Elizabeth gave him a half smile. “If you insist, sir.”
Darcy breathed easier. “What? No argument?” he teased.
“I believe you have earned an evening away from my sharp tongue.”
Jane returned with her cloak. “Here, Lizzy,” she said as she wrapped it about Elizabeth’s shoulders.
“Miss Elizabeth?” a voice came behind them. “I apologize. My hand slipped.” Bryson Lucas was pale with horror.
“It is fine, Bryson,” she assured him. “It was not your fault.”
Darcy touched the boy’s shoulder. “How about finding Dr. Potier for Miss Elizabeth? Tell him to meet us at his office.”
“Right away, sir.” The boy pushed his way through the crowd.
“I have her, Miss Bennet.” Darcy caught Elizabeth’s arm to support her weight. “Why do you not join Bingley in the coach. I will see to Elizabeth.”
“It is as if it were made for you,” Georgiana Darcy said as Elizabeth modeled the new cloak.
Darcy looked on, agreeing silently with his sister’s sentiments. He had known how the cloak’s color would emphasize the green of Elizabeth’s hazel eyes. The fur-trimmed hood and wood toggle clasps picked up the mahogany highlights of her hair.
“Do you like it, Fitzwilliam?” Elizabeth asked as she turned slowly for his review.
He smiled seductively. “Absolutely. Georgiana has an astute eye for fashion.”
Georgiana’s face reflected her happiness. She and Darcy had called at Longbourn so that she could renew her acquaintance with Elizabeth. In Lambton, Georgiana had taken an instant liking to Elizabeth Bennet, and Miss Elizabeth’s unexpected withdrawal due to pressing family business had come as a disappointment. “I am far from fashion conscious, Brother. Do not tease me,” the girl warned charmingly. Then she handed Elizabeth another small package. “This one is from me. Welcome to the family, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Oh, you should not have!” she gasped but took the bundle wrapped in brown paper and loosened the string. New leather gloves, the exact color of the cloak’s trim, were revealed. “They are perfect, Miss Darcy.” Tears misted Elizabeth’s eyes.
“Please.” The girl took both of Elizabeth’s hands in hers. “You must call me Georgiana. We are to be sisters. May I call you Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth smiled brightly and then gave Georgiana a spontaneous hug. “Of course, you may call me Elizabeth. I am so pleased that you will be part of my new family. Leaving all my dear sisters behind will be a sorrow to me. We shall be close friends, Georgiana.”
Darcy breathed a sigh of relief. It had been his wish from the beginning for Elizabeth and Georgiana to be friends. His sister had suffered too many years on her own. He had tried to be available for her, but with a twelve-year difference in age, Darcy often felt more like Georgiana’s father than her brother. Elizabeth was but four years Georgiana’s senior. He motioned to the chairs so they might spend time together. “How is your leg today?” he asked when they were settled.
“A bit sore, but it shall heal.” Elizabeth poured tea. “Thank you, sir.”
Georgiana said, “It was such a shock.” The girl shook her head. “I could not believe it when Fitzwilliam told me what happened. You were so fortunate.”
“Good fortune comes in the form of your brother,” Elizabeth said evenly.
He accepted a cup of tea. “Miss Elizabeth has had an unusual week. I pray that such unusualness is not repeated.” A slight grimace crossed Elizabeth’s face.
Elizabeth turned the conversation to Georgiana’s current studies and trip from London. Then the other unmarried Bennet sisters—all of whom still lived at Longbourn—returned, chattering and with flushed cheeks, from a walk. Elizabeth introduced Georgiana to Jane, Mary, and Kitty. Happily, Fitzwilliam’s sister and Kitty became friendly quickly, as Kitty asked Georgiana’s advice on Kitty’s latest design. Even Mary took the time to share her music.
“I have never seen my sister converse so readily with strangers,” Darcy noted as he and Elizabeth sat together in the drawing room. Although the door remained open, no one thought to chaperone them. He had captured her hand.
“Miss Darcy has probably never been in a house full of girls, all about her own age. Georgiana knows music and art and fashion, but the girls in the Bennet household know what it means to be a sister. It will do Miss Darcy well to be among other young women,” Elizabeth assured him.
