Page 19 of Saving Jane
“William!” Miss Darcy exclaimed and rose from the chair to embrace her brother. “I thought you were leaving for Bath for a week.”
The man frowned and paused; Elizabeth wondered if he was contriving an excuse for his sister to explain his change of plans.
“The business in Bath has come to town–there is no reason for me to leave you alone.”
“I am glad,” Georgiana said. “I do miss you when you are gone. But today Miss Bennet has been talking about sewing and lessons. Brother, if you cannot find another lady’s companion for me, can you find me a language master–Miss Bennet’s French is much better than my own and I must improve.”
Elizabeth grinned at Georgiana and Mr Darcy noted the pleasant sparkles in her fine eyes yet again.
“Thank you for spurring my sister’s desire to continue her lessons,” Mr Darcy told their guest.
“You are welcome, Mr Darcy though you may reconsider your thanks when I say that I shall encourage her to read Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. I think the comedies would be good fare and we can discuss them at length.”
Glancing at his sister, Darcy nodded his head once toward Elizabeth. “The comedies perhaps but no tragedies; I do not want her to read of doomed lovers or insane princes.”
“Ah, Mr Darcy, you have sealed your fate,” Elizabeth sighed with great dramatic effect. “Nothing spurs a young woman’s interest more than her guardian’s admonition to avoid Hamlet, or Romeo and Juliet.”
Mr Darcy looked at his sister who bowed her head once more. “Georgiana, I ask that you begin with the comedies. After we have discussed them, then you may read the tragedies.”
Raising her head and smiling, Georgiana nodded. “As you wish, brother. What should I read first?”
“I recommend ‘Much Ado About Nothing’,” Elizabeth suggested. “It is my favourite.”
Darcy grinned and the pleasant transformation of his face left Elizabeth blushing. “My favourite is ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream’. But begin with Miss Bennet’s selection, Georgie. We three can discuss the play one afternoon next week.”
“Certainly brother,” Georgiana agreed and grinned at Elizabeth.
“Now if you ladies will excuse me, I must see to business letters.”
“Thank you, brother.”
Elizabeth curtsied but remained quiet. The gentleman’s presence and voice affected her in unusual ways that afternoon.
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The two young ladies settled into a comfortable pattern; Elizabeth would spend one day with her aunt in activities at Grace Church Street and with her uncle’s trade activities in his warehouses–her interest in the cargos from around the world lead to a thousand questions that began to infect young Edward. Together with Mrs Gardiner, Elizabeth and Edward used the cargo manifests for numbers practice in the evenings, occasionally bringing discrepancies to Uncle Gardiner’s attention.
On alternate days, Elizabeth attended Georgiana with music lessons and reading–a pleasant way to pass rainy afternoons in autumn. The pattern of meeting every other day proved a comfortable routine for the two ladies. They both read Shakespeare and discussed their reading in addition to practicing music on the pianoforte. And whenever he was in the great house, Mr Darcy joined them at teatime to discuss the reading or to listen to them play on the pianoforte.
“I am pleased that William joined us again this afternoon,” Georgiana observed at the end of one of Elizabeth’s visits. “I learn a great deal listening to the two of you debate motives and actions. Usually, my brother never spends this much time with my guests.”
“He wants to make certain that I am not a bad influence on you.”
Laughing Georgiana added, “I do not thinkthat is the reason.”
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Chapter 8.Miss Bingley’s Friendly Call
One afternoon, Elizabeth and Georgiana enjoyed tea after practicing on the pianoforte when the Darcy butler, Mr Jones, came in the parlour and announced, “Miss Caroline Bingley.”
Elizabeth watched as a tall, elegantly dressed woman swept into the music room and her mind focused on the bright silk gown, a material that would be very hard to clean and with wear in the middle of the day, unlikely to last long. The turban included feathers–another expense that would require replenishment at regular intervals. She wondered,‘With her blond hair and fair complexion, the lady would have been more attractive in pale blue muslin in the middle of the afternoon...’before she returned to the conversation.
“...it has been too long since we have been in company, dear Miss Darcy! How have your lessons progressed? I know you mastered the Mozart I sent you last Christmas.”
Elizabeth observed the new visitor carry the conversation without pause and their hostess retreat into her shy past behaviours with no opportunity to introduce the original guest. Then Miss Bingley asked a new question that captured Elizabeth’s attention.
“And where is Mr Darcy? It has been too long since I saw him last. He has hidden himself away this fall–does he still hide behind his business letters like my brother Charles?”
