Chapter 2
Georgiana and the colonel walked in silence, she liked it that way. She had her head resting on his shoulder and her eyes closed as he guided here around the flower beds, which in summer are full of roses. The colonel stopped and looked at her, he noticed her beauty, and she was no longer childlike but as a lady. She opened her eyes and turned to him,
"Why do you smile so, cousin?" he chuckled at her, she still sounded innocent and quiet. He beckoned to a nearby bench, she nodded.
When they had sat, she asked, "Richard? Why did you ignore my question?" she flashed a small smile,
"I was noticing how you look more of a lady than a child." She lowered her head.
After a moment of silence, she asked quietly, "does my brother intend to present me soon" Richard took one of her hands, they were as cold as ice.
"You will have to be presented at some point, but your brother will make sure you will be as ready as you can be for it"
"Sometimes, I never feel that I would be ready for it. I am still deeply ashamed, but whilst Wickham is here, I will be constantly reminded of that." She briefly inhaled "and poor Lydia, does she know what he is truly like, that he is deceptive and cares more for himself and his estate than of anything else." Richard sat astounded by her words; she never spoke at such great length of this subject, or of any except music. He took her other hand, once again taken aback by its coldness,
"My dearest Georgie, none of it was your fault; no one will view you in a lesser light. Everyone would still concentrate on your beauty and talent, not your past." She lowered her head and a tear escaped from her eye, she shivered as it ran down her pale cheeks. "Come, let us go inside" he spoke softly to her. Once again he led her back to the house, not because of her closed eyes, for they were no longer closed, but because of the tears in them which blurred her sight.
When they reached the door to the drawing room, they heard laughter and well wishing. Richard opened the door and stepped through with Georgiana. He felt her tense as she spotted Wickham in the far corner with Mr. Bingley. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and left her to greet the other guests. Elizabeth beckoned to Georgiana, who then went across the room to where Elizabeth and Jane were standing. They curtsied as they met, Jane smiled at her, with warm eyes.
"Miss Darcy, you are more beautiful than ever! I am quite jealous!" Georgiana did not reply but half smiled in acknowledgement. Wickham was wondering over to the group and smiled, seemingly gentle at all of them, "ladies" he said curtly. "Merry Christmas" both Jane and Elizabeth responded with the same but Georgiana turned away her head as if she had heard her name. She wondered over to where her brother was standing, talking to Charlotte. She muttered to him, how she must practice her music and made a swift exit from the room.
