AN: To the guest reviewer that was a little scathing about the lack of propriety shown in the previous chapters when it came to characters using Christian names; may I point out that this is a 'fanfic' and that the whole story shows more lack of propriety in their bedroom antics than in the way they address each other! You say that some things shouldn't be messed around with if I want an accurate story – well nothing that happens in the rest of the story is in keeping with the original novel at all! Be prepared to be 'messed about' to a greater degree!
There was an awkward silence with Georgiana looking decidedly uncomfortable and unable to look any one directly in the eye. She shifted a little closer to Charles and he gently squeezed her arm in comfort.
"Umm, Darcy a little late in the day for a swim isn't it?" He tried to break the silence by blustering his way into trying to make a joke to ease the tension. It was only when Darcy glowered in response that Charles finally recognized the small figure shivering in Darcy's embrace. "My goodness…Miss Elizabeth! What on earth has happened?" Charles dropped Georgiana's arm and went to step forward in alarm; a slight growl from Darcy stopped him in his tracks.
"Charles, could we leave the explanation for a little later? Miss Bennet needs a bath to warm her up, as do I as you can clearly see. I promise I will explain it all in good time. Georgiana, would you please accompany myself and Miss Bennet's aunt up to your bedchamber? I asked that a bath be made ready in your suite as I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow…" Darcy looked over and noticed that Georgiana was near to tears. "I'm not scolding you, poppet. It's would have been a lovely surprise if not for this unfortunate event." Georgiana brightened up a little at this last remark and Darcy looked over at Lucy for assistance and she immediately went over to greet Georgiana.
"Miss Darcy, it's a pleasure to meet you at last! I would be grateful for your assistance with my niece. Perhaps you would be so kind as to lend Lizzie a change of clothing?" Lucy held out a hand and Georgiana accepted it with a shy curtsey in greeting.
"Of course, Mrs. …?"
"Mrs. Gardiner, but please call me Lucy. Mrs. Gardiner makes me feel so old…" Lucy threaded her arm through Georgiana's and gently led her inside the front doors and into the hallway. Darcy smiled faintly at the way Lucy had dealt with Georgiana's obvious discomfort at being in the middle of a group of strangers in her own home by making her feel like part of the solution. He could hear them chatting quietly as they ascended the staircase and then heard his sister's quiet voice floating down from above.
"Fitz, are you going to stand there dripping all over the hallway or are you going to bring Miss Bennet upstairs to recover? Lucy has told me the story of how the two of you ended up in the river and I quite blame you for Miss Bennet's discomfort."
"And quite rightly so…" muttered Elizabeth with a soggy shiver. Darcy shifted his hold slightly so that he could ensure that the jacket remained firmly in place as carried Elizabeth past Charlie holding open the front door. He nodded in thanks and started to carry his precious cargo up the staircase without any outward signs of any effort. Elizabeth shivered again as she felt a cold, slimy droplet of water make its way down the back of her neck. Darcy tightened his embrace in response. "You'll soon be warm and dry again in no time." He dropped a kiss on her forehead and she tucked her head into his neck for comfort. The fact that her brother was cradling a young woman in his arms like she was something infinitely precious and that Miss Bennet didn't seem to mind a bit had not escaped Georgiana's attention. Lucy had only told her that her niece and Darcy had been quarrelling down by the river and that he had accidentally pulled Elizabeth into the water when he had slipped down the bank. Georgiana knew that there was more to the story than that, her brother looked far too comfortable with Miss Bennet for someone that had been quarrelling only a few minutes ago… Darcy had been strangely quiet and sombre ever since he had returned from Kent and a visit to their Aunt's a few weeks ago. She had assumed that Lady Catherine had been once again trying to persuade her brother to make an offer for their cousin, Anne; but know it seemed that it might have been something else entirely… Darcy had mentioned Elizabeth Bennet only in passing and was always ready to change the subject whenever her name was mentioned in conversation. Charles had let snippets of information slip to Georgiana but only that he thought that his friend was far more interested in Miss Elizabeth than he was willing to admit to. From the looks of things, it was clear to Georgiana that Darcy had finally found the one person that he could let his guard down with. Apart from when he was alone with Georgiana, Mrs. Reynolds or Henry, Darcy presented a harder façade to the rest of the world. He wasn't even fully comfortable around Charles and they had been friends since their childhood.
Darcy reached the top of the staircase and smiled at his sister holding open the door to the family wing on the west elevation. They passed by his own bedchamber and rounded the corner to Georgiana's own suite of rooms. He set Elizabeth gently down on a chair just inside the room, not wanting to drip over the cream rugs more than absolutely necessary. "Have a bath and a change of clothes and then see how you feel. I've asked that the next room along be prepared for your stay so if you feel like resting please go ahead and do so." Darcy bent low and murmured gently in her ear causing a shiver to run down her spine which had more to do with the feeling of his warm breath against her cold, clammy skin than the damp chill surrounding her. Elizabeth simply smiled and raised a hand to gently stroke his cheek.
