A Constant Love: A Pride & Prejudice Continuation, page 40
“Thank you, sir,” Georgiana said.
“My son tells me you are quite accomplished,” Mr. Stanton said. “You play the pianoforte, and the harp, draw and paint, and speak both French and Italian, is that correct?”
“Yes, sir,” Georgiana answered.
“No doubt you read, as well. I will assume you have read the Bible, although I should always recommend another reading – you will learn much more with every reading. Have you read Fordyce’s Sermons?”
“I cannot say I that have.”
“Well, I suppose that is to be expected. You young ladies would rather read novels and swoon over Byron than read something of moral substance. Sir Matthew, you will see that you acquire both volumes, once your household is established, so that Miss Darcy may read them through.”
“Yes, father.”
“And what of dancing?” Mr. Stanton said. “I suppose you are one of those debutantes who is always going to balls. Do you enjoy dancing?”
“I enjoy many things, sir, dancing among them.”
“Do you dance the waltz? I understand it is common here in town, now – that sinful dance. I suppose you danced it many times with my son during your courtship.”
“We – we stepped out following the Marche,” Georgiana said, not certain whether this should count as having danced the waltz.
“Indeed? Well, that shows some degree of propriety, at least. Perhaps there is hope for Sir Matthew yet.”
Georgiana was spared any further discomfort as the other guests began to arrive, among them Lady Tonbridge, who gave Mr. Stanton a slight little curtsey, and then pulled Georgiana off to a corner of the room and took up both of her hands.
“I know I am not supposed to say anything to the greater group until the announcement is made, but I simply could not wait to offer you my congratulations. I must tell you I have been hoping for this for quite some time.”
“So have I, Lady Tonbridge, and I thank you for your part in it – we would never have met if not for you.”
“You may thank me for that, but you need not thank me for pulling you away from that man,” the viscountess whispered, looking over at Mr. Stanton. “He is insufferable. Come, let us see if we might rescue your fiancé as well.”
They made their way back over to where Captain Stanton was standing, but he was pulled away by Lady Julia before they could affect their rescue. Georgiana expected she would be filled with jealousy, watching the two of them converse, Lady Julia in what appeared to be a new, rather sheer gown, and Captain Stanton in his naval uniform, but she found she felt none; she was secure in his affections now, secure in his hand for marriage.
Instead, she felt badly for Lady Julia, who was clearly attempting a flirtation, and not making any progress, for as soon as Captain Stanton saw that Captain Campbell had arrived, he excused himself to greet his former lieutenant. Only a little later, Georgiana overheard Lady Julia speaking to her companion, saying, “Surely it will only be a little while longer before he makes an offer.” It was then that Georgiana came to understand the nature of the rumoured engagement – it had come from Lady Julia herself. If her theory was correct, Lady Julia would soon be disappointed, and Georgiana found herself sympathetic to the lady’s situation, despite all the pain she had suffered from the rumours of the engagement.
The time for them to go in for dinner was drawing close, and Georgiana realised that she should not have a chance to sit anywhere near Captain Stanton. Now that he was a baronet, he would go in earlier, with those who had titles, and Georgiana, Fitzwilliam, and Elizabeth would be somewhere farther down the table.
It seemed she was not the only one to have such thoughts, because Lord Anglesey appeared by her side, saying, “Lady Tonbridge and I did not like the idea of you and Matthew sitting apart at dinner, when you are only just engaged. We have a little something planned, you shall see in a moment. However, first I must go remind Matthew he is a baronet. He clean forgot he had been made earlier in the day, and tried to go in out of order at the Regent’s dinner. Everyone found it quite amusing.”
Georgiana smiled at the thought of Captain Stanton – who seemed to put far less import on his baronetcy than everyone else – being chided by the Prince Regent’s dinner guests for forgetting his new rank. She watched as the earl whispered something to his nephew, and then made his way over to the door to the dining room.
