Christine's amiable wish was fulfilled, for at the next assembly Mr.
Merritt was in attendance. There he acquainted Georgiana and Christine with
his friend, Mr. Frederick Draughon, the same gentleman whom he had taken
himself from to meet Mrs. Bingley. Georgiana invited Mr. Merritt and Mr.
Draughon to meet her brother and his wife, for she would never think of
having any acquaintance without her brother's approval.
"Georgiana, you know I will be frank with you," said he when they had returned home and were sitting comfortably about the room, "I cannot be sure, for it is only my first impression, but so far as I may see, Mr. Draughon is not unworthy of your association. He is from a widely known, respectable family of good fortune. The only exception is that Mr. Merritt-- "
"Leads him about by the nose," completed Mrs. Darcy calmly. Christine smothered an amused smile, for she knew that the Darcys' censure was for her benefit also. "But," Mrs. Darcy continued, "Mr. Draughon seems an intelligent, reasonable young man, and needs but little guidance to be quite upstanding."
Christine shifted a little in her seat. "What do you think of Mr. Merritt?"
Mrs. Darcy glanced at her husband. "Well, Miss Raeworth, I for my part cannot seem to get along at all. Mr. Merritt does not quite have the openness of character that Mr. Draughon has. I am sure that this cannot continue long, for we are bound to be better acquainted."
Christine understood perfectly. So far as her current guardians were concerned, they had no quandary with the young men, but this certainly did not mean that their analysis was concluded.
"So, Georgiana, what do you think of our new friends?" she asked as they sat in Georgiana's dressing room before they went to bed. "We have already heard Mr. and Mrs. Darcy's opinion of them, but I should like to hear yours." Georgiana's answer did not satisfy Christine, so she attempted a less evident measure.
"I believe I agree to some extent with your sister, on the point of Mr. Merritt. He is not as easy to become acquainted with as Mr. Draughon. I think you can tell much about Mr. Draughon at once. He does seem intelligent and reasonable and respectable, as your sister says. As for him being 'led about by the nose' by Mr. Merritt, which is simply another way of saying he is readily influenced by his friend, I am not sure I see it quite that way."
"If he is, it is only a credit to him," said Georgiana decidedly. "It is well that he is attentive to Mr. Merritt. It shows him to be trusting and confident in the abilities and prudence of his friends."
Christine said gently, "You have reason to appreciate that, Georgiana." Her friend looked penitently at her lap and nodded.
During the ordeal concerning Mr. Wickham, the two friends, being separated little before, did not find reason to separate then. What ever Christine did not know, Georgiana told her, this including her eventual engagement to Mr. Wickham. Christine congratulated her friend, needless to say, but she could not ignore the ill of the idea of elopement. When she had convinced her friend of the evil of it, she then had to encourage and support her to tell Mr. Darcy. /There can be no dignity in an elopement, you know this, my dear Georgiana. Therefore the only thing for you to do, for I cannot ask you to break the engagement, is to be open. Tell your brother. Can you truly think of displeasing him so, by such disregard for decency in being eloped and ingratitude to his faithful consideration for never speaking to him of it/ Such arguments, so based on Christine's heartfelt concern and prudent reasoning, could not have been overlooked, especially as Christine had not been comfortable with keeping such a secret from her brother from the start.
When Georgiana found out the circumstances of Mrs. Darcy's sister's engagement to the same Mr. Wickham, she could hardly feel enough gratitude to her friend for directing her course so rightly; for having preserved her from a fate containing an alliance to a man low enough to jeopardize a young woman's reputation in such a fashion. She had promptly written Christine to relate her appreciation, and the subject had not been approached since, until that evening. Christine, noting her friend's discomfort, did not think she would allude to it often.
***
There were no other assemblies for some time, so Georgiana and Christine had returned to their more domestic employments. They were caught in a shower while riding horses (riding being a favorite domestic employment for the girls), causing Georgiana to be so ill as to be unfit for anything beyond her own bed. Christine's own health did not permit her to stay with her friend always, for it was beneficial for her to continue riding in spite of the loss of her companion.
On one such of these solitary rides, Christine was traversing through the woods of Pemberley nearest the road, the pleasant ride made manifest in her features in the form of blush and smile. She had followed a trail at a calm, easy pace, but as she saw the edge of the trees near to the road, she urged her horse faster and, as the phrase goes, hit the road running. When she emerged from the trees she stopped her horse as quickly as she could-- as did the other rider she had nearly galloped into!
Christine, distraught and mortified, having nearly trampled over someone, looked at her hands and apologized. And something more startling still happened. The stranger laughed. Christine looked up sharply.
"Miss Raeworth, think nothing of it. I can understand the thrill of a fast ride well enough to readily forgive." It was Mr. Merritt. Christine also laughed, still slightly flustered. "I believe I can suppose that you were imagining yourself at your uncle's home, among those familiar trees," continued he, drawing his horse beside hers.
"Ah, yes, you have found me out. I do not often imagine myself there, but as my riding companion has taken ill I do get homesick to some extent, being alone."
