by Nancy Kelley
The table was simply laid, as was their custom when they ate alone. Brother and sister took their seats, and Darcy nodded to the footmen to begin serving the first course. "Are we not going to wait for Mrs. Younge, Brother?" Georgiana asked.
Darcy did not answer until the servant had left the room. "Mrs. Younge is no longer your companion, Georgiana. You do understand why, do you not?"
Georgiana looked down at her plate. "Yes," she replied. "I am sorry, Fitzwilliam; I did not know what he was."
The guilt he heard took Darcy by surprise. "I have no doubt you were deceived most grievously, Georgiana."
She looked up and offered him a tremulous smile. "Will I be coming back to London with you?"
"I think that is the best thing to do. Richard and I can begin looking for another companion for you once we arrive."
"I would rather go home," she said, her voice wistful.
"Georgiana, there is no one at home to keep you company, and I do want you to be accustomed to Society before your debut. I am sorry; perhaps we can return to Pemberley for an extended visit before the Season starts."
Georgiana pushed the food around her plate with a fork, though none of it made it into her mouth. "Of course, I know it is not possible now," she said finally. "I simply dread the questions people will ask when they find out."
"No one will find out," he bit out. She flinched, and he softened his voice. "Besides you and me, no one knows of this but Mrs. Younge and Wickham himself. They could not expose you without likewise exposing themselves."
She nodded slowly. "I do wish there was a way to keep Cousin Richard from knowing, but I suppose that cannot be avoided."
How deeply has Wickham wounded her? Darcy wished once more for his sword, but he reined in his anger. "Georgiana, why does that bother you? Richard will see the situation as I do--that Wickham is a rake of the worst kind who attempted to take advantage of a young girl's affectionate heart."
"I do not wish him to think me naive!" she burst out suddenly. "I do not wish..." She took a deep breath and focused her eyes on her plate. "I find I am not hungry after all. May I be excused, please?"
The request bemused Darcy, but he would not refuse her. "Yes, of course. Get some rest; we will be leaving for London on the morrow."
Chapter Three
Darcy sent his cousin a message by express before he and Georgiana left Ramsgate the next morning, and Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived in London the following Monday. Darcy had ordered Remington, his butler, to show his cousin into the study without delay. Relief caught him by surprise when Richard appeared in the doorway, and he realized again how right his father had been to split the charge of his daughter between the cousins.
Though the military man appeared relaxed, his uniform gave him an air of command. "I came as soon as I received your letter, Darcy. What was urgent enough to require my immediate presence in town? I can only assume it has something to do with Georgie, since the last I knew, she was in Ramsgate with Mrs. Younge."
"Sit down, Richard."
"This begins to sound serious, Darcy," he teased. Darcy did not laugh, and Richard sat in a leather chair in front of the fireplace. "How serious is it?"
Darcy looked him straight in the eye. "It is very nearly as serious as it can be. Do you remember George Wickham?"
"I do. He was a great friend of your father's, was he not? Perhaps not the most decorous of gentlemen once he got to school, but then so many find that the freedom of being away from home loosens their morals." Richard sat up ramrod straight and said, "Good God! You do not mean to tell me..."
"I am afraid so."
"Where is she? Is she hurt? What did he do to her?"
Familiar with his cousin's rapid-fire method of questioning, Darcy did not blink. "She is in her bedchamber putting away her belongings. She is not hurt--at least not physically. He coerced her into an elopement, but I arrived just in time to spoil his well-laid plans. Naturally, I sent a letter to the reprobate expressing my disapproval of the match and immediately removed Georgiana from Ramsgate."
Richard jumped from his seat with an oath. "The cur! How dare he play with her feelings. I do wish I had been the one that found them--I would dearly love to have run him through."
Darcy watched him pace in front of the fireplace with some amazement. Of all the cousins, Richard had the calmest temperament. His cool head was the reason he had risen so quickly in the officers' ranks. Darcy had never seen him so riled.
"I admit the thought did cross my mind," Darcy said after a minute. "I cannot guarantee my restraint will hold if I ever meet with him again."
Richard pivoted back toward Darcy, anger drawn across his face in stark lines and fire in his dark eyes. "Where was Mrs. Younge in all of this?"
Darcy's lips tightened. "She was complicit in the scheme. He joined them in Ramsgate at her invitation, and it was by her design that they conveniently met during one of their walks."
Richard clenched his hand into a fist. "I take it she is no longer in our employ."
"No, so we will need to once again find a suitable companion for her. I confess I do not relish the chore."
A stifled cry alerted them to Georgiana's presence. The men turned to see her standing by the door, her hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes. "I am sorry," she cried. "I did not mean to be such a bother. He said he loved me, that he wished to marry me."
Before either gentleman could say a word, she fled down the long corridor. After her swishing skirts disappeared from view, Richard looked at Darcy in amazement. "What exactly was that about?"
