"It sounds like something from a novel," she protested.
"It is true, I assure you," Anne said. "I know it is hard to believe, but we have lived through it."
William and Lizzy nodded seriously.
"Then I must believe you," Georgiana said, "but to think you were a prisoner all that time, William! I was so worried about you."
"I was worried about you as well, Georgie, but I thought you were safe in school. How did you end up back here at Darcy House?"
"You usually send me word when you are safely returned from Rosings and you write to me regularly anyway. I received your letter saying that you were nearly finished with the annual review and then nothing else came. I waited, thinking perhaps a letter had become lost in the post. Another two weeks passed, and I still heard nothing from you. I also did not hear from Anne and wondered if there had been a problem and the letters were being withheld. After another week passed with no word, I sent letters to Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Carroll asking if either had heard from you. Mrs. Reynolds wrote back that your servants had returned to Pemberley after Lady Catherine informed them you had ridden ahead to take care of urgent business. They were already searching for you and had sent word to Richard but hoped to keep the situation quiet until he could arrive."
"I am thankful they did that," William said. "There are people who might take advantage of my absence and cause problems for both you and the estate."
"I know. So I kept quiet, but I was so worried I could not concentrate on any of my lessons. I felt so dreadfully alone at school. I mean, I always have, but it was even worse now."
"Wait," William interrupted, "what do you mean about feeling so alone? Were you not happy there with your friends?"
Georgiana gulped and looked guilty as if she had suddenly realized she said too much.
"Tell him, Georgiana. He needs to know, and you should have said something long ago," Anne said quietly.
Looking down at her teacup, which rattled slightly in her hand, Georgiana hesitantly said, "I do not really have any friends at the school. I am nervous talking with people and most of them are the daughters of peers. They think I am beneath them as the daughter of a mere landowner."
"You are the granddaughter of an earl," William said.
"But not the daughter of one. It made a difference to them."
"You have been there for more than two years, Georgie. Why did you not tell me you were unhappy? I could have done something to help." William said, disappointed with himself for not having realized why his sister had become even more quiet and withdrawn in that time.
"You have so many responsibilities, William. I did not want to make a fuss or upset you. I know I needed to be at school, so I just decided to get through it as best I could."
"But you told Anne?"
"She told me I should say something to you, but it never seemed to be the right time."
"Oh, Georgie," William said quietly. "You are more important to me than any of my responsibilities. I sent you to school instead of having you learn at home because you seemed so alone, and I hoped you would find friends. Instead I just made you feel more alone. I am so sorry."
Georgiana looked up at him. "Do not be sorry, William. I did need to learn how to deal with the other girls. I may not have made any real friends, but I now have several acquaintances who will prove to be good connections when I come out in society. I thought that was part of why I was there. One of them was kind enough to bring me back home two weeks ago when she returned for a visit with her family. Or at least when I asked her, she said it was no great inconvenience since she lives only two streets away." She and Anne smiled slightly at her last statement and William heard Lizzy's soft chuckle.
"So you came home because you felt safer here?" he asked, setting aside the issue of school for a time.
"Yes, I knew Mr. and Mrs. Carroll would keep me safe until either you or Richard arrived."
"Well it did save me a trip to get you. I had planned to go today, leaving Anne and Miss Bennet in the care of Mr. and Mrs. Carroll. Now we are all here together and safe."
"I have left Rosings for good, Georgiana," Anne said. "Lizzy is going to stay with me and keep me company as a good younger sister would." She smiled at Lizzy. "We wondered if you would like to stay with us wherever we end up living."
"That would be lovely!" Georgiana said excitedly, bouncing in her seat a bit and almost spilling her tea. She looked at William. "May I?"
"If it would make you happy, I will gladly trust you to the company of these two fine ladies." He told her with an indulgent smile.
