Page 31 of The Sole Love

“Yes. For me, it is almost impossible to treat you as anything other than a daughter.”

“I know, but I am not your daughter, and now it is important for me to be your sister.”

Perhaps she had not expressed herself perfectly, but Darcy understood what she meant. Yet it was difficult for him to make the change.

“I shall try—I promise.”

“So…try now: answer my question, please.”

“Firstly, it was not a question.” He laughed, enjoying their discussion. “It was more…an observation. Am I correct?”

“Yes. At the Grandvilles’ ball, you introduced me to a beautiful lady…who was not a stranger to me, as her name had entered your conversations from time to time.”

He remembered dinners with the colonel when he had thought his little sister disinterested in adult conversation.

Darcy nodded, incapable of saying more. He was not comfortable sharing confidences with this little…with a sister he no longer recognised. Yet she was there, a witty young lady perfectly capable of understanding their vague phrases and allusions. Unexpectedly, he was enjoying this discussion with Georgiana. She had little experience, but she possessed an intuition appropriate to her nature.

“Yes, you are right. I have thought a great deal about Miss Elizabeth since I first met her in Hertfordshire. More than that…when I was in Kent, I decided to ask her to marry me.”

It was Georgiana’s turn to be astonished—first because her brother was sharing confidences and, secondly, because of the news itself. It had never occurred to her that their relationship had gone so far—and so obviously wrong. If they were not engaged, it meant something untoward had happened in Kent.

Seeing her eyes fixed on him, Darcy wished to step back and end their discussion. But it was too late. Elizabeth was invited to visit, and it was better for Georgiana to know it all.

“I proposed, and she refused me.”

“No!” she cried and stood up from the table, forgetting about her dinner.

At her distress and astonishment, he smiled. “Sit down, my dear, if you want to hear the rest of the story.” It was a kind threat delivered in an amused voice, but it had the desired effect, and she sat next to him. Since they had been seated at opposite ends of the long dinner table, the footman began to move her dishes, but she made a clear gesture of refusal. For her, dinner was over, as her only interest was in her brother’s story.

“Refused? How could a lady refuse you?” she asked, genuinely surprised.

“Well, I am your brother, so it is only natural for you to have a high opinion of me.”

Georgiana was not in the mood for levity. “But why?”

“Let us say that I am less perfect than you consider me to be. I have flaws. I make mistakes.”

Georgiana’s blush told him that she was thinking about her own mistakes in the past. He reached for her hand and spoke with great affection. “We all make mistakes, so the best thing to do is try to mend the situation or, at least, not to persist…”

“I understand.”

“We both made mistakes—Miss Elizabeth and I—and while I deeply regret mine, I want to see whether she also has regrets and might desire to be courted under less stressful circumstances.”

Chapter 13

Georgiana made it her duty to help her brother win Miss Elizabeth. Grateful for his confidence and now knowing all the details, she saw the ladies’ visit in a different light. It was not merely an opportunity to play duets at the pianoforte, but a chance for her brother to express his regrets…or more. She blushed when her thoughts reached that dangerous—yet delightful—realm of feelings. The deceitful situation with Mr Wickham had left her with doubts about love and strong emotions. Now her brother’s apparent feelings for Miss Elizabeth began to restore her confidence in life…and love. It could be a torment; however, it could also be a beautiful sentiment, shared by both in equal measure, without deceit or lies. Even passion might spring from authentic feelings.

The morning of the visit, the colonel joined them at breakfast, and she could tell that the men had already discussed Miss Elizabeth’s visit.

When the butler opened the door, her excitement was almost as great as her brother’s. She liked Miss Elizabeth, and she knew that she wanted her—and no one else—to be her brother’s bride. She had been impressed not only by her beauty but, more importantly, by the way she behaved in her brother’s presence. Miss Elizabeth and her brother had talked little, but even someone as inexperienced as Georgiana could see the bond between them. Not one of the other ladies of their acquaintance was suitable for him.

The night before the visit, still wide awake, Georgiana had reviewed all the ladies she knew and still found notable flaws in each of them. They were mostly attracted by her brother’s place in society or his wealth, and no one saw what a rare human being he was.

Elizabeth curtseyed, and again Georgiana was charmed by her smile and the artlessness of her expression and posture. She looked around discreetly, clearly appreciating the house…and the owner. Her brother invited the guests into the parlour, and a delightful discussion about the pianoforte began.

“I think,” Miss Elizabeth said, “that the performer has to let her own feelings guide the performance.”

“Oh, Miss Elizabeth”—Georgiana smiled and blushed slightly with pleasure at their conversation—“if my teacher, Monsieur Garbin of Paris, could hear you, you would be gently scolded. He is always telling me to let the composer speak.”