The Darcys of Pemberley (36 page)

When the Bingleys were with her, Elizabeth
asked, “Did not Kitty come with you from Heatheridge? I thought she
would have, but no one has mentioned her being here.”

Jane exchanged a look with her husband before
answering carefully. “She did come with us, Lizzy. But you know
that Kitty is not well-suited to the sickroom. She is with Lydia at
the cottage now. Perhaps they will both visit you tomorrow.”

Whilst the Bingleys were upstairs with
Elizabeth, Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam found themselves alone
together in the drawing room for a time. The gentleman thought this
circumstance agreeable enough, but the lady’s emotions were running
too close to the surface to long maintain her composure under such
a strain. Offering an imaginary excuse to leave the room, she was
starting to rise when the colonel detained her.

“Wait, Georgiana. Now that your sister is
well on the road to recovery, perhaps you would not mind taking a
moment to clear up a point of confusion for me.”

“Yes, of course, if I can.”

“Then may I ask what caused the abrupt change
in your travel plans? I admit I was more than a little surprised
when I learnt that you and Mrs. Collins had set off from London on
you own, without awaiting my return. I can only suppose you must
have had some pressing reason for doing so.”

“I daresay you want a logical explanation,
Colonel, but I have none to offer you, nothing that would hold up
under scrutiny at least. Call it caprice if you like,” she said
lightly, “but I was suddenly desperate to be back at
Pemberley.”

“I am truly grateful that you arrived in
safety. All the same, you should have waited. It was not prudent
for you to travel unescorted.”

Spoken like a true elder brother, she thought
with vexation. Her annoyance showed in her tone. “Thank you for
your kind solicitude, Colonel Fitzwilliam, but I beg you not to
trouble yourself. After all, the part of my overprotective elder
brother is already being played perfectly adequately by my
real
elder brother!” She abruptly stood to go.

He stood likewise. “Forgive me, Georgiana.
Have I done something to offend you?” asked a mystified
Fitzwilliam. “I was only concerned for your well-being.”

She stopped and turned on him. “If you were
so concerned for my safety, I am surprised that you could in good
conscience go off and leave us in London on the invented pretense
of some urgent affair.”

“It was no invention. I had important
business here in Derbyshire.”

“What business could have been so urgent or
so secretive that we could not all have come together?”

Georgiana’s crossness and unfounded
accusations had by this point begun to overcome the colonel’s easy
temper. Even his unfailing goodwill toward her could not prevent
him from responding in kind.

“I regret that I cannot give you a
satisfactory answer at present, Miss Darcy. However, since you feel
entitled to excuse your own actions on the grounds of caprice,
perhaps you will be so good as to allow me the same privilege.”

At a loss for any worthy rejoinder, Georgiana
quit the room, effectively ending the discussion with very little
satisfaction on either side. Later, upon reflection, she could not
condone her harsh words to the colonel. He had always shown her the
utmost kindness, never more so than in the last few months. Was it
his fault that she now found his brotherly manner – which had
always been acceptable in the past – no longer palatable?

“No,” she sighed. “I have no right to blame
him for what he cannot help.”

One more uncomfortable encounter awaited
Georgiana that day. Early in the afternoon Mr. Sanditon and his
sister-in-law arrived, having come directly from church where they
had lately learnt of Mrs. Darcy’s accident from Mr. Thornton. When
Georgiana received them, Mr. Sanditon’s composure faltered. Of
course he knew she might be there, but he had been so preoccupied
with Elizabeth’s plight that he had failed to adequately prepare
himself for seeing Miss Darcy again.

The lady did not bear the unexpected sight of
the gentleman with much more tranquility than he did her. In her
agitation, she first thought he had come to demand her answer, and
then she quickly realized that the Sanditons were there to ask
after Elizabeth instead. Georgiana was assuring them that the
patient was out of danger when Mr. Darcy came in and took over the
office.

“Yes, I am happy to report that Elizabeth
continues to improve, hour by hour.”

“Thank heaven,” said Mr. Sanditon. “I am
profoundly relieved to hear it.”

