Sudden Awakenings (The Other Paths Collection)

Chapter 26

“Did you really mean it when you said we would be allowed to dine at Kenshire?” Lydia asked Elizabeth, her eyes wide with delight as they returned to the carriage.

Kitty could not withhold herself from skipping. “It will be the first time we have dined out anywhere since Twelfth Night! I wonder what sort of dinner Mrs. Wilson will give?”

“An excellent one, if I am any judge of her abilities,” Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth noted Georgiana’s withdrawn manners. She addressed her later when they were alone. “Are you nervous about dining at Kenshire?”

Georgiana’s eyes were wide. “I have never been to anyone’s home to dine before, except to Matlock Manor and Rosings, and those do not count as they are the homes of family members.”

“Did you never dine out while you were living in London?” Elizabeth asked her.

“No, never. Your sisters have already been out in society for a year or more. I fear their social graces will surpass mine.”

Elizabeth had to suppress her laughter. “If there is one thing you need not fear, it is their graces outstripping yours.”

She told Mr. Darcy of Mrs. Wilson’s plans for them .

“Yes, I will consent to the arrangement,” he said. “If it is to be only the clergymen who are in attendance with us, then such a gathering will be a fair opportunity for our young charges to exhibit the decorum we have attempted to instill in them these past few weeks.”

S

The following weeks passed slower than ever before, made worse still by another winter storm, dampening their spirits and making it impossible to travel further than the grounds of Pemberley. Everyone felt relieved when the snow melted again and word came that Mr. Wickham had returned to Kympton, followed presently by the promised invitation from Kenshire.

Lydia and Kitty were such a bundle of excitement on the day of the dinner, it was all Elizabeth could do to contain their energy.

“Lydia, please might I borrow your pearl hair comb?” Kitty pestered her as they readied themselves.

“Only if I might use your fan,” Lydia answered.

“Why? You shall not need a fan on a cool night like this one, and I was planning to use it myself,” Kydia protested.

“Because it makes me look elegant,” Lydia explained. “And because I want something of yours in return if you are to take my comb.”

Kitty reluctantly consented.

The pair were laughing and snorting over some joke when the carriage was called for them. Mr. Darcy shot them a look as if to remind them how to comport themselves. They immediately straightened up and fell silent, but as soon as they were handed into the carriage, they began giggling again .

Elizabeth and Georgiana sat opposite them in the coach. Mrs. Younge squeezed in beside them. Georgiana began twisting her handkerchief in her lap. Elizabeth placed one hand on top of Georgiana’s.

“Do not fret. You already know what good sort of people Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are.”

“It is not that, truly.”

“Then what has you so worried?”

“I cannot say,” Georigiana murmured.

They heard the coachman and Mr. Darcy climb up to the box, and then they were off.

“It must be because of who will be in attendance this evening,” Lydia said with a teasing air.

Kitty let out another giggle and a snort.

“It is all Kitty and I have thought about, for certain,” Lydia laughed.

“Girls, I expect you not to be silly over the men this evening. Remember my instructions to you,” Elizabeth warned them.

“Yes, Lizzy,” Kitty demurred.

“Do you think Mrs. Wilson will seat you beside Mr. Wickham, Georgiana?” Lydia’s head bobbed as the carriage rolled over a dip in the road.

Georgiana stumbled to answer. “I…that is, it is at Mrs. Wilson’s discretion where to seat me.”

“I know, but where do you hope she will seat you?” Lydia pressed.

Georgiana’s eyes lowered. “It is of no consequence.”

Mrs. Younge spoke up. “Mr. Wickham is as fine a gentleman as any of these great men I ever saw. Had the circumstances of his birth been higher, I have no doubts he would have already made a great match. He is so fortunate to have had the patronage of the elder and younger Mr. Darcys, for his education and his present situation. I wonder now whether some lady might not catch his eye, now that he is settled at Kympton.”

Elizabeth wondered again whether Mrs. Younge might not have hopes where the young rector was concerned. Her sister's insinuation of Georgiana’s possible infatuation with Mr. Wickham was unsettling, however. Her age notwithstanding, the difference in their situations was so great, she could not fathom Mr. Darcy approving of a match between his sister and Mr. Wickham.

S

The conversation around the dinner table mainly revolved around the diversions of country life, interspersed with humorous anecdotes from Mr. Wickham.

“Shall I tell you about the time Mr. Darcy and I fell into the river and almost drowned?” Mr. Wickham asked.

