Chapter Ninety-Eight
When Lady Catherine, Anne and Mrs. Jenkinson were announced, Georgiana dropped the tart she had been about to bite into and leapt to her feet.
The Countess was gratified to see the look of pure joy that crossed Georgiana’s face before she launched herself into Anne’s arms. “Anne! Oh, I am so very glad!”
“Georgiana! Once I heard you were here, I could not wait to come!”
The two older ladies, amused, watched the young girls chatter together for about five minutes before recalling them to their manners.
“Oh, Aunt Eleanor; I am sorry,” Anne murmured, blushing rosily.
“Not at all, Anne; come, let me look at you. Why, you have grown, have you not?”
“No, but I have put on a bit more weight.”
“That must be it; you look very well, Anne, I am happy to say.”
“I do a good deal of walking now, Aunt, thanks to Georgiana!”
At the same time, Georgiana was now properly greeting her Aunt Catherine, who had rather a different reaction to their meeting.
“Georgiana, have you lost weight? You look rather thinner than I recall.”
“I may have, Aunt, yes.”
“It is not at all becoming; I must insist that you eat regularly. Why, I know just the thing! I will have Doctor Addison procure more of those special pills of Anne’s and send them to you! Anne?!”
“Yes, Mother?”
“What was the name of those brown pills that did you so much good?”
“Oh, Triticum, was it not?”
“Yes, that was it. Georgiana, I shall have some Triticum sent to you directly. Mind that you take it exactly as the doctor directed!”
Georgiana managed to contain her amusement at this reminder of the little brown bits of bread, and thanked her aunt for her concern.
***
When the two cousins were finally alone, Anne looked at Georgiana properly and her brows knit in concern. “You do look rather peaked, Georgiana. Have you not been well?”
“There has just been quite a lot happening, I think, Anne,” Georgiana replied. Part of her desperately wished to confide in her cousin, but it was impossible. She could not tell Anne about George Wickham without also telling her about Lydia, and no one could be allowed to know what Lydia had done.
“Oh, yes, I suppose so. Will you tell me about the wedding?”
Georgiana brightened. “Oh, you must meet Lizzy! She is wonderful, and utterly perfect for my brother!”
“Are they at Pemberley?”
“No, as it happens, they are here in London, at Darcy House.”
Anne paused, clearly wondering why Georgiana was not with them; Georgiana, reddening, answered the unspoken question. “I thought it best to let them have some privacy in their first week of married life.”
“I see,” Anne replied, though Georgiana rather doubted that Anne did. “Go on, then. What did you wear? Did all three sisters truly get married at once? I never heard of that happening; come on, tell me!”
Georgiana did so, giving her cousin as much detail as she could recall – how Mary had come to be secretly engaged, who wore what, what was at the wedding breakfast, and so on.
Anne was an enthusiastic listener, interjecting questions and showing her delight at the proceedings. At the end, she said, “How wonderful that three young ladies found eligible gentlemen! And now we are both here at Matlock House together! What fun!” She bounced on her bed.
Georgiana was glad to have Anne with her, while at the same time, her secret pressed against her heart. She did her best to meet Anne with her own gratitude and joy at seeing her cousin again. She thought Anne was entirely convinced, but she herself knew that something was lacking.
Anne confided her thoughts about the proposed ball. “I think Mother is husband-hunting for me, and this ball is a practice for my come-out in London.”
“You are of an age to marry,” Georgiana said. “Does the idea displease you?”
“No. I mean, I know I have to marry.”
“You do not, though, you know,” was Georgiana’s unexpected response.
“I suppose not. Of course, I could live at Rosings on my own. But why would I want to, Georgiana? I long for a loving husband and children, and all the things that all young ladies wish for!”
Georgiana repressed her shudder. “Are you afraid of the ball, then?”
“I suppose I am! All that attention focused on me! Though I have had a dancing instructor, and he says I am quite good. So I am unlikely to end up on the floor.”
“I never imagined you ending up on the floor,” Georgiana vowed, loyally. “And let us hope that you meet someone suitable.”
“Suitable for me? Or for Mother?” Anne quipped.
“Suitable for both,” Georgiana said, laughing.
***
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth went to Matlock House again, and were delighted to see Lady Catherine and Anne in residence.
Elizabeth feared that Lady Catherine might bear her some ill will, as she had been made to understand that her ladyship had intended her own daughter for Mr. Darcy, but such was not the case.
Lady Catherine seemed glad to meet the new Mrs. Darcy, and insisted on sitting beside her for some time, in order to learn more about her new niece, and insisting upon being called Aunt Catherine.
Anne and Georgiana sat together, quite obviously glad to be in one another’s company once again, while Mrs. Jenkinson sat in a corner, watching everyone.
Upon learning that Lady Catherine and Georgiana were in Town to purchase ballgowns, Elizabeth at once proposed accompanying them. “I think my new husband might wish a respite from my company and instead enjoy an afternoon at his club,” she said, laughing.
He vowed that he would never, ever, tire of her company, but she prevailed, and soon enough, all six ladies climbed into Lady Eleanor’s spacious carriage, with Bond Street as their destination.
Thanks to Lady Eleanor’s patronage, Madame Blanchet was glad to help them. Anne, Lady Catherine and Mrs. Jenkinson were measured, fabrics were fingered, silhouettes and drawings admired, and decisions made.
“Elizabeth,” Lady Eleanor said, turning to her new niece. “You will need a good deal of new clothing; I do hope you understand that.”
“I do, of course, Lady – Aunt Eleanor,” she corrected herself quickly. “But we will not come back to Town until next Season, and by then the fashions will have changed.”
“That is true,” the Countess said. “But you must know that there are a good many local events to attend in Derbyshire, and you will be expected to be appropriately attired. In addition, it is a good deal colder in Derbyshire than what you are accustomed to.”
“Oh! She is right!” Georgiana exclaimed at once. “We get a good deal of snow, sometimes for days on end! Lizzy, you must have warm outerwear. Perhaps a wool redingote?”
“With matching gloves,” the Countess added. “Yes, certainly. Elizabeth, do let Madame take your measurements. I assure you that Darcy will have no objections whatsoever.”
Elizabeth, who had cast a longing eye upon certain fabrics as soon as they had entered, required no more persuading, and Madame Blanchet was delighted to have acquired the new Mrs. Darcy as a customer.
Madame Blanchet promised to have the gowns for Lady Catherine, Anne and Mrs. Jenkinson sent to Rosings Park within a fortnight; Elizabeth’s clothing would be sent to Pemberley.
It was soon determined that the ball-goers required dancing slippers and Elizabeth would need warm boots, so off the entire party went to the cobbler up the street.
The shopping expedition ended with a trip to Gunter’s, where everyone selected their favourite flavours of ice and then offered their selection to the others to sample.
Elizabeth observed Georgiana carefully throughout the day.
She seemed almost her old self, but Elizabeth thought she could detect a certain brittleness in her manner.
It was nothing she could quite pinpoint and certainly nothing she could articulate; it was more a feeling than anything else.
So when Mr. Darcy quizzed her later, she could only say that Georgiana seemed quite well.