Chapter 8
The following day was rather uneventful, as the party decided to remain near to Pemberley to give their guests a chance to recover from their travel. Mrs Gardiner had expressed her desire to take a trip to Lambton to see her childhood friends, and Mr Darcy was glad to offer his carriage to convey the ladies the few miles of good road to the village. The gentlemen were to embark upon their shared business, so that the rest of the week would be free for merriment. Mr Darcy did regret that he would not be able to watch his sister enjoying the day with her friend, but reasoned that he would receive a detailed recount of the days' events when she returned, and their conversation would be no less enthusiastic for the events being in the past. That settled, the ladies set off in the carriage to make Mrs Gardiner's calls, and for Lizzy to have her second tour of the trip.
Lizzy was delighted to find Lambton to be a quaint but busy village. There were perfectly manicured window boxes, and a large green with a sizeable horse chestnut tree right in the centre. She heard the joyful sound of children's laughter before alighting from the carriage, and when she espied them playing hoops along the road, she expressed her fondness for childhood games, and laughing in general.
"I cannot lie, Georgiana," she remarked, "I dearly love to laugh."
"It is a good job that we are to see my cousin Mrs Martin and her family then, my dear," Mrs Gardiner said. Elizabeth's eyes took on the mischievous twinkle Georgiana had come to love. From the short time they had spent in each others' company, Georgie knew that that sparkle meant something either sublime or ridiculous was about to happen.
They did indeed have an enjoyable time at the Martins. Young Thomas had been enamoured by his cousin of sorts for as long as he could walk. They had visited the last spring, when Thomas was three, and the precocious child had declared that he would one day make Lilybear, for that was his nickname for her, his wife. He was no less persistent on this day, much to Georgiana's amusement.
Madeline Gardiner was a well-favoured woman in Lambton, and as soon as word had circulated that she was in town, there was a line of people peering curiously into Mrs Martin's front room. Sensing Georgie's growing discomfort at their being the centre of attention, Lizzy asked her aunt if they could instead amuse themselves for the following hour whilst she tended to her many friends and acquaintances.
"Do be careful, my loves," Georgiana fairly beamed at Mrs Gardiner's slip. It was not missed by her cousin. Aware that they were in company, and not wanting to reveal too much to persons so wholly unconnected to the Darcys, she did not give her more explicit caution in words. However, Lizzy knew her aunt's various expressions well enough to translate to Georgiana when they had gained the outdoors.
"She wanted to express her concern over our gallivanting about when there could be unscrupulous men folk in the area," Lizzy conveyed.
"She need not worry, Lizzy. For I have the strongest knight in the whole kingdom by my side, and she has an excellent track record of laying unscrupulous men flat." This was said as Georgiana laced her arm through Elizabeth's and let out an unrestrained chuckle into the warm air.
Elizabeth was relieved to see that Georgiana was able to joke about their traumatic experience now. "First, I am to be your false friend, then a knight in shining armour, then a villainous pirate bent on stealing your person, then I am to be the rumour-starter of Pemberley - tell me, which hat am I to wear today?"
Georgiana continued chuckling at her friend's continued silliness "Where did you hear a rumour?"
"It does not do to pass around idle gossip, I know, but I have been the subject of no less than fifteen stares since we stepped outside. I have heard more than one person openly ask who that curious woman walking with Miss Darcy is. I know I am new to the area, but I feel very much like a heroine in a novel, and I am not sure I am enjoying it overmuch." This was said with a quietness that begged not to be overheard, and with a tone that belied any real annoyance.
"They are just interested in a newcomer, I promise," Georgiana assured her friend.
"Well, I should not wish to cause you or your brother any trouble," she explained.
"So you have forgiven him, then?" Georgiana asked.
"He is on his way to undoing any offence that he may or may not have caused, it is true," Lizzy toyed with her friend. "That is to say, there is nothing other than a bad temper that he would even need to apologise for. There was no lasting damage."
