The Darcys of Pemberley (17 page)

Elizabeth, contrariwise, anticipated more
personal enjoyment from their busy social calendar. Though
perfectly satisfied with country life in general, she was not at
all averse to dancing and being out in company when the occasion
presented itself. She intended to take full advantage of this
chance to indulge those tastes, since her expectant condition was
still so easily concealed. Such another opportunity might never
occur. Once they had children, Elizabeth thought it doubtful that
they would ever spend so much time in town again.

After two weeks in London, the Darcys had
hosted one dinner party and attended three others in addition to a
ball, two concerts, a soiree and the opera. Considered a very
modest pace of activity compared to some, it was quite enough
commotion to satisfy them.

This particular night, they were to attend
another ball. Elizabeth went into Georgiana’s room to see if she
needed any last minute assistance. “You look lovely, my dear. I
daresay you will have many admirers again tonight, and hardly a
minute to rest between dances,” she told the girl. “How are you
enjoying town so far? Now that you have had time to sample the
delights the season has to offer, I hope you are not sorry we
came.”

“No, not at all. I think the change has done
me good. Being kept so occupied every day leaves me very little
time to dwell on … on other matters.”

“I think you are wise to enter into the
spirit of things as much as possible, Georgiana. Who can say what
may come of it? You may yet meet someone, even tonight perhaps, who
will make you forget your cares more permanently. Anything can
happen at a ball, you know.”

Despite her optimistic words, Elizabeth saw
no sign of any such revolution in Georgiana’s situation that night.
Her young sister continued to attract more than her share of
attention. However, although she smiled politely and danced with
each gentleman in his turn, she showed no serious interest in any
of them. Henry Heywood was the only one to claim more than a
passing notice from Georgiana. Mr. Heywood, along with his sister
Andrea, frequently appeared at the same social events, and he never
failed to promote himself as one of Georgiana’s most ardent
admirers.

“I see that young Mr. Heywood continues his
attentions to Georgiana. Persistent, is he not?” said Elizabeth to
her husband as they observed the two together, dancing.

“Aye, his devotion is commendable. Were
constancy and determination the only criteria, I feel certain that
he would carry the day.”

“You still doubt his chances, then. Do you
not think he is making some headway with her?”

“She seems content enough in his company, but
I see no symptoms of peculiar regard or attachment. Of course, this
is pure speculation since she will not confide in us. How am I to
know what she is really thinking?”

“Ah yes, the female mind is utterly
inscrutable, Mr. Darcy.”

Had he been at home the next afternoon, Mr.
Darcy would have been immediately relieved of all his questions
concerning Georgiana’s feelings for Mr. Heywood. Unfortunately, he
was out on an unspecified errand of business when the young man
came to call. Mr. Heywood was shown up to the drawing room where
Mrs. Darcy and Miss Georgiana received him.

“Why Mr. Heywood, what a pleasant surprise,”
said Elizabeth.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Darcy. Good afternoon,
Miss Darcy,” he said with a good deal more formality and nervous
anxiety than normally attends a greeting of long-standing
acquaintances.

“Please, sir, do sit down and tell us to what
we owe the honor of your visit,” invited Elizabeth. “Do you bring a
message from your mother?”

Still on his feet, he answered with a
noticeable tremor in his voice. “No, ma’am. I come on my own
account. I wonder if you would be so kind, Mrs. Darcy, as to grant
me the honor of a private audience with your sister?”

This official application left no doubt as to
the young man’s intentions or the reason for his apparent anxiety.
At finding herself the very particular object of his call,
Georgiana’s composure began to crumble as well. The tension in her
countenance was unmistakable, yet Elizabeth could not judge with
any certainty whether it stemmed from dread or excitement. In any
case, Mr. Heywood stood before them clearly determined to carry his
chosen course of action through. Elizabeth saw no gracious
alternative to allowing him to have his try, regardless of her
sister’s sentiments.

“Of course, Mr. Heywood,” she said.
“Georgiana, you may stay and hear what the gentleman has to
say.”

