by Wendi Sotis
As his valet guided him through his morning routine, Darcy asked if his sister had yet awakened.
“Yes, sir, she is awake...” Holmes replied hesitantly.
“But?”
“Marie informs me that Miss Darcy is unwell this morning.”
“Unwell?” His eyes widened. “Not a relapse of influenza!”
“I know not, Mr. Darcy. I was told only that Miss Darcy would like your permission to send a note to the Gardiners’ residence stating that neither of you would be able to attend their dinner party this evening.”
Having an inkling of what this was about, Darcy said, “You will inform Marie that my sister should be made ready to receive me by the time I finish shaving.”
~%~
Elizabeth stared at the drawing of Georgiana that she had just received by the morning post. The young lady was quite sickly-looking, huddling near the fire in her private sitting room and staring at the flames. Her brother was in the chair opposite her, wearing a worried expression.
“Georgiana looks so very sad,” Jane stated.
“This will happen today.”
“You have never before known exactly when a scene in a drawing will happen.”
Elizabeth shrugged. “Today I do.”
“Are you certain, Lizzy? Why would Georgiana be this upset now of all times, after the elopement has been prevented?”
Elizabeth looked at Jane in the mirror. “She is heartbroken, Jane. She loved Mr. Wickham—or at least she loved the man she thought he was.” She looked down at the sketch again, and her eyes tightened.
“She was in good spirits when we left there last evening,” Jane observed.
“We kept her distracted, but she has had a whole night alone to contemplate the situation. Perhaps we should go to see her this morning.”
“We cannot, Lizzy. Aunt asked us to help her, though I imagine she might be able to spare one of us.”
Elizabeth put the page aside and examined the second drawing of the lot. “Look, Jane!”
Elizabeth and Darcy were standing in a hallway, conversing in a confidential manner. Darcy looked as if he were in a terrible state! Through the open doorway, one could see Georgiana in her sitting room, her maid sitting nearby sewing.
She turned the page again to reveal the final drawing in this series. Elizabeth now sat with Georgiana in the chair that Darcy had occupied in the first. Darcy was standing near the window looking out.
“I will ask Aunt Gardiner if she can spare me today,” Elizabeth stated.
Jane gestured towards the papers. “It seems she will not refuse.”
Finished with their preparations for the day, Elizabeth and Jane headed downstairs to break their fast. Mr. Gardiner had just completed his meal when a maid entered with a letter for him. “It is from Mr. Darcy!” He read it quickly and then summarized, “He apologizes to Madeline for sending such late notice, but both he and his sister will have to decline the invitation this evening as Miss Darcy is not well. He also asks that Jane and Lizzy come to see her as soon as possible.” He raised his eyebrows high up his forehead. “What an odd request if Miss Darcy is unwell.”
“The ailment from which she suffers is not physical in nature, Uncle,” Elizabeth responded and looked at her aunt. “I think it would do her good to be among friends.”
Mrs. Gardiner seemed upset. “Would you mind going alone, Lizzy? I have need of Jane here this morning; our errand cannot be delayed. If your uncle agrees, I can spare a maid for the few minutes it will take to ride along with you. You may send for the carriage when you are ready to come home.”
“There is no need,” Mr. Gardiner replied. “I was just about to leave to tend to my business. Since there will be no dinner party this evening and there is no need for an early return, I can wait for Lizzy to finish here.” He turned to his niece. “Assuming you are willing, Lizzy, I will escort you to the Darcys’ house on my way to my appointment. Mr. Darcy says that he will send you home in his carriage at any time during the day. I am certain he will include a proper escort.”
“I am more than willing, sir, and I am finished now. I can join you in a few moments.”
Mr. Gardiner nodded and rose. “I will meet you in the hall when you are ready.”
