Georgiana found herself roaming the house early the next morning. It was an unfortunate habit it seemed. Mrs Annesley had never been one to rise early, and her brother - when he had been home at least - had always woken long before her. That first hour or two had always been hers and hers alone. It was then that she could easily while away her time playing the piano or thinking or any number of things. But that morning she had woken prepared, a tune in her head that she would have loved to experiment with - she was never desperately skilled at composing her own music, but she had always liked to try.
But she hadn't had that option here. There seemed to be no one about to tell her off or complain, but she had still felt that it wouldn't be so acceptable for her to begin to use the piano. She was sure she would cause someone disruption. She had tried to read, but her thoughts had been too heavy - she couldn't help but think back to her brother, and wonder if there was any chance at all that he might forgive her for her awful outburst the day before.
It was pure luck that had her spotting a housemaid as they entered and left one of the rooms leaving the door ever so slightly ajar. Georgiana moved forwards, telling herself she only intended to close the door and restore the privacy to occupant - whether or not that was truly her sole motive she could hardly say. In the end, it hardly mattered, she reached the door at the same time as Miss Bennet rose within the room and Georgiana was surprised to find herself being welcomed in.
The elder Miss Bennet was awake, but only in that tired way, of one whom was ill. Georgiana was quick to enquire after her health. It was a strange thing in truth, despite her poor health Georgiana was quick to discern how beautiful she was. She might have resented the fact were it not that it took her only a moment or two longer to notice that the elder Miss Bennet shared that same kindness that was so apparent in her younger sister. It was such a thing that meant that Georgiana hardly even felt she was an intrusion even as she sat in what seemed to be a familiar relationship as Miss Elizabeth recounted events and happenings teasing all and sundry and Miss Bennet protested against every single uncharitable remark.
In truth, Georgiana was more than happy to take that as an alternative to her music - it certainly set her up just as easily for the rest of the day. She almost felt a pang of regret as she left them, realising they had reached the hour at which her companion would have woken. Having dragged Mrs Annesley so far, Georgiana knew she must treat the lady with at least that much respect.
.
Mr Darcy was more than glad when the Mrs Bennet and her three youngest daughters left the house without ever having met Georgiana. In truth he couldn't fault Elizabeth - Miss Elizabeth - for her behaviour she had been nothing but a true gentlewoman. After Georgiana's dispute with him the day before, he couldn't help but admit that. Jane too had hardly acted against decorum. Darcy could hardly understand how that could be considering the other Bennets.
Georgiana would almost certainly have something to say about that - he almost had to wonder about himself in truth. It was a strange thing when he could hear Miss Bingley's words which so nearly mirrored his own thoughts - in all but expression - and yet, he found them almost as intolerable as Mrs Bennet's own words. Perhaps Georgiana was right - after all, no one was entirely faultless - and two of the daughters hadn't spoken at all - Miss Mary and Miss Catherine was it - perhaps they too were gentlewomen. Miss Catherine had a poor tendency to giggle - but how was that different from Mrs Hurst?
Mr Hurst had frequently told Darcy that his wife was different when she wasn't being lead by her sister.
Was it bad then - a sign of his own poor character - that he wanted to keep his sister clear of that family? Mrs Bennet may have had many faults after all, but her only true faults were ignorance - which his father had always said must be forgiven, for not everyone was granted the same opportunities – and pride – and yet he had his own predisposition to pride. He wouldn't have let someone speak poorly of Pemberley after all - and a tendency to go on. And the latter wouldn't be half so tiresome were she to have something of substance to say - which only lead back to her own ignorance.
Mr Darcy rose to his feet unthinkingly, and giving a short excuse to the ladies found himself outside as quickly as possible. It left him alone and with plenty of time to think - and most importantly away from Miss Bingley's unsubtle manipulations.
.
Elizabeth somehow managed to avoid most of the party for most of the time until far later, in the evening, when she joined them in the drawing room. Jane had insisted that she must, and Elizabeth had found it marginally easier to agree when she knew that there was more than simply Mr Bingley who she could face with any kind of ease in her civility.
She took up her needlework, expecting to have a chance to converse with Miss Darcy and her companion who, although Georgiana had only mentioned in passing, Elizabeth had determined must be a fairly worthwhile kind of woman. Especially given that Mr Darcy had accepted her as a tutor for his sister while he had such a strict idea of what made someone accomplished and worthwhile. No matter what else, the lady had to be interesting.
