It was a bucolic summer's day of the sort where green fields shimmer in the sun as though gilded with magic. A light breeze and the occasional fluffy cloud made strolling out of doors a delight despite the warmth of the sun. As the three young people wandered the quaint village of Lambton, nature was doing all it could to aid Darcy in his suit.
"I recall Miss Bingley once saying that Hertfordshire was nothing to the beauty of Derbyshire," remarked Elizabeth to Georgiana. "I admit, I had put her comment down to flattery of your brother, or at least to discontent with her current circumstances, but I must concede the lady spoke nothing more than the plain truth. Much as I love my own county, I have found Derbyshire delightful beyond my expectations."
Georgiana looked a little unsure how to answer such an overture. She knew enough of Miss Bingley to be familiar with the simpering manner in which she would praise Derbyshire whenever she thought William might hear her, and was loath to say anything that seemed to agree with that particular lady, but it was equally impossible for her to disagree with Miss Elizabeth's praise of the county. She settled for a gentle smile and saying, "I like my home very well indeed, and there are several uncommonly pretty places in the neighbourhood I would like to share with you."
Darcy seconded his sister: "You really must persuade the Gardiners to stay longer, Miss Elizabeth. A great lover of nature such as you should not come to Derbyshire without taking the time to see the best we have to offer. If you had the time, Georgiana and I would be delighted to show you Pemberley's hidden beauties, as well as taking you on some excursions. As well as Dovedale and Matlock, there are several places in the Peaks I think you would like exceedingly..."
As Georgiana delivered a sharp nudge to his ribs, Darcy realised he had begun to blather. Would he never have control of his tongue in this woman's presence? He deliberately closed his mouth and waited for Elizabeth to answer.
That young lady smiled happily, although she directed her attention more to the sister than the brother, saying, "I imagine that visiting the sights of Derbyshire in your company would be a delight, but perhaps we cannot fit in the entire county before I must return to my family in Hertfordshire. I am at my uncle's disposal: his children are waiting faithfully at Longbourne and his business in London, so I could not in good conscience ask him to extend his holiday merely to satisfy my love of scenery. But perhaps you and your brother might visit Mr Bingley at Netherfield Park, and I could show you some of my favourite haunts?"
Having met Miss Darcy, Elizabeth could no longer give the slightest credit to Miss Bingley's calumny that her brother – a man in his late twenties – harboured a tendre for this sweet child. She had no reason to fear that bringing the two into proximity would injure Jane's gentle heart. Nor would Miss Darcy be at risk of any mention of that scoundrel who had treated her so ill. The regiment had relocated to Brighton, taking all its young men with it, and Mr Wickham was hardly more likely to be mentioned in Meryton these days than any of the other officers.
Georgiana Darcy, who knew nothing of Miss Bingley's linking her name to Mr Bingley or of Mr Wickham's recent sojourn in Hertfordshire, was all eagerness. A trip to visit Miss Elizabeth's home would be a rare treat for a girl who travelled so rarely beyond her family's various estates, and the chance to spend more time in that lady's company would please both herself and her brother. Darcy looked less enthusiastic.
Elizabeth wondered whether his solemn visage reflected his earlier disdain for her family. It was easy enough to extend friendship to the Gardiners. After all, they were everything proper and dignified, as well as being intelligent and engaging company. It was another matter entirely to return to an intimate familiarity with the Bennet family. Was the gentleman now regretting his impulsive offer of a courtship, now that he was reminded just how embarrassing her family could be? Did he hesitate to expose his young sister to such impropriety as was sure to be found at Longbourn?
Her heart fell. Much as she had delighted in the renewal of Mr Darcy's addresses, much as she felt her own affections to be engaged, she could not reconcile herself to a lifetime of estrangement from her family.
She turned to her new friend, determined to let Georgiana down gently before she got carried away with her hopes for a visit. "Of course, we will not be home for some time yet, and I am sure your brother has many responsibilities at Pemberley that prevent him from travelling for pleasure at the drop of a hat." She gently withdrew her arm from Darcy's and clasped her hands behind her back as they walked on.
Darcy had been considering whether he could bring Georgie to Netherfield Park when George Wickham resided in the neighbourhood. Could he protect her gentle spirit from the shock of encountering him in the local society? Would all his efforts to protect her reputation be for nought if her obvious distress at such an encounter betrayed her history? It was too great a risk.
Yet how could he not follow Elizabeth wherever she went?
While these thoughts preoccupied him, Miss Elizabeth seemed to retract the invitation she had only just given, speaking more coolly than she had heretofore, and withdrawing from his touch. He roused himself from his musings to attempt to discover what had led to so sudden a change. He glanced anxiously at Elizabeth, trying to discern what she was thinking, but she had turned her visage determinedly towards his sister, allowing him only a glimpse of her chin beneath the brim of her bonnet. A sharp stab of anxiety pierced his heart: was his moment of felicity to be so very short? Had he somehow offended his beloved? Would she now withdraw her consent to a courtship?
