“What did you do?” said Georgiana, receiving sufficient guilt when she finally looked up at her brother only to discover the evident pain in his features.
“I did not discover Wickham’s treachery until we met again in Kent. You see, I proposed to her, and she accused me of cruelty towards Mr. Wickham, and of course, she refused my proposal.” Although this was a painful discussion, Darcy felt it necessary that Georgiana should know at least some of their history. He hoped it would inspire her to turn to Elizabeth as a confidante. “I explained the extent of our history as I knew her discretion could be trusted.”
Now it all made sense. This explained why William had been so miserable in London. His love for Elizabeth was deep and she had broken his heart. Perhaps, though, she could at last share her feelings about the Ramsgate affair with Elizabeth, for her worry for her brother prevented her from speaking about it honestly with him. “I had no idea, William. If Miss Bennet is not opposed to it, I would like to speak with her privately.”
“Very good. I will arrange it. Georgiana, I do hope you grow to love Elizabeth as a sister.”
“I am sure I will, William, now if you will excuse me, I am tired. I think I shall rest for a while.”
Darcy embraced his sister, and said, “Of course,” I shall see you later this evening, dearest.” Then he left her alone in her room.
***
The following day, Darcy and Bingley called at Longbourn. Darcy came with the intent of asking Elizabeth to visit Netherfield the following day. The engaged couples were at their usual places in the sitting room, Jane and Bingley were discussing wedding plans, while Darcy said, “Elizabeth, will you come to Netherfield tomorrow? My sister wishes to converse privately with you. I have urged Georgiana to confide in you about the Ramsgate affair and she has agreed. I worry about her keeping her feelings to herself. Before last summer, she was shy, but not as withdrawn. She is now more subdued than ever, as you have noticed.”
Elizabeth was eager to get to know Miss Darcy, so she said, “Of course. I would be happy to do so. I did notice her unusual reservation.”
“We are both aware of the cause of this,” said Darcy, with a slight tension in his voice, “It is quite clear to me that she wishes to express herself, but I find that I am not the person in whom she can confide. The matter causes the both of us a significant amount of pain, as you can imagine.”
Elizabeth was flattered that Darcy thought of her as a suitable candidate for his sister’s confidante. Such an idea contrasted with his former pride, and the request served as further evidence that he had changed, and she loved him even more because of it. “I am honored, sir, that you see me as a potential confidante for your sister. I would guess that not many people of your acquaintance would be suitable.”
“Of course not, only a few people know of the situation, and I do hope that you and Georgiana will develop a close relationship.”
“I believe we shall be very close in time, William. Your concern for your sister is touching and speaks even more of your worth.”
At that moment, Darcy favored her with a genuine smile. Elizabeth’s reaction to his smile was profound and she found herself returning it with a dazzling smile of her own, and for a moment, neither one could speak, for each was pleased that they had inspired a genuine smile from the other.
***
The following day the Darcy carriage collected Elizabeth and once again Georgiana noticed Elizabeth’s flushed cheeks. The younger girl curtsied and said, “Miss Bennet, I am grateful for this opportunity to speak privately with you.”
“The pleasure is mine, Miss Darcy,” said Elizabeth, sitting across from where Georgiana had sat down. “I must say that your brother has been most anxious for this meeting to take place.”
Georgiana smiled slightly. “My brother has been very concerned for me as of late, and now he has made it clear that he hopes that I can comfortably confide in you, Elizabeth.”
“I gather that your brother is very devoted to you.”
“Indeed, he is. He never criticizes, and he rarely has a cross word to say, even though I think I deserve it sometimes. I have been rather difficult as of late.”
“The ideal elder brother,” said Elizabeth, pleased to discover that Georgiana’s views of her brother were completely sincere.
“He is the best brother in the world,” said Georgiana. “He always makes time for me despite his many business responsibilities. Truth be told, he was not like himself in London,” Georgiana gasped. “Oh, I should not have said that. He would not wish you to know such things.”
“You have inspired my curiosity. Why did your brother give you a cause to be concerned in London?”
