Miss Darcy turned when the door was shut and offered Elizabeth the chair nearest the hearth. They were both seated, and Miss Darcy drew in a great breath before beginning to speak. “I know it was an inconvenience to request this audience tonight, Miss Bennet. After all I have said to you, and at such an hour. You do me a great honour in coming to see me tonight.”
“Not at all. As I said before, I wanted to come.” Elizabeth reached over and took Miss Darcy’s hand. “I know now that it was Mrs Younge who was spreading the lies about me, first to your brother and then to yourself. All is forgiven, Miss Darcy.”
“I should have known better than to listen to Mrs Younge. She always seemed to be trying to draw me away from others, those who wanted to embark on a friendship, such as yourself and your charming family. I am only sorry that it took my brother’s intervention for me to see the truth.” Miss Darcy bit her lower lip. “I should have seen the difference between you and Mrs Younge. You were always so kind to me, and I treated you with contempt. And to think, even after all you have done for me! First you came to my rescue at the assembly, and then you tried to warn me about Mr Wickham and Mrs Younge.”
“You did not know,” Elizabeth said.
“But I should have known. My brother brought me up better than that. I would not be surprised if he is ashamed to call me sister.” Miss Darcy hung her head.
“My dear friend, you are too hard on yourself. I do not think your brother could ever be ashamed of you,” Elizabeth said gently. “Life teaches us many difficult lessons. I think from now on you will look closer at someone’s character before putting your trust in them. I am sorry to say it, but one cannot trust everyone.”
“But I can trust you. You have shown me that by your heroic acts today. If you had not gone to my brother, I would have been well on my way to Scotland by tomorrow morning, and promised to a man who cared nothing for me. I would be utterly lost.” Miss Darcy shuddered. “I can never repay your kindness.”
“There is no need. I am only glad you are safe and well, and that Mr Wickham and Mrs Younge will soon be held accountable for their actions. I only hope no one else has to endure what you have at their hands.”
Miss Darcy seemed hesitant to go on but finally mustered her courage. “Does this mean that we may be friends again? It is more than I can hope for, but still, I ask it. If you can forgive me, I would like to try to be as good a friend as you have been to me.”
Elizabeth took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I should like that more than anything in the world, Miss Darcy.”
Miss Darcy leaned forward. Elizabeth did likewise, intending to shake her hand, but Miss Darcy suddenly threw her arms about her, embracing her tightly. Though surprised by the gesture, Elizabeth had no hesitation in returning it.
“Oh, I am very glad that we may be friends again,” Georgiana murmured. “You are too good — entirely too good.”
Elizabeth chuckled. “No, for I assure you, I am as glad to resume our friendship as you are. I have missed you, my friend.”
∞∞∞
While the ladies talked in the drawing room, Darcy sat before the hearth in the study. He was tired, but any physical weariness was nothing compared to his profound relief that Georgiana was safe. If not for Elizabeth, he might have lost his sister forever. There were few people he knew of who would have done what she did that day, and still fewer who would have been so ready to forgive. She was a woman without equal.
It was all too easy to imagine friendship quickly growing between them. She was witty and wise in equal measure, not to mention fiercely loyal. Already he was drawn to her in a way he had not been drawn to any woman. The thought disarmed him even as it filled him with warmth. Perhaps Elizabeth could be more than just a friend.
He got up to pace in front of the windows, looking out at the night. The stars were invisible, owing to the rain clouds that had rolled back in. It was all too easy to imagine spending a rainy evening like this one with Elizabeth, reading or speaking companionably together. Suddenly, his thoughts turned to Pemberley, and for the first time, he could picture someone other than his sister living there with him. She was not the kind of woman he had imagined marrying. With casual arrogance, he had always demanded accomplishments and consequence as thefirst qualifications for a wife. Darcy was beginning to see how foolish he had been. Elizabeth was nothing like the woman he had thought he wanted in a wife and everything he now knew he needed.
Should he take Georgiana away from Meryton and return to Pemberley? Likely, she would need time to heal from the recent disappointment that Wickham had wrought. But would she want to leave Meryton now? If the friendship between them were repaired, Elizabeth would likely help his sister through the process of grief. Hopefully, having a true friend close by would help her get over Wickham more quickly.
Besides, he would not want to be parted from Elizabeth. And he could use some time away from London for the rest of the winter and the upcoming Christmas season. But this house would not do. He would much rather find a house further out in the country, a house that would accommodate some of their friends coming to visit for an extended stay. Indeed, Bingley and his family might enjoy some time in Hertfordshire.
A knock sounded on the door, and Darcy turned to see the housekeeper poke her head in to announce that Miss Bennet was ready to return home. Darcy thanked her and made his way to the drawing room. Georgiana was beaming, and he was relieved to see that their talk had gone well.
“Bailey tells me you are ready to return home?” he asked.
“Yes. I am sorry we were so long, but I’ve been having such a wonderful time catching up with Miss Darcy. You will come to call tomorrow, will you not?” Elizabeth asked.
“As promised. I can only hope I may win back your family’s good opinion of me,” Georgiana said shyly.
“Do not worry about that. I will explain everything, in bounds of what they need to know. I will say that it was simply a misunderstanding, and that all is well now.”
Georgiana kissed Elizabeth on the cheek and bid her goodnight. No doubt Georgiana was exhausted after the day she had endured, and Elizabeth even more so. “I’ll take you home now.”
Elizabeth sighed as she put on her wrap. “I had not realised how late it was. Forgive me.”
“Do not apologise. It was entirely my doing, in asking you to see my sister so late in the day.”
The housekeeper opened the door and handed Darcy an umbrella. He held it over Elizabeth’s head, standing out in the rain to make sure she was shielded. Once she was inside, he hurriedly folded it up and climbed in.
In a moment of absent-mindedness, Darcy sat beside her as he would have Georgiana, rather than preserving a proper distance by sitting on the other side of the coach, and knocked on the ceiling of the coach to let the driver know they were ready. The carriage was moving before he had a chance to move. A little guiltily, he found he did not wish to.
They were out of town before Darcy spoke. “I am glad things are well between you and my sister again.”
