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

4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

“If you’d like, I can bring your items up to your room for you after I drop off the rest at the kitchen, miss,” the maid suggested with a warm smile.

“Thank you, Annie. Could you take these too?” Elizabeth handed over her gloves to the maid.

With a smile and a bob, Annie left, her arms full of the items that Elizabeth had procured while they were out that morning. Immediately, Elizabeth took to the stairs, going to her aunt’s sitting room.

She found Madeline Gardiner reclining on her chaise lounge, sipping tea. For all that she was pale and wan, she perked up when Elizabeth entered the room. “Did you have a good day at the Society, Lizzie?”

Settling herself in the chair closest to her aunt, Elizabeth answered, “I had a splendid time. I had the chance to take tea with young Miss Darcy once again. She seemed happier today somehow and I am glad for it.” As she spoke, Elizabeth studied her aunt. She seemed better, but then she always seemed better in the afternoon.

She had come to London to help her aunt handle things while dealing with a difficult lying in. More than with any of her other four children, she had been unwell. Elizabeth hoped that being there to manage the household and take her place at charities and the like would help her aunt to recover her strength.

Setting down her teacup on its saucer, Aunt Madeline said, “I am glad your day went well and that you could take tea with Miss Darcy.”

“As am I. I enjoy being able to chat with her. I think she enjoys my company as well. She asked me to come to tea tomorrow at Darcy House. I told her I was available, though if you need me, I can always send a note around to reschedule.” Elizabeth took the moment to pour herself a cup of lemonade. She was thirsty after a busy morning and her aunt always had some waiting for her when she returned.

With a tired yet warm smile, Aunt Madeline replied, “I can manage a few hours without you, and you know it. The staff is capable of caring for the children and managing any other issues that come up in your absence. You have my blessing to go visit with Miss Darcy as long as you bring Annie with you. If Miss Darcy is who I think she is, I knew her mother, you know.”

Surprised, Elizabeth sat up straighter, exclaiming, “I did not know that. I have not wanted to push and ask too many questions until she feels more comfortable with my friendship. I do know that she is from Derbyshire and her only sibling is an older brother.”

“Then she is most likely exactly who I thought. There are very few Darcys, after all.” Picking up her cup of tea once again, Aunt Madeline took a sip and Elizabeth waited patiently for her to continue. It was only after a second and third sip of the helpful ginger tea that her aunt continued. “You know, I grew up in Lambton. My father was the rector there and one of the closer estates was called Pemberley. Even though they often went to services at the Kempton chapel, I did often see Lady Anne Darcy at the shops in Lambton. I was only a girl of sixteen the last time I saw her, but I remember her being not only beautiful, but kind as well. I think she died not long after young Miss Darcy was born.”

Elizabeth sighed as she sat back in her chair. “The poor thing. To lose her mother before she ever had the chance to know her? I know that I often complain of my own mother, but to have never had a mother cannot be any easier.”

Shaking her head sadly, Aunt Madeline said, “No, I imagine not having a mother around was not easy for her or her older brother. I believe he was only twelve when she died. He went off to Eton shortly after her funeral, and I couldn’t help but imagine the immense loneliness he must have felt, attending school so soon after losing his dear mother.”

“So much loss for a pair of siblings so young,” Elizabeth commented, empathizing with the loneliness that must have permeated their lives. Georgianna, raised by a succession of servants, and her brother, sent away to school to be educated by unfamiliar faces.

Lips compressing into a line, Aunt Madeline said, “Sadly, their loss did not stop there. Miss Darcy’s older brother had been only a year past his majority when their father died.”

It struck Elizabeth to her heart to learn of the Darcys’ multiple losses. Despite never having met Mr. Darcy, she felt an overwhelming sense of compassion towards him. Elizabeth helped her father run much of Longbourn as well as sharing the mistress responsibilities with Jane, but to be forced to handle it all would be too much. He must have felt like Atlas holding up the sky! Frowning, she questioned, “Do you know if they had any extended family to rely on?”

Elizabeth watched as her aunt stilled, looking off at nothing for a moment before shaking her head. “Old Mr. Darcy was an only child of an only child, so they are all that is left of the Darcy line, I am afraid. As for their mother’s people, they have several family members there, if I am remembering correctly. Lady Anne was sister to the current Earl of Matlock, though I am uncertain how close they remain to them.”

Elizabeth reflected on everything she had just learned and realized she was even more grateful for the time, although brief, that she had spent with Miss Darcy. “I hope Miss Darcy gets support from some female relatives, otherwise she will have a difficult time of it. It is no wonder she seemed so glum. I guess her to be around sixteen, possibly between Lydia and Kitty in age. That is such a hard time for a girl—not quite a woman, but no longer the girl you once were.” Shaking her head, Elizabeth pondered her difficulties from four summers ago. “I can vividly remember the summer I turned sixteen. There were many days when I was moved to tears, although I could only sufficiently explain it to Jane. I think that is the summer Father began to wash his hands of me. He said that I was too much of a silly girl for his taste and certainly too much like my mother to be bothered with.”