"You were in the water far longer than I, perhaps you feel that you ought to take a nap?" Darcy resisted the urge to groan aloud at the reaction her soft touch was producing throughout his body. He lower his voice slightly so that they were in no danger of being overheard.
"Only if you were going to join me… although I doubt there would be any napping involved!"
"Mr. Darcy! Whatever are you suggesting?" Elizabeth acted shocked but was by now used to this brand of teasing that Darcy seemed to reserve especially for her. His eyes darkened with desire at the way she practically breathed his name, and bent down even closer.
"You know exactly what I was suggesting, you little minx! I plan on paying you back for that little stunt down at the river, just you wait and see…"
"I look forward to it, Mr. Darcy." Elizabeth stroked his cheek again and watched his eyelashes, long and spiky with water flutter helplessly flutter in response.
"Yes…you will. Now go and have that bath!" Darcy leant forward and pressed a kiss against her forehead quickly and rose to his feet and bowed his head slightly. "Miss Bennet."
"Mr. Darcy." Elizabeth inclined her head slightly in haughty dismissal and then laughed as Darcy bowed lower and dripped water all over the freshly waxed hallway floor. "William, go and have a bath!"
Georgiana raised shocked eyes towards Lucy, she had never, ever heard her brother referred to in such intimate terms. Although she had never known their mother herself, Mrs. Reynolds had shared stories with her over the years and to hear that name used meant that Darcy was indeed very serious about Miss Bennet and Georgiana resolved to prise as much information out of Charles and the staff as possible. Lucy helped Elizabeth to struggle out of the clingy muslin dress and into a clean bathrobe, she saw that Elizabeth was trying to discretely remove Darcy's handkerchief from the concealed pocket and hid a small smile. Elizabeth gave a huff when she realized that she couldn't remove the handkerchief without completely turning the dress inside out and was relieved when Lucy stepped forwards and removed the dress from her grip.
"I'll just run this dress downstairs and ask that it be laundered for you, dear. I'm sure Miss Darcy would be glad to lend you something to return back to Lambton in." Lucy gave her niece a quick wink and nodded towards the hidden pocket to let her know that the contents would be returned back to her quite discretely. Georgiana had missed this exchange as she bustled over to where her trunks were lying open in the corner.
"I'm sure I have something suitable, we seem to be around the same height; although they may be a little looser on you that they are on me." Georgiana still retained the plumpness resulting nearly six months of comfort eating to heal her battered pride. She was slowly beginning to regain her youthful slim figure but still had a larger waistline than she had previously.
"I would be grateful for anything that you wouldn't mind lending to me. I'm sure that you are brimming to burst with questions, I will leave the door to the bathing room open so feel free to ask anything that you may wish to ask." Elizabeth stepped into the bathing room and slipped off the borrowed robe and sank into the still warm bath water, relishing the fragrance that rose up in the steam. Although she preferred the lighter essence of Jasmine, the heady fragrance of roses wasn't unpleasant at all.
"Miss Darcy? Are you still there?" Elizabeth called out, certain that Georgiana wouldn't be able to resist the urge to question her about her familiarity with Darcy. Sure enough a hesitant voice came softly through the slightly open doorway.
"Miss Bennet…? Might you…I mean…how did…?"
"Please call me Elizabeth. Shall I start off and then you can ask any questions as we go along?" Elizabeth leant back against the porcelain and sighed gently. "Now where should I start?" she dipped her head under the water to rinse her hair, it hadn't gotten too dirty just wet and nearly missed Georgiana's softly voiced response.
"Elizabeth, I believe you met my brother when he and Charles Bingley visited Netherfield in the spring?" Georgiana asked hesitantly, what was it about this woman that made her feel so relaxed?
"Yes, that is correct. We did not get along at all, your brother made some disparaging remarks at a country dance to which I took immediate offence."
"Fitz did that, really? Oh, how rude!" Georgiana peered around the door and found Elizabeth had finished her bath and was sitting on a footstool wrapped in several towels. "Oh, excuse me! I quite forgot to bring you a fresh robe!" Georgiana began to dart back into the bedchamber only to be halted by Elizabeth's refusal.
"It's quite alright, Miss Darcy, perhaps just some under things and a dress. I don't wish to put you out any further by dirtying yet another article of clothing."
"Shall I call for one of the ladies maids to assist you?" Georgiana hovered by the door again and Elizabeth waved the offer away.
