A Companion For Miss Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Page 26

Her feelings were in turmoil. Could it be true? Could he really be apologising to her?

  ‘I only hope that I might be forgiven,’ Mr Darcy continued, still looking at Elizabeth.

  She swallowed, but could not reply, for she did not know what answer to give.

  Mr Bingley, knowing nothing of the meaning beneath the words, laughed and said. ‘Upon my word, Darcy, it is not such a terrible crime, after all, to arrive at supper time. No need to keep apologising for it. And there is no need to keep looking at Miss Elizabeth. I am sure she cannot be more severe upon you than anyone else.’ The door opened, which made a distraction, and Mr Bingley said, ‘Ah, here is supper.’

  The staff at Netherfield Park were well trained and the cook had enlarged the supper when the butler had informed her that another guest had arrived, so there was plenty for all. Hot crumpets and teacakes dripped with butter, and several varieties of cake adorned an elegant silver stand.

  Jane poured the tea from a silver teapot and soon they were all enjoying the refreshment.

  Elizabeth had been reassured by Mr Darcy’s words, but still she had a nagging doubt. It tormented her through supper. Could everything really have been resolved so speedily?

  After they had all taken refreshment, she said, ‘You mentioned that all my sisters were well, Mr Darcy? I believe my aunt mentioned something about Lydia being indisposed in her most recent letter.’

  ‘Yes, I believe there was some indisposition but you will be pleased to know that Miss Lydia is fully recovered. She is being well looked after by your aunt and uncle. She is confined to her room in Gracechurch Street at the moment, but she will be well enough to return home with her other sisters when the time comes.’

  ‘I am glad of it,’ said Mrs Philips. ‘If I have told Lydia to wear a scarf once, I have told her a thousand times, but you know what girls are. She will insist on going out without one. And this is the result, an indisposition when she is in London, no doubt interfering with her shopping.’

  Elizabeth blushed at her aunt’s silly speech, but the embarrassment she felt could not tarnish the flood of relief which washed over her when she learnt that Lydia was truly safe. How it had happened she did not know, but she began to think that Mr Darcy had been involved in bringing it about.

  It was not until the following morning that Elizabeth learnt the full details of everything that had happened in London. A letter arrived from her Aunt Gardiner. It had been sent express and it told her all about Mr Darcy’s visit, his offer of help, his search for Lydia and his kindness in returning her to Gracechurch Street.

  Elizabeth read it carefully, and some of it she read more than once:

  Mr Darcy considered everything in the most thoughtful way. He suggested that your uncle and I accompany him in his search, so that Lydia would return to the house in our company, thereby crushing any gossip before it could begin. No one knew of Lydia’s disappearance save Kitty and my maid, both of whom are sworn to secrecy. Lydia was home in time for dinner and was seen by all the servants, none of whom had noticed she was missing. We have much for which to thank Mr Darcy.

  Your uncle and I have wondered why such a great man would go to all that trouble to help Lydia. He said that he wanted to help because Jane is to marry his best friend. He also said that he felt in some way responsible, since Mr Wickham’s nature was known to him. But neither your uncle nor I think that is the full explanation.

  Forgive me if I am speaking too soon, and say nothing unless you wish it, but Jane once or twice mentioned that Mr Darcy was very attentive to you, and Mrs Philips mentioned it also. Do you think he feels guilty about dismissing you without notice? Perhaps this is his way of making amends. Unless there is something more?

  I will not plague you about it. Perhaps, as he said, it was because he wished to spare his friend’s affianced bride embarrassment. But there was something gentle in his voice when he spoke about you that made me wonder. If there is anything you want to tell me, I will be glad to hear it.

  When she had read the letter through, she showed it to Jane.

  ‘My aunt is right. We have much to be grateful for,’ said Jane when she had read it. ‘I am sure he did it for you, Lizzy. He is ashamed of having dismissed you and now he seeks to make amends.’

  ‘You always think the best of people, Jane,’ said Elizabeth, flushing slightly.

  Jane looked at her curiously.

