Chapter 50 Gathering
Darcy found Sir Phillip at the door of the music room. As Bennet had predicted, the young man had been drawn in from the garden by the sound of the pianoforte playing. On seeing an unknown young woman playing, he had stationed himself just out of her view so he could listen without frightening her.
When the commotion in the entryway began, Georgiana had stopped playing and waited, unsure of what to do.
Darcy arrived as she was still sitting at the keyboard, deciding whether to go investigate.
Motioning Sir Phillip to enter the music room with him, Darcy provided a quick introduction.
As she and Sir Phillip greeted one another, Bennet and Peter arrived at the doorway behind them.
Bennet suggested it was time Georgiana meet the other residents of the house.
Although she was still somewhat nervous, she agreed, and they followed the sound of excited female voices to the parlor where the ladies were returning to discuss their expedition.
Any doubts Georgiana might still have had about Kitty and Lydia's welcome of her were quickly dispelled by their squeals of joy when Darcy made the long-awaited introduction.
Jane and Lizzy welcomed her more sedately, but with visible pleasure at her arrival.
It was Mrs. Bennet, however, who provided the most enthusiastic welcome, cutting over all the other greetings and gathering the surprised girl up in hug.
"Oh, my dear Georgiana! I may call you Georgiana, may I not?
" She barely waited for the young woman's surprised nod before continuing, "I am so glad you have arrived safely!
We have been looking forward to your visit ever since your brother said he would send for you, and now here you are," she gushed.
Her excited joy was sincere so far as Darcy could tell.
He wondered if he should rescue his sister from their hostess and started to step forward.
Lizzy noticed the movement and shook her head while giving him a reassuring smile.
With a hint of a nod to acknowledge her message, he remained in his place even as Mrs. Bennet continued.
"Now, I want you to simply consider yourself one of the family, just like your cousin, the Colonel, does.
He told me he thinks of me like a second mother and I wish you would as well.
Or if that is not comfortable for you, think of me like an aunt.
Yes, call me Aunt Fanny, as my brother's children do.
That will do nicely. Oh, it will be such a joy to have you here. "
Darcy could see his sister was feeling stunned by the enthusiasm, volume and content of the words pouring from her hostess' mouth.
He was feeling somewhat stunned by it himself.
He was proud of Georgiana for retaining enough composure to smile and nod in agreement with Mrs. Bennet before Kitty and Lydia took his sister gently by the arms and led her off to a corner to talk.
The feeling of surprise continued for Darcy when, after Mrs. Bennet proclaimed herself delighted to see Peter as well, she looked over at the younger girls and said, "I hope you do not mind me claiming your niece for myself as well, Viscount Rand.
It is just that I know the poor girl has grown up without any mother at all.
Even though she declares she has the best of brothers, and I am certain it is true, she has also written that she has been very lonely and in need of female company.
" She turned to Darcy, "I know you have done your best to make her happy, Mr. Darcy, but sometimes a girl just needs a mother or aunt to help her along. "
"I thank you, Mrs. Bennet," Darcy said, finally finding his tongue.
"I know I have not been able to give her that special guidance a mother, aunt or sister would.
I truly appreciate your kind welcome to her.
You must know she is very precious to me, so seeing her welcomed as family makes me happy as well. " He bowed.
"Oh, Mr. Darcy," she said, waving a hand dismissively, "you just leave her to us." With that, she drew Peter away to speak with Mrs. de Bourgh. As they went, Darcy heard her begin to describe Richard's wedding to his uncle.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Darcy turned to Lizzy, who had come to stand next to him while her mother had finished greeting Georgiana. "Did you have any idea your mother intended to welcome my sister like that?"
"Does it bother you?" she asked, cocking her head slightly even as she stepped a little closer to his side.
"No,” he said, smiling brightly at her. "I was simply curious."
Bennet cleared his throat behind them, and they heard Sir Phillip snicker. Darcy realized they were being teased. He lowered his voice slightly as he said to Lizzy, "Has all that shopping made you too tired for a walk in the garden?"