"I've always preferred to dress myself, thank you. I may need some assistance with the buttons however as your dresses all appear to button down the back." Elizabeth chuckled softly and accepted the pile of clothes that Georgiana held out around the door.
"What happened next?" Georgiana asked hesitantly.
"Well, let's see. We met several times over the next few weeks and your brother did not improve on further acquaintance, I can assure you and it was with relief that we parted ways when W…Darcy returned back to Town quite suddenly." Elizabeth realized that she had almost slipped up again and referred to Darcy most familiarly, she had hoped that no one recalled her last comment ordering him to take a bath. Georgiana caught the pause and smiled faintly to herself, thinking that it was long time past Darcy to start thinking about his future instead of concentrating on hers.
"It was not until I was visiting with my friend, Charlotte Collins, that our paths crossed again in Kent only last month. I am afraid that I treated your brother most cruelly and accused him of horrible misdeeds without first getting the full version of the truth." Elizabeth finished pulling up the dress and had secured all of the buttons that she could. She stepped out into the bedchamber and presented her back to Georgiana. "Would you mind fastening these last few?" She was aware that Georgiana was silently processing the information given and remained quiet waiting for her reaction.
"How did he react? Did he suddenly start acting very stiff and formal?" Georgiana finally asked, she looked over at where Elizabeth was rubbing a towel over her long, wet hair. Elizabeth put the towel down and then simply nodded her head. Georgiana sighed quietly in response and gestured for Elizabeth to take a seat at the dressing table. Georgiana picked up a silver backed hairbrush and started to gently brush the other woman's hair.
"That is what he always does when faced with uncertainty and doubt. It is like he builds a wall up around him so that no one can see inside at what he is really feeling. It's something he has done ever since our father died, it seems to be his coping mechanism." Georgiana continued to brush Elizabeth's hair and almost didn't catch her response.
"Or he simply walks away when his feelings get too intense." Elizabeth had her eyes closed as Georgiana gathered her hair and tied it simply with a ribbon dyed pale blue to match the gown. She therefore missed Georgiana's blink of surprise, Darcy never walked away from anything without making some sort of cutting comeback. For him to simply walk away was unheard of.
"And then…" Georgiana slipped onto a footstool next to the dressing table and watched Elizabeth pick up and discard assorted ribbons and fripperies that were scattered over the top.
"And then…he wrote me a letter," Elizabeth smiled softly in recollection. Some parts of the letter when first read, were harsh indeed. The rest however had laid to rest any doubts she might have had about Darcy's true character.
"What did he say?" Georgiana leant forward, eager to hear what her brother would have written to the woman he almost certainly loved. Elizabeth set down the ribbons and turned to face the younger woman. She gently took one of Georgiana's hand in one of her own and held it whilst she looked directly into her eyes.
"The letter told me of the absolute love and devotion that he had to a most beloved sister, and that alone convinced me that I had been on the receiving end of a completely false set of assumptions about your brother."
"Oh…!" Georgiana knew then what the subject matter contained in the letter and who would have given such a falsehood onto Elizabeth. She closed her eyes in despair, feeling tears begin to threaten. She opened them when she felt Elizabeth tugging on her hands to persuade her to rise to her feet. Elizabeth brought Georgiana to stand straight in front of the mirror.
"Tell me, Miss Darcy, what do you see when you look in the mirror?" Georgiana blinked furiously to clear her vision and looked over at Elizabeth.
"I just see me…"
"Shall I tell you what I see? I see a young girl with her whole future ahead of her, yesterdays are history as are any mistakes made. Don't keep looking back, Georgiana." Elizabeth urged, "Keep your head up, shoulders back and look towards tomorrow. Use some of that arrogance that the Darcy's – and one in particular – are famous for. I know that you sometimes feel overwhelmed but use that arrogance to your advantage, conceal silent shyness with haughty distain simply by keeping your head held high. You have absolutely nothing to feel ashamed of, you have done nothing wrong and you shouldn't ever let people tell you that you have." Elizabeth knew that these few words would not be enough to bring an immediate change to Georgiana's character but hopefully over the next few weeks and with the help of both Jane and Lucy they would begin to see the beautiful butterfly emerge from its chrysalis.
"Thank you, Elizabeth. You cannot begin to know what that means to me, I know that Fitz has tried his best to reassure me but I have always felt like I have somehow let him and the rest of the family down." Georgiana reached over to hug Elizabeth quickly and then stepped back in embarrassment at her familiarity with a woman she had only just met.
