Chapter 10 #2
He considered going to her ladyship’s apartment but hesitated.
“My sister is with Lady Hardwick?” he inquired.
“No, sir, only the doctor and her maid are with the mistress. Miss Darcy must be in her apartment. I am not sure, but there is no other place she can be,” the housekeeper replied hesitantly.
That answer increased Darcy’s uneasiness. He thought Georgiana might have returned home, but he banished that thought; surely, she would not abandon their aunt.
He hastened upstairs and knocked on his sister’s door, but no answer came.
Carefully, he pushed open the door and entered the small hall.
Not a single sound could be heard, and he thought she had fallen asleep.
He opened the door to her bedchamber and entered, looking towards the bed.
Georgiana sat in the middle of it, her arms closed around her knees gathered at her chest. He called her, but she did not appear to hear him. He sat by her, gently calling her name.
“Dearest, what are you doing here? Are you hurt?” She remained silent, and he stroked her hair. “My dear, tell me what is wrong?”
“How is Aunt Amelia?” she murmured.
“The doctor is with her —we will have to wait. I am sure she will be fine. We just have to see what the doctor advises us. We will take care of her.”
“It happened the same with our mother…she fell down while I played the piano…and she never woke up again,” she whispered with the incoherence of a troubled child.
Darcy was speechless. He embraced her tightly, wondering how he could possibly comfort her.
He remembered something that was lost in the recesses of his memory: after a long illness, when everybody hoped she was recovering, Lady Anne died one day as she listened to her daughter playing the piano. Georgiana was six.
He kissed his sister’s hands.
“My dearest, I am sorry that I was not with you back then. But I am here now. I will ring for some tea, and we will wait together. Let us hope and pray.”
With great effort, Darcy managed to bring her to a reasonable state, but her fingers still trembled so badly that she could not hold the cup.
Minutes passed painfully slowly; finally, Dr. Miller finished his examination and offered a calm answer to their anxious inquiries.
“Her ladyship’s state is as good as can be expected at her age. The fainting fit was mostly due to this uncommon heat; she has suffered such weaknesses several times in the past.”
“Has she? I was not aware of it,” Darcy replied.
“Well, she is surely not the kind of lady to alert people to any discomfort. I recommend she avoid going out in the sun. If she wishes to take a stroll, early in the morning or after sunset would be the proper times. And she should rest as must as possible —any useless effort should be avoided.”
“Certainly,” Darcy answered as Georgiana asked permission to see her.
“Of course, her ladyship is already inquiring after Miss Darcy. She can do whatever she pleases if she gives proper consideration to my advice. I shall come to see her again tomorrow.”
While Georgiana hurried to her aunt, Darcy showed the doctor to his carriage. He inquired again whether there were other things to be cautious about, and the doctor assured him he had no reason for extensive worry.
“We have plans to leave for Pemberley soon. Should we postpone them?”
“Mr. Darcy, if your plans are not urgent, my advice would be to avoid travelling in such hot weather. As I said, I have no reason to believe her ladyship’s life would be in danger —only her comfort. But a long journey in such extreme warmth might be difficult for anyone.”
“Very well, Dr. Miller, we will do as you recommend. There is nothing so urgent as to be worth even the smallest danger. We shall expect your visit again tomorrow.”
The doctor’s words put some of Darcy’s concerns to rest, but others remained to trouble him. He was in the position of changing his plans again, and he needed to make adjustments, but he did not hesitate a single moment. His aunt’s well-being was not to be disregarded.
His worry for Georgiana tightened his chest, and he was at a loss as to what would be the best course of action.
She possessed a kind of sensibility that often disturbed her tranquillity.
Her own reactions were obviously harming her, and he was helpless to know how to assist her.
Her balance —her peace —had been so deeply shaken during the last year that her recovery appeared to be laborious and grievous.
Pensive, he went to his aunt’s apartment, asking permission to see her. Lady Hardwick was in her bed, impeccably arranged as always, and Didi, lying at her feet, watched her carefully. Darcy kissed the countess’s hand.
“Your ladyship looks better than most people even when she is unwell,” he complimented her. “It seems we worried for nothing.”
