Chapter Twenty-three
Lizzy led Mr. Darcy and Georgiana into her aunt’s dining room, wishing she could sink into the floor and not come out into the light until long after Mr. Darcy and his sister had left Meryton.
My family—no, Lydia, and to some extent, Kitty—has embarrassed us beyond any forgiveness. I am humiliated. I want to be sick.
And what if Mr. Darcy tells Mr. Bingley about the wanton behavior of his future in-laws? Will Mr. Bingley be so disgusted that he will break the engagement? My heart wrings for my dear Jane.
They took their seats at one end of the dining table, and Lizzy began to pour out.
Her hands trembled so much that she had to put the teapot down between cups.
Fortunately, Mr. Darcy reached for a cup as soon as she set one down on the table.
He passed it to his sister, and then took the next one for himself.
Mrs. Conker placed a plate of sliced seedcake before them.
Lizzy nodded her dismissal, and the housekeeper left the dining room.
Elliot shut Stanley out of the room, closing the door and standing in front of it.
“I am pleased to say,” Georgiana began before anyone else could speak, and nodding all the while, “that standing up to George Wickham has done me a world of good.”
Lizzy blinked at her, marveling at the calm way she spoke. Her brother looked equally surprised.
“How so, my dear?” Mr. Darcy asked. He served a slice of cake onto a saucer and gave it to his sister, and then he did the same for Lizzy. She nodded her thanks.
I will be sick for certain if I eat any of that. Drink tea, Lizzy Bennet. Drink tea.
Lizzy sweetened her tea before taking a sip of the reviving beverage. To keep herself from thinking of her roiling stomach, she concentrated on Georgiana’s answer.
“Mary urged me to use my anger to face him.” She added some sugar lumps to her tea and stirred them in while she spoke.
“That is what I did. I was able to say to him the things I have longed to impart. Imagine if I had been in a London drawing room full of the ton and had come face-to-face with George there for the first time.” She shook her head.
“I hate to think of what my reaction might have been.”
“You have done amazingly well,” Mr. Darcy praised. “I am proud of you.”
Georgiana smoothed her napkin beside her saucer. “I am still trembling inside, but I did not run away.”
“Bravo,” Lizzy said, smiling what she thought must be a sickly smile. “You are doing better than I am.” She held out her hand to show how she trembled. “I cannot tell if I am reacting in anger at my sisters or from fear for their futures.”
“Their futures are not your responsibility,” Mr. Darcy said in a gentle, but firm voice. “Miss Lydia is still very young. She will grow up.”
“I am so sorry that my two youngest sisters have behaved poorly,” Lizzy said, her voice humble. “And that you, Georgiana, have been subjected to the company of a potentially dangerous man while in my aunt’s home where you should have felt safe.”
Lizzy could scarcely look at Georgiana or Mr. Darcy. After a swift, assessing glance at him and at Georgiana, she looked away, down at her saucer containing the untouched seedcake. They do not look disgusted or offended.
“I forgive you, Lizzy. You could not have known. Do not berate yourself so. Drink your tea, instead,” Georgiana admonished. She lifted her own cup. “It will do us both good.”
Obediently, Lizzy drank, finding herself calming with each sip of the sweet beverage.
“I think he came here deliberately, hoping to see me,” Georgiana stated in a troubled voice. She rubbed her cheek with the flat of her hand.
Lizzy took her hand and held it between both of hers. “If so, he must be an idiot. I cannot imagine how he could have known that you and Mary meant to come here today.”
“Kitty knew,” Georgiana told her, her brows furrowed. “She heard us talking over our plans. She could have easily mentioned it to the officers.”
“I suppose she could have,” Lizzy said, at a loss to know what to say next.
“I am glad Mary is staying overnight with me tomorrow,” Georgiana confessed, sighing.
Mr. Darcy patted his sister’s arm. “If you like her, Mrs. Inwood will be staying as well for a few days. I would enjoy having Miss Mary’s opinion of your potential governess-companion, if she will give it to me. She is a sensible girl.”
“Yes, yes,” Georgiana said, nodding rapidly. “I would like Mary’s estimation of Mrs. Inwood’s character as well.”
“Once you are settled back in London, perhaps you would like to invite Miss Mary for a visit?” Mr. Darcy asked, smiling tenderly at his sister. “I am certain Aunt Orillia would be delighted to have her company.”
Georgiana’s expression brightened considerably. “Thank you, Fitz. That is a wonderful idea.”
Lizzy thought so, too. Her insides had settled into a hollow sort of place.