"Georgiana, you have not let anyone down, remember that if anyone tries to tell you otherwise. I can think of at least two people who probably put that notion into your head and if I am not mistaken their names start with a 'C' and an 'L', am I correct?" At Georgiana's nod, Elizabeth gave a most unladylike snort of derision. "I thought so, well shall we go down and face the lion's in the den?" Elizabeth held out her arm and Georgiana linked her arm through it. They went giggling through the door and strode down the hallway. A quick peek through Darcy's open doorway revealed that the room was vacant, and so they skipped along to hallway until they reached the doorway leading to the main part of the upper floor. Elizabeth forced a more solemn expression to her face and nudged Georgiana with her elbow as they paused at the top of the grand staircase.
"Remember arrogance and haughty distain…"
"But Elizabeth, Caroline and Louisa are staying overnight with friends in Matlock and won't return until tomorrow..." Georgiana protested, Elizabeth swung around to face her.
"Why on earth didn't you say so sooner? We could have gone downstairs ages ago, I was just taking my time in the bath because I didn't want to spend too much time with them! Come along, Georgiana don't dawdle, there might be chocolate downstairs!" Elizabeth linked arms with Georgiana again and they started racing down the stairs. Elizabeth almost tripped over when Georgiana halted on the bend just before they would come into full view.
"What now? More questions, haven't you heard enough yet?" Elizabeth teased Georgiana, not wanting to make the younger girl retreat back into her shell. Georgiana just stood still with her arms crossed over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently.
"Well? What happened after you read the letter?"
"Nothing, we didn't speak again after that. Your brother performed his usual vanishing act and didn't even wait for a response. Today was our first meeting since Rosings." Elizabeth started to descend the staircase only to find that a stubborn Georgiana had a tight grip on her arm to prevent her from leaving. "Georgiaaaanaaa….I can practically smell the chocolate, and I have had a traumatic experience today and need bolstering up." Elizabeth placed a hand over her eyes and faked a swoon, she cracked one eye open and sighed when she saw the determined expression, so like her brother's, and sighed and plopped down to sit on the top step. "Oh, alright then. The reason he was so mad at me in the first place is that he had proposed marriage and didn't like my less than ladylike refusal. The letter had explained why he had acted in such a manner and I was almost ready to change my mind when I realized that he had just packed his things and left Rosings that very same afternoon." Elizabeth propped her chin in her hand and turned her head to see Georgiana sit suddenly down on the seat next to her.
"But you're here now… I don't really understand." Georgiana was in shock, even more so when Elizabeth let out a chuckle and nodded her head towards the front parlour.
"Neither do I really, I'm supposed to be in the Lake District with my aunt and uncle. It was just pure coincidence that business commitments meant that we had to change our plans. My aunt was raised in Lambton and wanted to see Pemberley again, Darcy wasn't supposed to be here and we were just intending to have a quick tour of the house and then leave. We were to journey onto to Matlock tomorrow but it seemed that your brother had another plan in store and somehow we all found ourselves agreeing to it…"
"What plan?" Georgiana was trying to keep up but was still processing the fact that her brother, Fitzwilliam Darcy, had finally proposed to a woman and been refused, and by all accounts quite bluntly. "Well it seems that your brother wishes to resurrect the Lady Anne Summer Fayre and has asked my aunt and me to help you prepare for it. It looks like you will be stuck with me for the rest of the summer…" Elizabeth stood up from the stair and held out a hand to help Georgiana to her feet. A small smile appeared on the younger girl's face and she held tight onto Elizabeth's hand. "I take it you are in agreement, then?" Georgiana nodded and threaded her arm through Elizabeth's crooked elbow. She leant it closer to whisper conspiratorially.
"At least I will have someone else who doesn't think that the sun rises and sets with Caroline Bingley!" Elizabeth let out a peal of laughter and they started skipping down the staircase in delight. The sound of her laughter brought Darcy and Charles out of the parlour and they looked on in amazement at the sight of Elizabeth and Georgiana racing down the stairs. When they reached the foot Elizabeth kissed Georgiana's cheek and was heard to remark –
"I knew that there was a reason I was going to like you, Georgie!" She unlinked their arms and strolled towards the others, smirking a little at their bewilderment. "Mr. Bingley, how lovely to see you again, pray tell me where are your delightful sisters hiding?" Elizabeth dipped into a curtsey and heard Georgiana spluttering behind her which she quickly disguised with a cough. Darcy hid a smile of his own and he reached out a hand to assist his sister down the last step. Really the change in her was simply astounding, if Elizabeth had managed to get Georgiana to act like a giddy schoolgirl after just an hour, imagine what she could do in a month? Georgiana tucked her hand into her brother's elbow and motioned for him to bend down so that she could whisper in his ear.
