The Gypsy Blessing (21 page)

Distaste flitted across Miss Bingley’s features, but her expression was quickly amended. “That does seem...
agreeable
, but first there is something I must speak of with my sister. Excuse me.” She scurried off towards Mrs. Hurst, who stood a few paces away.

Elizabeth suppressed a chuckle. A glance at Georgiana proved she was doing the same.

As they walked away arm in arm, Georgiana whispered, “Miss Bingley’s priorities are very different from my own.”

Elizabeth bit her lip to keep from laughing outright. “I have noticed.”

Once the introduction to Charlotte was accomplished, Georgiana settled on the sofa next to Elizabeth. When the conversation made its way around to Georgiana’s passion for drawing, Elizabeth started
. I was so happy to see Georgiana, I forgot about the drawing of Wickham in Meryton! This will not do!

Although Jane was not much of an artist, and, therefore, was not participating in the conversation more than as an observer, Jane called attention to herself when she gasped.

“Jane!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Are you well? You have become so pale.”

Elizabeth’s gaze locked with Jane’s.
Yes, Jane has just remembered the gypsy’s picture, as well.

It took Jane a moment to recover. “I am well... only a little tired.”

“Perhaps some wine would help, Jane?” Elizabeth raised her eyebrows in anticipation.

“Yes, Lizzy, that would be beneficial.”

Charlotte looked about to catch the attention of a servant, but Elizabeth interceded. “I will get it, Charlotte. Would anyone else like some wine?”

Elizabeth barely waited for Georgiana and Charlotte to answer before excusing herself. Crossing the room, Elizabeth caught Darcy’s eye and motioned towards the refreshment table.

Darcy’s concern for his sister was displayed in his eyes and furrowed brow when he approached. “Miss Elizabeth, is Georgiana all right?”

“Yes, but...” she lowered her voice. “Mr. Darcy, I am sorry to be the bearer of unpleasant news, but I have it on excellent authority that Mr. Wickham will soon be in the area.”

His eyes widened. “
Here?
”

“Yes.” As she lifted a glass from the table to give herself something to keep busy, Elizabeth thought back to the drawings she had received. In the first, Wickham wore a blue coat, but the second must have been of a different day, as he wore regimentals. “I understand he will be joining the regiment that has come to Meryton.” She nodded towards Colonel Forster, who was being introduced into company for the first time that evening and was currently speaking with Colonel Fitzwilliam. “As you may have heard, they will be staying here all winter.”

Darcy closed his eyes momentarily and then said softly, “Georgiana...”

Elizabeth nodded and took a sip from the glass of wine she held.

He huffed. “I have promised to stay on here for another few weeks to help Bingley settle into his role as master of the estate, and my cousin is heading directly to his regiment—I cannot escort her back to Matlock without a reason I can state in public... or even in private at Netherfield.” He shook his head.

“Those were my thoughts exactly,” she said and then glanced at his sister, now sitting next to Jane. Jane was looking at them with a worried expression. Returning her gaze to Darcy, Elizabeth realized why. Gone was Darcy’s usual stoic expression. In its place was one of horror. “Mr. Darcy, please pardon my saying so, but unless you would like all those assembled to begin to wonder what we are speaking of, you had best school your features.”

He straightened his form. A blink of the eye later, his mien had returned to one more usual for him in company. “I will simply keep her away from the village. He would not dare approach Netherfield.”

“I would think not,” she confirmed.

“Longbourn?”

“My father has been informed of what my uncle knew of his reputation in Lambton.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Mr. Gardiner did mention that we met him at Ramsgate, but I do not believe he spoke of the
particulars
of what happened there.”

Darcy nodded once. She could tell he was relieved.

“Who else knows of his coming?”

“Abroad, I do not know, but here, only my father and Jane.”

Darcy looked at her in a peculiar manner and seemed about to ask another question. Unwilling to leave herself open to further inquiry about how she came to know this information, Elizabeth quickly said, “Excuse me, sir, but I must return with my sister’s wine.”

“May I?” he asked, gesturing to the wine glasses on the table.

She smiled. “Thank you.”

Elizabeth led the way across the room while Darcy carried three glasses of wine for the ladies of Elizabeth’s party. She had a feeling he would not be straying far from his sister’s side whilst she stayed on in Hertfordshire.

~%~

Once they were in the safety of Elizabeth’s room, Jane voiced Elizabeth’s thoughts, “I wonder why you did not receive a drawing warning of Georgiana’s coming?”

