A Continued Affection

Part 5

"So you met in Hertfordshire," Georgiana pressed, as she accompanied her brother to call on his friends. His friends. Her lips quirked in amusement. She was curious, indeed, to meet the family that had made such an impression on Darcy that he should seek to continue an acquaintance with them in London.

"We met in Hertfordshire," Darcy confirmed, his voice a disinterested monotone that did nothing to dissuade Georgiana from further questioning.

"And? You found such commonality of interest that you immediately became fast friends? You share another friend in common, perhaps?"

Darcy's breath caught in his throat, the slightest of reactions but enough to suggest to Georgiana that she had stumbled on a truth.

"Oh, tell me, do! You know how I enjoy discovering the connections that link people. Let me see...Egerton..." She turned the name over in her mind, examining it for familiarity. "I do not recognise the name. Remind me of his sisters?"

"Miss Joanna and Miss Sally," Darcy muttered, turning abruptly down a street and slowing as they drew within sight of the house that was to be their destination. "But I assure you there is no great mystery: merely that we met in Hertfordshire and, as we were both to be in London, agreed to continue our acquaintance." Reaching the door, he straightened, knocking twice in quick succession and hoping that this would provide him with an escape from his sister's questions.

Georgiana could not help but admire the house, which was a trifle less grand than their own, but still quite elegant. The corridor was surprisingly sparse with little in the way of decoration or additional furniture and when they were shown into the parlour to join the family, she was surprised to see chairs and end-tables all laid out at strange intervals. She was poised to remark upon it before a quelling look from her brother silenced her and she bit her tongue, waiting for him to introduce her.

"Egerton, good afternoon." He crossed the room quickly and shook hands with a tall, broad-shouldered gentleman, patting him lightly on the shoulder as he did so in a surprisingly friendly gesture. He did not immediately let go of Egerton's hand, either, but used it to guide him forward a step, relinquishing it only when he could slip Georgiana's in his place.

"Allow me to introduce my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy. She arrived in London only today and would not hear of me calling without her." His gaze lifted to the two young ladies who must be Egerton's sisters. "I hope you do not mind my including her."

"Of course not!" The younger of the two sisters hurried forward to greet Georgiana with a merry smile. "How could we mind such a pleasant introduction? I am Sally, and this is my sister, Joanna."

Georgiana smiled but did not fail to notice the way the elder sister came to Egerton's side, leading him a little way to a chair and not moving until he had felt his way into it. With a start, Georgiana realised that the man could see little, if at all, and she glanced away quickly, fearing to betray pity in her features.

"My sisters will be delighted to know of another young lady, Darcy," Mr Egerton remarked, as the young ladies found their seats. "As am I. I trust you are well recovered from your journey, Miss Darcy. You have travelled from Derbyshire, I believe?"

"Actually, I came from Hertfordshire," Georgiana confessed, noting the sharp intake of breath from Sally and thinking how like Darcy's her reaction had been. Her brow furrowed in a moment's thought, recalling the unhappy chance reunion she had experienced with Wickham - of all people! - and wondering if her brother had been aware of his presence in Hertfordshire. But why, then, write to invite me? It made little sense, for her brother had been central to separating the pair, and insisting they remained so, by closeting Georgiana away at Pemberley alone for so many months. And it does not explain Sally's response, Georgiana thought, worrying her lower lip. Unless she knows...

She glanced at Darcy, then, wondering whether he had decided to share her past indiscretion with these new friends of his, and fearing their judgment. Just as soon as the thought registered, though, she dismissed it. Her brother would never be so forthright or so trusting with a secret that was not his to share.

"My brother wrote to invite me," Georgiana continued, taking care to witness the result of her words on each of her companions in turn in some hope of determining the truth.

"I also wrote to inform you of our change of plans," Darcy interposed.

"Alas, I travelled before receiving the addendum." Georgiana smiled. "Imagine my surprise when I arrived at Netherfield to find it deserted, and neither my brother nor Mr Bingley at home!"

"Oh, you are acquainted with Mr Bingley, too?" Sally leaned closer to Georgiana, resting her elbows on her knees, her eyes bright with amusement. "Then you must know of his engagement -"

"Sally..." Egerton's tone was a warning, but his sister paid him no heed.

"Oh, it is very nearly an engagement, even if all is not agreed yet."

"Actually -" Darcy began, but Georgiana turned to interrogate him before he could finish his thought.

"You never said! More to the point, neither did he! I am surprised that Miss Bingley was capable of spending above a quarter-hour with me without sharing the news, for you know she is a great one for news, particularly when she may be the one to deliver it. An engagement! Oh, how wonderful. And what of the young lady?"

"There is no young lady -" Darcy began, in a fruitless attempt to quell the discussion.

"Miss Jane Bennet!" Sally declared triumphantly. "And oh, she is a beauty! And not only that but graceful, too, and kind." She beamed. "I quite approve of the match."

"Anyone would think you had a hand to play in it," Egerton muttered. "Recall, dear sister, that nothing has yet been agreed, so far as I know, and the Bingleys are but strangers to us -"

"Strangers! Nonsense. Well, in any case, the Bennets are not." She tossed her head, dismissing her brother's protests with one gesture and turned back to Georgiana, hunching her shoulders conspiratorially and continuing in a whisper. "She is the eldest of five, Miss Bennet, and I count her younger sister a particular friend. Mary." She shot a significant look at her brother who, despite his inability to see, seemed to sense the look regardless and turned to engage Darcy and his sister in some nonsensical discussion of the weather.

"She has been very kind to my brother, you see, so I have had cause to know her better. And a sweeter young lady you could never begin to imagine meeting! Far more so than I am, and so talented! She is musical -"

"Musical?" Georgiana lit up.

"Oh, are you fond of music too, Miss Darcy?" Sally asked, her smile growing. "Well, then you certainly must meet Miss Mary, for I am sure you shall be firm friends and we shall all benefit richly from having not one but two songbirds in our immediate circle." She turned to attract her sister's attention. "Joanna! We must include Mr Darcy and his sister when we invite the Bennets to dine here, for -"

Mr Egerton cleared his throat, poised, Georgiana supposed, to mount a defence, and she leapt to support her new friend, sensing that her brother would be far easier to manipulate in this instance.

"Oh, you must not allow us such an imposition." She turned to Darcy and smiled, deploying every ounce of charm in her arsenal against him. "We shall host a dinner of our own, and invite them, along with yourselves and the Bingleys. William, I am sure, will count the Bennets amongst his friends, as he does you, and then I might meet all five sisters at once!"