Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
E lizabeth made the short trip to Netherfield in Darcy’s carriage the next morning; he had insisted he would send it for her, the late November weather being what it was. She had agreed to please him but intended to walk home after her visit with Georgiana. Her opportunities for long walks were quickly diminishing and would not return until after the winter, so she wanted to take advantage of each one.
At the estate, she had a brief conversation with Colonel Fitzwilliam, who informed her that Darcy was attending a meeting with Mr Bingley and his steward.
“Wickham left immediately after breakfast,” the colonel said. “Neither Darcy nor I have any notion where he goes, but he has done this several times since my arrival. I imagine he finds being with me and Darcy as oppressive as we find his company.” He shrugged. “Georgiana is in her apartment. She knows you are coming to see her, and I assured her you would not mind sitting in her chamber rather than the drawing room.”
“I do not,” Elizabeth said slowly. Her thoughts were racing, trying to determine what would be best. “I might encourage her to come downstairs in a while, if you expect to be here or think Darcy will be. If Mr Wickham has not returned, we might have an agreeable time together.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam smiled. “That is an excellent idea, if you can coax her to do it. I do not know how long Darcy will be, but if you and Georgiana join me, I shall have a servant ask if he is at liberty to complete our party.”
Elizabeth left him and climbed the stairs to Georgiana’s apartment, reminding herself what she hoped to gain from their conversation. Her almost sister-in-law welcomed her, and they sat in matching pink velvet chairs near the fireplace. Elizabeth had to remove a basket of sewing before she could take her place, and she noticed that the table between them was covered with novels.
“Oh, I am sorry,” Georgiana said sheepishly. “I do tend to leave my things everywhere, and I hate it when my maid takes it all away or puts it where I cannot find it. What if I decide I want to sew instead of read? It takes so long if I have to wait for her to come, ask for what I want, she goes away to retrieve my basket or book or what have you, then brings it to me.”
Briefly, Elizabeth wondered what Mr Wickham thought of having to rearrange items in order to sit with his wife. She doubted he would find the chair comfortable; it was small—well suited to a lady, but not a tall gentleman. Deciding it was better not to think of the couple being in the privacy of Georgiana’s bedchamber, she mentioned her upcoming wedding.
“Your brother must have told you we have settled on a date? The thirty-first of December. Jane and Mr Bingley will be married the same day.”
“Oh, yes.” Georgiana nodded. “I am delighted to see my brother happy. He told us about it yesterday after he and Mr Bingley returned from Longbourn. I am sorry I was not there, but Wickham said it would be better for me to rest after the assembly.”
Elizabeth almost asked why. It had not ended especially late, Georgiana had not danced, and she was in excellent health. Instead, she smiled again, trusting it did not seem forced, and said, “He takes good care of you.”
Georgiana blushed. “I am exceedingly fortunate. He is always thinking of what is best for me, ensuring I do not do too much and have enough time to rest. My husband says that it is important for people, especially ladies, to have sufficient time to be quiet and still. I did not know how beneficial it was to one’s well-being to be alone.”
Beneficial to be alone? Elizabeth believed the opposite, that too much time on one’s own was detrimental. The poor girl. She does not realise how he is influencing her, making her believe what suits his purposes, that it is all to separate her from her family.
Again affecting more light-heartedness than she felt, Elizabeth said, “You and he are so lately married. It is only natural that he wishes for the two of you to spend most of your time together without other people demanding your attention. I am glad you were at liberty to visit with me today.”
The smile fell from Georgiana’s face, and she regarded Elizabeth with a puzzled expression. “I must not have explained it properly. My husband says that one has to be alone, without anyone else. But I am sure he would not object to you being here. It is not as though we spend every day together.”
“But surely he is with you—” Elizabeth spoke without meaning to or knowing what she would say. She stopped abruptly, a little worried about what would escape her lips next. A wrong word or question could damage an already fragile connexion.
Georgiana giggled. “Here, do you mean? Why would Wickham spend time in my chamber when he has his own? It is right across from mine, and there is a sitting room farther down the corridor that no one uses but us. We sit together there. If my husband came into this room, I would have to keep it tidier. I-I should have arranged it before you arrived.”
Elizabeth dismissed the last sentiment, murmuring that it mattered not. Thoughts were whirling about her mind, and she shook her head, trying to bring order to them. There was something odd about the conversation, about Mr Wickham’s behaviour. But, no, Elizabeth told herself. She was looking for hidden meaning where there was a simple explanation—likely that she misunderstood. She had a certain image of how she and Darcy would be once they were married, the time they would spend alone where they could talk freely and sit with their arms wrapped around each other. She intended to have a chaise longue or sofa in her apartment expressly so that she and Darcy could share it comfortably.
Looking about her, she said, “This is a pretty room. It was evidently designed for a lady. I have not seen any of the other bedchambers. What is Mr Wickham’s like? All dark with thick, heavy furniture, as I envision a gentleman’s apartment would be?”
Once again, Georgiana regarded her dubiously. “How would I know? That is where he goes when he needs to be alone and to sleep.”
The question seemed to reverberate, filling the room. Mr Wickham did not spend time in Georgiana’s room? Georgiana did not even know what his bedchamber looked like? Elizabeth could not believe what she was thinking. But it cannot be that ? —
She stood and, despite facing Georgiana, did not see her. “I…I must go. I recall… My apologies. We shall talk soon.”
Elizabeth fled from the room and found herself out of the house—fortunately properly dressed—and on the way to Longbourn before she admitted she required time to understand what she had heard. If what she was thinking was true, why had Wickham married her? What could it signify? How could Georgiana not realise the strangeness of their situation? Could she be that ignorant?
The frosty wind helped revive her, and by the time she was almost home, she wished she had stopped to speak to Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam before departing. As soon as she entered the house, she scribbled a note to Darcy requesting that the gentlemen meet her later that afternoon and asked their manservant to deliver it at once.