Chapter 12
T he presence of the two portraits was too intimate to be ignored for long. It was as if they were watching a couple in their most private moments, a continuous revelation of their love. They silently left Lady Anne’s apartment and descended to the parlour on the ground floor.
They expected Darcy to be the first to touch the objects from the secret drawer. It was still his decision to open the letters and reveal the contents of the box.
“Dear Mama,” Georgiana spoke with tears in her eyes, “she liked boxes; she had a great collection, and each box was full of precious objects.”
This box had exquisite woodwork with gold and mother-of-pearl incrustations. When Darcy took it into his hands, they saw the blazon on one side. Instinctively, Darcy gave the box to Lady Edwina.
“I am sure it is the Blandford coat of arms. My goodness, this box was a commitment. No one would give a box with the blazon unless he had a serious intention. Come, Darcy, open it!”
Her tone was anxious; it seemed impossible to discover new elements in a story she was sure to know.
The box had a golden handle in the form of a snake; like the box itself, it was a masterpiece of craftsmanship. A delicate key was tied with a ribbon to the handle. Georgiana laughed again at memories of her mother’s boxes and keys and the mysteries a small child wanted to know. Her wish came true as she was about to discover her mother’s most intimate secrets that, it seemed, not even Edwina knew.
Lady Edwina stood and moved close to Darcy as he opened the box. It held a ring—nothing but a ring in its intricate velvet support. They looked in disbelief at the ring in the shape of the griffon; they had already seen it on the blazon from the box, covered in precious stones the same colours as the coat of arms. The ring had an elaborate gold mounting for a young woman’s slender hand. The duke did not give her one of his rings but made one, especially for her.
“It was more than she let me know!” Edwina was equally astonished and saddened to find her beloved friend had kept such secrets from her. She tried to remember every circumstance of the thirty-year-old story. Still, nothing was said between them to induce Lady Edwina to conclude there were more than some chaperoned meetings, dances, and hand-holding walks.
“It was not a simple love story between two young people, as she let me believe.” Lady Edwina’s voice held a trace of reproach. “He gave her a ring. It was a promise. Perhaps he even proposed to her.”
“You were not aware that he asked her to marry him?” Darcy could hardly take his eyes off the ring he handed Georgiana, who instinctively put it on her finger. It fitted perfectly. She hurried to remove it, but Darcy tenderly told her to keep it. There was a new bond and understanding growing between the siblings now that they were together in such extraordinary circumstances. For many years, Darcy had been not only the elder brother but also the father figure for Georgiana. But in the presence of past secrets, a new relationship was flourishing between brother and sister. Georgiana was thrilled, and Elizabeth could see that Darcy also enjoyed the situation.
“I never knew about any marriage plans between them,” Lady Edwina finally said. “I shall tell you all that I knew. Perhaps, with all the letters she left, we can decipher the secret. But first, I need a drink.”
They all laughed at her words, and the tension began to dissipate, for the ring revealed a daring secret. They wanted to know more but felt they knew most of it.
Lady Edwina wiped her tears, asking for orange wine, her favourite drink. Edwina came from a different society; at Pemberley or in Hertfordshire, a lady never drank before the afternoon, and, even then, generally, only married ladies could have a sip of wine or sherry. However, in London, manners were different. Over the past few days, Georgiana and Elizabeth have discussed this difference; a lady of their world has privileges in town that were inconceivable for women in the country. Elizabeth just moistened her lips into the wine and smiled. Lady Edwina brought with her a different air, not only in the stories she shared but also in how she lived.
“That night at the duke’s palace, they fell in love when they saw each other. In those times at a ball, a girl like Anne would have had all her dances promised, but only a few men could approach her that night. She told me…”
Edwina hesitated; it was strange to be in front of her goddaughter and godson, now grown, and narrate the passionate love story between their mother and a relative stranger.
“Come now,” Darcy said, his voice filled with determination, “we have already overcome any concerns. We know part of the truth and want to know more—everything you remember. And then we shall see the letters. It is too late to step back. We have decided to unveil our mother—the real woman.”
“She was real in everything she felt or did for you.”
“I know. I just meant to say we need to have a complete picture of her.”
“Please,” Georgiana continued, pleading their cause, “we know her as a mother and from time to time as a wife and mistress of the house, but it is so special for us to come to know her as a woman in love.”
“Well, my dears, I am not sure children should be told such details about their mother’s life.”
Elizabeth was reluctant to enter their discussion, but she wanted to be a part of it as she had the privilege of being invited into Lady Anne’s heritage by the lady herself. The codicil regarding her was in the same package as the letter for Darcy.
“If you will allow me to intervene, I think Lady Anne expressed her final wish when she wrote that letter to Fitzwilliam and left behind the portraits after her death. Her decision was to let you know about her love and give you more details than even her closest friend knew.”
Darcy looked at the lady he loved with genuine appreciation and pride. “Yes, I totally agree with Elizabeth. The reticence springs from our feelings and not from her will. She wanted us to know everything in the documents she left behind. So, please tell us all you know.”