Darcy, Knight Errant (Elizabeth and Darcy True Love Multiverse)

3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Biting back a sigh, Mrs. Annesley looked at the clueless man across from her with compassion. Her question had completely caught him off guard. He might be a man of twenty-eight, but he did not know the first thing about women. She almost pitied him for the rough road he would travel when he fell in love.

Mr. Darcy could not understand that it was her cloistered situation that had left Miss Darcy vulnerable to the Mr. Wickhams of the world. She did not need to be protected; she needed to be taught how to recognize evil and how to combat it. Miss Darcy needed to know that yes, there were wolves in the world, but there were also friends, and she needed to be able to recognize the difference.

Not one to be intimated by a tantrum—regardless of the age of the one misbehaving—Mrs. Annesley set herself to educate the man. She only hoped for his sister’s sake that he would take her wisdom to heart. “Mr. Darcy, I know that you only want what is best for your sister, but I believe you are operating on some misconceptions that are hindering your endeavors.”

She could tell that she had caught him off guard once again by his change in stance and the tightening of his shoulders. With his hands firmly clasped behind his back, his narrowed eyes conveyed a sense of determination as he replied, “Well then, Mrs. Annesley, enlighten me.”

Mrs. Annesley nearly laughed at his pomposity. It was clear that he thought her wrong and possibly ignorant, but he would, wouldn’t he? Men had surrounded him for most of his life. Having lost his mother at a young age, he lost the softness and understanding she might have lent him. It was probable that he would take everything about women at face value and that, combined with his evident prejudice, left him unable to truly help and understand his younger sister. He could not understand the underhanded and petty way women of his sphere interacted with one another and the world.

Tapping one of her fingers against her leg under the table, Mrs. Annesley maintained her cool regard as she said, “Let us start with the fact that you told your sister she might find a friend at one of your aunt’s teas.”

Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Mr. Darcy gestured with a nonchalant flick of his hand. He huffed, “Yes, there would be plenty of young ladies and women there that would love to befriend a sweet girl like Georgianna without the risk of an unequal friendship.”

Now Mrs. Annesley did smile, though only faintly, as she asked, “Have you ever attended one of your aunt’s teas?”

“No, though I have greeted the ladies there on the way to visit with my uncle and cousins. They all seemed to be well-mannered and kind—the perfect friends for my sister.” Crossing his arms, Mr. Darcy waited for her response, though his posture told Mrs. Annesley he was becoming less certain of himself.

Tapping her finger a few more times, Mrs. Annesley replied, “It is apt that you used the word seemed , Mr. Darcy, and this is where the first important lesson about women comes in. While you may grasp the notion that women have less power in our society, you cannot grasp the ways in which they wield the power they do possess.” Tilting her head slightly, Mrs. Annesley decided that an example was necessary for Mr. Darcy to better understand. “If I told you that Lady Penelope said the riding outfit your sister wore the other day was quite singular, and she wondered where she could have possibly gotten it, what would you say?”

Mrs. Annesley watched as Mr. Darcy pondered her question. He was not a stupid man; he just did not have all the pieces to the puzzle before him. After only a moment, he said, “I would think she was complimenting her outfit and was interested in getting her own.”

Pressing her lips together before she spoke, Mrs. Annesley said, “You think that way because you are a male and do not fully understand the way women operate. The comment was meant to offend, and drawing rooms are rife with similar subtle jabs. Women are told that regardless of what they are underneath, they must always appear gentle and demure. So, it has developed that their insults follow suit.”

Rigid, Mr. Darcy groused, “Surely not all women behave in such a manner.”

“No, but a drawing room is not generally the place to find people of a better caliber,” Mrs. Annesley answered, shaking her head.

Frowning, Mr. Darcy asked, “Then where can my sister safely find the companionship she obviously wants and needs?”

This time, she allowed her smile to widen before she said, “Don’t be fooled by your misconceptions; charities offer an ideal environment to bond with other kindhearted young women.”

Moving back to his chair, he slumped down into it, and after running his hand through his hair, he said, “I still need for you to explain why to me.”

At least his thinking was moving in the right direction. Mrs. Annesley was more than happy to explain everything to him. “Because while it is popular to help the poor, for the most part, the cats of society do it from a distance by donating money. The women who volunteer are, mostly, good and kindhearted people. Your sister would benefit more from finding friends at the London Ladies Society rather than with your aunt, where all the ladies are focused on jockeying for position.”

Resting his head in his hands, Darcy said, “That may be true, but Georgianna cannot befriend the people who are there for aid. They cannot have anything in common and besides, society might very well shun her for such a friendship.”

Tapping her fingers on her leg in a fast pattern, Mrs. Annesley hoped he was finally going to realize where he had gone so wrong. Looking him in the eye, she asked, “Mr. Darcy, did your sister ever say she was hoping to befriend one of the poor girls she was teaching?”

