“Well, as you may know, Mrs. Bennet has been very determined to see all her daughters married,” she explained. “Now that Kitty is the only one who remains unmarried, all of her mother’s attention will be focused on her. I thought perhaps having this ball will allow her to have further opportunity to meet eligible gentlemen who could be a suitable match for her,” she told him, then quickly added. “Unless of course, you have some reason to think there is not a need for Kitty to find someone?”
“That is very generous of you to share your ball with her. You are right, of course; Mrs. Bennet will be very eager to see Miss Bennet married,” he told her. “I can see no reason you should not do this for her.”
Georgiana could not help but feel just a little disappointed in his response. She was hoping he would be a little more decisive in what he felt concerning Kitty. If he had said that he was opposed to her helping Kitty find someone, she would know that he held her in high regard. As it was, she could not determine one way or the other what it was he truly felt. She said little else as they approached the waiting carriage.
As they reached the carriage, Richard reluctantly released her arm, “I shall see you very soon,” he told her as he helped her into the carriage.
“Goodbye, Richard,” she replied before climbing in to sit down next to Caroline.
Richard turned just as Elizabeth and Jane walked up behind them, “Thank you, ladies,” he said. “It has been a very enjoyable morning.”
Elizabeth smiled, “Thank you, Colonel,” she said as he helped her into the carriage. “We look forward to seeing you at the ball.”
“We shall both be there, eager to dance and help our cousin as she makes her way into society,” Owen said as he helped Jane step inside. Once all the ladies were settled and the carriage was away, Owen turned to his brother and said, “Richard, I believe for the second time in my life, I am in love,” he confided to him.
Richard smiled, “That is wonderful,” he told him.
Owen looked away for a moment, “Could we take another turn around the park?” he asked him. “There is something I must speak to you about.”
Richard nodded his head. “Of course,” he told him as the two began walking again. “What is it Owen; what is wrong?”
He took in a long, deep breath and then sighed very heavily. “You were away when Emily took ill,” he began to say as Richard listened. “I do not know how much mother told you about that time, but it was most difficult for me.”
“She has only told me that you were there at the end,” Richard told him.
Owen smiled sadly, “Emily grew ill on a Sunday afternoon. We had returned from church, and it began with a headache. She had been complaining of feeling unwell but would not allow me to call the doctor. She went into her room to lie down, and by dinner time, I knew something was dreadfully wrong. The doctor was sent for, and he said she had a fever and he believed it would pass. I stayed with her the next few days, caring for her, watching her slowly waste away before my eyes as the fever went from bad to worse. Her breathing grew ragged, and she developed a terrible cough that made it very difficult. She cried because the coughing fits grew so bad she could not control the pain that racked her body. I prayed desperately that she would hold on; that the fever would break, but it was not to be. I held her down as the doctor let her blood, but it did little good. Finally, in the end, she whispered softly, barely able to speak, and said that she would miss me and then breathed her last breath. I sat there holding her in my arms for what seemed like forever until Father came in and made me release her,” he said as his voice broke with emotion. “I was devastated; I just kept thinking if I held her, she would not really be gone.”
Richard’s heart ached for his brother. “I am sorry, Owen, that I was not here when it happened. I cannot imagine how you must have suffered in losing her.”
Owen did his best to keep his emotions in check, “It was the worst feeling I have ever known. Truly, I thought I would never recover, and in many ways, I have not. When Emily died, I allowed a part of myself to become closed off. I believed if I simply refused to move forward with my life, then in some way, she would still be here with me.”
Richard considered what to say to his brother. “Owen, she would not have wanted you to stop living. Emily would have wanted you to continue on with life. I dare say she would have expected you to go on to marry again and have children.”
“It has been difficult for me to come to terms with, but I do believe you are right in what you have said,” Owen admitted to him as he turned and faced his brother. “Richard, I do love Caroline. She is not perfect, and there are many things I do not know about her, but I do believe she has just the right temperament for me. She is not afraid to speak her mind to me, but she has a very sensitive side as well. I know she does not show it often, but it is there,” he assured him. “I am telling you all of this because I have never shared these thoughts with anyone else, and because I hope in doing so, I will finally be able to lay Emily to rest. I hope very soon to make Caroline an offer of marriage, and I just need to know that you support me in my decision.
Richard took his brother's hand in his, “You know that I will support you, Owen. Caroline Bingley is a very complex woman, but as I said to you before, she has softened and changed in ways I would not have thought possible. I believe you are both very good for each other.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Elizabeth stood near the window as she looked down over the front of the house. “Oh William,” she said his name as she reached down and placed her hand over her stomach. “I do not know why I am so nervous about this evening, but I am,” she told him. “I feel as if my nerves are the worst they have ever been.”
Darcy walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Do not be uneasy; I will be with you the entire evening. I promise you; everything will go well.”
“What if no one comes?” she said as she turned around and faced him. “What if Lady Catherine was able to convince them all not to come?”
