Page 60 of Mr. Darcy Comes to Town

They spoke of nothing beside the food until they found places to sit opposite Miss Mary and Georgiana. Darcy put down his plate and returned to the table for glasses of cold tisane. When he sat, he saw his sister, Miss Mary, and Mr. Bennet pick up their own plates—they had waited. Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty, who chose to sit a little apart from the rest, had not.

I have seen no evidence of a governess. Who teaches proper etiquette to these younger sisters? Darcy’s thoughts troubled him. I am thankful Georgiana is making friends with the sisters who seem to have learned their lessons—whoever taught them.

“Do you play an instrument, Miss Darcy?” Mr. Bennet was asking.

“I do, sir,” she said, a biscuit half-way to her mouth. She set it down again. “I play the fortepiano.”

“Ah. So does our Mary,” Mr. Bennet said, smiling proudly at his daughter.

Miss Mary blushed. Darcy could not tell if color rose in her cheeks out of pleasure or embarrassment.

“How lovely,” Georgiana claimed, smiling with obvious delight. “We might play a duet, if you care to learn one?”

“I do not have the music for one,” Miss Mary said with reluctance.

“That does not matter in the least,” Georgiana assured her. “We will look through your music and pick out something that will work for us.” She lost her joyful expression. Hesitantly, she asked, “Unless…unless you would not like to learn one?”

Miss Mary drew in a shaky breath. “I expect you play much better than I do.”

Georgiana blinked rapidly and exchange glances with Darcy.

“Perhaps, Miss Mary, my sister could visit you tomorrow afternoon, and you can compare talents then,” Darcy suggested. “Without an audience.” He turned to Miss Elizabeth. “While she is here, would you care to go for a drive with me? I understand it will be a fair day.”

Miss Elizabeth’s eyes widened. She looked at her sister out of the corner of her eye, and then abruptly nodded. “I would be delighted to join you. I will show you some of our best views, if you like?”

“Capital,” Darcy said. “What say you, Miss Mary?”

Georgiana took her hand and squeezed it. “We will have a lovely afternoon. I promise you.”

Miss Mary jerked her head in agreement, but she still did not appear to be looking forward to the visit. Darcy wondered if she worried Georgiana would be the better player. His sister did play exceedingly well, but then so might Miss Mary.

She seemed to rally, and she smiled at his sister. “If you like, we can also take another walk after we spend time at the fortepiano. We could visit Lucas Lodge. The Lucas’ are a large, lovely family. They enjoy playing parlor games like jackstraw and spillikins. If it is warm enough, we might play games on their lawn.”

“Excellent,” Georgiana said, grinning. She took a drink, hummed in pleasure at the taste, and began eating again.

Darcy relaxed, reassured that his sister would be employed in a manner to her liking. He hated to see her moping. A large family would not allow that to happen.

“It is a shame Charlotte went away this morning,” Miss Elizabeth remarked to the room in general. “She has an aged aunt who claims her attention every few months,” she explained to Darcy and his sister. “Sir Williams’ sister lives in Epping, Essex.”

“I know it well,” Darcy said as he picked up a tart. “It is a popular market town. There must be more than twenty coaching inns lining the high street.”

“Charlotte has remarked upon the loudness of the town,” Miss Elizabeth mentioned.

Mr. Bennet told an amusing story about a coaching house he had stopped at in northern Italy during his grand tour more than twenty years before. Darcy suspected the story might usually be spicier than was appropriate for a room full of ladies. His father’s grand tour stories certainly had been.

After an enjoyable hour, Darcy and his sister took their leave of the Bennet family. Once on the road leading to Meryton, Darcy asked Georgiana how she had enjoyed her time.

“I enjoyed myself exceedingly well,” she assured him. “I like Lizzy, of course, but I chiefly enjoyed Mary’s company.”

“And the two youngest sisters?”

Georgiana wrinkled her nose. “They are lively girls, I am sure, but I do not wish to be constantly lively. I do not think Miss Lydia is always kind to her sisters. I wonder if she is kind to anyone?”

Darcy thought her answer rather perceptive. “If they go with you and Miss Mary to the Lucas’ tomorrow, you will see them in the company of their friends and get to know their characters better.”

Georgiana gazed archly up at him. “You like Lizzy. I can tell.” He gave a short nod, and she added, “More than Miss Bingley?”

“They are very different ladies, are they not?” Darcy asked, avoiding a direct answer.