Chapter 14 #2
Georgiana was at the sideboard first, peering at the small stack of correspondence.
“There is one from Mrs Annesley,” she announced. “It looks like a good fat letter too, not like the short message she sent when she first arrived in Berwick-upon-Tweed. That bodes well for her sister, doesn’t it, if she has time to write?”
“Let us hope so,” Darcy said more circumspectly as he joined his sister, knowing that a longer letter might carry substantial bad news as well as good.
“Why do you not open Mrs Annesley’s letter, Georgiana?
It is addressed to both of us. I shall read the letter from our aunt…
. The last is only an expected message from Mr Greason, the Pemberley steward. ”
He could not stifle his automatic sigh at the thought of reading anything from Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and Georgiana noticed, letting out a small giggle.
“At least Lady Catherine’s letter is short this time,” she observed with bright eyes as she broke the seal on the letter from Mrs Annesley. “I hope it does not cause you any trouble.”
Darcy found it better not to comment, finding it doubtful that Lady Catherine de Bourgh was capable of writing a letter that did not cause its recipient some trouble.
“I shall leave you to your correspondence,” Elizabeth Bennet said tactfully, with a civil bow of her head.
“Let me know when you want me, Miss Darcy. Shall I order tea for all of us, Mr Darcy, or would you rather discuss your family business together in private today? I am happy to take tea in my own sitting room.”
“Miss Bennet must take tea with me as usual,” Georgiana immediately protested. “I am sure that we have nothing so very private to discuss, do we?”
“As Miss Bennet wishes,” returned Darcy, slightly awkward as he sought neither to invite nor refuse her presence. “She might welcome an hour to rest or deal with her own correspondence, Georgiana.”
“Oh, I had not thought. Of course, you will join us or not as you wish, Miss Bennet. I am too impulsive sometimes, I know.”
“I shall join you for tea in the drawing room in a quarter hour,” Elizabeth suggested, to a nod from Darcy. “That way, you may talk over your letters, but I shall not deprive Miss Darcy of my company.”
As she departed up the stairs, Darcy led the way to the drawing room, scanning Lady Catherine’s letter as he walked.
∞∞∞
“So, Mrs Annesley’s sister is improving, but slowly,” Georgiana summarised, laying down the letter on a low drawing room table. “She doubts that she can return to London before the summer and thanks you for your understanding, Brother.”
“I am glad to hear that her sister is improving,” Darcy returned, acknowledging this news with a slight incline of his head and pouring out his tea from the pot just laid on the table by one of the maids. “We would naturally not wish her to hurry back while she is needed by her family.”
He spoke carefully, finding himself simultaneously pleased and dismayed to hear that Elizabeth Bennet would be with them for quite so many months, and not wanting Georgiana to perceive his feelings on either account.
“We are very well as we are, are we not?” Georgiana agreed. “I do enjoy Miss Bennet’s company and shall be glad to have her with me longer, even though I shall welcome Mrs Annesley’s return too.”
“Yes, you always seem very happy and profitably engaged with Miss Bennet,” Darcy remarked, his eyes fixed on his tea. “I am glad of it.”
It was better not to add that he too enjoyed Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s company, and he reserved any comment on that matter. More reckless yet would be to acknowledge, even silently to himself, that his attraction to Georgiana’s companion had grown with every day she resided under his roof.
The very notion of revealing such feelings offended Darcy’s sense of honour, as well as his pride in his self-control.
He must not cast a single improper look or speak one too-forward word.
That oaf Hurst’s crass remarks about Elizabeth Bennet’s pleasing appearance had touched a nerve for Darcy, and continued to play on his mind long after that unfortunate supper.
It was not only the crudeness of Hurst’s comment he objected to, nor the exposure of Georgiana to such unseemly sentiments. Darcy had been greatly irked that he could not deny to himself enjoying Elizabeth Bennet’s pleasing appearance.
It was certainly not why he had hired her, though…
was it? Uneasily, Darcy shifted in his seat as he posed this question to himself and then tried to answer it honestly.
He was determined never to say or do anything improper with regard to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, but that did not automatically excuse what he felt.
The opening of the drawing room door pulled Darcy from his reverie, and he automatically stood and bowed slightly as the lady in question entered the room.
“You need not be so formal when it is only us, Fitzwilliam,” laughed Georgiana. “You do not stand up every time Mrs Annesley enters the room.”
“Ah, but I am not so familiar as Mrs Annesley,” said Miss Bennet swiftly, to Darcy’s relief. “Mr Darcy must greet me as he sees fit in his own home.”
“Will you take some tea, Miss Bennet? Georgiana has set a cup.”
“Thank you, yes. Is all well with Mrs Annesley?”
Cheerful and smooth in her words and movements, Elizabeth Bennet took a seat on the sofa beside Georgiana and allowed the younger woman to pour her tea.
Sprightly and neat in cream muslin with a blue jacket, and a book in her left hand, her presence in the room was pleasant and refreshing, like a breath of fresh summer air.
“Mrs Annesley’s sister is recovering but slowly,” Darcy answered, repeating what Georgiana had told him. “She will be away for some months yet.”
Elizabeth Bennet nodded gravely and thanked Georgiana for her tea, her face giving no hint of whether she welcomed the prospect of an extended stay at Darcy House or not.