He took her hand in his and lifted it gently to his lips, “Then we shall have a great deal of wine to drink, and food to eat, and we shall dance the waltz,” he teased her.
Elizabeth laughed just a little, feeling a little more at ease. “Now you almost make me wish they would not come,” she told him as she gently caressed the side of his cheek.
“Looking at how lovely you are this evening, I was thinking the very same thing. It would not be so very bad, I think,” Darcy told her.
“William, that is very kind of you to say,” she told him. “I was feeling just a little bit anxious about this dress. I was unsure of the color at first; however, both my aunt and Jane insisted I should get it.”
“You look absolutely ravishing, Mrs. Darcy,” he complimented her. “I am very glad you chose a gown of such deep and magnificent color.”
Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled just a little as her mouth turned up into a smile, “By your compliment, sir, do I understand you to say that you approve of my gown?” she asked him mischievously.
Darcy nodded his head in approval. “I heartily approve of it. I like your gown very much,” he assured her.
Elizabeth reached up and gently kissed his lips, “Tell me, Mr. Darcy,“ she said somewhat seductively. “You do not believe the red is too bold, do you?” she teased him. “I thought perhaps it might be a bit daring.”
Darcy loved the way the deep, rich red color of the silk gown brightened her complexion and drew his attention to her lovely fine eyes. “It is bold, to be sure,” he told her as he leaned his head down towards hers. He looked into her eyes and whispered softly. “But then, you are bold of spirit, Mrs. Darcy. It suits you very well.”
Elizabeth leaned in just a bit closer to him, “I must admit, at this moment, I do have some rather daring thoughts,” she teased him.
Darcy smiled mischievously, “Mrs. Darcy, you almost make me forget we have guests about to arrive at the door at any moment. In fact, I find I cou
ld forget myself entirely, lock the door and plead with you to stay here with me all evening.”
Elizabeth wrapped her hands around the back of his head and gently ran her fingers through his hair. “But what of those guests, Mr. Darcy? We could never leave them knocking at the door. Think of the scandal it would be?” she said as she leaned up towards him.
Darcy pulled her closer into his arms and whispered softly, “You are so completely captivating, my dearest Elizabeth, that I sometimes think I shall go mad without the pure and wonderful delight of holding you in my arms and kissing your perfect lips.”
“We cannot have you go mad,” she teased him further. “Surely there is a remedy, something that can be done to keep you from meeting such an unfortunate fate. Perhaps if I were to bestow just one little kiss, you would be well…” she said as she reached up and gently brushed her lips softly against his.
Darcy pulled her closer and captured her lips again with his own. He kissed her deeply until a knock came to the door. Elizabeth pulled away from him and began laughing just a little. “Oh my darling, you almost had me convinced, but the world waits for us,” she whispered softly as she turned and walked over towards the door.
Darcy called out to her, “Elizabeth,” he said as she reached the door.
She stopped momentarily and turned back towards him. “Yes?”
“The scandal would have been worth it,” he told her as he smiled playfully.
Before she could respond, another agitated knock came to the door, “Lizzy, are you there?” Georgiana called out.
Elizabeth opened the door and saw her sister-in-law standing there, still not fully ready. “Georgie, you have not even put on your dress!” she remarked. “Your guests will be here very soon.”
Georgiana stepped inside. “Oh Lizzy, I know they will, and I cannot decide what earrings or necklace to wear!” she said, feeling somewhat panicked.
Darcy cleared his throat, “I believe I may be of service here,” he said as he walked over to the writing desk and retrieved a small box. “I wanted to give you something special for tonight. Something to show what a lovely young woman you have become,” he said as he walked over and handed it to her. “I hope you know how very proud I am of you.”
Georgiana took the box and opened it. Inside were a lovely pair of sapphire teardrop earrings and a matching necklace. The necklace had a single sapphire teardrop that hung on a gold chain. “Oh William,” she cried. “These were Mother’s!”
“They were,” he told her. “I had them sent from Pemberley so that you might wear them tonight. Our mother wore them on the day of her coming out. They were a gift to her from her father, and she wore them on the day she was presented at court,” he explained. “I know she would have wanted you to wear them, and I thought perhaps, it would give you some joy knowing a part of her was here with you this evening.”
Georgiana sniffled in as tears glimmered in her eyes, “Oh William, thank you,” she gushed just a little. “This will look so beautiful with my gown. It means so much to me to have these. I was just thinking this afternoon how very much I miss Mother…” she admitted.
Darcy sighed, “I know; I was thinking the very same thing,” he told her as he kept his emotions in check. He swallowed just a little, then said with a bit of melancholy in his voice. “Now, I think you better hurry and get ready. You do not wish to keep your guests waiting, I am sure.”
Georgiana smiled, “No, I will go at once and finish dressing,” she said as she turned to leave. “Lizzy, will you come and help?”
