The Darcy Cousins (11 page)

With that he walked off. As his footsteps receded, Georgiana, 91

MONICA FAIRVIEW

not wishing to be caught eavesdropping, moved away hastily. But by some ill fortune, Mr Gatley emerged from behind the palms at that very moment, moving in the opposite direction, and they collided. The lemonade splattered onto his coat.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" said Georgiana, staring at the stain in distress, struggling to control the impact of Mr Channing's words.

It would be ridiculous if she burst into tears for no apparent reason but for spilling some lemonade.

Mr Gatley took out a handkerchief and dabbed calmly at his coat.

"It is nothing at all," he said. "A little lemonade never harmed anyone." At that moment his gaze fell on her face and the handkerchief stopped moving.

He knew she had heard everything.

She waited for him to speak, but he did not. He resumed his dabbing. When he was finished, he quietly put the handkerchief in his pocket. He took her by the elbow and led her to a seat by the window.

"I always find it easier to sip lemonade when sitting down,"

he said.

She expected him to say something else--to apologise perhaps for his cousin or try to pretend the conversation she overheard had not been about her, but he did not.

"I think lemonade is just the thing," she said, "when one is in a crowded room and has been dancing."

No wonder Mr Channing thought her insipid and boring. She could not have made a remark more calculated to prove him right.

"Lemons," remarked Mr Gatley gravely, "have been known for their restorative traits for centuries. I have heard that they are treasured in the hot climates of the Mediterranean for precisely that reason."

92

THE DARCY COUSINS

"Are they indeed?" she murmured, wishing more than anything that she could excuse herself, for what could be more banal than this conversation about lemons?

"I have visited the south of Spain in the spring," he continued,

"and I can assure you there is nothing more wonderful than the aroma of orange and lemon trees in blossom."

"Yes, there are orange trees in Lady Catherine's orangery. The aroma is wonderful, as you say."

She thought of Anne, hiding under the trees.

In another corner of the room, Clarissa was talking enthusiastically, probably spinning a tale about Boston, to judge by the fascinated interest of the young people around her.

Her eyes sought out Channing. He was not with Clarissa. The throng occupying the centre of the room made it impossible to see him from where she was sitting. She should not seek him in any case--not now. Then she spotted him, bowing to Athena Moffet as a country dance came to an end. His smile was devastating.

A new set was forming, and Mr Gatley asked her to dance. Since no one else had claimed the dance, she had no choice but to stand up with him, though she could hardly put two words together.

They met and parted in what Georgiana supposed must have been the correct moves, but beyond that she saw nothing.

At the end, he guided her to where Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth stood, and she felt safe again.

But not for very long. They could do nothing to protect her from Channing's words, after all.

93

Chapter 9

Georgiana resolved to spend the day after the dance in bed. She knew very well that everyone would ask her all kinds of questions. They would expect her to be exuberant, and tease her about her partners and try to discover if she had a favourite admirer. What could she answer? Better to avoid questions altogether--at least until she had recovered her spirits enough to be cheerful. Perhaps then she could honestly say she had found it entertaining. Which she had, in a way, for Mr Gatley had been an agreeable partner, and Mr Moffet had paid her flattering attention, and she had danced a great deal.

But why, oh why had she gone to the refreshments table? If only she had gone to stand with Clarissa instead of Caroline and Robert, she would not have overheard Mr Channing's dreadful words.

Groaning inwardly, she drew the sheet over her head only to have it yanked from her.

"I do not know why you are pretending to be asleep, but whatever your reasons," said Clarissa, "I do not intend to let you get away with it."

Georgiana feigned sleep as hard as she could, hoping Clarissa would go away.

MONICA FAIRVIEW

But Clarissa leaned over and tickled her on her sides.

"What!" She sprang up in bed and stared at her.

"Aha!" said Clarissa. "I knew that would do the trick."

"How dare you..." Georgiana began to sputter, for no one had done such a thing since she had been ten and new to boarding school.