Ruth asked, “Might I be allowed to see
her?”

“Of course,” said Darcy. “Let me take you
up.”

This left Georgiana alone with Mr. Sanditon.
An awkward silence ensued, the unanswered question between them
making its presence felt in the room like an unwelcome third
person. Though neither of them had set out to have their
long-postponed discussion on that particular day, the opportunity
was obviously at hand.

Mr. Sanditon presently stood as if he had
decided on a definite course of action. “Would you take a turn in
the garden with me, Miss Darcy?” he asked.

“As you wish,” Georgiana agreed. “We can talk
more freely there.”

Conversation did not come any easier for the
change to less formal surroundings. Several minutes passed with
only birdsong to interrupt the stillness between them.

Mr. Sanditon began at last. “I am delighted
that your sister-in-law is so much better, Miss Darcy. We were
quite shocked to hear of her accident, and we wanted to offer our
best wishes as soon as possible.”

“That was very kind of you, Mr. Sanditon.”
Georgiana, who could feel her suitor’s gaze resting upon her, kept
her own eyes aimed squarely at the pathway in front of her.

“I am also pleased to find that you and Mrs.
Collins have returned safely from London. Did you enjoy your stay
there as much as you anticipated?”

“Yes, thank you. The society was very lively,
yet I am glad to be home again. I have missed Pemberley and all my
friends hereabout. How are Abigail and Amelia? I often think of
them, and I wonder if they will remember me. I have been away so
long.”

“They are well, thank you, and I am certain
they could not forget you so soon.” After another pause, he
continued. “As gratified as I am to know that you think fondly of
my daughters, Miss Darcy, I cannot help wondering if you had any
warm reflections about their father whilst you were away.”

Georgiana turned to him with an anguished,
apologetic look. “Mr. Sanditon, I …”

“No, no; it is quite all right, Miss Darcy.
No words are necessary. I can read my answer in your countenance.
It is what I have been expecting all along, I think.”

They walked on in silence whilst Georgiana
organized what she should to say to him. He was a gentleman of the
highest order, and he deserved an explanation. “Sir, please forgive
me for keeping you in suspense so long. I did not take the honor of
your proposal lightly, and I wished to give it every possible
consideration. Although I have the deepest respect and warm regard
for you, sir…”

“Say no more, please. I understand
perfectly.”

Debriefing

Mr. Sanditon bore his disappointment with
dignity and philosophy. Having correctly anticipated Georgiana’s
answer, he suffered no shock when his expectations were unhappily
confirmed. Neither was Mr. Darcy surprised to find his friend
pensive and subdued thereafter. When he had left Mr. Sanditon and
his sister alone together, he thought it quite likely the matter
would soon be settled. The soul of discretion, he asked no
questions and made no illusions to what might have passed between
the two.

When the Sanditons departed, they took Mrs.
Collins along with them as the most convenient means of returning
her to Reddclift cottage. She had at first resisted the suggestion,
insisting she would stay at Pemberley as long as she was needed. In
the end, however, she had been persuaded by Elizabeth herself, who
refused to impose upon her friend’s kindness any longer. A she
pointed out, Charlotte had already been away from her snug little
home for nearly three months, much of that time in the service of
the Darcys.

The remainder of the day passed uneventfully.
Elizabeth had little trouble complying with Mr. Poole’s
prescription for plenty of sleep. She could barely stay awake above
half an hour in any case, and it was arduous work keeping her mind
clear of the fog that perpetually hung about. A family member
attended her at all times, and Darcy, who still could not be
comfortable with his wife long out of his sight, only left the room
for brief periods.

Elizabeth felt markedly improved by the next
morning. Although still drowsy, her mind was less clouded, and the
steady pounding in her head had somewhat diminished. She was even
able to sit up in bed with the help of her husband and the support
of several pillows. The draperies were kept partially drawn since
bright light had proved just as painful to Elizabeth as did loud
noise and abrupt movement.

