Falling for Mr. Darcy (25 page)

“So what do you think of my idea, Lizzy?”

“Oh, forgive me, Aunt, I am afraid you caught me woolgathering. What is it you were saying?”

Her aunt’s face showed concern as she repeated herself. “I was just suggesting, Lizzy, that perhaps a change of scenery might be good for you. How would you like to come to London with your uncle and me for a few weeks after Christmas?”

Elizabeth’s mind raced quickly to Mr. Darcy again; she did not need to be pursuing him to the part of the country in which he lived. Then she remembered Bingley’s saying that Mr. Darcy usually spent Christmas and the New Year at Pemberley with his sister and so would not likely be in town while she was. She smiled to her aunt with real gratitude for her kind offer. “I should like that best of all, Aunt.”

“Then I will speak to your uncle and get your father’s permission. And I am sure your mother will consent to spare your help with the wedding preparations if we suggest you could retrieve a few things for Jane’s trousseau from the shops in London. What do you think?”

“You are very clever, Aunt. I think we shall manage a clean escape!” She laughed.

They stood to return to the house, and as they walked, Lizzy thought of her upcoming trip to London. Even if Mr. Darcy did remain in town for the holidays, she decided they were unlikely to move in the same circles, and she would be safe.
Certainly, I may enter his vicinity with impunity and rob it of a few of its pleasures without his perceiving me.
She smiled in anticipation of the new distractions that would help her recover from his charms.
A few walks in Hyde Park, perhaps a visit to the theatre, and certainly some happy excursions to the shops with my aunt will do quite nicely.

* * *

Mr. Darcy rubbed his eyes and tried, once more, to focus on the document in his hands. It had been laborious to concentrate on the many items of business that required his attention since his return to London. He had not seen Elizabeth for over a week now, and for some reason, it was becoming harder rather than easier to forget her as he had hoped — especially since it seemed to be one of the few topics of conversation he could have with Georgiana that stirred any animation in the girl. He shook his head in puzzlement; why was Elizabeth such a source of interest to Georgiana, particularly after only one letter about her?

On his return a few days earlier, he had walked straight to the music room to see his sister. He had stood in the door frame and leaned his tired body against it as the sounds of her music washed over him. It was a great relief to be home in familiar and safe surroundings. Netherfield had begun to torture him as his memories of Elizabeth’s visit had caused her image to haunt the halls and rooms. He could easily conjure her features, reaching for a book in the library or walking the length of the drawing room. Indulging in those images was his particular choice of self-torture. Now, however, he was home, safe in a house to which she had never ventured before; her ghost could not haunt these halls.

When Georgiana had finished the piece, he clapped his hands softly so as not to startle her with his unexpected presence. She turned at the sound and smiled brightly at him. His heart leapt with hope that perhaps she was returning to her previously happy disposition.

“William! I have missed you.” She walked sedately towards him and accepted his embrace. “I did not anticipate your return so soon. Did you not enjoy your time in Hertfordshire?”

“Georgie.” He spoke his pet name for her tenderly as he mussed her hair a bit. “I missed you too, dear. Your playing has really improved. I enjoyed listening to it just now as I always do.” He leaned back to look at her face.

“Thank you.” She shyly lowered her head, and he led her to a sofa in the room.

“Tell me, dear, what have you been doing while I was away?” He listened as she related the same trivial things she had written about in her letters. His new hope for her recovery began to fade a little as he watched her mechanically speak of nothing at all. He reached for her hand and frowned when she flinched slightly. He did not think he would ever understand the workings of the female heart.

“You did not answer me, William. Did you enjoy your stay in Hertfordshire? I did not anticipate your return until just before Christmas.”

Her words pulled him from his thoughts; he had been mentally compiling possible solutions to Georgiana’s mood. He looked up at his sister when she spoke the name of
her
county and the reference to his stay there.

Clearing his throat, he spoke with feigned indifference. “I had a very pleasant time there. Bingley has let a fine estate, and the neighbors, although a bit provincial, were, for the most part, enjoyable.”

