I like to think of Darcy as an affectionate brother, and that the shy Georgiana opens up a bit under his care. She looks up to her brother, but she also is not afraid to tease him a little. I hope you enjoy this installment!

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The next day found Darcy in his study, buried under correspondence, ledgers, and books. After his pursuit of the shade of Elizabeth Bennet through a London ballroom the previous night, he had awakened still a bit perturbed, but no less determined to keep to his course. He had dressed, breakfasted with Georgiana, and plunged into his work, hopeful that it would distract him from thoughts of Elizabeth. There was much to do, and his wish seemed granted. He had been back in London over a month, but had not yet taken care of every item of business that had arisen during his stay at Netherfield. His steward knew where to forward the most urgent concerns, but there was still a great deal awaiting him in London when he returned last November, and he had been so much engaged with Georgiana and the Bingleys that he had neglected much of the business. The familiarity of these tasks, and the mental exertions they required, soon restored to him his usual composure. Thus occupied, Darcy was surprised when a servant came to his study to tell him that dinner would be served in an hour. He had taken tea hurriedly at some point in the day, but was surprised to find it so late.

He put his signature to the letter he had just finished writing and went to dress for dinner, feeling satisfied with the day's work. He had not had time for any fanciful musings about Elizabeth Bennet, and even now he could think of her calmly. With the right amount of activity, Darcy felt sure that he would soon be able to think of her as no more than a pleasant girl he had once met in the country. She would be supplanted by another, and surpassed by the future Mrs. Darcy, whoever she might be. As he made himself presentable for dinner with Georgiana, Darcy's expression grew grave as he thought over this next problem. He felt confident that he could soon forget Elizabeth, but he now feared that his search for a wife might be more difficult than he had anticipated. There was no shortage of women who would accept a proposal from him, but he didn't feel certain he would find the right woman easily. He would be entrusting his future wife with a great deal that he held dear - Georgiana, Pemberley, any children they might have - so he could not in good conscience simply choose a pretty face and be done with it. No, although his marriage might not be a love match, duty required that he be careful in his choice, and last night's ballroom conversations had reminded him that there were some ladies of good birth and fortune who possessed very little kindness or sincerity. He would not inflict such a sister on Georgiana.

Darcy arrived in the dining room at the appointed hour and set about the business of making himself agreeable.

"And what have you been about today, Georgiana?" he asked.

"I have spent most of the day in the music room, brother," Georgiana answered. "Your gifts at Christmas have given me a great deal to practice."

"I hope I do not hear a complaint in your tone. I would be sorry to hear that you did not like my gifts!" he teased.

Georgiana laughed. "You know I would never complain of that! If I did not like to play I might suspect you had given me music just to vex me, but that is not at all the case, as you are well aware."

"And may I hear you play after dinner tonight?"

"If you wish. No one is expected tonight, I believe? And Mr. Bingley is out tonight?" Georgiana looked at him nervously.

"Yes, my girl, you have only your brother for company this evening. But you will someday play for a larger audience, you know. You need not be anxious, for your playing and singing are always so beautiful." He smiled at his sister.

"So you say, but you are a partial observer, brother," she answered, looking troubled. "I do not feel so certain of others. I cannot see so much sincerity in the world as I see in you, Fitzwilliam. And I fear I am easily misled." Her voice had sunk to a whisper, and she looked down at her hands, which were now clasped in her lap.

As Darcy took his sister's hand and spoke to her comfortingly, he felt a surge of anger at the absent George Wickham, whom he knew to be the cause of Georgiana's fears. He had deceived her with pretty words and gentle manners, talking her into an elopement, which Darcy arrived only just in time to prevent. It immediately became clear to Georgiana that Wickham had pursued her for her fortune only and she was crushed. The revelation of his true character had gone a long way to healing her heartache, but Georgiana now found that she trusted almost no one. Wickham had always been kind to her, since she was a child, and his professions of affection at Ramsgate had naturally seemed sincere to her. She had not the slightest apprehension that his emotions were feigned, and had been completely taken in. She now shrunk from kindness from almost anyone, not trusting her own judgment to tell her who might mislead or deceive her. Darcy had begun to fear that Georgiana would bear the scars of Wickham's treachery permanently when she met her new governess and would barely speak to her. He could hardly blame her, as Mrs. Annesley's predecessor had been Wickham's accessory. Thankfully, Mrs. Annesley had at last broken through Georgiana's reserve and earned her trust. Darcy now felt certain that Georgiana would fully recover, but she still was not herself.

"I am sorry to be so foolish, brother," Georgiana said. "If you say it, it must be so, and I will try to believe it."

"Don't apologize, dear. I know it has been difficult for you of late. In time you will feel better. We needn't talk of it right now. I only wish for your happiness and comfort, Georgiana."

She looked up and smiled. "Yes, you are so good to me, Fitzwilliam. That I will never doubt. But what have you been doing today? I did not catch one glimpse of you from breakfast to dinner!"

"I was busy in my study, employed with all manner of business concerns. There was so much to be done after I neglected my affairs spending time in the country last autumn with the Bingleys. But the work was refreshing, as it kept me distracted from...other troubles." Darcy could have kicked himself. He had not intended to discuss Hertfordshire, or any of his problems for that matter, with Georgiana.

A crease appeared on Georgiana's brow. "Troubles, brother? What troubles you?"

"Nothing of significance, dear," he said, casting about for some explanation that would satisfy her curiosity. "I have lately been thinking over some events that occurred in Hertfordshire. I am afraid Mr. Bingley may have lost his heart to a local girl. He bears it well, but he is a little cast down."

