Chapter Thirty-Two
Netherfield Park
You cannot be serious, Richard!”
“I am entirely serious.”
“But how will you even introduce the topic?”
“By very plainly telling her what happened to Georgiana and how desperately worried we are.”
“But –“
“She is inordinately fond of Georgiana, Darcy, and while I think her willing enough to gossip on a good many subjects, I do not think she would do anything to harm our girl.”
“But to trust a complete stranger!”
“Mrs. Bennet is not a stranger. And tell me, Darcy, what other suggestion have you to offer? If Georgiana is with child, plans must be made at once to spirit her away to Scotland. We must know, and as soon as may be.” Richard was exasperated.
Mr. Darcy could only shake his head. He had nothing else to offer in the way of ideas, and both men knew it. “Will you tell Georgiana about your proposed conversation with Mrs. Bennet?”
“No; I suspect it would be best if we let Mrs. Bennet broach the subject with her.”
***
A few hours later, the two gentlemen made their way to Longbourn. After spending a quarter of an hour with Mrs. Bennet, Jane and Elizabeth in the parlour, the Colonel traded glances with his cousin and proceeded to address Mrs. Bennet.
“Mrs. Bennet, I wonder if I might consult with you on a rather delicate subject.”
“Delicate?”
“Yes; as you doubtless know, Darcy and I are Georgiana’s guardians. We do our best, but we are not female, and there are things…” he trailed off.
Jane, with her innate tact, nudged her sister and rose. “We will leave you to it, then.” She and Elizabeth curtsied and left the room.
“Very well,” Mrs. Bennet said. “You have all my attention.”
“Would you be uncomfortable if we close the door, Mrs. Bennet?” Mr. Darcy asked.
In response, their hostess rose, crossed the room and closed the parlour door. Returning to her seat, she said, “If there is anything I can do to help Miss Darcy, I will do it, gentlemen. You need not be concerned on that score.”
Both men looked at their feet and then at one another, uncertain as to how to begin. Mrs. Bennet waited.
Finally, Mr. Darcy said, “Some weeks ago, my sister fell into the hands of a rogue while visiting the seashore with her companion. She had known him since childhood, and was soon persuaded that she was in love with him. I arrived in time to prevent the affair from going any further, but I found her with him in a rather…” he trailed off.
“Compromising position,” the Colonel added, seeing that his cousin could not finish the sentence. “We have not been able to get any further details from her as to what other – er, activities they may have engaged in, and we are very much concerned that she may be with child.” He finished in a rush.
Mrs. Bennet sat for a moment, thinking quickly. “So you do not know if they…” And now she trailed off.
“Precisely. What she said was that he had put something of his into something of hers and it was disgusting, and as you can imagine, we are now in the position of having to believe the worst.” Mr. Darcy covered his flaming face with his hands.
Mrs. Bennet winced. “That does not sound good.”
“No, it does not,” Mr. Darcy muttered.
“I can understand why this has been difficult for you to tell me,” Mrs. Bennet said. “Does she know that you are speaking with me on the subject?”
“Not yet, no,” the Colonel said. “I think she would never leave her room at Netherfield if she knew that the topic had been canvassed.”
Mrs. Bennet nodded. “Very well; you may leave this with me, gentlemen. But I think I should speak to her at Netherfield. She will doubtless shed tears, and she would be far more comfortable doing so in her own room.”
Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam agreed with alacrity, almost speechless with relief at being able to have assistance on this subject, albeit from such an unexpected source. “When will you come?” Mr. Darcy asked.
“Why, now, of course,” she replied in surprise. “I see no reason for delay.”
***
“What a lovely room this is, Miss Darcy!” Mrs. Bennet exclaimed.
“Mrs. Hurst is an accomplished hostess,” Georgiana replied, confused as to the purpose of Mrs. Bennet’s visit, but happy to show off her blue and cream bedroom.
There was a warm fire in the grate, flowers on the mantel and a little writing desk with cunning little drawers.
She peered around Mrs. Bennet, wondering if perhaps Mary had accompanied her mother.
“No, I am here on my own,” Mrs. Bennet said, at once perceiving Miss Darcy’s confusion. “May we speak in some confidence, my dear?”
Now suspicious, Georgiana settled herself on the bed with some reluctance, nodding at the chair beside the bed for Mrs. Bennet.