Georgiana was quiet for a time before finally deciding to broach the topic of most interest to her. Ever since her brother had written about a Miss Elizabeth Bennet, she had been fascinated. Her brother did not seem to realize that he had never before written of any lady in his letters. Although he had not mentioned having a particular regard for Miss Elizabeth, she recognized that something was significantly different about his relationship with this lady, or else he would not have written of her.

“You mentioned in your letter that Mr. Bingley was courting Miss Bennet. She is one of his neighbors, is she not?”

He furrowed his brows at her introduction of this new topic.
What is she about?
“Yes, she lives at an estate called Longbourn three miles away.”

“I see. So, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is probably going to marry Mr. Bingley?” Georgiana tried to hide her disappointment.

Mr. Darcy smiled slightly at the irony of having left Hertfordshire to avoid Miss Elizabeth, only to come home and have his sister eager to speak of her. “No, Georgie. Miss
Jane
Bennet is the eldest of five sisters and is the one Bingley is courting. Miss Elizabeth is her sister next in age.”

Georgiana suppressed a sigh of relief and sat up with a smile in her eyes that her brother had not seen in a while. “I understand now. You wrote in your letter that you had enjoyed talking to Miss Elizabeth. What did you talk about?” She wished she could think of a more plausible way to steer the conversation of Miss Elizabeth in the direction of what she really wanted to know — whether he had any feelings for the lady.

“We spoke of many topics. She enjoys the theatre and reads a variety of books.”

“Does she play and sing?”

Mr. Darcy watched her attempt to look disinterestedly around the room as she spoke. He puzzled over her duplicity and answered hesitantly, “She does. I have heard her many times.”

“Did you enjoy her performance? Was she very good? What kind of music does she play?” Georgiana’s interest was betrayed by her rapid speech and her brother laughed at her excitement.

“Georgiana, why all this sudden interest in Miss Elizabeth?”

Biting her lip, she regained control over her enthusiasm and accessed the familial Darcy talent of hiding her emotions from her face. She shrugged indifferently at his question. “I suppose I am just intrigued by what you have said about the lady. She sounds interesting and unlike so many other ladies I have met.”

Mr. Darcy ignored his suspicion for a moment to indulge his sister, as her animation on this particular topic reminded him of her spirit before Ramsgate. “Miss Elizabeth plays and sings very well. Though perhaps not as talented as some, her expression is excellent, and I have rarely heard anything I enjoyed more.” He paused, recollecting the last time he heard her sweet soprano voice. “You are right; she is quite singular and unlike any lady of my acquaintance.”

Georgiana detected the tenderness that infused his last statement and smiled to herself. “Do you think she is pretty?”

Mr. Darcy started at the rather bold look on her face and the decided impropriety of her question. Frowning at her, he warned, “Georgiana.” He watched determination set into her features and her eyebrows rise in challenge. He was not sure whether to rejoice at his sister’s budding confidence or reprove her for disregarding his censure. In the end, he relented as her look of determination reminded him a bit of an angry cat trying to be a tiger. He chuckled before answering her with a sigh. “Yes, dear, she is beautiful.” He paused as his mind brought Elizabeth’s lovely face before him and said quietly and more to himself, although his sister heard, “She is the most beautiful woman I know.”

Georgiana felt a sudden happiness such as she had not felt in a long time. When Wickham deceived her, she lost her faith in love. She lost her confidence in many things and still felt frustrated at her poor understanding and choices. She could not quite fathom why this woman, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, held her interest. Certainly, the fact that her brother had written of her was unique and intrigued her, but there was more. The more she learned of Elizabeth, the more she was determined to try to be like her. Watching her brother’s peaceful, faraway look as he spoke of Elizabeth made her wonder whether love was not such a terrible thing after all.

Darcy awoke from his spell when she remarked, “And so, she has four sisters. How nice for her. I always wanted a sister.”

