The Darcy Cousins (7 page)

His eyes glinted. "Merely that you appear distracted, and seem more inclined to watch the people around us than the cards."

Touche. He had answered her question, and at the same time reproached her for not paying attention. He was intelligent, she would grant him that much.

"I admit that I find people more interesting than cards," she replied. "Which is fortunate or I would be likely to turn into a hardened player and become the bane of my family's existence."

"I am in a position to assure your family that they need never have a moment's anxiety in that respect."

At the other table, Channing nudged Clarissa, who was not his partner, and she responded mischievously by flashing her cards at him, taunting him with a quick view. Georgiana cursed the luck that had seated Clarissa at his side and not her. She stole glances at him from the corner of her eye. Blue eyes shimmered as he tilted 54

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his head backwards and laughed. Fawn hair flew back then fell forward again onto his brow. Supple fingers picked out a card and snapped it onto the table.

It was her turn to set down a card. She put one down at random.

Mr Gatley groaned, while Frederick, who was partnered with Caroline, let out a whoop of joy.

"I do not know why you are being so hen-witted tonight, Georgiana, for when we played a rubber two days ago you were far superior. Of course, I have no objection at all, since it means we have won the game."

"You are her cousin, Mr Frederick Darcy, but is it not rather harsh to call a lady hen-witted?"

For the second time since she knew him, Georgiana did not know whether it was worse to be censored by Mr Gatley or to be at the receiving end of his sympathy.

"My cousin is perfectly entitled to call me hen-witted if he wishes," said Georgiana, "particularly when I know it is only in jest. And to prove I have no ill feelings towards him, I suggest we switch partners."

Determined this time to show Mr Gatley that she was not hen-witted, she gave her hand her full concentration. To her delight, she and Frederick took the first game.

"It seems Frederick has all the luck," remarked Mr Gatley.

"I hope he will not call me hen-witted as well," said Caroline.

"I would never be so bold as to call my new sister any such thing," said Frederick gallantly. "Besides, you did not toss away important cards at crucial moments."

"I believe it was a conspiracy between the cousins to make me lose my money," said Mr Gatley.

"You have a suspicious mind, Mr Gatley," retorted Georgiana.

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"Hardly. I can see no other explanation for your carelessness during your round with me, and your sudden recovery during your round with Mr Frederick."

Both Georgiana and Frederick protested.

The game at the other table ended. A small intermission followed, during which Mr Channing approached their table.

"Is my cousin giving you a hard time, Miss Georgiana? I should warn you that he demands perfection in everyone and that you will find him very difficult to please."

Georgiana smiled. "Does he really? Then I shall not try, for I know my character is far from perfect, and I will be sure to fail."

Lady Catherine now called for the players to return, and Mr Channing drifted off.

"I fail to see what is wrong in expecting the best of others," said Mr Gatley.

"There is nothing wrong in expecting the best of others," said Georgiana, warming to the subject, "provided you will allow for people's weaknesses. To demand perfection is a sure way to be disappointed in everybody, for you will be bound to think ill of others."

"It is you, Miss Darcy, who thinks ills of others, since you are so sure that I will be disappointed."

"You are twisting my words," she said, vexed.

"I am sorry if I have made you angry," he said evenly.

"I am perfectly calm," she replied crossly.

A hint of a smile touched his lips.

"Then perhaps you may allow that I have become too involved in the argument and would rather postpone it?"

"You may do so, of course."

"You are displeased. What if I admit quite humbly that you are 56

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the victor in this case, and that I need time to recoup my energies in order to defend myself better?"

A quick laugh escaped from Georgiana.

"Mr Gatley," she said, "you use politeness far too skilful y for me to stand a chance. Let us end the discussion, then, with no one a victor.

But I warn you, I mean to raise the issue again some other time."

"I will be prepared," he replied, with a smile that warmed his eyes.