Clarissa bounced onto the side of the bed and settled there. "Dear Georgie. Have you never been tickled? With three older brothers and one younger sister, I have been tickled more times than I care to recall, though of course now my brothers have become too old to do it." She regarded her as though it was quite pitiful to have missed such an experience. "I suppose your brother Fitzwilliam has always been too old to do it."

"Of course I have been tickled," replied Georgiana indignantly.

"Plenty of times."

"It would do you good to be tickled, now and again."

But Georgiana was in no mood for such things. "I do not wish to offend you, Clarissa, but I want to rest."

"I do not understand you. We did not even stay out late last night," said Clarissa. "Did something happen at the dance? You were very quiet in the carriage on the way home. Anything you would like to tell me?"

"There is nothing to tell, Clarissa. Now would you be so kind as to leave me alone?" Georgiana pulled the cover again over her face.

"No," she said. "I will not. I will not force you to tell me, though I can, you know. You will tell me eventually, in your own good time. Everyone does."

With a quick sweep she pulled the cover off the bed entirely and skipped away with it.

"If you want the cover," she said, "you will have to come and 96

THE DARCY COUSINS

get it. I will not allow you to languish in bed all day like a heroine out of a melodrama."

"Very well," said Georgiana half exasperated and half amused.

"I will not languish in bed all day. I will complete my toilette and then join you. Does that satisfy you?"

"As long as you do not linger, for I will be back if you do not join me quickly enough. Perhaps I might even send Dawson."

Georgiana came downstairs to find two large baskets of flowers occupying two tables in the hallway. A maid who was passing by smiled and pointed out that one of them was for her, the other for Miss Clarissa. She picked up the note that came with her flowers, hoping--quite illogically, she knew--that it might be from Channing.

Dear Miss Darcy,

Thank you for an enjoyable evening. I hope to have the pleasure of another such occasion very soon.

Sincerely,

Gatley

Georgiana swallowed down her disappointment. The note afforded her little satisfaction. Certainly it went no farther than politeness required, and it was a painful reminder of events she would rather forget.

Curiosity compelled her to look at the other basket. The flowers were similar, no doubt obtained from the same nursery. Looking carefully around to make sure no one would catch her, she furtively pulled out the note attached to the flowers.

97

MONICA FAIRVIEW

Dear Miss Clarissa,

You dance like an angel and float like a cloud. You are the vision that inhabits my dreams.

I await our next encounter with pitiful impatience.

Sincerely,

Channing

If she needed a knife to her pride, that was it.

Everything about that day seemed intended to increase her misery.

Though she had known beforehand that Frederick was leaving, the sight of trunks being loaded into a waiting carriage made her so gloomy she had to escape. She took refuge in the garden. She did not want to say goodbye. She knew--given the state she was in--that she would cry.

But she was not destined to be left to her solitude. Very soon, a quick step crunched on the gravel behind her.

"I see that my departure means nothing to you," said Frederick joining her on the path. "Clearly you prefer walking in the garden to bidding me farewell."

"I dislike goodbyes, especially when I know we will not meet for a long time," said Georgiana.

"We will see each other sometime soon, I am sure. Now that the war is over, travel is much easier," said Frederick cheerfully.

Georgiana nodded and kept her gaze on the tips of her blue slippers.

"I hope all this unhappiness is not occasioned by my departure?"

said Frederick with some concern.

Georgiana looked up quickly. "Oh, no. No! " She liked Frederick 98

THE DARCY COUSINS

a great deal, but she had certainly not developed an attachment to him.

"Good," said Frederick, tossing her a relieved smile. When she did not smile back, he continued, "Is there something troubling you?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," she replied.

He offered her his arm and began to stroll down the path with her.

"I will not interfere in your affairs, of course. But I do have something of my own to confide in you. Mind, you must tell no one at all of this, not even Robert."

Surprised by his earnest tone, she promised readily, wondering what he could possibly tell her that was so secret.