  ‘I can see by your face that you think so, too. I can also see that you have not told me everything,’ said Jane. ‘What is it?’

  ‘Do you remember when Mr Darcy apologised for his late arrival?’

  ‘Yes.

  ‘And do you remember that he went on apologising.’

  ‘Yes. I thought it strange. Charles thought so, too.’

  ‘I do not believe he was apologising for being late. At least, not after the first time. The second time he apologised, he was looking straight at me. He continued to look at me when he said he hoped he might be forgiven. There was that in his face when he said it . . . Jane, I think he was apologising to me.’

  ‘Now I understand,’ said Jane, as the light of comprehension crossed her face. ‘I thought at the time that he was apologising too heartily for a slight inconvenience, but now it makes sense. I knew him to be an honourable man, and this proves it. He has admitted his fault. I am glad of it. Now you can be friends.’

  ‘Can we?’

  Elizabeth sounded unsure, and plucked at the skirt of her gown.

  ‘But if you have forgiven him?’ asked Jane.

  ‘I have. I was not sure to begin with, but he has done such a service to our family that I would be wrong to withhold my forgiveness. But I am beginning to wonder if he will forgive me. I said terrible things to him when he revealed that Mr Wickham had tried to elope with Georgiana. It must have cost him a great deal to admit something so personal, and yet he overcame his pride and said it, in order to help me. I repaid him by speaking to him in a most unladylike manner. What must he think of me? The way I railed at him . . .’

  ‘You were upset,’ said Jane. ‘I am sure he understands.’

  ‘Jane, you are too good. And, being good yourself, you think everyone else is the same. I wounded his pride when I spoke to him in such a decided manner, I am certain of it. He has apologised to me because he is a fair man, and a just one. But he is a proud one. It must chafe him to think that I know of his sister’s shame and I fear he will never allow me to see Georgiana again.’

  ‘You do not know that, Lizzy. We must hope for the best.’

  Elizabeth made an effort to banish her gloomy thoughts, saying, ‘You are right.’

  She did not want to distress Jane. This should be a happy time for her sister. Besides, she did not have time to indulge herself. There was still much to be done.

  ‘We had better finish packing the things from the attic today. It is not long now before we will have to leave Longbourn. I will be sorry to go, but the blow has at least been softened by the knowledge we can all move into Netherfield Park.’

  Together they went upstairs to the attic.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Mr Darcy remained at Netherfield Park for a few days, giving Mr Bingley the benefit of his advice, then he returned to London. The day after his return, he was sitting in his study deep in thought. Outside, it was cold and grey. Inside, a leaping fire crackled in the grate, sending its rosy light into the room. On the walnut desk in front of him, with its dark green leather top, sat a pile of letters. Some of them were to his sister from Miss Elizabeth Bennet. He had confiscated them all when they entered the house, before his sister had a chance to see them. Others were to Miss Elizabeth Bennet from his sister. He had forbidden Georgiana to write but she had disobeyed that edict, the first time in her life she had ever disobeyed him. Her letters had not reached their destination, though, because he had instructed the servants to bring him any letters with a Hertfordshire address.

  A difficult and distressing interview lay before him, because he had
to tell his sister what he had done. He had to inform her that he had intercepted her letters, and he had to apologise. But most of all, he had to hope that one day she would forgive him.

  He knew it would be a long time before he would forgive himself, if he ever did.

  When he thought of the misery and heartache he had caused Miss Elizabeth he was thoroughly ashamed. He had always prided himself on being a fair man and yet he had not been fair to her. He had condemned her without giving her a chance to defend herself. He had robbed her of employment and he had broken the friendship between her and his sister: a true friendship, not the kind of self-interested friendship of Miss Bingley. He knew that Miss Bingley paid attention to Georgiana because she wanted to be Mrs Darcy.

  His mouth hardened. Once he had seen his sister and apologised, then he would confront Miss Bingley with her lies and send her from the house in disgrace.

  His sister must come first, however. There was no sense in putting it off any longer. He rang the bell for the footman and told him to ask Miss Darcy to join her brother in the study.

