‘Please give her my love,’ said Miss Bingley, as he walked towards the door. ‘Tell her I hold nothing against her. It is obvious to me her sorry state was a result of mixing with her social inferiors, and not her fault.’
Mr Darcy left the room without saying anything further. He went into the sitting-room where his sister soon joined him. She had washed and changed into a fresh gown. It was a sprigged muslin which suited her age. She looked fresh and charming. She also looked much happier than she had looked for a long time. The haunted expression had left her eyes and he was glad to see it. After the incident with Mr Wickham, there had been moments when he had thought she would never be happy again.
‘How is your ankle?’ he asked.
He had seen her favouring her other foot earlier on, and guessed at her injury. He could tell it was minor and so he had not asked about it at their earlier meeting. He had been more concerned that she should change out of her wet things as quickly as possible before she caught cold.
‘It is much better, I thank you. I landed on it awkwardly and it was painful for a while but it is no longer troubling me.’
‘You had better tell me all about it.’
And so Georgiana told him: her desire for freedom on a bright sunny morning; her walk through the meadows on the estate; her delight in finding the stepping stones across the river and then her unfortunate slip.
‘Luckily, Miss Bennet was out walking this morning, too. I did not know who she was at the time, only that she was very kind, for she came to my assistance. She tried to pull me back onto the stones but when that did not work, without a thought for her own clothing, she lowered herself into the water and helped me back to the bank. When my ankle stopped paining me too much, she helped me back to the house.’ Here Georgiana’s tone became livelier and her eyes sparkled. ‘Oh, Fitzwilliam, I cannot thank you enough for finding me such a companion! I did not believe you when you said you had found someone who could be a friend to me. Forgive me, but I thought my new companion would be like the others. They were necessary, I am sure, but Miss Bennet is necessary in other ways. She makes me feel glad to be alive.’
Mr Darcy was moved by his sister’s evident happiness. He placed his hands tenderly on her shoulders. Then he kissed her on the forehead.
‘There was a time when I thought you would never be happy again,’ he confessed.
He stood back to observe her and was delighted by what he saw. She was genuinely happy.
Georgiana said, ‘So did I. But that is over now. I am here with new sights and sounds before me, and a new companion who makes me see what fun life can be. You are the best of brothers for finding her. I thank you.’
She dropped him a curtsey in token of her thanks.
‘Promise me one thing,’ he said. ‘You will not cross the stepping stones again. I do not want to see you injured more seriously, Georgiana.’
Her face fell.
‘Might I cross the stones if Miss Bennet shows me how to do it? She says there is a knack to it, and once I possess it I will be safe.’
He was torn. He did not want his sister to be in any danger, but he hated to see her downcast. The stepping stones had obviously afforded her great amusement.
‘Very well. As long as you take care and never cross them when you are alone.’
‘Thank you!’ she said, dropping him another curtsey.
The pleasure had returned to her face and he smiled to see her so happy.
‘Now you had better go into the drawing-room whilst I speak to Miss Bennet.’
‘Very well.’ She turned and crossed to the door. Then she turned back to face him. ‘You will not dismiss Miss Bennet? Truly, it was not her fault.’
‘I will do nothing hasty, you may be sure. Please send Miss Bennet to me now.’
Georgiana smiled and nodded, then left the room.
Mr Darcy sat down, thinking. He wanted to know what kind of woman Miss Bennet was, and here was the perfect opportunity to find out more about her.
He recalled an incident from five years before. Georgiana had been sketching in the grounds of Pemberley and her governess had fallen asleep. Georgiana had decided to take a stroll, and she had slipped and fallen. She had hurt her ankle badly that time, and the physician had to be called. When Mr Darcy had questioned the governess, the governess had roundly abused Georgiana, saying she was disobedient, badly behaved and wilful. In short, she had put all the blame on Georgiana.
Mr Darcy wondered if Miss Bennet would do the same. The two incidents were not identical. Miss Bennet could not be accused of negligence since she had not yet taken up her position as a companion. Nevertheless, she must know that her dishevelled appearance had done her no favours and it remained to be seen whether she condemned Georgiana or protected her.
