Page 94 of A Most Beloved Sister
She did not get a chance to ask his meaning, as they had arrived at their destination. A young woman sat at the piano, engrossed in a melody. Darcy led Elizabeth into the room and cleared his throat, causing the girl’s hands to immediately stop their movement. Her back, however, remained facing the newcomers.
“Georgiana, dear, I would like to introduce you to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Miss Bennet, this is my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy.”
“Miss Darcy, I am so pleased to finally meet you at last. I have heard much about you.” Elizabeth gave a curtsy, even though she knew it would not be seen.
“Ello.”
The voice was very quiet—so soft that Elizabeth almost couldn’t hear it. She let go of Darcy’s arm and took a few steps closer until she was at the girl’s side.
“This is a beautiful instrument you have here! I don’t believe I’ve ever seen anything so fine.” She placed a hand gently on one of the keys, stroking the ivory.
“Y vrother gave it to ee.”
“That was very generous of him! I admit to being quite envious. I have only four sisters, you see, and no brothers.”
“I alvays vanted a sister.” Georgiana’s face was still bowed down towards the piano, her long hair falling forward to hide her face from view.
Elizabeth sat on the piano bench next to her. “Well, I am always willing to share one of mine at any time you would like. I must warn you, however, that they are prone to taking ribbons without asking and always finding my hidden stash.”
Georgiana let out a startled giggle, and her surprise caused her to instinctively look up at Elizabeth. Knowing this was the moment that would forever determine her relationship with this girl, Elizabeth forced herself to keep a pleasant look on her face, no matter how much she wished to wince in sympathy when she saw the thick, red scars above Georgiana’s mouth extending into her nose.
For the younger girl’s part, when she realized she had shown herself, she gasped and buried her face in her hands. Elizabeth tsked and reached forward, pulling Georgiana’s hands from her face. Cupping Georgiana’s chin with one hand, Elizabeth lifted the younger girl’s head until she was looking at Elizabeth directly through tear-filled eyes.
“My dear Miss Darcy, you have no reason on earth to hide from me. You are beautiful.”
At this, Georgiana burst into heaving sobs and threw herself into Elizabeth’s arms. Surprised, Elizabeth almost lost her balance and would have toppled herself, Georgiana, and the bench over onto the floor had Darcy not instantly been at Elizabeth’s side to steady her. Thanks to his large hand on her back, she was able to place her arms around the weeping girl, holding her and stroking her hair while murmuring soft words of comfort.
After a quarter of an hour, Georgiana’s cries faded into soft whimpers and the occasional hiccup. At last, Elizabeth helped the girl sit back and mop her face with a handkerchief. “Therenow. Does that feel better?” Georgiana nodded shyly, and Elizabeth said, “I find that sometimes when I have so many emotions inside of me, I need a good, long cry to help get it all out.”
This was said more for Darcy’s benefit, as he was still standing next to the piano bench, hovering worriedly over the two ladies. He relaxed and nodded his gratitude in response.
At his movement, Georgiana looked around, and for the first time, she noticed that there were other people present in the room. She tried to hide her face from Jamie and Penny, but Elizabeth once again pulled the girl’s fingers from her face before saying, “Jamie, Penny, could you both come here, please?”
Georgiana watched with wide eyes as Jamie limped over to the piano, following behind Penny. “I know it typically isn’t done,” Elizabeth said, “but I hope you will indulge me for a moment. I would like you to first meet Jamie.”
As Elizabeth shared Jamie’s story, Georgiana peered at him through wide eyes and long eyelashes. When the tale was finished, Elizabeth then turned to Penny. “This is Penny. Her family are tenants on my father’s estate, Longbourn. When your brother asked if I would like to meet you, I sent for Penny and asked if she would be my lady’s maid for the remainder of my stay in London.”
Penny gave Georgiana a friendly smile, who cautiously returned it. Elizabeth continued, “Penny, could you tell Georgiana a bit about your younger sister, Polly?”
Darcy gave a small start at this, and Elizabeth glanced over at him with a quick smile and a wink. He grinned at her, revealing for the first time a very attractive dimple on his right cheek. The sight made her feel a tad lightheaded, and when she finally regained her senses, Penny had begun explaining about her younger sister who was also born with a harelip.
“There are other eeple like ee?” Georgiana asked in amazement.
“Oh, yes,” Elizabeth said. “I will be truthful and say that most who are your age do not have scars as thick or dark as yours, but that is because their mouths were repaired as babies. But not all are able to be fixed entirely. I have seen children here in London who have splits not just on the lip, but also inside the mouth on the top. I believe it’s one of the most common problems that children are born with, at least as far as I can tell.”
“Can I eet one?”
Elizabeth exchanged glances with Darcy. “As of right now, there aren’t any children at the disabilities home that have a harelip. I can, however, speak with my aunt and see if she knows of someone who has perhaps taken a position nearby. Or,” Elizabeth hesitated, now not daring to look at Darcy again, “if you ever happen to come to Hertfordshire, I am certain we can arrange for you to meet Polly. She is too young to come to London right now, of course.”
The young girl’s shoulders fell, and Elizabeth sought to turn the conversation to something else. “Now, what was that beautiful piece you were playing when I came? I don’t see any sheet music here, and I didn’t recognize the melody.”
Georgiana’s eyes lit up. “Oh! It is by Ludvig von Veethoven! The fiece is Sonata für das Hammerklavier, or Fiano Sonata Numfer 24. Some feople say it is calledÀ Thérèsebecause Herr Veethoven dedicated it to his student, Countess Thérèse von Vrunsvick, vut…”
The two young ladies spent the next hour discussing piano music. Elizabeth was extremely impressed, not only by the younger girl’s incredible talent on the piano itself, but also her knowledge about composers, music pieces and their history, and music theory.
At last, the visit came to an end, but not before the two new friends were on a first-name basis. Georgiana gave Elizabeth a fierce hug in farewell. “Vill you come vack, Lizzy?”
Over Georgiana’s head, Elizabeth looked at Darcy, who gave a tiny nod. “Of course, dear Georgiana,” she answered, pouring all her emotions into the tight embrace.
