Read Online Mr. Darcy's Secret by Jane Odiwe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jane Odiwe
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Aunt, I do not believe it. His manners may be similar and he has that same goodness of expression, but I refuse to believe that in essentials he is the same."
"Of whom are you talking?" butted in Mr Gardiner, who had paused to catch his breath as they gained the top of the hill. "I have to confess I am quite baffled by this turn in the conversation."
"It's probably just as well, for Mr Butler is not advantaged by this comparison," Elizabeth replied. "Poor Tom has the unhappy fate to resemble someone we once thought was of good character, a man we were completely deceived in as to the worthiness of his nature, though I live in hope that he is improved sufficiently for my sister's sake."
"Oh dear, you mean Mr Wickham, I suppose," uttered Mr Gardiner rather breathlessly. "No, I cannot believe it. Tom's father was an excellent man and I'm sure his son is the same."
"I'm sure you are right, Uncle," said Lizzy, taking his arm, "it is just that I have become prejudiced against good-looking young men, which surely cannot be fair in Mr Butler's case."
"And we do know of one very handsome gentleman who is not only of excellent character but who also married a splendid girl, do we not?" Mr Gardiner went on.
"And despite what she says, she hasn't a prejudice she ought not to possess," agreed Mrs Gardiner, looking directly at Lizzy.
Elizabeth turned to regard her uncle and aunt who were smiling at her. She laughed and shook her head before gesturing toward a clump of trees in the distance. "Now, what do you think of that vista over there? Is it a handsome enough spot for Mrs Darcy's Dell?"
∗ ∗ ∗
On their return from what Elizabeth decided was a very successful mission, she went in search of Georgiana to tell her about the place she'd found for Mr Butler to create a new design. Lizzy wanted Georgiana's opinion and approval, hoping to persuade her to take a look on the morrow. She found her as expected, still at the desk before the window surrounded by drawing paper and pastels.
"We'll take a walk up there on the morrow just the two of us, what do you say, Georgiana? We haven't had a chance for a tete-a-tete for so long and I do so want your approval of the idea. Let it be our secret; I do not want to tell Fitzwilliam about the place I've discovered just yet, if at all. Do you not think that it will be a wonderful surprise?"
"Oh, Lizzy, that is exciting and I am sure I will love the spot you have found. Tomorrow I shall wrap up and we will go walking."
Elizabeth sat down to observe the drawing that had occupied Georgiana all morning. Several discarded, crumpled sheets of paper were lying on the carpet. Her eyes alighted upon the object that Georgiana was studying. "What an unusual shell," she remarked. "May I look?"
She glanced at Georgiana who instantly blushed a deeper pink than the pretty shell itself. Elizabeth immediately guessed from whence it had come and smiled. "Did Mr Butler present you with the shell? That was very kind of him to notice how much you admired them. He must have thought that you might like to draw one."
Georgiana bit her lip and nodded, not once taking her eyes from her sketch or the paper on which she worked so fine a drawing that Elizabeth thought she had never seen such delicate workmanship.
"You'll have to show him when he comes. I am sure he will be interested to see your work," said Lizzy, patting Georgiana's back in a reassuring fashion.
Georgiana immediately looked up, her expression a mixture of astonishment and fright. "Is he to come here?"
"Why, yes, I thought that we had already mentioned that possibility when we were visiting the Butlers."
Elizabeth looked directly into the eyes of her sister. "Poor girl," she thought, "the prospect of seeing him again appears to give her some distress."
"Would you not like to see Mr Butler again?" she continued. "I thought you two seemed to enjoy one another's company. Indeed, I have rarely seen you so at ease with someone you know so
"Of whom are you talking?" butted in Mr Gardiner, who had paused to catch his breath as they gained the top of the hill. "I have to confess I am quite baffled by this turn in the conversation."
"It's probably just as well, for Mr Butler is not advantaged by this comparison," Elizabeth replied. "Poor Tom has the unhappy fate to resemble someone we once thought was of good character, a man we were completely deceived in as to the worthiness of his nature, though I live in hope that he is improved sufficiently for my sister's sake."
"Oh dear, you mean Mr Wickham, I suppose," uttered Mr Gardiner rather breathlessly. "No, I cannot believe it. Tom's father was an excellent man and I'm sure his son is the same."
"I'm sure you are right, Uncle," said Lizzy, taking his arm, "it is just that I have become prejudiced against good-looking young men, which surely cannot be fair in Mr Butler's case."
"And we do know of one very handsome gentleman who is not only of excellent character but who also married a splendid girl, do we not?" Mr Gardiner went on.
"And despite what she says, she hasn't a prejudice she ought not to possess," agreed Mrs Gardiner, looking directly at Lizzy.
Elizabeth turned to regard her uncle and aunt who were smiling at her. She laughed and shook her head before gesturing toward a clump of trees in the distance. "Now, what do you think of that vista over there? Is it a handsome enough spot for Mrs Darcy's Dell?"
∗ ∗ ∗
On their return from what Elizabeth decided was a very successful mission, she went in search of Georgiana to tell her about the place she'd found for Mr Butler to create a new design. Lizzy wanted Georgiana's opinion and approval, hoping to persuade her to take a look on the morrow. She found her as expected, still at the desk before the window surrounded by drawing paper and pastels.
"We'll take a walk up there on the morrow just the two of us, what do you say, Georgiana? We haven't had a chance for a tete-a-tete for so long and I do so want your approval of the idea. Let it be our secret; I do not want to tell Fitzwilliam about the place I've discovered just yet, if at all. Do you not think that it will be a wonderful surprise?"
"Oh, Lizzy, that is exciting and I am sure I will love the spot you have found. Tomorrow I shall wrap up and we will go walking."
Elizabeth sat down to observe the drawing that had occupied Georgiana all morning. Several discarded, crumpled sheets of paper were lying on the carpet. Her eyes alighted upon the object that Georgiana was studying. "What an unusual shell," she remarked. "May I look?"
She glanced at Georgiana who instantly blushed a deeper pink than the pretty shell itself. Elizabeth immediately guessed from whence it had come and smiled. "Did Mr Butler present you with the shell? That was very kind of him to notice how much you admired them. He must have thought that you might like to draw one."
Georgiana bit her lip and nodded, not once taking her eyes from her sketch or the paper on which she worked so fine a drawing that Elizabeth thought she had never seen such delicate workmanship.
"You'll have to show him when he comes. I am sure he will be interested to see your work," said Lizzy, patting Georgiana's back in a reassuring fashion.
Georgiana immediately looked up, her expression a mixture of astonishment and fright. "Is he to come here?"
"Why, yes, I thought that we had already mentioned that possibility when we were visiting the Butlers."
Elizabeth looked directly into the eyes of her sister. "Poor girl," she thought, "the prospect of seeing him again appears to give her some distress."
"Would you not like to see Mr Butler again?" she continued. "I thought you two seemed to enjoy one another's company. Indeed, I have rarely seen you so at ease with someone you know so
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