“Georgiana, I think it is the loveliest gown I have ever seen.”
“I agree with you, but the color was all wrong for me, but it was my fault as Madame Delaine had warned me I was too fair for such a color. Obviously, I did not take her advice, and as a result, I have a gown I shall never wear again. It would be unfortunate if someone did not wear it, so I would like for you to have it.”
Lizzy smiled at the generous offer. She could not even guess at the cost of the gown, but she could easily imagine that it cost more than she would spend on all her frocks in the course of a year.
“That is most kind of you, Georgiana, but I am afraid I cannot accept it.”
“I thought you might say that, so I shall tell you that if you do not take it, I shall give it to Mrs. Brotherton, who will sell it. This is something I do for her because she does so much for me, but the thought of some stranger wearing this particular gown when I have a friend who would look absolutely stunning in it distresses me.” And there were those big eyes again. Lizzy felt sorry for whomever she married as the man would never win an argument when she could put on such a look.
“Let us compromise. I shall wear the dress tonight, but tomorrow I shall return it to you. May we agree on that?”
“Yes, that is the perfect compromise,” and Georgiana was sure her brother would be glad that she had struck such a deal.
After a decade of handling the reins of a post coach, Mercer had accepted the position of serving as valet to Mr. Darcy. This was not the first time he had served in such a position, but his previous employer had been such an arrogant bastard that he had gladly returned to driving a coach and six. In the five years since accepting the position with Mr. Darcy, Mercer had developed a deep affection for this young man, and whenever he recognized that his master was troubled, he did his best to help him work his way through it. Tonight was such a night.
While soaking in a tub, Darcy had unburdened himself to his manservant concerning the fiasco in the cave. “I know I acted badly, but when Elizabeth said she had been encouraging the attentions of another man, I responded quite harshly.”
“Sir, from what you’ve told me, I don’t think she was telling you that she had encouraged another man. She was saying that you shouldn’t feel bad about not being able to court her because she had a suitor in the wings.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better, Mercer?” He turned around and looked up at him. “Seriously?”
“Yes, sir, ’cause if she had already received the gentleman, then what was she doing in Derbyshire? No, to my mind, she was telling you that, come what may, she was going to be all right.”
Darcy chewed on that for a while and decided Mercer was probably correct because he did not think Elizabeth capable of being unkind, and it would have been a great unkindness if she had used the farmer from Watford as retaliation for his cock-up in London.
“I know, sir, that you do not think it right to say anything to Miss Elizabeth until you have settled the problem with Miss Montford, but I think that if you put on your best face tonight, she might figure out that you are going to do your very best to take care of the matter once you get back to London. And, besides, I know the lady cares for you.”
“How do you know that?”
“I seen it at the Netherfield ball. After I took care of all my duties, I went downstairs to listen to the music and to watch the dancing like I always do, and I seen how she looked at you. I’ve had enough women look at me like that to know what I’m talking about. That was the look of love, sir.”
“You and Lord Fitzwilliam with all your women,” Darcy said, laughing. “At the moment, I have two women in my life, and it is one too many.”
“Speaking of Lord Fitzwilliam, I know how he gets under your skin, and forgive me for saying so, but it shows on your face. Whenever you are in his company, you furrow your brow, and it stays that way.”
“You sound like my mother. She often said the same thing. Apparently, I was born frowning.”
“What you’ve got to do, sir, is keep Miss Elizabeth in the front of your head all night and ignore His Lordship.”
“Ignore His Lordship? That is like saying ignore that cliff up ahead.”
“But you can do it, sir. I think you have to because this might be the last time you see the lady for a while. Even if everything goes well in London, it’ll be several days coming and going from town before you will see her again, so it is very important that you leave Miss Elizabeth with a good memory of you. And smiling would help.”
“All right, Mercer. I shall keep in the forefront of my mind the memory of our time together at the ball at Netherfield. You say that she looked at me as if she were in love. Well, I can assure you that one of us definitely was.”
Chapter 36
It had occurred to Darcy to ask Antony to comport himself in a manner befitting a peer of the realm. But that would be the same thing as asking a leopard to change its spots, and so he had said nothing. In any event, he had witnessed how expertly Elizabeth had handled Caroline Bingley at Netherfield Park, and he hoped she was up to the unique challenge of conversing with Lord Fitzwilliam. Hopefully, Georgiana had warned her about him because she had them sitting together at supper. His sister was probably correct in thinking he was more likely to be on his best behavior with an unmarried woman than with Mrs. Gardiner. Despite Georgiana’s youth, rumors of her cousin’s reputation had reached her ears.
Darcy was waiting at the bottom of the staircase for his guests, and from the look on the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, it appeared that each had had a good day—he at Viator’s Bridge and she in the gardens with Mr. Ferguson—because they were both obviously in a stellar mood.
After greeting the Gardiners, he stood waiting for Elizabeth. After pulling on his waistcoat, tugging at his neckcloth, and checking his cuffs for the tenth time, he looked up to see Elizabeth descending the stairs, and the sight took his breath away.
“Miss Elizabeth, you look exceptionally beautiful tonight.” Although she was wearing her hair up, some of her curls fell softly on the back of her neck, and the effect was perfect. And he too felt something stir, and he hoped it would go away quickly.
“Thank you, sir. Your sister was kind enough to allow me to borrow her dress.” Surely, it was all right to acknowledge she was wearing Georgiana’s dress. After all, he had paid for it.
“An excellent decision. My sister was perceptive enough to realize how lovely it would look on you.”
“We have come a long way, Mr. Darcy, since the Meryton assembly when you were of a different mind.”
“Yes, but you know me well enough to know that I praise only that which I truly admire.”
At that point, Colonel Fitzwilliam came into the foyer, and he looked glorious in his brilliant red regimentals. The colonel truly was—what was the best word to describe him—oh, yes, gorgeous, and a smile came to her lips. She could easily imagine women stopping and staring at him whenever he came into a room.
“Miss Elizabeth, you are absolutely luminous tonight,” the colonel said, bowing. “‘She doth teach the torches to burn bright.’ You see, I am not as guarded in paying compliments as my cousin here. When I have such beauty before me, I do not pick and choose my words. I announce it to the world.”
“Colonel Fitzwilliam, I can see the influence spending an afternoon with Lord Fitzwilliam has had on you, but your praise is appreciated.”
“I admit that it is a Fitzwilliam trait to speak freely, and it is one of the few things Antony and I have in common.”
“However, with regard to Mr. Darcy,” Lizzy said, “since he is so judicious in his use of compliments, I would find myself quite flattered to have earned even one.”
“Did I hear my name mentioned?” Antony said as he joined the party. Lizzy quickly judged His Lordship to be quite handsome, but was surprised to find him out of fashion as he was still wearing the colorful jacket and waistcoat of the fops who had preceded the fashion followers of Mr. Beau Brummel. She wondered if the reason for his out-of-date attire was that he had not paid his tailor.