“I believe all is ready,” he said, in a voice loud enough to gain the attention of everyone in the drawing room. “I should like for us to let Miss Darcy go first, this evening, as a bride-to-be.”
His statement was met with a great deal of whispering amongst all of the dinner guests not yet acquainted with Georgiana and Captain Stanton’s engagement, and Lady Tonbridge waited a few moments before saying: “That is a capital idea. Please do let Miss Darcy go first.”
Lady Tonbridge was the highest-ranking lady in the room, and should therefore have gone first, so her very vocal approval meant that none could disagree, even Lady Julia, who looked at Georgiana with curiosity, and perhaps a little bit of contempt, as Georgiana made her way over to take up the earl’s arm. Behind them were Mr. Stanton and Lady Tonbridge, and then Captain Stanton and Lady Julia.
This order meant that Georgiana found herself sitting next to Lady Tonbridge, and across from Mr. Stanton, who in turn sat beside his son, with the earl at the head of the table. She smiled deeply at Lord Anglesey and Lady Tonbridge as they were seated, and then caught Elizabeth’s eye, further down the table, long enough to see that her sister was clearly pleased at the way things had come about.
They were all seated, and Mr. Stanton would not even allow their glasses to be filled before he would say grace; the earl tolerated his brother’s instructing the servants to halt with a stony countenance. As the first remove finally came out, the earl stood, looking far more pleased.
“I suppose I have piqued your curiosity by mentioning Miss Darcy as a bride-to-be,” Lord Anglesey said. “So let me now tell you that in addition to celebrating Captain Sir Matthew Stanton’s victory over the Polonais, and his baronetcy, we more importantly celebrate his engagement to Miss Georgiana Darcy.”
Applause filled the room, as Georgiana blushed, and caught the brief expression of horror on Lady Julia’s face, before the lady managed something resembling a smile. Georgiana smiled down the table, nodded, and finally gazed at Captain Stanton, who seemed as embarrassed as her, by the attention.
There were a great many things to toast, at such a dinner; it seemed a quarter-hour could not pass without someone looking down the table to Captain Stanton, nodding, and saying, “a glass of wine with you, sir.” The earl stood again, later in the meal, to toast the army for the Waterloo victory, and a gentleman further down the table could not allow this to pass without also toasting the navy.
Mr. Stanton raised his glass to this toast as vigorously as any one at the table, and Lady Tonbridge, noticing this, said, “Perhaps you should have given up more sons to the navy, Mr. Stanton. It certainly has been good to Captain Stanton – a great fortune, a baronetcy, and a very accomplished fiancée.”
“Now there I cannot agree with you, Lady Tonbridge. The navy certainly was the best choice for Matthew, as he was hardly cut out for the church, but I should always have preferred to give as many of my sons to God’s work as I could.”
Georgiana felt all the pain this remark must have caused Captain Stanton; she even summoned her courage to speak in his defence, but when she looked up at him, he simply shook his head no to her, and she could only give him a sympathetic gaze in return. Lady Tonbridge was right, the man was insufferable, and she wondered at the earl’s inviting him here – perhaps Lord Anglesey had hoped he had changed, or at least that he would mind his manners. Georgiana had always been secure of her father’s and brother’s love and esteem, and the thought of growing up under such a man instead horrified her.
Mr. Stanton’s statement had cast a brief silence over their end of the table. Lady Tonbridge was the quickest to recover, asking Georgiana how she got on with her practise on the pianoforte and the harp.
“Very well, I thank you,” Georgiana said. “I find I have more time to practise when we are at Pemberley – we have fewer callers. I do admit to missing your musical evenings, however.”
“We have missed you as well, dear. We will not have any more meetings until the little season begins again, but I beg you will come for tea some evening and play, so that I might hear you again.”
“I would like that very much, thank you.”
“And perhaps we may compel you to play at least one piece tonight,” Lady Tonbridge said. “It might give some people in attendance a greater sense of your accomplishments.”