Still the conversation between Miss Bingley and Mr Darcy was more than sufficient to keep her entertained, even if she might have preferred friendlier conversation. The lady appeared to be doing all she could to distract her guest even as he studiously went about his letters of business. He in turn seemed to be challenging himself to return as few words as was absolutely possible. She couldn't help that she slowly diverted more and more of her attention towards them and away from her own tasks.
Georgiana entered the room only a little after she had left. The change in tone was incredible though - she had left, having tired of the sight of Miss Bingley fawning over her brother yet again, and returned to a light hearted debate between her brother and Mr Bingley, and most strangely of all, Miss Bennet. Georgiana had hardly seen the latter all day; she had been consumed by her lessons with Mrs Annesley – or as her companion would say discussions, since apparently Georgiana was almost too old to strictly need tuition. In truth she could hardly see the difference when it still involved her learning all the things a governess might teach her and practicing her skills in all those ladylike accomplishments that high society valued.
Georgiana didn't mind whatever it was, she valued her lessons - she liked to know that her brother would be pleased with her of course, but most of all she liked to imagine that her parents would have thought the same. Both her brother and Mrs Annesley had disputed that fact vehemently – they were both prone to tell her that such things would matter less to them than her own health and happiness.
Considering how badly she had failed her entire family so recently though, Georgiana couldn't help but push herself even further in penance.
So caught up was she in such thoughts that she hardly noticed as Miss Bennet looked up and beckoned her across to sit beside her when Miss Elizabeth was completing her needlework. She had barely sat down before her brother flashed a smile to her and turned back to his own affairs the conversation finally over.
The lull didn't last long though. Miss Bingley could hardly hide the sour look she directed at Elizabeth before she drew her sister across to perform. Elizabeth, for her own part, seemed entirely oblivious of the other woman's jealously - she was too caught up for a moment in an unfortunate tangle her lapse in concentration had caused.
Under the safe cover of music Miss Elizabeth finally spoke, casting a smile at Mrs Annesley who had also perched herself nearby.
"Do you play, Miss Darcy?"
It was only polite conversation after all, but Georgiana found herself uncommonly able to reply. "As often as I can get away with..."
"Then you must perform!" Miss Elizabeth urged, somehow remaining entirely cheerful.
Georgiana shook her head as easily as she could, trying to ignore the urge to shrink into herself. She couldn't imagine playing here - not with Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst who would judge her so harshly or insincerely - Georgiana wasn't entirely sure which was worse.
"And you Miss Bennet, do you play?" Mrs Annesley easily joined in the conversation, saving her charge without a second thought.
"Only a little - and very poorly indeed..." She caught Georgiana's eye, bringing her back into the conversation. "My friends seemed to delight in forcing me to perform - but it is my sister who practices more diligently..."
Georgiana smiled in anticipation. She couldn't shake the desire to spend time discussing her pursuits. Perhaps that would help to appease Mrs Annesley and her brother in their continual efforts to get her to interact more. "Miss Jane Bennet?"
"No, Mary..." A shadow passed across Elizabeth's face before she could help it. "Although she is sorely lacking the attention of true masters." If Elizabeth was honest, Mary was far more skilled at the difficult passages, and at home, when she chose to, she could play spectacularly - it just never seemed to happen in company. The stray thought that her sister might be shy struck her unawares. Surely she couldn't have misjudged her own sister to such a degree?
"You have many sisters then?" The thought seemed incredible to Georgiana - she couldn't say when she had first longed for a sister; the desire had almost always been there.
"I am the second of five." There was a short pause as the performing sisters rearranged themselves where they sat. Mr Darcy rose from his seat putting aside his letters and moved within hearing distance of his sister and her companions. "And you?"
"No," Georgiana spoke a fraction of a second before Mrs Annesley - the dear woman had been ready to save her again. "There is only my brother and I - and he has had to act as a mother and father too..."
Truly, it only made her betrayal so much worse. She couldn't conceive how he could ever forgive her. She caught his glance unexpectedly, and his warm smile gave her more hope than she deserved. He was infinitely too good a brother for a wicked girl such as herself.
"I am sorry..." There was little else that Miss Elizabeth could have been expected to say - but there was something about that gaze - as though the older woman was honestly concerned for her, that had Georgiana finding her own way to words.
"He is so good, and yet I have been so foolish..." She wished she could take back the words the moment they were out of her mouth.
"Everyone is foolish from time to time..." Elizabeth didn't sound at all concerned by Georgiana's near admission. "Why I was beginning to believe that your brother had no good traits, and yet your words would have me believe he is the paragon of virtue."
There was such a humorous tone beneath the words that Georgiana could hardly tell what the true feelings of the speaker were. She could only assume it was all serious then. "No one is flawless..."
