He leaned over the table and asked, “And how are the fine ladies of Pemberley entertaining themselves this evening?”
Georgiana lifted her hand to him. “Look, brother, I tied my first fly.”
He picked it up between his thumb and forefinger and examined it with tenderness in his expression. “You have done very well, my dear. We must keep this one. It is your first, after all.”
Elizabeth added, “We are working on hackle flies for the remainder of the week. Next week, we shall attempt wet flies.”
Darcy chuckled. “Are we to fish the pond, then?”
“Or the stream, or the lake, Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth replied. “Charlotte and I both grew up fishing with our fathers and her brothers. We would very much like to try our hand at it again while she is staying with us. Perhaps, once we have prepared a small stock of flies, we might invite a few friends to join us for a picnic and an afternoon’s fishing.”
Darcy paused in thought. “I have not fished in over two years, and it is a pastime I greatly enjoy. Whom shall we invite?”
“I hardly know anyone beyond yourself, the rector, and the physician,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “So I must leave the choice to you.”
“The rector and the physician are a good beginning,” Darcy replied.
“And the physician’s brother,” Georgiana added quickly.
“Very well,” Darcy said. “The rector, the doctor, and his brother. We may also invite Mr. Gareth Seton, if you will, who has only lately inherited his brother’s estate. I may have mentioned him to you, Elizabeth. His elder brother passed nearly a year ago, and Mr. Seton has come into the property only now. He is a solicitor by profession and has spent the last six or seven years in London. I should like to see him, to learn how he is managing and whether he might require any guidance.”
Elizabeth spoke with some hesitation. “A smaller party would be more comfortable for me, Fitzwilliam, as I have not yet made the acquaintance of the other ladies in the neighborhood. This way, we may enjoy our fishing without fear of judgment. You know very well how some women can be; fishing is not regarded as a proper feminine pursuit.”
Darcy gave a nod of understanding. “Of course, darling. Shall I refrain from inviting Mr. Seton as well? Would you feel uneasy?”
“Not at all,” Elizabeth said. “Since he was once a working man, I think it is unlikely he will judge us harshly.”
Then she wrinkled her nose slightly and added, “That did not sound quite right. I do not mean to say that gentlemen are all judgmental, only that I have found, through my time with my uncle and his friends, that working men and professionals are often more accepting and less bound by rigid expectations. They are generally more flexible than those born and bred to gentility.”
Darcy took no offense; he merely nodded in quiet agreement. “There is something in what you say, Elizabeth. Now that you mention it, I believe it to be true. With these guests, I think we may all be at ease, and you ladies may enjoy the day as much as we men.”
He turned to his sister. “And you, Georgiana? Will you try your hand at fly fishing?”
Georgiana’s eyes widened. “May I, Fitzwilliam? I did not think I would be allowed. I imagined I should be left behind to practice the pianoforte or attend to my history books.”
“You may certainly join us,” he said with a smile. “You shall have a holiday from your usual pursuits to learn a refined and useful skill. Fishing requires great patience, and though it may test you at times, it can be most satisfying. And addictive, I might add.”
Elizabeth glanced at Charlotte and raised her brow with a smile. Charlotte returned the grin. The ease with which the fishing party had been arranged was surprising to them both, and for all Fitzwilliam knew, it had been entirely his idea.
Elizabeth wasted no time in drafting and sending out invitations the following morning. The picnic was scheduled for the following Wednesday, to begin in the late morning and extend into the early afternoon, when the trout were known to feed near the surface.
That night, Darcy joined the ladies at the table and tied a few flies himself, demonstrating the sure hands of one long acquainted with the craft. The four occupants of Pemberley passed a most pleasant evening in one another’s company.
Later, as Darcy and Elizabeth lay in bed, he turned to her in the quiet darkness.
“I confess,” he said softly, “I am surprised that you and Miss Lucas remain close, considering that her brother ended his courtship with you in favor of the heiress.”
Elizabeth shifted, turning to face him. Though the room was dim, she could discern the outline of his profile.
“How did you know Charlotte’s brother had courted me?” she asked.
Darcy replied, “Richard and I witnessed his indecision, how he wavered between you and the little heiress for several weeks. He is still a very young man, likely to experience many flirtations before finding lasting affection. Still, I cannot understand how he allowed you to slip away. It speaks to his immaturity.”
Elizabeth looked amused. “You are very observant, sir.”
“I can be,” he said, “when the object I am observing is of interest to me.”
He bent to kiss her then, and soon all thought of past disappointments was lost in the warmth of their embrace.
