Darcy's Passions (39 page)

“She will indeed, Sir.”The image of Elizabeth as the mistress of Pemberley brought him contentment.

 

Within a few more days, Georgiana Darcy and Mrs. Annesley arrived at Netherfield.When the coach rolled to a stop in front of the estate house, Darcy waited at the coach's door. His sister
stepped out quickly, delighted in being there at last. She slid into her brother's embrace and hugged Darcy with much admiration. “Dearest One,” he stroked her hair gently,“I missed you.”

“And I you, Brother,” she bubbled over with pleasure. “Is Miss Elizabeth here?”

“She awaits you on the steps,” he gestured toward the main doorway. Georgiana turned to look where Darcy pointed, and she beamed with excitement at seeing Elizabeth.

Bingley came forward, “Miss Darcy, welcome to Netherfield Park. I am delighted to have you at my home after so often being a Pemberley guest.”

Georgiana curtsied and allowed him to kiss her gloved hand. “Mr. Bingley, thank you for receiving Mrs. Annesley and me.Your generosity is boundless. May I extend my congratulations on your upcoming nuptials to Miss Bennet.”

“Thank you, Miss Darcy. My Jane awaits your acquaintance. May we go into the house and take some refreshments?”

“Nothing sounds more delightful.” Darcy offered his sister his arm, and Mr. Bingley attended to Mrs.Annesley.

When they reached the main entranceway, Elizabeth and Jane waited for Georgiana. Elizabeth's smile radiated, encompassing her new sister; they gave each other a quick curtsy, and then they were in each other's arms.“Miss Darcy, I am gladdened to see you again.”

“It must be
Georgiana,”
the girl insisted.

“
Georgiana,”
Elizabeth shifted her attention, “may I present my eldest sister Jane Bennet.”

“Miss Bennet, I am pleased I finally have an opportunity to meet you.” Georgiana offered her a greeting of a bow.

“Miss Darcy,” Jane began, “Charles speaks so highly of your friendship. It is gratifying to have you at Netherfield to share in our joy. Please come in. Charles, she will need to freshen up.” Jane turned to her prospective husband.

“We are not yet married,” Bingley teased Jane as she blushed, “and my future wife gives me orders already.” Everyone laughed
at
and
with
Jane and Bingley.

Elizabeth and Georgiana each caught one of Darcy's arms.“No orders for me, my Love?” he grinned down at Elizabeth.

“You,
Mr. Darcy,”
she pretended innocence,“are too incorrigible to take orders from me.” How easily her brother accepted Elizabeth's mocking tone initially surprised Georgiana; Elizabeth drew out his spirited side.

When Georgiana joined the group in the drawing room, everyone talked over each other at first.There was so much to be said, and emotions were high. Darcy, as he did at Pemberley, placed his sister next to Elizabeth and took a chair close by.

“Elizabeth, my brother's letter brought such happiness to Pemberley. I am sorry, Fitzwilliam,” she turned to him, “but I was too excited not to share the news. I told Mrs. Reynolds and asked her to share it with the staff. Mr. Howard also informed the tenants, and Mrs. Annesley and I shared our delight with the new vicar. Prayers for your happiness have been added to the service.”

Darcy's eyebrow raised knowing Elizabeth's apprehension about becoming the mistress of such a large estate. “Georgiana, Elizabeth is feeling a bit overwhelmed, I fear.” Elizabeth colored with his words.

“Oh, I am sorry, Elizabeth,” Georgiana looked concerned, “I should not have spoken out of place.”

“Think nothing of it, Georgiana. I am a bit worried about assuming such a role, but your brother will tell you I enjoy a challenge. Was not creating a new Fitzwilliam Darcy a challenge?” Elizabeth laughed nervously at herself.

“Elizabeth, the staff will love you. Fitzwilliam, by marrying you, tells them Pemberley will continue—it will survive. They have waited for him to choose a wife.”

“Miss Darcy,” Jane cut in,“my sister is exceptional although she gives herself little credit for her own accomplishments.”

Mr. Bingley added, “Jane is right. I have known Darcy for over three years. I never knew him to be so content. Look at him—Miss Elizabeth did that.”

