until he mentioned it.'

  What could a woman do but be flattered when her husband praised her like that?

  'Thank you love, I'm very happy to hear you still admire me. I'm very curious what you'll think of my city-dress tonight, I hope you won't find me too much of a woman in it. But I had to do something to match my handsome husband with his smart pantaloons and his exquisite coats.'

  'And you haven't seen my new shoes, yet. I'll wear them, too, tonight, I need to get used to the feel of them or I'll keep tripping you as we dance. Or your sisters. Or Miss Bingley. I suppose I'll have to dance with her at least once.'

  He was indeed giving as good as he got these days, and she whispered in his ear, 'Thank you so much, love, for praising my looks.'

  Then, as she left, 'Why not come and see us work for ten minutes or so, it will make the contrast with tonight that much more profound.'

  'I will.'

  And then she had to go, or Georgiana would be disappointed.

  They adjusted the first octave the tiniest of bits, it had slipped very slightly, but it was still a lot of work. Then they took on the higher octave, it was actually not that difficult, just a matter of finishing a tedious job. Of course

  having Georgiana around with her perfect hearing and confidence in finding the right pitch made it easier, but Elizabeth did feel her sister was happy to have assistance. After the higher octave they tuned the octave below the middle one, compensating for the inharmonics just the tiniest bit.

  'Do you want to do another one?' Georgiana asked, obviously eager to go on herself, but realising not everybody could spend half their day on an instrument.

  'Sure, you're doing the hard work, I'm not tired yet, and I have until six. I promised Fanny she could gild me as a trial for the wedding. Oh, and I promised her she could gild you, too. We both need to get used to having finery applied to us and to wear it with dignity. What better time to start than immediately?'

  'If you don't feel it's making things harder for Eric..'

  Elizabeth hadn't thought of that. With Georgiana dressed as a woman he might feel justified in loving her.

  'You will look very unreachable in those dresses, Georgiana. It will probably make him feel inferior, not the most sympathetic way to get him to conquer his love for you, but nonetheless an incentive to do so. But he'll be crushed, I didn't think of that, it may very well be downright cruel.'

  Georgiana, bent over a dusty old piano dressed in her least flattering dress, a skimpy one that was at least three inches too short for her, heartlessly observed, 'It will give him inspiration for his new composition at the very least. I guess he will just have to suffer it, I want to know what I'll look like at the wedding. He'll probably expect us to dress up, won't he?'

  Elizabeth dared not answer that question, but she actually wanted Georgiana to dress up, very much so, to practise, but also so she didn't feel very much overdressed herself. Just before they had to get dressed, another octave nearly finished, Fitzwilliam came in, curious how they were getting on.

  'That is certainly a very charming sight, two ladies hugging a piano.'

  He sounded amused, fortunately, for to be very frank it was pretty difficult to look like a lady when tuning a piano, and they were planning to tackle the instrument at Netherfield.

  'Better choose a moment when Miss Bingley is out for tuning Bingley's instrument, or you'll never hear the last of it.'

  He was right, but Bingley's piano would not take hours to tune, it just needed adjusting to get rid of the inharmonics.

  'If you're not doing anything useful, Fitzwilliam, can you please hit this key

  for me when I say so?'

  'Yes, Georgie, I can and I will. This key?'

  'Yes, dear brother, once more. And once more. Great, thank you. You've been of great help. We're done here, you can help me up, my back is locked in this position.'

  'It's nearly six, Elizabeth, Fanny will be waiting for you in the bedroom, and I expect Mr Fielding at seven.'

  As Georgiana played the octaves they'd tuned, she remarked, 'I think he will be proud of us, four octaves tuned perfectly, as far as I can tell. I'll join you in twenty minutes, Elizabeth.'

  It was actually quite a lot of fun to get dressed for a party. Elizabeth still didn't feel quite comfortable being treated as a child or someone infirm, nevertheless it was very convenient to have someone close the buttons on her back, and tie her sash perfectly.

  The shoes were very fine and surprisingly comfortable, and sitting in front of a mirror having one's hair done was just amazing, Elizabeth could see it transformed to an artistic coiffure with the little hat on one side. The feathers waved proudly, as Fanny made up Elizabeth's face very subtly with a few touches of powder that she expertly blended to just the right shade of dark pink. By now Georgiana had arrived, and she watched in admiration.

  'You're just four years older than I am, Elizabeth, but you look like a queen.

  You truly do, I am almost afraid to talk to you when you
look like this. It's a good thing your sister is so very beautiful, or you'd outshine her on her wedding day. But I suppose she'll be wearing a grand dress and Bingley's family jewels, so I guess you're safe. What jewellery will you be wearing?'