"Nothing would please me more," she said. Seeing him look over at Georgiana, she added. "Have no worries. She is in good hands."
"I have no doubts at all on that score," he said, offering his arm. "Come, while we walk you can tell me all about your visit to the village."
They headed outside followed by more quiet laughter from Bennet and Sir Phillip.
~o~
The couple made their leisurely stroll in the garden last as long as they could. Lizzy told Darcy how her mother had stopped at the shop of nearly every merchant in the village to procure goods for the dinner party. Butcher, baker, candlestick maker, it seemed they had visited them all.
"When the shopping was done, Mama insisted we had to go around and make several invitations in person," she told him. "I asked if I could simply walk back to Longbourn, but she would have none of it."
"It is probably safest you did not," Darcy said.
"Wickham may be locked up, but we do not know if my aunt has sent other agents to do you harm.
I am also not certain how far we can trust any of the other soldiers.
There may be some bad feeling after the way in which I dealt with Wickham and our less than friendly interview with Colonel Forster. "
"I was trying not to think about that too much," she said, "although I would certainly not have walked back alone. All the same, I do not like feeling frightened to move around freely in my home village."
Darcy sighed. "I would not have you be frightened. Just very, very cautious."
"Caution and fear seem like members of the same family to me," she said, echoing his sigh.
"I suppose they are," he agreed.
After walking in silence for a time, Lizzy asked where he had ridden off to earlier that day.
He told her about the errand to the Clarke farm, the problem they had found and the solution they came up with.
That led to a discussion of the types of problems he most often ran into at Pemberley.
They were still fully engrossed in the subject when Sir Phillip came out to report that a message had arrived from Netherfield Park.
"Mr. Bingley says that his guests have arrived, but will wait to descend upon Longbourn until tomorrow after they have settled in. He said he is looking forward to seeing you at dinner tonight, which means you will have to leave very soon unless you wish to be even more than fashionably late."
Darcy looked at the grinning young man. "You appear to be acting as Richard's proxy again," he said, "with the way you are enjoying my discomfiture at your news."
"Then I am playing my part well?" Sir Phillip asked.
Darcy and Lizzy both rolled their eyes at him and turned to go back inside. Sir Phillip followed, laughing.
~o~
Despite Bennet's teasing over the matter, Darcy decided to continue making use of Wickham's horse as long as he could. He rode to Netherfield Park across Longbourn's land, letting his carriage follow with his luggage by way of the road.
He had heard about Netherfield Park in discussions with Lizzy and Bennet but had not gotten a really good idea of the size or prosperity of the estate.
Coming over the grounds and approaching the house on horseback instead of as guest arriving on the main drive gave him a better appreciation for the place.
The land looked like it could be as profitably farmed or managed as Longbourn, but it had suffered from inconsistent management and oversight.
The overall feel of the grounds after he crossed the border between the two estates was more in line with what he had originally expected of Longbourn when he thought Bennet was the indolent and negligent landlord described by his aunt.
A succession of tenant landlords probably combined with a poorly directed and possibly negligent steward had left the land less prosperous that I should have been judging by the example of Longbourn next to it.
It was only when he topped a low rise and came through a stand of trees that Darcy saw the true focus and draw of the estate. No matter what neglect might have happened to the grounds, the house was superb.
In size it fell about midway between Longbourn and Pemberley, but in elegance the scales tipped more towards the style and grandeur of his Derbyshire home.
A skilled architect must have designed the well-proportioned building with its gleaming marble front and symmetrically arranged wings.
Darcy made his way to the stable hoping the interior of the house and skill of the servants would match the promise of the exterior.
The servants at the stable were expecting him, which was a point in their favor. Darcy handed off the horse to one of the grooms and headed to the main house, preceded by a stable boy who ran ahead to notify them of his arrival.
It was no surprise that Bingley met him at the door. His friend's welcome was as jovial as ever.
"Darcy! I am glad you made it. I thought you might cry off entirely and stay at Longbourn for the rest of your visit."