Though her stomach and nerves had responded to the sweet tea, she felt immensely tired.
Mr. Darcy will go away, and I will stay here with my animals.
He cannot possibly wish to marry into a family such as ours.
And, if that is not enough to sap my energy, Jeffry is gone now, too.
Back to his owner. At least Mr. Darcy is happy for his sister to remain friends with Mary.
“Will you pencil my name into your dance card for the first dance at the assembly, Miss Elizabeth?” he asked.
He is being polite…
“And for the supper dance?” he asked in a hopeful voice.
More than polite? Lizzy’s heart beat faster. “I will be honored, sir.”
“Not as honored as I will feel to lead you onto the dance floor tomorrow night.”
Inexplicably, Lizzy no longer felt in the least bit tired.
“Excellent,” Georgiana said, beaming. She lifted her eyebrows at her brother. “Do you think Cousin Douglas is back with Mrs. Inwood?”
Mr. Darcy stood. “I expect they will be back soon. Shall we return to Netherfield so you can freshen up in preparation of meeting her?”
“Yes,” she said, rising. “What about our horses at Longbourn?”
“Elliot will collect them,” Mr. Darcy assured her.
Lizzy rose as well. “Thank you for staying for tea. I will see you tomorrow evening.”
She led them out of the room into the front hall, where Elliot and Stanley helped them with their outer things.
Lizzy accepted her own bonnet and gloves, and followed them outside.
Mr. Darcy took her hand and bowed over it, making her heart skip a beat.
Lizzy and Georgiana embraced, and she watched them climb into the gig and drive away.
Elliot bowed to her, and then began walking smartly in the direction of Longbourn Village.
“I need something new to wear in my hair,” Lizzy muttered, trying to contain her racing hope. She crossed the street and headed for her favorite milliner.
Everything worked out well. Can it be that Mr. Darcy truly does not hold my sisters’ behavior against me?
Aunty told us to hurry, and I am glad we did, even though Georgiana was holding her own against that miserable Mr. Wickham.
Was Aunty trying to avoid answering any of our questions?
Or would something more sinister have happened if we had not arrived when we did?
I suppose we will never know. Fortunately, Georgiana is now safe with her brother.
Lizzy opened the door and entered the milliner shop. It seemed to her that every lady who might attend the assembly tomorrow night yearned for a furbelow of some type for their toilette. She bumped into someone when she stepped back to avoid colliding with a matron in front of her.
“I beg your pardon,” she said to the person behind her.
“Hello again,” a smooth male voice said.
Lizzy glanced over her shoulder, and her heart jumped a beat. I am not afraid of him. “Mr. Wickham.”
“You are one of the Bennet sisters,” he said, bowing slightly. “By process of elimination, may I assume you are Miss Elizabeth?”
“I am,” she said in clipped tones, and then pressed her lips into a tight line. Lizzy faced forward once more, waiting for her turn at the counter.
“Might I request a spot on your dance card for the assembly?”
“You may request what you wish, but there is no spot on my card for you, sir,” Lizzy said with finality.
“Regrettable,” he replied in a smooth, half-laughing way.
Lizzy huffed. Into her mind came an order. “Get away from him.” Instinctively, Lizzy obeyed. She tapped on the shoulder of the lady in front of her, and said, “Excuse me, if you please. It is an animal emergency.”
“But…I…oh, it is you, Miss Bennet,” the older lady said, scooting over as much as she could.
“Thank you, Mrs. Foggle. How is Bertie?” Lizzy asked, slipping around her. Bertie was her shepherd dog.
“Bertie is back to his usual antics,” Mrs. Foggle swore. “Thank you for your help with him.”
“You are welcome.” Using this method, Lizzy squeezed her way to the front of the line where she ducked under the open portion of the counter and hastened through the curtain that barred the way to the living quarters beyond.
She counted the Abbots as her friends. They said nothing to gainsay her invasion into their private quarters as they were too busy with their clients.
Lizzy hurried past their parlor, entering the kitchen where she sat at the spotless pine table and struggled to calm her nerves.
I do not like that man. There is something about him, something I cannot quite put my finger on, but I feel a sense of menace from him. He only appears gentlemanly. And from whence did that order come? It sounded like the traveller lady—Aunty. She must be fey.
“Hello, Miss Lizzy.”
Lizzy jumped and looked across the table at a young female child, curly-headed, with wide-set blue eyes, standing next to another kitchen chair, a poppet in her arms. A white and brown terrier trotted over to Lizzy, who leaned over and petted his head.
“I didn’t know y’was comin’ today.”