The toasts continued on, and although Georgiana took only the slightest of sips at each, she had a great fear of becoming drunk. She worried even more about Captain Stanton, who had not looked entirely well when the dinner began, and was worse, now. He did not look drunk, merely tired, and she realised he would have had little time to rest, if he had been to see Captain Shaw and then Lady Ellen after he had left Curzon Street that morning.
She wished to speak with him about this, once dinner had finally wound to an end, but first she must go with the other ladies to the drawing-room, and there she found herself surrounded by those she had not sat near at dinner, wishing to offer her their congratulations and well-wishes. Even Lady Julia came by and offered a few words that were, if not sincere, at least an indication of her good manners.
When the gentlemen finally made their entrance, Captain Stanton came in even slower than his usual pace of late, and took a seat near the door, although he looked up at her and gave her an inviting little smile. Georgiana excused herself from a conversation about lace that had started some time ago with the mention of her wedding clothes, picked up two dishes of tea, and went to him.
“You have read my mind, Miss Darcy. I feel I have had too much of everything today, except for tea.”
“You look very tired – are you well enough to be out here?”
“I can hardly retire early from a dinner held in my own honour. I will manage for a little while longer.”
“I fear your exertions on behalf of my family this morning did not allow you enough time to rest,” she said. “My aunt wrote to inform me of their plans to travel on the Daphne.”
“Do not worry yourself on that account. Captain Shaw was the first person I inquired with, so it was all arranged quite quickly.”
“I still cannot thank you enough for the service you did for them.”
“It was nothing.”
“It was not nothing to my aunt. It was the kindest thing anyone could have done for her on a most difficult day.”
“Well, then, I am glad I was able to help, and I do hope to see your cousin safely returned. I know it must wear on your whole family, and particularly on you, as he is your other guardian. Are you close?”
“We were when I was younger. With the war, he has often been from home, so we do not see each other so frequently. My father selected him as my second guardian, in case anything should happen to my brother before I came of age, but he did so before my uncle purchased his commission. I suppose my father might have chosen differently if he had known, but I am glad he did not – Colonel Fitzwilliam is dear to me, although we do not see each other as often as I would wish.”
“I hope I shall get a chance to become acquainted with him, and better acquainted with your aunt and uncle. They seem like excellent company.”
“They are indeed.”
“I must admit to feeling some guilt in bringing you such an unpleasant family connection, when everyone in your family is such good company,” he said. “My father’s performance this evening is fairly well typical for him. Fortunately, we need not see him often.”
“Oh, but you have not met my other aunt, Lady Catherine,” Georgiana said. “Actually, I think she and your father might get on well. Either that or they will loathe each other, and at least that will take some of his attention away from you.”
He laughed softly, “I must meet this Lady Catherine, then.”
“I sometimes wonder – ” Georgiana paused; she had never told anyone of this particular conjecture, and did not possess the courage to ask her brother about it, but thinking about Captain Stanton’s father had brought it to the front of her mind.
“Yes, dearest?” He stared at her intently, and this gave her enough comfort to continue.
“I sometimes wonder if my mother was like Lady Catherine – they were sisters, after all. And my brother never speaks of her with quite the same depth of regard as he does my father. I wonder if I would have had a very different childhood, if she had lived, and then I feel guilty for thinking it.”
“I cannot share your guilt. Any other childhood would not have shaped your being the young lady you are today, and might not have seen us meet. So I must be selfish, and glad your life took the path it did.”
“I have never thought of it in that way,” she said. “Although I suppose there was at least one way in which she shaped my life, even if she did not live to do so – she was very musical. The music room at Pemberley was designed at first to house her harpsichord.”
“Was it she who first favoured Scarlatti?”
“Yes, I found her old music one day, and attempted it on the pianoforte,” Georgiana said. “I hardly ever feel a connection to her, except when I play her music.”
