Chapter 33

33

E lizabeth slipped back into the sitting room and took up her needlework again. She smiled at Mary. "I think Mr. Bingley has arrived with the rest of his party."

Mary nodded glumly. She usually had to entertain Mrs. Hurst, who quite obviously didn't want to be here. Elizabeth would have offered to engage the woman in conversation, but she thought Mr. Darcy would undoubtedly try to introduce her to Miss Darcy this morning.

She rose politely to her feet with the rest of the family as Mr. Bingley entered, followed by Mrs. Hurst and Mr. Darcy. A very young woman was clinging to his arm, but she had a determined look on her face, and behind them was a tall, broad-shouldered man who looked about thirty years of age. He was looking around alertly, with an unmistakably military bearing.

Elizabeth suppressed a smile; it was as well he was not wearing regimentals, and she wondered if Mr. Darcy had warned him about her younger sisters.

"Mrs. Bennet, ladies, please permit me to introduce my sister, Georgiana, and my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam of the Blues and Royals." Mr. Darcy bowed to her mother.

"Georgiana, Richard, may I introduce Mrs. Bennet, Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary, Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia."

The ladies all curtsied to each other, and the colonel bowed. "I am honoured to make your acquaintance, ladies." He glanced around the room and manfully took the seat beside Mama, who was welcoming him rather too loudly.

"A colonel! In the regulars! Girls, we are so honoured."

Elizabeth flinched slightly, but Mr. Darcy was coming towards her. "Miss Elizabeth, my sister has been very desirous of meeting you."

Elizabeth smiled up at the girl. "I have been equally looking forward to making your acquaintance, Miss Darcy." She patted the seat next to her. "Please, will you join me?"

The girl glanced up at her brother, then sat beside her with a determined look on her face. Elizabeth smiled at him, silently begging him to leave them to get to know each other, and he seemed to take the hint, going to stand by the window, near Mr. Bingley and Jane.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and turned to the girl. "As I said, I have been hoping to get to know you, because your brother says you are very fond of music, and very skilled." She smiled. "I know my family can be quite loud, but there is no harm in them, and when we have had some tea, I will take you through to our back parlour, where the instrument is."

"Oh, thank you!" Miss Darcy was obviously able to overcome her shyness with something familiar to talk about.

Elizabeth glanced up. The refreshment trays had been delivered to the room, but today she would stay with Miss Darcy. Mary was assisting Jane to pour and hand round the tea. She did not have to worry.

"My … my brother says you are an outstanding player, Miss Elizabeth." Miss Darcy's voice was very quiet and Elizabeth nodded. "I am fortunate, but he tells me you enjoy Santorio's work, so you must be very accomplished. They can be complex."

"Oh, yes!" Her enthusiasm was obvious. "Have you seen the new pieces that were released just before Christmas? There is one, called The March of Hope , and it gives me confidence whenever I play it." Her eyes shone. "I was sort of worried for him last year, his music seemed very sad, but this one makes me feel he now has something exciting to live for. I am so glad about it."

Elizabeth was startled. She hadn't really intended to expose her feelings in her music. Perhaps she ought … No, she must put her worry aside and talk to Charlotte, Papa and Aunt and Uncle before doing anything precipitate. She forced herself back to the conversation. "And does your brother share your feelings of the composer?" she asked, teasingly.

Miss Darcy shook her head. "I don't know, but he tried to get the direction for me, so he could write of my admiration for him, but the publisher says he is a very private person and only agreed to pass on the message." She looked a little fretful. "I do wish to meet him sometime."

Elizabeth didn't smile. "I am not sure that I do," she said slowly. "I would rather keep my chosen imaginary image of him in my mind — where he sits out on his terrace looking out over the olive groves to write his music."

"Oh! I had not thought of that!" Miss Darcy looked thoughtful. "Yes, you are right." She laughed softly. "I like the idea of him in a sunny, peaceful place, and the olive groves."