"Oh, poor Mr. Bingley! But what has happened? Has the lady rejected his proposal?"

"No proposal was made. The affair did not progress that far, thankfully for Bingley. It would have been quite an unsuitable match, and the lady did not love him."

"She was a fortune-hunter, then," Georgiana said flatly, an expression of grim understanding on her face. "I hope he will recover soon and find a more worthy lady. There is nothing lower than that sort of deceit. She would have made his life miserable. Mr. Bingley is well rid of her."

Darcy knew he could have let things go here, but he did not feel quite comfortable allowing Georgiana to think so ill of Jane Bennet, though a stranger to her. He felt no scruple in describing the match as completely unsuitable, but Miss Bennet could never be fairly described as low and deceitful. "I do not say that she was a fortune hunter, dear, although it is true that her dowry is insignificant. She seemed a most unaffected and modest young lady. Not worthy of Bingley perhaps, but I would not call her unworthy in a general sense. I am sure she will make some other gentleman a good wife, and likely sooner than later, as she is quite a handsome girl."

"I don't understand. How is the lady so unsuitable? She sounds to be quite lovely from your description, and a lack of fortune could not be a very great impediment to Mr. Bingley."

Darcy was becoming uncomfortable with the conversation. He had been feeling so confident of his ability to get over Hertfordshire, but he was back in the thick of those concerns again. "It is her family, Georgiana. Her father is a gentleman, but her mother is a most vulgar woman. It is she who was hunting Bingley's fortune in the most offensive fashion. She spoke very plainly to everyone she could of her expectation of their engagement and her anticipation of Bingley's finding rich husbands for her four younger daughters."

"Oh, dear," Georgiana said. "How dreadful. But did the mother not fix her attention on you as well, for one of her other daughters?" Georgiana gave him a teasing smile. "Tell me, brother, which of the young ladies did you prefer? Or were all of the sisters as vulgar as their mother?"

Darcy cleared his throat and resisted the urge to tug at his neckcloth, which once again felt too tight. Mrs. Bennet most certainly had not pursued Darcy for one of her daughters, but Georgiana was still approaching truths that he would rather not share. "Not all of the sisters, dear. The two eldest are unexceptionable young ladies, quite unlike their mother, but the other three have been allowed to run wild and I fear will come to evil by their imprudent behavior and manners."

"But the two eldest you do not include in this condemnation. What of the second daughter? Unexceptionable, you say, but I suppose she may not have been very pretty. Perhaps all the beauty in the family was in the eldest?" Georgiana looked at him curiously.

"Not pretty? No, Georgiana, I would not say that at all. I did not think her handsome when I first saw her, but after I knew her a little I changed my opinion." Darcy could not help smiling a little as his mind wandered to thoughts of Elizabeth in the drawing room at Netherfield, holding her own against the imperious Caroline Bingley. Although her presence and her verbal challenges had been disconcerting at the time, the memories were pleasant, amusing even. "She has a different sort of beauty than her sister, but all the same she is quite pretty. There is something about her smile, and her very fine eyes...I can't do justice to her by description. But it makes one smile to look at her."

Georgiana covered her mouth with one hand and tried, without success, to stifle her giggles. "Fitzwilliam, are you sure it is only Mr. Bingley who has left his heart in Hertfordshire?"

"What?" Darcy started, then colored, returning from his reverie. "Of course it is! You must not mistake my admiration for love, Georgiana. And even had I fallen prey to that tender emotion, the lady is just as unsuitable as her sister, and even more in my case than in Bingley's. For I have you to protect, my dear, and to connect myself to such a family would subject you to the grossest impertinence and ill bred behavior you ever saw. I would not wish that for you or for Pemberley." He realized as he spoke that he had been saying these things to himself all day. Elizabeth's situation in life must argue against her every attraction.

"I am sorry for her, then, and for her sister," Georgiana said, regarding her brother thoughtfully. "Their prospects are not determined by their own merit."

"I am sorry, too," Darcy said gravely. "But it is the way of the world, Georgiana."

"You are right, I'm sure. And I am sorry for Mr. Bingley, too, for his disappointed hopes."

"Yes, I am afraid he was so smitten he did not see that she showed no signs of love. It was obvious to Bingley's sisters and to me that she was pleased with his attention, but not at all in love with him."

"But surely in time her pleasure in his company might have grown into love. It is a shame that nothing could come of it. Do you think he will return to Hertfordshire?"

"I do not think so. Not anytime soon, at least. He is much engaged here, as you know, and will not likely have the opportunity to visit Netherfield again soon." Darcy noticed Georgiana's troubled look and tried to shake off his gravity. "Come, dear, you mustn't think on this any further. Mr. Bingley will manage his affairs very well without our help," he said with a smile.

"Yes, of course," Georgiana said absently, still apparently pondering the problem. "In time he will recover his spirits," she said, more to herself than to Darcy. Then she looked at her brother. "And you mustn't think further on it, either. Why should you be troubled over it and then tell me I must not worry?" Darcy took a deep breath, searching for an answer, but Georgiana interrupted him. "Never mind, Fitzwilliam. I think I may safely guess, and relieve you of the trouble of coming up with an answer. You need not speak of it if you do not wish to." She smiled sweetly and did him the favor of changing the subject. "What shall I play for you tonight, Fitzwilliam?"

Darcy sighed inwardly with relief. Georgiana was really far more perceptive than he had realized.

To be continued...