Hi everyone.
Thank you to all readers, new and not so new. I cannot believe I have reached chapter 46. I have drafted yet another outline. It looks like there MIGHT be 7 chapters left after this. My aim is to post about once a week, hopefully marking this story complete by August.
Special thanks to the following reviewers:
Eleoopy, Colleen S, Lisa, Mimsy2021, Jansfamily4, Deanna27, Maria Teresa C, liysyl, Artemis1813, LC-elsie, ChrisM019, theduskysky, yourselfat19, Levenez, Shelby66, RHALiz, tanseynz
Levenez and Jansfamily4: Yes, Darcy will get there. Slowly but surely.
LC-elsie: Year 11 done with GCSE maths exams, yes! I feel the pressure because I teach year 11 top set. We still have years 7 to 10 to get through. 5 to 6 weeks left!
yourselfat19: Thank you for your questions. Lizzy is not dumb. She did not go into the shed with Wickham. Darcy always kept Georgiana's letter with him as it had confidential information and he could not just leave it at Netherfield, especially with Miss Bingley around. He did not previously plan to tell Lizzy the truth about Wickham but after seeing Lizzy with Wickham, he felt compelled to. Sorry for any confusion.
Artemis1813: I wish I could write more, but it takes me so long to write a chapter. I wrote chapter 46 over two days (with breaks in between, of course). I am not a fast writer, sorry. But I will keep going.
Shelby66: Yes, a dance accepted, and willingly!
ChrisM019, Lisa and RHALiz: I like both 1995 and 2005 PnP adaptations. I like the scene in the 2005 film where Darcy and Lizzy dance and everything seems to disappear around them. That was what came into my mind before I wrote the dance scene.
Eleoopy, Maria Teresa C and tanseynz: I feel a bit guilty about how foolish Lydia was in this story, so I really wanted to show that she improves.
Here is the next chapter…
As usual, I am posting this to avoid delays but will edit later.
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After the dancing at Netherfield, Mrs Hurst cordially invited everyone to partake in some refreshments. Mr Darcy did not leave Elizabeth's side for the duration of the visit, much to the delight of some of their relations.
"Miss Darcy, I do not think I have heard such exceptional playing. You are incredibly talented," Lydia said sincerely.
"Oh, I am not as skilled as you suggest. I merely practise as much as I can," Georgiana humbly replied.
"But you are! It would take a miracle for me to be half as good as you," Lydia continued.
"You are too kind, Miss Lydia." Georgiana blushed, then offered with hesitation, "If you want, we can play together sometime… you can choose the songs you want to learn, I would be happy to guide you."
"Are you in earnest? I am certain that you have learnt under the most prolific masters," Lydia sounded enthusiastic.
"I would enjoy being able to play the pianoforte with someone close to my age." There was a hint of wistfulness in her tone which did not go undetected. It made Lydia wonder about Georgiana's childhood, losing her parents so early, and growing up with a brother who was considerably older. Would she welcome me as a friend?
"I am sorry. I must not impose. You must be very busy, having four sisters…" Georgiana started to say after not hearing an agreement from Lydia.
"Don't be silly! Oh, where are my manners? Of course, I would love to play together! I am sure all my sisters would welcome your company too," Lydia quickly answered.
"Truly? You would not mind me spending some time with your family?" A warm glow suffused Georgiana's face as she said these words.
"We would love for you to join us. But be warned—we engage in quite mundane tasks… though we make up for it with our boisterousness," Lydia said, almost with pride.
Georgiana giggled and exclaimed, "You are so fortunate to have so many sisters! It has always been my fondest wish to have one!" Realising that her words may be misconstrued, her eyes widened and tried to retract, "I mean, I could not ask for a better brother. He has done his best to manage the estate and look after my wellbeing after our parents passed."
"But… it is different having female companionship. I think I understand. If you wish, we could become friends," Lydia said with a gentle smile.
"I would like that, Miss Lydia," Georgiana accepted. Just then, Darcy was heard laughing heartily at something Elizabeth had said, causing everyone in the party to look their way, for it was a rare occurrence for the gentleman to even muster a smile in public.
"Your brother and my sister seem to be getting along quite well. Do you not agree, Miss Darcy?" Lydia chose her words carefully.
"I do. But it was not always the case, from what my brother told me," Georgiana also replied cautiously.
"That is correct," Lydia admitted.
"Please tell me truthfully. Was my brother very unpleasant when he first arrived here? I find it hard to believe," Georgiana implored.
"It is not my place to criticise your brother. I think there have been a lot of misunderstandings. But what is important now is that Lizzy and your brother have cleared up their past issues," Lydia explained.
Georgiana nodded and added, "They seem to be at ease with each other now."
"Miss Darcy, do you wish to have only one sister? Would you have any reservations about acquiring five?" Lydia asked with a glint in her eyes.
"None at all, Miss Lydia. I hope you would not mind having a serious, overprotective brother," Georgiana smirked back.
