"I am not certain what an inclination would look like." Georgiana confessed. Truth be told Elizabeth was not certain either, but it seemed important to ascertain whether there was anything to be muddled by Georgiana telling all to her brother before they discarded the possibility.
"Well, this spring a cousin was visiting our neighbors, the Lucases, he was sixteen," Elizabeth began, rising to pace while she spoke and worked out her ideas. "The first time we had dinner with them and were introduced he stared at my sister Jane throughout the whole meal. The whole time! I thought it made Jane uncomfortable, but of course she would not hear a bad word said about anyone and insisted he was just a bit awkward because he did know many people – half the people were his family mind you . . . anyway," she resumed, having realized she had gotten off track. "The next time we saw them was at church and he stared at her the whole service. The whole service. But this time he didn't just stare. The moment we stepped outside he rushed right up to Jane and ask to escort her home. Escort her! Like it wasn't simply a walk down a country lane crowded with our neighbors and friends making their way after the service as well. Jane agreed and took his arm and walked with him for the mile or so back to Longbourn. She wouldn't tell me too much about what he said, but he did tell her he thought she was pretty – that's about all she would reveal to me. After he left, I heard my mother and Lady Lucas talking about how David, that was his name, how David was sweet on Jane. So . . . does your brother stare at Miss Devon?"
"No, I don't think so. He looks at her if they are speaking, but I have never noticed anything beyond that."
"Has he told her, or you, that she is beautiful?"
"No, I am sure of that because I did hear Miss Devon complain to Amelia, one of the upstairs maids, that the least he could do was compliment her on her gown and complaining he seemed to not notice her beauty at all. She said he was being . . . intentionally evasive I think she said."
"This is good," Elizabeth declared. "By the by I do not understand why complimenting a beautiful woman on her beauty is part of how a gentlemen court beautiful ladies. I mean if they are beautiful they know it, everyone knows it. Why must it be spoken of? It is not as if a beautiful lady can either help being beautiful or contributed to her beauty. God deserves the compliment. Shouldn't praise be reserved for accomplishments or character?" Realizing she had lost track of their conversation again Elizabeth was ready to apologize to her new friend for her chaotic ramblings, but Georgiana surprised her.
"I had not ever thought of it that way," she admitted.
"Well, I think only us plain girls need to consider such things," Elizabeth said with a smile. "You are clearly quite pretty already and will be one of the beautiful ladies and when you have suitors lining up at the gates of Pemberley to tell you how beautiful you are you must tell me whether it is a truly wonderful thing, and I was wrong all along."
"Thank you, Miss Elizabeth, you are kind and also, I might add just about the furthest thing from plain I have ever seen." Georgiana offered shyly. "I do see what you mean about beauty. It is not something one can help or achieve I suppose. Although some ladies do really wonderful things with their hair and clothes that enhances their beauty. But I suppose the credit for that should go to their maids."
They both considered this for a moment and then Georgiana mused, "I suppose pretty ladies must know they are pretty, but if you care for someone and they tell you they find you beautiful I think . . . Even if you didn't do anything to make it so to be thought beautiful by someone you love or want to love or want to love you would probably be very nice."
"Yes, it must," Elizabeth agreed on a sigh, imagining she would likely never know. "But we mustn't lose sight of our object – to determine if your brother might hold a tendre for Miss Devon.
Georgiana giggles, "I honestly cannot imagine William holding a tendre for anyone. He is so serious and dutiful."
"Well, that seals it, a serious dutiful son would not consider your governess a possible match regardless of her charms, beauty or otherwise. Therefore, I think it would do no harm and a great deal of good if you told him of your troubles with her." Elizabeth felt quite proud of herself for this deduction. "You said he was a good brother?"
"The best!" Georgiana affirmed with enthusiasm.
"Then you must go to him rather than your aunt. It is a much shorter distance."
Georgiana laughed at this and rose to stand. Taking Elizabeth's hands into her own Georgiana asked, "would you walk with me?" When Elizabeth hesitated, she added, "just to edge of our garden path? It's not too far and I know I will lose my courage as soon as I am away from you so if you are with me until nearly the end . . ."
"Of course, I will," Elizabeth answered happy to help her young friend especially if it did not mean treading on propriety so much as to enter a house where she not been invited by its master.
Indicating a path away from the road that wound in the opposite direction of the way they had come Georgiana invited Elizabeth to follow. They walked liked that, Elizabeth trailing behind her new friend, for several minutes before the well-worn dirt path widened. At that point Elizabeth moved next to Georgiana and offered her arm.
