Page 56 of To Go Against Her Heart
“I must mention that my aunt is very eager to make your acquaintance. We dined with her some days ago, and my cousin enjoyed teasing me that I no longer prefer spending time there,” Georgiana declared.
“Your aunt, Lady Matlock?” Elizabeth asked in surprise.
“Yes, she expressed her wish to see you.”
“I would be happy to make her acquaintance, Miss Darcy. I understand you stayed with your aunt and uncle while Mr. Darcy was in Hertfordshire.”
“Yes, I did. We do not have any close relations except for them and Lady Catherine, who is in Kent. She is my mother’s sister.”
“You will be surprised to understand that I am quite familiar with Lady Catherine and Rosings Park, even though I have not set foot in Kent.”
Georgiana raised her eyebrow with curiosity.
“Mr. Collins is my cousin, and he apprised us of every noble detail about your aunt and her estate during his stay,” Elizabeth remarked.
“Oh! It is a surprise indeed. I wonder why my brother never mentioned it to me. I am well acquainted with Mr. Collins from my visit to Rosings every year. I find him…”
“Amusing?” Elizabeth asked with a wink.
“Well, he speaks a lot, and I have listened to his sermons several times. Honestly, Miss Elizabeth, both Richard and my brother are greatly entertained by him,” she explained.
“Well, until a few months ago, I knew nothing of him, though our estate is entailed upon him,” she said, proceeding to explain the nature of the entailment.
“I am so sorry to hear this as I cannot imagine why someone would do that to your family just because you do not have a brother. I wish you had a male sibling, not just for the sake of the entailment, but it is definitely a blessing to have a brother like Fitzwilliam.”
“I wish we did, and I can see that you love your brother very much.”
“I do, indeed. How could I not? He saved me from…” She stopped abruptly.
“I meant, he is the best brother in the whole world.”
“I am certain he is,” Elizabeth agreed heartily.
They occupied themselves in the music room until dinner, and Elizabeth somehow wished Darcy would join them for the meal. She kept glancing at the door, and Georgiana observed her keenly and confirmed her assumptions.
Georgiana once again pressed Elizabeth about the details of her return to Hertfordshire. The young girl was apprehensive that it might be too soon and that their acquaintance would end abruptly; however, she was comforted to understand that they had not made a fixed plan as yet.
Elizabeth was unsure when they would depart, as Jane had no wish to prolong the stay, even after Mr. Bingley had called and offered his apology.
“Do you think Mr. Darcy would join us any time soon?” Elizabeth asked, mustering courage, as they finally sat for the meal.
“I am not certain when. He assured me he would try to join us for dinner, but maybe business held him up.”
Later, Georgiana asked Elizabeth whether she would like to spend some time in the library, and she readily agreed.
The women immersed themselves in the library’s vast collection and lost track of time. Elizabeth was impressed with the shelf in the right corner of the room that contained many books on history and art. Georgiana informed her that it was all her brother’s most sought-after reads. Though she was well aware of Darcy’s fondness for reading, Elizabeth found herself intrigued by his taste, and gaining a personal glimpse into his collection delighted her.
“I must be leaving, Miss Darcy. I have lost track of time,” Elizabeth said, finally realizing that she had.
“I was hoping you could stay longer, maybe for a cup of tea,” Georgiana pressed. She pointed to the other books Elizabeth had wanted to browse, and pressed her to stay a little longer, and Elizabeth agreed.
Within a few minutes, Georgiana left the library with a promise to return shortly after speaking with the housekeeper. Left to herself, Elizabeth settled into the book before her, quickly becoming absorbed by the intrigue it offered. Though engrossed in reading, her thoughts never gave her respite from the man to whom the books belonged. It had been a week since she had seen him, and somehow, her heart ached to see his eyes stare at her with the same affection and warmth.
Suddenly, hearing the door open, Elizabeth turned, expecting to see Georgiana—but to her astonishment, Darcy stood there, his hands clasped behind his back. One look at his expression told her he had been fully aware of her presence in the library.
Elizabeth rose at once as he approached, and Darcy stopped at a respectable distance, his gaze fixed steadily upon her face.Neither spoke; instead, they stood in silence, each experiencing comfort from the other’s presence.
“I hope you are well, Miss Elizabeth. I apologize for being absent from dinner. Honestly, I wanted to give you ladies some privacy,” he said.