Darcy doubted that Georgiana would learn anything of merit from Elizabeth’s younger sisters. Mary lacked any social skills, and Kitty was silly. Darcy would prefer that Georgiana associate with Miss Jane Bennet or Elizabeth—and even his betrothed had conducted herself poorly of late. “My sister has been sheltered, but I would not say it has been to Georgiana’s deficit. She shall make a gentleman a fine wife when she makes her come out.”
“You think to bring Miss Darcy out soon?”
“I do.”
Elizabeth paused. “As your wife, shall I be involved?”
“Most certainly. As Mrs. Darcy, you will give Georgiana credibility,” he assured her.
Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. “How might I do that, Fitzwilliam? As you have pointed out previously, I am not a pillar of society. I grieve for providing you moments of concern, but I would know true remorse if I did something that reflected poorly on Georgiana.”
Despite his conscience telling him not to criticize, he said softly, “Then perhaps we need to reexamine some of your actions of late.”
Although she did not raise her voice, Elizabeth’s face displayed her instant anger. “I held the belief, sir, that you had fallen in love with me because you admired my liveliness. Is that not what you told me only a fortnight ago?”
“Actually, I said that I admired you for the liveliness of your mind,” he modified.
“And I insisted that you were always noble and just, and that in your heart you thoroughly despised the persons who so assiduously courted you, and you, sir, never corrected me.”
Darcy stiffened. It was to be another argument. “Did I not praise your affectionate behavior to Miss Bennet while she lay ill at Netherfield?”
“Yes, I placed my good qualities under your protection, as I recall.” She turned her back on him. “I told you that you had my permission to exaggerate my good qualities as much as possible. I did not realize at the time that my caring for Jane was my only quality of merit worth recognizing.”
A shiver ran down his spine. “And you were to find occasions for teasing and quarreling with me as often as you deemed necessary. Is this how our life is to be, Elizabeth? Sniping at each other over minor details?”
Part 3
Where do we go from here? Darcy asked himself. Neither Darcy nor Elizabeth enjoyed what their relationship had become, and, as was his nature, Darcy blamed himself for making Elizabeth unhappy. He hated that they were at loggerheads. If her family possessed a larger fortune, possibly Elizabeth would understand his sense of duty. “If only Mr. Bennet had not neglected his duties,” Darcy muttered as he stared out the Netherfield library window. “Or if I had less than Pemberley.” With a sigh of exasperation, he exited the room to find his sister in Bingley’s music room.
The household expected the arrival of Bingley’s sister later in the day—something that Darcy dreaded. He had fended off Caroline Bingley’s manipulations for the past few years, and knew she would verbally attack Elizabeth. His and Elizabeth’s courtship was under enough stress.
“Mesmerizing,” he said as his sister finished playing. He had stood in the doorway and listened. It was a brief moment of peace in the past few days’ chaos.
Georgiana looked up at him, her eyes dancing. “I did not see you, Fitzwilliam.”
He entered slowly. “You, my dear, were too involved in the music’s glory to know anyone else existed.”
“It is a bad habit of mine.” Georgiana stood to greet him.
“I came to inquire whether you were to spend the afternoon with the Bennets. If so, I will happily
drive you to Longbourn.” He caught Georgiana’s hand.
She slid an arm about his waist. “You simply wish an excuse to see Miss Elizabeth,” she chided him good-naturedly.
Darcy kissed her forehead. “I may have an ulterior motive.”
“You really love her. Miss Elizabeth, I mean,” Georgiana blurted out.
Darcy paused, unsure about expressing personal feelings to his younger sister. “I hold the lady in the highest regard.”
“Oh, Fitzwilliam. Say what you mean. Maybe not to me, but to Miss Elizabeth.”
“Are you offering me advice on love? Since when does an innocent know about love?” he returned a little too sharply.
Georgiana blushed, but she did not turn away, something he deduced that she had learned from Elizabeth. Even though his sister had known Miss Elizabeth for only a few short months, Darcy could observe his intended’s influence on Georgiana; and, surprisingly, he considered it for the best. “Tr-True, I have never known love,” she stammered. “But I know what a woman wants to hear from the gentleman she holds in the highest regard.”