"I like this one, make sure that we keep her." Darcy swept Georgiana up into his arms and whirled her around in delight. At her excited giggles, Charles and Elizabeth looked over from where they had been quietly conversing about her family and she noticed the bemused expression on Charles's face. It was obvious that he felt a great deal of affection for this family, it was just unfortunate that his sister's always accompanied him. Elizabeth remembered what Darcy had said about never wanted to further his relationship with Caroline and hopefully once Georgiana continued to develop into an adult they would no longer need to join Charles on his visits. Darcy had set Georgiana down on her feet and she continued to beam happily up at him, he patted the delicate hand on his arm and gestured down the hall with the other one. "Shall we join Edward and Lucy in the parlour, I've arranged for tea to be served." Georgiana's brightness dimmed a little and she stole a peek over in Elizabeth's direction. Elizabeth smiled gently in encouragement and mimed raising her shoulders back. Georgiana took a deep breath and entered the room on her brother's arm. She immediately felt at ease when she saw that Lucy had arranged herself behind the large silver tea tray and was acting as hostess. Lucy saw then enter and called over cheerfully.
"I hope you don't mind, Miss Darcy, but we started without you. My Edward was acting like we hadn't fed him all day and was beginning to quite irritate me. Please come and sit beside me and you can advise me of Darcy and Mr. Bingley's preferences." Lucy patted the seat beside her on the overstuffed couch and Georgiana happily complied. Lucy seemed to be a younger version of Mrs. Reynolds and Georgiana immediately began to feel at ease in the almost familial atmosphere.
"Uncle Edward, is that a cream scone I see on your plate? I hope you have saved some for me, I am quite partial to those, is there any plum jam?" Elizabeth started towards the tea tray to investigate and was a little disappointed when it was revealed that there was only strawberry. Charles was amused to find a little parlour maid scribbling in a note book and from what Darcy had filled him in on, there was certain to be a shilling on the way into her pocket and plum jam on the menu the next day. He stifled a chuckle when he saw that a footman was trying to edge a small box of truffles into Elizabeth's line of sight, he knew she had finally noticed when she reached out a hand to take one and then change her mind again.
"Tea, Elizabeth or chocolate?" Lucy held up a cup in question and everyone held their breath to see what she would decide. Elizabeth screwed her eyes tightly shut and seemed to be muttering something under her breath, Charles was almost certain it was something about how a certain someone made things impossible to resist.
"Tea, please Aunt Lucy." Elizabeth finally succeeded in quieting the little demon in her ear trying to get her to break her vow only to succumb in the mornings, if she failed now it would only make things that much harder in the long run.
"Are you quite sure, Elizabeth? After all you have had a 'traumatic experience'…" Georgiana laid her hand to her forehead in a parody of Elizabeth's earlier attempt to avoid answering any further questions.
"What have I done? Was she this much trouble when she was younger, William?" Elizabeth sighed in dismay and raised her eyebrows, it was like opening Pandora's Box only it seemed that Georgiana's true nature was going to be a little mischievous imp rather than a plague of demons. Charles waited with baited breath for Darcy to stiffen in that haughty manner of his whenever someone from outside his inner circle dared to treat him with any sort of familiarity but was astonished when Darcy simply shrugged and handed Elizabeth a cup of steaming chocolate and patted her shoulder consolingly
"I'm afraid, Elizabeth that there appears to be no treatment for naughty imps. What is done is done and we will just have to live with the consequences." Darcy tried to keep a straight face when delivering his solemn verdict but a guffaw from Edward in the armchair had his stern mouth melting into a smile of amusement.
"Yes, Darcy you've gone and done it now. You should have kept Lizzie far away from Miss Georgiana, she is obviously a bad influence." Edward gestured with his cup of tea and in the process nearly upended the plate of scones that he had been working his way through. Darcy leant forward and snagged one of the plate and delivered it to Elizabeth.
"Your scone, my lady." She fluttered her eyelashes in response and accepted the offering.
"Well thank you kind sir. But I fear it is sadly lacking in decoration and is not worthy of my palate."
"What does my lady require? Alas we haven't any plum jam but there is ample cream and strawberry conserve." Charles could hardly believe what was happening before him, it was like he had stepped through the looking glass and had entered Wonderland. Could that really be Darcy acting like a foolish knave wishing to please the fair lady? It seemed that Elizabeth had succeeded in making Darcy able to be teased and accept teasing in return. A slight tap on his arm had him snapping out of his musings and he turned to find Georgiana at his elbow with a cup of tea.