“Your guardians tell me you have no mother figure in your life, Miss Darcy, and I am here to fill that role, however temporarily.”
“They told you,” Georgiana said, flatly.
“They did, but only in the most general terms. I am not here to lecture you on any point, Miss Darcy. I am here to provide reassurance.”
“Reassurance?”
“Yes; you are not the first young lady to fall prey to a wicked man, and you shall not be the last. It seems to me that no lasting harm has been done.”
As expected, tears were now falling down the young lady’s face. “Mrs. Bennet, I fear that this is not the case. There may indeed be lasting harm, and I do not know how – if – I do not know!”
“What do you fear, Miss Darcy?”
“That I am – am – with child!”
Mrs. Bennet rose, sat beside Georgiana on the bed, and gathered the girl into her arms. “Why do you think that, dear girl?”
“Because he kissed me and then –“ She could go no further.
Mrs. Bennet felt a cold hand grip her heart. If this was all the description that she had been able to give her guardians, it was no wonder that the two gentlemen were distraught! “And then, what, Georgiana?” Neither of them noticed that the ‘Miss Darcy’ had been dropped.
“It was awful!”
“What was awful? You must tell me precisely what happened if I am to help you.” Mrs. Bennet held the girl at arm’s length and stared at her, putting as much kindness and compassion into her face as she could.
“Just tell me. I am a married woman. I assure you that nothing you say can possibly shock me.”
Georgiana hid her face in her hands.
Mrs. Bennet lifted the hands down and said, softly, “Tell me, Georgiana.”
“He – he pushed me down onto the sofa, and put his – his tongue in my mouth, and his hand up my skirt!” Having got that out, she sobbed even harder.
“Nothing more?” Mrs. Bennet asked, trying not to smile.
“More? What more could there be?” Georgiana sounded shocked.
“Oh, dearest child!” Mrs. Bennet wanted to laugh in relief. “No, you are not with child, I promise you.”
“But how can you know that?”
Mrs. Bennet debated whether or not she had the right to tell this girl how a man was with a woman, but recalling that Miss Darcy had no mother, she decided it was her duty.
In a few short sentences, she summarised how women became with child.
Georgiana’s face went through a myriad of expressions before settling on horror. “That cannot be right!”
“I promise you that it is, and I have five children to prove that I know whereof I speak.”
“But surely no woman would allow such behaviour!”
“They do if they wish for children and, Georgiana, when you are with a man you care for, it no longer seems disgusting. I promise you. Look at me.”
Georgiana raised her eyes to Mrs. Bennet’s.
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” Georgiana whispered.
“Then you may believe what I tell you. And if you have any questions that you do not feel comfortable asking your brother or cousin – for what do men know, anyway! – then you are to come to me.”
“You are so very, very kind! And oh, I am so very, very relieved!” Georgiana began to laugh through her tears. “I was so worried!”
“Most young girls know too little about how the world works,” Mrs. Bennet declared. “And they get into all sorts of trouble as a result.”
“Do your girls know – well, what you just told me?”
“They do,” Mrs. Bennet said. “Otherwise, heaven only knows what sort of mischief Lydia would get up to.”
A quarter of an hour later, Mrs. Bennet left Miss Darcy’s room and went to find Mr. Darcy. A footman led her into the library, where he sat with the Colonel. Both men rose to their feet as she entered, fear in their eyes.
Before either of them could say a word, she declared, “I can promise you that she is not with child.”
Mr. Darcy sank back into his chair, relief writ large upon his face. Then he looked up, confused. “But what did he put in her…” He trailed off, embarrassed to even ask the question.
Mrs. Bennet laughed. “He put his tongue in her mouth!”
Both men stared at her, open-mouthed, and then laughed with relief, with joy, with gratitude.
Mrs. Bennet added, “She was quite worried about it herself, as she had no notion as to how children were conceived. I took it upon myself to explain…well, certain matters as to that particular topic. I hope I did not overstep in doing so…” She trailed off, sounding uncertain.
Mr. Darcy rushed to reassure her. “On the contrary, I am everything grateful to you, Mrs. Bennet. I could not imagine having that conversation with her myself.”
Mrs. Bennet laughed. “Then I am glad I did so.”