Page 18 of To Love And To Cherish
Inside the bed chamber, she barred the door after telling the servant girl that her older sister was mortally ill. Mrs. Younge cleaned the hearth herself, swept the floor, and drew the curtains. She gave the name Mrs. Clare and said her sister lay sick with consumption. They refused the maids and kept to their room.
The next morning, she sat by the hearth and penned a letter.
The Albion Inn
Garlinge, near Margate
March 02, 1811
Mr. Darcy,
I am ashamed to write this letter, and more ashamed still of the part I have played. I was recommended to your household by Mr. George Wickham, who claimed affection for me and intentions of marriage. I believed him. I am now ruined by him, compromised and with child, and utterly deceived.
I beg your forgiveness for failing in my charge. Mr. Wickham gained entrance to the Ramsgate house through intimidation. The servants are intimidated and allow him to come and go as he pleases, day or night. I did not understand the extent of his intentions until it was almost too late. When he spoke of eloping with your sister, I could not allow it.
We fled the house last night under the cover of darkness, bringing only what we could carry, and traveled on foot until we reached Garlinge. Miss Darcy is unharmed, but the journey has exhausted her. We now hide in a modest inn under false names. I overheard word of Mr. Wickham offering a reward for information about a blond child and her companion. We dare not go out.
Georgiana is bearing up well, sustained by the hope that you will soon arrive to rescue her.
I will not ask for pardon, only mercy. I wish only to escape George Wickham and protect the child I carry. If you would be so good as to provide the means for passage to America, I would count it a gift of salvation.
We await you here.
With remorse and hope,
Mrs. Younge
Chapter 10: Invitation to Netherfield
April 1811
Darcy sat in the study at Pemberley, the morning light slanting through tall windows onto his desk. A letter from Bingley lay open before him, its ink-blotched lines barely legible. From the music room, a melancholy sonata drifted through the halls. He scanned the letter a second time, shaking his head as he struggled to decipher Bingley’s cheerful scrawl. His friend had invited him to Netherfield for two months, claiming he required guidance in managing the estate. Darcy was inclined to accept; it might do Georgiana some good.
He rose and made his way to the music room and was touched by the sound of skillful playing. His sister sat at the pianoforte, her hands moving with quiet confidence over the keys. The music was lovely and expressive. As he stepped into the room, Georgiana looked up, her playing faltering for just a moment. She offered a shy, uncertain smile, still adjusting to the presence of the brother who had returned after five years, now a man grown and unfamiliar.
"Georgianna, I have received a letter from Bingley." He offered it to her. "He has invited us to Netherfield. Charles wishes for advice on estate management and has asked me to stay for two months."
Georgiana tried to read the missive, but it was illegible, so she handed it back. "He is a very kind person," she said with feeling. "So easy in manner, always cheerful, and never talks down to me. I like him very much."
Darcy studied her face. “You have grown quieter of late, withdrawn. Perhaps this visit, among such amiable company, will help restore your peace of mind. The Hursts will be in attendance, too. I believe you will find their company agreeable."
Georgiana nodded. “They are very kind, but I cannot like Miss Bingley.” Looking down at her hands, she folded them in her lap before continuing. “Brother, I know it’s unkind, but I cannot warm to her. There’s vanity and haughtiness in every gesture, and a way of speaking that implies no one else’s opinion can matter. She claims refinement, but it’s always a means to demonstrate her own superiority.”
Darcy raised a brow, surprised by the firmness in her tone.
Georgiana pressed on. “Her flattery always serves a goal, feigning interest in my music or in our conversation only when you might appear. Her eyes are invariably drawn to the doorway at the slightest footstep in the hall. That courtesy isn’t affection; it’s ambition.”
She glanced at him, voice softening. “You’re too discerning not to have observed it. I only wonder how you bear it so patiently.”
"You surprise me," Darcy said with raised brows. "I do not disagree with your portrait of her, but how have you come to such a strong opinion?"
Georgianna smiled faintly. "Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst pay a weekly call on me in hopes, I believe, of finding you at home. You are very careful to be absent when they are expected."
Darcy flushed. "You are too observant."
“The moment Miss Bingley speaks, her true nature is plain to all. It requires no great discernment. I shall go for your sake,” Georgiana said softly. “Not because I expect to enjoy MissBingley’s company, but because I wish to be near you. You are my only family.”
Darcy smiled. “Very well, I’ll write to Bingley and let him know when to expect us.”