Frederick once again reprimanded her for not paying attention to the game. "I will not call you hen-witted again, for I dare not,"

he said, with mock terror. "But I wish you would pay more heed."

Amidst raillery and light conversation, the time passed better than Georgiana had expected. The ice had been broken. Still, she felt on edge around Mr Gatley, and whenever his gaze landed on her, she turned aside.

They played until late. Miss de Bourgh and Mrs Jenkinson, who had not participated, had long since excused themselves, but to Georgiana's surprise, Lady Catherine persevered.

When Lady Catherine finally stood up, she did not retire.

Instead, she declared that they were in need of refreshments and that they would resume their playing after a light supper.

Meanwhile, she commanded the young ladies to take their place at the piano forte.

"We have two young ladies in the household who are rumoured to be accomplished at the piano forte. Yet, thus far we have not heard a single note from either of them. Pray, what is the good of learning to play if you do not perform in front of others? I hope you play reasonably well, Miss Clarissa?"

"I believe so, Lady Catherine," said Clarissa, tilting one of her brows.

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"I do not know if you have any good music masters in Boston, but I suppose you could not. You must benefit from your stay in London to study music with the best masters. Mr Robert, I hope you will ensure that your sister receives the proper instruction."

Robert Darcy, who was about to make a strategic move in his game with Elizabeth, paused and looked up. "I will certainly engage a master for her if I think that she needs it. But you can be sure that my mother, who is very diligent in these matters, has engaged the best master that can be had for her tuition."

"In Boston?" retorted Lady Catherine. "I cannot believe any American music teacher equal to one engaged in London."

"Perhaps my mother engaged an English teaching master," said Robert Darcy with laughter in his voice.

"I think an Italian music master can be hired as well in Boston as in London, Aunt," said Darcy, "for I believe it is the Italians that excel in this art."

Lady Catherine waved a hand dismissively. "I do not hold with hiring foreigners to teach young ladies. Nothing good could come of it. Italians in particular are too inclined to incite sensitive young minds to excitement. Was it not last year that young Miss Preston ran off with her Italian teacher? If I were to teach Anne to play, no one but an English music teacher would do for her."

There was no reply. Satisfied that she was the victor on this point, she turned to the young ladies.

"Which of you will play first? I hope neither of you will hold back, for it is very unbecoming for a young lady who is sure of her accomplishments to pretend to be shy."

Her remark seemed calculated to make Clarissa hold back obstinately. Georgiana, fearing that her cousin would say something inopportune if pressed by Lady Catherine, quickly offered to play herself.

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She sat down and settled her skirts. When she raised her hand to arrange the music, she grew aware of a presence beside her.

"Allow me to turn the pages for you, Miss Darcy."

She would have preferred Mr Channing, of course, but she could hardly refuse Mr Gatley's offer.

"Very kind of you, Mr Gatley."

Her fingers felt stiff as they hovered over the keys. She did not think she would be able to play a single note, not with him standing so near and looking over her shoulder. She was a confident player, but tonight she was unusually self-conscious. She pretended to select another piece of music and shuffled the sheets again, hoping to restore her equilibrium. Again, she gathered her skirts around her. Then she looked towards her audience. Mr Channing gave her an easy smile. The smile steadied her. There was really nothing to worry about. What did it matter if she was aware of Mr Gatley's presence? She took a deep breath and began to play Kelly's very popular "March in Bluebeard."

As the familiar notes rose up and filled the room, she allowed the music to lead her. Even though Mr Gatley leaned even closer to turn the first sheet and a trace of his cologne reached her, still the music took her along, and she followed.

When the last note had dissipated, she rose and awoke to the crack of applause from her small audience.

"Now that is what I would call playing with feeling," said Clarissa, grinning as she took her place at the piano.

Only then did she try--unsuccessfully--to account for the strange sensations that had assailed her.

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Chapter 6

The next morning, Clarissa burst into Georgiana's bedchamber just as she had finished dressing. Her cousin's face glowed with excitement.