“Oh, you flatterer…come and sit here. I was telling this sweet girl that you were silly to worry over nothing. I am as fine as ever. This heat is horrible. Who has ever seen such weather in London? For Heaven’s sake, it reminds me of India!”
“I have never been to India, so I shall take your word for it,” Darcy answered, glancing at Georgiana, whose face had lost none of its earlier pallor.
“And speaking of travelling, we will delay our journey to Pemberley for a few weeks. September will surely be a much better month for spending three days on the road.”
“Dear nephew, please do not change your plans for me,” the countess said.
“Aunt, it is already decided. Now, did I mention that I met Bingley today at the club? He gave me some news that I believe will cheer you both. He has decided to open Netherfield again, and he will leave for Hertfordshire within a few days.”
He did not miss Georgiana’s mirth or Lady Hardwick’s pleased grin.
“Well, I have always admired young men who decide to remedy their wrongs. I dare say he will not be bothered by the warm weather. But then again, he is three times younger than I am.”
“Your ladyship is three times stronger than most of us,” Darcy replied. “Now, Georgiana and I will let you rest, and we will return to see you in the evening.”
∞∞∞
During the following two days, Darcy divided his time equally between the two houses. When he had a moment of calm, his mind wandered towards Hertfordshire, wondering what Elizabeth was doing, but he never allowed that disturbing thought to last more than an instant.
He received a report that Wickham had arrived at his new regiment and taken over his new commission; he knew there were few reasons for joy though. Wickham was incapable of keeping any honourable profession for long, and he feared he had not heard the last of it.
The same day, a letter also arrived from Mr. Gardiner, informing him about the newly wedded couple’s arrival at their destination and containing almost a page with expressions of gratitude, which Darcy quickly gave up reading.
On an impulse, he sent a reply to Mr. Gardiner, inviting him for a drink.
Besides his interest in hearing more news of Elizabeth —which Darcy barely admitted to himself —he recognised that he truly enjoyed Mr. Gardiner’s —as well as Mr. Bennet’s —company, particularly as he had missed male companionship in the last months.
Before dinner, however, he was bothered by the unexpected arrival of Miss Caroline Bingley. At the announcement, he first worried that something had happened to Charles to justify such an improper visit. However, he was quickly proved wrong.
“Mr. Darcy, you must help me stop a disaster; you are our only hope as Charles refuses to listen to us and is determined to bring ruin to our family.”
“Miss Bingley! What a surprise.”
“Sir, Charles has decided to return to Netherfield tomorrow. As sly as he is, he only informed us today. It is easy to guess what his intentions are. I thought he had abandoned that madness, but I fear he wishes to pursue Jane Bennet again!”
“This seems like Bingley’s personal business; it has nothing to do with me.”
“But, sir, you know only too well that any connection with the Bennets would be a tragedy. You agreed that such an alliance would mean my brother’s misfortune and misery. You must do something. Charles will undoubtedly listen to you.”
“May I offer you something to drink?”
“To drink? No indeed —I have not a moment to lose. I have come to ask that you accompany me and talk some sense into Charles.”
Darcy poured himself a glass of wine.
“I apologise if my previous injudicious interference led you to believe that I have any intention of repeating it. Sharing my unwarranted opinion on a matter that only concerned Bingley was a mistake that I will struggle to avoid in the future. Bingley is an honourable man who evidently knows his mind and his heart well enough to make the right decisions.”
Caroline Bingley grimaced in astonishment.
“What do you mean, sir? Surely, you are joking; this cannot be!”
“Miss Bingley, it is not my intention to be disrespectful, but if there is nothing else I can help you with, I must go to my aunt’s house. Please convey to Bingley my wishes for a safe and easy journey. Now —may I show you to your carriage? I am in quite a hurry.”
A still dumbstruck Caroline Bingley was elegantly escorted out by a decided Darcy who helped her into her carriage and sent her away before she could form any further insistence or opposition.
As the carriage started to move, Darcy meditated that he had just made the first step to remedy one of his many faults: that ridiculous alliance with Bingley’s sisters against his friend’s wishes.
∞∞∞