“Oh, I have missed you, brother. Come in. Come in,” she urged and pulled him by the coat sleeve into the house.
Mrs Younge was in the foyer. She greeted him with a curtsey. “Welcome to Meryton, sir.”
“Thank you. I trust all has been well?”
“As well as can be expected,” Mrs Younge replied, giving the words an emphasis that clearly showed there was more to be told. He glanced at Georgiana, then back at the older woman. He would have to ask her what she meant later.
“Come in and rest, and I shall order some tea,” Georgiana said excitedly. She drew him down onto the settee and kept her hand clasped in his.
He gave her hand a light squeeze. “So, tell me, what has occupied your time in Hertfordshire these past days?”
“We went to the assembly on Friday evening,” Georgiana replied, hanging her head. “I did not do so well, but we met a charming young woman, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and she was very kind to me. So far we have visited twice, and I have met two of her sisters: Miss Jane Bennet and Miss Mary Bennet. Mary Bennet plays the pianoforte rather well, and we have spoken of learning a four hand piece to showcase a ball this winter. If the host will allow us, of course.”
Darcy smiled. “I am pleased to hear you are making friends.”
“Well, yes and no,” Georgiana went on. A spark of sadness showed in her eyes. “I am afraid I have turned most of Meryton against me, with my shy behaviour at the assembly. The eldest Bennet sisters are the only people who hold me in any sort of regard.”
Darcy frowned, looking to Mrs Younge for an explanation. She was supposed to be helping his sister, guiding her as she navigated this very delicate time in her life. Mrs Younge only shrugged. “Meryton is a tightly knit community, Mr Darcy. I am sure we cannot expect to break in and be accepted all at once. It will take time.”
He gave a tight-lipped smile. “Yes, well, I am sure all will be well in time.”
She nodded coolly. “Certainly it will.”
“You said the three eldest Bennet sisters have befriended you?” Darcy asked, turning to Georgiana. “How many sisters are there?”
Mrs Younge broke in before Georgiana could speak. “Five in all, sir,” she said with a disapproving look. “And none with dowries to speak of. I believe Mr Bennet has only set aside a thousand pounds for each of his daughters.” By the look in her eyes, he could see she had more to say.
Darcy raised a brow at this. Why had she felt the need to add that? “I see.” He would need to get some clarity on the subject. “Georgiana, will you fetch me my valise? I have brought some sheet music from home and I should very much like to hear you play it for me.”
Georgiana went reluctantly, but without argument. “Yes, of course.” She kissed him on the cheek after rising and headed to the door. “And I shall speak to the housekeeper to make sure your chamber is ready.”
When she had gone, he turned to Mrs Younge. “Now, what is this about the Bennets? I can see there is more than you would wish to say in Georgiana’s presence.”
“Indeed, you are right, sir. I am reluctant to speak ill of them around Miss Darcy, as they are the only friends she has made in our brief stay here. But I feel you must be apprised of everything before you meet them.”
“Which is?”
“I believe Miss Elizabeth Darcy knows of your wealth — it can hardly be kept a secret when everyone seems to know of Miss Darcy’s very handsome dowry — and she is angling to meet you.” Mrs Younge looked down at her hands, then looked up at him again with a certain reluctance. “I cannot say for certain that that is her goal. But I do not wish to see Miss Darcy manoeuvred like that, only to gain your good graces.”
“No, neither do I,” he said, scowling. “So, you think this Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a fortune hunter?”
Mrs Younge splayed her hands before her and went on. “Perhaps she has heard of Miss Darcy’s dowry and assumes she can get her claws into the elder brother to secure her future? It is a brilliant plan, really. Ingratiate herself with the younger sister and thereby raise her position in the eyes of the eligible older brother…” Mrs Younge said. Darcy frowned, disliking the cynicism with which she spoke. It was hardly the attitude he wished Georgiana to emulate. But how could he ignore Mrs Younge’s report of what she had seen? After all, she had been the one at the assembly, not him.
Georgiana returned then, making it impossible to continue discussing the subject. “Here it is,” she said, holding up the sheet music he had brought and went to the pianoforte. “Shall I play for you now, while we wait for the tea to be brought in?”
“Yes, please,” Darcy replied. Mrs Younge excused herself, and he and Georgiana were left alone to enjoy the afternoon together. But all the while, Darcy could not help but think about Mrs Younge’s words. He would have to see for himself if this Elizabeth Bennet was truly good company for his sister. He would allow no one to break Georgiana’s trust by using her friendship for their own selfish ends.
∞∞∞
“Where have you been?” Mrs Younge snarled as he came to sit at the private little table where they had arranged to meet for their rendezvous. “I kept Georgiana from dancing withanyone at the assembly so that you would be the first man she danced with. Well, now you’ve made a fine mess of things.”
Wickham had paused at the end of the table, listening to her as she hissed at him through the dark veil that covered her face. It would not do for her to be recognised with him, especially at such an establishment. “My battalion was delayed. It is not my fault that I was not there. Women really have no idea how duty works, do they?”
Mrs Younge baulked at this. “You talk to me about honour?” she asked with a derisive laugh. She leaned out from the cover of shadows that was afforded at the secluded table. “What we are engaged in has nothing to do with honour, Mr Wickham.”
He wanted to lean across the table and throttle her. Instead, he held a finger to his lips, commanding silence. “Do not say my name in this establishment.” He glanced over his shoulder at the barkeep. Did the old man remember him from the last time he had passed through this little hamlet? He had lost a fortune that night at the gambling tables but had bowed out before the debts could be paid. He was in uniform now, but there remained a risk the owner would recognise him no matter what kind of clothing he was in. “We must be careful not to use our real names when we meet like this. I would not want news to get back to Georgiana.”
Mrs Younge merely laughed again, seeming maddeningly unconcerned. She took a sip of the sherry and made him wait a long while for a reply. “Miss Darcy knows nothing of our plot. I wonder if she will even have the faculties to understand what is being done behind her back when we resume our — relations.” She said the last with almost a purr. Mrs Younge was indeed a dangerous cat.
