Georgiana looked properly chastised at the mention of the boy, and Susan was pleased that she had hit the mark. “As long as I have your help, Elizabeth Bennet will be on the road back to Hertfordshire before she knows what has happened.”
Just at that moment, Lord Attaway came towards them with an enormous smile on his face. “Ladies, I apologise for being late. It was unavoidable.” He winked at Georgiana. “I hope that you have not missed me too terribly.”
“We hardly noticed you were not here,” Lady Susan reproved. It was clear that Georgiana did not feel the same, for she blushed under his examination.
“Miss Darcy, you look so lovely tonight that you simply take my breath away. May I enquire if your next set is open?”
“It is, sir.”
“Then may I have the honour?” She nodded. “Excellent. Now, if you will excuse me for a moment, I see an old friend that I must greet before the next set begins.”
With that Attaway walked away, and Georgiana turned to watch him leave. Instantly, he joined a group that included several women, all of whom circled him, speaking animatedly. Soon they were giggling at whatever he was saying. Seeing Georgiana’s smile fade to a scowl, Susan made a mental note to chastise her cousin for flirting in front of her.
“Do not be overly concerned, dear. Those are merely neighbours of my cousin who live near Liverpool—the Pierpoint sisters, I believe.”
“I was merely curious, that is all,” Georgiana lied as her head swung back around. “I care not with whom Lord Attaway converses. After all, he is an unmarried man and can entertain whomever he wishes.”
“This is true,” Lady Susan said, adding cleverly, “though from what he has told me, he may not be single for long.”
Georgiana was suddenly in better humour. “What did he say?”
“Oh, I could not betray a confidence, my dear.” Lady Susan smiled knowingly. “I will only say that what he plans to do pleases me immensely.”
That must have satisfied Georgiana, for she quit keeping an eye on Attaway as he made his way around the ballroom, flirting with one woman after another. And, truth be known, he had great success with his flirtations, for more than one young lady in attendance that evening believed wholeheartedly that his plans for the future included her.
ON THE DANCE FLOOR, the main objects of Derbyshire’s curiosity were twirling around in time to a German waltz, 15 hardly aware of anything save one another. William, dressed in black except for a dark gold waistcoat and white shirt, was the epitome of what an elegant gentleman should be, while Elizabeth was beguiling in one of the gowns he had commissioned from Madam Bouvier. It was an empire-style gown of pale-pink silk with rose-coloured, embroidered flowers across the bodice and the hem and several flounces of Belgium lace on the skirt and sleeves. The centre of each flower was accented with sequins, and she wore a rose-coloured silk flower adorned with the same sequins in her hair.
Bewitched by his wife, William pulled her closer, murmuring, “Have I told you how beautiful you are, sweetheart?”
Elizabeth smiled lovingly up at her handsome husband. “Yes, but evidently my beauty has blinded you to a more pressing problem.”
“And what might that be?”
“Each time we circle the floor, you hold me a little closer, Will. If you continue in this fashion, by the time the waltz ends, we shall have scandalised your relations and most of Derbyshire.”
William chuckled, whispering mischievously, “I care not if we do. Besides, if you keep calling me Will, you will find yourself involved in a much bigger scandal than that.”
One eyebrow rose, a mannerism of hers that had always enchanted him. “Oh? I do not take your meaning, Mr. Darcy?”
“Well, Mrs. Darcy. Do you recall what activity we were engaged in when you resumed calling me Will?”
She turned crimson. “I do.”
“Then can you fault me if using that appellation reminds me of that very activity?”
She whispered as loudly as she dared, glancing about, “Someone may hear you.”
“Let them,” he declared. “No doubt everyone here has already decided that I am a besotted fool.”
She smiled. “Or merely just a fool for choosing me.”
They were just then nearing the open French doors that led outside and, without missing a beat, William twirled her though the doors and onto the terrace. As he did, several couples standing near the doors gasped and moved closer to follow them with their eyes.
