“Do you speak of Wickham, or other instances when you wish you had spoken up?”he asked gently.
“My mark.”
“What?”
“My marking ceremony.Or the lack of marking ceremony.I wished to take a mark, but no one in the family took one, and I knew you would all be disappointed, and the vicar spoke so quickly I did not even have a chance to answer!”
“You wished to receive a soul mark?”
She nodded miserably.
“May I ask why?”
“Is it not obvious?”
“I am afraid it is not.”He tried to smile in a reassuring manner, but she was looking at the floor again.
“I am a Darcy!The niece of an earl.The sister to the wealthiest landowner in Derbyshire.You have no heir besides me.I have a dowry of thirty thousand pounds.And I am no great beauty.”She held her hand up to stop her brother from speaking.“Do not say otherwise—I am in possession of a mirror.”She sighed.“There is no way to know if a gentleman is interested in me, truly, without a mark.How will I know he is not marrying me for nothing but my dowry?A woman is not like a man, Fitzwilliam.Marriage is a vulnerable place for us.Aunt made sure I understood that quite clearly after this summer’s debacle.”
Darcy sat back, shocked.He had never thought of it that way, though he certainly should have.He had known fortune hunters would come for his sister, but he had thought he could weed them out, choose a good man for her.But she would never know if said man even truly liked her—many men were good at putting up a front, and she was not incorrect that she had not grown into all her features just yet.He thought she was adorable as she was, and she would be lovely in another year or two, but he understood her point.If beauty lured a man in, and she felt herself to be without it, what else would they come for?
“Oh, Georgie.I am sorry.I had not thought of it in such terms.”
“Why would you?You are a man.You will marry a lady and live your life as you always have.It is her life which will be nearly unrecognizable.A new home with new staff, possibly hundreds of miles from her family, a new name, a gentleman she must take care of and keep happy.What will she do if he mistreats her?Ignores her?Abandons her?”She plucked at her skirt, her voice hollow.“I would rather remain your spinster sister forever than be the wife of a man who does not care for me.At least I know you have my best interests at heart.”
He squeezed her hand, not knowing what else to do.She was right, of course.Marriage was a very great risk for a lady, and he had stupidly been thinking it was the best—no, the only—option for his beloved sister.
“Georgie, I would be happy for you to live at Pemberley with me forever.I hope you know that.If you do not wish to marry, I will not push you.You may do as you like.I promise.”
She looked at him with shining eyes.“Truly?You promise?”
“Truly.You have my word.”
She threw herself into his arms and he crushed her to him, grimacing as he tried to hold back his own tears.His poor sweet sister!No wonder she had gone along with Wickham.She had known him since childhood and thought she could trust him.He should have told her the truth about their old friend’s character long before this.More than that, he should have spoken openly with her.She was right—she was no longer a child.It was time he began treating her like the young lady she was.
“Dearest, would you like me to stay?I do not have to go to Hertfordshire.Bingley will be fine on his own.I can go next month, or not at all.”
“No, you should go.Mr.Bingley is depending on you, and I do not wish you to break your commitment because of me.”
“Very well, dearest, if that is what you wish.”
He hated to see her brought so low.He now understood why she had wanted a mark; why any young lady would want a mark.It was a guarantee.Not that she would have a husband, but that she would have one who treated her well.Who treasured her.Who loved her.He suddenly found himself more understanding of the young lady, whoever she was, who had taken a mark and subsequently changed his life forever.
“I have an idea, Georgie.It probably will not work, but there is a chance it might.”
“What?”
“Why do we not visit the vicar and see if you can have a marking ceremony now?You are still young.It might work.”
Her eyes brightened for a moment, then she slumped.“I was thirteen two and a half years ago.I have missed my chance.”
“But surely it is worth attempting?”
She hesitated, then said, “Very well.If Mr.Mayhew will perform the ceremony, I will attempt it.”
In short order, a note was dispatched to the vicar.He wrote back saying he had never done such a thing before, but that there was no reason they could not try it, and said he would meet them at the chapel the following morning.
They walked into Pemberley’s small chapel at ten exactly the following day, Georgiana clinging tightly to her brother’s arm.Darcy patted her hand and smiled reassuringly.
