The Road to Pemberley (6 page)

Finally, he released her. Scrambling to his knees, Darcy patted her legs and back with the burned cloak before he rolled her over. “Tell me you are well,” he pleaded as he pushed the loose hair from her face. Before she could respond, Darcy clutched her to him. Then he rocked her in his arms. Fear drained from him as he held her. “Oh, my God, Elizabeth,” he said. “Oh, darling.”

She sobbed and clung to him. “Thank you,” she said shakily.

Bingley and Jane made their way through the onlookers. Jane stroked her sister's hair, but Darcy refused to release Elizabeth. “Lizzy, are you burned?” Jane asked.

Elizabeth shook her head, and Darcy reached to cover her exposed leg. “Let us take you home,” he whispered. “Bingley, would you bring the carriage around?”

“Certainly, Darcy.” Bingley moved away quickly.

“Miss Bennet, might your sister use your cloak until we reach the coach?”

Jane nodded and hurried to retrieve her wrap. Although many onlookers remained, Darcy whispered to his intended, “Tell me the truth. Are you burned? Your legs? Anywhere?”

She looked up at him. “Maybe…a bit on my calf.”

“Is that all?” She nodded and buried her face in his cravat. “You saved me again.”

Darcy swallowed hard. “I do not object to seeing to your safety, but I could do without the fear coursing through me.” He helped her up. “Should we summon a physician?”

“I would hate to draw Dr. Potier from the festivities.” She took the handkerchief that he offered and wiped her face.

“Maybe it would be better if the gentleman saw to your needs before we returned to Longbourn,” he suggested.

Elizabeth gave him a half smile. “If you insist, sir.”

Darcy breathed easier. “What? No argument?” he teased.

“I believe you have earned an evening away from my sharp tongue.”

Jane returned with her cloak. “Here, Lizzy,” she said as she wrapped it about Elizabeth's shoulders.

“Miss Elizabeth?” a voice came behind them. “I apologize. My hand slipped.” Bryson Lucas was pale with horror.

“It is fine, Bryson,” she assured him. “It was not your fault.”

Darcy touched the boy's shoulder. “How about finding Dr. Potier for Miss Elizabeth? Tell him to meet us at his office.”

“Right away, sir.” The boy pushed his way through the crowd.

“I have her, Miss Bennet.” Darcy caught Elizabeth's arm to support her weight. “Why do you not join Bingley in the coach. I will see to Elizabeth.”

“It is as if it were made for you,” Georgiana Darcy said as Elizabeth modeled the new cloak.

Darcy looked on, agreeing silently with his sister's sentiments. He had known how the cloak's color would emphasize the green of Elizabeth's hazel eyes. The fur-trimmed hood and wood toggle clasps picked up the mahogany highlights of her hair.

“Do you like it, Fitzwilliam?” Elizabeth asked as she turned slowly for his review.

He smiled seductively. “Absolutely. Georgiana has an astute eye for fashion.”

Georgiana's face reflected her happiness. She and Darcy had called at Longbourn so that she could renew her acquaintance with Elizabeth. In Lambton, Georgiana had taken an instant liking to Elizabeth Bennet, and Miss Elizabeth's unexpected withdrawal due to pressing family business had come as a disappointment. “I am far from fashion conscious, Brother. Do not tease me,” the girl warned charmingly. Then she handed Elizabeth another small package. “This one is from me. Welcome to the family, Miss Elizabeth.”

“Oh, you should not have!” she gasped but took the bundle wrapped in brown paper and loosened the string. New leather gloves, the exact color of the cloak's trim, were revealed. “They are perfect, Miss Darcy.” Tears misted Elizabeth's eyes.

“Please.” The girl took both of Elizabeth's hands in hers. “You must call me Georgiana. We are to be sisters. May I call you Elizabeth?”

Elizabeth smiled brightly and then gave Georgiana a spontaneous hug. “Of course, you may call me Elizabeth. I am so pleased that you will be part of my new family. Leaving all my dear sisters behind will be a sorrow to me. We shall be close friends, Georgiana.”