“Let no one doubt after tonight that I am completely and irreversibly mad for you.”
With that, William clasped her to himself in a torrid kiss, then slipped an arm around her waist as he began to lead her down the steps, taking the gravel path lit with lanterns.
“Where are we going?”
“Surely there is a bench or a gazebo in this garden and I mean to find it.”
“Oh, Will, you are the guest of honour. You cannot just disappear.”
“We are the guests of honour, and yes, we can—at least for a short while.” He stopped to face her. “It is either steal a few minutes alone with you now or depart for home.” He brushed her lips with his. “For I am overwhelmed by the need to be alone with you; moreover, I can always say that I wished to rest my ankle.”
“You dance so well that I completely forgot about your ankle. Does it still hurt terribly?”
“It is sore, but not so much that I cannot enjoy a dance with my wife.”
It was several minutes until the honourees returned to the ballroom. When they did, Elizabeth’s lips were crimson, her face flushed—a silent testament to their activities. Nonetheless, neither she nor William appeared embarrassed as they made their way back into the ballroom, past the stares and whispers of the ton, just as a set was ending.
While the Darcys may have invited scandal, the gossips were delighted at their impudence, for their disappearance had provided even more tittle-tattle to pass along to their fellow gossipmongers. And seeing Mr. Darcy so love-struck was truly a unique experience to be able to boast about.
Reaching the spot where his aunt and uncle were standing, William was amused by the uncomfortable expressions on their faces. That and the fact that Lady Matlock was fanning herself frantically were sure indications that they were not in good humour.
The countess recognized that they were the centre of attention, so she managed a smile as she whispered, “You are taxing my nerves tonight, Fitzwilliam.”
As the music started again, she addressed Elizabeth politely, “My husband mentioned that he would like to have the next set with you, my dear.”
Instantly, the earl stepped forward to offer her his arm. Elizabeth laid her hand upon it and looked wide-eyed back at William as Lord Matlock led her toward the dance floor. William looked entirely lost as she was led away and could offer only a meagre smile to fortify her before she disappeared into the crowd.
With Elizabeth occupied, Lady Matlock turned her attention to her nephew. “Now, if you would be so kind, I should like to dance with you.”
William knew that a lecture was forthcoming; still, he had no choice but to comply. “Certainly.”
He held out his arm, and the lady laid her hand upon it. As the music began and they walked towards the dance floor, she said quietly, “I expected better behaviour from you.”
William rolled his eyes. The rest of the night would no doubt be endless.
IN A CORNER OF THE ballroom, Lord Attaway stood with his cousin, Lady Susan.
“Just to satisfy my curiosity, why were you late tonight?”
“You do remember that your father had me deliver a stallion to Sheffield yesterday.”
“Yes, but you had plenty of time to return and still be here on time.”
“Yes, well I would have been, if I had not run into an old friend of ours at an inn just outside Lambton. We had an interesting visit.”
“Friend of ours?” Lady Susan’s eyebrows rose. “Pray tell, who do we both consider a friend?”
“Darcy’s cousin, Andrew. He is still as amiable as ever—nothing like his austere cousin who pretends not to remember me.”
She huffed. “I hardly think of Andrew as a friend anymore. He never comes to see me unless he wants something.”
“Perhaps that is Darcy’s fault. Andrew said that he is no longer welcome to stay at Pemberley, and lately his allowance has been discontinued. Needless to say, he is not pleased with his cousin.”
“He has not been welcome at Pemberley for years. That is nothing new. However, the rumours in London are that he and Fitzwilliam are at odds over a woman from Manchester. I assume that is why he is keeping out of sight.”
“He did not mention anything about it, but it sounds promising. What happened? Did Fitzwilliam favour her, too?”
“Do not be ridiculous; it was nothing like that. Apparently Andrew raised the woman’s expectations and then dropped her unceremoniously. She drowned—whether or not by her own hand is not certain.”
