Darcy met Georgiana on his way to the library. His sister’s face was etched with worry. “Fitzwilliam,” she said, “have you offended Mrs. Bennet in some way?”
Miss Bennet, who had been on her way to speak with Mrs. Riggs, paused and turned back.
“Not that I am aware of, Georgiana. Did she say anything to you?”
His sister shook her head. “It is just . . . she seems different now. I have grown quite fond of her, and she is clearly afraid of something, or of someone. And she does not wish to speak of you when you were quite her favourite subject before.” She smiled a little. “Her favourite subject other than silk and lace, of course.”
“I am sure there has simply been some misunderstanding,” Miss Bennet said as she drew close to them. “But I admit that your brother and I have noticed the change. Did anything happen when you two were in Lambton?”
Georgiana’s brows pinched together. “No . . .”
“No one approached you or Mrs. Bennet?”
“No, we were quite well attended by Freedman.” She thought for a moment. “There were a few men in the bookshop. But their conversation just sounded like gossip.”
Miss Bennet sighed. “Men’s gossip is not usually something my mother has an interest in hearing. Thank you, Miss Darcy. I shall just have to speak with her. Did she ask for me?”
Georgiana hesitated and glanced at him nervously. He nodded at her. Whatever she had to say, he wanted—nay, needed—to hear it.
“She wished me to see whether you two were still in the breakfast room speaking together. If you were, she wished you to join us. If not, you were not to be disturbed.”
Darcy grunted. Mrs. Bennet did not want her daughter to be alone with him, even in the breakfast room where the doors were open, and servants came and went as they needed. This was not a subtle request, but then, Mrs. Bennet was not a subtle woman. The implications of this offended him, but he resolved to put hisaffront aside. What could have upset her so? He looked at Miss Bennet and was sorry to see her worried.
Georgiana looked first at him and then at Miss Bennet. “Is there anything I might do to help?” she asked. She was holding the end of her shawl, wrapping, and unwrapping the threads of a tassel around her finger.
Miss Bennet smiled. “Your friendship with my mother is helping more than you know, Miss Darcy. Please continue to spend time with her as you have been.”
Darcy nodded, grateful for Miss Bennet’s kind manner with his sister. “Yes, Mrs. Bennet does seem easier in your company.”
“When you return to her, you may truthfully say I am working with Mrs. Riggs,” Miss Bennet added.
Georgiana straightened, appearing grateful to have a role to play. “I will. And as for helping calm Mrs. Bennet, I shall do my best,” she promised. Then she excused herself to do just that.
As Georgiana departed, Darcy turned back to Miss Bennet. He could almost see her turning things over in her mind, her quick intelligence hard at work to unravel this latest riddle.
Ultimately, she simply shook her head. “The first step is for me to speak directly with my mother. She will be more forthcoming if we are alone, so I will proceed to my meeting with Mrs. Riggs and will go to her later.”
“A wise decision,” Darcy agreed, though part of him wished he could be present to reassure his hostess.
Miss Bennet arched a single eyebrow at him, and he swallowed. The expression made his mind wander to thoughts a gentleman ought not think. Had Mrs. Bennet caught him admiring her daughter? But she had seemed to desire a connection, so that could not be it.
“Thank you,” Miss Bennet was saying. She hesitated for a moment, then added, “Mr. Darcy, whatever my mother’sconcerns might be, please know they do not reflect my own thoughts or feelings.”
“I am grateful to hear it, Miss Bennet,” he replied, and he meant it.
The air between them was charged with sentiments he could not speak, though he could not be certain she shared his feelings. Perhaps he was the only one possessed of them.
After an awkward moment, Miss Bennet seemed to shake herself. “I will go speak with Mrs. Riggs now, Mr. Darcy. If you could call your sister away in an hour, that should be enough time. She might model her new bonnets for you?”
He had been avoiding that very thing for days, but he had to admit it would take Georgiana more time than showing him the books she had purchased. “It will be a sacrifice, Miss Bennet, but I shall do it.”
She shook her head at him. “You will be in her good books for many months for an hour or two of attention now. And you might broach the topic of her school with her. It is easier to learn what is troubling my youngest sisters if I allow them to try on my bonnets while we speak.”
He had been wishing, in vain, that his sister would simply tell him what was bothering her. Darcy chuckled ruefully. “What would I do without your sage advice, Miss Bennet?”
She smiled. “Resort to bribing your sister with another trip to the shops, most likely. But I have found this works just as well.”
He waited until she disappeared around the corner at the end of the hall before looking at his watch and making his way into the library.
