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

7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

It suddenly occurred to Darcy as he made plans for his trip to Netherfield with Bingley that he had been going about several things all wrong. While he had been proceeding along as normal, things were not, in fact, normal. Things had changed when he started developing a closer relationship with Georgianna. His normal way of doing things when heading somewhere ordinarily included making plans for Georgianna, but somehow that seemed wrong now. Wasn’t it a little heavy-handed to not even ask her opinion on matters?

Putting down the correspondence he was reviewing, Darcy pushed back from his desk and went to seek his sister. Not only was he growing ever closer to her, but he was realizing just how remarkable a young lady she was becoming. It was probably time to allow her some input in directing her own life.

He found her in the library looking at an atlas with Mrs. Annesley and asked, “Hello ladies. May I ask you what you are looking for?”

Georgianna looked up at him and smiled. “We were attempting to find the places that were referenced in the Morning Herald’s report on the latest battles and skirmishes with Napoleon’s forces.”

While Darcy knew that Mrs. Annesley was trying to expand Georgianna’s horizons, he had not known that would include the war in Europe. Drawing closer, he replied, “I did not know that you had been following the war on the continent.”

With a nod, Georgianna said, “Sometimes Richard mentions places he has been, and Mrs. Annesley recommended I familiarize myself with Richard’s whereabouts in order to feel closer to him.” Glancing down at the atlas, she touched a spot on the map somewhere in Spain before saying, “Once I could locate where Richard was, I became curious of about what he was facing and, well, one thing led to another.”

Darcy knew that most people thought that women should be protected from the realities of war, but he was changing his mind about how to protect his sister. “That is certainly one way to learn about the world. Have your studies expanded beyond the area affected by the war?”

Shaking her head, Georgianna answered, “Not yet, but we were planning on studying where our favorite teas and spices come from next.”

Looking at Mrs. Annesley, Darcy nodded to her. He was very much impressed. He asked, “Mrs. Annesley, do you mind if I borrow my sister for a few minutes?”

“Not at all, Mr. Darcy. Take your time,” she answered.

Walking to one of the alcoves with Georgianna, he was pondering how to bring up his trip in a few weeks when she asked, “What are you worried about, William?”

Startled, he asked, “How did you know I was worried?”

With a knowing smile, Georgianna said, “I have come to realize that you get a little notch between your eyebrows when you are worried.”

“I should have known,” Darcy admitted, not bothering to smother the chuckle that escaped him. “Richard has said something similar in the past.” Sitting down on the settee that was placed just so to catch the light for reading, Darcy patted the spot next to him. Once Georgianna sat down next to him, he continued, “I have been invited to go with Bingley to the estate he leased. At first, I was just going to plan for you to have extra tutors while I was gone, but then thought I should ask you what you wanted to do. Though I had originally thought to have you stay in London, I am sure Bingley would invite you.”

The sight of his sister’s beaming smile caught Darcy off guard with its contagious energy.

It had been a very long time since he had seen such a smile on her face—not since the first time he had come home from Cambridge and she had greeted him after such a long absence. Apparently, asking her for her input had been the right thing to do.

Smile never leaving her face, Georgianna asked, “May I presume his sisters shall be there?”

Grimacing, Darcy answered, “Yes, they will.”

“I certainly can understand why you would hesitate to ask Mr. Bingley to invite me,” Georgianna replied with a giggle. “Thank you for trying to protect me from Miss Bingley’s grasping ways, brother. That is very gallant of you.” Then, losing the laughter in her voice, she said, “As much as I have enjoyed spending more time with you, I have committed to lessons with Master Rossini for another eight weeks, so I could not come until sometime in November if I chose to come at all. Where is this estate that Mr. Bingley has leased?”

Proud of the responsible young lady his sister was becoming, Darcy answered, “The estate is called Netherfield and apparently is outside of a small town called Meryton. It is only four and twenty miles from London. I can come back to London if you ever have need of me in practically no time at all.”

For some reason that Darcy could not decipher, Georgianna’s eyes twinkled mischievously, though she only said, “Once I am done with my lessons under Master Rossini, I would be delighted to join you, provided you can endure Miss Bingley’s company for that long.”

Tilting his head in confusion, Darcy tried to comprehend why Georgianna would readily agree to accompany him to a small town and up until Bingley’s announcement, an unknown estate. Without a doubt, he knew she had a low tolerance for Miss Bingley, and her civility towards her was merely a matter of etiquette. Realizing that the more he learned about his sister the less he understood, he gave up. It was possible that he would gain understanding in due time, but for now, he opted to savor the happiness that came from their growing closeness.

