“Aha! There was.”
“He could not have liked me…”
“Are you sure? Men like the look of you. You just do not notice.”
“I cannot remember.” Georgiana blushed, and she lowered her voice. “Near the time I had Anne, the steward’s assistant. He was kind to me, and he explained everything about the workings of the estate that I was too frightened to ask Fitzwilliam — I had been so curious. We were friends. But then he left.”
“Ah! The handsome steward’s boy. You are still a gentlewoman — I would look elsewhere.”
“I know — but…I liked him so much. If he had… Lady Catherine was right this far: I would never stand upon pretensions to being a gentlewoman. He was more than a servant, and extremely clever, and Fitzwilliam was unhappy when he left. Fitzwilliam and the steward had hoped to groom him to take over as the next steward or man of business.”
“That makes this sound a little better.” Elizabeth smiled. “But your brother would wish to see you marry higher than that.”
“He did not make me marry, when I became with child.”
“Mr. Darcy found you a husband?”
“Yes…well, Richard, my cousin, he was my guardian then, but he resigned it when Fitzwilliam refused to make me marry Mr. Carteret. Richard talked Carteret into it. But I…I didn’t want to. I wanted…”
“What did you want?”
Georgiana looked at her hands.
“No matter of reputation is worth tying yourself to a man you do not love or cannot trust. Georgie, I admire you. Had I been fifteen I probably would have followed my guardian’s orders.”
“No, it would not have been — I have still felt guilty, because it would have been easiest for everyone if I married. He was forty and five, and…Fitzwilliam saw my tears. He only asked me if I was wholly sure I did not want to marry. Richard was furious. He had been Fitzwilliam’s closest friend, and since they have barely spoken.”
“Mr. Darcy did not try to make you marry?” Elizabeth asked with some surprise. “Not at all?”
“Not at all. All he needed was to know I wished to remain single.”
“I may have misjudged him.” Her emotion towards Darcy became warm and soft. She had always resisted the attraction she felt for him, because she believed Darcy had too great an expectation of obedience. But that tension in her was dissolving away if he simply listened to Georgiana when she begged him for her to be able to choose. “Most men,” Elizabeth added, “would have done anything to hide the stain on the family name.”
“He is the best brother in the world. I often wondered…if he would have been happier if he had made me to marry. He could have married then.”
“Do not be ridiculous. He adores Anne, and he adores you. He has not married because he is a prickly man who only wants a prickly woman.”
“You have made me realizethat.” Georgiana giggled at Elizabeth’s description of her brother. “I am glad you are seeing my brother’s worth.”
“I as well.” Elizabeth smiled freely.
Chapter Thirteen
One lazy morning, the Netherfield party sat around the breakfast table. The platter in the center was piled high with beef, ham and a half dozen delicious pheasant pies. One of those also sat half eaten in front of Darcy. Today Darcy planned to take a morning ride and then catch up on his reading.
He’d encountered Elizabeth once in the roads around Longbourn; maybe if he haunted them again he might run across her once more. The Netherfield party had no plans for the day, and while sunny and bright, the previous three days it had rained, curtailing the normal round of calls and connections. The road was steadily drying though, and with the strength of the sun it would be gone within a few hours. Besides, a true gentleman never let a little mud scare him from a good ride.
Bingley slapped his palm on the table. “Deuced boring day! I know what we must do.”
Darcy winced internally. He would have to findsomeexcuse if his friend was about to suggest another day of shooting. They’d killed enough birds.
At least Bingley’s cook knew exactly what to do with them. Darcy took another bite of his meat pie. The flour of the pastry and the gamy flavor of the bird’s meat mixed perfectly.
Soon fox hunting…
“Royston Cave!” Bingley exclaimed. “At last we will go. Tomorrow. Jane, you said it was worth visiting.”
“Royston Cave? What is that?” Georgiana asked.