  'I don't know, yet, Georgiana, it's a surprise from Simon and Mrs Annesley.

  Or did you help with the big search, Fanny?'

  'I did, ma'am, I found a necklace that looked like it had belonged to the ancient Greeks, and Simon just loved it. Though it was ordinary copper, with a few beautiful stones, so maybe you will not like it.'

  The maid's voice betrayed she would be very disappointed if Elizabeth didn't, but Elizabeth had no craving for gold or silver or diamonds, and endless faith in Simon's taste and Mrs Annesley's sense of decorum. If they thought she could wear copper, copper she'd wear. The colour would match her dress perfectly.

  'I'm looking forward to seeing it, Fanny, I'm sure it will match my dress

  perfectly.'

  Then Fanny was done with her hair, and Elizabeth let herself be helped into the exquisite coat she had chosen to match the dress.

  Turning towards the large mirror, Elizabeth heard Georgiana gasp, and when she saw herself in it she could understand perfectly. Was that fashionable, stunningly beautiful lady with the beplumed little hat herself?

  She could not believe it, and touched her nose to prove it. The lady in the mirror also touched her, powdered, nose. It was her.

  Smiling from ear to ear at their exclamations, Fanny walked up to Elizabeth and stood behind her, draping an elaborate necklace of copper links and beautiful blood red stones around her neck. It was decidedly classical in style but very English in theme, scenes of the forest and the wild, horses and hounds chasing stags and hares, but stylised in the way of the people of the ancient world. It must have taken weeks to make, and if the stones were real rubies it was worth a fortune despite being copper.

  'Did you find that lying in some drawer of a dusty cupboard at the end of the hall, Fanny?' Georgiana wanted to know.

  'I did, Miss Darcy,' the maid acknowledged, 'I couldn't believe it was just lying there, forgotten for goodness knows how many years. There was gold, too, ma'am. Mrs Annesley and Simon studied all of it and they said it was worth a fortune and very wearable again these days. They chose a few pieces for Miss Darcy as well.'

  'Did you get any of it for yourself, Fanny?' Elizabeth now asked, knowing full well Simon and Mrs Annesley would not give away their master's property without permission.

  The maid blushed and admitted, 'Since Bob has spoken and we're getting married in March, they offered to ask the master to let me have two gold rings I found, for our wedding. But the master doesn't know, yet, I'm sure, for that was just this afternoon.'

  They both congratulated the little maid, of course, it was so romantic, this beautiful girl marrying a homely youngster from the country because he was sweet and a good provider. Somehow Elizabeth didn't compare Fanny to Charlotte at all, though in fact Fanny had made a similar choice, marrying a plain man to secure a comfortable home.

  But Bob was not a Mr Collins, Bob was very capable and a quicker thinker than any of them realised. And he was very cute when he smiled, which Mr

  Collins certainly wasn't.

  Elizabeth could imagine Bob playing with his children, teaching them everything he knew about horses, and giving an excellent example in dignity though he worked in a stables. And love, plenty of love would surround his children and his wife.

  Mr Collins would try to bring his children down to his own habits of grovelling and worshipping before the nobility, and looking down upon and lecturing those below him. Charlotte would have her work cut out for herself to raise her children to responsible, dignified adults. Though Elizabeth had to admit her cousin would probably love his children a lot, and learn how show it to them from his sensible wife. And one day, a day that Elizabeth hoped would not come for a long, long time yet, because it would signify her beloved father's passing, they would live at Longbourn, and Charlotte would be a lady herself.

  'You've done a great job gilding me, Fanny, thank you very much. I'm sure Mr Darcy will agree to let you have the rings, I'll do my best for you in any case. I think I can put in an appearance on an evening party at home looking like this, no need to tone it down very much. It will give Mr Fielding the feeling he is truly appreciated. Now it's your turn, Georgiana.'

  And within half an hour Georgiana was also looking stunningly beautiful.

  She had chosen to wear the blue dress with the white accessories and the turban-style hat with the short feathers, and with a triumphant smile Fanny produced a heavy silver necklace with blue stones for her to wear. It was outlandish, ancient Egyptian in style, but very beautiful and so well-suited to the dress.

  'I'm stunned, Fanny.'

  That was all Georgiana could say, she looked so incredibly womanly that Elizabeth hoped Mr Fielding would not get a congestion when he saw her.

  That composition of his would soon have an addition, she feared.

  'Georgiana, you will be the belle of the ball on my sister's wedding.'