"You will never guess what has happened!" she said.

A number of unfeasible possibilities ran through Georgiana's mind, the first being that Mr Channing had proposed to Clarissa.

"Oh, I hate guessing games. I cannot guess, Clarissa. I give up."

Clarissa, who had hoped to keep Georgiana dangling for a while, was now deflated.

"What will you give me if I tell you?"

"Nothing," replied Georgiana. "If you will not tell me the news now, I will refuse to hear it."

"Very well, I will tell you. It is about Miss de Bourgh. I contrived yesterday to give a note to her undetected, and she has answered me! We are to meet her this very morning in the orangery without Mrs Jenkinson!"

More than relieved that it had nothing to do with Mr Channing, Georgiana shared immediately in Clarissa's excitement. She was by now completely convinced that Anne needed rescuing, and was delighted that Clarissa had managed to set up a meeting so quickly.

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"This is excellent news," she said. "But how is Anne to shake off her keeper?"

Clarissa grimaced. "I do not know. But she is to meet us at eleven, and we only have a few minutes. 'Tis lucky you are dressed, or I would have had to go without you."

They slipped furtively through the house, not wishing to alert anyone about the direction they were taking. They slipped through the door to the orangery, and immediately the warm thick scent of orange blossoms assailed them.

They peered through the vegetation but found no one.

"She is not here," said Clarissa, her voice heavy with disappointment.

"I am here," came a feeble voice in reply.

Anne had chosen a seat in the shade of some citrus trees, where the sun that poured through the glass did not touch her. She sat among the shadows, swathed in various shawls, her hands enclosed in a grey muff.

"We had a hard time finding you, Miss de Bourgh. You certainly know how to choose your spot," said Clarissa.

"Of course," said Anne, a smile flickering on her lips.

"We never seem to have a chance to talk to you," continued Clarissa, "We wanted to take the opportunity to get to know you while we are here."

Anne threw her an odd look, as though she could not possibly believe such a thing.

"Are you cold, Cousin?" said Georgiana, imagining that the muff must be very warm inside a hothouse.

"I tend to feel the chill more than others," replied Anne.

"Oh, let us not talk about the cold," said Clarissa impatiently.

"Let us talk about you."

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Anne raised an eyebrow. "About me?"

"Well, I know nothing about you. Georgiana told me you fell sick at the same time as your father and have not recovered your strength since."

Anne turned her gaze on Georgiana. "Yes, I suppose that is true.

You were small then. Just a little girl."

Georgiana nodded. "Still, I remember that before you fell ill, you used to laugh a lot."

Anne gazed listlessly into the distance. "I suppose I did. It seems so long ago, I barely remember it."

It occurred to Georgiana that the fever may have affected Anne's mind. She spoke in such a monotonous manner that there did not seem to be much point in continuing to question her.

Clarissa, unwavering in her intentions, was not in the least deterred by Anne's vagueness.

"But you must remember something of your childhood.

Georgiana says you used to climb trees."

A wider smile appeared on Anne's face. "Yes, I do recall that. I used to throw apples at Fitzwilliam. He was always so proper and fussed so much about his clothes, I could not resist it."

"My brother?" said Georgiana. "No, it cannot be." She never recalled her brother fussing.

"He was indeed very particular, though you would not think it now. That was when we were fifteen, of course, and at fifteen one sees the world in a skewed way." Her face became almost animated. "I rather liked him, at the time, but he was too busy being important and growing up. And he knew his aunt intended us for each other, so I was the last person he wanted to be friendly with."

"That must have been difficult for you," said Clarissa.

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"Not really," said Anne. "I pelted apples at him, and it made me feel better. What else do you wish to know?"

"I want to know why you talk to no one and why you keep so much to yourself," said Clarissa.

In the long pause that followed, Georgiana was tempted to tell Anne that she did not need to answer Clarissa's questions if she did not wish to. She would not have been surprised if Anne had chastised them for prying.