"Here Charles, you look as though you could do with a reviving cup of tea. I placed an extra lump of sugar in it, I've heard that it is good for shock." Georgiana held out the cup and smiled quietly at his astonishment. "Yes, I have been known to have a sense of humour, but it's only been today that I've felt able to enjoy it. Look at them, it's hard to believe that they only met today?" Georgiana nodded over to where Darcy was sitting next to Lucy on the couch and laughing at something that Edward had said. "He looks totally comfortable with them doesn't he? I think that we have a lot to thank Elizabeth for, don't we?" Elizabeth had left her stool and had gone back over to the sideboard to retrieve the box of truffles. She had curled up at her uncle's feet and he was resting a hand quite naturally on her hair, gently stroking it back from her forehead trying to disguise the fact that he was really checking whether she had caught a fever. Elizabeth was used to his ways and simply knelt up and kissed his cheek to assure him that she had no after effects from her unexpected swim. The foursome laughed quietly and Darcy looked up to notice Georgiana watching them, he held out a hand to ask her to join them and smiled gently in understanding when she gave a slight shake of her head in refusal.
Elizabeth was toying with the ribbon that had secured the truffle box together and fell silent for a while lost in her own thoughts. She came back to the present with a start when she realized that someone had snatched the truffle box out of her hands and was rummaging through the contents.
"Mr. Darcy! Those are MY truffles, I found them and I've had…"
"A traumatic experience…" everyone in the room chimed in, including Charles who was beginning to enjoy this new side of the Darcy household immensely.
"Well…really!" Exclaimed Elizabeth crossly and folded her arms against her chest in annoyance. Darcy cleared his throat quietly and captured her gaze. She dropped her arms when she realized that once again, she had assumed one of the positions that Darcy had revealed stirred his passions.
"Let me see there are six delicious chocolate truffles inside this box and there are…" Darcy did a quick headcount in the room, "…eight of us in the room. I propose that we all state why we feel that we should deserve to receive one of cook's most secret delicacies." Darcy shook the box enticingly and looked over to where Timothy the footman and Nancy the young parlour maid were standing either side of the door. "Timothy, Nancy come and take a seat near the table, you both had a hand in today's little adventure and I fully expect you both to come up with something worthwhile." The two young servants beamed with delight at being included in this unheard of treat and they only had the young Miss Bennet to thank for it. They came a little closer and took a hard backed seat at the edge of the table, just on the outskirts of the group. "Now, Elizabeth we've heard what you've had to say, so you just sit there nice and quietly and let the others have a turn. Edward – what say you?"
"Ahh, Darcy, 'tis a sad tale indeed." Edward fetched a handkerchief from his pocket and pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "I was promised an afternoon of manly pursuits, all the fish I could catch and an open ended invitation to return. Instead, I had found a shrieking harpy had gone and frightened the fish away, so much so I fear never to be able to return again…Oh, and my best visiting jacket is now ruined." Edward his face behind his handkerchief and muffled a sob, he suddenly sat upright and placed the crumpled napkin back in his lap. "So, what do you think? Almost worthy of a performance at the Globe Theatre?"
"Bravo, Mr. Gardiner!" Charles clapped his hands together and turned to Darcy. "What about you, Darcy? Why do you think that you deserve a truffle?" Darcy laced his hands together in reflection.
"Hmmm, let me think. Well, I had planned to arrive early to discuss some business with my steward but found myself dealing with a cunning thief, determined to make their fortune in ransacking the Darcy family home and stealing their precious family portraits. They had disguised themselves as simple country folk wanting to tour a stately home but as soon as I saw that they had sent in a young miss to try and seduce me out of my portraits, I saw right through their plan. I pretended to go along with the pretence but as soon as I saw that the gentleman accompanying them had a great many concealed pockets on his jackets – I knew they were after only one thing…" Darcy could see that Timothy and Nancy were getting caught up in the game and leaning in close, no doubt to try and come up with some elaborate falsehood; but it really didn't matter, as Darcy had already decided to reward them both with a truffle for their willingness to be a part of the scheme to integrate Elizabeth into his household.
"Come on, lad. Don't leave us in suspense. What were the thieves after?" Edward leant forward and prodded Darcy with his teaspoon. Darcy retaliated by stealing back the plate of scones that Edward was trying to conceal on his lap. Darcy took his time adding cream to one of the scones before leaning forward again to reveal the mystery.
"The infamous Darcy golden carp…"
"Oohh, the Darcy golden carp, nice try Darcy but I think I can do better." Charles leant forward and took over the reins. "The Darcy golden carp wasn't in the lake though was it Mr. Gardiner? You thought that you had planned it all so carefully but you hadn't allowed for the fact that the intrepid archaeologist Bingley Charles and his mysterious young travelling companion were hot on your trail. You see Mademoiselle Georgette D'Arcy was in fact the true owner of the golden carp which was in fact a rare yellow topaz which had been claimed by the wicked Fitzroy Darcy who had claimed the jewel belonged to his family and not to the D'Arcy's. I recognized your face straight away from the description posted in The Times and hid myself from view whilst I watched the two most notorious cutpurses in London try to pull the wool over the counties most famous recluses. It was Mademoiselle D'Arcy who first noticed the third thief trying to pull up something hidden in the lake…" Charles looked over at Georgiana to take over.
