Chapter 49 Amusements #3
"Show her to the music room," Bennet said, "but then come back to join us.
We have things to discuss first that will concern you as well.
My friend and I can have our private discussion after.
" He turned back to Georgiana, "Sir Phillip de Bourgh is out in the garden, and since we have the windows open, he may come in to see who is playing.
I am not sure if you have ever met him before, but you need not be afraid of him.
He knows you are expected, and you are distant relatives, after all. "
"Thank you, Mr. Bennet," she said. She offered another quick curtsy and practically fled the room.
Darcy followed her into the hall and gestured to the music room door, a little concerned by her show of nerves, especially as he heard Bennet softly comment, "...like a frightened fawn. I hope my girls do not scare her to death."
As Georgiana quickly darted inside, he asked, "Are you afraid of Mr. Bennet?"
She settled onto the bench of the pianoforte with what sounded like a sigh of relief and nodded just a little.
"There is no need to be frightened," Darcy told her.
"I know. I just get so nervous at the thought of meeting new people. This is even scarier because I really want all the Bennet sisters to like me, especially Kitty and Lydia."
Darcy leaned against the door frame. "I can understand," he said. "I also struggle with meeting new people. Did you know that was a big part of the reason why our father sent George Wickham to school with me instead of providing him with some other benefit or training."
Georgiana's surprised expression said as much as the small shake of her head. Darcy continued.
"I want you to think about something. You have been writing to Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia for several months, have you not?"
"Nearly two years," she said, nodding.
"Good," he said, hiding his surprise at the duration of the correspondence. "Now, during that time you have shared details about your feelings and your day-to-day activities. I expect they have done the same, correct?"
She nodded again.
"You already consider them your friends, do you not? That is why it is so important for them to like you?"
"Yes, Brother," she said, still twisting her hands nervously in her lap.
"Well, I can tell you with confidence that Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia consider you their friend and they already like you.
In fact, you would have to be very deliberately unfriendly and far more unpleasant than I think you are capable of to lose their friendship.
Think about that as you calm yourself by stroking those keys.
" He pushed away from the door frame, turning to leave the room.
"Thank you, Brother," she said softly from behind him. He turned to smile at her, but she had her head down. As he watched, she began to play. Still smiling, he returned to the study.
"I hope playing for a time will help her settle," his uncle said as Darcy re-entered the room. "She has been a bundle of nerves the entire journey."
"I think it will help," Darcy replied. "Have you told her about Grandfather and James?"
"Yes. We discussed it at length on the way. She knows I want to keep it secret for just a little while longer, so she will not say anything even to her new friends."
"How long do you intend to wait?" Bennet asked.
"As long as I can. I do need to speak with Catherine before I allow the news to leak out into the Ton. Fortunately, my men kept it very quiet from the start."
"Are you certain it is safe to visit her?
I would not feel safe in her company after what she ordered done to Miss Elizabeth.
In fact, after the last interview Richard and I had with her, I would not be surprised if she sent someone after us.
Once she finds out what we have done to Wickham and Collins, it is almost a given. "
"Ah, Collins. What have you done with the cringing clergyman?" Peter asked.
Darcy explained the steps he had taken. His uncle was highly amused.
"That is the kind of plan I would expect from Richard if he were a little more subtle in his methods. I am surprised and delighted you came up with it."
"I am rather pleased about it as well," Darcy told him.
"Richard did have a number of less subtle plans to offer, including hampering our navy by turning Collins over to a press gang.
If he were not the heir to Longbourn I would have gone with one of those.
I just could not have it look like I was deliberately doing away with an inconvenient heir.
I still wonder when someone is going to ask about Wickham's horse. "
"I hope no one does," Darcy said. "To the best of my knowledge he has no family living, and the horse did come from my father originally, so I may have the best claim to it."
Peter shook his head at his nephew's comment as Bennet said, "Those soldiers do a great deal of gambling in their abundant spare time. Trust me, if he is court-martialed and condemned, someone is certain to step forward and demand that horse as payment of some debt or other."
"Knowing Wickham, I suppose you are correct," Darcy agreed reluctantly.
"I was surprised to hear you have Sir Phillip as a visitor," Peter said to Bennet. "What do you think of him?"
"He is a pleasant young man and I like him. I can certainly tell he is a relative of Lewis de Bourgh. If I did not know better, I would guess Lewis was his father instead of just being a cousin."
"Yes, the older he gets, the more he resembles our old friend as we remember him from school."
"I have had to stop myself from calling him Lewis more than once. I was also impressed at how well-educated our young man is. He told me you offered to send him to Cambridge, but he did not like to leave his mother and Anne at the mercy of Lady Catherine, so instead you arranged for a tutor."
"You know Lewis would have looked after him, even if the boy had not been his heir.
I was just carrying on his legacy, and the young man is very deserving of the help.
Lewis also would have put a stop to this behavior of Catherine's long before it reached such depths.
Ordering the kidnapping of a young woman with the intent to ruin her?
Keeping her own daughter a prisoner? Spying, plotting and doing harm to others without any regard for decency or even the family honor and position she claims to hold in high regard? It is too much."
"But what can you do? Even now, as the Earl of Matlock, you have no control over her financial interests and those are what have given her the power to act as she has.
I know Lewis intended to assure the well-being of his wife and daughter, but giving your sister the life interest in Rosings Park and access to such a high percentage of the profits was probably the biggest mistake he ever made.
The power that comes from running such an estate and access to that money made her the threat she now is. "
"Agreed," Peter said, "but that was his choice and, of course, he did not expect to die so early."
"Why did he make that arrangement?" Darcy asked. "I thought her settlement included a generous jointure and everything she would need to live out her days comfortably and to protect Anne as well."
"Well, Will, I think in part it was as Bennet says.
Lewis was trying to leave his wife and child with the best he could give them.
His bequest was well within the law. And even though he was married to her, I do not think he ever fully realized or accepted the extent of Catherine's vengeful nature.
She played a part with him, although I suspect she also cared for him.
At any rate, he would not have approved of how she has used his legacy and takes her amusements through the pain and misery of others. "
"You said in part," Darcy asked, "what was the rest?"