The two blushed briefly, but as they looked at each other, the fervor of their love promptly replaced their embarrassment. Darcy's intense stare caused her to shift her weight, and she reached out to him. Immediately, he stood beside her. He rested his hand on Elizabeth's shoulder, having to touch her at that instant. She brought her hand up casually to feel his.

“I thank all of you for your confidence and love,” Elizabeth stroked Darcy's hand lightly, and he squeezed her shoulder. Realizing she needed to voice her misgivings before she could conquer them, Elizabeth hesitatingly added, “When I visited Pemberley, Mrs. Reynolds spoke of Fitzwilliam some day marrying; Mrs. Reynolds said she did not know who was good enough for him.” There! She said the words.Those words of doubt about her worth wrapped up her disquiet.

Darcy came to kneel beside her and looked deeply in Elizabeth's eyes. All others in the room meant nothing. Only those two existed. “Elizabeth, are you not the girl who once told me—I might have the pleasure of despising your taste, but you always delight in overthrowing those kinds of schemes and cheating a person of his premeditated contempt?” Elizabeth mused over the image of standing next to Darcy at the pianoforte and hearing him say he did not dare to despise her. “You are also the person who accused me of trying to frighten you, but you would not be alarmed.You said there was a stubbornness about you, which never could bear to be frightened at the will of others. Your courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate you.”

She stroked his cheek. “It is a shame I gave my love to a man with such an excellent memory.” Darcy kissed her hand and then returned to his chair. Elizabeth turned to Georgiana and took the girl's hand. “Your brother is right. I am being foolish; you do not see my sister worrying about being the mistress of this estate.” Everyone knew the situation was not the same, but no one voiced his opinion. “Georgiana, we will dine here this evening.Tomorrow we will dine with my parents at Longbourn,” Elizabeth continued.

“I am looking forward to meeting your and Miss Bennet's parents.”

 

The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent in renewing and forming acquaintances. Elizabeth wanted to speak to Georgiana alone before Darcy's sister came to Longbourn with her brother so when the opportunity opened, she asked, “Georgiana, would you join me for a walk?”

“I would love to see the grounds up close, Elizabeth.”

They walked for some time before Elizabeth came to the point of her conversation. “Georgiana, may we have a seat?” Once they were settled, Elizabeth hesitated briefly and then plowed head-on into what she had to say. “Georgiana, before you come to Longbourn, I want to tell you a bit about my family.” Georgiana nodded her encouragement. “My father is a
gentle
man, but he finds the foibles of others amusing. My mother is often making plans to marry off one of us. With five daughters, I understand her desire, but she can be too vocal. My sister Mary takes a dim view of frivolity. Catherine, whom we call Kitty, is your age, but has not had the benefit of your education, but she has great potential, and Jane and I hope to expose her to a finer society once we are married.”

“Elizabeth, I am aware of some of this.What is your concern? If my brother accepts you, that is all the proof I need of your worth.”

“It is not my worth which concerns me, Georgiana. My concern is my sister Lydia.” Georgiana understood the implication and fidgeted nervously.“Other than my father and Jane, my family does not know of your brother's assistance to Lydia. They may speak kindly of Mr.Wickham, and I did not want this to upset you. Lydia will attend the ceremony, and she
will
flaunt her marriage. I dread exposing you to such a position.”

“Elizabeth, you are kind to think of my welfare with all the other wedding arrangements, but Fitzwilliam and I spoke of this both before he went to help Mrs.Wickham
and
before he returned to Netherfield. I am ashamed of my foolishness, and I would prefer never to encounter Mr. Wickham again; but at Pemberley with
Miss Bingley you held my hand and showed me I have nothing to fear. If you and Fitzwilliam are close, I will be able to handle it.”

“Georgiana, you must not feel as if you failed your brother. Mr. Wickham's lies took me in also, and they nearly tore your brother and me apart. You have taken great steps; your youth led you to make a mistake in judgment.Your brother and I misjudged each other repeatedly, and Mr.Wickham at one time or another took us both in.We are none of us above reproach. Do not be so hard on yourself. Mr.Wickham will have his hands full with our Lydia for she is
our mother's daughter
. Lydia will advertise Mr.Wickham's flaws for all to see. In fact, he will pay doubly with Lydia as his wife.”

