Page 76 of The Mistress of All & Torn

“Do not worry, Lizzy, I am sure he will not mind! Darcy never does anything against his will. Just remember that I could not convince him to dance with you at the Meryton assembly, as much as I insisted!” Bingley laughed.

Elizabeth smiled at the heartwarming recollections of those carefree times.

“Lizzy, I am so glad you invited Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy for dinner!” Jane said.

“It was long overdue, out of consideration for Mr. Darcy. He changed his summer plans for my benefit, which affected his sister too. I am grateful to both of them for such generosity. And I confess I look forward to a closer acquaintance with Miss Darcy. Last time she visited us with Lady Matlock, I was quite cold and distant with her. I could not have possibly left town without meeting her again.”

“Lady Barrington...Elizabeth...are you absolutely certain you want me to stay for dinner? Mr. Darcy’s sister might not feel comfortable in my presence,” Cece enquired.

“My dear, Mr. Darcy left no room for doubt when he thanked me for the invitation. He said ‘my sister will be happy to meet you all again and quite delighted to finally make Miss Cecilia’s acquaintance.’ His statement was surely meant to dissipate your concern.”

“Mr. Darcy is an outstanding gentleman. I never met anyone in his situation in life so considerate to those outside his circle,” Cece said.

“He is, indeed. And yet, until recently his manners led people to believe otherwise,” Bingley added.

“Yes, I heard that, but I find it hard to believe. And to be honest, I wonder that he is still single. He seems to be the sort of husband every woman dreams of,” Cece continued.

A tremor of unease shook Elizabeth while her cheeks coloured. Cece was right—every woman, except for those blinded by prejudice and readily deceived by rascals with the appearance of goodness.

“I have known Darcy for more than five years and as far as I remember, many women have pursued his attention and favours in that time. I am embarrassed to admit that my own sister has been one of the most persistent hunters. Also his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, ceaselessly tried to convince him to marry his cousin, Anne. But he is hard to impress and I am quite sure his heart has never been touched.”

‘You must allow me to tell you how ardently I love and admire you...’ His words, coming from the past where they had been despised and rejected, sounded different in the present where they would be most welcomed if they were not so forbidden.

Elizabeth shivered and wrapped her shawl around her shoulders.

“Cece, may I ask you a favour?”

“Of course!”

“There is still time until our guests arrive. Since the pianoforte is still in this room, would you play something for us? I last listened to you when Lady Sedgewick was still with us.”

“Play? Yes, of course...I have not practiced at all since I returned. I feared that Lord Barrington would sell this splendid instrument too...”

“He likely had no time to sell everything he intended to. Let us not think of him again. Let us have some music, I beg you.”

Cece sat at the pianoforte that had been brought into the drawing-room when Lady Sedgewick had used it as a bed-chamber and had never been moved back to the music room. She brushed her fingers over the keyboard as if she was caressing a dearly-missed treasure. Then she began to play, tentatively at first, slowly reconnecting with the music after months of separation. With every passing moment, with every heartbeat, her fingers moved faster and more instinctively over the black and white keys.

Her flawless execution spread the divine sound around the whole house and out, through the open window.

As she played one song after another, time passed unnoticed. The three spectators admired the exquisite performance, mesmerised and enchanted, oblivious to the arrival of the three guests, who remained in the doorway, drawn into the spell of the music.

Eventually Cece finished and, brought back from the reverie, Bingley hurried to greet Darcy, his sister and his cousin, Colonel Robert Fitzwilliam.

“That was wonderful. Exquisite,” Miss Darcy whispered.

“Indeed. A stunning performance,” Darcy agreed. “Georgiana, allow me to introduce Miss Cecilia to you. This is my sister, Georgiana, and my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.”

Greetings were exchanged and the colonel bowed with formal politeness.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Cecilia. Miss Bennet—errrr—Lady Barrington—I am so happy to see you again. Forgive me for barging in, I called on Darcy and since he was on his way here, I took the opportunity to step in briefly and convey my best regards. I do not wish to intrude.”

Elizabeth offered him her hand and the colonel kissed it respectfully.

“Colonel Fitzwilliam, there are few people whose company gives me more pleasure. You are most welcome, sir. I imagine you already have other fixed engagements, otherwise, I would insist on you joining us for dinner.”

“I have no other engagements, Lady Barrington. And even if I had, I would readily abandon them for a delightful evening in your company!”

“Excellent. I intended to organise an appropriate dinner party to invite your family and express my gratitude for their support, but the circumstances did not allow it. And now I will soon start a long journey to visit the properties that are under my care, so again I must postpone any other plans. But please convey my respectful thanks to them once again.”