“Listen to this!” Miss Bingley said, excitedly. She held up the newspaper and read the relevant paragraphs aloud. Finishing, she added, “Well! That should put paid to the nasty rumours about Georgiana!”
“It was a lovely ball, was it not?” Mrs. Bingley said, dreamily.
“It was, indeed,” Mrs. Hurst agreed.
***
Lady Catherine threw the paper down with a loud snort of disgust.
“What is it, Mama?” Anne asked.
“Unbelievable!” Lady Catherine cried. She immediately rose and left the breakfast table without a backward glance.
Anne waited a minute to make certain that her mother was truly gone. She then rose and walked round the table to her mother’s place to look at the newspaper.
“What does it say?” Mrs. Jenkinson asked.
Anne cried, “It is everything wonderful. Dear Georgiana has been absolved!”
***
At Pemberley, Mrs. Reynolds had been following the society pages assiduously. When she saw the latest article inThe Morning Post, she burst into happy tears.
Chapter Eighty-Three
It was well past noon by the time Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy made their way downstairs. Mary and Georgiana had just begun to break their fast, so the family had ample opportunity to review the events of the previous night together.
“Georgiana,” Mr. Darcy began, mildly. “With whom were you speaking last night?”
Georgiana looked up guiltily. “Oh! Well, I did not know him –“
“Nor do I,” her brother said, calmly. “Thus my question.”
“But Uncle introduced us!” she finished triumphantly.
Elizabeth chuckled. “Well, that does put a different light on things, does it not, William? So who is he?”
“He is the Marquess of Hartington.”
Mr. Darcy’s eyes opened wide; he set his coffee cup down carefully. “The son of His Grace of Devonshire?’
“That is what Uncle said, yes. Are there more tarts?”
Mary passed the plate of tarts to Georgiana, who bit into one before continuing. “He plays the piano a good deal, and said he hoped he might be allowed to visit, just to talk about music. I said that I thought you would have no difficulty with that, Brother, but I made no promises. Did I do anything wrong, do you think?” She looked anxious now.
Her brother hastened to reassure her. “No, nothing wrong at all. The Marquess has been away at school, and then I believe he traveled for a year. I had not heard that he was back in Town.”
“And he is evidently known to your uncle,” Elizabeth added.
“The Earl knows everyone,” Mr. Darcy said.
“Very well; is there any reason the young man cannot visit Georgiana just to discuss music?” Elizabeth asked.
“No reason at all,” Mr. Darcy said. “Appropriately –“
“Chaperoned, of course,” Georgiana finished.
“I will sit with them,” Mary offered.
