you remember what we agreed upon if you do not mind me today?”
He looked up, eyes widened, his expression suddenly becoming full of remorse. “No biscuits.”
Elizabeth nodded. “So, that was the last time, was it not?”
He nodded his head quickly.
“Good. I can promise that I will not be so forgiving if it happens again.” Turning slightly so the little boy could not see it, Elizabeth winked at Georgiana.
The younger lady tried not to smile.
“Are you and Mr. Darcy enjoying Ramsgate?”
“My brother has returned to London,” Georgiana said in a quiet tone of voice. “I have enjoyed the scenery only from the window until today. It is lovely.”
Perhaps my impression from the drawing was correct. Miss Darcy certainly seems to be shy. “And you, Mrs. Younge?”
Mrs. Younge was startled to have been addressed directly. The ladies of the ton always treated her as if she did not exist. “I like it very much, thank you.”
I wonder why I feel so much tension from Mrs. Younge? Elizabeth thought.
“Is Miss Bennet with you?” Georgiana asked timidly.
“Yes, just there, near the end of the pier. Would you like to walk with us?”
Georgiana nodded, and the small group began to stroll in that direction.
“I understand your estate is near the village of Lambton,” Elizabeth stated.
Georgiana looked at her curiously. “I believe five miles separates Pemberley from Lambton.”
“My Aunt Gardiner, who—with your permission—I will introduce in a moment, spent her childhood at Lambton.”
Georgiana smiled. “Oh, yes, I would like to meet her. Thank you.”
Mrs. Younge did not seem pleased by the prospect. “Miss Darcy, do you not think you have had enough excitement for one day? You are here for your health, after all.”
Not willing to pass up an opportunity to discuss the area surrounding the place she thought of as home, she answered, “I appreciate your concern, Mrs. Younge, but I am not at all fatigued.”
Introductions were made, and Georgiana became quite animated during a short discussion of Derbyshire with Mrs. Gardiner as the group began to walk towards shore. Seeing that the children were becoming weary, Mrs. Gardiner excused her party, and then invited Georgiana and Mrs. Younge for tea the following day. Georgiana accepted for them both, and the two groups parted company.
~%~
Another letter awaited Elizabeth upon returning to their rented house. After seeing the children safely to the nursery, leaving them in the care of their nanny, Elizabeth and Jane retreated to their room.
A few minutes later, Elizabeth exclaimed, “I am sorry, Jane, it cannot be interpreted any other way.” She gestured towards the latest drawing. “It seems I was right not to like him. The young man who will be courting Miss Darcy will also be pursuing Mrs. Younge!”
“There must be some sort of mistake. Mrs. Younge seemed so polite, so friendly.”
“Apparently, too friendly.”
“Lizzy!”
Elizabeth lifted the last two pictures she had received and held them before her, side by side. Jane could not deny that Elizabeth was correct when faced with the drawing of Mrs. Younge holding the arm of the same gentleman, looking at him in an even more familiar and intimate way than had Georgiana.
“It is obvious they both take place in Ramsgate—look at the background. Mrs. Younge was wearing that dress today, so this must take place in the near future, and Miss Darcy said that she had never been in Ramsgate before now.” Elizabeth sighed. “Jane, I know that is it part of your nature to think kindly of everyone, but here is proof.” She lifted the latest drawing she had received higher than the other. “This gentleman is not to be trusted.”
“Can we warn Miss Darcy or Mrs. Younge?”
Elizabeth placed the two drawings on the table and walked to the window, wrapping her arms around her middle. “I do not know how to warn them. They would think us mad if we told them about the pictures.” She
He looked up, eyes widened, his expression suddenly becoming full of remorse. “No biscuits.”
Elizabeth nodded. “So, that was the last time, was it not?”
He nodded his head quickly.
“Good. I can promise that I will not be so forgiving if it happens again.” Turning slightly so the little boy could not see it, Elizabeth winked at Georgiana.
The younger lady tried not to smile.
“Are you and Mr. Darcy enjoying Ramsgate?”
“My brother has returned to London,” Georgiana said in a quiet tone of voice. “I have enjoyed the scenery only from the window until today. It is lovely.”
Perhaps my impression from the drawing was correct. Miss Darcy certainly seems to be shy. “And you, Mrs. Younge?”
Mrs. Younge was startled to have been addressed directly. The ladies of the ton always treated her as if she did not exist. “I like it very much, thank you.”
I wonder why I feel so much tension from Mrs. Younge? Elizabeth thought.
“Is Miss Bennet with you?” Georgiana asked timidly.
“Yes, just there, near the end of the pier. Would you like to walk with us?”
Georgiana nodded, and the small group began to stroll in that direction.
“I understand your estate is near the village of Lambton,” Elizabeth stated.
Georgiana looked at her curiously. “I believe five miles separates Pemberley from Lambton.”
“My Aunt Gardiner, who—with your permission—I will introduce in a moment, spent her childhood at Lambton.”
Georgiana smiled. “Oh, yes, I would like to meet her. Thank you.”
Mrs. Younge did not seem pleased by the prospect. “Miss Darcy, do you not think you have had enough excitement for one day? You are here for your health, after all.”
Not willing to pass up an opportunity to discuss the area surrounding the place she thought of as home, she answered, “I appreciate your concern, Mrs. Younge, but I am not at all fatigued.”
Introductions were made, and Georgiana became quite animated during a short discussion of Derbyshire with Mrs. Gardiner as the group began to walk towards shore. Seeing that the children were becoming weary, Mrs. Gardiner excused her party, and then invited Georgiana and Mrs. Younge for tea the following day. Georgiana accepted for them both, and the two groups parted company.
~%~
Another letter awaited Elizabeth upon returning to their rented house. After seeing the children safely to the nursery, leaving them in the care of their nanny, Elizabeth and Jane retreated to their room.
A few minutes later, Elizabeth exclaimed, “I am sorry, Jane, it cannot be interpreted any other way.” She gestured towards the latest drawing. “It seems I was right not to like him. The young man who will be courting Miss Darcy will also be pursuing Mrs. Younge!”
“There must be some sort of mistake. Mrs. Younge seemed so polite, so friendly.”
“Apparently, too friendly.”
“Lizzy!”
Elizabeth lifted the last two pictures she had received and held them before her, side by side. Jane could not deny that Elizabeth was correct when faced with the drawing of Mrs. Younge holding the arm of the same gentleman, looking at him in an even more familiar and intimate way than had Georgiana.
“It is obvious they both take place in Ramsgate—look at the background. Mrs. Younge was wearing that dress today, so this must take place in the near future, and Miss Darcy said that she had never been in Ramsgate before now.” Elizabeth sighed. “Jane, I know that is it part of your nature to think kindly of everyone, but here is proof.” She lifted the latest drawing she had received higher than the other. “This gentleman is not to be trusted.”
“Can we warn Miss Darcy or Mrs. Younge?”
Elizabeth placed the two drawings on the table and walked to the window, wrapping her arms around her middle. “I do not know how to warn them. They would think us mad if we told them about the pictures.” She
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