Impulsively, he reached out and gave Georgianna a brief hug. “Knowing that you will join me will give me something to look forward to. I won’t keep you any longer so you can return to your study of the atlas. I still have several things I need to take in hand before I leave with Bingley after Michaelmas.”

Georgianna could not help bouncing on her toes as she stood next to Mrs. Annesley and looked down at the atlas. She knew that Mrs. Annesley had spotted her joy as she said, “Though I am glad you are growing closer to your brother, I am curious to know why your brief conversation with him has you so enthusiastic.”

Knowing her voice could not help but convey her excitement, she exclaimed, “William said that he will leave soon to go help his friend Mr. Bingley learn estate management. He admitted that at first, he was just going to plan for me here in London, but then realized I might want to be given the opportunity to choose to go with him or stay here.” Georgianna was no less excited about that than where her brother was going. The fact that he welcomed her input on a matter was heartening.

Nodding sedately, Mrs. Annesley smiled. “To be asked your opinion on something is always a good feeling.”

Georgianna felt her cheeks stretch as her smile widened. Looking at Mrs. Annesley, she said, “I have told William that I would like to join him once my lessons with the master are complete, and he agreed to the plan.” Then, bouncing some more, she added, “And that is not even the best part!”

“What is the best part?” Mrs. Annesley asked indulgently.

Leaning over, Georgianna flipped through the atlas. She stopped at the page that held the part of England where they lived and pointed to where Meryton lay not that far outside of London. “My brother and Mr. Bingley will be staying at an estate outside the town of Meryton.”

“Meryton…isn’t that where Miss Bennet lives?”

Clapping her hands, Georgianna beamed, “Yes! I have enjoyed the idea of being able to exchange letters with Lizzie, but if all goes well, I will see her again when I visit.”

Drawing her brows together, Mrs. Annesley questioned, “Did you tell your brother about the fact that Miss Bennet lives outside of Meryton, too?”

“I told him where she lived in one of our conversations. It is not my fault he has already forgotten where my new friend is from.” Georgianna rolled her eyes at her brother’s lapse in memory. If he did not remember where her only friend lived, she would let him find out the hard way.

“He never ended up meeting Miss Bennet, did he?” Mrs. Annesley looked carefully at Georgianna before continuing, “What exactly are you thinking, Miss Darcy?”

“I have always thought that the two of them have so much in common that it was a pity that they weren’t, at the very least, friends,” Georgianna admitted with a smile.

Shaking her head, Mrs. Annesley said, “But Miss Darcy, though they both like many of the same things, their personalities are quite different. In contrast to Miss Bennet’s vibrant and cheerful nature, your brother carries himself with a reserved air and can be seen as excessively proud. Aren’t you worried they might not get along?”

Biting her lip, Georgianna considered the problem that Mrs. Annesley had brought up. It was likely that her brother would meet Lizzie while he was staying with Bingley. It was also very likely that her brother would blunder the introduction. Just the day before, he had confessed that his aversion to attending balls stemmed from his tendency to become so anxious that he often ended up offending someone before the night was over.

While acknowledging the high chance of things going awry, she had a strong intuition that they could also unfold amazingly. Considering the positive impact Lizzie had on her life, it was only logical to believe she could also help William. Perhaps if she provided a little help, it might smooth things over.

“You have no compassion for my poor nerves, Lizzie!” This was followed by the fluttering of Mrs. Bennet’s handkerchief before she continued, “You spent months in London and wasted the opportunity to capture a husband. How dare you tell me you did not attend a single dance?”

Elizabeth diligently kept her attention on the reports from the steward that she was studying. She knew that catering to her mother during her fits of nerves only made things worse. More than that, she was trying to see how much damage her absence had done to the state of Longbourn. At least the steward was competent. The only real problem was that her father often could not be counted on to approve repairs or aid for tenants without prompting, and Elizabeth was the only one bold enough to force the issue.

From the chair next to the table where Elizabeth sat, Jane spoke up by saying, “Mama, you know Elizabeth was in London to help care for our aunt and your brother’s household. There were more pressing matters at hand than finding a husband.”

Mrs. Bennet turned to her oldest daughter, her eyes at first widened in shock and then narrowing in anger. “There is never anything more important than catching a husband!” Clutching at her chest, Elizabeth’s mother called, “Hill! My salts! I need my salts!”

Slumping in her chair, she fanned herself, moaning, “I do not know why I have been cursed with so many ungrateful daughters. Your father will die, and we will all be thrown into the hedgerows when that hateful heir arrives to take our home. If your baby brother had lived, he would have shown me the proper respect. He would have loved his mother as a child should. Unlike all of you girls.” Then, glaring at Jane, she added, “For all my efforts, even you, Jane, have failed me and cannot understand my plight.”