“I do not know if I should say,” said Georgiana, “I do not believe that he would be happy if he knew that we were discussing him.”
“Who says that he needs to know? Honestly, you do not need to tell him everything, nor shall I.”
Georgina was slightly taken aback by Elizabeth’s words. She had never considered that her brother did not need to know everything.
Elizabeth immediately noticed Georgiana’s discomfort which automatically inspired her caring and protective nature. “Miss Darcy, you can tell me anything and be assured of my secrecy.”
“Truly?” asked Georgiana.
“Yes, and if you do not want me to tell him what you said, he will fail miserably in any attempt to persuade me to do so. After all, young girls are entitled to some secrets of their own, and your brother knows better than to intrude on the confidence between two women.” Elizabeth suddenly remembered his speech that day at Netherfield during Jane’s illness, and she had not realized until then that Mr. Darcy’s attraction for her had already begun.
Georgiana was relieved by Elizabeth’s words. She had been waiting to express her feelings, feelings that had festered ever since Ramsgate, as she had never wanted to upset her brother further by revealing the details to him. Thus, she proceeded to tell Elizabeth about her short, disastrous courtship with George Wickham, knowing that Elizabeth too had been drawn in by his false charms and cruel lies. The conversation established a bond between the two women, which would later become one of deep sisterly affection.
“I hurt William so terribly with my imprudent actions. I never would have done what I did if I had suspected the consequences my actions would have on him. He has always been so good to me, especially since our father died. Knowing that I almost foolishly betrayed him hurts the most.” Then, Georgiana wiped a few tears from her eyes.
Seeing Georgiana’s tears further evoked Elizabeth’s protective nature, and she immediately settled herself besides the younger girl, and put her arms around her. Georgiana, though somewhat startled by the action, was relieved for the new source of comfort and leaned into Elizabeth’s embrace.
After a few moments, Elizabeth said, “It was not your fault. Mr. Wickham is extremely adept at finding ways to injure your brother. Had you not been available, he would have found another way, and he did.”
“When William told me that you had trusted Mr. Wickham, I could scarcely believe it after meeting you.”
“As well you know, Mr. Wickham can be very charming when he chooses to be. I was swayed by his charisma and regrettably I was not inclined to believe what your brother told me about his character. At first, I wished to discredit his tale about their history. So you can see, Georgiana, you must not blame yourself for believing in Wickham. He has a gift for bewitching everyone he meets. In fact, everyone in Meryton loved him, and I would guess that many people still do.”
“Wickham was so horrible to Fitzwilliam,” cried Georgiana, “and when my brother met him again last fall, he suffered greatly. When he returned to Pemberley for the winter he was much changed. He was terribly distracted all the time. As the weeks passed by he seemed to get back to his usual self. Do not tell my brother I told you this, but when spring came, he received a letter from our aunt, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, and he was so willing to make his annual pilgri
mage to Rosings. I could hardly comprehend it. Our aunt is not the kindest of our relations.”
Elizabeth smiled at this notion, “I would have to agree with you, Miss Darcy. I found Lady Catherine’s company to be quite trying, but pray continue your story,” said Elizabeth, sensing that Georgiana had even more to confess.
“Oh, Elizabeth, when William returned from Rosings it was simply awful! He hardly ever spoke, and no one ever dared to approach him. Not only that, but he was forever locking himself in his study for hours at a time. I did not dare to ask him what was wrong, for I supposed that it must be something to do with the Ramsgate affair. I could not face his disappointment.”
To think that Darcy had been so troubled by her refusal. She had never realized how deep his affection was. Knowing the extent of his suffering made her appreciate his devotion more than she had in the past. “Georgiana, believe me when I say that his mood had nothing to do with you, but everything to do with our disastrous encounter in Kent.”
Georgiana seemed relieved to hear this, but Elizabeth could tell she was still skeptical. “Would you like to know about our time together in Kent?”
Georgiana acknowledged that she had been curious.
