Page 35 of Darcy's Guarded Heart
“But why not, brother? I shall not be alone, and I am almost eighteen.”
“But you are not yet. You are my charge, and I do not know any of the individuals who will be present at this ball.”
“Yes, naturally you do. You know all of the Bennets and Charlotte and Maria Lucas. Pray, if Thomas comes along, then I would have a male companion to look out for me, as well,” she added, unaware this weakened her argument considerably.
Darcy felt a wave of vertigo wash over him as he struggled to suppress his dismay. This was becoming increasingly dire. He should have understood better than to permit his sister to associate with the younger Bennets. He had already harboured concerns, yet the younger ones seemed to lack any semblance of decorum. Even now they bellowed and whopped as they played in a manner unbecoming of young ladies.
“No,” he stated firmly. “It is settled. She shall spend the weekend with me and the Bingleys, and that is final.”
“But brother,” she protested.
“No,” he reiterated, wagging his finger to emphasise his point.
Georgiana dropped her shoulders, shaking her head as she headed back to the shuttlecock field, where she raised her arms and dropped them dramatically.
“Good on you, Darcy! Quite right, indeed. You must not allow her to walk all over you. You may be her brother, yet you remain her guardian. She must respect you.”
“Quite right, Caroline, quite right,” he affirmed.
“I daresay, Mr Darcy,” Caroline continued, “it may be prudent to limit the amount of time your sister spends in the company of the Bennets. Any Bennet, in fact. We would not want her to form too significant an attachment. My father always maintained that a lady’s worth is not solely in her accomplishments, but also in the company she keeps. I was rather disturbed to witness her think nothing of Thomas’s standing.”
Darcy nodded in agreement. His sister was youthful and naïve; he understood this. In order to protect her, he would have to adhere to Caroline’s counsel and keep her away from the Bennets as much as possible.
Chapter Seventeen
Elizabeth
“What a delightful day! What a lovely evening! Indeed, what a grand time we had!” Jane exclaimed as they returned to Longbourn. Mr Bingley’s servants had repaired their carriage, after extricating it from the mire, and it appeared none of its vital components had sustained damage.
“Oh, Jane,” Thomas replied, “I am pleased to hear you feel that way. It certainly appears you had quite the pleasurable experience. And might I add, Mr Bingley seems to have enjoyed himself as well.”
“Indeed,” Jane responded, “even Mr Darcy managed to appear not entirely miserable for a time.”
“Yes, until he took himself off for a promenade with Miss Caroline,” Elizabeth observed. “She seemed rather glum after that. Mr Darcy as well, for he appeared rather downcast.” She had hoped their conversation might continue, but upon his return, he rejoined them and spoke not a word to her, save for a brief farewell as he and Georgiana departed for Netherfield ahead of the others.
“I daresay it is due to Georgiana’s request to attend the ball,” Jane surmised. “Mr Darcy would not allow it.”
“Indeed! I suspect the affair does not suit his tastes,” Thomas remarked. “I doubt he wishes for his sister to associate with common folk.”
“We are equal in standing to the Darcys,” Elizabeth protested. “Our father is a gentleman, just as Mr Darcy is. In fact, we outrank the Bingleys,” she added, and Thomas nodded in agreement.
“Indeed, your father is a gentleman. But as for mine, I am uncertain. He may very well be a stable boy, a tradesman, or a sailor,” he remarked with a shrug.
“None who value you would concern themselves with your father’s station,” Jane countered.
“Mr Darcy does,” Thomas pointed out. “Lizzy appears to have risen in his estimation but not I.”
“Yet his sister does,” Jane said with a smile, but Thomas scowled.
“That matters not at all. I believe it is Mr Darcy’s sudden change in mood that stems from this incident, and not to mention that Miss Caroline is not one to elevate the spirits of her company.”
Elizabeth could not restrain a snicker, whilst Jane emitted a disgruntled huff, evidently protective of the woman who might soon become her sister-in-law.
“If her remarks to Mr Darcy at the Meryton assembly serve as any indication,” Elizabeth remarked, “I must concur with Thomas.
“Well, whatever the situation may entail, Mr Darcy may have succeeded in preventing his sister from attending our ball, but there will soon be a dance at Netherfield.”
“There will?” Jane exclaimed, curious.
