Chapter 19
“Brother, no!” Georgiana cried out, her blue eyes dark with distress. “Mr. Bingley and his party are to stay for at least another week!”
“I fear it is necessary that they depart for Hertfordshire in two days,” Darcy said and then continued hastily, “but pray do not disturb yourself, my dear. I have a plan which will, I hope, bring you great pleasure.”
Georgiana swallowed hard and struggled to calm herself. She despised unexpected changes in plans, and the loss of her first true female friend was devastating. Nonetheless, she knew it was not her brother’s fault.
She tried to form a smile, which came out looking like a pathetic grimace, and said, “A plan?”
“Yes,” Darcy answered. “I presume you still wish to visit Ramsgate?”
“Yes?” Georgiana said hesitantly.
“I believe we should plan to travel to Ramsgate at the end of July, but I would like to invite Miss Bennet to accompany us there. I understand she has never seen the ocean before, and I know she values your companionship.”
His sister’s expression shifted from a miserable smirk to blank astonishment. “Invite Miss Bennet to Ramsgate?”
“Yes? Would you like that, or…”
“Oh, Brother!” Georgiana shrieked, rushing forward to embrace him, and now her smile was real. “Oh, that would be wonderful! I could show her the wild birds, and she would love the waves, and the shells, and…”
“It is possible that she will not be able to come,” Darcy cautioned. “It is also conceivable that she will not wish to leave her home again so soon. But even if she cannot come now, I promise we will arrange to see her again. She is a very good friend.”
“Yes,” Georgiana agreed fervently. “She is.”
/
“You cannot be serious, Charles!” Caroline snapped, leaping to her feet as if stung by a hornet. “We are to stay here at Pemberley for at least another week!”
“No, Caroline,” Charles said calmly, though his jaw flexed ominously. “We will depart Pemberley for Hertfordshire two days hence.”
“But why?” Caroline demanded and then turned an angry glare on Jane, who was sitting in the corner of the music room in the guest wing, her eyes downcast. “Is this your doing, Jane? Are you so enamored of your vulgar mother and sisters that you are forcing my brother to…”
“Silence!” Bingley thundered, so angrily that all the ladies present jumped. “You will not insult my wife, do you hear?”
“Charles,” Jane said softly, “I understand Caroline’s unhappiness. Perhaps…”
“It would be horribly rude to Mr. Darcy to leave on such short notice!” Caroline exclaimed. “Surely even you must see that, Elizabeth!”
“Twenty pounds!” Charles snarled, walking over to glare down at his unmarried sister. “We will continue this conversation in my sitting room, Caroline. Elizabeth, Louisa, will you stay with Jane?”
“Of course,” Elizabeth assured him, her brow crinkled in confusion. What did ‘twenty pounds’ mean?
Charles grasped Caroline’s arm and nearly dragged her out of the room, shutting the door behind them. Jane immediately burst into tears, causing both Elizabeth and Louisa to rush over to her.
“My dear Jane,” Louisa said, reaching out to take Jane’s hands in her own, “I do beg you not to concern yourself over Caroline’s behavior. She has always been a selfish creature who wants her own way.”
“I do feel guilty,” Jane sobbed. “I know Caroline was looking forward to our time here at Pemberley, and Elizabeth, you are enjoying yourself very much…”
“I am, but you must not concern yourself about me,” Elizabeth said. “I agree that Charles is needed to oversee the situation with the Millers, and you should be wherever you feel most comfortable.”
“What of you, Louisa?” Jane said, turning her tear stained face toward her sister by marriage. “Are you greatly disappointed?”
“I am not,” Louisa said softly. “In truth, well, I do beg you not to tell Caroline yet, but I am quite certain now that I too am with child.”
Jane’s distress gave way to immediate delight. “Oh, Louisa, truly?”
Now Louisa’s eyes were wet, her expression joyful. “Yes, truly, at long last. I am exceptionally fatigued and am feeling nauseous in the mornings. I am only a few weeks along and suspect I will feel worse before I feel better. I would prefer to return to Netherfield now.”
“I presume Mr. Hurst knows?” Jane asked. Elizabeth’s stomach twisted oddly at the sight. Jane and Louisa had something in common that Elizabeth knew nothing about, the knowledge of intimacy with a husband and the resulting conception of new life within the womb.
To her astonishment, her wayward mind shifted immediately onto Mr. Darcy, which in turn provoked her face to flame with heat. What was she thinking? Yes, the master of Pemberley was handsome, kind and intelligent, but there was no indication that he was interested in her as a possible wife!
Louisa, heedless of Elizabeth’s thoughts, smiled and said, “I intended to wait to tell him, but he suggested the possibility to me this morning. He is well aware that my courses should have started weeks ago.”
“I am so happy for you,” Jane declared, kissing Mrs. Hurst on the cheek, “and I do feel better about wishing to return to Netherfield. I am sorry about Caroline, but it cannot be helped.”
