I am so sorry that this update took so long. But I hope you like it anyway :)
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Georgiana found herself alone the day after the ball. The morning was filled with an odd quiet and emptiness after the bustle of the previous evening. It was strange really how such a thing could affect her mood when she hadn't even seen the house filled with people dancing or the laughter and good cheer which she had heard floating up into her room from the gathering below.
It was almost enough to make Georgiana wish she had gone, especially when Richard had arrived in the middle of the event to check that she was well and carried the odd tale of the evening. Georgie did not mind terribly either that her brother had not come - Richard had made it clear that her brother had known of Richard's journey and Richard seemed to have Georgiana's own idea of separating her brother from Miss Elizabeth as little as possible until he at least acknowledged his own interest in her. None the less, Richard's presence had tempted her into begging to at least come down to supper.
The image of Miss Bingley in her fashionable dress and familiar sneer was a big enough reminder for her to not. After all, Georgiana daren't be rude enough to pull herself away from her hostess - certainly not when Miss Bingley would inevitably be so nice to her, so insincerely helpful - and Georgiana didn't think she could stand it otherwise. Extended exposure to that lady was making Georgie less and less happy as the days went by, but she put it aside for the pleasure of seeing her brother so merry, in a way he had not truly been since she had been very young.
It was better that she had not gone in truth. Her time to take part in such events would come soon enough, she was sure. She needn't hurry her life away too much.
She made her way, almost absent mindedly, to a piano - the one that Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst loved to perform on. They had always looked down so easily on other people's performances that no matter how much they had praised her ability, Georgiana hadn't felt equal to displaying it. After all, how on earth could they know how she played when they hadn't heard her play within the last year or two at least?
It was no matter really, and as Georgiana floated her hands over the keys, pressing so lightly as to not make a sound, she found her irritation with her host slipping away too. Her concentration was also such that she was utterly distracted from the world about her and didn't even notice the presence of anyone else in the room until she was stretching out her fingers to begin another piece.
"Will you not play for me?" Her brother's voice was soft, but still enough to make her jump. She turned with a smile, trying to hide her surprise, and nodded at her brother. He was one of the few people who she never felt shy before, and so it was no hardship for her to select his favourite piece from her memories and begin to play.
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The Bennets rose with far less of the sedate grace one would have seen at Netherfield, and they congregated later than was their habit, but not so late as to be unreasonable. With the comparatively late hour at which Elizabeth had risen she had been unable to roam the park as was her wont, and with the arrival of Miss Darcy from Netherfield later on, she supposed she was unlikely to have a chance then either.
As such, she wasn't entirely predisposed to enjoy the habitual family gathering and liveliness - not without her normal solitude to gain some balance. The previous evening excluded, her family was not always completely bearable for extended periods of time - or perhaps that was too harsh. Elizabeth glanced around for Jane - her sister was always capable of pulling her out of such miserable moods.
Unfortunately Jane seemed to have already entered the room and so Elizabeth could only follow her elder sister's example and enter the room, praying that her family were in demure spirits.
The arrival of Lydia and Kitty and their raucous laughter moments after she had sat did not bode well for her. Her mother, of course, seemed oblivious and began exclaiming over all the things she had held in the night before - Mr Bingley's attention to Jane and how well they had appeared and how well Jane would be when she was mistress of Netherfield.
These exclamations were at least less mortifying than those that followed of Mr Darcy and Elizabeth - her mother asked extensively of his estate and town house - for of course he must have one - as though Lizzy should have any reason to know about them. It was embarrassing too for Elizabeth was not blind for the reason for her mother's sudden curiosity in him and was almost certain that that was an unfounded cause for joy. It didn't bear thinking upon.
She was quick find a way - any way - to move the conversation into pleasanter topics.
"What did you think of Mrs Lockwood's misfortune?" She asked her father, quickly when her mother had paused for breath.
"It was certainly diverting." Mr Bennet agreed with little worry. "What did you think Mrs Bennet?"
Mrs Bennet for her part made a great sound of outrage and spoke with a deal of something Elizabeth would have always associated with dejection. "That the person to do such a thing must make a truly awful parent - for they would only encourage their daughters to make such undignified displays." Mr Bennet seemed to find his wife's comments amusing, though Elizabeth knew not why. "And then how should they hope to find a man to marry them?!"
"You're not a bad mother, mama..." Kitty's voice came unexpected, drawing attention that Lydia and her mirth seemed to have had subsided mildly. "I think it was very noble of you to stand up for Mary like that..."
"Stand up for me?" Mary scoffed, even as both her parents began to speak themselves, and Mr Collins finally entered the room. "Whatever do I have to do with a pair of frogs?"
The commotion only ended up increasing until Lydia almost bellowed down the table.
"Papa?" Her technique had everyone falling silent. "Do you know what it is that Mr Wickham has done? For Denny says he has been sent away, and I thought he must have been telling me as a joke, for Mr Wickham has always been so charming." Elizabeth was sure her face had paled as much as Jane's had opposite her. "But I suppose that might have been a good cover were he to have been hiding any unpleasant habits."
"Yes Lydia." Mr Bennet's words were somewhat curt - perhaps, Elizabeth supposed, he had realised how uncomfortable the topic made those who truly knew of Mr Wickham's character. "I dare say you have the right of it." He flashed his youngest daughter a smile - a rare occurrence when he normally considered her to be one of the silliest girls in England. Still it did not dissuade him from turning his attentions to Mr Collins, easily getting the parson to wax on about his own opinions on the previous night's entertainment.