“I think your mother could not have been disagreeable, if she loved music so beautiful.”
“I hope you are right, and although I suppose I may never know, it is better to think what you suggest.” Georgiana noticed Mr. Stanton approaching them, and was silent, following this.
“Come, son, it is not appropriate for you and the lady to sequester yourselves in this way. I would wonder at your manners, but that you learned them from sea captains.”
“Father, you are well aware that I have most often sailed under men who could rightly call themselves gentlemen.”
“I see very little of your gentlemanly behaviour in the naval men I observe. Being a gentleman does not, to my mind, mix with making war for a living. How many times have you yourself violated the sixth commandment? Judgement Day shall be a long one for you, when you must answer for every man you have killed.”
The earl must have overheard some of the conversation, for he approached them and said, in a quiet but steely voice, “That is enough. You may choose not to celebrate Matthew the way the rest of the country has, but I will have no more insults to him or to his fiancée in this house. Were it up to you, Bonaparte would march right into this country, and meet with nothing but prayer. I cannot believe that God would not wish us to end tyranny, and tyranny’s end requires that good men must kill other good men.”
Mr. Stanton’s expression took on a thunderous look for a moment, as though he planned to argue, but then thought better of it. The earl held the power in his family, and his brother could not expect to cross him without some manner of consequences. “Very well, then,” he finally said, and strode off.
The earl left as well, with a little nod to them, and when Georgiana looked back to Captain Stanton, she saw there were tears in his eyes, and she felt all of his heartbreak.
“I have not seen him these five years,” he said. “I do not wish to ever see him again.”
+++
Elizabeth and Darcy watched the exchange between the Stantons and Georgiana from across the drawing room, and could only wonder what it had been about.
“I do not like that man,” Elizabeth murmured. “I do not like him at all.”
“Ordinarily I would encourage you to wait before pronouncing a judgement, as some people do seem to improve on your acquaintance,” Darcy said. “However in this case, I believe your assessment is sound, and not likely to have any cause to change.”
“I am not sure,” she said. “My first impression of you was that you were an unsocial, taciturn man, and here we are, sitting at the very edge of the drawing room.”
“There was a rather exuberant discussion of lace happening when I entered. I must assume that was your reason for seating yourself where you did. Unless – you are not unwell, are you?”
“I am fine, although I did wish to sit,” Elizabeth said. “I should have rested more, earlier. Jane was right – this saps my energy far more than I would have expected.”
“Let me know when you wish me to call for the carriage. It appears the guest of honour has even less energy than you do,” Darcy said, looking towards Captain Stanton, who had, with Georgiana, made his way into the core of the party.
He at least did not have to remain standing for long, for Lady Tonbridge, with only slightly less authority than she would have shown in her own music room, suggested that the young ladies present honour them with some musical performances, and called on Miss Darcy to play the pianoforte first. Georgiana blushed, and demurred, but following a stern look from Lady Tonbridge, made her way to the bench first.
Elizabeth wondered what she should play, since her sister had not brought any music with her, and was startled to hear her begin one of her Scarlatti pieces, which was complicated enough Elizabeth would never have attempted it herself, even with sheet music. The musical club and the hours upon hours Georgiana had spent practising at Pemberley told here, however, for she played not only well, but confidently.
When she had finished, she rose to silence, and curtsied to them all, but it was only when Lady Tonbridge said, “My dear, you are even better than I had remembered,” and began clapping, that the rest of them were driven from their stupor, and made up for it by applauding as loudly as they could.
“I once thought she would be too shy to ever perform in front of a group half this large,” Darcy said, watching as his sister curtsied again, and modestly sidestepped away from the piano bench.
“I believe she is still shy, at heart,” Elizabeth said. “But no one would call her a shy young girl, anymore. She will do well as Lady Stanton.”
“I had thought I failed her. I did fail her, in the incident with Wickham,” Darcy said. “Thank God it has all turned out well. To see her now, after the way it was following Ramsgate, it is like two different women.”