“I was so shocked to see him at Rosings. I had not counted on him visiting his aunt while I was visiting my friend, who had recently married the local rector. We did not converse much, but we met a few times while I was walking through Rosings Park. Of course, I did not realize that he had developed feelings for me. So his proposal took me completely by surprise.”
“You did not know that he had formed an attachment to you?” asked Georgiana dubiously.
“I did not. In fact, just before he proposed to me, I believed I had discovered an unpleasant truth about your brother. I was very upset and I avoided going to Rosings, pleading a headache. Your brother was concerned and called at the parsonage, of course, to propose. I am ashamed of how I reacted, and knowing that I caused him pain, I regret my poor behavior even more. I accused him of cruelty towards Mr. Wickham and of separating Mr. Bingley from my sister. We quarreled, and he quickly departed.” Elizabeth was unsure if she should tell Georgiana that her brother had kissed her, but then decided that unless Georgiana specifically asked, she would leave out that piece of information. “Then he gave me a letter explaining his actions and encouraged me to speak to Colonel Fitzwilliam if I doubted his sincerity, which I did, and of course I learned that I had been foolish to trust Mr. Wickham’s word over your brother’s. I confessed to William my lapse of good judgment. Unfortunately, he took it to mean that I had changed my answer to his earlier marriage proposal. I was intemperate in my response to his misunderstanding and I spoke savagely. I am heartily ashamed of myself.”
Georgiana was surprised by this revelation. However, she sensed that she was not being told something, but was unsure if she had the right to question the personal business between Elizabeth and William.
“So you see, Miss Darcy, you cannot blame yourself whatsoever for your brother’s sorrow. That is my burden to bear. It was my misinterpretation of his character that led me to refuse him.”
“I had no idea that love could be so painful,” said Georgiana.
Elizabeth grinned, “It is not as bad as all that, your brother and I are very stubborn people, and once we had made up our minds about something, it takes a lot to change it. That is the nature of the conflict in our past, but all conflicts can be resolved, and love is surely worth all the torment.”
“So you do love my brother?” asked Georgiana with trepidation, worrying that Elizabeth would take offense with her directness.
“Yes, I love him very much, even though it took me quite some time to realize it.”
“I am glad William found you, to be honest, I feared he would marry Miss Bingley.”
Elizabeth laughed aloud at this confession. “Oh, my dear, you did not need to worry about that ever happening. William never cared much for Miss Bingley.”
“But William is so concerned with duty. I thought he would settle with some lady of the ton. I suspected that whomever he married would not make him happy, and I worried that she would try and control my life, including my debut to society, and eventually the man I would marry. I thought that she would convince William to make me marry someone who could not make me happy.”
Elizabeth did not know how to respond to such a speech, so she tried her best to form a suitable answer. “Responsibility is important, but following one’s heart is equally so, whenever possible. Your brother is fortunate that he can afford to follow his heart, or we would not be where we are today. I am sure that William would never force you to marry someone who would make you unhappy.”
Georgiana was soothed by Elizabeth’s words, and once again, she was grateful that her brother had not fallen in love with a lady from the ton. From then on, they discussed more pleasant topics and they enjoyed getting to know each other and were already referring to each other by their Christian names when Darcy himself interrupted them.
He was pleased to discover that the two most important women in his life appeared to be getting along well. “I do not wish to interrupt women in each other’s confidence, but it is getting late, and I must now escort Miss Bennet back to Longbourn.”
Both Georgiana and Elizabeth shared a conspiring look for they had just been discussing something, which they hoped Darcy had not overheard. “It was a pleasure, Elizabeth,” said Georgiana.
“Indeed it was, Georgiana. You must come to call at Longbourn sometime soon. I am sure my sisters would be pleased to meet you.”
Georgiana’s response surprised Darcy. “I would love to, perhaps next week.” She further surprised Darcy by embracing Elizabeth. Elizabeth smiled before saying farewell and leaving the room with Darcy.
