Page 122 of A Most Beloved Sister
“As you well know, Miss Bennet, I have faults enough—but they are not, I hope, of understanding. Now, my temper I dare not vouch for. It is, I believe, too little yielding, and would perhaps be called resentful. I cannot forget the follies and vices of others so soon as I ought, nor their offenses against myself. My good opinion once lost is lost forever.”
“Then I shall have to be sure to not ever lose your good opinion,” Elizabeth said. “For implacable resentment is quite a shade in character, and I cannot laugh at it.”
Growing serious, Darcy said, “There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil, a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome.”
Not wishing to end the evening on so somber a note, Elizabeth smiled. “Then it appears as though your defect is a propensity to hate everybody!”
“Andyoursis to willfully misunderstand them,” he retorted, his lips twitching up at the ends.
“I am vewy confoosed,” Georgiana complained, looking back and forth between the two of them.
Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s eyes met, and Elizabeth giggled. “I’m sorry, my friend,” she said, “but your brother and I have had so many misunderstandings in the time that we’ve known one another!”
The couple then spent the next half hour regaling Georgiana with the many stories of their first interactions at Netherfield. The poor young woman was equally amused and horrified at herbrother’s behavior as well as at Elizabeth’s misinterpretations of what had been said.
As they finished the last dish of the meal, Georgiana sighed. “I nevew vant to mawwy.”
Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged a tender look, then Darcy said, “You needn’t have to if you don’t want to. But you may end up changing your mind if you meet the right person one day.”
The look of fear on Georgiana’s face only reinforced to Darcy that he had made the correct decision earlier at the funeral. He looked over at Elizabeth. “I spoke with Bingley and Georgiana earlier, but I haven’t had a chance to discuss an idea I’ve had with you yet.”
“Yes?” Elizabeth’s eyes looked wary.
“When I leave for Pemberley tomorrow, I’d like to have Georgiana remain here at Netherfield with you instead of coming with me.”
She looked back and forth at the two Darcy siblings before asking, “But… why?”
He hesitated, glanced at Georgiana, then finally said, “Pemberley does not hold very warm memories for my sister. I had originally planned on having her stay in the house in London, but it would have been lonely for her there, especially after the society here in Meryton. I know you will be in mourning, but it would give Georgiana time to get to know you better before we marry.”
Elizabeth sensed that there was more that he wasn’t saying, but she didn’t wish to pry in front of his sister. Instead, she turned a broad grin towards the anxious-looking young girl. “I would be delighted to have you keep me company for the next few months! Now, I plan on having you scrub the floors once a week, clean the chamber pots each day, light the fires every morning…”
Georgiana giggled, then rose from her seat to fling her arms around Elizabeth’s neck. “Thank oo, Izzy!”
“Now, I believe it’s best you go up and inform Mrs. Annesley of the final decision,” Darcy said.
Once she was gone, Elizabeth turned to him. “Now, what did you not wish to say in front of her?”
He sighed. “My hope is that with you at Pemberley, she will finally be able to see the place asherhome, and not the house of the father that didn’t want her. She is so quiet and timid there, and your naturaljoie de vivreshould, I hope, bring out the light in her as well.”
Mindful of the servants around them, she covered his hand resting on the table with her own, even though what she really wanted to do was kiss him. “You are a wonderful, considerate brother. I think it is an excellent idea, and I am more than happy to do so.”
He sandwiched her small fingers between his large hands and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “We are so blessed to have you come into our lives.”
“Just promise you’ll come back to me in three months,” she whispered. “I won’t say goodbye tonight, as I plan on waking tomorrow before you go so I can send you off. But just promise me.”
“I promise,” he whispered.
Chapter 33
Elizabeth’s eyes flew open as the morning light hit her face. For a moment, she was confused as to why she would have left the curtains on both the windows and bed open, but then she remembered.
“Darcy!”
She sprang to her feet and hurried into the simple gown she had laid out the night before in anticipation of having to dress herself. Quickly pinning her hair back into a simple bun, she rushed down the stairs towards the breakfast room, hoping he was choosing to eat before leaving on his journey.
To her surprise, Elizabeth found Darcy already in the foyer beside the front door, dressed for traveling. “Are you already leaving? So early?”
He nodded. “Since Georgiana is not coming with me, I thought it best to make the journey as quickly as possible, so I decided to leave as soon as it was light enough to do so.”
