“Lady Tiffany, Miss Darcy, I understand you have been successful at teaching Eliza to ride, something I failed to achieve for many years,” Charlotte smiled.
“As we will be much in company, and any friend of Lizzy’s is a friend of mine, please call me Tiffany. It did not take long for Lizzy to learn; I think she knew much more than she was letting on,” Tiffany teased.
“Tiffany! You will have people think they cannot believe a word I say to them,” Elizabeth stated with mock affront.
“The same goes for me, Miss Lucas and Miss Maria, I would like it if you would address me as Georgiana or Giana,” Georgiana added.
“In that case, I am Charlotte and you can drop the ‘Miss’ and my baby sister is Maria,” Charlotte stated.
“Charlotte, I am sixteen already,” Maria admonished.
“We are the same age,” Georgiana pointed out, “and Tiffany is a whole year older than us.”
Elizabeth had revealed she had not shared all with her two friends when she and the Lucas sisters talked long into the night after they arrived. Charlotte advised that it was time to share her full story with them.
Charlotte and Elizabeth felt as close as sisters. Elizabeth had developed a similar relationship with the two younger girls, and so agreed it was time to make a full disclosure.
When Elizabeth asked about Richard Fitzwilliam who Charlotte often mentioned in her letters, her sister of the heart shared how pleased she was to be in Town, particularly pleased because there would be contact with the Fitzwilliams.
She was unsure if the Colonel returned her regard in full measure, or if he did, would he be able to consider her without an eye to fortune, as he was a second son. Elizabeth had not mentioned anything about Rosings Park, knowing Richard would tell Charlotte if and when it was time to do so.
The five were talking in the shared sitting room between Tiffany and Giana’s bedchambers. “There is something I need to tell you about myself,” Elizabeth commenced her revelation. Both Tiffany and Giana gave her their undivided attention.
“You know there is nothing you can tell us that would ever make us think less of you, Lizzy,” Tiffany stated seriously.
“You remember I told you I knew of Elizabeth Bennet?” Both girls nodded. “It was me. I used to be Elizabeth Bennet before I became Elizabeth Gardiner some weeks ago…” Elizabeth told them all, how her former mother used to treat her, and about the sister she thought was her best friend and how she betrayed her. During her recitation, both Elizabeth and Charlotte noticed how Giana blanched at the mention of George Wickham, but she said nothing. Tiffany squeezed her cousin’s hand in support.
When Elizabeth had told all, up to and including her becoming a Gardiner, there was silence for a few moments. Having recovered from the shock of hearing the vile seducer’s name, Georgiana stated angrily, “I, who grew up without a mother, thought any mother would have been better than none at all, but now I see it is not true. The woman who gave birth to you does not deserve the appellation.”
“Your former sister got her just reward; she is suffering the fate she tried to assign to you,” Tiffany added.
“You saw my reaction when you mentioned the name George Wickham, did you not?” Georgiana asked. The other three nodded, as it seemed Maria was as observant as her older sister. Georgiana proceeded to tell them of the history between the blackguard and the Darcys and what he had attempted with her at Ramsgate. “All I can hope is that you will not look at me differently now you know what I almost did.”
Elizabeth pulled the girl into a hug. “You did not make the best decision, but you were the victim of a practiced liar and seducer almost twice your age. Additionally, the woman who should have protected you was in league with him. No, Giana, I do not think any differently about you, except mayhap I feel closer to you as I, who prided myself on myperspicacity, was duped by him as well. At the time, I was trying to find whatever fault I could with your brother…” Elizabeth told the part of the story as it related to Mr. Darcy and the Bingleys.
“He saidWHATabout you at the assembly?” Georgiana would have taken her brother to task had he been in the same room as her.
“Giana, you know William is prone to insert his riding boot in his mouth when he is uncomfortable,” Tiffany reminded her cousin. “It does not excuse his words and he will have to apologise, but you know what he wrote about Lizzy in his letters. We both know those were his true sentiments.”
“Speaking about William, he still thinks you are married to that horrible man. What should I tell him?” Georgiana asked.
“Urge him to come for Christmastide,” Tiffany suggested. “After the way he behaved toward Lizzy, let him stew for a little while longer. If he decides not to come to London without good cause, then you can give him some hints.”
“At least, we will never have to deal with Miss Bingley again,” Georgiana stated with pleasure.
At Charlotte’s quizzical look, Elizabeth told the story from the day at Gardiner Emporium. She had not written to her friend on the subject yet. “Now there is a reward well deserved,” Charlotte stated. She had no time for people who made themselves feel better by hurting others.
Later that evening the young ladies retold everything that had been discussed to the Countess. Lady Elaine knew Lizzy used to be a Bennet, but the full story shocked her to the core. She, like Giana, wanted to take William to task, but agreed he should be allowed to suffer more after the way he had behaved.
Chapter 18
Darcy kept vacillating between yes and no with respect to joining his family in London for Christmastide. He had been doing anything and everything he could to keep busy because whenever he was unoccupied, his thoughts were of Elizabeth Bennet, or as he believed her to be now, Elizabeth Collins. At night when he slept fitfully, she invaded his dreams.
Darcy was never one to over-imbibe under normal circumstances, but he tried to drink to excess a few times—it had not helped; she still haunted his dreams. How he wished he could have it all to do again!
While at his estate in Scotland, he learnt to play golf at St. Andrews. The man who taught him and his other students routinely allowed them to take a shot over—he called it a ‘do again.’ How Darcy wished he had a ‘do again’ with Elizabeth!
Riding Zeus across a snow-covered field one day, he reached a decision. He could not hide from the world any longer. He had lost Elizabeth due to his own poor choices and behaviour. He needed to take up his life again and that meant being there for Giana, even if it seemed he might be superfluous to his sister, as the wonderous Miss Gardiner was helping her grow by leaps and bounds.