"It was 'Orrible…zee Mademoiselle was covered in le poisson et 'ow you say? Slime?" Everyone laughed at Georgiana's horrible French accent, so she continued in her normal voice. "I knew instantly that Fitzroy Darcy had pushed her into the lake in an attempt to make her reveal her true identity…" Georgiana stopped when Edward pointed out with a hearty laugh that it had been the other way around that afternoon. She looked over at Elizabeth who simply shrugged ruefully. Georgiana lost her train of thought for a moment and then picked up the story once again. "Mr. Charles stepped in and revealed that the Golden Carp was in fact a complete phony and in fact everyone had a completely false reason for being at the lake that day….but I can't think of what they could be right now so…The End." Georgiana finished in a rush and hid her flushed face in her hands. Darcy clapped loudly and said that it had been a most enterprising effort – but it was clear that they had been nowhere near the vicinity that afternoon as the incident had happened in the river and not the lake and it was quite obvious that he would never push a lady into a river.
"I'm sorry, Sir but I think that the tale of woe that I am about to relate surely will tug at your heart and bring a tear to your eye." The laughter from Darcy's statement slowly died down when Timothy rose to his feet and knelt before Nancy, "You see before you a broken hearted young girl…" Nancy covered her face with her apron and began to rock in the chair. "Today was supposed to be a glorious day, our wedding day and Nancy had been my sweetheart ever since we were children together. I myself am a young soldier who tomorrow must face battle, I had raced back to my sweetheart when I heard that I must leave and begged her to marry me before I would be carried over the seas…The arrangements were all in place and Mrs. Reynolds had agreed to cover Nancy's departure from the wicked and cruel butler Mr. Henry. What we didn't know was that a young lady had arrived and sent the house in uproar, Mr. Henry disliked any deviation from routine and was in a foul mood. Nancy had spoken out this morning, and Mr. Henry had locked her in the cellar as punishment with no way out. I tried to rescue her from his evil clutches and Mr. Henry killed me in a fit of rage…" Timothy let his voice grow softer and softer towards the end of his tale and when he had finished, he moved back into the shadows behind Nancy's chair as if he were an actual spirit fading out of sight. Georgiana sighed at the sad tale and Edward leant over to pat her shoulder.
"There, there petal. Don't you worry, it's just a story…"
"Ah but in every story there must be some element of truth, Sir." Nancy took over the telling and dropped her voice mysteriously low. "There is an old Derbyshire legend hereabouts, about a young bride who drowned herself in the river when she learnt that her sweetheart had been lost in battle. It's told that if a bride to be sees the lady rise from the lake in the week of the wedding, she will either be a widow or never marry. Well I saw that lady rise up from the lake this very afternoon, and sure enough my Timothy was snatched from me by the evil Mr. Henry." Nancy finished off the tale and sat back in her chair to stunned silence. Suddenly the whole room applauded and Elizabeth rose to her feet.
"Well, I'm clearly not getting a truffle am I? I was the only one who told the truth and it was completely boring. You should all take to the stage because it is quite clear you all have very vivid imaginations. Will, who gets the truffles then?"
"Wait, Mrs. Gardiner hasn't had a turn yet!" Georgiana protested, Lucy smiled and held up a hand.
"Not for me thank you, I have never much acquired the taste for chocolate myself and wouldn't want to take something that I wouldn't enjoy. And please, Georgiana I thought that we had agreed that you would call me Lucy? Or if that makes you uncomfortable you could always call me Aunt Lucy as Lizzie and Jane do."
"Very well, Aunt Lucy it shall be then." Georgiana nodded at this suggestion, it would make her feel a little more at ease to refer to the older woman with some modicum of propriety.
"Well I think that everyone deserves a chocolate, apart from Elizabeth. You were quite right, my dear, you had a very boring story and showed a total lack of imagination!" Darcy laughed as he handed out the truffles to Edward, Georgiana, Charles, Timothy and Nancy before picking out the last one for himself. He was about to pop it into his mouth when he was struck with a sudden thought.
"Elizabeth, if you married me I would let you have the last truffle." Elizabeth looked longingly at the truffle and then at Darcy, narrowing her eyes until they resembled slits. She rose to her feet and leant in close to him and then suddenly darted away.