“I know not.” Elizabeth shook her head. “Perhaps it was unavoidable?”

“So, you think that Wickham’s coming
is
avoidable?”

Elizabeth sat at her dressing table and began to remove her hairpins as she deliberated Jane’s question. “There must be some sort of rule that goes along with these sketches, but if there is, I have not yet discovered it. While many of the drawings depict happenings that we
have
been able to circumvent, others do not.”

Jane moved to brush out Elizabeth’s waist-long hair.

“Do you remember the gown that was originally in the picture showing us at Ramsgate? I did not tell you because I did not wish to frighten you, but I purposely left it home.”

Jane stopped brushing her sister’s hair, and watched Elizabeth in the mirror. “But, Jane... when we arrived at Ramsgate, I looked at the drawing again. It had
changed
to a gown that I
had
brought along.”

Covering her mouth with her hand, Jane gasped.

Elizabeth turned to face Jane. Taking her sister’s hand in hers, she gave it a squeeze. Elizabeth reached into a drawer, removed the stack of drawings, and found the one in question. “Do you see?”

Staring wide-eyed, Jane asked, “But
how
, Lizzy?”

“I know not.” Elizabeth turned back to the mirror to cover the shiver she could not seem to stifle every time she thought of it. Jane continued brushing her hair.

After a few minutes had passed in silence, Elizabeth shook her head again. “I do not see how we could possibly prevent Wickham from coming, do you?”

Jane answered, “No, I do not.”

“But if it is at all possible, I am sure Mr. Darcy will do so.”

Chapter 15

October 11, 1811 ~ Netherfield Park

Soon after their party returned home from Lucas Lodge, Darcy bid his sister good night and retired to his own rooms. Weary from pondering this evening’s revelation, he lowered himself into an overstuffed chair near the fire and, in hopes of diverting his thoughts, settled in with a good book. However, no matter how he tried to push it aside, one particular question repeatedly tortured him. He looked up from his book and stared at the fire.

How did Elizabeth know Wickham would be coming to Meryton? She was particularly unwilling to share her source.

As if in answer to his question, a scene from his recent visit to Longbourn replayed in his mind.

When Elizabeth received that letter by messenger, she looked at the direction and quickly pocketed the missive. Her expression was one of mortification and alarm, and she was out of humour for the remainder of the visit.

Even as a youngster, he had been trained by his parents to be suspicious of others’ motives. Before this evening, the same niggling recollection had often come to mind unbidden, and he had always found a way to dismiss her behaviour. But after what Elizabeth had disclosed tonight, he could no longer avoid judging her reaction to the letter.

I thought she was embarrassed that her servant did not know better than to deliver it to her while in company... but perhaps it was much more.

I was the only person near enough to have a good look at it, had I had the inclination, so she must have been hiding it from me. Why? Did she fear that, had I seen it, I would have recognized the handwriting?

Anger welled up within his breast, and he realized that facing his suspicion was now inevitable.

The letter
must
have been from Wickham! I do not wish to believe it, but I can think of no other way she could be so certain of his anticipated arrival at Meryton.

He snapped closed his book. Placing it on the table next to him, Darcy rose and began to pace the room. Bile rose to his throat, and he stopped in his tracks.

Could Elizabeth be foolish enough to have fallen for Wickham? Had she used the stories she had heard from her aunt and uncle, condemning Wickham’s character, only to influence Georgiana without truly believing them herself?

Darcy reached out a hand to the mantelpiece to steady himself.

Wickham has fooled many a person, including my own parents and sister! Can I blame Elizabeth for being taken in, as well?

“Unfortunately, logic does not dictate the yearnings of the heart.” Darcy repeated aloud the words
Elizabeth had voiced at Ramsgate—the same words that had echoed through his thoughts many times since he had first heard them. Up until this moment, he had associated those words only with Georgiana’s infatuation with Wickham, and, ironically, to his own attraction to Elizabeth.

Perhaps she is not blinded to Wickham’s faults after all, yet cannot stop herself from caring for him.
Was this what she truly meant when she uttered those words?

Closing his eyes, Darcy leaned his forehead on the mantelpiece. That Elizabeth would prefer Wickham to himself filled him with jealousy and resentment.

If so, why would she
warn
me he is coming to Meryton?

That thought made him restless, and he again paced the room. Several minutes passed before he stopped at a south-facing window.