“I am glad to hear that her nursing is having the desired effect. Her sister must be very glad of her presence. I know I would be.”
Her words and expression were both so good-hearted and natural that Darcy could not help smiling back at her, despite his reservations.
“Yes, it must be a great relief,” he said. His eyes caught in Elizabeth Bennet’s for a moment, and Darcy wondered if he ought to make the effort to look away, or take refuge in a book himself, in order to avoid prolonging their conversation.
Elizabeth continued to smile and nod sympathetically before asking Georgiana about her plans to write back to Mrs Annesley. She was perfectly calm and courteous in Darcy’s presence today, seeming to perceive no offence in his words or looks.
“I shall write to her of all the concerts and recitals we have been to and what we are playing on the pianoforte,” his sister said. “Is that too trivial, do you think, with her sister so ill?”
“Not at all; it may give Mrs Annesley some distraction in the sick-room,” Elizabeth replied thoughtfully. “Showing that you are well-occupied and happy will bring her some comfort, too.”
No, it was not necessary to remove himself, Darcy decided as he listened.
He was not of Hurst’s ilk. His admiration for this clever, if informally educated, young woman went beyond her pleasing face and figure and was nothing to be ashamed of, so long as he never acted on it.
It was not disrespectful to appreciate a woman’s character and manner.
Relaxing a little, Darcy drank his tea and even minimally joined in the conversation, offering his thoughts on including one of Georgiana’s sketches or some pressed flowers in her letter.
His contribution was well-received by both young ladies, although neither requested very much of him, likely assuming that he would write his own more formal letter to Georgiana’s permanent companion.
Having finished his tea, Darcy went to the window and looked out towards the street, not really wishing to leave the room, but having little reason to remain beyond his desire for Elizabeth Bennet’s conversation.
His ear always seemed to welcome the sound of her voice, he mused, whether she was giving sound advice, as she was this afternoon, or railing against him.
Well, he would have several months more of this young woman’s company now, for better or worse. Darcy cautioned himself not to forget her faults, while knowing that they were unlikely to deter his interest. Even her disagreement and challenge intrigued him.
Elizabeth Bennet could frustrate Darcy to the point of exasperation, and still he knew he would come back for more.
Quick wit and strong feeling, rather than ill-intention or foolishness, led her over the bounds of respect that others never crossed, not even Charles Bingley or Georgiana, and certainly not Mrs Annesley.
It was refreshing never to be falsely praised or feted, but such clashes both excited and disturbed him. The longer Elizabeth stayed with them, the greater the chance that he would say something he regretted, of one sort or another…
Darcy thought again of the night in the hall after the opera, when Georgiana had wept to hear them arguing. The coming months of having Elizabeth Bennet in the house would be a trial to him, if often a pleasant one.
“What did our aunt write, Fitzwilliam?” Georgiana addressed him, drawing his attention back into the present. “We have spoken only of Mrs Annesley’s news, and I almost forgot the other letter. Was there anything from Rosings?”
“Lady Catherine wanted only to know the dates I planned for our annual spring visit,” responded Darcy. “I must write back to her directly.”
“Shall we go soon?” his sister inquired. “Or is it better to wait until nearer to the summer?”
“We shall make our visit an early one this year,” Darcy pronounced after a few moments’ thought. “Colonel Fitzwilliam is already in Kent, and our aunt has prevailed upon him to stay a month at Rosings before he rejoins his regiment. He would be glad of our company, I believe.”
Georgiana clapped her hands happily.
“Of course, we must go while Cousin Richard is there,” she agreed, before turning to Elizabeth Bennet. “Cousin Richard, Colonel Fitzwilliam that is, is my favourite cousin and my other guardian. I am sure you will like him as much as we do. He is the best man I know, apart from my brother.”
Miss Bennet acknowledged this statement with a small smile and a glance to Darcy, likely not entirely certain whether she was to be included in this family expedition, although he did not see how they could leave her behind.
“Very well, I shall make arrangements for us to travel next week. Does that suit you, Miss Bennet? You will want to inform your uncle and aunt of our departure, I assume.”
“Yes, thank you,” Elizabeth answered, although looking to Georgiana rather than to Darcy as she spoke. “I am at Miss Darcy’s disposal. I shall let Mr and Mrs Gardiner know we are removing to Kent. I should also write to Mr and Mrs Collins.”
“Mr Collins is the rector at Hunsford, is he not?” asked Georgiana.
“He is also my father’s cousin, and his wife, recently married, is my good friend, Charlotte,” Elizabeth explained briefly.
Returning to the table and taking up his aunt’s letter, Darcy nodded once more to the ladies. He had forgotten about the absurd Mr Collins and his connections to the Bennet family.
“I shall write to Lady Catherine directly,” he told them.
While being under the eye of his formidable aunt was not something Darcy naturally looked forward to, this year’s spring visit to Rosings might be longer than usual.
In the presence of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and his cousins, Miss Anne de Bourgh and Colonel Fitzwilliam, never mind the absurd Mr Collins, Darcy would be less likely to spend time alone in Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s company.
Any tension or potential for argument between them must thereby be lessened, and civil relations between them better preserved.