Georgiana sat with Elizabeth that afternoon
whilst Mr. Darcy attended to some pressing business. She had been
longing for a private audience with her sister-in-law to further
the discussion in person that they had begun a week before through
the post. “I am glad to finally have you to myself,” said she. “How
much has happened since we last had a real talk!”

“A great many things indeed.” Elizabeth still
practiced her newly-learnt art of speaking softly and moving as
little as possible.

“Lizzy,” continued Georgiana, dropping her
eyes. “One matter has been weighing very heavily upon me. Ever
since I received your letter in London, I have been miserable over
the trouble I caused you. Now tell me, has everything been set
right betwixt you and my brother?” she asked, on the verge of
tears.

“Yes, yes,” Elizabeth whispered. “Oh, my
dear, you need have no more anxiety on that head, and I am sorry
that you have been left so long to worry about it. The details are
unimportant and are really best forgot as soon as possible. Suffice
to say that the largest share of the problem turned out to be a
nasty misunderstanding. Once that was laid bare, the rest of the
difficulty was soon cleared away.”

“Thank heaven! I am so relieved to hear it.
Was my letter of any use to you, then?”

“It helped us a great deal, Georgiana. Thank
you. I appreciate what it must have cost your modesty to reveal so
much.”

“Does my brother know all, then?”

“He does, but you needn’t be uneasy. He is
not angry, and he has promised to be very discreet. You may open
the subject with him if you choose; otherwise I doubt he will ever
mention it.”

Georgiana rose and went to the window, gazing
through the gap in the curtains. “I have made such a wretched fool
of myself, Lizzy. Romantic folly can perhaps be forgiven at
fifteen, but three additional years should yield at least a little
more sense.”

“My dear girl, you must not be so severe upon
yourself. Come here.” Elizabeth stretched out her hand to
Georgiana, who obediently took it. “Now listen to me. No one could
consider you foolish for falling in love with such a fine man as
Colonel Fitzwilliam. And, in determining not to marry anyone else
under those circumstances, you have demonstrated good
judgment.”

“The way you put it makes my behavior sound
perfectly rational. I doubt that I deserve such a charitable
interpretation, Elizabeth, but I thank you nonetheless.” She
frowned as she went on. “I spoke to Mr. Sanditon when he was here
yesterday and gave him my regrets.”

“Poor soul. How did he take the news?”

“He was such a gentleman about it that it
made me even sorrier for disappointing him.”

“There was no help for it, though. It had to
be done, and I am sure you were as kind as possible.”

~*~

Next day, Elizabeth left her bed for the
first time. She took her initial tentative steps across the room on
the arm of her husband, slowly moving to a settee by the window for
a change of attitude and scenery. The gloomy character of the sky
ensured that the light would not be too bright for her there. Even
so, she paid for the extra exertion with a temporary resurgence of
her headache. She sat very still with her eyes closed for some
minutes until it passed, gripping her husband’s hand and listening
to the lilting notes and phrases that filtered upstairs from
Georgiana’s efforts at the pianoforte.

Whilst she continued to improve physically,
Elizabeth’s mind grew more and more disturbed by images and flashes
from her missing memory. The fragments were too few and
disconnected to make any sense, but they were enough to convince
her that she had been through some larger trauma than she had
previously supposed. Increasingly discontent with her state of
ignorance, she decided it was high time Darcy enlightened her.

“My love,” she began when she was comfortable
again, “since I am safely on my way to recovery now, I believe the
moment has come for you to acquaint me with the facts of what
happened that day.”

Darcy grimaced at her request. “It will not
be pleasant, Lizzy. Are you sure you are strong enough to bear
it?”

“I believe so, and you must tell me
regardless. I have started remembering frightening bits and pieces.
I would be easier knowing, rather than imagining, the rest.”

“I am not so certain about that,” Darcy
muttered, considered that what she imagined could hardly be much
worse than what had actually occurred. Still, he knew Elizabeth was
right; she had to be told, and soon. He had nearly made up his mind
to it when they heard the sound of a carriage out in front of the
house.