So much had changed around that time. Her mother had forced her out into a society that she was not comfortable with, and her emotions were in turmoil most of the time. It did not help that her father, the one steady aspect of her life, had seemingly abandoned her. Shrugging, Elizabeth tried to look at the good in the situation. At least he had not cut off her access to his library of books, even if he had stopped wanting to discuss them with her.

Her desire to regain her father’s affection had led her to taking over responsibilities of the steward after the man was let go when it was discovered that he had been embezzling. She had hoped that her father would realize that she was, in fact, not a silly girl. Even though his attitude had not changed, Elizabeth found she enjoyed the work. It was fulfilling to know that she was helping the tenants and the prosperity of her home. A new steward was eventually appointed, and she took it upon herself to forge a strong working relationship with him, since her father was uninterested in doing so.

Elizabeth found herself eager to reach out to Miss Darcy and be a comforting presence. Now that Georgianna had settled more comfortably into herself, it was easy to sympathize with someone who might very well be suffering as she had. Taking another sip of her lemonade, Elizabeth smiled. Yes, she was quite looking forward to visiting Miss Darcy tomorrow.

Darcy smiled as he watched Georgianna chat happily with Mrs. Annesley. Pondering over the weekend had helped him to realize that he needed to learn to trust both her and Mrs. Annesley. Trust came hard, but if his sister was going to move confidently through life, she would have to learn to make her own decisions. And if she was going to be able to make those decisions, he would have to give her more freedom and support.

After finishing his latest meeting, he sought her out to fulfill his commitment to being more involved in each other’s lives. It was easy to see how much her spirits had lightened and he was left wondering if it was from her association with her new friend or his opening up to her. He would like to think that he could take at least a little of the credit for her cheerful smile.

Knocking lightly on the open door to Georgianna’s sitting room, Darcy smiled when Georgianna saw him and quickly rose to her feet and approached him. Out of the blue, she pulled him into a hug, and he relished the unexpected outpouring of affection that had been absent from his life for so long. As he hugged her back, memories of his mother embracing him flooded his mind. She had often hugged him before she passed, and it had been so long that he had almost forgotten.

Pulling back from him, Georgianna asked, “How did your meeting go?”

Surprised that she was interested in his day, he replied, “I managed to negotiate a better price for the wool Pemberley produces for next season, so I suppose it went well enough. I am happy to be home, though.”

“I am happy you are home as well. Would you...” Georgianna hesitated, then set her shoulders and asked, “Would you like to join us until we are called to dinner?”

It was not something he would normally do, but he found it was something that he wanted to do. Habit left him alone in his study until dinner. Then afterwards, he would have an hour or so with his sister or Mrs. Annesley playing the piano or quietly reading. It was what families in high society did. It was what the Fitzwilliam side of the family did, but it was not what he wanted to do anymore.

He smiled down at his expectant sister and said, “Yes, I would love to join you.” Taking a seat in the chair near where she had been sitting, he asked, “How was your day at the charity?”

“Though I suppose I will always enjoy helping the young women and girls,” Georgianna admitted with an infectious smile, “I think I look forward to spending time with my new friend the most.”

“I am glad you have found a friend there.” After speaking with Mrs. Annesley and Georgianna a few days before, he felt guilty for his previous reaction to her attempt to make a friend. She deserved not only to have a friend but to have the ability to choose that friend. Darcy could remember his father getting upset when he befriended Bingley. All these years later, Bingley was still his closest and most loyal friend. Despite the effort he had been putting into it, he was still just as awkward with people, though Bingley did not seem to mind. Even with his sister, he was awkward, but as they grew closer, he believed there was potential for improvement.

Darcy glanced at Mrs. Annesley where she sat doing something with yarn and needles. She nodded encouragingly at him and with her support, he continued, “Did you get the opportunity to invite her to tea here at Darcy House?”

Sitting up straight, Georgianna exclaimed, “I did. Lizzie is coming tomorrow. I have already spoken with the cook, and she is going to make the most divine delectables.” Clasping her hands together, she beamed at him.

“Lizzie?” he asked, certain that could not be the proper name of the girl his sister had met.

“Yes, she said that I may call her Lizzie, as that is what her friends and family call her.” Looking at him from the corner of her eye, she remarked, “I wish to ask her to call me Georgie. Do you think that might be fitting?”

It seemed that she was becoming closer to the girl more quickly than he thought possible. Happy to reassure her, he replied, “Yes, allowing her to call you Georgie is perfectly acceptable.”

“I am glad.” Then, grinning at him, she added, “You know, Brother, Lizzie is very much like you.”

“Oh?”

Attempting a serious mien that slipped when she smiled once more, Georgianna said, “Yes, we discussed what we both prefer to do while in London, and while she enjoys attending the opera and going to the museum, she does not enjoy shopping unless it is a visit to Hatchards.”