“I will not discuss this topic further,” he reprimanded her. “Shall you call on the Bennets or not? With the arrival of Bingley’s family, I suspect our evening will be taken up with Miss Bingley’s conversation.”
“I shall call on Miss Elizabeth.”
“Then I will have the curricle brought around.”
Darcy started to find a servant, but Georgiana’s soft voice held him in place. “Thank you, Fitzwilliam, for not bringing Miss Bingley or someone like her to Pemberley as my sister.”
Darcy turned slowly to her. “Whatever could you mean, Georgiana? I realize Miss Bingley’s behavior can at times be calculating. But she is, in fact, a fine lady, not deficient in good humor. She is handsome and was educated in one of the first private seminaries in London. Miss Bingley is from a highly respectable family in the north of England. You could learn a great deal from the lady, especially as your come out approaches.”
Copying one of Elizabeth’s habits, Georgiana bit her bottom lip. “I agree with your assessment of Miss Bingley, Brother. It was for a more selfish reason that I spoke.”
“Explain, Georgiana.”
Her chin rose in defiance, and Darcy wondered if that, too, was a lesson his sister had learned from Elizabeth. “Miss Bingley could teach me how to negotiate the ton; I have no doubt of that fact. However, when I consider the possibility of your marrying…of your placing a woman in my sister’s role…I would hope that you would choose a woman who existed in her own right. I am a selfish being; I would prefer that you marry a woman who would allow me to share your attentions. I have no other family; I would be devastated to lose you and Pemberley. I cannot imagine that Miss Bingley would tolerate my presence at Pemberley.”
“And you believe that Miss Elizabeth is the superior choice for this reason?” he said.
“You would not have chosen the lady if Miss Elizabeth were not the superior option, and I do not have to tell you that your intended would accept my presence in your life. Whether you realize it or not, Fitzwilliam, you chose Miss Elizabeth as much for me as for yourself.”
Darcy caught her by the arm and pulled Elizabeth behind the door of an empty drawing room. He brought her to him. “Elizabeth,” he whispered hoarsely. He cupped her cheek. “I do not want us to be at odds. Can we not start over?”
She turned her head and kissed his palm. “It seems we have spent our entire acquaintance misconstruing each other.” Impulsively, she went on tiptoes and kissed Darcy’s lips.
“Ah, that was heaven.” He maneuvered her closer, so that Elizabeth’s cheek rested on his chest. “If we could just stay as such,” he murmured.
She snuggled into his body. “Fitzwilliam, we must return to the main parlor.” Yet she made no move to leave his embrace.
“Propriety demands that we do, but I would wish to remain as we are now until the vicar pronounces the vows.”
Elizabeth chortled. “That is twenty days, sir. Could you tolerate me for so long?”
“Test me,” he groaned.
“So Miss Bingley is on her way as we speak?” Elizabeth said sarcastically as she handed Georgiana a cup of tea.
Jane Bennet gave her sister a warning look. “The lady is Mr. Bingley’s youngest sister, and therefore my future sister … and, likewise, your relation also, Lizzy.”
Elizabeth smiled broadly. “You see. It is as I told you, Miss Darcy. My sister cannot speak ill of anyone.”
“And you, Miss Elizabeth?” Georgiana asked shyly.
“Unfortunately, Georgiana, despite how misplaced my opinions might be, I have never held the reputation for swallowing my thoughts. Your poor brother can attest to both the sharpness of my tongue and the firmness of my opinions.”
“I cannot imagine that anyone could remain unswayed by my brother’s opinions—or his glare,” Georgiana blurted out.
Elizabeth squeezed her hand. “We shall both learn to deal with Mr. Darcy in a grown-up manner. Although I suspect your brother still sees you as such, you are no longer a child.”
Georgiana looked at both Bennet sisters. “Have I said the wrong thing? I did not mean to insinuate that Fitzwilliam is anything less than the kindest of brothers or the best of men.”
“I imagine that Lizzy would agree with you, Miss Darcy.”