~%~
Darcy ran his hand through his hair for the hundredth time that morning as he stared at his sister, praying for some sign that she was aware of his presence there. Hearing a carriage pull up to the front of the building, Darcy rose and looked out the window. Mr. Gardiner disembarked and handed down Elizabeth. After he saw them exchange a few words, Darcy heard the entrance door open. Mr. Gardiner waved and re-entered the carriage. Darcy turned to nod at his sister’s maid.
Although his sister had not given any indication of hearing a word he had said all morning, he excused himself and promised to return as soon as was possible before stepping into the hallway.
A few minutes later, Miss Elizabeth was escorted to him. His chest swelled with relief at the sight of her. Why do I feel that having her here is the only thing that could make Georgiana well again?
Thinking twice about being left in the hall alone with a lady, especially this lady, he opened the door to his sister’s sitting room about halfway, and then stepped away from it, signaling his sister’s guest to tread quietly. The footman who had brought her above stairs took up a post out of hearing range, near the staircase.
~
Feeling as if time were slowing again, Elizabeth quickened her steps as she approached. When she reached him, all returned to normal. She spoke softly, “My sister apologizes that she was unable to come along. Please, tell me how I may be of assistance?”
“Georgiana told me that you know what has recently occurred here?” His statement came out as a question.
Not knowing how much Georgiana had revealed, Elizabeth only nodded in reply.
“She was upset when she told me of it last evening, but today...” Darcy’s hand trembled slightly as he gestured towards the open doorway. “Today, she is in such a state. I have never seen the like and know not what to do.”
“In what way is she unlike her usual self?”
“Can you see her from where you stand?”
Elizabeth looked through the door and then nodded.
“Does she continue to stare at the fire as if nothing else exists?”
“Yes.” Elizabeth searched his eyes and then gasped. “Are you saying she has been like this all morning?”
Darcy nodded. “I had asked her maid to stay close last night. Marie tells me this trance-like state began when she rose from bed in the wee hours of the night, but I believe it began sooner. When I returned after escorting you home, she told me what had happened with Wickham.” The name was practically growled. “I witnessed the beginning of this illness, but she had not withdrawn quite as deeply at that time. Nothing we have done and nothing we have said this morning seems to have gotten through to her. She does not eat or drink.
“I fear for her health, Miss Elizabeth. When she arrived in Ramsgate, she was only just regaining a portion of her former strength. Our mother had found Ramsgate healing...” His voice trailed off.
Elizabeth acted as if she had not noticed the expression that told her this memory was somehow painful to him. “Mrs. Younge has been in to see her?”
Darcy’s brow furrowed. “No, she has not; I have not seen her yet today. If you remember, before you left last evening, she was not feeling well. I suppose she remains so.”
“Do not worry, sir; I will do what I can.”
He gestured, and she preceded him into the room. Elizabeth passed between Georgiana and the fireplace to make her presence known. “Good morning, Georgiana,” she said as she curtsied before the younger girl. Georgiana seemed to look through her and did not even blink. Elizabeth nodded a greeting to the maid who was sitting in the corner of the room, and then took the chair opposite Georgiana, the exact spot where Elizabeth had been sitting in the picture. As Darcy positioned himself at
the window, just as he had been in the drawing, Elizabeth braced herself. The change in the speed of time came exactly as she expected it.
~
From his place standing by the window, Darcy watched as Elizabeth looked around her. Discovering a basket of embroidery, she lifted several items and examined them before returning them to the basket. Taking up a book resting on the table, she opened it to the page marked with a silk ribbon, read a little, smiled slightly, and then returned it to the table. Without leaving her chair, she seemed to take in the entire room, her eyes lingering a little longer when she came to the miniatures on the mantelpiece. After an hour had passed in silence, broken only by the sound of his boots upon the carpet as he paced, Darcy wondered why she had not said a word to his sister past a greeting. Perhaps I have put too much confidence in this country miss! Darcy began to walk across the room, and Elizabeth raised her head sharply, giving him a look of warning. So, she does have some sort of plan after all.