Georgiana looked in confusion between her two companions. Moments before, they had behaved just as she imagined two people in love would conduct themselves. Elizabeth had displayed clear affection toward her brother, and his stumbling attempts to woo her had been endearing. But suddenly everything had changed. Elizabeth was clearly avoiding her brother, and he now looked as though his heart had trampled by horses.
Well, she would not stand for it! They obviously loved each other, and she would not let some misunderstanding get in the way of their happiness. Georgiana stopped, forcing Darcy and Elizabeth to stop with her. "What is it, Georgie?" her brother asked.
"Whatever terrible thing you are both imagining, stop it at once!" she cried, stamping her foot in anger. "I refuse to walk with two such stubborn mules. If there is a problem, then have the courtesy to talk about it, instead of stomping along as though I wasn't even here."
Elizabeth, more used to being challenged by younger sisters, was the first to recover from this attack. She tried to apologise for her inattention, assuring her new friend that everything was well, but her attempt at light-heartedness fell flat: she could not disguise the sorrow in her voice. Georgiana waved her protestations away, saying, "Then why are you no longer speaking to my brother? What did he do?"
Darcy was torn between chastising his sister for her rudeness, and desperately wanting to hear Elizabeth's answer. He looked wide-eyed from one to the other, trying in vain to think of a single thing he could say. His moment of hesitation ended when his sister rounded on him, demanding, "And you – what brought on so sour a face when Elizabeth suggested we visit Hertfordshire? Do you not want me to meet our future relations?" With sudden clarity, Georgiana's words revealed the true problem to him: Georgiana thought he was ashamed of her after her near elopement the year before, but Elizabeth, who knew he loved his sister unconditionally, would think he was unwilling to meet with her family. Oh, what a tangle! How could he extract himself from their misunderstandings without mentioning that cad, Wickham?
With a groan, Darcy ran his hand through his hair distractedly, and decided it was better to be frank and deal with his sister's injured sensibilities if need be. He could not bear Elizabeth's pain a moment longer, even if it was based on wrong information. He looked earnestly from one to the other, meeting his sister's burning anger with his best big brother look, and sighing when Elizabeth looked aside to avoid meeting his gaze. "I think we might better discuss this somewhere less public. Would you ladies do me the favour of accompanying me to view the village's famous Spanish chestnut tree?" Without waiting for their reply, he set off at a brisk pace to a pretty green beside the smithy, where there was indeed an impressive chestnut tree.
Georgiana and Elizabeth exchanged a glance and, on Georgiana's part, a shrug, before following in his wake. Soon they were standing in the shade of the tree's spreading branches, several yards from the road.
Once satisfied that they were safe from prying ears, Darcy began by taking Georgiana's hand in his and pressing it gently. She was surprised by such a tender gesture after her earlier petulance, and looked to him in some trepidation. Elizabeth observed all this in silence, waiting for the gentleman to explain himself.
Darcy took a deep breath and said, "Once again it falls to me to apologise. My silence has allowed each of you to reach conclusions about my thoughts which have distressed you. My thoughts were indeed distressing, but I hope not in the way you might have supposed. I beg your indulgence in allowing me to explain myself, even though doing so necessarily requires me to raise subjects unpleasant to more than myself."
Elizabeth and Georgiana nodded, each prepared to have their unhappy suspicions confirmed, and waited him to continue. To Elizabeth's surprise, when he did speak, it was directed to Georgiana.
"When I was last in Hertfordshire," he began, "I encountered a person I had hoped never to meet again. I am sorry to distress you by mention of his name, my dear, but George Wickham had enlisted in the militia regiment stationed in Meryton. While I would love to accompany Miss Elizabeth to Hertfordshire, I could not take you where his company might be forced upon you without notice, where we might meet him in the village, or be invited to some party that he was also attending. You deserve to be protected from that man, and I will not take you within ten leagues of any place he can be found."
He turned to Elizabeth, not noticing the widening of Georgiana's eyes as she realised her brother had as good as told her new friend of her past shame. Fixing his eyes on his beloved, who had at last raised her eyes to meet his, he went on, "Miss Elizabeth, please believe me when I say I no longer hold those ridiculous views I expressed in Kent. I was an arrogant fool to think myself above your family. Society would divide us so, but you have taught me better. I am anxious, it is true, to once more meet your family and friends, but not because of any of those reasons I once asserted. I am only worried that I have left behind me so bad an impression that they will not be happy to see me again. I promise you, I will do everything I can to regain their good opinion, since everyone who is important to you is important to me."
Before Elizabeth could answer, she was distracted by Georgiana's gradual collapse to the ground. The distressed girl slumped to her knees, hiding her face in her hands, and quietly sobbed. Both Darcy and Elizabeth crouched down to offer her immediate comfort, despite not knowing the reason for her tears.
2017