Page 41 of Darcy's Guarded Heart
Chapter Twenty
Darcy
Darcy re-entered Netherfield with a significantly altered disposition. He had maintained a solid exterior throughout the day, his thoughts distracted by the anniversary of his father’s death. What had troubled him even more was his initial belief that Georgiana had forgotten the significance of this day, as she had not mentioned it at all.
To his relief, when he finally broached the subject, she revealed that she had not forgotten; rather, she assumed he had let it slip his mind. Once they both realised their actions stemmed from a place of thoughtfulness towards each other, they spent the morning reminiscing about their father. This proved a comfort to him, but as evening approached and his sister departed to prepare for the ball alongside Caroline and Louisa, a sense of melancholy returned.
Even all these years later, Darcy could not shake the deep, aching sense of loss. The merriment within the halls of Netherfield did not aid his poor mood in the least. Thus, he resolved to take a walk, as such contemplations sometimes assisted him; however, on this occasion, it did not.
As he made his way to the stables—a refuge he often found comforting due to the presence of horses—he suddenly spotted Elizabeth. Hurrying down the path from Netherfield towards the Bennet carriage, she looked both graceful and striking.
He debated with himself whether to approach her, torn between the desire to continue their acquaintance and the resolve to maintain his distance for Georgiana’s sake. Ultimately, his longing for her companionship triumphed, and he stepped from the shadows to greet her.
As they conversed, he searched for something amiss in her countenance—a flaw to justify maintaining his distance. Yet, he found nothing wanting. Elizabeth was kind and compassionate, and he was pleased to discover yet more common interests between them.
As he climbed the steps to Netherfield, reminiscing about their conversation, he shook his head in despair. It was hopeless whenever he was near Elizabeth. All he wished was for their interaction to be prolonged, to engage with her further. But he was acutely aware that such a path would lead to no good.
As he entered the house, the scent of beeswax candles filled the air, mingling with the sounds of music, chatter, and the rhythm of feet dancing across the floor. Upon entering the ballroom, he spotted Bingley dancing the quadrille with Jane Bennet, while Mrs Hurst twirled with a gentleman Darcy did not recognise, and Mr Collins amusingly danced with Mrs Bennet, who did not look the least bit pleased.
Elizabeth, who had departed the stables before him in order to ensure there was no impropriety should they be seen together, was standing with her father now.
Darcy was walking to the refreshment room for a glass of wine when Caroline hastened towards him, adorned in a striking canary yellow gown with ruffled sleeves and a sparkling silver sash designed to attract attention to her figure. A similar sashwas placed in her hair, catching the candlelight as she moved beneath the chandelier.
“Mr Darcy, there you are! I have been looking for you,” she said.
With a sigh, he turned to her, assuming she was in want of a dance partner. “I was merely taking the air, Miss Bingley. At present, I do not feel inclined to dance.”
“Oh! I sought you not for a dance partner—I have plenty. I wished to alert you to your sister’s predicament.”
His heart sank at her words. “My sister’s predicament? Pray, what do you mean?”
“Your sister has been a source of excitement. She has just come downstairs, and at once she and her companions—the youngest Bennets—have made quite the spectacle, throwing themselves at officers and giggling. Well, you must see for yourself!” She gestured towards the adjoining room, where parlour games had been set up.
Darcy frowned. “Surely there is nothing wrong with a parlour game or two; we play them at all balls.”
“Indeed, there is nothing wrong with parlour games,” Caroline said with a dismissive air, “but the manner in which they have been carrying on is truly beyond the pale. Mr Darcy, you must accompany me and witness it for yourself.”
He took a deep breath, glancing over towards Elizabeth once more. She smiled at him, and he reluctantly returned the expression, yet the anticipation of what he would witness in the next room clouded any joy he felt in seeing her.
Following Caroline into what was usually the music room, he discovered it had been transformed into a space for various parlour games. In one corner, a table lay abandoned, remnants of a game ofBullet Puddingstill visible. A dusting of flour covered the floor, though it appeared a maid was just entering to sweep it up.
A crowd had gathered around another table, and to Darcy’s surprise, he saw Georgiana standing with Lydia and Kitty Bennet alongside several officers. Gratefully, Wickham was not among them, yet unease washed over him as he pressed forward to glimpse the game.
To his shock and discomfort, he found a game of ‘Snapdragon’ in progress. Georgiana was engaged in snatching raisins from a burning spirit, her laughter ringing out louder than etiquette would permit. Lydia’s boisterous encouragement filled his ears, urging Georgiana to attempt again. “Get another! You can do it!” Lydia cheered, and Georgiana’s gleeful shout of, “Oh no, I’ve burnt myself!” did little to quell Darcy’s growing disquiet.
“Do not be so silly, it is but a small burn,” Catherine Bennet urged, as Darcy moved closer, ready to intervene.
“Mr Danny, will you take a look at Georgiana’s hand? Let us ensure she does not have a burn that requires medical attention.”
“Let me see, Miss Darcy,” the officer named Danny said and took her hand. He looked at her hand, dipped his head from left to right. “It does not look serious at all, Miss Darcy. I shall heal it at once,” he declared and raised it to his mouth as though he were about to kiss the perceived burn.
“Georgiana Darcy,” he called, and at once the officer dropped her hand, a red hue creeping over his face while his sister turned towards him.
“Fitzwilliam, there you are. You must come and join us for this game. It is such fun,” she said, apparently entirely unaware of how inappropriate her actions had been.
“I think not, Georgiana. And I think you’ve had quite enough entertainment for one evening,” he said with a stern tone. “Come with me please.”
“But—”