"I think Lizzy can easily take care of that," Lydia answered with confidence.
She is capable of taking care of Fitzwilliam. I just hope that she wants to.
"Miss Lydia, at the risk of sounding very impertinent, would you have any idea as to whether my brother has any chance with your sister?"
"Why, Miss Darcy! I could not believe you would ask me such a bold question!" Lydia teased, employing some dramatic flair. She was, after all, her mother's daughter.
"Please, Miss Lydia. You must know something about how your sister's feelings. I promise not to tell," Georgiana pleaded.
"I am not usually easily persuaded. However, for the sake of our newly formed friendship--" Lydia then whispered, "Someone may or may not have confessed that she is willing to accept a courtship with a tall gentleman from Derbyshire. That is all I can say. It is not very ladylike to engage in gossip, you know." Georgiana nearly squealed with glee upon hearing this news. "Remember to keep this confidence. I do not wish to break Lizzy's trust." Again.
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"Well, someone here cannot stop smiling," Richard said to his cousin, after the Bennets had returned to Longbourn.
"Mmm…" Darcy was still reimagining his dance with Elizabeth. He had been so thoroughly entranced by her that it was fortunate that he had avoided stepping on her feet.
"Darce!" Richard tried to gain his attention.
"Yes?" Darcy replied without so much as looking at the colonel.
"I can see you enjoyed your dance with Miss Elizabeth," the officer continued.
"I did," was Darcy's brief reply.
"Who could object to a very desirable partner? One could not refuse to dance when so much beauty is before you. Ah, the great pleasure that a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow—"
"Richard! Are you still speaking of Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy eyed his cousin suspiciously.
"Indeed. She is a lady with many charms. Quite bewitching in conversation too, with those bright eyes—"
"Do you fancy her? I thought you were trying to help me. And may I ask, why did you invite her to dance? I hope you were not flirting with her," Darcy spat and glared at him.
"I am trying to help you. As to the dance, that was the genius idea of my mother and your dearest sister. They thought that seeing Miss Elizabeth engaging with another man might prompt you to act. And so you did. Well done, Darce! There is no need to wish me joy," Richard said, amused by how little it took to make his cousin jealous. He clapped Darcy's back before walking off, humming the Scotch air they had danced to.
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That evening, while getting ready for bed, Jane could not help but share her observations about that afternoon's events with Elizabeth.
"Lizzy, thank you for choosing the song that Mary performed. It suited her playing and voice perfectly. I think she was also pleased to receive a positive reception," Jane started.
"She did well indeed. Georgiana is really superior at the pianoforte, especially at such a young age," Elizabeth replied.
Jane nodded her agreement, "You sang beautifully, Lizzy. I think you impressed everyone in the room, including the countess. You would not have noticed this, but Mr Darcy could not take his eyes off you while you were singing," Jane intimated. Noticing her sister blush profusely, she continued, "You do like him, do you not?"
"I do. Very much. He is so vastly different to the proud and severe man I knew upon first acquaintance. I have not seen him display such happy manners as he did today," Elizabeth admitted.
"And do you find him handsome?" Jane asked in a gentle tone.
"Very handsome. More so when he smiles. Oh, Jane! I can feel my heart flutter when he looks at me so tenderly. Is this how you feel with Mr Bingley? How could my feelings for him reverse in less than a fortnight?"
"I think you are falling in love, Lizzy. How do you feel when you are together?"
"I feel very comfortable with him. I feel safe. I want to know more about him and what he likes," Elizabeth answered.
"Well, you will have all the time to get to know him when he asks to court you. And from what happened today, I imagine that would happen very soon. Perhaps in the next few days," Jane speculated.
"Do you really think so? Do you think his sister and the countess would approve of me?" Elizabeth felt anxious.
"He spent most of the afternoon in your company, Lizzy. I will wager my pin money that he asks you for a courtship within a week. Miss Darcy adores you. The countess appears to be a sensible woman. I think she would support Mr Darcy's choice. Come to think of it, why would his relations stay here in Hertfordshire if they had any objections to a possible attachment with you? My guess is that they are all here to know more about the woman who would soon become part of their family. Now, when Mr Darcy asks to court you, you ought to be prepared with your answer."
"Yes."
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The following day, the Netherfield party called at Longbourn soon after breakfast. The Bennet sisters had planned on having a drawing session, based on the schedule they devised to help Lydia with her education. After some casual conversations, Lydia asked Georgiana if she would like to stay on for the afternoon. The young lady turned to her brother to seek his consent.
"I thank you, Miss Lydia, for inviting my sister to join you. I am sure Georgiana would love to spend the afternoon with good female company," Darcy replied, and was gratified to see his sister beam with excitement. Lydia was relieved that the gentleman did not oppose allowing his sister to mingle with her, despite her history of foolish behaviour.
"You are all welcome to stay, of course. Mr Bingley, you would not mind spending more time with my Jane, would you?" she addressed the young man. The besotted young man did not need to be convinced further.
