Darcy came gliding in the room and said curtly, “Mrs. Young was incorrect. You will not wear your hair up until your come out. I will speak with her.” He turned his gaze up the stairs where Mrs. Young was still coming down and gave a forbidding frown. “Mrs. Young, meet me in my study.” He pointed in an imperious way. “Hello Richard. We are happy to have you back. Would you like to visit your room before our guests arrive, or come to my study to speak to Mrs. Young?”
Georgiana was trying to hold back tears as she spun and ran up the stairs.
“No running Georgiana!” William bellowed and was ignored. “Good lord. Raising a teenage girl is torture, and having her companion countermanding me will not be tolerated! I think we made a mistake with her.”
As William was stomping down the hall to his study, Richard was thinking maybe theyhadbeen hasty with hiring Mrs. Young. They were trying to get hiring a companion out of the way before Richard had to leave for the far north to train new troops. They did not even check but one of the references. His mother would be appalled. Luckily, she had never asked. He slipped in behind his cousin as he was already admonishing the companion.
“Mrs. Young, if you countermand my wishes, just one more time, I will have to let you go. You are here to teach my sister the manners of thetonand correct her comportment. Her governess was quite knowledgeable, but too lax in her training. Young girls, who are not yet out, donotwear their hair up, and donotwear low cut dresses! I made myself quite clear on the manner of her clothing, no matterwhatthe modiste says is in fashion! That I am allowing her to act as my hostess is part of her training,NOTpermission for her to act as a grown woman! Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear!”
Unfortunately, the study was on the ground floor, not too far from the entry, and Richard had not closed the door all the way when he came in. The very loud voice of Mr. Darcy had just started admonishing the companion when his dinner guests arrived. William’s voice carried, even when he was not upset. Now, it was clear to half of the house. Radison took their guests outerwear, while Mrs. Radison shooed the maids downstairs. “I will show you into the gold parlor. Your hosts will be with you shortly.” Ever the professional, Radison led them to the first-floor lounge and poured them all the beverage of their choice. “I will return shortly. Please make yourself comfortable.”
A short time later, Mr. Darcy and an unknown man entered the parlor. Elizabeth thought Cousin Darcy looked just a bit embarrassed. She had noticed yesterday that he had many of the expressions her brother did. She thought she likely could read him rather well.
“I apologize I was not available to greet you. Please let me introduce my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam. Richard, this is my American cousin, Miss Elizabeth Darcy. Her companion Mrs.Mamie Russell, and her man of business, Mr. John Smith.” He just then noticed both the ladies were dressed quite elegantly, and Elizabeth was no longer dressed in black. “You are no longer in mourning?” Darcy could have hit himself for being so abrupt.
“I have been in half mourning for the past week but had nothing that was not black. Mr. Gardiner hurried his seamstress so I would have something less dour to wear.”
Richard’s ears perked up, “You are not speaking of Edward Gardiner of Gardiner and Associates, are you?”
“Why yes! He is the uncle of my Bennet cousins. Completely by accident, Mamie met Mrs. Gardiner at a teashop the day we arrived. Fate must have lended a hand, because now we have a fashionable wardrobe! How do you know the Gardiners?”
“I invest my army salary with him. His business makes prodigiously good returns. Remember Darcy? I told you about him!”
“This is a very small world indeed.”
Elizabeth looked at her cousin closely. That expression would have been ‘disdain’ on her brother’s face. Was cousin William prejudiced against tradesmen? She would watch him closely.Mamie warned her that the classes kept quite separate in England. She could not approve, but maybe it wasn’t for her to approve or disapprove. This was not her country.
Just then a shy young lady came into the room. She did not look up but for a second. She was blond, and about Elizabeth’s height, or a bit shorter.
“May I introduce my sister? This is Georgiana Darcy. Georgiana, this is our cousin Elizabeth Darcy, her companion Mrs. Russell, and her man of business Mr. Smith. Elizabeth, Mrs. Russell, Mr. Smith, my sister Georgiana.”
Elizabeth barely heard her say, “It is nice to meet you.” Georgiana scarcely looked up at any of them. Her eyes were a bit red-rimmed. ‘Well, we cannot have this.’ Elizabeth thought and walked straight over to her and grasped both of her hands. “William said you like to be called Gigi. May I call you Gigi? My family and friends call me Beth. Please do call me that. My brother and I have lived so long without extended family around. I am quite excited to finally meet you both!”
“Ummm...yes...you may call me Gigi. Is your brother not with you?”
“No. Like your brother, when papa died, he was left the responsibility of our estate. It will likely be some time before he can leave it. I am the family emissary. You will have to make do with me.” Beth tried to tease her but did not get the reaction she hoped. Georgiana looked devasted.
“Oh no! I did not mean…I am so happy you are here…you are very welcome…I…I.”
“Gigi, look at me.” The poor girl looked like she was about to burst out in tears, but she did look up. “I am so pleased to be here, and to know I have such wonderful cousins. I hope we will become the very best of friends. Now! Do tell me who the lovely couple in the painting over there is. Come.” Beth grabbed her by the arm and led her over to the fireplace where a large painting was hung. They spoke softly while the others in the room began conversations.
Richard and John Smith discussed Mr. Gardiner’s business, while Mamie spoke softly with Darcy. “Girls of her age can be quite difficult at times, can they not? Beth went through several years where she never knew if she was happy or sad, a lady or still a girl. I barely remember being that age myself, but it is a difficult time ina young lady’s life. It must be very hard for you to be both brother and father to her.”
Darcy relaxed slightly, “Yes, it is difficult. I do not know a thing about raising a girl. Her companion seems to want her to grow up too quickly, but what do I really know about it?”
“As the father figure of the household, you set the rules. The companion should follow your orders and discuss with you, privately, if she believes you are too severe. From what little I heard, she was in the wrong. That your sister had an emotional reaction is to be expected and overlooked…in this instance. There are times when you will need to listen to her opinions, and times when you will need to enforce rules. Is there a grown woman who has raised children you can consult? A family member or a close friend?”
“Yes. My Aunt Camile, but…well…I just felt I was failing…”
“By consulting her? Not at all. How would you know about raising a daughter? Ask someone you trust to give good advice and then figure out if it might work for you and your sister. You do not have to know everything, young man.” Mamie tried not to smirk as she gave him a gentle grin.
Just then Radison came in and said, “Dinner is served.”
Even though Darcy really ought to have offered his arm to his cousin, he instead held it out to Mrs. Russell and led her into supper. Beth shrugged and grabbed John’s arm as the Colonel led their hostess, Gigi, into the dining room.
Chapter Eight
Dinner was a bit tense to begin with, but Colonel Fitzwilliam was very genial and a good conversationalist. Mamie sat to one side of the host, and Beth on the other. Between the two of them, they were able to calm him and keep him chatting. John and the Colonel sat on either side of Georgiana, and although John normally did not speak much in company, he made a real effort to make the girl comfortable. The companion they had not met stayed in her rooms for the evening.