"Excellent, I am very glad," Georgiana replied.
Elizabeth thought for a second, and then continued. "Perhaps we should let him believe he still has some grievance to repent for, Georgie. Then he may be more inclined to provide us with diverting trips, and to cater to my whims?"
Georgiana found herself at a loss for words. Fortunately, Elizabeth gave her leave to understand that she was in jest, and that she was not generally a manipulative person.
Georgiana sighed, relieved, and suggested they make their way to the bakery for a light snack. Georgiana was well received at every shop they visited that afternoon. Unsurprisingly, given that her brother owned most of the land in this part of the county, she was treated with utmost respect and friendliness.
"Well, this is certainly a different experience to our last time in a shop together, isn't it Elizabeth?" Georgiana laughed.
"Indeed, I don't think you will be requiring my false friendship here, Miss Darcy," Lizzy said, aware of the fact they were likely being listened to. "And in any case, you have won my very real friendship now."
"Yes, I am very grateful for that day, even if it did not start off so well."
"I do enjoy when first impressions deceive me," Elizabeth said. Her tone left no room for doubt that she was reminding her friend that she had forgiven her brother, and in fact thought rather positively of him on the whole now. His kindness to her uncle had certainly helped, but when she had seen him in his home, interacting with his sister and their servants, she felt that she had seen a truer version of him - the one that Georgiana had provided snippets of throughout their correspondence.
It was with these pleasant thoughts that they reunited with Mrs Gardiner, who had spent a wonderful morning with many old friends, and was weighed down by various gifts for her family and for the Darcys, who were by all accounts very well loved and respected here. Georgiana and Elizabeth helped her carry all of her things to the carriage, and they all returned back to Pemberley for a late lunch.
Lunch, and indeed the rest of the afternoon, passed all too quickly for all members of the party. Mr Darcy and Mr Gardiner rejoined the ladies for lunch, and cried off the adventure to the grounds that Georgiana and Lizzy were spearheading after eating.
Mr Darcy found himself begrudging the work that he and Mr Gardiner had started that morning which prohibited his accompanying the young women. It had been a very long time since he could claim to have been on an adventure, and the idea sounded very fun indeed. Much more fun than balancing the financials of Mr Gardiner's business against other similarly successful fabric sellers. He was an innovative businessman, Mr Darcy had been pleased to find, achieving an extraordinary portfolio with relatively little investment. Mr Darcy was certain it would be a mutually beneficial venture, so it was mostly a case of formalising his stake in the company. Which was much less fun than partaking of a fun afternoon out of doors with his sister and her charming friend. Mrs Gardiner cried off the adventure, claiming a sore ankle and a desire to read a letter from a friend who had not been able to see her today.
~.~
Mr Darcy had been correct in his assumption that he would get an enthusiastic rendition of his sister's day. It came in the form of a quiet interval the following morning, when Georgiana had found him tending to some legal papers from the previous day with his steward. Mr Darcy kindly asked the gentleman to give them some privacy when she had found him just past ten o'clock.
"I left our guests in the orangerie, I hope that is permissible," she said hesitantly. "They wished to enjoy the warmth whilst they write their correspondence back to Hertfordshire and London," she explained.
"Of course, thank you Georgie. You have made an excellent hostess." Ever direct and efficient, he then asked; "what can I do for you?"
"It is not a question of doing for me, brother. I do not think there is a creature in England who has so little to want for in this instant" Mr Darcy smiled to see his sister so returned to him. He remained silent, prompting her to continue with a gesture of his large hand, beckoning her to sit on the couch near to his desk. He moved around and propped himself up against its corner.
"I came first and foremost to draw you away from your books, for it does not do to focus entirely on one's duty and forget to live," she paused, and gaining an amused look from her brother she knew her conversation was an appreciated distraction rather than an annoyance. She continued, "and then I thought I might ask you how you are enjoying having our guests to stay?" She continued.
