Dear readers: Please keep in mind that this story has 28 chapters and an epilogue. Once I've finished rewriting it, I'll leave it for two days and remove it from this site.
Chapter 16
Georgiana managed to rest and converse with Richard on many cheerful topics. She also told her cousin that she felt very comfortable at the Gardiners.
"My dear cousin, I am glad to see you so happy. I must confess that such pleasant company makes me want to pretend to be sick so that these lovely ladies also take care of me!"
"Richard, you are so cheeky," Georgiana replied merrily. "You do not know how glad I am to see you. And yes, Jane, Lizzy, and her Aunt are the loveliest people I have ever met. If I could, I would marry you to Lizzy and my brother to Jane," Georgiana said with a laugh.
"Georgiana, what you said is completely inappropriate. Please do not repeat such nonsense," said Mr. Darcy in a severe tone.
Richard could not help but roll his eyes, and to prevent Georgiana from becoming sad, he added, laughing, "Your brother is correct, Georgie. Miss Elizabeth and I would be a whirlwind that few could bear, and your brother and Miss Bennet would go days without saying a word! Better me with Miss Bennet and your brother with Miss Elizabeth. There, things would be more balanced."
"Yes, Richard! I have never thought about it that way!" Georgiana said, laughing.
"Richard, do not encourage this kind of behavior in Georgiana," said Mr. Darcy, slightly blushing at the mere thought of a union between himself and the woman he admired.
"I am sorry, William," Georgiana said sheepishly. "I did not mean any offense; it was merely a joke."
"I thought you knew I do not like these jokes," Mr. Darcy retorted, still annoyed.
"Darcy, we are only jesting! Please do not be such a prude. Georgiana knows very well that these jokes are simply between cousins! Besides, me, married? Now, that would be a miracle!"
"William, as Richard says, it was only a joke. Jane, like me, is very unlucky in love, and I doubt she can be interested in you because she is so sweet and reserved that she needs someone more open. And Lizzy, I believe she has a suitor, and Jane said he is a very handsome and good man," Georgiana said as Mr. Darcy grew very uncomfortable.
Georgiana took the book Albert gave Elizabeth. She had lent it to her because she would be out all afternoon with Mrs. Gardiner and Jane. Georgiana was excited to read it, and as soon as she found out Elizabeth had a copy, she begged her to lend it.
"Mr. Reed got this book before it went on sale in bookstores because he knew Lizzy was impatiently waiting for its publication." She opened the book and took out a beautiful green feather, "And the other day, they went to the variety fair, and he gave her this feather because he said it was the same color as Lizzy's eyes when she smiled," added Georgiana, almost sighing, "Lizzy is so fortunate to have such a good friend."
Richard watched as Mr. Darcy became extremely serious, and to lighten the atmosphere, he said, "Quite a poet that Mr. Reed."
"Yes, but also a good man. I know he does not mind that my friends do not have a dowry. Life is very unfair, Richard. Jane and Lizzy are two lovely young ladies who would make any man happy, yet many reject them because of their lack of money. And in my case, a man wanted to be with me only for my money. Why are men like that, Richard?"
Richard was speechless to hear his cousin speak like that. It was clear that the influence of the lovely Bennet's sisters was affecting his, until recently, very innocent cousin. "Not all men are like that, Georgie; I am not like that, for example! Do not let your bad experience make you doubt everyone you meet, for that will only bring you even greater pains."
"And you, William? Would you reject a good woman if she lacks a sizable dowry?" Georgiana asked, not knowing that her brother wondered the same thing every day.
"Georgiana, I do not think these are appropriate topics for a young lady," Mr. Darcy said nervously.
Colonel Fitzwilliam was about to contradict his cousin, but he realized that was neither the time nor the place to start such a conversation.
Richard and Georgiana continued speaking for several hours, and Mr. Darcy could not avoid but think of Elizabeth and even Miss Bennet. He had put aside the idea of courting Elizabeth based precisely on everything Georgiana said. But even worse, he had judged Elizabeth's younger sisters for blatantly flirting with the officers. At the same time, Elizabeth had protected and cared for his sister when she did something much more reprehensible.
Before leaving, Mrs. Gardiner sent a tray of sandwiches, fruit, and soup, and the three cousins had lunch and spent most of the afternoon together. Georgiana felt calm and at peace, knowing her two guardians were willing to forgive her and give her a second chance.
P&P
Mrs. Gardiner and her nieces went to the orphanage accompanied by Emily Daniels. They brought the darned socks, and the nuns in charge of the children effusively thanked them.
