Chapter 9 Darcy
Darcy
Darcy was tremendously happy, because he would be seeing his fourteen-year-old sister Georgiana for the first time since Easter, and—better still—he was going to introduce Elizabeth to her.
Georgiana was very, very shy.
She had always been reticent, just as Darcy was, and just as their mother had been.
Darcy had been just two and twenty when his father suddenly and shockingly died, leaving him as the master of Pemberley, Darcy House, Craigdaloch, Oakhaven, Ashton Manor, and Fraoch Hall.
He had been forced to become more serious and focused and hardworking than other young men who, like him, had just graduated from university and returned home from their Grand Tours.
As difficult as the transition in his life had been, he had at least grown much more confident.
Still, he was quieter than most of his friends in crowds and more reticent in every situation than open and friendly people like his cousin Richard.
He hoped Georgiana would be able to gain confidence in a less difficult way.
After consulting with his Aunt Helen, he had enrolled her in what his aunt assured him was the finest seminary in London, but Georgiana’s letters conveyed that she was miserable.
The two boldest girls had manipulated the larger part of the student body into playing obsequious court to them—which meant that most of the girls were acolytes, of sorts, to either Miss Carlton or Miss Lytton.
The girls who refused to be part of either clique were picked on by all—and that was the position Georgiana had chosen.
She had enough stubborn pride not to go along with the bullying and meanness that prevailed in the school, but she was desperately unhappy.
Georgiana begged to come home, and Darcy agreed that the experiment was, indeed, finished. He had decided that he would do what many other wealthy parents had done: he would hire a companion who would oversee his sister’s tutors and masters.
But he still felt the need for advice. Georgiana’s other guardian, their cousin Richard, knew even less about raising a young lady, and his beloved Aunt Helen, who was helpful in many ways, was still adamant that his sister should remain in the school that Georgiana now despised.
Aunt Helen seemed to hold the unreasonable assumption that a shy person could and should simply decide not to feel shy.
In less than two weeks of knowing Elizabeth Bennet, with just two conversations about his sister, Darcy already felt Miss Bennet had helped him become a better guardian.
Miss Bennet had pointed out that she had three younger sisters, each with different personalities, and she also shared that her elder sister was extremely reserved and yet one of the most wonderful people she knew.
“I certainly do not think that shy children must stop being shy, even if that were possible, in order to grow into happy and fulfilled adults.”
Darcy’s carriage ride to the Fairview Academy passed without incident, and soon Darcy found Georgiana in his arms and a wet spot on the collar of his frock coat. The servants loaded Georgiana’s trunks, and Darcy asked his sister, “Are you ready to shake the dust of this place off your shoes?”
Georgiana laughed and wept, but as she entered the carriage, she made a show of shaking each foot as if the dust of disappointment and loneliness was being left behind.
On the way to Darcy House, he shared with his sister his news: “I met a young woman I think the world of, Georgie-girl. I have known her less than a fortnight, but honestly, I am already hoping to marry her someday. And I hope you will allow me to introduce the two of you today or tomorrow.”
She looked startled and apprehensive. “Oh! I was looking forward to it being just you and me.”
Darcy smiled and held his sister’s hands.
“Believe me, I cannot marry her tomorrow, much as I might wish it. For now, it will be just you and me rattling around in Darcy House, although of course there are all the servants, and I will need to hire either a companion or a governess. But, Georgiana, I wish for the two ladies in my life to know one another and to be friends, and I think that it is likely that you will almost immediately like Miss Bennet. Aunt Helen does, and Richard does.”
Georgiana considered her brother for a moment before she slowly said, “You are smiling in a way I have not seen for years, not since Papa died. And every time you mention this young lady, this Miss Bennet, your smile becomes…brighter, I suppose is the right word. I see that you are happier, and that she is the reason. Of course I will meet her. I do not promise that she will like me, because the girls in school did not, but I do promise that I will try to like her.”
Darcy held his sister in a warm embrace. “You are extremely likeable, Georgiana. I am very sorry that I placed you somewhere that made you feel less confident than before—quite the opposite of my intentions!—but I promise to listen more carefully to your opinions henceforth.”
“Thank you,” Georgiana gulped as tears quietly trickled down her cheeks. “Arrange the meeting with Miss Bennet whenever you wish, but please do not make it so that I am meeting many new people at once.”
