Page 54 of The Governess of My Heart
Elizabeth nodded.
I must get over this feeling of being unsettled by the mention of his name or his presence.
When the carriage entered the official grounds of Pemberley, Elizabeth was dumbstruck.
The house was triple the size of Ashton Park, and there was a beautiful lake in front of the building.
Georgiana was elated to see them and received them with warmth.
They met Mrs. Reynolds in the hallway, and Elizabeth was already acquainted with the housekeeper.
“I wish you had brought the children along,” Georgiana said to Lady Isabella.
“I am sorry, Miss Darcy; we will bring them during our next visit,” Lady Isabella replied.
They sat down to have tea, and Elizabeth enjoyed the beautiful view the parlor offered as she could see the lake.
“I would love to give you a tour of the house and gardens,” Georgiana said to Elizabeth.
“Of course, I would be delighted.”
They had tea, and Georgiana took Elizabeth and Lady Isabella to show the house. Pemberley was not new to Lady Isabella, but she accompanied Georgiana.
Elizabeth was impressed with the elegance of the house as nothing seemed flamboyant. She saw a couple of portraits of the Darcy family on the wall.
“My parents,” Georgiana said with a hint of sadness.
“You look just like your mother, Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth exclaimed.
She then noticed Darcy’s portrait, which was true to his likeliness. The smile on his face reminded her of his countenance at the bookstore, and she knew he had enjoyed taunting her. They toured the other parts of the house and finallystopped at the library. Elizabeth was in awe of the enormous space.
“My brother loves to read, just like you,” Georgiana exclaimed.
“I can see that very well,” Elizabeth said, impressed at the collection.
“What about the library in your townhouse? Is it big as well?” Lady Isabella asked.
“Not as big as this, but Fitzwilliam adds to the collection,” Georgiana replied.
“Shall we head to the gardens?” she asked Elizabeth.
They left outside, and Georgiana took them to the gardens that spread throughout the property. Elizabeth noticed that Lady Isabella was preoccupied, and there was a sense of discomfort on her face.
She saw Elizabeth look at her and immediately concentrated on what Georgiana said.
“My brother told me the rose gardens were my mother’s favorite.”
“And I cannot question why one can spend almost an entire day here,” Elizabeth exclaimed, drowning in the scent of the flowers.
“It was also Lady Sophia’s favorite place in Pemberley,” Georgiana said.
“Yes, it was,” Lady Isabella said, “She has mentioned many times that she wanted to plant the same kind of roses in Ashton Park.”
Elizabeth heard Lady Isabella mention her deceased friend for the first time, and there was genuine sadness in her voice.
They returned to the house, and Georgiana wanted Elizabeth to see her chambers, but she hesitated.
“Please, do come,” Georgiana pressed, and Lady Isabella looked at them disapprovingly.