In addition, Emily gave them a banknote with a large donation from Roger Daniels. "My grandfather told me he will make a similar donation yearly, Mother Mary."
"The children are very grateful to you and your entire family, my dear Miss Daniels," said Mrs. Gardiner and the orphanage director.
Elizabeth and Jane played with the children in the garden and brought them some treats. Emily joined them and was happy to have two kind, gentle friends.
"Do you like children, Miss Daniels?" Jane asked to include Emily in the conversation.
"Yes, I adore them, although I do not often have the opportunity to share with my cousins as you do. My father was an only child, and my mother is estranged from her siblings," Emily explained.
"Well, you are invited to come to our Aunt's house and play with our cousins anytime you wish, Miss Daniels. They have so much energy, much more than me!" Elizabeth added, smiling.
"And my sister has a lot of energy, Miss Daniels. When she was little, she seemed like she could not sit for a moment unless she were reading a book that interested her very much," explained Jane.
Jane's comment created the opportunity to talk about their favorite books, and Elizabeth mentioned the novel she was reading that was also one of Emily's favorites.
"How fortunate that you were able to find a copy. I believed it would be made available in ten more days," said Emily, curious.
"Mr. Reed acquired the copy and gifted it to me. He is friends with the son of the owner of one of London's leading publishing houses." Elizabeth told Emily a little more about how Mr. Reed had gotten the book, and Emily could not help but feel sad. Evidently, Albert was courting the beautiful and charming Elizabeth Bennet.
Mrs. Gardiner had told Emily that they went to the variety fair the day before, and Emily wanted to know a little more, knowing that Mr. Reed had accompanied them. "What was your favorite exposition at the fair, Miss Elizabeth?" Emily asked as they arranged the darned socks in the clothing drawers in the children's room.
"I enjoyed everything, but the butterfly exhibition was wonderful," Elizabeth replied. "But we did not get to go through all the places because the children got tired, although Mr. Reed said we could return another day. The fair will be open until the end of the next month."
"Is Mr. Reed a good friend of you and your family?" Emily asked tentatively.
"Indeed, he is my uncle's business partner, and they have become good friends. I have known him briefly, but despite that, I consider him a close friend." Elizabeth noticed a certain nervousness in Emily and was curious to know why.
"Mr. Reed is a friend of my brother. I met him many years ago, and I have always thought he is an exceptionally kind person. Besides, my brother always said Mr. Reed was an excellent student and quite talented at boxing." Emily continued talking for several minutes about Albert and his many virtues.
Elizabeth listened carefully to Emily and noticed that her new friend was interested in Albert Reed. She thought they would make a good match and set out to help sweet but shy Miss Daniels spend more time with Mr. Reed.
After finishing reading to the children, Jane joined Elizabeth and Emily. After a few minutes, they said goodbye to the children and went to their Aunt's house.
Before leaving, Mrs. Gardiner undertook to darn the children's trousers, and her footman carried a full trunk to the rear of the carriage.
Mrs. Gardiner had invited the Daniels to dinner at her home to meet Roger since she had not attended the dinner in his honor. She also wanted to give her brother a warm welcome. "I hope to see you this evening, Miss Daniels."
Emily was happy to visit the Gardiners so her brother could speak with Jane without interference. This time, her mother would not be there to interrupt with her impertinent questions. "Thank you for inviting us, Mrs. Gardiner. My grandfather is looking forward to meeting you. Besides, Peter and I enjoy your company," Emily said, looking at Jane.
"See you this evening, Miss Daniels," replied Jane and Elizabeth.
Emily said goodbye and went to her brother's house to prepare for dinner at the Gardiners'.
P&P
That evening, Mrs. Gardiner organized a dinner for her brother. Like always, he had arrived the night before without warning. She also had invited her cousin Edmund, who would also take the opportunity to check Miss Darcy's health and probably tell her that she could return home. Besides, the Daniels and Mr. Reed would participate in the gathering.
Mrs. Gardiner considered inviting Mr. Darcy and his cousin to dinner, but she was unsure if he would be comfortable dining with them. The Colonel seemed a lot more personable, but he was the son of an Earl, and she needed to figure out his real character. Finally, the only time she tried to tell Mr. Darcy a little about the past connection between their families, he was disinterested, and without a doubt, his brother would talk about it.
Mrs. Gardiner did not see her brother as often as she wished. They were very close but did not live in the same city, so they made the most of their little time together.
In Georgiana's room, Dr. Lewis checked the condition of her ankle. "Miss Darcy, tomorrow you can get up and start having a more normal life. Use a cane and avoid straining your right foot for at least a week or until you feel it does not hurt."