“My son tells me you are quite accomplished,” Mr. Stanton said. “You play the pianoforte, and the harp, draw and paint, and speak both French and Italian, is that correct?”
“Yes, sir,” Georgiana answered.
“No doubt you read, as well. I will assume you have read the Bible, although I should always recommend another reading – you will learn much more with every reading. Have you read Fordyce’s Sermons?”
“I cannot say I that have.”
“Well, I suppose that is to be expected. You young ladies would rather read novels and swoon over Byron than read something of moral substance. Sir Matthew, you will see that you acquire both volumes, once your household is established, so that Miss Darcy may read them through.”
“Yes, father.”
“And what of dancing?” Mr. Stanton said. “I suppose you are one of those debutantes who is always going to balls. Do you enjoy dancing?”
“I enjoy many things, sir, dancing among them.”
“Do you dance the waltz? I understand it is common here in town, now – that sinful dance. I suppose you danced it many times with my son during your courtship.”
“We – we stepped out following the Marche,” Georgiana said, not certain whether this should count as having danced the waltz.
“Indeed? Well, that shows some degree of propriety, at least. Perhaps there is hope for Sir Matthew yet.”
Georgiana was spared any further discomfort as the other guests began to arrive, among them Lady Tonbridge, who gave Mr. Stanton a slight little curtsey, and then pulled Georgiana off to a corner of the room and took up both of her hands.
“I know I am not supposed to say anything to the greater group until the announcement is made, but I simply could not wait to offer you my congratulations. I must tell you I have been hoping for this for quite some time.”
“So have I, Lady Tonbridge, and I thank you for your part in it – we would never have met if not for you.”
“You may thank me for that, but you need not thank me for pulling you away from that man,” the viscountess whispered, looking over at Mr. Stanton. “He is insufferable. Come, let us see if we might rescue your fiancé as well.”
They made their way back over to where Captain Stanton was standing, but he was pulled away by Lady Julia before they could affect their rescue. Georgiana expected she would be filled with jealousy, watching the two of them converse, Lady Julia in what appeared to be a new, rather sheer gown, and Captain Stanton in his naval uniform, but she found she felt none; she was secure in his affections now, secure in his hand for marriage.
Instead, she felt badly for Lady Julia, who was clearly attempting a flirtation, and not making any progress, for as soon as Captain Stanton saw that Captain Campbell had arrived, he excused himself to greet his former lieutenant. Only a little later, Georgiana overheard Lady Julia speaking to her companion, saying, “Surely it will only be a little while longer before he makes an offer.” It was then that Georgiana came to understand the nature of the rumoured engagement – it had come from Lady Julia herself. If her theory was correct, Lady Julia would soon be disappointed, and Georgiana found herself sympathetic to the lady’s situation, despite all the pain she had suffered from the rumours of the engagement.
The time for them to go in for dinner was drawing close, and Georgiana realised that she should not have a chance to sit anywhere near Captain Stanton. Now that he was a baronet, he would go in earlier, with those who had titles, and Georgiana, Fitzwilliam, and Elizabeth would be somewhere farther down the table.
It seemed she was not the only one to have such thoughts, because Lord Anglesey appeared by her side, saying, “Lady Tonbridge and I did not like the idea of you and Matthew sitting apart at dinner, when you are only just engaged. We have a little something planned, you shall see in a moment. However, first I must go remind Matthew he is a baronet. He clean forgot he had been made earlier in the day, and tried to go in out of order at the Regent’s dinner. Everyone found it quite amusing.”
Georgiana smiled at the thought of Captain Stanton – who seemed to put far less import on his baronetcy than everyone else – being chided by the Prince Regent’s dinner guests for forgetting his new rank. She watched as the earl whispered something to his nephew, and then made his way over to the door to the dining room.