“Yes, I can see Darcy punishing him for something like that. He was always a stickler for propriety.”
“Except when it comes to his own respectability it would seem,” Susan said sarcastically. Searching the dance floor until her eyes lit upon Elizabeth, she tilted her head in that direction, “Just look at the chit he chose to marry. She is dancing with Lord Matlock.”
Attaway saw much to like in Darcy’s dark-haired wife, but he knew better than to say as much. “Jealousy does not flatter you, Cousin.”
“I am not jealous!” Susan declared. “I am honest. She is beneath him. I should say beneath us all! And she has no real beauty.”
“Calm down and lower your voice,” Attaway cautioned. “People are staring.”
Lady Susan raised her chin and turned to smile at those standing nearby. The observers quickly resumed their own conversations. “So, what else did Andrew have to say?”
“He said that he is staying with a friend outside of Lambton and that he has a new business venture that is producing a good living. I hinted for him to tell me more, but he was quite tight-lipped about what it entailed. I suppose he wants to keep all the profits for himself, and I can hardly blame him.”
“I should think it only one of his schemes, for he is not fond of hard work.” She sighed. “In any event, should you see him again, tell him to drop by Monthaven Manor. I think I will need his help in disposing of Mrs. Darcy.”
“How so?”
“Rumour is that Mrs. Darcy was very fond of Andrew before she moved on to Fitzwilliam.”
“A woman after my own heart,” Attaway chuckled.
“I pay your heart to prey on Georgiana, not Mrs. Darcy.”
Attaway’s eyes flew to Georgiana as she danced with Lord Bertram. “She is a pretty little thing, though I find her quite dull.”
“Dull? Georgiana is well educated,” Susan countered, trying to encourage her cousin.
“Education does not make a woman interesting. She is so gullible that she believes everything I say. Where is the thrill in that? Deceiving her will be too easy.”
“I did not hire you to enjoy your work. You are to seduce her in order to keep her on my side and against Eliza Bennet. In fact, I think that your marrying Georgiana would be absurd. It would only make matters more difficult.”
“Still, I have begun to relish the idea of wedding Georgiana just to raise Darcy’s hackles—well, that and her thirty thousand pounds. He has always looked down his nose at me.”
“Do not let your temper make you foolish. If you ruin this for me, you shall regret it.”
Lord Attaway sighed. “Do not worry. I shall keep my cards hidden until after you have Mr. Darcy secured.”
“See that you do.” The set was ending, and as Georgiana was being escorted from the floor, Lady Susan added, “I want you to dance the next set with Georgiana. Invite her to Monthaven for tea. I shall manage to have something to take care of when she comes and leave the two of you alone.”
“And what exactly do you want me to achieve at this assignation?”
“The objective is to seduce her, stopping short of taking her virginity, of course. If you went that far, Fitzwilliam would kill you, marriage or no marriage.”
“I am not afraid of—”
He was quickly interrupted. “Spare me the bravado! I do not care to hear it. Make her think you love her. Then we can manipulate her to do as we ask.”
“That will be no problem.” Lord Attaway’s eyes began to follow a tall red-haired woman who smiled at him beguilingly as she walked past.
“And another thing! Stop showing interest in other women when Georgiana is nearby, or her brother, for that matter. They need to think you are besotted with her and not just a common rake.”
Attaway took a deep breath and let it out noisily. “You drive a hard bargain.”
“That is because I am paying well for this bargain.”
PEMBERLEY
Absorbed in the scent and murmur of the night, Olivia and Joseph stood on the balcony outside their bedroom, just as they had done every evening, weather permitting, since coming to Pemberley. Watching as a midnight-blue, velvet expanse of sky turned into a blanket of twinkling stars, Joseph stood behind his wife, his arms around her waist. Her head was tilted back against his chest as she gazed upward. Smiling, he leaned down to kiss the top of her head, and she closed her eyes, allowing a deep sigh to escape.