Darcy breathed a sigh of relief. It had been his wish from the beginning for Elizabeth and Georgiana to be friends. His sister had suffered too many years on her own. He had tried to be available for her, but with a twelve-year difference in age, Darcy often felt more like Georgiana's father than her brother. Elizabeth was but four years Georgiana's senior. He motioned to the chairs so they might spend time together. “How is your leg today?” he asked when they were settled.

“A bit sore, but it shall heal.” Elizabeth poured tea. “Thank you, sir.”

Georgiana said, “It was such a shock.” The girl shook her head. “I could not believe it when Fitzwilliam told me what happened. You were so fortunate.”

“Good fortune comes in the form of your brother,” Elizabeth said evenly.

He accepted a cup of tea. “Miss Elizabeth has had an unusual week. I pray that such unusualness is not repeated.” A slight grimace crossed Elizabeth's face.

Elizabeth turned the conversation to Georgiana's current studies and trip from London. Then the other unmarried Bennet sisters—all of whom still lived at Longbourn—returned, chattering and with flushed cheeks, from a walk. Elizabeth introduced Georgiana to Jane, Mary, and Kitty. Happily, Fitzwilliam's sister and Kitty became friendly quickly, as Kitty asked Georgiana's advice on Kitty's latest design. Even Mary took the time to share her music.

“I have never seen my sister converse so readily with strangers,” Darcy noted as he and Elizabeth sat together in the drawing room. Although the door remained open, no one thought to chaperone them. He had captured her hand.

“Miss Darcy has probably never been in a house full of girls, all about her own age. Georgiana knows music and art and fashion,
but the girls in the Bennet household know what it means to be a sister. It will do Miss Darcy well to be among other young women,” Elizabeth assured him.

Darcy doubted that Georgiana would learn anything of merit from Elizabeth's younger sisters. Mary lacked any social skills, and Kitty was silly. Darcy would prefer that Georgiana associate with Miss Jane Bennet or Elizabeth—and even his betrothed had conducted herself poorly of late. “My sister has been sheltered, but I would not say it has been to Georgiana's deficit. She shall make a gentleman a fine wife when she makes her come out.”

“You think to bring Miss Darcy out soon?”

“I do.”

Elizabeth paused. “As your wife, shall I be involved?”

“Most certainly. As Mrs. Darcy, you will give Georgiana credibility,” he assured her.

Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. “How might I do that, Fitzwilliam? As you have pointed out previously, I am not a pillar of society. I grieve for providing you moments of concern, but I would know true remorse if I did something that reflected poorly on Georgiana.”

Despite his conscience telling him not to criticize, he said softly, “Then perhaps we need to reexamine some of your actions of late.”

Although she did not raise her voice, Elizabeth's face displayed her instant anger. “I held the belief, sir, that you had fallen in love with me because you admired my liveliness. Is that not what you told me only a fortnight ago?”

“Actually, I said that I admired you for the liveliness of your mind,” he modified.

“And I insisted that you were always noble and just, and that in your heart you thoroughly despised the persons who so assiduously courted you, and you, sir, never corrected me.”

Darcy stiffened. It was to be another argument. “Did I not praise your affectionate behavior to Miss Bennet while she lay ill at Netherfield?”

“Yes, I placed my good qualities under your protection, as I recall.” She turned her back on him. “I told you that you had my permission to exaggerate my good qualities as much as possible. I did not realize at the time that my caring for Jane was my only quality of merit worth recognizing.”

A shiver ran down his spine. “And you were to find occasions for teasing and quarreling with me as often as you deemed necessary. Is this how our life is to be, Elizabeth? Sniping at each other over minor details?”

