Page 66 of Mr. Darcy's Complex Courtship

I went to greet them as they entered the study. “There you are, Georgiana, Mrs. Annesley. I intended to go and find you.”

“It is wonderful to have you back.” My sister gave me a hug, burying her face in my chest. “I missed you.”

“I missed you as well.”

“Poor Anne. It is still a shock to acknowledge she is gone.”

“Yes, it is.”

Mrs. Annesley flashed a fleeting, tight smile. “Welcome home, sir, and please accept my condolences for the loss of your cousin.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Annesley.”

Georgiana pulled back. Her brows drew together.

“Are you well?” I held her upper arms.

“Yes, I am.” She glanced at Mrs. Annesley. “We should like to speak with you.”

“By all means.” I shut the study door. They took seats upon the sofa, and I sat opposite them.

“Last Friday, Miss Bennet had arranged to call here.” Georgiana’s soft tone impelled me to shift closer to her. “Mrs. Annesley had been assisting me with a new sonata, and we lost track of time. I realised I might not be prepared to greet Miss Bennet when she arrived, so I sent a message to Miles and went upstairs to get dressed.”

I crossed my arms and frowned. Her explanation differed from what Slade had told Berkeley.

“The first gown I put on had a tear, and I spilt wine on the second one. At that point, I sent for Mrs. Annesley and asked her to join Miss Bennet and Miles and let them know I should be there soon.” She turned to Mrs. Annesley, giving her a slight nod.

Mrs. Annesley adopted a stiff position, and one hand covered the other upon her lap. “I went downstairs, and when I approached the doorway of Mr. Miles’s workroom, I…I…saw them—Mr. Miles Darcy and Miss Bennet. They were…wrapped in each other’s arms.”

My heart stuttered. Elizabeth and Miles had been in anembrace.

“For several seconds, I stood frozen in shock. Then I turned round and rushed back to Miss Darcy’s room. I debated with myself whether or not to tell her what I had seen. In the end, I decided I could not keep this secret from her—or from you.”

A shiver coursed down my back. There had to be an innocuous explanation. “Perhaps Miss Bennet had been upset, and Miles sought to comfort her.”

Mrs. Annesley grimaced, shaking her head. “It pains me to say this, but there could be no mistaking the nature of their encounter. They were…kissing.”

No, Elizabeth would never betray me this way, nor would Miles. My fingers prodded my scalp.

She rose to her feet. “I am so sorry, sir. I shall leave you and Miss Darcy in privacy.” She quit the room.

The study seemed to darken, and my vision blurred. I could not lose Elizabeth—without her, my existence would be cold, dreary, colourless. Torturous images of Miles and Elizabeth filled my head, and my stomach muscles writhed.

My sister gripped my hand. “I am very sorry, Fitzwilliam. I was so upset when Mrs. Annesley told me what she witnessed that I remained in my room all day. I sent word that I had the headache. I took my dinner there as well to avoid Miles, but he grew concerned for me and called for Mr. Knight and then…”

Berkeley had been right after all—Elizabeth and Miles had fallen in love. I struggled to invent an alternate circumstance to explain their breach of propriety, but nothing else could. I had no course but to accept this. A crushing weight in my chest compelled me to take shallow breaths.

“Fitzwilliam?” Georgiana peered at me.

I raised my shoulders and attempted to compose myself. “Forgive me, I…um…did not attend you.”

“I asked what you will do?” Her blue eyes glistened. “I hope you can manage to forgive Miles. I am certain he never meant to hurt you—he is our brother after all. I know he loves you, so this must weigh heavily upon him.”

My cousin Berkeley’s words echoed back to me: “None of us can control whom we love. It could be said the forced proximity is to blame.” I had never chosen to fall in love with Elizabeth, so how could I condemn Miles for having done the same? I gathered my sister in my arms. “Do not fret, Georgie. All will be well. As you said, Miles is our brother—nothing will change that.”

She snuffled against my lapel. “Do you promise?”

“Yes, I promise.”

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