Georgiana smiled. “I know.”
It was a shock exceeded only by the revelation of Elizabeth’s secret itself. “You know?” Darcy exclaimed. “How?”
“I put the pieces together the day of the supper party. Indeed, I am not sure how I did not see it before.” Georgiana shrugged. “I encouraged her to tell you.”
“You did?” At the last moment, Darcy remembered he must not raise his voice, or they would wake the whole house. With an effort, he kept his voice little above a whisper. “But why?”
“Because she was forced to leave Pemberley when Miss Bingley blackmailed her. And I knew she should not have to live under the pressure or fear anymore.” She laughed and rose from the chair. “Come, walk me to my room.”
Darcy did as she asked. They walked up the stairs, and he opened the door to her room for her. “Come in,” Georgiana said. “I want to give you something.”
“As you like,” Darcy replied.
“First, let me ask you a question. Are you going to tell Miss Bennet how you feel about her?”
“I was going to ask her to be my wife this morning.”
Georgiana gasped, grabbing his hands in delight. “You were? I thought that might be why you went alone today, but it seemed almost too good to be true! I should like Elizabeth to be my sister-in-law above anything. Why did you not ask her?”
“How could I? I found out she had been lying to us for the last year.”
“She had to, Fitz. She did not lie to us out of spite. She did it to protect her anonymity and to protect her family from scandal. How can you fault her for that?”
Darcy raked a hand through his hair and started to pace. He had already considered that. But it did little to ease his turmoil. “Elizabeth is so much more than I thought, Georgiana. What if I do not really know her at all?”
Georgiana was quiet for a moment, then nodded. She smiled and went to retrieve something from her bedside table. When she came back, she held out a book to him. “There is a way to know her better, Fitz. Read her book.”
Darcy let out a breath. Perhaps there was truth to her words. Slowly, he reached out and took the novel. Turning it over in his hands, he ran his thumb over the embossed title. “What if I do not like what I read?”
“You will never know unless you try. Try to see her from a different perspective.” Georgiana smiled and hugged him. “I can forgive her for lying to us, Fitz. But if you hold this against her, and let her go, I do not think you will ever forgive yourself.”
Darcy left his sister’s room with the book clutched in his hands. Heading down the hall to his guest room, he sat in the little sitting area without so much as a glance at his waiting bed or a thought for the lateness of the hour. He cracked open the book and started to read, eager to find Elizabeth within its pages.
Only a few lines down the first page, he stopped, astonished by the depth he found within. Popular as Mrs Laurence’s books were, he assumed they must at least be exciting and competently written. But Elizabeth’s talent for weaving truth into an entertaining story had him at times sitting at the edge of the settee, and at others, pacing in front of the hearth. After reading a chapter, he knew he could not rest until he finished it.
∞∞∞
Days passed while Darcy read Elizabeth’s novels. Georgiana had been right that they showed much about her character. They also revealed new depths to what he had already known. Though he had known of her love for walking about the countryside, her book revealed an even deeper love of nature than he had known before. Her descriptions of the landscapes,and the cityscapes, for that matter, were so vivid that the world around him seemed almost to disappear, subsumed into the worlds of her creation. Her integrity, her compassion, her courage were all there, shown in the challenges she gave to one character, and the triumphs achieved by another.
He read the last page of Elizabeth’s latest masterpiece, closed it gently, almost reverently, and held it close to his chest. The woman he loved was a brilliant writer, one he could admire without hesitation. Her mind was quick and insightful, and she had a rare talent for weaving together a tale that engaged the mind and touched the heart. He would look forward to her next work with considerable anticipation.
A knock sounded on his bedroom door, and he laid the book aside to answer it.
“You have hardly left this room for days, and I am getting worried,” Georgiana said as she came in. She stood before the large windows, basking in what little sun the cloudy sky might offer. “Well? What do you think?” she asked.
Darcy grinned at her. “They are brilliant,” he said simply. “Indeed, I do not know why you did not recommend that I read them sooner.” He gave her a mischievous look, and she rolled her eyes heavenward.
“If only you were not such a stubborn man, I might have convinced you sooner!” She sat down on the settee, looking at him eagerly. “So? What did you discover?”
Darcy sighed. To summarise what he had read seemed almost impossible. Surely he would have to have as great a gift for expression as Elizabeth herself to do it.
Still, he must try. Even then, Georgiana was looking at him impatiently. He paused for another moment, still strugglingto gather his thoughts. At last, Darcy spoke hesitantly. “I learned Elizabeth is a skilled writer. I learned she loves nature and the indomitable human spirit. I learned she believes in forgiveness, just as you said.”
Georgiana was staring at him, wide-eyed. “You called her ‘Elizabeth’,” she breathed.
Darcy smiled. “So I did.” He stopped, studying her for a moment. He took a steadying breath before he went on. Once the words were out, he could not put them back. “And I have learned that I am just as much in love with her as ever, and I am going to ask her to be my wife.”
Georgiana’s squeal of delight echoed through his room. “Oh, thank goodness! I am so very happy. And I know you will be too, Fitz. She will make you a wonderful wife.”