“I am so very pleased to meet you, Miss Darcy,” Miss Bennet said. Her contralto voice was warm, and Darcy could see that Georgiana had relaxed her shoulders a bit, already.
But of course his sister found it hard to respond as warmly. “And I am glad to meet you, Miss Bennet,” she said. Her voice was very soft, almost a whisper, and she raised her eyes for only a second before lowering them again.
Darcy had already introduced Mrs Gardiner, and that estimable lady looked on his sister with a steady warm gaze. He was grateful that neither Miss Bennet nor her aunt would judge his sister harshly for her shyness.
“Let us all sit,” Darcy suggested, “that we might enjoy the lovely cakes Cook has provided us.”
Miss Bennet began, “I admire your home, Miss Darcy, Mr Darcy. It shows so much restraint and taste, and the lovely paintings, sculptures, and furniture are stunning in this elegant setting. I always feel a bit sad when I see beautiful things on display that are overwhelmed by overly ornate furnishings.”
Georgiana giggled. Darcy was stunned, and he turned towards his sister and saw that she was embarrassed and refusing to look up.
He glanced at Miss Bennet, and saw her shake her head the slightest bit, and he decided on that basis not to ask about his sister’s response.
Instead, he said, “I thank you, Miss Bennet. I do not think that my sister and I deserve much credit for the art collections nor the furnishings; my mother decorated these rooms a few years before she passed, and my father led the way by maintaining and repairing rather than replacing.”
“Well, it is truly beautiful,” Miss Bennet said.
Mrs Gardiner added a few words of agreement, and then she said, “Of course, Pemberley is similarly elegant and tasteful. The gardens and park are beautiful, and never have I seen an estate where natural beauty has been so little counteracted by an awkward taste.”
Darcy turned to the lady, startled, and he noticed that his sister had finally raised her eyes, too, completely intrigued by her words.
“You are familiar with Pemberley, madam?” he asked.
“I grew up, from age five to sixteen, in Lambton, sir.”
“Oh!” Georgiana said.
Darcy grinned and said, “I have known you for a week, and you never mentioned it?”
Mrs Gardiner replied, “To tell the truth, Mr Darcy, you showed a remarkable ability to focus almost entirely on my niece for each of those days I have known you.” Her smile was everything understanding, and her eyes seemed to twinkle at him.
Darcy could do nothing but chuckle. “Forgive me for my myopia.”
Georgiana was smiling, but when Darcy turned to smile at her, she blushed and ducked her head. Still, he felt encouraged; only a few minutes into their acquaintance, and his sister had already giggled and smiled.
But he was truly startled when he heard his sister’s barely audible voice, “Did you ever see my parents, Mrs Gardiner?”
“I did, quite a few times, Miss Darcy. I was introduced to them, as many children from Lambton were, during the Christmas tours. I will never forget their warmth and welcome; they exuded care for everyone, from every station, and they were particularly wonderful towards children. Your mother was extremely reticent, as I imagine you have been told, but she would simply smile and murmur a few words to each tenant and servant and townsperson, and the sincere well wishes from her were meaningful to all of us. But when it was just us children gathered round so that they could pass out oranges and nuts and sweets, she became less shy. I would say that she delighted in the children, and we delighted in her.”
Darcy was touched but slightly alarmed to see that there were tears in his sister’s eyes. He worried that she would feel embarrassed to cry in front of Miss Bennet and Mrs Gardiner, and he hoped that she would not run away.
But she vanquished his worries when she reached out to Mrs Gardiner and said, “Thank you for telling me this. I love little children as well.”
Miss Bennet said softly, “I hope you will consent to an introduction to my two nieces and my nephew. They are eight, five, and two years old.”
“I should love that.”
Darcy wanted to weep, too, in gratitude and surprise at how well his sister was doing with this most important introduction.
Instead, he replied, “Perhaps I could send my carriage for you all, including the children, tomorrow or the next day, and we may all walk in Hyde Park. It is just a few steps away from our house.”
Miss Bennet smiled her brilliant smile at him, obviously happy with the idea, but Mrs Gardiner said, “We can certainly take our own carriage for the outing. Shall we arrive at half past ten in the morning, if there is no rain?”
Darcy checked with his sister, and she nodded, looking for all the world like a perfectly happy fourteen-year-old girl.