The girl was either too stunned or too
accommodating to object, so Elizabeth moved to exit the room. As
she turned to close the double doors behind her, however, the look
she saw on the Georgiana’s face was no longer the least bit
ambiguous. Elizabeth thought to herself, “I am afraid that Mr.
Heywood is going to have a very rough time of it.”

The interview was brief. Elizabeth did not
hear exactly what passed between the two, but the outcome was no
longer in doubt. Mr. Heywood’s pained expression told all; his suit
had been summarily rejected. With barely a nod to the lady of the
house, the unhappy young man made a hasty departure, hat in
hand.

As much as she pitied Mr. Heywood’s plight,
Elizabeth’s loyalty and chief concern were with Georgiana, who she
imagined could not have come through the encounter in perfect
tranquility either. Indeed, she found the girl pacing the room in a
state of great agitation, muttering and gesturing her obvious
dissatisfaction. Tears stained her cheeks, but her manner bespoke
more consternation than sorrow. When Elizabeth approached with the
intention of comforting her sister, Georgiana was not yet ready to
be consoled. She continued to march up and down, accompanied by her
own soliloquy.

“We were having a perfectly delightful time,
were we not? Why must he spoil everything by asking me to marry him
when he knew perfectly well that I must reject him? I was always
extremely careful; he could not have misunderstood me. Yet it seems
he prefers to deceive himself. He forces me to say things that will
hurt him, and then he resents me for it. Is that fair? I like him
very much, to be sure. I like his whole family! We have been such
good friends, but now all that is ruined forever! Now, there will
be nothing but awkwardness and irritation between us. Oh, why must
men always make such a muddle of things? Why cannot they leave well
enough alone?”

Elizabeth was surprised by the vehemence of
Georgiana’s protestations, considering that she was ordinarily so
gentle and sweet-tempered. Emotions must have been building over
the last few months, she surmised, and could no longer be
contained.

Georgiana then turned and addressed the
remainder of her diatribe directly to her sister. “What a disaster
this is, Elizabeth. I did try to stop him, to prevent the
embarrassment of a declaration and refusal, but he
would
do
it anyway. Can men never be satisfied with friendship? Why must
they demand more than it is in my power to give?”

“Do try to calm yourself, dear,” urged
Elizabeth. “I know you are upset, and I understand your
frustration, believe me. But pray, have a little compassion for
poor Mr. Heywood. I am quite certain he did not fall in love merely
for the purpose of vexing you. In any case, you must not condemn
all men for the actions of one.”

“But it is not just one man; now there are
two
!”

Discretion

“Now there are
two
!”

The impassioned statement echoed in the
room.

Georgiana undoubtedly wished it back again.
Indeed, her hand flew to cover her lips, as if to prevent anything
else incriminating escaping. The two women stood frozen in their
tracks, gaping at each other, whilst Elizabeth’s mind quickly
followed the implication of the words to the logical conclusion.
She was prevented from saying anything about it, however, by the
abrupt arrival of Mr. Darcy, who was likewise arrested by the odd
display before him.

As soon as she recovered herself, Elizabeth
said, “My dear, I did not know that you were returned already.”

“What on earth is going on here, Elizabeth?”
he demanded. “Georgiana?”

Elizabeth waited for her sister to answer
howsoever she thought best, since it was
her
feelings that
were at stake. Averting her face, Georgiana quickly blotted her
tears. She shot a desperate look at Elizabeth, as if pleading for
her discretion, and then turned to answer the question.

“You have missed all the excitement, brother.
As you see, Elizabeth and I are still not recovered from the
shock,” she said in a quavering voice. “We have had an unexpected
visitor this afternoon.”

“Good heavens! Not Wi … I say, is everything
all right?”

“Be not alarmed. It was only Henry Heywood,
and what do you think? He has made me an offer of marriage.”

It was Mr. Darcy’s turn to be stunned
speechless. Elizabeth felt only profound relief that she would not
be asked to keep this as yet another secret from her husband. The
rest, which she did not know in full herself, would likely be a
different matter.

