Page 6 of The Blackmail of Mr. Darcy
Elizabeth felt very grateful and once again wondered why the unpleasant Mr. Darcy was being so…pleasant! She smiled and said, “I thank you; that is most generous, but I believe it isunnecessary. Mr. Jones has seen Jane through many colds and many fevers.”
Mr. Darcy nodded and said, “Do let me know if you change your mind or if your sister worsens.”
“I will. Again, thank you.”
Mr. Darcy hesitated and then hurried to say, “Also, I thank you for being helpful during the meal, when my sister was feeling importuned. I…I always want to shield my sister, but when I think about interrupting Miss Bingley…I….”
Floundering, he looked at Elizabeth with the most woebegone eyes, but she managed not to smile at his distress. She suggested, “You freeze up?”
“Um…yes. That is what happens.”
“You cannot think of a single thing that could be discussed during a meal?”
His eyes flickered at Elizabeth’s patently ridiculous suggestion. She was not even a little bit sure what he could have been feeling during the meal. What prevented him from speaking up in defence of his beloved sister? Finally, he said, “Yes, I suppose that is true.”
“Do you have a close connection with Miss Bingley that makes it difficult for you to intercede?” Elizabeth speculated.
Mr. Darcy blanched. “No! I am notat allclose with my friend’s sister!” he said. He managed to keep his voice low, but he blushed and darted his eyes around, as if he was hoping that he had not been overheard.
Elizabeth immediately apologised, and she explained in an even lower voice, “I heard the wordclosefrom Miss Bingley herself. Actually, she said, in a room full of women, ‘I have a close—avery close—relationship with Mr. Darcy.’” He looked appalled, and she tried to ease his discomfort with the words, “Honestly, nobody really believed her. She clutches at you whenever she can, but you do not look as if you enjoyed it.”
He did not appear to be enjoying the current conversation, either, so she said, “I must return to my sister. Good afternoon, sir.”
Mr. Jones arrivedbefore long and assured Elizabeth that Jane’s fever was not at a dangerous level; he also agreed that her lungs were clear. He made up two draughts and left firm instructions as to the timing and amount of doses, and he urged the usual: rest, staying warm, eating hot chicken broth, and drinking hot tea or possets. Before he left, he promised to return in the morning to check on her.
Elizabeth ordered trays for their dinner, and she readEnnuito Jane whenever her sister was not succumbing to ennui, herself, and sleeping.
During her sister’s naps, she read about Humboldt’s travels to Cuba and Colombia.
She was delighted when Georgiana came to check on them after her dinner downstairs. The girl seemed a bit upset, and when Elizabeth gently asked if anything was the matter, Georgiana admitted that Miss Bingley seemed determined to make her play the pianoforte to the group, once the gentlemen returned from their port and cigars.
“I do not—I have never…performed for acquaintances,” she murmured.
“Just tell her no as politely as possible,” Elizabeth suggested. “If Miss Bingley insists, I am certain that your brother, or maybe evenherbrother, will step forward in your defence. And if they are not noticing your distress, perhaps you can tell them?”
Georgiana’s eyes were huge, and she shook her head as if Elizabeth was suggesting the impossible.
“Well, then, could you simply say that you are exhausted, and go to your rooms?”
“I did that last night.” Georgiana was back to whispering again. She continued, “I think everyone understood, because my companion and I had just arrived that day, and carriage rides are tiring, but I cannot use that excuse tonight.”
Elizabeth looked into Georgiana’s despondent eyes, and a sudden memory occurred to her. She remembered hearing from Miss Bingley that Mr. Darcy had become master of his estate five years ago, when his father died, and that his mother had died years before that.
Actually, Miss Bingley had been in truly objectionable form that day, going on and on about the fact that Mr. Darcy was not only the most handsome man in all of the United Kingdom, but he was also one of the richest young landowners. The worst part was when she had crowed that he had no living parents to try to please.
Of course, that meant that Georgiana, too, was an orphan. And if her mother died years before her father died, five years ago, she might have had very little mothering in her life.
Elizabeth’s heart reached out to Georgiana. “Would you like me to go down with you?”
Georgiana looked as if she had just received a gift of gold and gemstones. “Oh, that would be so wonderful!” she said. She looked at Jane and said, “That is, if you can spare your sister, Miss Bennet?”
Jane easily agreed to the plan, sipped her willow bark tea, and assured Elizabeth that she wanted to sleep soon, anyway.
Elizabeth changed her dress and tidied her hair while Georgiana rang for a maid to watch over Jane. The two of them went downstairs and entered the drawing room. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst smiled brightly at Georgiana, but when they saw Elizabeth, their smiles grew strained.
“Come in, dear Georgiana!” Miss Bingley said. “And Miss Eliza. Tell me, how is our patient doing?”
Elizabeth hated the nameEliza, although she did allow her best friend, Charlotte Lucas, to call her that. Given the fact that she had not given Miss Bingley permission, it rankled a bit that she had shortened her name at all.
