Chapter Fourteen: Confessed in Confidence
The lively airs of the young people, who escaped the confines of the house and the tyranny of Lady Catherine, was captivating and joyful. The young ladies skipped and pranced through the twists and turns of the rose gardens and laughed and giggled with seemingly unrelated gossip and sheer delight. The three gentlemen that joined the group were contented as well with having the pleasure of the out doors rather than the conversations of the confined. Soon Colonel Fitzwilliam joined them in the gardens center and sat down to the game that was to be played.
"So nice of you to join us, Colonel," Georgiana smiled.
"I am happy to be rid of that stuffiness," Colonel Fitzwilliam said.
"You are just in time for we were just about to play a game," Constance Stewart said.
"And what game might that be?" Colonel Fitzwilliam asked.
"It is called truth and lies." Maria Stewart said with a sly grin, "Everyone takes a turn telling two lies and one truth, and we all have to guess what the truth is."
"Sounds innocent enough, but I will admit to being a very poor liar," the Colonel laughed.
"As am I," Walter Spencer said.
"I have become quite good at this game as it is one of my sisters favorites," William Stewart laughed.
"This will be my first time playing," Anne said timidly, "I hope that I am not completely useless when my turn arrives."
"Don't fret Anne," Mary Bennett said and smiled, "I have not played either."
"I will go first," Georgiana said, "I am recently believed to be in love. I have finished a lovely novel about pirates. I wish to be far away from Pemberly at this particular moment."
"The truth is you are in love," Maria Stewart shouted.
"It is not," Georgiana laughed.
"Is it that you wish to be far away?" Angela asked.
"That is a lie as well." Georgiana smiled, "I have recently read a book behind my brothers back about pirates and treacheries at sea and it was absolutely inappropriate for a young lady, but I enjoyed it all the same."
"Dear Georgiana, you must be careful," Constance laughed, "For there are far too many gentlemen present who are in held in very high esteem with your brother and who may tell your secrets!"
"You shall all have to swear to be silent!" Georgiana said as she pointed at the men.
The silence was pledged by all present and the game continued.
"Mary, it is your turn," Constance said after the three Stewart girls failed at telling their lies.
"Alright," Mary said, "I have recently read a book of sermons I have found utterly dull and irrelevant to today society. I am pleased that my mother is joining us shortly. My ride today was interrupted by rain."
"The rain had not yet started by the time your ride was finished," Georgiana said, "so that is a lie."
"That is correct, it is a lie," Mary smiled.
"And you are not looking forward to seeing mamma, as you told me this morning," Kitty said, "so that is the other lie. I cannot believe that you have found sermons dull and irrelevant."
"Well I have," Mary laughed, "they were so dull and preached primarily on the place of a woman and how she should not have anything to do with business."
"And that is why you found them dull," Captain Coplin laughed.
"That is very true," Mary laughed.
"You have done very well, Miss. Mary," Maria Stewart said, "and now it is your turn Miss. Du Bourgh."
"Alright," Anne smiled, "I shall try. Black is by far the most horrific shade to wear in summer. I am very happy for my cousin on his resent marriage. I am terrified of marrying without love."
Georgiana looked deeply into her cousins eyes and knew that the truth was in all of her statements. She smiled at Anne and said, "You have not lied at all."
"You are right, I have not," Anne admitted, "I told you I would not be very good at this game."
"But at least you are in very good company that would also agree with everything you have said," Colonel Fitzwilliam smiled.
"We are all overjoyed for the Darcy's," Constance smiled, "Elizabeth is a lovely woman."
"She is. I really liked her when she was last in Kent visiting." Anne smiled.
"And black is a hideous colour to wear anytime," Angela laughed.
"Black is not even a colour," Mary corrected.
"It's hideous none the less," Georgiana laughed.
"And marriage without love is not marriage at all, for no one can be happy without an endless and absolute attachment," Kitty said softly as she tried to hide the blush that had risen in her cheeks.
"I agree with you completely," Anne smiled, "and I confess that I have never loved my cousin, Mr. Darcy, in a proper way to be his wife, and I am completely terrified that my mother is pushing the subject so completely. She does it even now that the Darcys are married and settled."
"Then why would you let your mother push you into so much," Constance asked.
"You have not been long in my mothers company to know her will is law," Anne said.
"No one stands up to Lady Catherine and gets away without a scratch. Look at how she is treating the Darcy's. They will never have any merit in Lady Catherine's eyes now that they have gone so expressly against her wishes." Colonel Fitzwilliam said. "And she was ready to fly out the window when the ladies told her you, Anne, had joined the young people outside."
"Oh, I do not doubt it," Anne said, "for I am far too sick, and the company is not at all respectable," she said and rolled her eyes.
"You do not seem sick to me," Angela said, "just very pail, probably from all the black and the horrendous veils you have to wear."
"Well, then it shall be our duty to rescue you from your mother and make you quite happy so long as you are in Derbyshire," Angela Stewart said.
"Indeed," Georgiana added, "there will be much time for us to slip away when the rest of the family arrives."
"Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennett in the same room," Kitty said shock and horror on her face.
"It will be entertaining," Mary smiled.
"And do not forget that the Bingley's come to us as well, and many of you do not know Caroline Bingley."
"True we do not," Constance said, "what is she like."
"She is proud and overly interested in money, and high fashion," Mary said.
"And completely vexed that my brother chose Elizabeth over her self," Georgiana giggled.
"Then she will side with my mother," Anne said.
"More then likely," Georgiana laughed.
"What a folly it will be," Kitty said, "papa will be very interested in all of the different personalities, will he not Mary."
"He will indeed," Mary said, "much is to come and break the silence and contentment of Pemberly, although, I do not think he will take lightly to any assaults by Lady Catherine on his dear Lizzy. She was always quite our father's favorite."
"It is very good, then that we have each other as a distraction," William said finally, "for we do not want to get wrapped up in all the negativities."
"You are quite right," Georgiana said, "it is nice to have ones own society to deal with when aged society becomes too tedious."
"My feeling exactly and I hope you will permit me to spend time in your company," Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed, "as the oldest among you and yet one of the youngest of the aged society I would prefer your view of the folly."
"Then you will have to join us," Anne smiled, "it would be a delight."
"I will agree with you my dear cousin," the Colonel smiled, "and hope only to watch everything unfold rather than be apart of it."
"Watch out, Colonel," Constance joked, "you may end up the object of one lady or another. You may be pulled in many directions."
"I am pulled only by the sea," Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed and grinned at his cousin Anne.
The colour rushed into Anne's face, and brightness came to her eyes. She did not look sick but only smothered by the attentions of her overbearing mother. Georgiana watched her interaction with their cousin and felt a strong pull between the two of them. How happy it would make so many if an attachment in earnest could be formed.