Georgiana cheered, then put her teacup down and rushed to give Anne and Lizzy both a quick hug, much to their amused surprise. As she sat back in her seat, she looked both elated and embarrassed. William watched, bemused as Lizzy eased the embarrassment with a teasing comment. They returned to their tea and discussed plans for the next few days.
"Do you think you can arrange for me to access my bank account tomorrow, William?" Anne asked. "I want to visit the modiste and finally have a few gowns I pick out instead of ones picked out for me. I also want to order some for Lizzy. She needs to be dressed at the same quality as Georgiana and I are in order to receive the proper respect as my friend and almost-sister."
"Oh, no," Lizzy broke in. "I could not accept such a gift from you. I told you this morning I will not take charity."
"It is not charity as I told you," Anne insisted. "It is a birthday present. I remember you telling me your birthday is June 19th. That is the day after tomorrow. I mean to celebrate with you."
"This Saturday is your birthday?" Georgiana said excitedly. "Oh, we must get you some nice dresses and a pretty bonnet and then go to Gunter's for an ice to celebrate!"
"Please, Miss Bennet," William said, trying to think of how to convince her. "It would make us all so happy to celebrate with you." He thought a joke might help. "You know Anne has not spent any of her allowance in probably the last ten years. She might just burst if you deny her the pleasure now that she finally has the opportunity to shop."
"But a new wardrobe is just too much."
"Nonsense, Lizzy," Anne said firmly. "It will not even make a dent in my account and you need to look as if you belong with us. You are not a paid companion anymore. You are my little sister, and you will do as I say and dress the part."
"Anne is right, Miss Bennet. You must dress to fit in with Anne and Georgie so no one will consider you a servant or gossip about your place with our family. No one else need know your clothes were a gift." William told her, serious now. "You would not wish to embarrass my sister or cousin, would you?"
William knew Lizzy could be stubborn and he understood how this might hurt her pride, but it was important to him as well that she appear in society as someone who belonged in his sphere. He was pleased when she finally gave in.
"We must alter one of my gowns for you to wear when we go to the modiste so there will be no gossip," Georgiana said. "I am taller than you and I think I have a gown that would suit you very well if we take in the hem and make a few adjustments to the bodice. We can go up after tea and see what needs to be done." She was bouncing in her seat again. William had rarely seen his sister this excited in the past few years. He smiled at the sight.
"I can see you will not take no for an answer," Lizzy said in resignation. "Very well, I will let you disguise me as a fine lady, and we will shop."
Anne and Georgie both clapped their hands in delight.
"You are already a fine lady, Miss Bennet," William put in. "What you have on now is the disguise. Let them dress you to show who you truly are." Lizzy blushed at the compliment.
"William is correct, Lizzy. Simply accept it. We must also visit Hatchards while we are out," Anne said. "You described it so well for me that now I must see it for myself."
"If you are going to Hatchards, then I must join you," William said. "Perhaps you can visit the modiste tomorrow and we can all visit Hatchards and Gunter's on Saturday for th
e actual birthday celebration."
They all agreed to his plan, although William noticed Lizzy was still hesitant about accepting the gifts. If he had needed any proof to convince him she was not a fortune hunter, her expression said it all. He hoped she would not be this reluctant to marry him when he finally felt comfortable enough to ask.
"Would you like me to send a servant to Madam Claudette to make sure she can fit you in tomorrow?" he asked his sister.
"Yes, please, William. I had forgotten about that," Georgiana said. "I just remembered, Lizzy. Sometimes Madam Claudette has gowns on hand that a customer decided not to purchase or could not pay for and with a little alteration they can be made to work and be bought at a discount. If she has something that matches your coloring, you could have a new gown to wear for the birthday celebration."
Still smiling at his sister's excitement William put down his empty teacup and went to send the messenger with a note for the modiste. He found himself looking forward to the birthday celebration. It seemed just the thing to drive away the memory of the shadows. He would catch up on his business matters while the ladies were shopping, and he also intended to send a messenger to speak with Johnson the groom to find out the situation at Rosings Park. He was not sure they had heard the last of Lady Catherine and he wanted to be prepared for whatever might come.