Eyes widening, he said, “Indeed, she seems quite singular.” He had, in fact, been wondering about what the young lady was like. Mrs. Annesley said she was the daughter of a gentleman of modest estate and her aunt was on a charity board with his aunt. Thus far, they were equal, but he was still curious about her character.

“Yes, she is unlike the majority of the young ladies Aunt Matlock has introduced me to. In truth, she surpasses them in every way. She is proving to be much kinder and more widely read.”

“Widely read?” That was not a phrase often used in regard to young women. Was this “Lizzie” a bluestocking?

Wrinkling her nose, Georgianna said, “She must be if she quoted both Shakespeare and some Roman named Suetonius when we were discussing the play Julius Caesar which we had both seen.”

Leaning back in his chair, Darcy tried to take in the information his sister had just shared. Suetonius was Caesar’s biographer and while Darcy had read his work, he only knew a few other gentlemen who had. His writing was not even translated into English from the original Latin. If this young woman had truly read his writing, she was more than simply well-read.

Before he could think of a response, his sister was saying, “I can’t help but wonder how you’ll interact with each other. You are both so similar, but also so different.”

“I am sure we will meet at some point if the two of you are friends,” Darcy replied. “In fact, the way you described the young lady has left me intrigued, and I must admit, motivated to meet her in person.”

Georgianna adjusted the vase for the third time before standing back to view it from a different angle. Yes, it definitely looked better that way. Smiling, she turned when she heard footsteps approaching.

Mrs. Annesley stood just inside the entrance to the drawing room. Looking around at the changes Georgianna had made for their coming guest, she smiled. “Everything looks lovely, Miss Darcy. I am sure Miss Bennet will especially love the arrangement of flowers.”

“Thank you for the compliment. I so much want everything to be just right. This is the first time I have ever invited anyone to tea at Darcy House, or anywhere else, for that matter.” Looking back at the arrangement of fresh flowers, Georgianna smiled. “Miss Bennet strikes me as someone who would be fond of fresh flowers.”

“Yes, I believe you are probably right,” Mrs. Annesley replied.

In an effort to not pace around the room, Georgianna sat down, but could not help her fidgeting. The clock on the mantel said that Miss Bennet would not arrive for another ten minutes or so. With as excited as she was, it seemed like an eternity.

It gave her the time to worry that Miss Bennet would eventually find something about her that would cause her to turn away in disgust. The worry gnawed at her, threatening to cause her to blurt out her recent disappointment just to relieve the tension and waiting. Because then, the lingering expectation of disappointment would be put to rest.

She had just started to fold her handkerchief into even smaller sections when William walked into the room. He was certainly a welcome distraction. Standing, she said, “William, how wonderful to see you. I thought you had already left.”

William sighed. “I should have left some time ago, but I took longer than expected to finish my correspondence. I am sure Bingley will understand if I am a little late meeting him at the club.” He ran his hand through his hair, and Georgianna was careful not to laugh at the way his hair became disheveled. Despite not being as close to her brother as she desired, she was well aware of his strict adherence to punctuality and timely communication. Having them in conflict with each other was resulting in a the ruination on his valet’s hard work.

Eager to comfort her brother, Georgianna said, “I doubt Mr. Bingley would ever notice if you were late. He is consistently either early or late, never on time. Are you sure he even owns a watch fob?”

Chuckling, William shook his head and replied, “He should. I gifted him one two years ago.” Leaning in, he kissed Georgianna’s forehead before adding, “I just wanted to tell you to have a good time with your new friend. I will be home well before dinner tonight.”

Telling him to take care while he was gone, Georgianna returned to her spot on the settee, glad that the ten minutes had been at least halved. Thankfully, Mrs. Annesley had not commented on her nervous anticipation of the coming visit. There was little conversation between the two of them while they waited. When Darcy House’s butler finally entered the room to announce Miss Bennet, Georgianna jumped to her feet, suppressing a squeal. Mrs. Annesley, on the other hand, rose from her chair with much more dignity and went to stand beside Georgianna.

Coming into the room with a smile, Miss Bennet curtsied, and Georgianna rushed forward to clasp her hands. “I am so glad you have arrived.”

Miss Bennet, in a tone that Georgianna thought matched her own, replied, “And I am so happy to have been invited into your splendid home.”

Contemplating the young woman his sister was visiting with, Darcy sat in his carriage, the steady clip-clop of the horses’ hooves filling his ears. He had barely started to pull away when her carriage arrived, and she was assisted down by a well-dressed footman. Oddly curious, he turned to watch her as she entered his home. Her outfit was composed of muted colors and clean lines, reflecting a preference for a more understated and elegant style. Just before the door closed, he caught sight of a flash of chestnut hair peeking out from under her hat. His sister’s new friend unaccountably fascinated him. Shaking his head, he tried to put her out of his mind. With the knowledge that he would meet her eventually, he dismissed his curious thoughts as insignificant and redirected his mind to the upcoming meeting with Bingley.