“Yet we were not speaking of my opinion of Mr. Darcy’s kindness or of his glare.” She noticed that Georgiana ducked her head in embarrassment. “We were speaking of Miss Bingley’s arrival at Netherfield. Which brings to mind Miss Bingley’s fine qualities,” Elizabeth said with amusement. “I shall enumerate them. No one could object to that.” She paused mischievously. “Oh, let me see. I am sure there is at least one item of merit. Yet I am at a loss.”
“Elizabeth!” Jane reprimanded her. “You should not speak as such before Miss Darcy.”
“Georgiana must learn to deal with my proclivity for the absurd.” Elizabeth set her cup down a bit too vigorously. “I shall not pretend, Jane, to forgive Miss Bingley for her part in separating her brother from you. You suffered horribly.” Elizabeth refused to mention Darcy’s participation in Miss Bingley’s plot. “If not for Mr. Darcy’s manipulations, you might still suffer. If the lady had offered you an apology, I might have forgiven her.”
“And I have dealt with Miss Bingley,” Jane corrected her. “Miss Darcy has no need to hear of Miss Bingley’s part in my distress.”
“I beg to differ. My dearest Jane, Georgiana will soon be my family. All of us in this room have experienced placing our trust in someone, only to find ourselves smarting.” Elizabeth noted Georgiana’s fight to keep her composure. Darcy’s sister had narrowly escaped George Wickham’s perfidy. Unfortunately, Elizabeth’s youngest sister had also placed her trust in the man. “I do not wish to turn Miss Darcy against Miss Bingley; yet I would wish to warn her to keep her eyes open. For a time, I kept mine tightly shut, and saw only what I wished to see in Mr. Darcy—all his negative traits, magnified and distorted. That is a lesson that I would spare Georgiana. You did not see what others saw of Mr. Bingley’s sisters. There are many lessons for a young woman to master: lessons beyond a command of the languages or a steady hand with an embroidery needle.”
“And your choice to ignore Miss Bingley had nothing to do with Caroline’s setting her sights on Mr. Darcy?” Jane teased.
“It did not.” Elizabeth shrugged. “I had not noticed the lady’s preference.” A burst of laughter followed—all three females imagining Miss Bingley’s obvious maneuverings.
Darcy and Elizabeth visited the Meryton shops. Elizabeth had thought it important to replace the cloak she had ruined the night of the bonfire. “I can send to London for an appropriate replacement,” Darcy had assured her.
“If we choose something too refined, the Lucases will think my family flaunts our match as superior to Charlotte’s.”
Darcy could not understand such reasoning. “Why would anyone expect me to
choose an item of inferior quality? I can afford a fine cloth to replace the scratchy wool of the borrowed item.”
Elizabeth rested her hand on his arm. “Maybe that is how people in town think, but not in the country. Although the Lucas women would enjoy the quality of anything you chose, they would not wear the cloak, for fear that someone would remark on their good luck at having had the foresight to make me a loan of the other. The Lucases would be constantly reminded that they could not afford such quality and neither could Mr. Collins. It is best to choose something comparable, with just a hint of finer material. That would express my gratitude without causing Lady Lucas embarrassment.”
“I see. Let us follow your plan then.” Things between them the past week had improved, and Darcy had decided their problems were a result of premarital nerves on both their parts. He held the door for Elizabeth, but as she preceded him through it, she fell into another man’s waiting embrace.
“Matthew Hardesty!” she said and hugged the other man tightly. “I cannot believe you are here.”
Darcy felt jealousy clutch his heart. The stranger closed his eyes in appreciation of the woman he held. Darcy knew that moment well; he felt it every time he took Elizabeth in his arms.
She pulled back and cupped the man’s face. “I worried…the whole town worried…we have included you daily in our prayers. Your father did not tell us that you were to be at home.”
“I did not inform Father of my return. I wanted to be healed before I came home. Father is too weak to tend to a wounded soldier,” Hardesty said with a large smile.
“But you are well?” Elizabeth asked.
“As well as a man with one arm might be,” the man said.
Darcy cleared his throat. “Might you introduce me to your friend, Elizabeth?”
“Oh!” Elizabeth returned quickly to Darcy’s side. “Of course. Mr. Darcy, may I present Captain Matthew Hardesty. Mr. Hardesty, this is my intended, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley.”
The Road to Pemberley Page 4