"Again, thank you very much, Doctor," said Mr. Darcy and did not add anything more, knowing that it was all the doctor wanted to hear.
"It was a pleasure to assist Miss Darcy in her recovery."
Richard joined in the thanks, and the doctor finally withdrew.
"Georgie, It is time for us to go; we have been here practically all afternoon. But do not worry; tomorrow, I shall arrive after breakfast," Mr. Darcy said.
"I understand; thank you for coming, and please do not worry. I shall keep myself entertained reading this book," Georgiana added, and she said goodbye to her brother and cousin.
Mr. Darcy felt that just looking at that damn book put him in a bad mood, but as he always did, he hid his emotions as best he could.
In the drawing-room, the men were gathered and chatting spiritedly. Mrs. Bennet and Jane ensured that everything was alright in the dining room, and Emily went with Elizabeth to read to the children before they went to sleep.
"This is my brother Baker. He always appears out of nowhere. He is almost as unpredictable as my brother Bennet," said Mr. Gardiner with a laugh.
"I do not know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult," said Walter Baker. "But to clarify to the rest of our friends, I have a house in London, although I live mostly in Cambridge. I shall be in London no more than ten days, and the last time I came here for a short period, Maddie got upset because I was alone at home instead of spending time with my niece and nephews."
"Do not worry, Walter. You know very well that you are welcome and that we love it when you visit us with or without notice!" laughed Mr. Gardiner.
"Furthermore, we are glad to be able to see you again, Professor," Reed said with sincere excitement. He greatly admired the work of Professor Baker, one of England's most influential historians.
"I came to have dinner with friends, and I found this wonderful surprise," added Peter, who also was Walter's former student. "Even though I do not think you remember me as well as Reed, he was always studious and a perfect student while I was just a regular one," Peter explained, a little embarrassed.
"Mr. Daniels, your grandson, is very modest. You were always a responsible student and asked good questions," replied Professor Baker. He remembered Peter as a nice boy who was always kind to everyone.
"I know, Professor Baker. My grandson is a great man, and I am very proud of him." Roger Daniels told Professor Baker about his recent trip to Ireland, and an exciting conversation began about the influence of Latin culture in Britain.
Professor Baker was entertained speaking with Roger. Although he was not formally educated like Walter, Roger was cultured and always had something interesting to contribute to any conversation.
After saying goodbye to Georgiana, Mr. Darcy and Richard searched for their hostess to say goodbye. They heard voices coming from the drawing room and decided to go there to pay their respects before leaving. When they entered the room, they saw five men deep in conversation. It seemed like a fascinating one because no one noticed that they were there.
"The presence of Latin in the English language has always fascinated me. The most sophisticated words we use in English are always of Latin origin, proving the invaders' cultural superiority. That book you wrote on the evolution of the language and how it intersects with historical facts is by far your best work, Walter," said Mr. Gardiner.
"Wait until you read my next book, dear brother," said Walter, laughing.
Mr. Darcy was speechless to hear Mr. Gardiner speaking in that manner. Who were these men who conversed about such exciting topics and in such an informed manner? But then, just as Mr. Darcy was pondering and Richard was thinking about how to interrupt the conversation without being awkward, Dr. Lewis came in and said effusively, "Walter, I had to see it to believe it was true that you were in London. I know how hard it is for you to leave Cambridge."
At that moment, Walter rose to greet his cousin Edmund. Mr. Darcy realized that the man was none other than Walter Baker, his professor of history and philosophy at Cambridge and son of Dr. Baker, one of Derbyshire's most renowned doctors, who had helped his mother bring him into the world.
Mr. Gardiner noticed Mr. Darcy and Richard's presence, greeted them warmly, and introduced them to his brother. "Mr. Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, this is my brother-in-law, Professor Walter Baker."
Walter laughed and replied, "Edward, I have known Darcy since he was a little boy. It is a pleasure to see you after so many years!" And when he saw his sister come in, he added, "Maddie, why did you not tell me that Darcy was one of your guests."
Mrs. Gardiner smiled and replied, "Because I was planning to tell you now."
Mr. Darcy could not help but feel embarrassed for knowing almost nothing about his sister's hosts. For his part, Colonel Fitzwilliam realized that his cousin probably had never even tried to have a minimally polite conversation with Mrs. Gardiner and did not have any idea who she was until that very moment.
P&P
Many thanks to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story.
In the next chapter, there will be a very interesting dinner at the Gardiner's house.
Saludos,
Yo