I should take Georgiana far away from here and forbid her from corresponding with the Bennets ever again!

A desperate need to protect Elizabeth overcame all other emotions. He sighed heavily, releasing a long, shaky breath.

Elizabeth’s motives are of no consequence when I care too much to leave her open to Wickham’s persuasions.
He shook his head.
I cannot leave her.

Staring out the window towards Longbourn, a mere three miles away, he said aloud, “You were correct, Elizabeth. Logic does not dictate the yearnings of the heart.”

~%~

October 14, 1811~ Netherfield Park

“Oh, Caroline! Do not tell me you have invited them yet
again
!” Louisa whined. “After your last plan ended in failure, I thought you would not attempt it another time.”

“Now, now, Louisa,” said Caroline, holding very still while her maid refreshed her coiffeur. “This is why I did not tell you sooner. You agreed that exposing the Bennets was a good scheme. How was I to guess that their aunt grew up in that little village near Pemberley and Mr. Darcy was already aware of the Bennets’ connexions? One would think if he
knew
, he would have nothing to do with them!” Caroline sighed. “Miss Darcy asked specifically that I invite them to dine today.”

“But
must
you give in to all of Miss Darcy’s whims? I would rather be alone than to spend another afternoon with the Misses Bennet in such a manner. It is bad enough that Miss Darcy barely opens her mouth except to speak of them—why encourage her by inviting them here?”

“Only for now, dear. She needs to see them with us without the distraction of other company so that she can compare their behaviour to our own.” Caroline smiled at herself in her dressing table mirror. “And once I am her brother’s wife, she will have to follow all
my
whims.”

“At least you had the decency to invite them when the gentlemen will be dining at Colonel Forster’s. I do not think I could stand another evening of watching Charles fawn over Miss Bennet,” Louisa replied. “Do you think it is worse this time?”

“What is worse, Louisa?”

“The way Charles behaves towards Miss Bennet—his attentions seem more serious than I have seen with other ladies in the past.”

“The words
Charles
and
serious
should never be used in the same sentence, especially when referring to a lady.” Caroline sniggered. In response to her sister’s worried expression, she continued, “Of course not! Do not be silly. He always
seems
serious in the beginning, but then another pretty lady catches his eye and the former is forgotten. Charles’s infatuation only adds to our list of reasons to get far away from Hertfordshire as quickly as possible. As soon as we are in London, someone else will cause his mind to stray away from Jane Bennet—someone much more suitable, I am sure.”

The maid indicated she was finished. Caroline turned her head, examining her hair from several angles in the mirror. Satisfied, she rose. “We should go down now. There is no sense in being late and risk leaving Georgiana alone with the Bennets—even for a moment!”

~%~

“Poor Mama!” Elizabeth exclaimed as the Bennet carriage pulled away from Longbourn. “Did you see her disappointment when she realized the invitation was addressed to us both?”

Jane’s only answer was a deep blush.

“I do believe that if Papa had two horses suitable for ladies, Mama would have forced us both to ride. The choice seemed quite difficult for her to make, but the notion of what my gown would look like after walking alongside as you rode for three miles was too disturbing to her.” Elizabeth chuckled then looked up at the dark clouds gathering. She cringed as she thought that her mother’s original, unfulfilled plan would probably have been successful in that, most likely, they would have been required to stay the night. “It is a good thing she
did
change her mind, or we would have been soaked through. Even travelling by carriage, I am not at all certain we will arrive at Netherfield before the rain begins.”

The two were quiet for a time before Jane said hesitantly, “Lizzy... I am sorry that Mama continues to speak of Mr. Darcy in such a manner.”

Elizabeth did not remove her gaze from the window on her side of the carriage in an attempt to hide her discomfort at the reminder of their mother’s almost constant prattle. “Yes, she is quite determined that
you
should have Mr. Darcy for your husband.”

~%~

I cannot believe the Bingley sisters persist in this rude way!
Elizabeth muffled a sigh and looked away from Caroline, who was cheerfully grilling Jane about Mr. Gardiner’s business concerns—again.

Elizabeth glanced across the table at Georgiana, who sat between Miss Bingley and Jane, and across from Mrs. Hurst. She wondered if anyone else in attendance had noticed that Georgiana had spoken only once all afternoon, to praise Mrs. Gardiner. The remainder of the day, the poor girl’s countenance had alternated between trying to hide her wide-eyed shock, directed at Mr. Bingley’s sisters, and her apologetic looks were directed at Elizabeth herself. Just now, as she caught Elizabeth’s gaze, Georgiana wore the latter expression.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded slightly.