“What is this? A sigh?” Joseph ventured. “Do you regret missing the ball, my love?”
“My only regret is in not seeing Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth being honoured by their neighbours.” She turned to face him. “But in truth, I had rather be here in your arms than anywhere in the world.”
He smiled. “You have always made me feel that I am the most important man in the world, Livy. I love you for that.”
“That is because you are the most important man in the world to me, Joseph.”
He kissed her tenderly before embracing her more tightly. “Then if the sigh is not from regret, what is the source?”
“It is a sigh of contentment.”
“Ah, yes. Our boy is in high spirits, so all is right with the world,” he teased.
“He is not our boy, but being around him of late, I have come to love him like a son, and since her arrival, Elizabeth is like my own daughter. When they hurt, I hurt.” She lifted her head to look into his eyes. “And do not deny that you feel the same, for I know better.”
“I shall not deny it; you are right. I almost feel like their father.”
“I know what you mean. I often find myself saying things to them that I would have said to Arthur or Jenny.” She chuckled, “And with little prompting on their parts.”
“I have seen the way Fitzwilliam reacts to you, Livy. He may be a man, but inside he is still a boy who craves a mother’s touch. And Elizabeth, it seems, is much the same. Though our niece has a mother and father, from what Fitzwilliam has said, the Bennets look after their own interests first and foremost.”
“Elizabeth has told me a few things that make me believe that as well.”
They were both lost in thought until suddenly Olivia’s face brightened. “Is it not touching to see how the coldness between Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth has completely vanished? It is so moving to see them hold hands and whisper to one another. In fact, I caught them in a kiss when I went unannounced into Elizabeth’s sitting room earlier today.”
Her husband chuckled. “Yes. The time alone at the cottage must have done the trick. And with their newly found felicity, I can imagine that we shall interrupt many a kiss in the future. Do you remember how frequently we embarrassed our housekeeper the first few months of our marriage?”
Olivia laughed. “I do. Mrs. Stanley was afraid to walk down a hall without announcing her presence.” She shook her head as if in wonder. “Even the atmosphere in the house has changed since they returned today. I thought Mrs. Reynolds was going to walk on air when she announced tea, she was so delighted.”
“
I suppose Georgiana is the only one not pleased that they are happy,” Joseph added, “although I cannot understand why. If her new sister and her brother have a satisfying relationship, it can only work to her good.”
“One would think she would wish them joy. Truly, I have no idea why our niece is so set against Elizabeth, for she has never treated Georgiana with anything but kindness, despite her many barbs.”
“As we have learned, sometimes people are cruel without any provocation. It is a fact of life.” He kissed her forehead softly. “I am so proud that you never held a grudge, or allowed me to hold one, either. You have been my compass, Livy, always guiding me to do the right thing. Without you, I would have been a bitter man.”
“And you have been my anchor,” she whispered.
They kissed then as they had when they were young and newly married. And it was not long until stars and galaxies were forgotten for more important pursuits.
Chapter 30
Pemberley
The next morning
Olivia and Joseph Fitzwilliam had just finished breaking their fast and were leaving the dining room when they saw Mrs. Reynolds coming toward them from the direction of her office. In her hand was the familiar folder that she nearly always carried, which contained lists of household chores, servants assigned to them and other pertinent information needed for the running of the house. Consequently, her head was down and her eyes were locked on the paper she was reading as she walked.
The housekeeper stopped abruptly when her name was called, her concentration broken. Embarrassed to be caught unawares, she sputtered, “Good morning, Mr. Fitzwilliam, Mrs. Fitzwilliam. I hope you found what Cook prepared this morning to your liking.”
Both Fitzwilliams smiled warmly, as Olivia replied, “Good morning, Mrs. Reynolds. The food was marvellous, as always. Mrs. Lantrip is to be congratulated for consistently providing delicious meals.”
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