A few minutes later, when the clock finished chiming the hour, Elizabeth said firmly, “It is noon now, Georgiana. According to my calculations, we have given you more than a full day to feel sad, which is longer than would have been tolerated elsewhere, I assure you.” She stood before Georgiana. “Since you felt that you were old enough to contemplate marriage, it seems that you consider yourself an adult. Now it is time that you behave as any other adult under similar circumstances. Yes, you have suffered a disappointment, but life cannot come to a standstill over distress or setback. If every young lady who has been disappointed by a young man did as you are doing now, there would be very few old ladies.”
After several more minutes passing in silence, Darcy walked towards Elizabeth and said, “I apologize that Georgiana has not acknowledged your presence, Miss Elizabeth. We owe you, your sister, and your aunt an enormous debt—one I can never hope to repay. I am sorry her silence has been your only recompense.”
“Mr. Darcy, you owe us nothing. Georgiana owes us nothing; she is our friend.”
“Even now?” Georgiana whispered, now looking at her lap.
Darcy was about to rush to his sister’s side, but Elizabeth shook her head slightly, gesturing for him to step back.
Elizabeth smiled at the younger lady. “Of course! Other than family, who else but a friend would sit with you for so long in complete silence, and then scold you when it was required?”
“But my shame, my disgrace...”
“Have you told me all there is to tell?”
Georgiana nodded.
“Georgie, you simply did what scores of other young ladies have done in the past and will do in the future—you fell in love. It was not your fault that the young man misrepresented himself.”
Georgiana looked up at Elizabeth, her eyes filled with tears. “But if I had never met you, I would have—”
Elizabeth bent to take the younger girl’s hands in hers. “What if you and I had met sooner? What if we had met later? What if I had never come to Ramsgate at all? What if you had doubted Mrs. Gardiner’s truths more than you had Mr. Wickham’s lies? Georgiana, if we explored all the ifs, we could be here for days, perhaps even years! Whatever the reason, none of those things happened. We did meet here on your first day in Ramsgate. You did doubt his stories. You did not agree to elope! You have suffered no disgrace.”
“What about Mrs. Gardiner and Ja—Miss Bennet?”
“Jane is helping my aunt with something—that is all. Both sent their regrets for not being able to come to see you this morning.” She squeezed Georgiana’s hands. “I dare say that if they had known just how poorly you were feeling, they would have put off what they were doing to come along and help you to recover.” Elizabeth moved to the mantelpiece. “I am a very curious individual, and since I have been sitting here for a while now with nothing more to do but look about the room,” she said with a teasing smile, “I have stored up many questions for you.” Elizabeth held out her hand to her young friend. “Come, tell me, who are these people?”
Georgiana hesitated a moment and then stood and stepped closer, her arms wrapped tightly around her chest.
Elizabeth pointed to each miniature, and Georgiana told her who each portrayed. There were likenesses of her brother, parents, Aunt Adelaide and Uncle Theodore, Aunt Catherine and Uncle Lewis, her cousin Anne, cousin Henry, and cousin Richard. Darcy wondered why Elizabeth seemed to look at the drawing of Richard a little longer than she had the others.
At one point, Georgiana called her “Miss Elizabeth,” and Elizabeth raised one eyebrow. She quickly changed it to Lizzy. Elizabeth’s laughter tinkled in reply.
Elizabeth asked about the basket of embroidery supplies, and the two examined a half-finished piece. Georgiana glanced at her brother and whispered something to Elizabeth. Elizabeth smiled brightly.
The two discussed the book she had seen on the table—a fairy tale of which Elizabeth was so fond that she knew it almost by heart: La Belle et la Bête, or Beauty and the Beast, by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont.
“Have you read it, too, Mr. Darcy?”
He did not wish to interrupt their camaraderie, but was also not willing to abandon his sister at such a delicate time. Since he had been satisfied to be a simple spectator up until that point, he was surprised at being addressed. Darcy pulled up a chair to join their conversation.