***
The next two weeks passed by quickly. Elizabeth called at Netherfield several times, and took delight in getting to know her future sister-in-law. Georgiana accepted Elizabeth’s invitation to go to Longbourn. Initially, Elizabeth was worried that some of her family’s more ridiculous antics, especially those of her mother, would overwhelm the shy Miss Darcy. However, both she and Darcy were pleasantly surprised to find that Georgiana formed an instant bond with Kitty and Mary. Furthermore, Mrs. Bennet surprised everyone in the household by welcoming Georgiana graciously into her home without constantly fawning over her, as she was prone to do with wealthy gentlemen.
Nine
“Mr. Bennet, you must take us all to London,” announced Mrs. Bennet at dinner one evening.
“Why must I do this, my dear?” said Mr. Bennet.
“We must go to complete the girls’ trousseaux and to get their wedding dresses. There is no place in Meryton that can supply wedding finery that will be elegant enough. After all, our dear girls are marrying gentleman of the ton. They cannot be dressed as simple country girls!”
“My dear Mrs. Bennet, I doubt that Mr. Darcy or Mr. Bingley would care what our girls wear.”
“Oh, Mr. Bennet, you delight in vexing me. The girls must have fine wedding gowns and trousseaux otherwise they shall be the laughing stock of fine society!”
“Jane, Lizzy, you are fortunate to have such an affectionate mother, for I doubt I ever would have given any consideration to such matters. Very well, my dear, write to your brother and inquire if we could intrude on them for a week or so.”
“Oh, girls, do you not have the kindest father?” cried Mrs. Bennet. “I shall write to Mr. Gardiner directly.”
While Jane and Elizabeth suspected that their fiancées had not a care for what was in their trousseaux, they knew better than to argue with their mother.
The trip came conveniently for Darcy, as he had some minor business affairs to take care of in London, and he was reluctant to leave Elizabeth’s side.
Bingley was accommodating as usual and was relieved that his sisters were still traveling for the summer and would not be in London while they were there. He sensed that Jane was also relieved by their absenc
e, as she had told him about his sister’s letter to her, and about the time that Caroline had called on her at her aunt and uncle’s house in Cheapside. He was still dismayed that his sister had acted so unkindly toward the woman he loved, especially after being one of the instigators of their separation.
The arrangements were swiftly made, and on July fifteenth the Bennets departed for the Gardiner house in Cheapside, with Bingley and the Darcys following in their separate carriages.
***
The first half of the London sojourn passed in a flurry of activity. Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner dragged the elder Miss Bennets around London for three days, frequenting the various shops and purchasing items for the trousseaux and for the wedding. At the end of each day, the gentlemen called at the Gardiner house on Gracechurch Street to dine with their fiancées. Mrs. Bennet would enthusiastically inform everyone of the progress she had made, while Jane and Elizabeth smiled wearily at their mother’s overenthusiastic antics.
Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet were given a tour of Darcy House. Elizabeth was delighted with her future home and praised her fiancée for his good taste; simultaneously, she felt relief that the house was not as grand and ostentatious as Rosings. With Mr. Bennet as their chaperone during the tour, Darcy and Elizabeth were prevented from stolen intimacies until Darcy very strategically showed him into the library, which he had been keen to see after hearing such high praise about it. This maneuver was successful in securing the two lovers a few brief moments of privacy. The day ended with yet another family dinner at the Gardiner House.
Over the next few days, Mr. Bingley enjoyed getting to know the Gardiners, as they were so dear to his beloved Jane, and Darcy was equally happy to further his acquaintance with them. After all, if he had not been for Mrs. Gardiner, he and Elizabeth might not have spoken that day in the park and they might not be where they were today.
***
“Lizzy, dear, “ said Mrs. Gardiner, at the dinner table one night after their first week in London “Should you still like to join us on our Northern Tour? It will be contracted, due to your uncle’s business affairs, but Derbyshire is beautiful this time of year. I am sure you will love Blenheim and Chatsworth, and of course there is nothing like the untamed beauty of the Peaks. Could you stand to be apart from your Mr. Darcy?”
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