Page 45 of Darcy's Guarded Heart
“You are forgiven, but for what, I do not know. You like her. She likes you. There is nothing wrong with that.”
Thomas groaned. “There is everything wrong with that. I know that you adore me, but it makes you sometimes forget who I am. I am nobody… I have nothing. I could never offer someone like Georgiana Darcy the life that she deserves!”
“Maybe the life she deserves is one of happiness at the side of somebody who admires her,” Elizabeth proposed. “And if that is you, then that is you.”
“You know, as well as I do, that it would never be accepted. Her grandfather was an earl. Her uncle is an earl now.”
“And so? There have been grand stories such as this. Rules that have been broken many times. Look at King Henry VIII, he married his brother’s widow! It was a scandal at the time, and yet…”
Thomas laughed. “And yet she found herself divorced in rather rapid fashion, living a miserable life thereafter andproducing a miserable daughter who slaughtered countless innocents on account of religion.”
“Very well, Elizabeth Woodville, then. Her family was middle rank when she wed Edward IV.”
“The fact that you must look to the medieval era to find examples, should prove my point. Besides, the examples you gave show powerful men marrying woman of less than ideal standing. In our case, the roles are reversed.”
She sighed dramatically. “Goodness gracious, Thomas! Are you so determined to be unhappy?”
He lowered his voice. “I am not determined to be unhappy. I am determined to not get myself and your family into any trouble. In any case, Mr Darcy would never allow it. He would never allow Georgiana and me to be alone in a room together, let alone anything else.”
Elizabeth crossed her arms. “Mr Darcy is quite a miserable man. I had wished to see more in him, to see good in him, but the way he has acted tonight makes me think that perhaps I was wrong. And yet—” she waved her arm. She wasn’t even certain anymore what she felt or thought. Exhaustion and wine were clouding her judgement.
“Now of all times,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I wish it were not so complicated. I wish Georgiana were of common birth then perhaps I would be considered suitable, but that cannot be helped. I shall put her out of my mind.”
“Not so fast. Do you not think the lady deserves a say? Let me issue another invitation to Miss Darcy to come visit us for tea. Lydia already invited her once. If she comes, if she visits us, we will see what becomes of it.”
Thomas sighed and nodded. “Very well. I already know better than to argue with you, Elizabeth. Whenever you are determined that something should come to pass, you always find a way to make it so.”
“Indeed,” Elizabeth said with a grin as she bade him goodnight and made her way back to her room. But sleep eluded her for some time as she was occupied with replaying a conversation with Mr Darcy in her mind over and over. If only he could understand her. If only he would allow her to understand him.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Elizabeth
“Oh, you must take another scone, Miss Darcy,” Mrs Bennet said two days later, as they were all gathered around the table in the dining room. “Hill made them special. And they go so well with the tea. Ah, we must have more tea as well!”
“Oh, I couldn’t, Mrs Bennet. I’ve had two already. If I have another, I shall simply burst!” Georgiana said and placed one hand on her stomach. Indeed, Elizabeth did not blame her. From the moment she had arrived an hour and a half ago until now, Mrs Bennet had refilled her tea and her plate multiple times, for in addition to scones there were assorted sweetmeats, rolls, and many other items loaded upon the table.
“Very well,” Mrs Bennet replied. “We wouldn’t want that! But surely you will take some back with you to Netherfield. Mr Bingley will certainly enjoy them. You can tell him Jane’s help has been invaluable.”
“Did you bake these, Jane?” she said, and looked at Jane, who shook her head.
“These hands did not touch any flour,” Jane said. “My mother likes to make me sound more industrious than I am.”
“Nonsense,” Mrs Bennet interrupted. “You picked the raspberries last summer. That is essential for raspberry jam.”
“Your mother is quite right,” Georgiana said, and Mrs Bennet beamed.
“You see? Miss Darcy agrees with me.”
Elizabeth shook her head and went over to Georgiana while Mrs Bennet bustled out of the room in search of more tea. “You mustn’t mind my mother,” she said.
“She is lovely,” Georgiana replied. “Your house is charming, and the tea was delightful. And the company as well,” she added, but this time she had raised her eyes to Thomas, who was sitting diagonally across from her. He smiled at her.
“We are grateful to have your company, Miss Darcy,” he said because Mrs Bennet had chided the assembled group when Georgiana first arrived and they’d called her by her first name. No amount of assurances had convinced Mrs Bennet to switch to the informal form of address and thus, Miss Darcy she was—unless Mrs Bennet was not near enough to hear.
“Faith! I should look in on Mrs Annesley,” Georgiana said. “I think your mother mentioned that she was with the other servants in the kitchen.” She then looked once again at Thomas. “Would you mind showing me how to get there? She wasn’t feeling well this morning, and I felt terrible making her come with me.”
“Of course,” Thomas replied and offered his arm. Together, they went out.