He looked up as the door opened and Miss Elizabeth Bennet entered the room.
He loved to watch her walk. It was such a natural movement; unstudied; and yet it flowed with an innate grace.
She was wearing a clean, dry dress. It was too large for her. Although she was older than his sister, she was built on a smaller scale. Georgiana was very tall for her age, and was well grown.
The way the dress hung loosely on Miss Elizabeth, together with the way it trailed a little on the floor, emphasised her vulnerability. He was reminded that she needed this position. Nevertheless, if she attempted to shift all the blame on to Georgiana, he would not employ her.
‘Please sit down,’ he said, indicating a chair.
Elizabeth sat down, letting her dress fall naturally about her.
‘Will you tell me what happened this morning?’ he asked.
‘Gladly.’
She told him, in unaffected language, exactly what had happened. Her account of events matched Georgiana’s account.
‘I am sorry you were discommoded,’ he said. ‘My sister should not have been out alone.’
‘It is very hard for her to be always with someone,’ said Elizabeth. ‘I love company, and indeed I adore to be with my sister Jane. But sometimes I need solitude. I think your sister is the same. Nature can be as rewarding a companion as other people, and sometimes more rewarding. One does not always want to walk at someone else’s speed, or to follow someone else’s path, or make conversation. Sometimes one needs to be able to breathe, to walk at one’s own pace and take one’s own direction. That is true of your sister, I think. She is at an age now where she is becoming her own person. Walks through the countryside will allow her to think her own thoughts and develop into the person she is destined to be.’
‘Walking alone is dangerous. She was wrong to do it,’ he said.
Elizabeth’s voice became quieter. ‘There is always some danger in life. But even so, life must be lived and not avoided.’
He guessed she was thinking of her parents, who had been killed in an accident, and he thought her attitude showed great courage. Her experiences had not driven her inwards and made her avoid all danger by spending her life at home. She had bravely faced her tragedy and had then resumed her life. She was living it, not hiding from it, and he admired her for it.
She continued.
‘There is no need to deprive your sister of every freedom. The Netherfield estate is large and its fields are safe. I see no reason why your sister should not be allowed to explore them alone if she wishes. I can teach her how to manage the stepping stones. They appear to be evenly spaced but in fact they are not, and this is what leads to accidents, particularly when they are wet and slippery. Those who do not know them become used to jumping a certain distance, and then when they reach one of the stones that is set further away than the others, there is an inevitable slip. But once the route is learned, the stones can be crossed with ease. It is very enjoyable and I know your sister took great pleasure in it before she fell. If you could have seen her jumping from one to the other, you would not have been able to stop smiling I am sure.’
Mr Darcy found himself smiling now, just thinking about it.
&nb
sp; ‘You seem to be doing her good,’ he said.
‘I hope so,’ she said earnestly. ‘You have given me a way of helping my sister, and I will do everything I can to help yours.’
They understood each other. Despite their differences in rank, a friendship was starting to develop. They both loved their sisters and it created a bond between them.
Mr Darcy was also aware that the bond was not just friendship. The more he saw of Miss Elizabeth Bennet the more fascinating he found her. But of course those feelings could not be allowed to develop. A difference in rank was no bar to cordial relations between Mr Darcy and those he employed. But it was an insurmountable problem to any other kind of relationship.
‘I hear that Mr Collins has returned to his own home,’ said Mr Darcy.
‘Yes. There was speculation that he and my sister would marry, but the rumours were unfounded,’ she said.
She was telling him, as plainly as she could, that his kindness in granting her a generous salary had saved her sister from a lifetime of misery as Mrs Collins.
‘I am glad to hear it. They did not seem well suited.’
In saying this, he had said as much as he could, but it was plan he was happy to have spared Elizabeth’s sister such a fate.
Then he turned the conversation back to his own business. ‘As my sister and I are already in residence at Netherfield Park, I would like you to start work tomorrow, if that is convenient.’
