Page 41 of Saving Jane
Blushing, Elizabeth thought that Mr Darcy’s face reflected pleasure hearing Jane’s words.
“And brother, this is Elizabeth’s next younger sister, Mary. We have been speaking of music and problems with fingering through the same pieces.”
“Miss Mary, I am pleased to make your acquaintance though I believe Georgiana plans a complete concert with you this afternoon.”
“It is very nice to meet you Mr Darcy,” Mary replied turning back to Georgiana.
“And where are your mother and other sister?” he asked.
Elizabeth smiled politely when she said, “They are out making calls. My aunt gave them new gowns for Christmas and my mother wanted to display them for our Aunt Phillips who lives in Meryton.”
“I am sorry to miss the introduction,” Mr Darcy replied politely though from Elizabeth’s comments, he had expected them to be less than properly behaved. “And will you remain in Hertfordshire for the winter Miss Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth replied honestly when she said, “I do not know sir. If I can guard my tongue regarding Mr Collins and my parents forcing my sister to accept his marriage proposal, I may be permitted to remain. However, it is more likely that I shall express my opinions too strongly, pique my mother’s temper and once again be exiled to Grace Church Street.”
“And our company is a great punishment...” Aunt Gardiner commented dryly making Elizabeth laugh.
“Mr Darcy,” said Uncle Gardiner. “Come sir, I must make one more introduction.”
Elizabeth turned toward the door to find her perplexed father standing in the hallway, but Mr Gardiner smiled and led Darcy over.
“Gardiner, I did not know we were to have company this afternoon,” Mr Bennet said.
“Brother, I would like to introduce you to one of the brightest young men in the kingdom, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy of Derbyshire,” said Mr Gardiner before he turned to Darcy and continued. “Mr Darcy, may I introduce you to my brother, Thomas Bennet, master of Longbourn.”
“I have many connections to Mr Darcy with my business and Elizabeth has formed a great friendship with his sister, Miss Darcy. And as he and his sister were headed north to Derbyshire today, Mrs Gardiner and I invited them to stop on their journey and refresh themselves with tea and conversation.”
Extending his hand, the young man shook hands with Mr Bennet as Mrs Hill brought in tea and Mrs Gardiner took command, directing her nieces and guests to chairs, placing Mr Darcy between Elizabeth and her father, with Mr Gardiner on the other side of Mr Bennet and Georgiana on the other side of Elizabeth. Mary and Jane served the tea, tarts and biscuits as the assembled family and friends began an animated discussion on the war with the French and the resulting impact on trade, the roads north of Hertfordshire, and the length of the coming winter.
~~}{~~
Darcy had been nervous during the trip from London though Georgiana had laughed and chattered most of the distance, pleased to be on the way to see her friend and excited to be in league with her brother as well as Mr and Mrs Gardiner in planning to surprise Elizabeth.
“Do you think she will be at home? She may be walking, and we shall miss her completely.”
Georgiana thought for a moment and then answered her own question, “No, Mrs Gardiner is a sensible woman, and she will have found a way to keep Elizabeth at home.”
“What do you think her sisters are like?” she asked without waiting for her brother to answer. “Shall I play on the pianoforte if they ask?”
Suddenly Darcy chuckled and then laughed aloud, smiling at the perplexed look on his sister’s face. He hugged her close for a moment and said, “Miss Bennet has certainly helped you find your voice.”
“Elizabeth is a very accomplished woman, brother. I hope to be just like her someday,” Georgiana said most seriously. “And please remember you must smile and talk with everyone. It is important her parents like us so that she can visit me at Pemberley next summer.”
“Pemberley?” Darcy asked. “Would you like Miss Bennet to visit with us next summer?”
Smiling slyly, Georgiana said, “Yes, next summer for certain. And one more thing William; today you must call the young lady ‘Miss Elizabeth’. At home her older sister Jane is ‘Miss Bennet’ and so today, even a gentleman may call her by her given name.”
Darcy blushed under his young sister’s smiling gaze but rather than tease, she merely leaned in and returned his hug as they passedthrough Meryton.
~~}{~~
“And when you read the classics, had you mastered Latin?” Mr Bennet asked his young visitor.
“Indeed sir. My professor Daniel Carson demanded we read in Latin and translate into English line by line.”
“Bah, the line translations ruin the work,” Mr Bennet said to dismiss the notion of reading a work of literature one line at a time. “I knew Carson in school, and he never appreciated any book as a whole. He dissected Shakespeare to the point the letters fell off the page.”
Darcy laughed and asked Mr Bennet for his impressions of Mr Johnson’s writings while Elizabeth and Georgiana began a discussion of Macbeth that soon pulled in Mr Bennet and Mr Darcy.”