Darcy shoved his hand through his hair. This was the area where he most desired his cousin's help. "I am afraid this has left Georgiana rather blue-deviled. She seems to believe the whole affair--" Richard winced, and Darcy shrugged apologetically--"this whole... business is her fault."
Richard sighed. "I will speak to her. I know you have told her she is not to blame, but perhaps she needs to hear the truth from someone else." He smiled wryly at Darcy. "Besides, words have never been your strength, cousin."
Darcy breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps she will believe the truth more from Richard. "Thank you. I have tried, but..."
"Then it is up to me. You may begin writing the notice for the papers." Richard placed a supportive hand on Darcy's shoulder, and the cousins shared a quick smile before he left the room.
Despite his confident words, when Richard returned downstairs, he was alone. "She will not leave her room. I have asked a tray to be sent to her--let us leave her alone for the evening, William."
But it was not just for an evening. Over the next few days, Georgiana withdrew until she scarcely resembled the laughing child Darcy remembered. He turned all his attention to finding a companion for her, in hope a female influence would help matters.
Their notice attracted many applicants, but after their previous experience, he and Richard exercised even greater caution. One by one they eliminated candidates, until Darcy feared no one would meet their standards.
He pinched the bridge of his nose; there was no time for such doubts now. "Who is next, Richard?"
His cousin checked the list. "A widow named Mrs. Annesley."
"Her recommendations?"
"Several, including Mrs. Upton-Sinclair and Lady Stanton."
Darcy straightened up in his chair. "Lady Stanton is quite the stickler. She would not recommend anyone who did not meet the most rigorous of requirements."
"My thoughts exactly."
"Very well then, call her in."
Richard left the room and returned a moment later, accompanied by a woman. Her apparent youth startled Darcy--she did not look much older than he was. However, her upright bearing and sensible blue walking dress (coupled with the recommendations she possessed) convinced him to listen with an open mind.
He rose from his chair and bowed slightly when she entered the room. "Good day, Mrs. Annesley. I am Mr. Darcy and this is my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam."
She smiled a
nd took her seat. "Good afternoon, gentlemen."
"May we offer you some refreshment before we begin? A cup of tea perhaps?"
"Thank you; that is not necessary."
As per their arrangement, Darcy observed while Richard asked the questions. "Your references are glowing, madam. May I ask how you came to be in need of a new position?"
"My previous charge is to marry Lord Rathbourne next month."
Darcy raised his eyebrows a little. Rathbourne's engagement had been the talk of the Season. Mrs. Annesley clearly felt at home in the highest circles; that was good. As the granddaughter of an earl, Georgiana could marry very well.
"Your position with Miss Darcy might be slightly different from what you are accustomed. Mr. Darcy and I are often away from town on business. During those times, we would depend on you to provide any guidance she might need. If that makes you at all uneasy, we need not go any further." Once again, Darcy was grateful for Richard's military precision; his words cut straight to the heart of the matter.
"Not at all," she said, and her calm, unaffected manner struck Darcy favorably. He could not imagine this genteel woman yelling at him as Mrs. Younge had.
Her next words cemented his high opinion of her. "In fact, my very first position was quite similar to what you just described. Estate duties kept the father often from London. With regular correspondence, I informed him of anything that required his attention, and he in turn trusted me implicitly."
Darcy shared a look with his cousin. She had just answered their most important question without prompting. Richard nodded almost imperceptibly, and Darcy turned back to Mrs. Annesley. "Thank you very much for your time," he told her. "By your answers, I believe you would be a good fit for the post. We will, of course, need to check into your references, but I do not imagine there will be any problem there. Expect to hear from us in the next few days to finalize the matter."
She stood and both gentleman followed suit. "Thank you, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy. I look forward to hearing from you."
"Colonel Fitzwilliam will see you to the door."
It was a simple matter to check the references, and within a week Mrs. Annesley was installed at their townhouse in Grosvenor Square. Her presence forced Georgiana to be social, but Darcy noticed a hesitancy in her manner that told him all was still not well. He would not leave her yet so vulnerable, but he did not relish the thought of summer in the city. As little as he enjoyed London during the Season, the capital was even more unpleasant in the sultry heat. The stench alone was almost unbearable.
The one consolation Darcy had was that with the Ton largely absent, there were very few social obligations. There were no parties or soirees, no simpering misses to be avoided. In truth, it was almost too solitary for Darcy, and he was glad when Bingley paid a visit about a week after Mrs. Annesley's arrival.
"I did not think to find you in town, Darcy. I was most pleasantly surprised to see your card when I returned."
"The sea air did not agree with Georgiana, so I found it necessary to reestablish her here in London." Darcy hated the lie more with every repetition, but he would not expose his sister to gossip.