  Georgiana soon arrived. She was looking very beautiful in a new gown. It showed him how much she was growing up, for it had none of the little flowers her dresses usually had. Instead, it was of a plain ivory silk which was restrained and adult in its simple elegance. Her hair was in a new style, which reflected her growing maturity. In her ears were small pearl earrings which had belonged to her mother. He felt his heart expanding. He had loved her as a child, but now he was learning to respect, as well as love, the young woman she was becoming.

  He invited her to sit down. She asked him about his trip to Hertfordshire as they had not had a chance to speak since his return. He told her he had seen Mr Bingley and congratulated him on his betrothal.

  Georgian was very pleased at this.

  ‘I am glad. He will be very happy with Jane, I am sure. Did you see Elizabeth?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes, I did. And now I have something to tell you, Georgiana, concerning your friend. When I was in Hertfordshire, I discovered that she was never in league with Mr Wickham, but that she had distrusted him almost from the first. She persuaded you to talk to him because she thought he was an old family friend but, when she learnt his true nature, she despised him. I am sorry I doubted her, and I am sorry I did not listen to you.’

  ‘Then you believe in her honesty?’

  ‘I do. I know she is no threat to you. Furthermore, I know that she was never a threat to you and I am ashamed of having ever thought it.’

  ‘I am so glad to hear you say it. There are few men who would admit as much. You see, brother, I have been observing people as you recommended, and I know that many men would continue to bear a grudge for no reason, rather than admit they were wrong. But you say that information came to light. What was it?’ she asked him.

  ‘I cannot tell you everything,’ he said. ‘Other people are involved and I cannot divulge their secrets. But I know now I was wrong. Can you forgive me?’

  She nodded.

  ‘As long as you apologise to Elizabeth,’ she said.

  Mr Darcy noticed that again his sister referred to her friend as Elizabeth and not Miss Bennet or even Miss Elizabeth, but he was not in a mood to draw attention to it. He was just pleased that the two young ladies were close enough to dispense with formality, for he hoped one day they would be closer still.

  ‘I will,’ he assured her. He steeled himself for the next part of the conversation which, if anything, would be more difficult than the first.

  ‘I have something else to apologize for, and to beg your forgiveness for.’

  He looked at the letters on the desk.

  Georgiana followed his gaze and gasped.

  ‘My letters!’ She picked them up, then saw that there were other letters with them. She picked them up as well, and saw what they were.

  ‘You kept these from me?’

  Tears appeared in her eyes, and they castigated him more than any words could have done.

  ‘I am sorry, Georgie,’ he said, jumping out of his seat and rounding the desk to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. ‘I truly am. But I thought I was acting for the best.’

  Georgiana picked the letters up and turned them over in her hand.

  ‘Then she did not forget me,’ said Georgiana with relief. ‘I thought she had done. It made me so miserable. I thought she had forgotten me, or that she was so disgusted with me she no longer wanted to be my friend. May I invite her to stay? I am longing to see her again.’

  ‘You may, but first you will see her at Netherfield Park. I will be returning there, and I hope you will come with me.’

  ‘To Netherfield? I would like that very much,’ said Georgiana. ‘Will Miss Bingley be there? I know she has been very good to me but she has made cutting remarks about Elizabeth and I am afraid she will make such remarks to Elizabeth’s face. Elizabeth has suffered enough and I do not want to see her suffer more.’

  ‘You need have no fear on that score,’ he said, with a determined air. ‘I will be speaking to Miss Bingley shortly and you may rest assured she will not cause Miss Elizabeth any more pain.’

  ‘Any more?’ asked Georgiana.

  ‘Yes, Georgie. I am afraid Miss Bingley played a part in my distrust of Miss Elizabeth. She lied to me deliberately, in order to convince me Miss Elizabeth must be dismissed.’

  Georgiana looked at him in horror, but her expression gradually changed to one of understanding.