Darcy frowned at her, even as he was a bit amused by her suggestive tone. All this talk of Elizabeth, although it seemed to make his sister happy, only served to sour his mood, and he determined to change the topic. They talked of other matters for a while longer before he took his leave to change out of his traveling clothes. Since that day, Georgiana had brought up the topic of Elizabeth Bennet a number of times.

A knock on his study door brought Mr. Darcy back to the present. He barely had time to bid, “Enter,” before the door swung open and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam pushed past the butler, essentially preempting his announcement of the colonel’s arrival.

“Darcy, you bore — when did you get back to London? I had to hear it from Mother, who, I can tell you, was not happy to have heard it first from a friend who saw you shopping with Georgiana yesterday.”

Mr. Darcy chuckled at his cousin’s ribbing and shook his hand. He turned to his chagrined butler and said, “You must forgive my cousin, Mr. Carroll; his manners are deplorable.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam feigned offense and turned to the butler while addressing his cousin’s barb. “Mr. Carroll and I have an understanding, don’t we, man? He knows I prefer to walk in unannounced.”

Mr. Carroll gave a proper bow and said, “Of course, sir.” Turning to his employer, he asked, “Will you be needing anything, sir?”

Mr. Darcy’s raised eyebrow sent a silent question to his cousin regarding refreshments. Upon seeing the colonel shake his head, he turned to his butler and said, “No, thank you, Mr. Carroll; that will be all.”

Mr. Carroll gave another quick bow and said, “Very good, sir,” before closing the door behind him.

Colonel Fitzwilliam burst into laughter. “I make him so mad every time. I do not understand why he still insists on trying to make it into the room to announce me before I do. But I tell you, Darcy, I have great sport with him over it. Today he nearly ran to stay ahead of me!”

“You are incorrigible! He is simply doing his job, and your deplorable manners are making it difficult for him. Besides, I think you try to annoy him on purpose.”

“Perhaps I do.” The two laughed as they took their seats. Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam and his cousin Darcy had been the best of friends from childhood. Richard was a few years Darcy’s senior and, being of a naturally jovial sort, enjoyed teasing his younger cousin. Darcy’s somber personality made him an easy target, yet he never could be angry with his cousin for his pranks. As the two grew into manhood, their relationship remained essentially the same. Richard would tease and laugh at his cousin, who had learned to laugh at himself occasionally but pretended distaste for Richard’s behavior.

When the two cousins had settled into comfortable positions, the colonel enquired, “So, Darcy, where have you been these past few weeks?”

Mr. Darcy’s smile faded only slightly as he replied, “In Hertfordshire with Bingley. You remember my friend?”

“Ah, yes, the unnaturally happy one.” He laughed at his cousin’s disapproving face and continued. “What the deuces were you doing in that part of the country?”

“He asked for my advice regarding an estate he is leasing.” His answer was so matter-of-fact that Richard, who knew Darcy better than himself sometimes, detected something unusual about it.

“For two months?”

Darcy shifted in his chair uneasily and shrugged his shoulders with indifference. “He has never had an estate, and there was much to consider.”

Richard merely nodded in acquiescence but sat staring at his cousin for a few minutes. Darcy detected his gaze and tried to ignore it. Whenever his cousin smelled blood, he was ruthless, and Darcy was proud of himself for appearing disinterested in the topic of his recent trip. He hoped his cousin would see nothing amiss.

“Well, I am glad that you could lend your experience to your friend. Does he stay in Hertfordshire?”

“Yes, he enjoys the area tremendously; in fact, he has recently begun courting a local gentleman’s daughter.” Darcy flinched slightly at his mistake. Knowing Richard was always interested in hearing about ladies, he should not have brought up Bingley’s news. He held his breath for a moment, hoping his cousin would uncharacteristically ignore the chance to enquire about the lady. His hope was for naught, for when Richard had seen his cousin’s sudden discomfort, he could not help himself and decided to pry deeper.