  Elizabeth meant it, her sister's shy demeanour didn't even detract from her charm anymore, it just added to her inaccessible beauty.

  And then it was time to make their appearance downstairs, just before Mr Fielding arrived, they thanked Fanny heartily and descended the stairs to the drawing-room. Of course Elizabeth's eyes were mainly on Fitzwilliam as she entered, and he was obviously almost shaken by her looks. His usual

  loving reception of her was now decidedly shy, he hardly dared to touch her.

  'Is it really you, Elizabeth? You look more like a queen than like my beloved wife.'

  He bowed before her and kissed her hand, and she could see he was wearing shoes instead of boots!

  'You're wearing shoes, Fitzwilliam, and they look so good on you!'

  He smiled, still a bit overcome by her stateliness, but that was totally undeserved for he looked so smart himself, besides those elegant shoes in unadorned black he also wore long tight pantaloons instead of the more common breeches, and though that was very newfangled she thought it suited him much better than breeches and stockings, much more dignified.

  'You look like a king yourself in those elegant shoes, Fitzwilliam!'

  Well, no reverent mood could stand against such an exclamation, and he got up, lifted her against him, and kissed her full on her lips.

  'And we'll try them later, dancing, if Mr Fielding's music allows it.'

  Then he spied his sister, talking with Mrs Annesley and Elizabeth's father.

  'Correction. We'll try them when Mr Fielding has recovered from the fainting spell by which he will certainly be overcome when he sees Georgiana. Did I ever worry about meeting Wickham on Bingley's wedding? If I am to enter any room between the two of you I will feel like the king himself, and I will not even notice him for pride.'

  Chapter 33

  The new butler entered with Mr Fielding in tow.

  'Mr Fielding, master.'

  'Thank you, Johnson, we will be ready for dinner in an hour.'

  Mr Fielding was not looking uncomfortable but rather stunning himself.

  They had never seen him other than well-dressed but these had to be his working clothes, his outfit for performances. He was dressed in formal black, with a white cravat spilling out of his coat, tight black pantaloons and glossy black shoes. The sleeves of his perfectly fitted coat were shorter than was fashionable and black lace covered his elegant hands. A longer-sleeved coat was most likely too restrictive to play in. There was nothing really striking about those colours, but the cut of his coat, his upright stance, and especially something in his expression just awed Elizabeth. The atmosphere about him didn't seem to be altogether of this world, he had some ethereal quality she also recognised in his work. This was Mr Fielding in his performance mood, concentrated to the full extent of his potential.

  Of course it was a bit early for such intense concentration, he
was to dine with them first, and Georgiana would be sadly disappointed if he didn't check out the piano, but Elizabeth could understand that Mr Fielding was already performing. Fitzwilliam must not discover Mr Fielding's affection for his sister, and Mr Fielding was already hard at work hiding it. Well, it didn't make him absent-minded or impolite, he was just as charming and as outgoing as ever, and he greeted Fitzwilliam very politely and yet very friendly. Feeling slightly sorry for the young man, Elizabeth approached him to say hello, but the effect of her appearance was rather different from what she expected. Instead of a hearty handshake and a familiar 'Hello Mrs Darcy', as usual, Mr Fielding's jaw dropped and he merely stared at her, speechless.

  Her own feelings wavering between embarrassment and gratitude she said, very friendly, 'Good evening, Mr Fielding.'

  'Good evening, Mrs Darcy,' he managed to reply. 'I'm so sorry to stare at you like that, but... you are so beautiful. You look like a queen.'

  'Thank you, Mr Fielding. I've been dressed up to practise for the wedding.

  I'm supposed to look like a city lady instead of a country girl, which in fact I am. So, do you think my maid has succeeded in her efforts?'

  'Yes, Mrs Darcy, she has. I usually perform for people who have made a lot of money in business and who like to show off their fortune, who spare no effort to make an impression with their dress. But they seldom achieve your level of sophistication. You will outshine the bride, I hope you are good friends. Didn't you tell me she is your sister?'

  He recovered quickly to be so sharp, good.

  'My sister is far more beautiful than I, Mr Fielding, I could never outshine her. But thank you so much for the compliment and the warning, a mere dress should never come between sisters.'

  'Especially on a wedding,' Mr Fielding added. 'I'm sorry Mr Darcy, I hope I haven't insulted you by blatantly staring at your lady wife. Please take it as a compliment, I am usually more polite, I'm a bit out of sorts tonight, something happened today that may change my life, Mrs and Miss Darcy already know part of it. I crave and fear your opinion.'