Elizabeth smiled, “Of course I will,” she told her. She waited until Georgiana was gone before she turned to William and kissed him tenderly on the cheek, “You, sir, are perfectly wonderful. I think if I had an older brother, I would want him to be exactly as you are with Georgiana,” she complimented him. “Remembering to have those beautiful pieces of jewelry sent from Pemberley was such a wonderful and thoughtful idea.”
“I thought she might be feeling just a little uneasy, and I wanted to do what I could to help her feel less anxious,” he told her. “I do wonder if she is truly ready for this next part of her life. I know you have said she is very nearly seventeen, but I find myself remembering the days she and I spent together with my mother and father. It seems as if only yesterday she was still a child; it is very hard for me to believe that she has already grown so much.”
Elizabeth kissed him again. “I know my darling, and I love you for it,” she said before she turned to leave.
Caroline attempted to close the clasp on her necklace, but after the fifth try, she took it and threw it across the room in frustration. She shook her head as she began wringing her hands together. It had been almost a week since she saw Mr. Fitzwilliam, and she found herself feeling uneasy about seeing him that night. The sound of a knock at her door interrupted her thoughts, “Come in,” she called out somewhat impatiently.
Jane opened the door and stepped inside, “Is everything all right, Caroline?” she asked her. “I thought I heard something.”
Caroline walked over and picked up her necklace from the floor. “I am afraid I dropped my necklace,” she lied. “I did not mean to disturb you from getting ready, Jane.”
Jane smiled, “I could help you with the necklace if you like,” she offered.
Caroline sighed, “That would be very kind of you,” she said as she handed the necklace to her.
Jane took the necklace and carefully placed it around Caroline’s neck. “This is a very lovely piece,” she told her. “I believe it goes beautifully with your gown.”
Caroline stood while she fastened the clasp, “I hoped it would,” she told her as she ran her hand down over the silk gown. Once Jane was finished doing the clasp, Caroline turned and said, “You look very lovely, Jane,” she complimented her. “This blue gown you have chosen is perfectly suited for you.”
Jane smiled, “Thank you, Caroline. You look very beautiful in your new gown. The gold fabric and white lace trim are very lovely. I think you will have many eligible gentlemen who wish to dance with you this evening,” she told her.
“I thank you for the compliment. However, I think all eyes will probably be on Miss Darcy and Miss Bennet,” she told her. “As it should be on such an occasion as this.”
Jane walked over to her and took her hand in hers. “Come now, Caroline, not all eyes will be on Georgiana and Kitty. I can think of one gentleman in particular who has been very attentive to you, one whom I believe will think you look very pretty this evening.”
Caroline knew she was talking of Owen, but she decided not to say anything to it. “I suspect that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s guests will be arriving very soon,” she said. “I believe we should go down and help greet them.”
Jane laughed, “I think perhaps some of their guests have already begun arriving,” she said. “I saw Mr. Darcy escort Lizzy down to greet them after she finished helping Kitty and Georgiana get ready. I am certain that Georgiana, along with Kitty, is helping to greet the guests.”
“You are probably right,” she told her, then said. “I have heard that Lady Belmont likes to come just a little bit later after she believes most of the guests will have arrived. I have heard it said she very much likes to make an entrance.”
Jane laughed, “Yes, well, I am learning that there are those in London Society who believe that making an entrance is the only way to make a good impression.”
Caroline sighed, “You are right in saying that,” she agreed. “I think, however, the opposite is probably true. Always needing to be the center of attention is a character flaw that is most unbecoming.”
Jane smiled as she let go of Caroline’s hand, “Well, if you are ready, I can go and get Charles to escort us both down to join the other guests?” she offered.
Caroline nodded her head. “I will be there very soon, I promise,” she said softly. Once Jane was gone, she turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She did not feel pretty; in fact, she felt weary. She had su
ffered from a troubled sleep over the past six nights, and the last night was the worst of all. She felt her stomach churning again, and she wondered if the feeling of unease she held on to was because she could not yet let go of the heartache caused by Lord Ashworth, or if the fear of Mr. Fitzwilliam’s attentions to her were the cause. She walked over and took one last look in her mirror before going to join Charles and Jane.
Georgiana came out of her room to find both Kitty and the Colonel standing together talking. Her heart sank just a little upon seeing the two of them together. She blinked away any tears that might be in her eyes and did her best to do as Elizabeth suggested. She would not allow her emotions to rule her. Instead, she would let Richard’s actions be her guide; if he spent the evening with Kitty and showed his favor to her, then she would be happy for him and learn to let him go.
As soon as he had sight of her, Richard could not take his eyes off of Georgiana. As she walked down the hall towards them, he smiled, “Georgie, you look lovely,” he told her. The soft white gown with tiny blue roses she wore perfectly accented her figure. The color was further set off by both her eyes and her jewelry. “Truly, you are very beautiful. I think your mother would be very pleased if she could see you this evening.”
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