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They almost managed to avoid the other ladies of the house entirely. Georgiana almost wished they had.
Of course, they should have known it was unavoidable almost from the first instance that Richard had descended. He had taken one look at Mr Bingley and her brother, laughed, and then pointed out that they couldn't descend on the Bennets so early that the entire family would still be abed.
And so they had waited. Mr Bingley full of his characteristic energy - the broad smile on his face tempered only by the slight signs of frustration the wait was taking.
Georgiana scarcely thought her brother was managing any better, although he hid the signs more carefully. She knew at least that the book he held in front of him was little more than a cover to allow him to think at his own leisure - she could hardly miss that he hadn't turned a page in half an hour, no matter how intently he was staring at the words.
And at last they had finally decided that they might leave - Richard had smirked at the speed at which the other gentlemen had risen when he had made that concession. Georgiana hardly even knew how her cousin had come to be the one deciding such matters, but it seemed to amuse him, and the other didn't seem to notice the power he had been granted, so she supposed she should let it be - when Miss Bingley had swooped into the room.
She took one glance at those present before she fell into her simpering mode about Mr Darcy.
Georgiana wished there was something she could do to take him from the other woman's clutches - because her brother looked quite perplexed and as though he could hardly understand what was going on. He attempted to extricate himself to loom beside the window - his normal escape, but she was too keen to speak at him.
"Bingley," he said curtly, cutting across her completely. Had it been in any other circumstance Georgie would have felt sorry that Miss Bingley had been exposed to such ungentlemanly behaviour, but she rather felt that in this instance the other woman deserved it. "Did you not have some business you wished to discuss with me?"
Mr Bingley looked surprised - Georgiana could only guess that there had been no such thing, and that this "business" was her brother's next attempt to break free of his friend's sister. Luckily, Bingley rallied with impressive speed.
"Of course," he nodded seriously, Georgiana was sure that his sister should have noticed Bingley's deception, but she remained to appear absolutely unaware. "Shall we adjourn to my study?"
Georgiana struggled to hide her giggle at the speed that her brother and his friend abandoned the room.
"My dear Miss Darcy," Georgiana should have expected Miss Bingley's attention to have fallen to her after her brother's departure - but she hadn't thought that far. "I wish you had spent last evening with us - for I dare say it would have made the whole evening a great deal better..."
Georgiana just smiled and gave a hesitant half nod - hoping that it would not be construed as either rude or desperately encouraging.
"But the people here are so insipid and savage - why, I hardly know how Charles stands the place - let alone you and Mr Darcy. Surely you must agree with me Colonel?"
"No, indeed, I..." Richard attempted to speak against her; Georgiana had hardly expected him to do anything else, just as she hardly expected Miss Bingley to let him.
"'Tis no matter - I suppose you spend too much time with your troops anyway..." Miss Bingley seemed oblivious to the insult she had just paid - an odd occurrence for normally she was so much more careful around them. Georgiana found herself wondering what it was that could have upset Miss Bingley so much, even as she wondered how long her cousin would wait before he began to argue with the woman. "And now our brothers would have you visit the Bennets, although I don't know what they see in them. They are completely without manners and utterly unbelievable. Jane Bennet does seem to be a very sweet girl but one must wonder why she seems so unmoved by my brother's attentions - and as for the others, Miss Eliza is unaware of how lacking in wit she is and her youngest sister is even worse. And Miss Eliza shows such an ungenteel sense of pride and independence which is completely unfounded, for she is nothing at all compared to almost all the fine ladies I know in town. And their mother and those sisters..."
"I hope..." Georgiana found her words stumbling as she could barely think of what to say. "I wish... That one day I might have a family like them..." She didn't dare to say anything concrete of her true hopes. No matter how much she might wish that she could have Miss Elizabeth as a sister she could hardly say as much to Miss Bingley. That would only gain her even more scorn from the woman.
"I would guess, Georgiana," Miss Bingley startled slightly at Richard's words, Georgiana wondered if she had forgotten that he was even present. "That you might reasonably hope to have them as your family."
"What do you mean?" Georgiana didn't even have the chance to speak; Miss Bingley snapped her response so fast.
"Only that my cousin seems as enamoured of Miss Elizabeth as your brother is of Miss Bennet."
If looks could kill, Richard would have already been cold in his grave such was the glare that Miss Bingley granted him.
"I do hope so - I should so like to spend more time with her..." Georgiana said, possessed by the cheerful gleam in her cousin's eye. If Richard would have them make their favour of Miss Elizabeth clear, then she was more than happy to oblige.
"And just think, Miss Bingley," Richard seemed altogether too unobservant of their host's growing ire. "If both my cousin and your brother marry the Miss Bennets, then you and Georgiana might truly be sisters..."
Miss Bingley turned pale suddenly - Georgiana half feared for her health. The colonel however did not seem finished.
"Now come, Georgie, and let us find the others so we can be off to Longbourn as soon as possible."
Miss Bingley stood absolutely still as Georgiana followed her cousin from the room. They were almost clear of the door when he continued with complete conviction and loudly enough for Miss Bingley to still easily hear.
"And do you not think that my mother and father - the earl - will appreciate his choice too?"
The door fell closed behind them before Georgiana could form a reply. She was glad really.
But as the shrill sound of Miss Bingley's displeasure rang behind them, she couldn't help but worry that what they had done had been just too cruel and thoughtless. Just that small part too mean.
The smiles that Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley produced when they made clear their intentions to finally be off somehow seemed to more than make up for it.