Jane was rarely the focus of their mother’s anger and therefore she did not handle it well. She became pale and looked down at the embroidery hoop in her hands, hunching in on herself. Shouting at Jane was too much. It seemed that her mother had worsened in her absence. Castigating her oldest daughter for defending someone was not something that their mother would normally do. Had something changed in her absence?

Across the room, Lydia and Kitty stared at their mother openmouthed, while Mary frowned. Setting her papers to the side, Elizabeth stood. Smiling at Mrs. Hill as she bustled into the room with a vial of her mother’s salts, she said, “Mrs. Hill, it seems my mother has overset herself. Thank you for arriving so promptly.” Turning to look at all of her sisters about the room, Elizabeth added, “My sisters and I will withdraw to allow her to regain her equanimity in peace.”

Kitty and Lydia looked back and forth between their mother and Elizabeth for a moment before standing and walking out of the room. Mary did not even hesitate. She closed her book of Psalms and walked out without a glance at their mother. Then, taking Jane by the shoulders, Elizabeth propelled her from the room.

Pausing in the hall, she asked a passing maid, “Could you have a tea service sent up to the schoolroom?” Only waiting for the girl’s nod, Elizabeth continued up to the sisters’ refuge.

Mrs. Bennet, who had received little education herself, didn’t think her daughters needed a governess. With no use, the schoolroom sat empty until Elizabeth and Jane took it upon themselves to convert it into a relaxing sitting room for the sisters to enjoy. It was now an odd amalgamation of mismatching furniture that they had pilfered from the Longbourn attics with the aid of Mr. Hill and a stable boy or two. It served as the perfect haven for the Bennet sisters in times of distress.

Once they were all settled in their preferred chairs, Elizabeth said, “While I know mother has always been fractious, this is something new. Did something change while I was away?” Glancing first at Jane and her unusually glum demeanor, Elizabeth looked to her younger sisters for information.

Mary looked at Jane with a similar concern before saying, “It all started when Aunt Phillips told us that a young single gentleman was coming to view Netherfield and possibly lease it. Mama demanded that we all go into Meryton, hoping to spot him.”

Finally, Jane sighed and looked at Elizabeth, her eyes sad as she continued the tale. “As we strolled along the shops, we spotted the newcomer emerging from Uncle Phillips’s office, accompanied by our uncle. They started walking towards us and just when it seemed that they would greet us, I felt Mama shove me in the center of my back. I would have fallen into him, and probably landed on top of him, if Mary hadn’t caught my arm. We both went down in a heap, but at least the gentleman was still standing.”

“Mama tried to compromise the two of you in front of everyone in town,” Elizabeth grumbled, shaking her head. She rose quickly and started pacing, unable to keep still. “I do not know why I did not expect her to resort to such matters. She is desperate to marry any and all of us off, hopefully to a wealthy gentleman who will provide for her when our father dies.”

Jane cried, “Oh, Lizzie, it was so embarrassing! The gentleman was so kind he helped Mary and I both to our feet and was very cordial about it. I was so humiliated that I could not tell you in a letter.”

Kitty piped up with, “He was very handsome too, with reddish hair and smiling blue eyes.”

“Ever since then, Mama has taken every opportunity to scold Jane,” added Lydia, her voice angry.

Elizabeth looked at her youngest sister with kindness. She might be livelier than what was proper, but she vehemently protected her sisters and those she believed were mistreated. When she was younger, she had received an unfair amount of their mother’s spleen. Mrs. Bennet had somehow blamed Lydia for the death of her twin brother as a newborn. As if it had been Lydia’s fault that she was born healthy and her brother frail. Nor was it her fault that Mrs. Bennet had been told that she would never have any more children after such a difficult birth.

It had been left to a wet nurse and, to a lesser extent, Jane and Elizabeth to care for little Lydia. It was only when Lydia had turned fourteen and their mother finally noticed that she looked much like Jane that Mrs. Bennet had forgiven the girl for living when her brother had not. She talked about how Lydia would be sure to catch a husband where so many of her sisters could not. At only fifteen, Lydia was “out,” and their mother often spoke of how Lydia would save her from the hedgerows.

Sitting back down with a sigh, Elizabeth reasoned, “We will have to do all we can to prevent Mother from trying something like this again. A marriage based on compromise has little hope of happiness. I would think that she, of all people, would know better.” Unbeknownst to many, their mother held a secret—she had compromised their father. It was through comments made by their parents that the sisters discovered the roots of their parents’ animosity, which only fueled their determination to avoid the same mistakes that had plagued their family and to hopefully find happiness in their own marriages one day.