"I am very content to see that you are enjoying their company," he evaded the direct question. Georgiana was not willing to let up.
"But do you like them?" She pressed. "I am anxious to know what you think of my friend."
"It is true, I am enjoying their company very much indeed," he admitted. Life at Pemberley has been too subdued for too long, he reflected silently.
"I am so glad that you find them refined enough for your high expectations at last," she teased, then added; "isn't she just wonderful, brother?" Georgiana asked in a cheeky tone, and he knew she wasn't talking about Mrs Gardiner.
"I do not claim to know Miss Elizabeth as intimately as you do Georgiana," he danced around the question he suspected she was asking. He did not know her well, but he had to admit that he was rather entranced by what he had seen.
"Let me share tales of our wonderful day yesterday, then. Of course, it is in the interests of enlightening you to her character," Georgiana requested. And upon his cheerful gesture of assent, she proceeded to weave a lovely story.
He enjoyed hearing of their adventure through the Pemberley woods. He found himself restraining a deep laugh when she spoke of the two ladies dancing in the grounds, inspired as Lizzy had been by the percussive tapping of a woodpecker. A woodpecker! She had sung a simple melody and they had danced in the secluded area beyond the long lake. He found himself wondering what her singing voice sounded like, and resolved to ask Georgie for a musical rendition during their stay.
She told him how they had spent a pleasant couple of hours in Lambton, despite the staring that had put her on edge. And she was pleased to share how kind the shopkeepers had been, in contrast to that day in Ramsgate, when her friend had rescued her from that unkind shopkeeper. "How lucky I have been," she remarked, "for ours is quite the accidental friendship."
He did find himself agreeing that it had been an unlikely, and yet fortunate occurrence. When it came to his sister, he did not necessarily enjoy just how indebted he was to Miss Elizabeth Bennett - indeed he did not much like being indebted to any person - but he could not find a single part of him that regretted their meeting as a whole.
Sensing the mood dropping, Georgiana decided a jest was in order.
"You will not believe who we met in Lambton." She said breaking him from his reverie.
"Is that so? Tell me, who did you meet?" He asked.
"Lizzy's surprise suitor," she teased.
Her brother's colour rose slightly, and he had an expression on his face which gave the appearance that he had smelt something unpleasant. He was displeased to find how much it irritated him that she had a suitor, given that he had very much been enjoying her company. He supposed he didn't really have any claim over her person or her time, other than being her host and her friend's older, sombre brother. It surprised him that he had any feelings about her and her male friendships. Careful, he willed himself.
"Ah yes Thomas Martin was loathe to part with her when we stepped out for some fresh air. I believe he even tried to kiss her leg. Can you imagine, in a front room?!"
Mr Darcy was indeed quite scandalised to hear this revelation. Was this singular woman to become a magnet for the rakish kind wherever she went? He tried to recall a Martin family near Lambton and couldn't think of any young men who fit the description. He was still trying to formulate a response when his sister put him out of his misery.
"I suppose, for a four year old, it was quite endearing." His face dropped as soon as he knew he had been had.
"That was not funny, Georgiana," he reproached.
"I am afraid I would have to disagree, I very much enjoyed my little joke. You are such a prude, brother. The idea of a simple kiss to a person has you all scandalised."
Georgiana would not have been able to stop laughing had she wanted to, as a fresh burst of hysterics bubbled from her lips.
Mr Darcy chose to keep his response to himself. He would certainly scandalise his sister if she knew quite how un-prudish his thoughts were becoming around Elizabeth. He now had a quite unshakeable image of her leg on his shoulder to add to the growing list of secret thoughts he harboured about her. It was hopeless. He knew he should stop his mind going there, that his family would not be pleased with their unconventional introduction, or anything that may come from it, but he so enjoyed being around her that he couldn't quite bring himself to stop his mind from its less decorous rambles, or from its fixation on a future where Pemberley retained Miss Elizabeth Bennet's personal brand of human sunshine.
