Until this point, Mr Graves had stood patiently to one side, waiting for the conversation to reach its natural conclusion. Seeing a pause, he stepped forward. "Welcome home, sir."
"Thank you, Graves."
"There are one or two matters of pressing business which require your decision when you have a convenient moment. The north farm leases are due for renewal next week and Mr Wilcox would value your opinion before the new agreements are drawn up. The surveyor has also completed his inspection of the west boundary wall."
"Do you think I might be permitted to step inside and remove my gloves before we begin setting Pemberley to rights, Graves?" asked Darcy.
"Of course, sir," replied the steward. "Nothing is so urgent that it cannot wait five minutes."
Burke walked past with a trunk balanced upon his shoulder. "Five whole minutes," he said in a voice so low that only Darcy could hear. "Mr Graves is becoming positively reckless."
Darcy shook his head and stepped into the hall. A footman relieved him of his hat before the head gardener appeared to ask whether the first peaches from the south wall were to be sent to the village school, as they had been the previous summer, or reserved for the house. Before he had answered, Wilson the butler enquired whether the Darcys would receive the vicar for supper on Thursday, while Mrs Reynolds called after him to ask if the blue bedchamber should be prepared for Colonel Fitzwilliam, who had written to say he might visit before the month's end. Together, they ensured he had scarcely been home five minutes before the quiet afternoon he had imagined was slipping steadily out of reach.
???
By the time Darcy reached the music room, the afternoon had slipped away entirely. Sunlight stretched in long bands across the polished floor and the lake, where he had intended to walk with his sister, shimmered beyond the south lawn, with no prospect now of being reached before dinner.
Georgiana was seated at the pianoforte with her back to the door. She turned as he entered, and whatever disappointment she may have felt at his delay disappeared at once beneath a smile.
"I had begun to think Mr Graves intended to keep you until tomorrow."
"I believe he would have done, had Mrs Reynolds not intervened."
Darcy crossed the room and kissed her forehead before laying his hand upon the instrument. "I owe you an apology. The afternoon has not gone at all as I intended."
"No," she said gently, "but you are here now."
There was so little reproach in the remark that it made him feel more guilty than any complaint would have done.
"I had hoped we might walk as far as the lake."
"We still can."
He glanced towards the windows where the shadows had already begun to creep across the lawn. "Only if we wish to return in darkness."
She followed his gaze and smiled. "Then I shall play instead."
He settled himself in the chair beside the window while Georgiana rearranged the sheets of music before her. The room soon filled with the sound of the pianoforte, and for the first time since leaving London there was nothing required of him. There was only Georgiana's music and the scent of roses drifting through the open window.
When the final notes faded, neither of them spoke immediately. At length Darcy rose from his chair. "You have improved enormously."
A flush of pleasure touched Georgiana's cheeks as she closed the music. "I should hope so. Mrs Annesley insists I practise every day. Although my master seems persuaded that I still hurry whenever I reach the middle movement."
"Then he listens more critically than I do. It seemed beautifully played."
"You are a very partial judge."
"Undoubtedly."
She laughed. "I shall choose to believe you all the same."
They moved towards the windows together. Outside, the gardeners were already gathering their tools for the evening, while somewhere beyond the trees came the distant sound of children calling to one another.
Georgiana glanced sideways at her brother. "You look tired."
"I expect I do."
"You have looked tired since you returned from town in the spring. I had hoped this visit to London might improve your spirits."