  ‘I have never trusted her,’ said Georgiana. ‘You wanted me to be grateful to her for entertaining me, and I tried, but all the time I could tell she was only doing it in order to be invited to Pemberley, and in an effort to marry you. She tried to turn you against Elizabeth for the same reason.’

  Mr Darcy smiled fondly.

  ‘I do not know why I ever called you naïve. You are wise beyond your years. And now I think it is time I dealt with Miss Bingley.’

  ‘I would not delay you for the world,’ said Georgiana. She picked up the treasured letters and cradled them against herself as she walked towards the door. Once she reached it, she turned around and let out a parting shot.

  ‘I was worried, for a while, that you would marry Miss Bingley. You would have been even more miserable with her than with Cousin Anne. You should marry Elizabeth instead.’

  And then, before he could tell her off for being impertinent, she hurried out of the room.

  Mr Darcy shook his head indulgently, a smile crossing his face. His little sister was growing into a woman in more ways than one. She was developing not only a woman’s appearance, but also a woman’s understanding. He really ought to reprimand her for being impertinent. It was not the place of little sisters to arrange their brothers’ marriages. But Georgiana’s thoughts coincided so exactly with his own that he could not find it in his heart to take offence. In fact, it warmed him to think that, in marrying Miss Elizabeth, he would be able to bring pleasure to his sister as well as himself.

  If, that is, she agreed to marry him.

  It was by no means certain.

  He had treated her abominably; cruelly; and he would have to apologize, laying his soul bare in order to win her affections. But, if he could win her love, it would be worth any sacrifice, any humbling of himself, for to make her his wife was the dearest wish of his heart.

  But first he must deal with Miss Bingley. He rang the bell for the butler and commanded the man to send Miss Bingley to him. A few minutes later Miss Bingley arrived, with bright eyes and an air of expectancy.

  Why does she think I have asked her here? he thought. She looks as if she thinks I intend to propose to her!

  The idea was so ludicrous he shook his head, but Miss Bingley’s supreme confidence made him wonder if the idea was going through her mind. If so, she would be bitterly disappointed. Her disappointment would be well deserved, after the horrors she had visited on Miss Elizabeth.

  ‘Thank you for coming,’ he said, studiously polite.

 
The butler withdrew, closing the door behind him.

  ‘Do sit down.’

  Miss Bingley’s excitement was palpable as she sat down. She was so excited she neglected to arrange her skirts in their usual elegant fashion and they fell anyhow around her.

  Mr Darcy sat opposite her.

  ‘I asked you here because there is something very particular I want to say to you, and it is best said in private,’ he said.

  He knew very well that she would take this as confirmation of her own ludicrous ideas but he had no hesitation in tormenting her. She deserved it.

  ‘Yes?’ asked Miss Bingley, her voice trembling in anticipation.

  ‘I was very impressed with the speed of your packing when we left Netherfield Park.’

  Miss Bingley looked surprised at the turn the conversation had taken but nevertheless she preened herself and she obviously decided to take it as a compliment.

  ‘I knew that Georgiana needed me, and I did not want to delay you and so I made it my business to accommodate you,’ she said with a wide smile.

  Her smile disgusted him. She had won her place in his carriage through lies and deceit.

  ‘You told me you could be ready in an hour and I did not believe you, but you proved me wrong. You and the Hursts all managed to prepare for a long journey in that time,’ he remarked. ‘I would like you to pack just as quickly again. Can it be done?’

  She gave him an arch look and he wondered what deluded ideas were flowing through her mind. Did she think he was about to take her to meet his relations? Did she think he intended to take her to Kent to meet Lady Catherine de Bourgh, perhaps? She had been jealous of her brother meeting Lady Catherine and she had often hinted that she, too, would like to meet Mr Darcy’s aunt. Nothing would give her greater pleasure than simpering to a woman with a title. Or perhaps she thought he intended to take her north, to meet his Fitzwilliam relatives, perhaps the Earl?

  She replied quickly, saying that she could be packed and ready to leave within the hour.

  ‘Good. I am glad of it, because I cannot bear you in my house any longer.’