Where do we go from here?
Darcy asked himself. Neither Darcy nor Elizabeth enjoyed what their relationship had become, and, as was his nature, Darcy blamed himself for making Elizabeth unhappy. He hated that they were at loggerheads. If her family possessed a larger fortune, possibly Elizabeth would understand his sense of duty. “If only Mr. Bennet had not neglected his duties,” Darcy muttered as he stared out the Netherfield library window. “Or if I had less than Pemberley.” With a sigh of exasperation, he exited the room to find his sister in Bingley's music room.

The household expected the arrival of Bingley's sister later in the day—something that Darcy dreaded. He had fended off Caroline Bingley's manipulations for the past few years, and knew she would verbally attack Elizabeth. His and Elizabeth's courtship was under enough stress.

“Mesmerizing,” he said as his sister finished playing. He had stood in the doorway and listened. It was a brief moment of peace in the past few days' chaos.

Georgiana looked up at him, her eyes dancing. “I did not see you, Fitzwilliam.”

He entered slowly. “You, my dear, were too involved in the music's glory to know anyone else existed.”

“It is a bad habit of mine.” Georgiana stood to greet him.

“I came to inquire whether you were to spend the afternoon with the Bennets. If so, I will happily drive you to Longbourn.” He caught Georgiana's hand.

She slid an arm about his waist. “You simply wish an excuse to see Miss Elizabeth,” she chided him good-naturedly.

Darcy kissed her forehead. “I may have an ulterior motive.”

“You really love her. Miss Elizabeth, I mean,” Georgiana blurted out.

Darcy paused, unsure about expressing personal feelings to his younger sister. “I hold the lady in the highest regard.”

“Oh, Fitzwilliam. Say what you mean. Maybe not to me, but to Miss Elizabeth.”

“Are you offering me advice on love? Since when does an innocent know about love?” he returned a little too sharply.

Georgiana blushed, but she did not turn away, something he deduced that she had learned from Elizabeth. Even though his sister had known Miss Elizabeth for only a few short months, Darcy could observe his intended's influence on Georgiana; and, surprisingly, he considered it for the best. “Tr-True, I have never known love,” she stammered. “But I know what a woman wants to hear from
the gentleman she holds in the highest regard
.”

“I will not discuss this topic further,” he reprimanded her. “Shall you call on the Bennets or not? With the arrival of Bingley's
family, I suspect our evening will be taken up with Miss Bingley's conversation.”

“I shall call on Miss Elizabeth.”

“Then I will have the curricle brought around.”

Darcy started to find a servant, but Georgiana's soft voice held him in place. “Thank you, Fitzwilliam, for not bringing Miss Bingley or someone like her to Pemberley as my sister.”

Darcy turned slowly to her. “Whatever could you mean, Georgiana? I realize Miss Bingley's behavior can at times be calculating. But she is, in fact, a fine lady, not deficient in good humor. She is handsome and was educated in one of the first private seminaries in London. Miss Bingley is from a highly respectable family in the north of England. You could learn a great deal from the lady, especially as your come out approaches.”

Copying one of Elizabeth's habits, Georgiana bit her bottom lip. “I agree with your assessment of Miss Bingley, Brother. It was for a more selfish reason that I spoke.”

“Explain, Georgiana.”

Her chin rose in defiance, and Darcy wondered if that, too, was a lesson his sister had learned from Elizabeth. “Miss Bingley could teach me how to negotiate the ton; I have no doubt of that fact. However, when I consider the possibility of your marrying…of your placing a woman in my sister's role…I would hope that you would choose a woman who existed in her own right. I am a selfish being; I would prefer that you marry a woman who would allow me to share your attentions. I have no other family; I would be devastated to lose you and Pemberley. I cannot imagine that Miss Bingley would tolerate my presence at Pemberley.”

“And you believe that Miss Elizabeth is the superior choice for this reason?” he said.

“You would not have chosen the lady if Miss Elizabeth were not the superior option, and I do not have to tell you that your intended would accept my presence in your life. Whether you realize it or not, Fitzwilliam, you chose Miss Elizabeth as much for
me
as for
yourself.
”