Chapter Fifty-Three
Brother and Mr. Bingley were both gone to Longbourn, and doubtless they would be gone for some time. This, Georgiana knew, was her opportunity! She rushed to find Braddock, and demanded that the carriage be readied for her immediately.
Braddock raised his brows. “Where are you going, Miss Darcy?” he asked.
“That is not your concern,” Georgiana said, in her haughtiest tone.
“Miss Darcy, you must at least take a footman; you know that I am right,” he argued. He was surprised at her behaviour; he had thought her a very polite young lady, but now she was proving to be as difficult as Miss Bingley.
She stamped her foot. “Very well! Bring Archie!”
With great misgivings, Braddock went to fetch Archie and gave him his instructions: do not leave Miss Darcy alone for even an instant. Archie nodded his understanding, and the carriage set off.
Once again, Georgiana found Mr. Wickham lounging about on a street corner with his friends.
She banged on the roof of the carriage and it stopped at her command.
She did not wait for Archie to open the door for her; she reached through the open window and managed to open the door herself.
Then she flung herself from the carriage and bolted across the road. “George!” she called out.
He turned upon hearing his name, and his face broke into a broad grin. “Georgiana!” He ran to meet her.
“Quickly, before Archie comes! They will not let you visit me at Netherfield, but will you wait for me at the Netherfield fence nearest the road? I can say that I am going for a walk!”
“Of course; when?”
“Three days from now, at noon!”
“I will be there,” he vowed to her.
Archie caught up with them, then, and he scowled at Georgiana. “Like to get me into trouble, Miss,” he said, shaking his head.
“I am sorry, Archie; I just could not wait to see my childhood friend again.” She smiled so prettily that Archie was suddenly ashamed to have been so angry. “Let us sit and have tea,” she said to George.
Once again, the trio walked to the little teahouse.
Archie sat and was treated to tea and a pastry.
After watching her fly across the street, he could not help but think that she had mischief in mind; but the conversation between the two now was dull in the extreme, once again all about people and places he did not know.
He supposed that they really had grown up together.
They did not touch one another in parting, and so Archie thought that it really had been very innocent.
***
Dear Anne,
I saw George again today! I was able to run to him and speak a few words in private before the footman who has been assigned to watch me caught up with me!
We will meet in three days at noon where the Netherfield fence meets the road, and we will be alone!
Anne, I am certain that he will propose to me! Then Brother will have to accept him!
Your excited cousin,
Georgiana