“Nor should it be,” Louisa said stoutly. “Caroline has been spoiled since she was a child, and it is best that she learn now that she cannot always have her way.”
“Perhaps that is the purview of youngest daughters,” Elizabeth suggested with a smirk. “Certainly our sister, Lydia, believes that the universe should revolve around her person.”
“Lizzy!” Jane protested, but she could not help but smile as well.
/
Outside the great walls of Pemberley, blue skies had given way to banks of dark clouds which had, in turn, released torrents of rain to water the extensive fields of the estate.
Inside the peafowl garden, the birds were trilling or complaining, depending on each bird’s particular disposition.
The young peachicks huddled under the cover of their coop, their mother guarding them jealously from the water.
In his office, Darcy spent a few minutes staring dreamily out of the window, his mind envisioning a pair of bright eyes in the face of a pretty woman. Finally, he forced himself back to his desk, dipped his quill into ink, and began to write.
June 10th, 1812
Pemberley
Richard,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am planning to escort Georgiana to Ramsgate in the latter part of July. I can almost hear you crying out in dismay at the very thought, but I have my reasons, which are as follows.
Firstly, and most importantly, Georgiana is eager to return to the sea in spite of the trauma of last year’s visit.
You know that she relishes her routine, and we have been to Ramsgate the last six years.
She is very fond of the birds found in the salt marshes and in the sea, and the ocean is a peaceful place for her.
Secondly, and nearly as importantly, Lady Catherine informed me by letter that she intends to descend on Pemberley in late July, with Anne reluctantly in tow. I do not wish to host my aunt and cousin, and escaping to Ramsgate will prevent such a thing.
Thirdly, well, I cannot mention the third point in a letter.
Suffice it to say that I very much wish for your advice, Richard, which brings me to a request; can you join us on our trip to Ramsgate?
I intend to spend a few days with my friend, Bingley, in Hertfordshire, and then we will proceed onward to London and spend a day or two there, with a planned arrival at Ramsgate on the 29th of July.
We intend to spend three weeks there. Please inform me as soon as possible whether you can join us.
God bless you,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
Darcy read the letter to be certain the salient points had been covered, folded it, sealed it with wax, and placed it on the tray.
There was a knock on the door. He called out a welcome and the door swung open to reveal Georgiana, looking excited, and Miss Bennet, looking uneasy.
He quickly rose and bowed to both of them, but before he could say a word, Georgiana blurted, “Brother, pray tell Elizabeth that you truly wish for her to join us at Ramsgate. I do not think she believes me!”
“I do believe you,” Elizabeth said hastily.
“I merely wish to be entirely certain that Mr. Darcy would not find me in the way. I am aware that he has many responsibilities when overseeing Pemberley and would not want to interfere with his desire to spend more time with you while you are on holiday by the sea, dear Georgiana.”
Darcy looked down on the lady with respect, not unmixed with awe. He often found it difficult to speak to Georgiana directly without distressing the girl, but Miss Bennet always seemed to be able to weave her words in such a way that she was both firm and encouraging.
He was suddenly aware that both women were staring at him expectantly, and he said hastily, “Miss Bennet, I do look forward to spending more time with Georgiana, but I also would be honored and delighted if you would join our little party. I will still have business letters to write, and I hope that my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, will be joining us...”
“Richard is coming?” Georgiana interrupted excitedly.
“I hope he is,” Darcy said, and then cautioned, “but of course his military duties may prevent him.”
He turned his dark eyes on Elizabeth and said, “In any case, Miss Bennet, I do hope you will join us at Ramsgate. It would give me great pleasure to know that my sister is well entertained with a good friend while I am required to fulfill other obligations.”
Elizabeth found herself blushing at the gentleman’s intense gaze upon her face. Was it her imagination, or was there something more than mere courtesy in that deep voice?
“I would be delighted to come,” she said, turning toward her younger friend. “I will need to be certain that such a journey is convenient for my family, but yes, I would very much like to visit the sea with you.”
“I am so happy!” Georgiana exclaimed. “Now come, Elizabeth, there is not a great deal of time before you must leave, and since it is pouring outside, we should take this opportunity to look in the library for information regarding goldfish.”
“Goldfish?” Darcy repeated in surprise.
“Yes, for Mrs. Bingley wishes to have goldfish,” Georgiana explained, “but she does not know much about fish. Miss Bennet and I will read about fish and take notes so that when Mrs. Bingley acquires hers, she will know how to take care of them.”
Darcy looked at Elizabeth Bennet uneasily. Georgiana wanted to be helpful, but her desire to gain and then impart information to others often came across as pretentious and overbearing.
Elizabeth smiled reassuringly at him and said, “Jane will be very pleased to have more information about goldfish. As you know, she is not feeling well, and it would certainly grieve her if her fish did not survive due to her lack of knowledge.”
Darcy relaxed and said, “Well, in that case, perhaps I can be of help?”
“Oh, that would be wonderful, Brother!”