The next time Georgiana was distracted, he saw Elizabeth signal Marie, and the maid left the room. Before long, tea was delivered, along with many of Georgiana’s favourite treats. Proving to be a proper hostess, his sister changed her seat in order to pour the tea. Darcy was relieved that, whilst Elizabeth kept her busy chatting, Georgiana finally partook in the offered nourishment.
When tea was done, Elizabeth read to them. After a while, Georgiana fell asleep. Darcy eased Georgiana into a reclined position, carefully arranging a blanket around her before gesturing to Elizabeth that they should leave the room.
Once the door was closed, Darcy said, “That was amazing, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Having four sisters of varying ages, I have a great deal of experience with the melancholy moods of young ladies.” She continued in her thoughts, I will not mention what we all suffer through with my mother’s nerves!
“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart—thank you. I would not have known what to do for her.”
Elizabeth blushed. “It is not necessary to thank me; I truly meant it when I said that Georgiana is my friend. Although we have not known each other long, I have become quite fond of her.” The grandfather clock in the entry hall at the bottom of the stairs chimed five times.
Darcy’s surprised expression was followed by his saying, “I must apologize for keeping you here all day!”
“It is quite all right, but I should be going now, sir. When she awakens, please tell your sister that I will call on the morrow—or, better yet, may I leave a note for her?”
“Yes, of course. Please, I will show you to a writing desk and then call for the carriage. This way.”
“Thank you.”
When she was done, a maid was waiting in the entry hall.
“May I escort you home, Miss Elizabeth?” Responding to Elizabeth’s raised eyebrows, Darcy added, “Of course, Sarah will accompany us.”
“That is very kind of you, sir, but I think it would be better if you remained here.” Elizabeth lowered her voice and spoke so that only Darcy would hear her. “Georgiana is in a fragile state; I think she bothered more by feelings of guilt for her carelessness and what she had been contemplating than from actual heartbreak. If she should awaken and send for you—”
“Of course, you are correct. She might feel abandoned if she finds me gone out.”
As the maid helped her with her coat, Elizabeth said, “Oh! I almost forgot. Mr. Gardiner asked that I should give you this.” She handed him a letter. “I am sorry, sir, I was supposed to deliver it when I arrived, but being so anxious about the health of your sister, I quite forgot. My uncle expected that I would bring a
n answer home with me.”
Darcy opened and read it immediately. “He asks if we might be able to attend dinner two evenings hence. I would be happy to, only...” He glanced towards the stairway and then back again.
“I believe by then Georgiana will be able to attend, but perhaps you would rather wait until you are better informed. Shall I tell him that you will send an answer with me tomorrow, instead?”
“Yes, that would be best.”
He helped her into the coach and watched it until it was out of sight.
She often seems to know what I am thinking—sometimes even before I know it myself. I hope she cannot always read my mind, or I should expect a well-deserved slap one day soon!
Chapter 8
August 6, 1811
After a great deal of anxiety on Georgiana’s part, and several reassurances from Elizabeth and Jane that she was indeed welcome, the Darcys agreed to dine at the Gardiners’.
As the last course was served, Darcy was having such an enjoyable time that he asked Mr. Gardiner if the family was engaged two evenings hence, since he would like to return the invitation.
“If it were at all feasible to accept, I would, Mr. Darcy, but as it is...” Mr. Gardiner shook his head, but upon noticing Darcy’s confused expression, he continued, “Perhaps you had not heard Mrs. Gardiner’s statement earlier this evening? You see, just this afternoon, I had a letter from my business partner requesting that I return to London as soon as possible to see to an urgent matter. I regret that we shall have to cut short our stay, but there is nothing else to be done since I do not know if I would be able to return before we must give up this house. We begin the journey the day after tomorrow.”
“Your family’s company shall be missed.” Darcy tried his best to keep his eyes from straying towards Elizabeth as he spoke, but he did not succeed.
“Georgiana,” Elizabeth said, “we must delay our planned outing for tomorrow until you, too, return to London. I am afraid that Jane and I will be busy all day.”