“I believe all is ready,” he said, in a voice loud enough to gain the attention of everyone in the drawing room. “I should like for us to let Miss Darcy go first, this evening, as a bride-to-be.”
His statement was met with a great deal of whispering amongst all of the dinner guests not yet acquainted with Georgiana and Captain Stanton’s engagement, and Lady Tonbridge waited a few moments before saying: “That is a capital idea. Please do let Miss Darcy go first.”
Lady Tonbridge was the highest-ranking lady in the room, and should therefore have gone first, so her very vocal approval meant that none could disagree, even Lady Julia, who looked at Georgiana with curiosity, and perhaps a little bit of contempt, as Georgiana made her way over to take up the earl’s arm. Behind them were Mr. Stanton and Lady Tonbridge, and then Captain Stanton and Lady Julia.
This order meant that Georgiana found herself sitting next to Lady Tonbridge, and across from Mr. Stanton, who in turn sat beside his son, with the earl at the head of the table. She smiled deeply at Lord Anglesey and Lady Tonbridge as they were seated, and then caught Elizabeth’s eye, further down the table, long enough to see that her sister was clearly pleased at the way things had come about.
They were all seated, and Mr. Stanton would not even allow their glasses to be filled before he would say grace; the earl tolerated his brother’s instructing the servants to halt with a stony countenance. As the first remove finally came out, the earl stood, looking far more pleased.
“I suppose I have piqued your curiosity by mentioning Miss Darcy as a bride-to-be,” Lord Anglesey said. “So let me now tell you that in addition to celebrating Captain Sir Matthew Stanton’s victory over the Polonais, and his baronetcy, we more importantly celebrate his engagement to Miss Georgiana Darcy.”
Applause filled the room, as Georgiana blushed, and caught the brief expression of horror on Lady Julia’s face, before the lady managed something resembling a smile. Georgiana smiled down the table, nodded, and finally gazed at Captain Stanton, who seemed as embarrassed as her, by the attention.
There were a great many things to toast, at such a dinner; it seemed a quarter-hour could not pass without someone looking down the table to Captain Stanton, nodding, and saying, “a glass of wine with you, sir.” The earl stood again, later in the meal, to toast the army for the Waterloo victory, and a gentleman further down the table could not allow this to pass without also toasting the navy.
Mr. Stanton raised his glass to this toast as vigorously as any one at the table, and Lady Tonbridge, noticing this, said, “Perhaps you should have given up more sons to the navy, Mr. Stanton. It certainly has been good to Captain Stanton – a great fortune, a baronetcy, and a very accomplished fiancée.”
“Now there I cannot agree with you, Lady Tonbridge. The navy certainly was the best choice for Matthew, as he was hardly cut out for the church, but I should always have preferred to give as many of my sons to God’s work as I could.”
Georgiana felt all the pain this remark must have caused Captain Stanton; she even summoned her courage to speak in his defence, but when she looked up at him, he simply shook his head no to her, and she could only give him a sympathetic gaze in return. Lady Tonbridge was right, the man was insufferable, and she wondered at the earl’s inviting him here – perhaps Lord Anglesey had hoped he had changed, or at least that he would mind his manners. Georgiana had always been secure of her father’s and brother’s love and esteem, and the thought of growing up under such a man instead horrified her.
Mr. Stanton’s statement had cast a brief silence over their end of the table. Lady Tonbridge was the quickest to recover, asking Georgiana how she got on with her practise on the pianoforte and the harp.
“Very well, I thank you,” Georgiana said. “I find I have more time to practise when we are at Pemberley – we have fewer callers. I do admit to missing your musical evenings, however.”
“We have missed you as well, dear. We will not have any more meetings until the little season begins again, but I beg you will come for tea some evening and play, so that I might hear you again.”
“I would like that very much, thank you.”
“And perhaps we may compel you to play at least one piece tonight,” Lady Tonbridge said. “It might give some people in attendance a greater sense of your accomplishments.”
