Uncle Henry gruffly stated, “Any lady that would turn you down must be wanting in intelligence, Darcy, and I cannot see you being intrigued by any but the cleverest of ladies.”
“She is very intelligent,” Darcy said firmly, “and more broadly knowledgeable than any young lady I have ever met.”
He smiled as he saw the scepticism on his relations’ faces—Richard’s most of all.
Bingley bravely interjected, “Miss Elizabeth is exceedingly clever. She talks circles around me every bit as often as Darcy here does.”
It seemed to Darcy that Miss Bingley wished to join in the conversation. He stared at her, and she snapped her mouth close and continued to listen rather than speak.
“You said—” Georgiana hesitated. “You wrote that Miss Elizabeth wished to meet me.”
Darcy was almost sure that his uncle and aunt still had not the least idea about Georgiana’s near ruin, and he certainly had not hinted to his sister or cousin that he had told Elizabeth about Ramsgate. How could he express why Elizabeth had prioritised meeting Georgiana?
He said, “She did make that request, Georgiana. Miss Elizabeth is a very caring and loyal person, and as I told you, she has four sisters. She knows that you are the only member remaining of my closest family, and that you will continue to live with us at least a few years. It is right and natural that she would wish to meet you.”
“And when will this meeting occur, Darcy?” Richard asked.
“We wouldalllike to meet her,” Aunt Ellen chimed in.
“About half an hour from now, I believe. I suggest that you all take some rest and refreshment while you wait.” He strode to the bell rope to ring for Mrs Nicholls.
The housekeeper reappeared and began to show the earl and countess their rooms. As they left, Darcy gave a signal to Richard and then whispered to Georgiana. They both kept their expressions neutral but gave him a look that indicated their understanding. Servants hastened in to show his cousin andsister to their rooms. At that point, Darcy addressed Bingley. “I need to hold a private discussion with my cousin and Georgiana. Might we use your study?”
“Of course! I hope nothing is wrong.”
“Merely a quick family conference.” Darcy put effort into smiling and wondered if his expression appeared strained; he deliberately pictured how Elizabeth had run to him and once again muddied her hem, and he was certain that his smile became more genuine. He explained further, “My cousin is Georgiana’s other guardian, and we have to bring him up to speed on Georgiana’s recent illness and the results of other decisions.”
“I had forgotten that the colonel is one of her guardians,” Bingley said. “Naturally you must have to communicate, the three of you, with some regularity.
“We do.” Darcy strode off to consider his next steps and the upcoming, necessarily brief, meeting with Richard and Georgiana.
The “quick family conference” had been interrupted by Crocker, who brought Darcy a written note confirming every particular Elizabeth had reported about the rumour. Unfortunately, Crocker had not yet been able to identify the source, although he had high hopes he might be able to. The rumour had spread among the shopkeepers and the people who had been shopping that day, but it had not yet been heard in most of the homes that Crocker had checked.
Darcy explained to Richard and Georgiana that he had met a mild-mannered man named Mr Goulding, who had started calling on Elizabeth at the same time that he had. When heretold the gossip and explained how he knew that it was untrue, he also mentioned why he thought Goulding was unlikely to be the source of the rumour. “He seems to be concerned about reputations, and I do not believe he would deliberately create a scandal for a woman he wishes to connect himself with, especially not right here in his estate’s neighbourhood.” Finally, Darcy told his cousin and sister the reason Mr Bennet had given for preferring Goulding’s suit over Darcy’s and Mrs Bennet’s statements that Elizabeth would likely be forced to marry Goulding.
“What a selfish father and such a foolish mother!” Georgiana exclaimed. “From what you have said, neither you nor Miss Elizabeth did anything even the tiniest bit wrong, and if both of you have your lives ruined by a silly, unfounded rumour…well! It would be terrible.”
Richard asked a pertinent question: “When will Miss Elizabeth reach her majority?”
Learning that that happy day was four months away, Richard took a minute to think and then said, “I would have expected that Mr Bennet’s preference was in part because the man knows the whole Goulding family, and has for years, and in contrast he does not know or trust you. He may even feel that such a wealthy suitor as you is likely only interested in trifling with a lady’s affections.”
“Oh, Brother, that would mean that Mr Bennet does not know the first thing about you! How unfair to judge you without getting to know you.”
“Unfair, indeed,” Darcy said. “You need not convince me. However…we need to meet back in the drawing room, because it is nearing the time that I told people Elizabeth would be arriving. I just want to quickly say that, until today, I was unsure about Miss Elizabeth’s feelings for me. I knew she liked me and found my conversation interesting and challenging, but I wasnot certain that meant she would stand up against her father if he tried to force the issue, let alone if she would ever signal that she was ready for a proposal, but today she ran from her home—she ran away from her father and to me. She came here only a quarter hour or so before your arrival. Despite the fact that our meeting was chaperoned, she assured me that she is almost certain that she wants to marry me, but that she still wishes to exonerate herself, refute the gossip, have her name cleared, as it were.”
“Anyonewould,” Georgiana murmured.
The three moved into the drawing room. Mrs Nicholls immediately entered, as well, and Darcy gave her an inconspicuous nod. The earl and countess were already ensconced in comfortable chairs, and Bingley and his family were present as well.
Mrs Nicholls said, “I expect nuncheon to be ready in approximately half an hour.”
She left, only to be replaced by Mr Evans. “Miss Elizabeth Bennet,” he announced.
Elizabeth looked lovely and decidedly unmarred by mud. Darcy went to her, placing her hand on his arm and squeezing it lightly with his other hand. He only said, “You look beautiful,” but he tried to communicate that all would be well.
Only minutes after Darcy made the introductions, he saw his nearest relatives responding to Elizabeth’s charm with delight. As expected, Georgiana became intensely shy and tongue-tied, despite her happy smile, but it was not long before Elizabeth managed to lure Georgiana out of her seat and over to the pianoforte. Georgiana had only played for Richard and him, in the past—although anyone listening to Miss Bingley prattle on and on about his sister’s great talent would have supposed that she had been privy to her performance—and he hoped that Miss Elizabeth was not going to urge his sister to entertain them all.He had told her that Georgiana was shy, but had she understood how very reticent she was?
Watching Georgiana carefully, he saw when she relaxed, and a minute after that, she was smiling. Soon he heard his sister speaking with Elizabeth as they looked over some sheet music. At one point, as the ladies continued to chat, Georgiana even giggled.