“Of course I have had to refuse him,”
Georgiana continued. “I do not love him, and I could never resign
myself to live all the rest of my life in London in any case.
Still, I am sorry to have hurt him. And I would have kept the
incident completely to myself, out of respect for Mr. Heywood’s
honor, except that Elizabeth was here when it happened, and so you
must know it as well, brother.”

Seeing tears welling up in her eyes, Darcy
gathered his young sister into his embrace. Georgiana made no
objection to resting in that comfortable and familiar refuge. At
length, however, she excused herself and went upstairs. Elizabeth
longed to follow her and demand a full explanation of her cryptic
remark, but that would have to wait.

“Well, this was not wholly unexpected, I
suppose,” Darcy began, “although I am surprised that Mr. Heywood
made his declaration so soon. It was imprudent of him to commit
himself without being secure of Georgiana’s affection.”

“Indeed, but perhaps his vanity deceived him
into believing that she would be willing to accept him and even
wanting to be asked. I think such a thing has happened before,”
Elizabeth said mischievously.

Darcy understood immediately to what she
alluded. “Yes, I know of just such a case,” he said, pulling
Elizabeth into his arms. “Let us hope that poor Mr. Heywood will be
more successful on his next time out, just as I was.”

After a quick glance to be sure they were
alone, Darcy gave his wife a deep, lingering kiss, holding her body
firmly against his own. In the midst of their enjoyment, a flutter
of movement between them startled Mr. Darcy, and he stopped
still.

“So, you felt it too,” said Elizabeth in a
whisper.

“I most certainly did!” he answered with
hushed excitement.

He slipped his hand between them, and they
both held their breath as the small bulge of Elizabeth’s belly
shifted perceptibly again. She had become more and more aware of
their child’s stirrings in the last few weeks, but Darcy had never
before been able to share the experience. Now, they were caught up
together in the wonder of it. They remained in that same attitude
several minutes, until finally the spell was broken by the sound of
the butler’s approaching footsteps. Darcy hastily released his
wife, stepped back, and struggled to resume his usual air of
dignity. Yet Elizabeth could see he was profoundly moved. She took
it as a proof that he could never behave toward his infant son or
daughter in the detached manner he had previously predicted.

~*~

The topic of the ill-fated marriage proposal
did not dominate the conversation at the Darcys’ dinner table later
that day. Extraordinary as the event had been, it was over and done
with. There was little more to be said about it, other than to wish
Henry a speedy recovery from his disappointment, and to hope that
the incident would not permanently damage the cordial friendship
that had so long persisted between the two families.

Instead they discussed upcoming social
engagements, including the wedding of Anne de Bourgh and Colonel
Fitzwilliam in two weeks. Georgiana could not enter in on the
subject with any enthusiasm, but she had by then learnt to hear it
mentioned with tolerable composure. It had been arranged that
Charlotte Collins would come to London and drive down with them to
Hunsford for the wedding.

“It did occur to me, Georgiana, that we might
ask Charlotte to stay on with you afterward, as chaperone, if your
brother and I have had our fill of London by then and you have
not,” said Elizabeth. “She would make you a pleasant and suitable
companion, and she might benefit as well by exposure to better
society than is ordinarily within her reach. What do you think of
the idea?”

“I am sure I should find Mrs. Collins’s
company very agreeable.”

“Of course, there is no need to decide
anything now,” said Darcy. “We will all stay until the wedding, and
after that we can make our arrangements. Although if business does
not detain me, I am certain
I
shall be ready by then to be
gone.”

“As you speak of business, Darcy, it puts me
in mind to ask why you returned so soon this afternoon,” said
Elizabeth. “You did say that you had something pressing that
demanded your immediate attention, and yet you could not have been
gone much above an hour, I am sure.”

He frowned. “Yes, I had an appointment with
someone, but the gentleman failed to keep it. I waited half an
hour, and he never came. So it was a wasted trip.”

“How provoking! I hope you will not consent
to meet that unreliable fellow again. What good can come of doing
business with someone who cannot be trusted to keep his
commitments?”