A Midsummer Christmas

Part 17

Leaning against a fence post, Darcy consulted his pocket watch.

"What time is it?" Elizabeth's voice was too practised in its indifference and Darcy rolled his eyes.

"Five minutes after the last time I checked it." He returned his watch to its pocket and peered across the rolling hills that marked the edge of Pemberley's land and the beginning of his neighbour's. "They are late."

"They are not late." Elizabeth hopped down from her perch on a stile and slid her arm through her husband's, nudging him with her shoulder. "You know Georgiana. They are probably taking longer at every visit than counting down until the exact quarter-hour before making their excuses."

"Are you suggesting I was not generous enough with the time I devoted to my tenants?"

"Never." Lizzy smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "But I know that paying these calls is not how you would choose to spend your afternoon. So I am grateful that you accompanied me."

"Georgiana accompanied you. And Richard. I do not see why you needed my help."

Lizzy did not answer but her sigh was eloquence enough. She had requested Darcy come with them, pointing out that to divide the visits would be to achieve them in half the time. He had not fully appreciated that she had planned to divide into pairs - couples, for that was surely her unspoken goal - and that their routes would reconvene here, at this appointed place, at an agreed-upon time that was rapidly disappearing into the past with every minute his cousin and sister did not appear on the road.

"Perhaps something has happened," he suggested, feeling fidgety and wondering if his wife had at last meddled a step too far. Having decided Richard and Georgiana cared for one another she was now determined to see them married before the week was out. His best attempts at counsel had fallen on romantically deaf ears and he was certain that things would come to a head before too much longer. The last thing this midsummer Christmas celebration needs is my careless cousin breaking Georgiana's heart. He knew Richard would not mean to do it, but there was no way around the fact. Georgiana was a gentle, delicate creature and Richard would crash in and out of her life causing irreparable damage to a heart that was still only partway mended.

"Oh, look!" Lizzy's voice broke through Darcy's unhappy reverie, forcing him to lift his head and smooth away his scowl at the sight of Richard and Georgiana strolling happily along the road towards them. All it took was a glimpse of his sister's smile firmly in place, and Richard, laughing as he told yet another ridiculous tale of daring and adventure designed, Darcy knew, to make war sound like a grand adventure and not the hell-on-earth he had confided it could be.

"Have we kept you waiting?" Richard asked, as they drew level with one another. "Sorry. I am at fault! The last family we called at - what were their names, Georgie? Gibbon? Grillon?"

"Grafton." Georgiana's gaze danced from Darcy's to Elizabeth's. "He means Alice and Michael Grafton."

"I mean their children," Richard corrected, with a grin. He feigned a strong-man pose and winced. "They put me through my paces playing soldier but if these are the good fighting stock we have coming up we needn't fret over the future security of the nation."

"Oh, yes! The boys are a delight, aren't they?" Lizzy chuckled and leaned close to Darcy again, sliding her hand into his. "Holy terrors, my mother would call them."

"I'm sure they would think the same of her," Darcy said, thinking that this was not dissimilar from his own opinion of his overbearing - but kind - mother-in-law. Lizzy squeezed his hand and they smiled knowingly at one another.

"Shall we go back to the house? I'm sure we could all do with a rest before this evening and I want to pop down to the kitchens and have a word with the staff in advance of tomorrow."

"We bumped into another of the guests of your upcoming ball, didn't we? Kympton's new curate."

"Mr Ingraham," Georgiana offered, and Darcy noticed a peculiar shadow dart across his cousin's face. The look was gone almost before it registered, and Darcy had almost convinced himself he had imagined it.

"Well, Georgiana will be assured of a pleasant time at your ball if she has Darcy, myself and Mr Ingraham to dance with, never mind any other of your guests."

"Am I not to dance any more, now that I am someone's wife?" Lizzy put in, joining in on the joke and making Richard laugh even louder.

"That is reason enough not to marry if ever there was one. No, indeed! Mrs Darcy shall have my second dance. I assume you'll want the first for your husband. Perhaps I can persuade Georgiana to stand up with me at first, and call it guest's prerogative?"

Darcy's gaze was on his sister's face as Richard said this, but she smiled and went along with the teasing, insisting that she would be first in a long line of eligible young ladies who would be eager to dance with the returning war hero. He did not see the shadow that had been there formerly and wondered if he had imagined that, too. Fed by his wife's fevered imagination and an overactive concern for his sister's wellbeing. Perhaps there never was any romance at all and this was all worry over nothing! Yet it was not lost on him the way Richard slowed his pace to match Georgiana's, and when she stumbled over a dip in the road his hands were quick to steady her. His voice was gentler when he spoke to her, Darcy fancied, and he began to wonder if he had not dismissed his cousin too quickly. Had Lizzy seen what he had not, could not, would not?

"Richard, perhaps I can tempt you to a game of chess this afternoon while the ladies rest? This evening shall be a quiet one before the chaos of the morrow so we must take advantage. It is so long since we have played and I am certain, now, that I shall beat you if only you allow me the opportunity to play."

"It hasn't happened yet," Richard said, with a merry laugh. "But I suppose I shall enjoy watching you try. Chess it is, and you can let me rehearse a story or two ready for the ball." He pulled a face. "I do not want to embarrass myself before your guests, after all. There is such a thing as being too heroic..."

Everyone laughed at this, for it was said with Richard's habitual self-deprecation, but Darcy fancied the smile rested on his sister's face longer than on anyone else's and the blue eyes that were turned towards Richard shone with amusement and affection and - yes, he was sure he did not entirely imagine it - love.

Over a chess board is as good a place as any to have a difficult conversation, Darcy thought, the joy of the occupation going out of it as he thought of what he must speak of that afternoon and have done with it at last. Hopefully I can at last discover the truth and then set about remedying it before we stumble any further into a potential disaster.