Chapter 25
It had been the worst in a row of sleepless nights for Darcy.
His conversation with Elizabeth, instead of soothing him, had increased his distress, turning it into rage.
The notion that two people in whom he and his father had put their trust had plotted to take advantage of and then torment Georgiana on purpose was unbearable.
How much grief, pain, fright, and shame must have been in Georgiana’s poor soul for as many months, and how devastating it must have been to not be able to share her secret or seek support from anyone.
Yes, in the end, Georgiana would have realised that she was not with child, as she feared. But several more months of turmoil in her precarious state could have destroyed her health entirely.
The thought that his sister did not trust him — or anyone else in their family — enough to share her burden was also disturbing for Darcy.
Mrs Annesley had proved to be an excellent woman so far.
However, after Mrs Younge’s betrayal, it was understandable that Georgiana felt reluctant to trust another companion so soon.
While he pondered the gratitude he owed to Elizabeth and Mrs Gardiner, he mused again over his despicable manners towards the Bennet family at the beginning of their acquaintance.
Nothing he could do would be enough to compensate for his behaviour.
The conclusion was simple: his mother’s favourites — Elizabeth and her aunt — were the only ones capable of remedying the damage caused by his father’s favourite, Wickham.
Fate certainly had a peculiar sense of irony.
Of Elizabeth, he tried not to think too much; his body and his heart were already defeated and enchanted by her.
Therefore, he tried to at least keep his mind clear.
He had been bold and barely proper in the brief private encounters with her; he had to control himself better.
That was only in regard to Elizabeth, of course; when it came to Wickham and Mrs Younge, he intended to show no restraint.
“Mr Darcy, for how many people should we arrange the breakfast table?” the butler enquired.
“For four people,” he replied. “I am not certain yet, but I hope my sister and her companions will join me.”
“Very well, sir.”
“Please have this note delivered immediately to Mr Dodge. I wish to speak to him as soon as possible.”
“Of course.”
As soon as the man left, Darcy moved to his library.
It was his habit to have a brief morning meeting with his housekeeper; with the dinner party the following evening, he needed to be certain everything was prepared accordingly.
He found himself strangely concerned with a mere dinner for family, and he knew his nervousness was due to his wish to have everything perfect for her.
***
Despite her restlessness, Elizabeth slept better than she had in quite a while.
She hurried to prepare for the day, then went to Georgiana.
The girl met her with a little smile, fully dressed, her hair elegantly arranged.
She was very thin, and her gown had become too large for her.
She still looked pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes, but her smile was genuine and bright.
“My dear, you look lovely!” Elizabeth embraced her.
“You are too kind, but I know I look better than yesterday since I feel so much better. Did you have a chance to speak to my brother, Lizzy?” she enquired shyly.
“Yes. We spoke last night. It was a brief conversation, but both Mr Darcy and I were happy with it,” she answered meaningfully since Mrs Annesley was present.
“Would you come with me to talk to him?”
“If you wish, of course,” Elizabeth responded.
“Shall we have breakfast with Mr Darcy?” Mrs Annesley interjected. “I believe he is expecting us.”
“Yes, he has waited for me long enough,” Georgiana said, grabbing Elizabeth’s arm as all three of them walked downstairs.
When they entered, Mr Darcy was already at the table. He stood to greet them, an expression of surprise and delight on his face.
“Dearest, I am so happy to see you!” he said, embracing his sister. “You ladies look beautiful this morning. I am happy to see you all,” he added. Although she knew it was mere politeness, Elizabeth felt her cheeks colour again.
It was the first time they had sat together at a table, and Georgiana took the chair to her brother’s left, with Mrs Annesley sitting next to her.
“Miss Bennet, will you sit here, opposite Georgiana?” Mr Darcy offered the position to his right.
“It is perfect, thank you,” she replied, feeling warm as he held the chair for her.
Dishes were being brought in when suddenly the door opened, and without an announcement, Colonel Fitzwilliam entered.
On seeing the party assembled, his eyes widened in disbelief, and a grin spread over his face.
He hurried to Georgiana and leant in to embrace her tightly.
“My dear, what a joy to see you! You look so pretty! A little too thin, a little pale, but pretty nevertheless! Ladies, I am delighted to see you too.”