"No indeed, the world would be a far more tiresome place were that the case..." Georgiana couldn't help but let the cheerful tone lift her spirits. She doubted anyone could remain entirely solemn when faced with Miss Elizabeth for extended periods of time.
"May I ask what you were speaking of so secretly?" Mr Darcy's words were only loud enough to travel to them, and were Lizzy not so sure of his own disposition, she would have been minded to believe he was almost teasing the pair of them.
"They were discussing people's flaws, sir." Mrs Annesley's words were respectful, but Elizabeth couldn't believe she was completely ignoring the cheerfulness that she had tried to bring.
"Of anyone I know?" His voice was dry and still so disapproving, that Lizzy couldn't stop herself speaking.
"Indeed," she knew she shouldn't continue. Her mother would probably have had a nervous fit were she here and Jane would simply look at her in her disappointed way. Mr Darcy's aloofness provoked her too much. "We were wondering whether you would admit to any flaws. For, if you must know, follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me and I laugh at them whenever I can. But I suppose this exactly is what you are without."
Mrs Annesley looked mildly shocked, as though she couldn't decide how she was supposed to react to cause the least offence. Miss Darcy on the other hand was simply looking between the pair of them with some indecipherable expression.
"It has been the study of my life to avoid those weaknesses which often expose a strong understanding to ridicule." His words were entirely stiff and discouraging.
"Such as vanity and pride?" For Elizabeth couldn't see how he could attempt to disengage himself from those.
"Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride - where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good regulation."
Elizabeth had to quench a smile. He was exactly as she would have expected.
Georgiana looked between her brother and her new friend wishing she could see a way to mend the rift. He was behaving so uncomfortably, as though he hated to speak every word which came out of his mouth, and he was acting so unlike the brother she had grown up to know.
"So what can we think, Miss Elizabeth?" Georgiana couldn't contain the slightest of trembles that touched her words. She just wished that Elizabeth could turn merry as she had been before.
"Well, I am perfectly convinced that your brother has no defect. He owns it with no disguise."
"No," Mr Darcy could never hope to let that slide. If he could be sure that it was all more light-hearted teasing it would be different - but he couldn't shake the fear that Miss Elizabeth truly thought he believed that of himself. "I would make no such pretension. I have faults indeed." He looked between his sister and her companion. "My temper I dare not vouch for." An image of Mr Wickham flashed into his mind's eye. "I find it hard to forget the vices and follies of other - and I cannot readily ignore their offences against myself. My feelings are not easily changed by those who would wish to change them and I would likely be thought resentful." Georgiana was looking away from him, and Darcy could only hope he hadn't hurt her too much by bringing up his previous failure. He would never wish his sister pain. "My good opinion once lost, is lost forever."
He would never, ever, let Mr Wickham hurt those he loved again. It would be intolerable.
"That is a failing indeed!" Miss Elizabeth's eyes sparkled even as she pronounced her displeasure. What Darcy would give for her to be less bewitching? That he might find it easy to forget about her and how she seemed to be everything he had never known he would look for. He couldn't fail Georgiana like that again. She needed a woman of the ton, so that she might be brought out respectfully and have all the choice in the world of who she might finally marry. Darcy couldn't afford to forget that. "Implacable resentment is a shade in a character – but you have chosen well. I cannot laugh at that. You are safe from me."
"There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil – a natural defect which not even the best education can overcome."
"And your defect is to hate everyone."
"And yours" he replied unable to remain resolute against her unceasing cheer, "is to wilfully misunderstand them."
"Miss Darcy, will you not play?" Miss Bingley's voice interrupted their short silence. Elizabeth found herself looking away, glad for the distraction. Mr Darcy was so confusing – she could be so sure that he was a terrible man, were it not for his sister. How could such a conceited, proud arrogant man helped to raise such a sweet relative?
Darcy seemed to have sensed her need for him to be anywhere else, for he quickly excused himself. Georgiana somehow managed to remove herself from any obligation, and she fell into talking of other lighter matters, Mrs Annesley carrying the conversation whenever Elizabeth or Georgiana were unequal to the task.
Mrs Annesley had approved of Miss Bennet, and for that, Georgiana was truly grateful. Her companion still had not fully recovered from a lingering cold, so had encouraged Georgiana to spend some time with Miss Elizabeth and Georgiana was quickly realising that they could become true friends. Miss Jane Bennet was quickly recovering and had hopes to spend time with the entire company after dinner – and considering Mr Bingley's attention to her welfare, Georgiana couldn't help but profess a little curiosity to observe them together.