“No, but what other girls are at the charity? I thought the volunteers would all be elderly widows whose children had left home and were bored with too much free time.” Mr. Darcy suddenly sat bolt upright in his chair and stared at Mrs. Annesley. “Are there other girls volunteering at the charity?”

“Not many, but Miss Darcy has met a young woman not that much older than her who teaches reading. And I know you are about to ask about her family and connections, so I will tell you what I know about her.” Mrs. Annesley leaned back in her chair and revealed what she had learned before encouraging Georgianna to be friendly with the young woman. “Your aunt and her aunt, Mrs. Gardiner, both serve on the board of the London Ladies Society. While Mrs. Gardiner is the wife of a tradesman, she is also the granddaughter of a baron and both she and her husband are known to be refined and well-mannered. I will admit that the young lady in question is not of the first circles, but she is the daughter of a gentleman with a modest country estate. In all my years, I have never encountered someone as friendly, kind, and genuine as that young woman. The way your sister positively beamed during their interaction was truly heartwarming and you spoiled that by reprimanding her for trying to make her first ever true friend.”

Once again, he had said the wrong thing and hurt his sister. Would he ever learn? It had been hours since Mrs. Annesley had excused herself to go comfort Georgianna, and for most of that time, he had been pacing in his room.

How had he not known how complicated a world his sister was facing? Darcy felt as if he should have known better, but really, how could he have known? Only now was he realizing how different their two spheres of the world were, and it was not as if he had a wife or a female cousin who could have warned him beforehand. In reality, ever since he had come into his inheritance, he had spent most of his time around women avoiding their company altogether.

After his father passed, eye-fluttering ladies who clung to his arm like limpets besieged him. Two separate attempts at compromise taught him early on to be cautious around young, eligible women, and their mothers, for that matter. Developing a hard, unapproachable mien kept all but the most determined women at bay. Sadly, the only thing he had gained from all his knowledge of women thus far was that he was determined Georgianna would never be the sort of woman who would attempt to gain a husband in such a way. Though, in hindsight, he might have done better to go over the right ways to gain a husband. The problem with that was that he still did not know how to gain a wife. He was basically clueless when it came to the concept of matrimony.

Halting his pacing, he massaged at the knot that had developed in his neck, knowing that if he did not stop fretting soon, it would lead to a full-blown megrim. Darcy blew out a long breath before making his way to the large wingback chair in the corner of the room. He knew that obsessing would get him nowhere. Ever the orderly thinker, Darcy decided to come up with a few mental lists of what he should do.

The foremost problem was that he felt as if he was failing Georgianna and that they were slipping further and further apart. Obviously, he would have to apologize to her for jumping to conclusions. His gut told him that he should explain how difficult this all was to him, as it would surely help them bond. It would go against all his father had taught him about standing strong and never showing weakness or emotion, but that approach was getting him nowhere.

Truth be told, he was lonely and never showing weakness was exhausting. He was only human, after all. Was it too much to want to rely on more than just himself? Darcy hoped that he could be forgiven for allowing his sister to know more of what he struggled with. Georgianna was so kindhearted he could not imagine that she would think less of him if he showed weakness.

Running his hand down his face, Darcy gathered the energy to stand. He had the first step of his plan formulated and finally felt as if he could rest. So what if he already felt embarrassed at the idea of allowing Georgianna to know of his worries, faults, and foibles? Nothing of any importance was easy, and his relationship with his sister was the most important thing in his life.

Georgianna repressed the desire to bounce in her seat as she rode with Mrs. Annesley towards the London Ladies Society. She knew that Miss Bennet was always there on Tuesday mornings, and she could not wait to see her. Her anticipation for a true friend was so intense that she could feel the excitement bubbling up inside her, ready to burst forth at any moment.

Across from her in the carriage, Mrs. Annesley smiled at her indulgently. “I should probably tell you to settle, but I am thrilled to see you so happy, Miss Darcy. You have been so much brighter the last several days.”

“To be truthful, I feel brighter and certainly less downtrodden. Ever since my brother and I spoke, I feel as if so much has changed.” Looking Mrs. Annesley in the eye, Georgianna confided, “He apologized, you know.”

“I had hoped he would,” said Mrs. Annesley with a smile.

Brushing at a speck of lint on her dress, Georgianna continued, “We ended up talking for hours—really talking. I have always viewed my brother as this cold, austere figure who was not only perfect, but untouchable. I am sure that it has not helped that he is so much older than myself and not only my brother, but my guardian.”

Eyes kind, Mrs. Annesley commented, “No, that could not have made it easy for either of you.”

“You know, I had never considered how difficult it was for William to take on a much younger sister. Would you believe he admitted to being completely clueless to the ways of women, or at least women of worth?”

