Page 57 of Her Whole Heart
“It is perfectly understandable to be hurt or shocked at first,” Jane corrected them, “but it should not last for long. Because we know who we are.”
Elizabeth nodded vociferously. “Exactly.”
They all looked at Amelia.
“What?” Amelia asked, glancing at each of them in turn. “You said all the good things already.”
Georgiana’s voice wavered with emotion. “I cannot express how much it means to hear such words from you all. To know that I am not alone and that I need not be afraid of censure so long as I am prepared to meet it with courage . . .”
“Courage and Lady Carlisle,” Elizabeth said with a little chuckle, and they all joined her. “Truly, Georgiana, all it takes is practice. And you have time for that.”
“I wonder . . .” Georgiana said, then hesitated.
“You wonder?” Jane prompted her sweetly.
“I wonder if I might try my hand at composing a piece for us all?” she ventured shyly. “It would be a challenge to be sure, but I should very much enjoy attempting it.”
Elizabeth smiled. “I think that is a marvellous idea.”
Georgiana met Elizabeth’s smile with one of her own.
“Different instruments, but all the same song,” Amelia said brightly. “Oh, but there are three of us who play the pianoforte. Perhaps Lizzy will have to play her flute.”
“Amelia!” Elizabeth exclaimed. She was not as comfortable with the flute as the pianoforte, but it did have the benefit of not requiring her fingers to be quite so long.
Georgiana glanced slyly at her. “All it takes is practice.”
The ladies at Carlisle House were not ready for him to retrieve Georgiana when Darcy finally made it back in the late afternoon. Lady Carlisle promised to send her back in their own carriage in good time for her to dress for dinner, and Darcy had simply gone to his study to write a few strategic letters. He was attempting to focus on the stack of remaining correspondence when a soft knock at the door drew his attention.
“Enter,” he called, setting his pen in its holder.
The door opened to reveal a beaming Georgiana, her cheeks flushed with excitement and her eyes sparkling with joy. She nearly floated in the room before settling herself in the chair opposite Darcy’s desk with a contented sigh.
“Oh, Brother,” she exclaimed, clasping her hands together. “I had the most wonderful day with Lizzy and Jane and their friends. I can scarcely believe how fortunate I am to have found such a delightful circle of ladies.”
Lizzy,was it?
After all the seriousness of the past days, Darcy could not help but smile at his sister’s excitement. It was wonderful to see her so animated. “I am pleased to hear it. Would you like to tell me about it?” He half expected that she would demur or offer him a superficial summary of her time, as was her wont.
Georgiana's words tumbled out in an eager rush. “They are each of them so accomplished, brother! They all play more than one instrument except for Amelia, but sheand Lizzy sing too. Cordelia is a falconer and Diana speaks so many languages. And Jane has such a soothing way about her. She loves Shakespeare’s histories even though she says they are mostly fictional, and she and Amelia know a great deal about plants, and Amelia is so observant, and so honest—I shall never have to guess at her true feelings or intentions. And Lizzy—”
Darcy’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Elizabeth. He nodded encouragingly, prompting Georgiana to continue.
“Lizzy is just so witty and well-read and knowledgeable about the world—even the war! But I also feel as though she reads people well. She can tell when they are feeling awkward or uneasy, and she just knows what to say to set everything right again.”
She paused, a slight frown marring her cheerful countenance. “They are so different from Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. Forgive me, brother, I know they are Mr. Bingley’s sisters, but they always make me feel as though I am being judged and found wanting. But with the ladies I met today, I feel as though they like me just as I am. If there are ladies like this in the ton, I shall not fear it so much.”
Darcy nodded, feeling a bit of guilt at the mention of Bingley’s sisters, knowing he had sometimes subjected Georgiana to their company only out of a sense of obligation to his friend. He stood and moved to the chair next to hers, reaching out to take Georgiana’s hands.
“I am very happy to hear that you have found such worthy friends, Georgiana. They sound like remarkable young women, and I am grateful that they have welcomed you so warmly. I may be forgiven, I hope, for saying I believe they will benefit from your friendship every bit as much as you will from theirs.”
Georgiana fairly beamed at him. “Thank you. Oh! I have had the most wonderful idea. I want to compose a piece of music for allof us to play together. A celebration of our friendship! They all thought it was a wonderful idea, except for Lizzy, who will have to play her flute because we all play the pianoforte and Amelia does not know a second instrument.”
“That will be quite the endeavour,” Darcy said good-naturedly. “Do you have all that you need?”
“For now,” she said, eyes bright with the joy of the musical challenge before her.
His sister was never so happy as when she was composing new songs to play for him and Fitz. To stretch her abilities to compose for multiple instruments would offer her many hours of pleasure. Darcy’s heart swelled with affection for his sister, marvelling at the transformation that had taken place in the space of one pleasant day. Gone was the timid, withdrawn girl who had fled from unkind words, and in her place sat a happy young woman. His cheerfulness came with an undercurrent of guilt, though. Had this more confident girl been there all along, just waiting for the simple acceptance that came from making new friends? Had her exposure to women like Lady Henrietta and Bingley’s sisters convinced her that she would never have any friends of her own whom she could like or trust?