“Cousin, will you join us for breakfast?” Mr Darcy offered.
The colonel seemed to hesitate a moment, looking at the table.
“Colonel, would you like to sit next to Mr Darcy? I can move to the next chair,” Elizabeth offered.
“Move? Not at all, Miss Bennet. I shall stay for a little while, and I am perfectly comfortable here, next to you,” he said. Then he looked around the table again and repeated, “I am so happy to see you all!”
“So are we, Richard,” Mr Darcy replied. “May I ask what you are doing here so early?”
“I have come to talk to you. About the dinner tonight and some other issues. I might be a little late for dinner. I am not sure yet, but it is possible since I have another earlier assignment.”
“Thank you for informing us. Would you like to go to the library to discuss the other issues, or can they wait until after breakfast?”
“They can wait. I do not wish to ruin your appetite. Nor Georgiana’s! I am truly happy and so grateful to see she has left her room.”
“We are all grateful,” Mrs Annesley interjected with gentleness. “Miss Bennet truly performed a miracle in regard to Miss Darcy’s health. And it took only a few days. It seems her presence was the perfect medicine,” she said, ending with a trace of unease.
“While I do agree, I must say we have all appreciated your care for my sister all these months, Mrs Annesley,” Mr Darcy answered, clearly understanding the lady’s distress.
“Oh, yes!” Georgiana added. “I could not hope for a better companion, Mrs Annesley. But, you see, Lizzy has been my friend since I was a little girl, and I was so happy to meet her again. She could help me in a way no one else could. But that does not make your support and affection any less valuable.”
The praise seemed to touch Mrs Annesley deeply, and she seemed on the verge of tears.
“Thank you. How lovely of you to say so. I assure you, it was my only desire to see you recover and your health improve.”
“I know that, and I apologise for all the trouble I have caused you,” the girl replied.
“Well,” the colonel interjected cheerfully, “you ladies all deserve a reward. I know my mother and sister — my brother’s wife — often reward themselves after a success.
Some new gowns, maybe? Perhaps some jewels too?
Anything you want! I feel very generous since I am offering Darcy’s money,” he declared, causing everyone to laugh.
“An excellent idea,” Mr Darcy said. “I strongly suggest some shopping, whenever you ladies wish.”
Georgiana looked at her two companions enquiringly.
“If I may choose a reward, I would rather take a walk in the park. But if it would be too tiring for you, even a ride in the carriage would do.”
The colonel’s puzzlement was apparent.
“You prefer walking and riding over shopping? That is rather singular!”
“Miss Bennet is certainly different in many ways from most ladies her age,” Mr Darcy said. “We have to thank her for that.”
“You are all too kind and too generous with your praise, if that was praise. My mother has always disapproved of my inclinations,” Elizabeth said, trying to conceal her nervousness behind a tease. “I admit I love spending time out of doors.”
“Then you should definitely ride, not walk,” the colonel said. “It might be too cold on horseback, so the carriage would be the best choice.”
“Riding a horse would not be for me in any case.” Elizabeth laughed. “I greatly admire horses from afar. When they are too close, they make me nervous.”
“You do not ride, Lizzy?” Georgiana enquired, surprised. “I cannot imagine you being afraid of horses. I cannot imagine you being afraid of anything.”
“And here is another undeserved compliment,” she jested. “I did learn to ride when I was a child and even enjoyed it. But then, something happened. I do not even remember what it was that caused me distress and distanced me from horses until I gave up on them entirely.”
“I have loved to ride since I was very young,” Georgiana admitted. “My brother taught me. I cannot even remember when I was given my first pony.”
“I heard your first pony gave you some troubles when you were five, and Miss Bennet had to save you from the lake,” the colonel interjected.
“True! I barely remember that day. Everything is hazy in my mind, but Mrs Reynolds wrote to me about it.”
“As I said, we must thank Miss Bennet for many things,” Mr Darcy added, while Elizabeth attempted to disagree again.
“If the ladies do decide to take a walk in the park, I would suggest they take the carriage there. They may walk as long as they like, and when they are cold, return to the carriage,” Mr Darcy suggested.
Georgiana had not given her acceptance yet.
She had barely left the house in the last two months, and Elizabeth knew she was still fearful of exposing herself to the crowd.
However, she eventually agreed, though reluctantly.