“Women of worth?” questioned Mrs. Annesley.

Georgianna huffed angrily, “William confessed that twice women have attempted to trap him in compromising situations, and he only barely escaped.” Puffing out a breath, Georgianna paused before saying, “Now that I think of it, my brother has spent most of his adult life fighting off or hiding from women. It is no wonder that he does not understand them. For the first time, possibly ever, I actually feel close to my brother.”

Mrs. Annesley tilted her head. “It is not uncommon for gentlemen in your brother’s position to be the object of pursuit by women of the ton. Your brother’s method of dealing with being hunted seems to differ from most gentlemen I know, and not necessarily in a better way. I don’t mean to insult your brother, but rather acknowledge the hardships he faces.”

Looking out the open carriage window, Georgianna pondered her next words before looking back at Mrs. Annesley and saying, “I am realizing that my brother is in as much need of companionship and support as I am, despite him being so much older. It may not be easy, but last night I decided that I am determined to do my part by inviting him to socialize with me more. My constant hesitation to overstep has left both of us isolated and lonely. In retrospect, my brother may face the same issue—always hesitating out of fear of offending me—leaving our conversations stilled and awkward. But I am not a child anymore. Drawing closer to William is something I can and should do, as it will benefit us both in the long run.”

Smiling at Georgianna, Mrs. Annesley said, “I am glad your relationship with your brother has improved and will continue to do so. Though I wonder if there is more to your joy than just the improvement to your relationship with Mr. Darcy.”

A few moments of introspection had Georgianna nodding as she said, “Somehow, knowing that William is not perfect and learning that he is floundering as badly as I am helped me forgive myself for my past errors. Then, too, knowing that a lady like Miss Bennet might want to be my friend is helping me put Mr. Wick—that man’s words behind me.” Hesitating, she looked at Mrs. Annesley with concern. “You do believe Miss Bennet is genuine, don’t you?”

Leaning over, Mrs. Annesley patted Georgianna’s knee. “I believe Miss Bennet cannot help but being genuine. I have never met another young woman with such a joie de vivre about her.”

Relieved, Georgianna relaxed back into the cushions of the carriage. “William said that I may invite Miss Bennet to tea this week if I wish. I hope she is available.”

In no time at all, Georgianna found herself helping various girls with their lessons with a needle and thread. It was difficult to concentrate, as she often watched Miss Bennet across the room as she worked with her own group. At times, they caught one another’s eyes, and both women smiled.

Georgianna was putting supplies away when Miss Bennet appeared at her side. Turning to her, Georgianna could not help but smile widely. Returning the smile, Miss Bennet said, “Miss Darcy, I was hoping to see you here today. Do you have time to have tea with me?”

“Not only do I have time,” Georgianna started with a growing smile, “but I was hopeful of it.”

Miss Bennet’s response was an enthusiastic, “Splendid!”

It only took a moment for Mrs. Annesley and Georgianna to finish putting away their supplies before they were accompanying Miss Bennet once again to the pleasant little sitting room from before. Two matrons of middling age were chatting quietly across the room from them, the sound of their voices barely reaching their ears. This time, Mrs. Annesley offered to pour the tea, giving Georgianna the opportunity to chat more freely with Miss Bennet. Feeling quite bold, Georgianna said, “Miss Bennet, I want to thank you for wanting to have tea with me today. In fact, I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed our time together last week.”

Accepting her tea from Mrs. Annesley with a grateful smile, Miss Bennet replied, “I enjoyed our time together as well. Though I enjoy my time in London, I often spend time with others not at all close to my age. It’s delightful to be in the company of someone like yourself.” Pausing to take a sip, Miss Bennet continued, “While it seems we both enjoy helping others here, I am curious to know what you enjoy doing while you are in town?”

With a smile, Georgianna answered, “Going to concerts with my brother is something I genuinely relish, as he is not always available to escort me. Really, I take pleasure in anything musical, and though I know it may sound trite, I do enjoy shopping. What do you enjoy while here in London?”

“While I enjoy music and concerts, I think I might prefer the opera and the theater myself. It must be lovely to have a brother who might escort you to concerts. My Uncle Gardiner takes me when he can but is not always available. I especially like it when he or my aunt can take me to one of the museums or Hatchards. Unlike most young ladies, I would rather shop for a new book than a new hat or fan.”

Though she was not opposed to a new novel, Georgianna would certainly prefer shopping for clothes to a book. She studied Miss Bennet while Mrs. Annesley commented on the most recent play they had seen. Feeling the oddest sort of sensation, Georgianna pondered her new friend. She was intelligent, liked the opera, plays and reading, not to mention the museum. Georgianna couldn’t help but draw parallels between Miss Bennet and her brother William, despite their contrasting personalities. Georgianna wondered idly how they would get along with one another once they eventually met.