Chapter 17: Shopping
Lizzy felt terribly embarrassed as Georgiana's maid tucked and pinned the elegant day dress so they could alter it to fit her. It was not that she objected to the dress. It was beautiful, made of soft peach silk with leaves embroidered in a light sage green around the bodice and on the flounced hem. Georgiana and the maid were discussing the best way to remove and reattach the flounce at the correct height to suit Lizzy's shorter stature. Then they could inset a few panels of the fabric they removed to expand the bodice slightly and make it fit just right. It seemed like a great deal of work to be expended on a poor girl from the country and knowing Anne would be purchasing more gowns for her the next day made her more uncomfortable.
She found herself thinking again about Mr. Darcy's comment. He said he thought she was a fine lady. Had he been serious? He knew where she came from and what her family was like. Could he possibly feel the same attraction she felt for him?
"Why are you blushing, Lizzy?" Anne asked suddenly. She had been resting in a chair while Georgiana and the maid fussed over her friend.
Lizzy blushed even brighter. "Oh, I was just thinking about the gowns. Are you sure you truly want to buy them for me?"
"You have agreed to it, Lizzy. There is no backing out now."
"Must you be like your mother and always win?" Lizzy said in a light tone and with a laugh to show she was joking.
"I will be like myself and win when I know I am in the right," Anne responded with a smile. "You are not the only stubborn one here."
"Perhaps we are sisters then."
"Then that makes us cousins," Georgiana said with a big grin. "We shall have such fun tomorrow and this dress looks lovely on you, Lizzy. The peach makes your complexion glow even when you are not blushing, and the trim brings out the green of your eyes."
"I think I have all the adjustments marked, Miss," the maid said. "Miss Darcy is correct. It will look lovely on you when I finish with it."
"Thank you, Becky," Georgiana said as they helped Lizzy out of the peach gown and back into the dress she had worn earlier.
As the maid left with her new sewing project Lizzy asked, "Do your servants gossip outside the house?"
"Oh, no," Georgiana answered. "Mrs. Carroll is very strict on that point. We pay and treat our servants well and expect their loyalty in return. There will be no gossip."
"I am glad of that," Lizzy said. "Anne, as your inquisitive little sister may I ask an intrusive question?"
"Of course, Lizzy,"
"You have told me several times that you consider Mr. Darcy a good man. Why are you so determined not to marry him?"
Anne blushed bright red and softly answered, "He is a good man, but I love someone else."
"You have not left Rosings in years and I understand your mother rarely has male visitors." Lizzy said. "OH! Your other cousin, the colonel! Is it he?"
"Yes," Anne murmured, with her head lowered, "but I do not know if he cares for me that way."
"Oh my," said Georgiana joyfully, "it would be so wonderful if he would marry you and never have to go into battle again."
"I have long wished he would, but mother would never have allowed it. She was so determined I would marry William."
"Well you are of age, Anne, and no longer under your mother's control. If the colonel wishes to marry you now, she cannot stop you," Lizzy said encouragingly.
Anne looked up and smiled brightly at the thought. "You are right. She cannot stop us anymore. I just wish there was a way to let him know how I feel without being too forward."
"We will see what can be done when he arrives," Lizzy said confidently. There had to be a discrete way to see if the colonel cared enough for Anne to marry her.
~o~
Lizzy found herself blushing again the next morning at the approving look Mr. Darcy gave her as she entered the breakfast room wearing the peach gown. Georgiana's maid had done Lizzy's hair in a fashionable style and she felt like a princess even if it was just a simple day gown.
"You look lovely, Miss Bennet. I would never know that for one of my sister's gowns. It fits as if it had been made for you all along."
Lizzy thanked him, hardly knowing where to look. His smile was so warm it made her feel giddy. She quickly fixed a plate at the buffet as Anne and Georgiana entered the room behind her.