‘It is,’ said Elizabeth. ‘I will be glad to do so.’
He nodded.
It was a dismissal.
Elizabeth stood up, curtseyed, made her farewells and left the room.
Once she had gone, Mr Dacy was thoughtful. He had been impressed with the way she had defended his sister. Never once had she tried to blame Georgiana. She had not joined in with him when he had said that Georgiana had been in the wrong. Not that he had ever believed that, of course, he had simply been trying to find out what Miss Bennet thought. He had now taken her measure and found that she was a young woman he could respect and admire.
She had also given him much to think about. He had taken great pains to shelter Georgiana, but Miss Bennet was right when she said he could not protect her from every danger. He did not want Georgiana to spend the rest of her life feeling hemmed in, and so he must allow her more freedom. Accidents could happen anywhere, and at any time. He could not guard against them all and he did not want to spoil Georgiana’s life with over-zealous efforts to protect her. Georgiana needed to have more freedom so that she could develop into a confident young woman.
He felt a sense of something slipping away. Georgiana’s childhood was leaving her. He had tried to prolong it, but it was no good. She was growing up, and he must let her do it.
It pained him to think of it. She had been such an adorable child. But then he gave himself a mental shake. She would soon become an adorable woman. With Miss Elizabeth Bennet to guide her, he felt Georgiana would also grow up to be a happy one, for Miss Bennet seemed to have the knack of combining sense with joyfulness, and caution with freedom.
Miss Elizabeth Bennet was a truly remarkable young lady, and he was increasingly glad he had met her. But he must beware of his feelings. He could not allow them to lead him astray. Miss Elizabeth Bennet was a fitting companion for Miss Darcy, but she was not of a high enough rank to be anything else.
Mr Darcy was a proud man. Rank was important to him. Except, when he looked at Miss Elizabeth Bennet, nothing else seemed to matter . . .
Chapter Ten
Elizabeth had much to talk about when she returned to Longbourn. Miss Darcy’s maid had dried her gown so that she could return in her own clothes, but there had not been time to wash it and so it still showed traces of its mishap.
‘Goodness, Lizzy, what happened to you?’ asked Jane in astonishment.
She was picking flowers in the garden when Elizabeth walked up the drive, and so she met her sister before Elizabeth reached the house. She looked at Elizabeth’s gown in dismay.
‘I have had something of an adventure!’ returned Elizabeth, laughing her merry laugh. ‘Come with me, Jane. I must change my gown and then I will tell you all about it.’
Jane picked up her flower basket and the two young ladies went inside. They went first to the flower room, where Elizabeth helped Jane to arrange her flowers in a pretty vase. Jane put the vase on the console table in the hall and then the two young ladies went upstairs. Elizabeth removed her soiled gown and washed, having asked one of the maids to bring her some water. Then she dressed in a clean, dry gown of her own.
‘I met Miss Darcy this morning,’ said Elizabeth.
‘What was she like?’ asked Jane.
‘Charming,’ said Elizabeth. ‘I cannot believe I have been so lucky, Jane. I have managed to find genteel employment with a lovely young woman. In doing do, I have been able to save you from marrying Mr Collins, and I have relieved my Aunt and Uncle Philips of anxiety. When I told Aunt Philips that I would be giving her my wages to provide for my sisters, I saw a huge cloud lift from her shoulders. I had never considered, before you said it, how difficult it must have been for her and my uncle to find themselves suddenly responsible for so many people. And now, to find that Miss Darcy is delightful, and that spending time with her will be enjoyable rather than burdensome, is a pleasure unlooked for. I am truly blessed.’
She told Jane all about the incident with the stepping stones. She also spoke about her interview with Mr Darcy.
‘He is a good brother, concerned about his sister’s happiness. He wishes me to start sooner than arranged. I am to go to Netherfield Park tomorrow, where I will take up my new position. Oh, Jane! I never thought things could work out so well.’
The two sisters embraced.