Elizabeth huffed a quiet laugh. "If you have finished your tea, Miss Darcy, we might go through to the other parlour and play. I have plenty of music that you probably know well."

The other put down her cup with alacrity. "Miss Elizabeth, do you think you could call me Georgiana? Miss Darcy sounds so formal, and I would like to be friends."

"Of course, and you must call me Elizabeth, or Lizzy, as my family do." She rose to her feet.

"Please excuse us, Mama. Miss Darcy and I are going to the piano."

Mama didn't answer, just waved her hand, and continued speaking to the colonel. Elizabeth dipped her head to Georgiana. "I feel for Colonel Fitzwilliam. Mama is relentless when she is talking to an officer!"

"He will manage." She sounded quite determined. "It does mean he cannot castigate my brother!"

Elizabeth's eyebrows rose as she led the way into the little room they called the music room.

"You seem quite protective of your brother."

"Yes. Well, he might seem haughty when he does not know the company well, but it is more that he is quite reserved. I think he does not find busy places comfortable, and Richard teases him unmercifully about it."

Elizabeth nodded and pulled out the piano stool. "It seems unkind, but amongst themselves men seem to do that."

Georgiana nodded ruefully. "Will you play first?"

"If you wish, though I think you are equally as talented." Elizabeth slid beside her. "What shall I play?"

"What about the piece you wrote out and sent to me?" Georgiana looked at her with earnestness. "It was so kind of you. It must have taken you a very long time, and for someone you didn't even know!"

"Well, I know you now, and I'm happy it was worthwhile." Elizabeth didn't wait to find the music. "I remember it quite well."

She rippled into the introduction, and concentrated. She must be careful not to deviate from the printed version; if Georgiana was that musical, she could probably tell.

The voices in the other room went silent, and she smiled, imagining the colonel's expression. And she was certain that Mr. Darcy was looking at him smugly.

She played, with one part of her mind still on the girl sitting beside her. Was she at risk by playing here with her? She must not, must not , have Santorio found out!

As she came to the end, she sighed, and ostentatiously wriggled her fingers. "He writes very challenging pieces, does he not?" She took the music off the stand. "Now, what shall you play?"

"Have you the music of March of Hope ?" Georgiana looked excited. "Although I am not nearly so good as you are."

"I am sure you are, but if not, remember I am older than you and have had more years to practice." She would not mention that Georgiana undoubtedly had more time each day on the instrument than she did.

She placed the music on the stand, and prepared to turn the pages. Georgiana was very good and had obviously practiced this for many hours. Elizabeth was sincere in her praise of the performance, and the girl was pink with pleasure.

"William always praises me, but I tell myself it's because he wants me to feel he loves me. But you are so good, Elizabeth, it really means something when you congratulate me." There was adoration in her eyes.

Elizabeth shook her head briskly. "We both have talent, my dear. But it does not do to ever believe there is nothing more to learn."

She began leafing through the music for something — anything — other than Santorio.

"Do you … do you think you could sing something for me?" Georgiana sounded hesitant. "I am not confident to sing in public yet, but William said you sang at a gathering he went to and that you had an extraordinary voice."

Elizabeth regarded her thoughtfully. She supposed it didn't matter too much. Uncle had been insistent that she would soon have to move up in society, that the publicity of her playing and singing would better hide Santorio. She was not yet convinced of it herself, and Papa seemed doubtful. "I can sing for you, if you wish. But, although I sing locally at the request of my neighbours, I do not want it to be too widely known, so I would ask you not to talk about it in town."

"I understand." Georgiana's voice was eager. "It is hard to perform to people you do not know."

She was not exactly right, but it would do, and Elizabeth took a deep breath. She would play the beauty to possess song. Perhaps Mr. Bingley would be reminded of her determination that he respect the whole of Jane. She smiled and closed her eyes. The hubbub of conversation in the other room had resumed while they had been conversing. It would soon stop.

It did. Within a few moments, she could sense people in the doorway of the music room, and the usual spellbound atmosphere whenever she sang.