The Bennet sisters gathered the drawing materials and considered what they could sketch. The young ladies first suggested simpler objects to start with, such as flowers in a vase or fruits in a basket. Georgiana sat between Lydia and Kitty, while the colonel entertained his mother and Mrs Bennet with tales of his military adventures. To Elizabeth's left was Mary, who was intent on illustrating a view of the outdoors through the window. Elizabeth had half hoped that Mr Darcy would sit beside her, but to her disappointment, the man chose to position himself opposite her instead. She had a strange feeling, however, that the gentleman was studying her.
Perhaps he does not want to be disturbed when he is drawing. Is there something amiss with how I look? Does he still think I am barely tolerable?
She consciously patted her hair, straightened her posture, and smoothed down her skirt. Glancing at Mr Darcy, she finally caught him staring at her, but he quickly turned back to his drawing.
Not long into their activity, Kitty, who was perhaps the most keen artist amongst the siblings, wished to try her hand at something more complex. As she let her eyes wander around the room in search for inspiration, an idea struck her and she quickly employed her pencil, producing rough strokes then refining them.
After some time, Georgiana peeked at Kitty's work and exclaimed,
"Oh my, Miss Kitty! You have such a good eye for detail."
Lydia then craned her neck to see her sister's sketches and giggled, "They are very good, Kitty. You should show everyone. In fact, I think we should all display our work later."
Upon hearing this, Mr Darcy folded his drawing paper neatly, and tucked this in his coat pocket. He collected another sheet, muttering that he was not satisfied with his first attempt and had to start anew.
A couple of hours were spent in the drawing room before Mrs Bennet insisted, in a motherly manner, that the guests could not leave without partaking in refreshments. While waiting for tea service, the Bennets and their guests shared their sketches with each other which made for a lively exchange of praise and friendly banter.
"What did you draw, Mr Bingley?" Jane asked.
Charles sported a sheepish expression and hesitated to reveal his work.
"Come now, sir, will you not show us?" she encouraged.
"La! I must say you have depicted Jane in a very… unique way," declared Lydia.
"I am so sorry, Miss Bennet. As you can see, I do not possess any artistic talent," Charles apologised.
"Mr Bingley! Does my nose look… crooked? And my mouth so… thin? And my ears… so long? And my eyes… so evil?" Jane asked him, with her eyes opened wide.
"Please forgive me. You are a thousand times more handsome in real life compared to my poor drawing," Charles pleaded.
After a few more moments of staring at the failed portrait, Jane burst out laughing and said,
"Just do not write me a poem. I might not be able to decipher your handwriting."
Jane, Lydia and Georgiana had drawn lovely flower arrangements, while Kitty had created simple but funny caricatures of Mrs Bennet with various facial expressions and postures. Her mother playfully made a show of reprimanding her but graciously recognised the humour in her artwork. Elizabeth and Mary had sketched some landscape scenes.
"Mr Darcy, how did your second attempt turn out?" Elizabeth addressed the gentleman.
"I shall leave it to you to judge," he answered and offered the sheet of paper to her.
Elizabeth smiled as she accepted his work, then gasped after seeing how intricately he had drawn a single rose. He had meticulously detailed each petal, and the shading had been executed with delicacy, showing texture and contrast. It was truly an exquisite drawing.
"This is… quite simply… stunning. So very beautiful," Elizabeth managed to say after a while.
"As are you, Miss Elizabeth," he spoke softly, gazing into her eyes. The young lady blushed becomingly and could not form a reply, surprised with the forwardness of his compliment.
"Brother, that is indeed lovely. You should gift it to Miss… I mean… you can leave it here with the Bennet family. I have left my drawing of flowers with Lydia as well. She said she wanted to make a compilation of floral designs. Miss Elizabeth could help her with this project."
"Would you accept it, Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy asked cautiously, his voice hopeful.
"Yes, I will, Mr Darcy," Elizabeth gave a firm answer, and awarded him a shy smile.
The rest of the party pretended not to observe the pair growing closer, and discreetly afforded them as much privacy as was possible in such a gathering.
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Get to it, Darcy! LOL.
Question and answer segment: Thank you to all the replies. Very thoughtful answers. There are no right or wrong answers, so Mimsy2021, a dowry – brilliant idea. tanseynz: I went to the Brighton Pavilion many years ago. Sadly, I do not remember much of my visit anymore. :-( LC-elsie: There is just something so regal… or romantic about fashion from previous eras…
Next question:
Which of JA's work do you like the most?
Is it obvious that I love "Pride and Prejudice"? ;-) Darcy and Lizzy!!! I love how both flawed characters grew from their experiences and eventually came together. And Darcy ever so constant in his love for Lizzy, saving Lydia but not wanting to let Lizzy know… and does not want Lizzy to accept him out of gratitude…
But I admit I love Wentworth and his letter to Anne… wow! (Persuasion)
So, that is it for now. Till next weekend, hopefully!