"It does look just right," Georgiana agreed. "Becky did a skillful job with the alterations."
Anne just smiled as she fixed her own plate. Lizzy knew her friend was excited for the shopping trip. The modiste had offered them an early appointment, so they would be leaving shortly after breakfast in one of the Darcy carriages. Mr. Darcy would accompany them to set up an account for Anne. The modiste knew him by sight from Georgiana's visits, so there should be no problem. He planned to leave them there while he ran some errands. When they were done, he would take Anne to the bank in which her funds were deposited. He told the three young ladies he was known by sight there as well and also had authorization to manage the funds for Rosings, so he did not expect any difficulty.
~o~
The shopping trip went well, although Lizzy was still uncomfortable at the number of gowns Anne insisted on ordering for her. The modiste had one gown on hand that Anne and Georgiana declared was perfect for Lizzy. It would not do for their birthday excursion as it was an evening gown, but William had told them he intended to take them all out to a concert or play soon, so she would need it. The modiste had a second evening gown on hand that flattered Anne's figure and complexion. It was purchased as well.
As Mr. Darcy predicted, they encountered no problem at the bank. Anne withdrew enough for all her present needs and would be able to withdraw more at any time. Before returning home, they stopped at a milliner where Georgiana treated Lizzy to a lovely bonnet.
The young ladies spent the afternoon in the music room where Lizzy and Georgiana took turns playing for Anne. Lizzy noticed Mr. Darcy brought a portable writing desk to the drawing room after opening the door that connected it to the music room. He busied himself writing letters while listening to them play. His smile did not falter even when Lizzy bungled her way through a piece on the harp. Her poor playing must have reminded him of something, however, for when she was done, he looked up and spoke.
"Anne, I can help you hire a music master if you truly desire to learn. I do not think you are too weak, although you might need to pace yourself as you practice so as not to become too tired."
Anne beamed with delight. "That would be lovely, William. I have always wanted to play the pianoforte. And we can find someone to help Lizzy with the harp. She had to stop her lessons when the family who owned the h
arp that she practiced on moved away from her village."
"Very well. When we decide where the three of you will be living, I will make the arrangements for you. I am enjoying the concert, ladies. Please do continue." He returned to his letters as Georgiana began another piece on the pianoforte.
~o~
Mr. Darcy introduced Lizzy and Anne to the library at Darcy House after dinner. Lizzy thought the room even closer to heaven than Hatchards. She was astounded to learn the library at Pemberley was four times the size of the one she stood in. She hoped to one day have a chance to explore it.
All four of them settled into the comfortable armchairs in the room to read for a time. After a while Lizzy noticed Mr. Darcy was looking through a small leather-bound volume. When she caught sight of the title and translated it in her head, she was quite surprised.
"To Feed the Darkness, Mr. Darcy? What kind of book is that?" she asked.
"I am not quite sure yet," he answered. "My Latin is a little rusty and the text is handwritten, so it is slow going. I found it in Lady Catherine's chambers and thought it might give us some answers to what was going on there."
"Can I be of any assistance?" she asked.
"We might be able to do this better together," he agreed. "Perhaps if one of us reads out loud the other would be able to translate instead just one of trying to work out both the handwriting and the translation."
They moved to sit next to each other on the small sofa near the fireplace. As Mr. Darcy suggested, it was easier to have one read and one translate. They took turns, although it soon became obvious that Lizzy was a little quicker at the translation than Mr. Darcy.
Anne and Georgiana pulled their chairs closer, interested to hear more. All four found the content disturbing. The book told of a place where dark gods had been worshiped and blood sacrifices made. The very land became steeped in hatred and misery. Over time it called to men and women with an affinity for the darkness. They brought captives to the spot and tortured them or kept them on edge, subject to bouts of anger, fear or pain. The darkness fed on the victims, giving the one who provided them the power to cause more harm, more pain, though it came with a price.
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