I am grateful that Georgiana sees the reason behind their efforts, as today’s performance seems to be entirely for Georgie’s benefit. Even Jane must not mistake their intentions this time; she has been in high colour since shortly after we arrived.

Elizabeth turned to her right to gauge Mrs. Younge’s opinion of this interrogation, but, as was more usual than not, the features of Georgiana’s companion betrayed no emotion. Elizabeth returned her attention to her meal in an attempt to keep her promise to Jane and remain civil.

A few moments later, Georgiana exclaimed, “Jane, are you well?”

Elizabeth looked up to find Jane drooping over her plate, her head in her hands. Georgiana slipped her arm around Jane’s shoulders to steady her.

“Jane!” Elizabeth sprang from her chair and rushed around the long table.

“She is burning up!” Georgiana declared, just as Elizabeth reached them.

Jane seemed barely aware of what was going on around her. “Lizzy?” Jane whispered.

“I am here, dear.” Elizabeth could feel her sister’s fever through the material of her dress as she wilted further, leaning into Elizabeth.

“Oh, poor, dear Jane,” Caroline drawled. “Is there anything we may do?”

“Perhaps you should call for their carriage, Caroline,” Mrs. Hurst answered.

As Elizabeth opened her mouth to request that Jane be brought into another room so that she could recline on a sofa, Georgiana responded more sharply than Elizabeth had ever before heard her speak, “You would send Miss Bennet out in this pouring rain?” The young lady then turned to Caroline. “When Mrs. Withersfield fell ill at Darcy House, my brother felt she would catch her death if she stepped out into only the damp night air. He
insisted
she stay with us until she was well enough to be moved.”

Mrs. Hurst huffed audibly.

Elizabeth caught a scowl of displeasure cross Mrs. Younge’s face. Furrowing her brow, Elizabeth dipped a napkin into Jane’s glass, then dabbed at Jane’s temples.
Does she disapprove Mrs. Hurst’s reaction or Georgiana’s speaking up? Or does she suspect Jane of acting a part?

Glancing at Caroline, Elizabeth found a storm brewing behind those pale blue eyes. However reluctant she may have been to have Jane as a guest at Netherfield, Elizabeth felt confident that Caroline would do the right thing in order to impress the Darcys.

Caroline lifted a small bell from the table, and a high-pitched tinkling rang out. The footman stationed behind Caroline’s chair took a step forward in answer to the call. Had Elizabeth’s concern for Jane not been paramount, she would have laughed at the absurdity of the display.

“Miss Bennet is ill. Have a room readied to receive her.”

~%~

“I wish only to be of assistance, Lizzy,” Georgiana said, glancing at Mrs. Younge’s stern visage.

Elizabeth stood by the half-open doorway of Jane’s chamber. “I am sorry, Georgiana, but Mrs. Younge is correct. We cannot allow you to enter unless Mr. Darcy gives his permission. From all that I have heard, even now you are not fully recovered from the influenza of last winter. I will not risk your health by exposing you further to Jane’s illness.” Elizabeth took Georgiana’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I promise to send word of Jane’s condition after the apothecary sees her.”

Georgiana stepped slightly to the left and looked over Elizabeth’s shoulder to where Jane lay in bed. Bowing her head in defeat, Georgiana turned and walked away.

Elizabeth closed the door and approached the bed where Hanna, a maid who had been summoned to assist with Jane’s care, was wiping Jane’s brow with cool water. Hanna said, “I think Miss Bennet’s fever’s still risin’, Miss Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth’s brow furrowed. “Will you continue to sit with Jane for a few minutes? I should write a note to my family. They might be alarmed if they hear that we have sent for Mr. Jones.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Hanna, it is strange hearing you call me
Miss Elizabeth
or
ma’am
—you can call me Lizzy when we are alone. We have known each other forever!”

Hanna’s eyes widened, and she shook her head. “No, ma’am, I can’t. Once I turned old enough to work, my Ma says I always have ta’ talk proper, no matter what!”

Elizabeth smiled. “All right, but I would not take offense if you slipped up from time to time.” Jane moaned, and Elizabeth’s smile disappeared. “I know you will take good care of Jane, Hanna, but I would not feel comfortable leaving her like this.” She walked over to a small table where Hanna had placed the writing supplies and began her letter.