Chapter Forty
Georgiana was determined to see George again; but how? He was not permitted to visit her at Netherfield Park, and when he was at Longbourn, Kitty and Lydia were vying for his attention. Perhaps she might see him again in Meryton?
“Brother, I should like to go into Meryton today,” she said at breakfast.
“Go with one of the Bennet girls,” he suggested. “I can have a note sent over.”
She frowned. “May I not go by myself?”
“Of course not,” he said at once.
“Very well; with a footman?”
Mr. Darcy looked hard at Georgiana. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you need to go without a companion?”
“Do you not sometimes find it beneficial to be alone with your thoughts, Brother?” she countered.
“I suppose I do,” he admitted. “Very well, but the footman must be with you the entire time, Georgiana.” He thought for a minute.
“I will have Archie accompany you. And I will speak with him before you depart.” Archie had not been in service to the Darcys for long, but he was a good lad, and would obey instructions.
Georgiana managed not to groan. Of course, Archie would be instructed not to leave her side for even a moment! And what good would it do for her to see George under such restrictions?! Still, she had said that she wanted to go, and now she was stuck with it.
***
Archie stood before Mr. Darcy and nodded his head. “I understand, sir.”
“Not for even a moment,” Mr. Darcy repeated.
“And if she needs to…well, if she…” Archie trailed off, hoping Mr. Darcy would understand.
“Then have an innkeeper’s wife, or whatever female is nearby, accompany her.”
“Very well, sir.” Archie bowed and departed.
Miss Darcy was a pleasant young lady, but there were rumours floating about that she was fond of a certain Lieutenant whom Mr. Darcy very much disliked.
It was clear to Archie, though this had not been explicitly stated, that his task was to keep Miss Darcy away from this man.
Archie sat on top of the carriage as it took Miss Darcy to Meryton.
When the carriage stopped, Archie leaped down and opened the carriage door, extending a hand to help Miss Darcy out.
She looked at him, hopefully, and said, “This is bound to be quite tedious for you; might I not give you some coins and allow you to spend your time at the pub while I shop?”
He had to give the girl credit for trying. He kept his face impassive as he replied, “No, miss, but I thank you for the thought.”
She sighed, nodded, and made her way toward the nearest shop after first staring hopefully up and down the street.
Archie almost laughed; if she was trying to be subtle, she was failing utterly.
Archie followed her into the shop and stood at the door, his eyes following her as she tried on one hat after another.
She left without making a purchase, and went next door to the bookshop.
Archie had a more difficult time keeping track of Miss Darcy as she wandered the aisles of books, but he managed to keep her in view the entire time.
She took a book down and went to the front to pay for it.
The storekeeper wrapped it in brown paper and tied a string around it. Archie held out his hand for it.
“Oh! Thank you,” Miss Darcy said.
Archie nodded at her, gravely.
She left the bookstore and went back out onto the pavement. She shaded her eyes with her hand, and looked up and down. Seeing a knot of militiamen ahead, she moved with surprising speed to join them, Archie close behind. “George!” she called out, and she stopped walking.
This must be him, Archie thought, and he stood directly behind Miss Darcy as a lieutenant left his fellows and came to her, smiling widely.
“Georgiana!” he exclaimed. “How were you able – oh, I see.” Addressing Archie directly, he said, “Would you consider allowing me to buy you a drink while Miss Darcy and I visit?”
Archie did not dignify this with a reply; he only stood taller and looked into the distance.
The man shrugged. “Very well; we have nothing to hide, have we, Georgiana?”
“No, of course not. But let us find somewhere to sit, George.”
The three of them made their way to a nearby tea shop. Archie stood near as the two sat down, and the man pulled out some coins, but Miss Darcy pushed the coins back to him and reached into her reticule. “I have plenty of pin money,” she said.
“I am embarrassed to have you pay for me, Georgiana,” the man declared. “But the truth is that those coins you saw are all that I have.”
Archie knew a scoundrel when he saw one; this man was a first-rate scoundrel, letting Miss Darcy pay for his refreshment! Archie sat quietly at a nearby table and kept his eyes on the couple. Their talk continued, mostly about people he did not know.
To Miss Darcy’s credit, she ordered a cup of tea and a pastry for him, as well as for herself and her companion, reinforcing his belief that she was a kind young lady, though very evidently being taken in by this Lieutenant George something or other.
Finally, the two of them rose. The man took Miss Darcy’s hands in his and bestowed a kiss on each of them. He whispered something into her ear. Miss Darcy blushed, and clasped her hands to her chest. Archie saw Miss Darcy shake her head, and the man then departed.
Miss Darcy walked to Archie and said, “I am sorry you have had to wait so long for me.”
Archie did not quite know how to reply to this, so he just said, “I thank you for the refreshment, Miss Darcy.”
She hesitated and then said, “Might I ask that you not tell my brother that I met Mr. Wickham in Meryton?”
So his name was Wickham! Archie said, “Miss Darcy, if he asks me directly, I will not lie to him. But I will not volunteer the information. Will that content you?”
“I suppose it will have to,” she sighed, and then she led the way back to the carriage.
***
Upon their return to Netherfield Park, Mr. Darcy summoned Archie at once and asked for a full recounting of his sister’s movements. Mentally apologising to the young lady, Archie complied.
“They were never alone together,” Mr. Darcy said, when Archie was done.
“No, sir, not for a moment.”
“And no plans were made to meet again.”
“Not that I heard, sir, no.”
“Very well; thank you, Archie.”
Archie went at once to the kitchen to make a full report to Mrs. Hammond and Mr. Braddock.
***
Georgiana had gone up to her room as soon as she had returned from Meryton. She was thrilled to have seen George! She had known there would be no opportunity to actually be alone with him, but that nice Archie had at least allowed them to converse together.
George had whispered that he had never forgotten her, and that she had grown even more beautiful than he had expected.
And then he had kissed her hands! She thought it likely that she was still blushing from that experience!
She longed to brag to Lydia Bennet about it, for surely George had not kissed Lydia’s hands, but knew better than to do so.
George had also asked if there was any way they might ever actually meet in secret, so that he could tell her all that he felt about her, but Georgiana had shaken her head.
At this moment, she could not think of any way that this could happen, but she would give it a good deal of thought.
Surely a determined young lady such as herself could find a way.