"It is about my sister. I cannot leave without assuring myself that someone at least is aware of her situation. I feel that I can trust you, and since you are close to her in age, perhaps you wil be able to help her."

For a moment he hesitated.

"Pray do not tell me if you think it would upset my cousin,"

said Georgiana.

Frederick smiled. "You have just proved to me that I was right to trust you." He lowered his voice. "We were not sent here by chance. I fear my sister is in disgrace, for she formed a very improper attachment, and Mama deemed it best that she be removed from temptation as soon as possible."

Georgiana gave a little gasp.

Frederick nodded, as if she had actually said something. "I see you realise the gravity of the situation. But I beg of you, not a word to anyone. I mentioned it only because I hope you will help me keep an eye on her, for she has taken the enforced separation very badly, and I would not wish her to do anything foolish."

Georgiana thought of the cheerful young lady who was so full 99

MONICA FAIRVIEW

of vibrant energy. She could not imagine anyone less likely to be suffering from a broken heart than Clarissa.

"I will look after her," said Georgiana.

Frederick took her hand and bowed over it.

"Thank you, Cousin. I am in your debt. I did not like to leave without assuring myself that someone would watch out for her.

Goodbye for now."

He turned and left. A few minutes later, the doors of the carriage shut. The rattle of the carriage as it moved away slowly faded into silence.

It saddened her to say goodbye to Frederick, but he had distracted her with his new revelation. She pondered Clarissa's behaviour, turning over in her mind specific moments with her cousin. She found nothing that would provide any clue to Clarissa's state of mind. She could only conclude that Frederick had exaggerated his sister's distress. The other alternative was that, after a long time at sea, and some time already in England, Clarissa no longer felt the separation so strongly.

Nevertheless, her sympathy went out to her cousin, for she knew what it was like to love someone unsuitable and to be forced to relinquish him.

It was in that moment that Georgiana decided to aid and support her cousin no matter what the consequences. Later, she would come to remember this moment with irony, but for now, her mind was quite made up.

Georgiana discovered one more new thing about her cousin before the day was over. As she was leaving the drawing room to fetch some thread, Clarissa stopped her.

100

THE DARCY COUSINS

"I have just found out that Mrs Jenkinson has a piano in her room. I do not like to practise in the drawing room, especially since there always seems to be somebody there. But in Mrs Jenkinson's room, we are left to our own devices. Shall we go there?"

Georgiana, who also disliked practising when there were people around, readily followed her.

Clarissa lifted the piano cover and, running her fingers expertly up and down the keys, launched into a humorous, light capriccio piece. It displayed Clarissa's virtuosity very well and lifted some of the heaviness from Georgiana's spirit.

"That was beautifully played," said Georgiana, applauding wholeheartedly. "I am not familiar with the piece, and I see that you have not brought your music sheets. Is it by an American composer?"

Clarissa smiled a little secret smile. "I suppose you could say so.

I will tell you the name of the composer, but you must not reveal it to anyone. It is by a Miss Clarissa Darcy."

Georgiana regarded her with astonishment. "The whole of it?

Did you not have any assistance from your music master?"

"None." Clarissa beamed.

"But it is beautiful! No wonder you played it so well."

Clarissa's eyes blazed with pride. "Thank you. I have revealed the truth to very few people--just a couple of friends, Frederick, and my younger brother and sister. Even my mother does not know. I am glad you like it, since I consider you a good judge."

They heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the hallway towards them. Clarissa jumped up, an unusually flustered look on her face. Georgiana laughed as Clarissa scrambled onto the settee and picked up a book of poems.

101

MONICA FAIRVIEW

Dawson, Lady Catherine's maid, entered, and, casting a suspicious look at Clarissa, began to bustle around the room.

"Her ladyship was just now asking what the two young ladies were up to," she said. "I believe you are wanted in the living room."

"Tel Lady Catherine we wil join her there very soon," said Clarissa.