“I think you must, Mr. Wickham,” Mrs. Wilson urged.

“Well, the two of us had determined to go fishing on the lake, and we took out one of the rowboats. The lake had swelled from recent rains and was much higher than normal, spilling over the dam which flowed back into the Derwent. Despite being warned not to go near the dam, we rowed a little too close to it, and the current pushed us over it. The boat tipped, and we both fell out. Mr. Darcy, having no knowledge of how to swim, cried out in a panic, his arms flailing about wildly.” Mr. Wickham waved his own arms to demonstrate. “Fortunately, I was able to grab ahold of him before he went under and we caught hold of a piece of floating wood– the boat was long lost– and then a local farmer saw us and rescued us.”

“What a tale, Mr. Wickham!” Mrs. Wilson clapped. “To think you were both almost lost to us.”

“You are positively a hero, Mr. Wickham!” Lydia echoed .

Georgiana said nothing, but her eyes were shining with admiration as she smiled at him.

Mr. Darcy drank his wine in silence.

Elizabeth noted his displeasure, but did not remark upon it.

S

Wickham’s tale stretched the truth, to say the least. It had been Wickham who insisted on taking the boat out, despite warnings of the danger; Darcy had only gone along in a vain attempt to keep him out of trouble. Wickham, too, was responsible for going too near the dam, causing their boat to capsize. Without these reckless actions, there would have been no need for them to have been rescued by that farmer. Certainly, Wickham was far from the hero he portrayed himself as; according to Darcy’s recollections, it was he who had pulled the sinking George Wickham from the river, not the other way around.

Still, Darcy did not correct him. He kept his concerns to himself during the visit, preferring to observe those around him and how they conducted themselves. Kitty and Lydia behaved only slightly better than they had at Christmas. Lydia talked altogether too loudly and laughed a great deal too much, while Kitty spoke to Mr. Kirby almost the entire time, to the point of her declining to join their card games after dinner, preferring to remain on the settee with him to continue their conversation. Such, in and of itself, was not a grievous offense, but Darcy worried if she repeated this behavior at other gatherings, it might draw remarks about her relationship with Mr. Kirby, and Darcy still deemed her far too young to think of matrimony.

But it was Georgiana’s wordless awe of Mr. Wickham which worried him the most. She appeared enthralled by his presence, and though she spoke little unless spoken to, she blushed whenever he addressed her. After dinner, he had persuaded her to spend much of the evening at the pianoforte, where he remained by her side on the pretext of turning the pages for her.

He resolved to speak to Elizbeth about it. After the girls had retired for the night, he asked her to join him in his study.

“Goodness, am I in trouble, that you should summon me?” she asked, a quizzical expression on her brow.

“No, Mrs. Darcy,” he replied, motioning for her to take a seat, “but I wondered your opinion on my sister’s feelings towards Mr. Wickham. Has she indicated anything to you?”

“If she had, I might feel bound by sisterly confidence not to reveal it to you,” Elizabeth began. “But as it stands, no, Georgiana has said nothing, although there has been some lighthearted teasing from Lydia and Kitty on the matter. I suspect if you wish to know more, you might need to query them, as they are perhaps in her confidence.”

“There is no need,” Darcy said. “I merely suspected some feelings on her part by her manner towards him that I have observed.”

“I observed it also, and if some feeling does lie within her breast, I suspect it is nothing more than a girlish infatuation. Georgiana knows, I am sure, you would not countenance a match between her and Mr. Wickham.”

“My fear is that he, seeking her fortune, might prey upon her vulnerable young heart,” Darcy said.

“Yes, I am well aware of your feelings regarding fortune hunters,” Elizabeth said tersely, “but not all poor gentlemen and ladies are predators towards the rich. I know Mr. Wickham has had some scuffles over debts in the past, but he appears to be on the straight and narrow now. As a respected clergyman, I do not think he would risk his position on an unhonorable attempt, nor would he venture his suit if he did not think you would approve of his candidacy.”

“You are correct, I am certain, Mrs. Darcy,” Darcy told her. “Thank you for your opinion.”

Elizabeth curtsied before retiring to her chambers .

The distance spanning himself and Elizabeth seemed to have increased as of late. Ever since Twelfth Night, she had held herself back from conversing with him unless it was necessary. He wondered if there was something he had said or done to cause offense. Perhaps it was for the best, though. If theirs was to be a marriage in name only, it would be better to keep themselves at arm’s length.