Chapter 10
On the evening they had arranged to join the Bingleys at the theatre, Darcy had completed his own preparations early and sat down in the drawing room, waiting for Georgiana to come down.
But when a lady’s tread was heard on the stair, it did not belong to his sister, but to Mrs Annesley. “Mr Darcy,” that good woman said with a small bow. “Might I ask you to come upstairs? Miss Darcy feels uneasy about the suitability of her dress.”
Darcy stood, following her automatically. “Of course, Mrs Annesley, but I cannot think it necessary,” he told her. “I have perfect faith in your taste and judgement. Certainly, my understanding of women’s fashion cannot compare to yours. If you have judged Georgiana’s gown appropriate for an evening at the theatre, I cannot imagine that I will think otherwise.”
“You honour me with your confidence, sir,” Mrs Annesley replied. “Miss Darcy’s gown isperfectly suitable, of course. I have already reviewed it and assured her of my approval. If you will allow me to say so, it is not a companion’s judgement that is wanted now, but an older brother’s reassurance.”
“I understand you perfectly,” Darcy told her, and knocked at his sister’s door.
“Come in,” Georgiana said from the other side of the door, her voice wobbling a little.
“I shall be just outside if I am needed,” Mrs Annesley told him quietly. Darcy nodded and shut the door behind him.
As Mrs Annesley had said, no one could have disapproved of Georgiana’s dress. It was modestly cut in the present fashion for long sleeves, at once suitable for an innocent girl and for the elegant young woman that she increasingly was. A line of delicate lace at the hem and sleeves added a touch of prettiness, while her only ornament was a sapphire necklace that had been their mother’s.
Darcy crossed the room and took his sister’s hands. “You look lovely, Georgiana,” he told her. “I am a proud brother indeed, to have so dear a sister.”
“Do I truly look well?” Georgiana asked anxiously. It was only too clear that she was not looking for a compliment, but for reassurance.
“Indeed you do,” Darcy told her. “Most lovely and most suitable. Your dress is perfectly appropriatefor our evening, and it suits you admirably. No one could think anything wanting.”
“I hope you are right,” Georgiana said anxiously. “Oh, I do not mean to question your judgement, of course! But I know that Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst shall dress very differently.”
“I imagine so,” Darcy said dryly. “Mrs Hurst is a married woman. I should be most distressed if my sixteen-year-old sister dressed in the same manner as a wife nearly twice her age. As for Miss Bingley, her dress communicates sophistication and a dedication to fashion. Both are perfectly suitable qualities, but I confess I prefer simple elegance.”
At that, Georgiana smiled at last. “So do I,” she admitted. “Thank you for indulging me, Fitzwilliam. I know I am being very silly. Mrs Annesley would not steer me wrongly. I am only so very frightened!”
At that, Darcy was forced to conceal a frown. They would soon be in danger of being late, but while he disliked committing such a discourtesy, it was nothing compared to assuring himself that all was well with Georgiana.
Accordingly, he led her to her bed, where they sat down side by side. “Frightened to go out in company?” Darcy inquired gently.
She nodded, looking rather ashamed.
“You need not go tonight, if you do not like,” Darcy said calmly. “I hope you will. I should enjoy your company, and I believe you would enjoy the theatre. But if you do not feel equal to it, there is no need for you to force yourself.”
“But I should be dreadfully ashamed to have them all know me too cowardly to go,” Georgiana whispered. “And I should not wish to insult Mr Bingley by staying away when I had said I would attend. He is such a good friend to you!”
“Bingley is a very kind man,” Darcy told her. “He would understand if he knew why you stayed at home, but all the same, I would not tell him. I would simply explain that you were indisposed, and I thought it better for your health to stay at home.”
“Oh,” Georgiana said, sounding surprised and relieved. “It could really be so simple?”
“Yes, indeed,” Darcy said. “A most convenient excuse.”
“I shall have to remember that,” Georgiana said with a weak chuckle.
Darcy nodded. “Good. And when you are ready, you will tell me whether you wish to join the party tonight.”
Georgiana smiled, if a little shyly. She thought for only a few moments before replying, “I think I would like to. If you still wish me to join you, afterhow silly I have been.”
“I do, very much,” Darcy told her. With that, Georgiana stood up and crossed to her dressing mirror. She gave a last check of her appearance, rightly saw that all was neat and pretty, and signalled her readiness to go.
The carriage was now waiting below, and had been for some minutes. With no further delay, they set out for Grosvenor Square.
Thanks to the excellence of his driver and the horses, they arrived only a little later than the appointed time, and well before they would have been in danger of missing the curtain. Georgiana shrank a little when they were shown in, but she bowed and greeted the others in perfect form, and when Bingley took care to speak to her with as much kind friendliness as any brother could have wished to see, she rallied and even began to smile and talk more freely.
To Darcy’s private amusement, Miss Bingley’s dress was exactly as Georgiana had suggested, and he had done his best to describe with delicacy — rather over-loud and over-sophisticated. They would have to ensure that no one sat behind Miss Bingley in the box, for the ostrich feather in her hair would have obscured much of their view of the stage, and her gown could have been accused of anything rather than elegant simplicity. Knowing Caroline Bingley, it must have been the latest fashion: Darcy only knew that he was very glad Georgiana did notask to wear her gowns cut so low.