The toasts continued on, and although Georgiana took only the slightest of sips at each, she had a great fear of becoming drunk. She worried even more about Captain Stanton, who had not looked entirely well when the dinner began, and was worse, now. He did not look drunk, merely tired, and she realised he would have had little time to rest, if he had been to see Captain Shaw and then Lady Ellen after he had left Curzon Street that morning.
She wished to speak with him about this, once dinner had finally wound to an end, but first she must go with the other ladies to the drawing-room, and there she found herself surrounded by those she had not sat near at dinner, wishing to offer her their congratulations and well-wishes. Even Lady Julia came by and offered a few words that were, if not sincere, at least an indication of her good manners.
When the gentlemen finally made their entrance, Captain Stanton came in even slower than his usual pace of late, and took a seat near the door, although he looked up at her and gave her an inviting little smile. Georgiana excused herself from a conversation about lace that had started some time ago with the mention of her wedding clothes, picked up two dishes of tea, and went to him.
“You have read my mind, Miss Darcy. I feel I have had too much of everything today, except for tea.”
“You look very tired – are you well enough to be out here?”
“I can hardly retire early from a dinner held in my own honour. I will manage for a little while longer.”
“I fear your exertions on behalf of my family this morning did not allow you enough time to rest,” she said. “My aunt wrote to inform me of their plans to travel on the Daphne.”
“Do not worry yourself on that account. Captain Shaw was the first person I inquired with, so it was all arranged quite quickly.”
“I still cannot thank you enough for the service you did for them.”
“It was nothing.”
“It was not nothing to my aunt. It was the kindest thing anyone could have done for her on a most difficult day.”
“Well, then, I am glad I was able to help, and I do hope to see your cousin safely returned. I know it must wear on your whole family, and particularly on you, as he is your other guardian. Are you close?”
“We were when I was younger. With the war, he has often been from home, so we do not see each other so frequently. My father selected him as my second guardian, in case anything should happen to my brother before I came of age, but he did so before my uncle purchased his commission. I suppose my father might have chosen differently if he had known, but I am glad he did not – Colonel Fitzwilliam is dear to me, although we do not see each other as often as I would wish.”
“I hope I shall get a chance to become acquainted with him, and better acquainted with your aunt and uncle. They seem like excellent company.”
“They are indeed.”
“I must admit to feeling some guilt in bringing you such an unpleasant family connection, when everyone in your family is such good company,” he said. “My father’s performance this evening is fairly well typical for him. Fortunately, we need not see him often.”
“Oh, but you have not met my other aunt, Lady Catherine,” Georgiana said. “Actually, I think she and your father might get on well. Either that or they will loathe each other, and at least that will take some of his attention away from you.”
He laughed softly, “I must meet this Lady Catherine, then.”
“I sometimes wonder – ” Georgiana paused; she had never told anyone of this particular conjecture, and did not possess the courage to ask her brother about it, but thinking about Captain Stanton’s father had brought it to the front of her mind.
“Yes, dearest?” He stared at her intently, and this gave her enough comfort to continue.
“I sometimes wonder if my mother was like Lady Catherine – they were sisters, after all. And my brother never speaks of her with quite the same depth of regard as he does my father. I wonder if I would have had a very different childhood, if she had lived, and then I feel guilty for thinking it.”
“I cannot share your guilt. Any other childhood would not have shaped your being the young lady you are today, and might not have seen us meet. So I must be selfish, and glad your life took the path it did.”
“I have never thought of it in that way,” she said. “Although I suppose there was at least one way in which she shaped my life, even if she did not live to do so – she was very musical. The music room at Pemberley was designed at first to house her harpsichord.”
“Was it she who first favoured Scarlatti?”
“Yes, I found her old music one day, and attempted it on the pianoforte,” Georgiana said. “I hardly ever feel a connection to her, except when I play her music.”
“I think your mother could not have been disagreeable, if she loved music so beautiful.”