Jane began to arrange Elizabeth’s hair. It had become untidy and needed attention. She undid the pins and loosened Elizabeth’s dark locks so that they cascaded over her shoulders. Then Jane began to brush it, making it gleam. Finally, she twisted it into a chignon and pinned it at the back of Elizabeth’s head.
Elizabeth herself teased out the curls around her face.
‘Did you meet anyone else at Netherfield Park?’ asked Jane.
‘Yes. The odious Miss Bingley, who tried very hard to make me ashamed of my condition, but who was firmly put in her place by Mr Darcy. And by her brother.’
‘What was he like?’ asked Jane. ‘Was he like his sister?’
‘Not at all,’ said Elizabeth. ‘He seemed ashamed of her, and embarrassed by her ill nature. I do not know him very well as yet, but he seemed to be very pleasant. He did not have Mr Darcy’s height’ – or his handsome face, she thought – ‘but he was very much the gentleman. I am looking forward to knowing him better.’
Now that Elizabeth was refreshed, she and Jane went downstairs.
Elizabeth was unusually thoughtful that afternoon and evening. Her life was changing. Indeed, it would never be the same again. After tomorrow she would not be Miss Elizabeth Bennet, gentleman’s daughter. She would be Miss Bennet, companion. The two overlapped but they were not the same.
Then, too, her family home would soon be lost to her. Mr Collins had intimated that he wanted to move in by the end of the year. Whether he meant on the thirty-first of December, or the first of January, or indeed some other date, was not yet certain. However, she would not be able to walk around Longbourn with this freedom and ease for very much longer.
She wanted to remember it as it was; as it had been all the years of her life when she had lived there with her family. She walked round every room, and every corner of the garden, so that she would always remember it, and never forget.
The following morning she set out for Netherfield Park. She was not walking this time. She was riding in the family carriage and her boxes were travelling with her. Although she was not going far from home, she would be living at Netherfield Park and consequently her clothes and personal possessions went with her.
It had been arranged that sh
e would have one full day off a month, and that every week she would have an afternoon off. This was generous for companions, and Elizabeth was glad that she would be able to visit her family every week. She would also, no doubt, see them in Meryton when she accompanied Georgiana on shopping trips. Her sisters were often in town and chance meetings were inevitable.
A further benefit of her new position was that a sum of money had been included with her wages for her apparel. The companion of Miss Darcy must always be well dressed, and the patched garments that Elizabeth was now wearing were not deemed suitable. Even now, the Meryton dressmaker was making her a selection of simple but elegant day dresses, as well as a ball gown. The first of the gowns would soon be ready.
When she arrived at Netherfield Park, Georgiana was waiting to greet her. Elizabeth thought again how lucky she had been. Most companions would have been shown to their quarters by the housekeeper, but Elizabeth was conducted to hers by Georgiana.
Her room was not in the attic, as it would have been in some establishments. Instead, it was next to Georgiana’s. It was at the side of the house and in the distance she could just see the chimneys of Longbourn. She unpacked her things and then began her new role in earnest.
To begin with, it felt strange to be at Netherfield Park as a companion and not a guest. She was used to going where she pleased, when she pleased, but things had now changed. But gradually she became used to it.
The days soon set into a regular pattern. In the mornings, Elizabeth and Georgiana breakfasted together. Afterwards, they practised their music. Sometimes they played duets; sometimes Georgiana sang and Elizabeth accompanied her on the pianoforte; sometimes Elizabeth sang and Georgiana accompanied her. After their music, they took some refreshment and then went outside for some exercise. This usually consisted of walking round the formal gardens. Next, Georgiana had lessons with one of the tutors who had accompanied the Darcys from London and Elizabeth was free to do as she pleased. Georgiana’s lessons varied from day to day. Sometimes they consisted of languages, at other times they were dancing or deportment lessons, or instruction in the use of a globe. After luncheon, the two young ladies came together again and reading was their occupation. They decided on a course of books together and read alone for a spell, and then they discussed what they had read. Afternoon tea followed and then they could do as they pleased until it was time to dress for dinner.
A Companion For Miss Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Page 10