“Thank you, Elizabeth, for being my advocate. I know it was difficult to say, especially about your own sister.”

“You are to be my sister, too, in only a few days. I care about you.Your brother loves you; you
never
disappointed him.”

 

When the ladies returned to the house, Darcy isolated Elizabeth from the others in the library. “Did you and my sister have a pleasant walk together?” he asked as they sat in adjoining chairs while enjoying a cup of tea.

“It was delightful to see Georgiana again,” she added, pretending not to notice his keen interest in her conversation with his sister.

“Elizabeth, you know me better than anyone.You know I must hear of what you discussed with my sister so please do not tease me.”

Elizabeth chuckled at his frustration, but she did not deny him the information he sought. “I wanted to speak to Georgiana privately before we dined at Longbourn tomorrow. I wanted to forewarn her of the possibility of hearing George Wickham's name spoken of in a positive light. I wanted to warn her of Lydia's presence and her lack of discretion.”

“How did Georgiana take this news?”

“Her apprehensions with Mr.Wickham lie in what she sees as disappointment, you, my Love, have in her behavior.”

“But I love Georgiana with all my being!”

“Your sister knows your love, Fitzwilliam; what she does not
allow herself is knowledge of your forgiveness.”

“What should I do, Elizabeth? How do I convey as such to her? I know how to manage her wealth and arrange Georgiana's studies, but how do I show her she has no reason to question how I value her worth?”

“Fitzwilliam, just give Georgiana your love—show her, as you showed me—the value of your love. Tell her your thoughts; share your aspirations; show Georgiana you respect and value her opinions. That is what you did with me. It should be easier, my Dear, because Georgiana's heart was never set against you.”

Darcy leaned forward in his chair to look closely at Elizabeth. Each day he found something more precious in her. “You and Georgiana already created a bond; this was my hope for her for many years. I will show Georgiana my true feelings. When I was most vulnerable, it was she to whom I turned. She and I are very much alike, Elizabeth. Securing her happiness has been one of my obsessions, I fear.Thank you for caring for my sister as you do.”

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders as if to say it was nothing at all. She also knew Darcy's propensity for self-reproach so she made an effort to tease him out of his bad humor. “I believe,” she said looking around the room, “the last time we were together in this room, you showed me very little attention.William the Conqueror was more to your taste.”

“That is where you are sadly mistaken.You have no idea what effect you have on me, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth allowed herself a long look at Darcy's lean frame. “Then why did you not talk to me?”

“You, my Dear, berated me the previous evening for judging others. By that time, although I did not acknowledge it to myself, I was ardently in love with you, but you showed me no encouragement. I swore to remove you from my thoughts. I went for a long ride on Cerberus, wrote letters of business and pleasure, and avoided your presence. I was determined to rid myself of the control you had over me.” By this time, Darcy was on his knee in front of her, holding her hand.“I came into the library to hide until
you and your sister quit the house. Because of you, I had so little sleep the night before and rode Cerberus so hard, I was exhausted and fell asleep in the chair in which you now sit.”

The realization of what Darcy confessed played across her face, and Elizabeth's enigmatic smile returned. “If you were asleep, then how call you out my name, Sir?”

“Must I say it, Elizabeth?”

“Say what, Fitzwilliam?” Her smile now spread freely.“I am but a woman; what would I know of anything?”

Darcy dropped his eyes momentarily, understanding she would demand he tell her what she already knew.“Why is it, Elizabeth, you force a man who prefers silence to entertain you with conversation?”

“You avoid the question, Fitzwilliam.”

“I dreamed of you, Elizabeth. There! I said what you already knew.”

“Oh, Fitzwilliam, please do not be terse with me. I am still in awe of your loving me so dearly. It fascinates me.” She cupped his face in her hands and warmly kissed his mouth. His response to such an innocent act of romance she recognized as his passion, but it still took her by surprise each time it happened. Elizabeth moved back from his kiss slowly, knowing they must wait but not wishing to do so. He, too, aware of their eagerness, rose slowly to return to his chair.