“It is no trouble, Miss Darcy,” replied the woman with a smile. “Effort is desirable, but at times other matters intrude. Perhaps you would do well to speak to your brother?”
Georgiana nodded, acknowledging her insight, then took herself below stairs. It was at least an hour until they would partake of the noon meal, more than enough time to obtain William’s opinion. She found him in the sitting-room, as she suspected she might, though Mr. Bingley was nowhere in evidence.
“My dear,” greeted her brother, rising when she entered the room.
“Where is Mr. Bingley?” asked Georgiana, though his absence suited her purpose.
“Bingley is meeting with the steward this morning.” William shrugged, a slight smile adorning his features. “When we were here before, I would have attended that meeting. Since his return, however, Bingley is taking greater thought for the estate—he declared it routine and suggested I could catch up on my correspondence.”
Georgiana considered this. “You were more involved before?”
“At times, I thought I was doing the work myself.”
“What has changed to provoke this new maturity from Mr. Bingley?”
William became uncomfortable—it was part of the mystery of the previous evening. It was clear that he disapproved of the Bennets and did not support his friend’s interest in Miss Bennet. Why that might be so was yet unanswered. Georgiana did not think that he disdained the Bennets for their position in society, not as the family of Mr. Bingley’s prospective bride, considering he was not even a gentleman by birth. As for the Bennets themselves, Georgiana did not consider them muchdifferent from several other gentle families of lower station in the neighborhood where she lived.
“Perhaps he has grown accustomed to it.”
That was an evasion and nothing less. Georgiana, though she noticed it, decided not to comment. Rather, she turned her focus to the Bennets, hoping to understand.
“Brother, I am curious about last night.”
“To own the truth, I would like to hear your opinion.”
“About the Bennets?” asked Georgiana.
At her brother’s nod, Georgiana considered what she might say. “Elements of the family are boisterous to be certain,” replied Georgiana after a moment’s thought. “Misses Kitty and Lydia are... well, let us say that they would benefit from Mrs. Annesley’s instruction.”
William agreed. “To the best of my knowledge, though I will own that I do not know as I cannot ask, the Bennet sisters have never had a governess.”
“That shows in their behavior,” said Georgiana. “Though I will note that Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Mary do not show a similar lack of restraint.”
“That is true.”
There was no hesitation in her brother’s tone, no suggestion his admission was grudging. Georgiana did not know what that meant, but she thought that at least he did not disapprove of the eldest sisters.
“As for their parents,” continued Georgiana, “I did not speak to Mr. Bennet, so I can say nothing about his character. Mrs. Bennet is much like her youngest daughters, though she is kind.”
William did not respond to Georgiana’s comment, appearing a little skeptical. “I hope, my dear, that you will refrain from taking Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia’s likeness. If you did, it would bring you into closer contact with Wickham, for the youngest girls go on and on about the officers.”
“Of that, I have no doubt,” replied Georgiana, rolling her eyes. “I cannot count the number of times Miss Lydia mentioned the officers last night, as if I should be as infatuated with them as she is.”
Then Georgiana fixed her brother with a slightly censorious look. “You cannot suppose that I would be as unrestrained as Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia.”
“No, I do not suppose it. However, a little reminder cannot go amiss.”
Georgiana let the matter rest—she knew her brother did not fear her misbehavior, so there was little point in pursuing the subject. The lessons from the previous summer with Mr. Wickham were ever before her—caution was foremost in Georgiana’s mind now, not that she would ever be tempted to behave in such an open manner.
“Brother, do I err in assuming you disapprove of the Bennets?”
The way William paused, Georgiana knew he was choosing his words carefully. “There are certain aspects about the family that are impossible to ignore—you have spoken of them yourself.”
“That is true,” conceded Georgiana. “But are they any different from the Teasdales or the Watsons? They are lower gentry, not as refined as those we might move with in London, yet those families do not receive your condemnation.”
“Condemnation is a strong term, Georgiana.” William eyed her. “Is there some reason in particular that you ask these questions?”
“Just a sense that there is something about the family that disquiets you, Brother,” replied Georgiana. “Last night you appeared unsettled several times, and then there was something Miss Elizabeth said that confused me.”