“I hope you are right, and although I suppose I may never know, it is better to think what you suggest.” Georgiana noticed Mr. Stanton approaching them, and was silent, following this.
“Come, son, it is not appropriate for you and the lady to sequester yourselves in this way. I would wonder at your manners, but that you learned them from sea captains.”
“Father, you are well aware that I have most often sailed under men who could rightly call themselves gentlemen.”
“I see very little of your gentlemanly behaviour in the naval men I observe. Being a gentleman does not, to my mind, mix with making war for a living. How many times have you yourself violated the sixth commandment? Judgement Day shall be a long one for you, when you must answer for every man you have killed.”
The earl must have overheard some of the conversation, for he approached them and said, in a quiet but steely voice, “That is enough. You may choose not to celebrate Matthew the way the rest of the country has, but I will have no more insults to him or to his fiancée in this house. Were it up to you, Bonaparte would march right into this country, and meet with nothing but prayer. I cannot believe that God would not wish us to end tyranny, and tyranny’s end requires that good men must kill other good men.”
Mr. Stanton’s expression took on a thunderous look for a moment, as though he planned to argue, but then thought better of it. The earl held the power in his family, and his brother could not expect to cross him without some manner of consequences. “Very well, then,” he finally said, and strode off.
The earl left as well, with a little nod to them, and when Georgiana looked back to Captain Stanton, she saw there were tears in his eyes, and she felt all of his heartbreak.
“I have not seen him these five years,” he said. “I do not wish to ever see him again.”
+++
Elizabeth and Darcy watched the exchange between the Stantons and Georgiana from across the drawing room, and could only wonder what it had been about.
“I do not like that man,” Elizabeth murmured. “I do not like him at all.”
“Ordinarily I would encourage you to wait before pronouncing a judgement, as some people do seem to improve on your acquaintance,” Darcy said. “However in this case, I believe your assessment is sound, and not likely to have any cause to change.”
“I am not sure,” she said. “My first impression of you was that you were an unsocial, taciturn man, and here we are, sitting at the very edge of the drawing room.”
“There was a rather exuberant discussion of lace happening when I entered. I must assume that was your reason for seating yourself where you did. Unless – you are not unwell, are you?”
“I am fine, although I did wish to sit,” Elizabeth said. “I should have rested more, earlier. Jane was right – this saps my energy far more than I would have expected.”
“Let me know when you wish me to call for the carriage. It appears the guest of honour has even less energy than you do,” Darcy said, looking towards Captain Stanton, who had, with Georgiana, made his way into the core of the party.
He at least did not have to remain standing for long, for Lady Tonbridge, with only slightly less authority than she would have shown in her own music room, suggested that the young ladies present honour them with some musical performances, and called on Miss Darcy to play the pianoforte first. Georgiana blushed, and demurred, but following a stern look from Lady Tonbridge, made her way to the bench first.
Elizabeth wondered what she should play, since her sister had not brought any music with her, and was startled to hear her begin one of her Scarlatti pieces, which was complicated enough Elizabeth would never have attempted it herself, even with sheet music. The musical club and the hours upon hours Georgiana had spent practising at Pemberley told here, however, for she played not only well, but confidently.
When she had finished, she rose to silence, and curtsied to them all, but it was only when Lady Tonbridge said, “My dear, you are even better than I had remembered,” and began clapping, that the rest of them were driven from their stupor, and made up for it by applauding as loudly as they could.
“I once thought she would be too shy to ever perform in front of a group half this large,” Darcy said, watching as his sister curtsied again, and modestly sidestepped away from the piano bench.
“I believe she is still shy, at heart,” Elizabeth said. “But no one would call her a shy young girl, anymore. She will do well as Lady Stanton.”
“I had thought I failed her. I did fail her, in the incident with Wickham,” Darcy said. “Thank God it has all turned out well. To see her now, after the way it was following Ramsgate, it is like two different women.”