"Sorry, Darcy but I have just remembered that I don't like chocolate as much as I used to…" She laughed at his stunned expression before heading towards the door. "I believe that I will take a stroll in the gardens for an hour before dinner, Georgiana would you care to join me? Aunt Lucy?"
"A bit presumptuous aren't you Lizzie? We haven't been invited to stay." Edward called out to his niece as she accepted a light wrap from a footman stationed just outside the door.
"Such a short memory, Uncle Edward? Why not ten minutes ago you were telling us all that you had received an open ended invitation from Darcy!" Elizabeth tossed the remark over her shoulder as she headed out of the door, she hesitated to see whether anyone else would join her but it appeared that they were all quite comfortable where they were. The same footman rushed to open the garden door for her and she thanked him for his attention and stepped out into the early evening air.
"Are you quite sure that you want to put up with that for the rest of your life?" Edward joked to Darcy, who had risen to watch Elizabeth out of the side window, and she had stopped to smell the roses and as she rose up noticed him watching her from the parlour. She gave him a small wave and received a smile in response. Darcy turned back to face his guests and realized that Edward was still waiting for a response.
"Oh, yes Edward. I've never been more certain of anything in my life. Is everything set with you and Lucy, have you informed Jane and the rest of the Bennet's of our plans?"
"Jane? Darcy…what?" Charles looked up in shock, Darcy had failed to mention that Jane had anything to do with his plan to keep Elizabeth at Pemberley, or had he? Charles went back over their conversation in the study earlier but couldn't recall most of their actual conversation as his delight in seeing his friend so changed meant that he didn't really pay attention to any else that was said.
"Do you not recall that Lucy, Edward and I are travelling back to Hampshire this Thursday where they will collect their children?" Darcy reiterated patiently, they had gone over all of this in the study but it was clear now that Charles hadn't really been paying attention.
"Yes I remember that bit, and that yourself and Mrs. Gardiner will return back to Derbyshire, so that they can help Georgiana prepare for the Lady Anne Summer Fayre. But what has Jane got to do with any of this?"
"Jane will be returning back with us, Elizabeth feels that she would be of great help in setting Georgiana at ease. That will leave Elizabeth free to explore Pemberley and get to know the staff and workers, the ideas is that we make her feel like she belongs here and then she might be willing to finally accept me as her husband."
"Why how many times have you asked?" Charles was genuinely surprised, he hadn't realized that Darcy had even broached the subject properly.
"Including the truffle offer, two and a half."
"How can you half ask someone to marry you?" Georgiana giggled a little at his last response.
"When that certain someone knows exactly what you were going to say and then stops you in your tracks. I counted that as a half. Anyway Jane has a gentle temperament and…"
"Yes, she has needed that living with my sister all of these years." Edward interjected, making everyone laugh again. "Anyway, Darcy about dinner…we're really not dressed for it…I mean I don't even have a jacket on and would feel quite underdressed…" Edward let his voice trail off in disappointment. Darcy caught Charles' eye and received a nod in return.
"Nonsense, Edward. It will be just a quiet family dinner, with just us and Charles. If it will make you feel better Charles and I would be delighted to remove our jackets in a show of solidarity, isn't that right Charles?"
"As a matter of fact, I was just thinking that very same thing. It is rather warm in here and was just wondering whether we should take a stroll down to the river to see if we can catch a glimpse of the elusive Golden Carp?" Charles stood up and undid the buttons of his tightly fitted fawn coat. He struggled a little with the sleeves but finally managed to wrestle it off and threw it down onto the chair.
"There, that feels much better. Darcy?" Charles looked over to where Darcy had already removed his looser fitting coat and laid it carefully across the back of the couch. Edward sighed and rose to his feet.
"Lads, you could have just offered to lend me a coat you know? It would have been so much easier, now the pair of you are obviously uncomfortable so I suggest you put them back on."
"I don't know what you mean, Edward I am feeling altogether quiet at ease. Do I look uncomfortable to you?" Darcy looked over at the older gentleman and started for the door. It was in fact the truth, Darcy did feel remarkably at ease without a coat, Charles was feeling a little underdressed and he looked longingly at his coat on the chair. He caught Georgiana's warning look and realized that he was to remain coatless for the rest of the evening. Why hadn't they just taken Edward's advice and offered him one of their own to wear? He shook his head at his own ignorance and followed the other men out into the hallway where a footman was standing ready to open the door. The footman gave no outward signs of surprise at seeing three underdressed gentlemen appear before him, which gave Charles reason to believe that the Darcy staff were trained to expect anything or that it was a common sight for the Master of the house to stride around his estate in nothing but shirtsleeves and waistcoat. Knowing Darcy, it was probably a little of both.