They continued talking for a few minutes, until Mr. Merritt at last drew himself away, to call on his friend. Their good-byes were all charity, and Christine, as she told Georgiana when she had returned to the house, was quite satisfied with their meeting.
"Georgiana, you know I will be frank with you," said he when they had returned home and were sitting comfortably about the room, "I cannot be sure, for it is only my first impression, but so far as I may see, Mr. Draughon is not unworthy of your association. He is from a widely known, respectable family of good fortune. The only exception is that Mr. Merritt-- "
"Leads him about by the nose," completed Mrs. Darcy calmly. Christine smothered an amused smile, for she knew that the Darcys' censure was for her benefit also. "But," Mrs. Darcy continued, "Mr. Draughon seems an intelligent, reasonable young man, and needs but little guidance to be quite upstanding."
Christine shifted a little in her seat. "What do you think of Mr. Merritt?"
Mrs. Darcy glanced at her husband. "Well, Miss Raeworth, I for my part cannot seem to get along at all. Mr. Merritt does not quite have the openness of character that Mr. Draughon has. I am sure that this cannot continue long, for we are bound to be better acquainted."
Christine understood perfectly. So far as her current guardians were concerned, they had no quandary with the young men, but this certainly did not mean that their analysis was concluded.
"So, Georgiana, what do you think of our new friends?" she asked as they sat in Georgiana's dressing room before they went to bed. "We have already heard Mr. and Mrs. Darcy's opinion of them, but I should like to hear yours." Georgiana's answer did not satisfy Christine, so she attempted a less evident measure.
"I believe I agree to some extent with your sister, on the point of Mr. Merritt. He is not as easy to become acquainted with as Mr. Draughon. I think you can tell much about Mr. Draughon at once. He does seem intelligent and reasonable and respectable, as your sister says. As for him being 'led about by the nose' by Mr. Merritt, which is simply another way of saying he is readily influenced by his friend, I am not sure I see it quite that way."
"If he is, it is only a credit to him," said Georgiana decidedly. "It is well that he is attentive to Mr. Merritt. It shows him to be trusting and confident in the abilities and prudence of his friends."
Christine said gently, "You have reason to appreciate that, Georgiana." Her friend looked penitently at her lap and nodded.
During the ordeal concerning Mr. Wickham, the two friends, being separated little before, did not find reason to separate then. What ever Christine did not know, Georgiana told her, this including her eventual engagement to Mr. Wickham. Christine congratulated her friend, needless to say, but she could not ignore the ill of the idea of elopement. When she had convinced her friend of the evil of it, she then had to encourage and support her to tell Mr. Darcy. /There can be no dignity in an elopement, you know this, my dear Georgiana. Therefore the only thing for you to do, for I cannot ask you to break the engagement, is to be open. Tell your brother. Can you truly think of displeasing him so, by such disregard for decency in being eloped and ingratitude to his faithful consideration for never speaking to him of it/ Such arguments, so based on Christine's heartfelt concern and prudent reasoning, could not have been overlooked, especially as Christine had not been comfortable with keeping such a secret from her brother from the start.
When Georgiana found out the circumstances of Mrs. Darcy's sister's engagement to the same Mr. Wickham, she could hardly feel enough gratitude to her friend for directing her course so rightly; for having preserved her from a fate containing an alliance to a man low enough to jeopardize a young woman's reputation in such a fashion. She had promptly written Christine to relate her appreciation, and the subject had not been approached since, until that evening. Christine, noting her friend's discomfort, did not think she would allude to it often.
***
There were no other assemblies for some time, so Georgiana and Christine had returned to their more domestic employments. They were caught in a shower while riding horses (riding being a favorite domestic employment for the girls), causing Georgiana to be so ill as to be unfit for anything beyond her own bed. Christine's own health did not permit her to stay with her friend always, for it was beneficial for her to continue riding in spite of the loss of her companion.
On one such of these solitary rides, Christine was traversing through the woods of Pemberley nearest the road, the pleasant ride made manifest in her features in the form of blush and smile. She had followed a trail at a calm, easy pace, but as she saw the edge of the trees near to the road, she urged her horse faster and, as the phrase goes, hit the road running. When she emerged from the trees she stopped her horse as quickly as she could-- as did the other rider she had nearly galloped into!
Christine, distraught and mortified, having nearly trampled over someone, looked at her hands and apologized. And something more startling still happened. The stranger laughed. Christine looked up sharply.
"Miss Raeworth, think nothing of it. I can understand the thrill of a fast ride well enough to readily forgive." It was Mr. Merritt. Christine also laughed, still slightly flustered. "I believe I can suppose that you were imagining yourself at your uncle's home, among those familiar trees," continued he, drawing his horse beside hers.
"Ah, yes, you have found me out. I do not often imagine myself there, but as my riding companion has taken ill I do get homesick to some extent, being alone."
They continued talking for a few minutes, until Mr. Merritt at last drew himself away, to call on his friend. Their good-byes were all charity, and Christine, as she told Georgiana when she had returned to the house, was quite satisfied with their meeting.
