He cleared his throat and looked away from her, smiling at Georgiana across the table. “Well, this Mrs Laurence certainly sounds as if she can weave a mesmerising tale.”
“She is wonderful! Whoever she is, I bless her for taking up her pen!” Georgiana said.
Upon an urgent request from the Gardiner children, Georgiana got up from the tea table and went to join their games. Laughingly, Elizabeth went with her. To his amusement, Darcy noticed she ran as swiftly and laughed as heartily as any of her cousins.
Darcy turned to his guest, eager to turn the subject away from Georgiana’s insistence that he read her favourite novels. “It is a fine day, do not you think, Mrs Gardiner? And I assume it will only improve. I hope the weather is fine for the Bingleys’ visit.”
“Yes, I wonder that you wish us to stay, Mr Darcy, with more guests arriving so soon. Are you sure that you would not like us to visit our relations in Meryton?” Mrs Gardiner asked.
Darcy shook his head, surprising himself with his own vehemence. “No, do not think of it! Your company is very welcome to me. It will make the visit all the more pleasant.”
It was not long before the children grew tired and fell about the lawn, releasing the young ladies to return to the tea table. Georgiana sat down with a pleased huff. “They have so much energy. And how much fun they have together! I should have liked to have a sibling nearer my own age growing up, should not you, Fitz?”
“I was more fortunate,” Darcy told her. “I had our cousin Fitzwilliam, who was as good a brother to me.”
“And now the very best of men,” Georgiana agreed. She turned a cheery smile toward him. “What were you all discussing?”
“The Bingleys. As you will remember, they are to join us soon.”
“Oh, yes. I had forgotten,” Georgiana replied. Oddly, she did not seem pleased. He would have thought she would welcome the company, fond of society as Georgiana was becoming. But perhaps she felt shy at the thought of welcoming people of fashion. Miss Bingley was not the most reassuring companion.
When tea was concluded, Darcy took the first opportunity to lead Georgiana away from the others, that they might have an opportunity of speaking privately. That opportunity came when Mrs Gardiner and Elizabeth led the children away to rest after their wild romping.
“They are dears, are they not?” Georgiana asked as they walked inside.
“They are indeed,” he said. He cleared his throat. “Is that the first time Mrs Gardiner has mentioned leaving? I hope I did not offend her by inviting the Bingleys.”
“Not at all. But I can understand if she feels she is intruding. She must be eager to be back in her own home.” Georgiana linked her arm in his again. They went and sat in the little sitting area by the empty hearth. A pleasant breeze travelled in from the open windows, and they could still hear the birdsong from their vantage point. “I will be sad when their house is rebuilt and ready for their return. I do so enjoy having them here.”
“Yes, I do as well,” he said.
Georgiana grew serious. “I hope you were not upset at me earlier, for pressing you to read Mrs Laurence’s novels?”
“No, I could never be upset at you, Georgiana,” he said. He leaned forward with a sigh. “I simply do not hold modern novels to have the same value that you do.”
“And I am sure all people of learning would agree with you, and think me very silly. It is only that her novels were such a help to me after Ramsgate.” She looked down at her hands, as if remembering every detail of what had befallen her under Mrs Younge’s callous treatment and Wickham’s devious attempt to seduce her into an elopement. “Two things helped me to recover from the shame and despair I suffered after that incident. The first was Mrs Laurence’s novels. The second was Miss Bennet’s friendship. I cannot believe we met only a few months ago. I feel I have always known her.”
Darcy swallowed. He knew exactly how she felt, for he, too, felt he had always known her — that he had always been meant to know her and love her. She had come into their lives like a healing balm. How could he be parted from her when it came time for the Gardiners to return to London?
“I am glad to know that Ramsgate is behind you now. Indeed, Miss Bennet has been a staunch friend to you.”
“And she will continue to be, I know. I have not told her of the mistake I made, but I feel that, if I were to share it with her, she would understand and love me all the same. As a sister might.” Georgiana pinned him with a knowing stare, but said nothing more.
Darcy stood and kissed his sister on the forehead. “She is a bosom friend. And I am glad to see you two becoming so close. I have always wanted that for you.”
“Now that Pemberley has seen its share of guests, I hardly think we shall be able to go back to the way things were before. You know that, do you not?”
He smiled. “I would not have it any other way.” Now that the house had been restored to life, he did not want to return to the stony silence they had endured for the five years after their father’s death. He would keep the Gardiners here forever if he could.
The Gardiners, and Elizabeth. She, of all the guests, ought to stay at Pemberley with him always.
Chapter 17
Elizabeth grunted with effort as she hit the shuttlecock back to Miss Darcy. She took advantage of the birdie’s flight to catch her breath and stop a moment — a moment that proved to be all too short, as Miss Darcy almost immediately hit it back to her. Elizabeth scrambled to make the return. She had thought herself fairly robust, but was rapidly discovering that contemplative walks, however long, were not quite the same thing as competitive sport.
“Good show!” Elizabeth called out. Her young opponent was very good. And much more athletic than she had bargained for.
“You, too!” Miss Darcy called as she hit the shuttlecock again, beaming at her from across the ten paces that separated them. It was difficult to believe she had ever thought Miss Darcy shy. There was no trace of shyness in her now.