"Ah, that is too bad." Bingley rocked back on his heels, his eyes crinkled in a broad smile. "Oh, but this is a wonderful coincidence. I can issue my invitation in person."
Darcy tilted his head. "Invitation?"
"Yes. I just signed the lease on a lovely estate in Hertfordshire, and I would be honored if you would stay with me for a time this autumn."
Darcy hid a smile. Bingley frequently stated his desire to purchase an estate of his own, but Darcy privately wondered if his friend's easy personality gave him the drive for such an undertaking. If there was an estate to be let, it was doubtful he would ever feel it necessary. "What is the estate called?"
"Netherfield Park. It is but half a day's ride from London. Will you join me, Darcy?"
Darcy's smile slipped. In his amusement, he had forgotten Bingley's question. "I am afraid I have business that keeps me here for the present, Bingley."
He knew his friend too well to think this would dissuade him, and he was not disappointed. Bingley laughed and said, "You must rest sometime, Darcy. I leave for Netherfield on Sunday next, but I shall return the week following and will persuade you to join me."
"You have my permission to try, but I do not promise that you will succeed."
"That is as much as I can hope for today. I have business of my own to attend to, so I bid you farewell. I shall see you again Monday fortnight."
Darcy breathed a sigh when Bingley was gone. Though he hated lying to his friend, Georgiana's reputation demanded it. He had a notion that Bingley would make a fine husband for her, but even a man of his easy humor might be swayed by an aborted elopement.
As to leaving London to rusticate in Hertfordshire, that was utterly out of the question. Georgiana had not regained enough confidence for him to leave her alone. His heart ached when he saw her shy timidity, so different from the warm, happy child she had been not too long ago.
Richard, however, took a different view on the matter and let Darcy know his feelings over port two days later. "You cannot stay always in town, William. You know you will go mad in a matter of weeks if you do not return to the country."
Darcy tugged on his ear. His impatience with town life was indeed growing, but he would not relinquish his responsibilities. "If I remove Georgiana to Pemberley so soon, she will never be at ease in Society. She will see my actions as proof I do not trust her."
Richard snorted. "She already believes that."
Darcy looked up, startled. "She thinks what?"
"Watch her when we rejoin the ladies. She shies away from your gaze, thinking you only watch her because you doubt her judgment. Can you not see she is afraid of disappointing you again? That fear only increases the longer you stay, watching her like a mother hen."
Darcy did not want to believe it, but when they entered the drawing room, he saw immediately what Richard meant. Georgiana glanced away from Mrs. Annesley to him, met his gaze, and then looked away. Her speech faltered for a moment, and he suddenly felt like an imbecile.
He turned to Richard and said in a low voice, "What shall I do?"
"Do not go to Pemberley if you feel that it is too far, but do leave London. I will keep watch over Georgie so long as I am not needed elsewhere; you know she looks on me differently than she does you. You are the brother who is nearly a father to her. I am merely the beloved cousin."
Darcy contemplated for moment. "Bingley did ask if I cared to winter with him in Hertfordshire."
Richard shook his head and slapped Darcy on the shoulder. "Go! For God's sake man, go."
Darcy nodded decisively. "I will."
He told Georgiana the next morning, and she took the announcement with quiet resignation. "How long will you remain with Mr. Bingley and his sisters?"
"Of that I am not certain. Bingley, I know, plans to remain all through the winter, but I would like to be back in town for Christmas." Darcy and his father had always striven to make Christmas special for Georgiana, and in recent years it had become one of the few times of the year brother and sister were together.
"Very well, I will see you in December. Do greet them for me."
Georgiana's dispassionate response to his departure assured Darcy he did the right thing. If she could regard his absence with such calm, then his presence in London was not needed.
A short trip back to Pemberley was necessary, and he arrived back in London just in time to join Bingley's party as they journeyed to Hertfordshire. The carriage being full of Bingley's two sisters and the husband of one, he and Bingley opted to ride alongside. The open air suited his temperament better than being trapped inside a carriage for hours on end with Bingley's sisters, and he was glad of Bingley's company. His friend's gift for turning idle chatter into meaningful conversation kept him from worrying about Georgiana the whole ride to Hertfordshire, and for that at least he was grateful.<
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Chapter Four
Darcy had been in Hertfordshire less than a day when he first wondered if he had made the right choice in accepting his friend's invitation. "I have promised our presence at the local assembly," Bingley announced at breakfast the morning after they arrived.
"A country ball?" Every inch of Miss Bingley's refined appearance, from her perfectly coiffed chestnut hair to the fine lace ruffle on her gown, proclaimed her disapprobation with such a scheme. "Really, Charles, you might have consulted us first."
Though Darcy did not speak, he was in private agreement. Public balls were an unpleasantness he avoided at all costs--the people were just as supercilious as the members of the Ton, but without enough manners and good breeding to make the engagement even tolerable.