"May I escort you, Miss Darcy?" she asked with mock solemnity. Georgiana smiled widely and slid her arm through Elizabeth's.
The young ladies chatted throughout the ten-minute walk. Learning the important details about one another. Favorite flowers, colors, books. Elizabeth was also excited to find out Georgiana loved horses and rode regularly with her brother. Georgiana delighted in Elizabeth's descriptions of each of her sisters and how they got along or didn't. Amid a discussion about the songs they could and wanted to play on the pianoforte they reached the edge of the wood.
Elizabeth was nearly awestruck at the site before her. It was a garden in the strictest sense, but it was unlike any garden she had seen before. It was neither overly manicured nor completely wild. There were large oak trees lining winding dirt paths, rose bushes clustered around a small pond, fruit trees dotted amidst an open space with colorful vibrant flowers swaying in the light breeze. So lost in taking in and admiring the sight was Elizabeth that Georgiana had to tug on her arm to regain her attention.
"I am sorry, Miss Darcy," Elizabeth said with some embarrassment, "but this . . . this is so beautiful."
"It is, isn't it?" Georgiana responded, turning from her companion to look at the garden. Elizabeth wondered if having constant access to such beauty could make one immune to it. She doubted it.
"It is one of William's favourite places in Pemberley. He says our mother is responsible for much of its design and see there," Georgiana pointed to the small oval pond with willows bending on one of its banks, their branches tickling the water. "My father had that created shortly after I was born. Mother loved the lake on the west of the estate, but when she. . . . she was sick and was not able to . . . It is a long walk . . . she could no longer ride and the paths are too narrow for a carriage. Anyway, Father had the pond dug and she would spend all her time out here until she died."
"It must have brought her so much joy," Elizabeth said. The two stood silently for another moment before Elizabeth asked: "are you ready to speak with your brother?"
"I think so," Georgiana answered before throwing her arms around Elizabeth and pulling her into a fierce hug. Although she was several years younger Georgiana was nearly the same size as Elizabeth and quite strong when she had cause to use her strength. Her arms held Elizabeth fast for several moments. "Miss Elizabeth, you have been the truest friend. Thank you!"
"You are quite welcome, Miss Darcy. I am glad I saw you by that stream. I hope we will meet again soon."
"As do I," Georgiana agreed eagerly.
"You better be off; the sun is about to set and you must speak with him before you lose your nerve."
"You are quite right," Georgiana agreed, though she made no move to step away from her new friend until her eyes caught on something. "Oh look there is William!"
Elizabeth turned to where Georgiana indicated. It was him. The gentleman she had thought about so often since that afternoon last summer. She had been nearly certain the man she had seen that day was the brother Georgiana spoke of, but here was confirmation. He was walking in their direction seemingly absorbed more in his thoughts than his surroundings. A book dangled from his right hand. Elizabeth could just make out the golden letters – The Republic. She was fairly certain she had seen that book in her father's library. His curly brown hair was shorter, his cheeks a little thinner and his clothes a little less formal, but his eyes, his deep dark brown eyes, were just as striking. They were also scanning the trees where she and Georgiana stood – barely concealed by the shrubbery which lined the path.
"You should go," Elizabeth insisted, squeezing her new friend's hand and stepping back into the trees. "Tell him and I am certain all will be well." With one final clasp of her hand Elizabeth turned and started down the path."
"Thank you, Miss Elizabeth." Georgiana darted onto the path, nearly colliding with her brother, who had probably followed the movement he saw in the trees and arrived just where the girls had been hidden.
"William!" "Georgi." They said at the same time.
Alerted to their reunion by their voices Elizabeth could not help but turn around to observe. Georgiana was speaking animatedly to her brother, and it occurred to Elizabeth a little too late what she might be saying. Having moved out once again to hear and see them she made to step once again into the cover the trees provided when his deep brown eyes collided with hers. Just as had happened when she was above him in the Chestnut tree and their gazes connected Elizabeth's stomach fluttered, her heart began to beat quickly, her palms itched and her breathing became slightly erratic. She chided herself for such a reaction. They were just eyes. He was just a handsome gentleman. A stranger at that. Sensible or not Elizabeth got her mind and body under control a moment too late. Although she had finally turned to go a voice stopped her.
"Please wait." It was not Georgiana.