Page 31 of Elizabeth in Scotland (Elizabeth and Darcy Abroad #2)

As the days passed with no progress made on the riddle, Darcy was beginning to wonder if they would all be trapped in Scotland indefinitely.

He had come to know Mr Campbell quite well over the last few weeks and knew that he would not go back on his word to solve the dispute, friendly as it was, by any other means than the fair resolution of the riddle.

He, for one, would not be upset about an extended stay in Scotland.

But with every passing day, he could see Mr Bennet’s desperation growing.

At some point, there must be a winner and a loser.

Georgiana sighed and plopped down on the settee in the smaller, informal parlour.

She looked at him with an expression of discontent almost amounting to a pout.

“I tire of this rain,” she complained. “And I tire of this constant stewing over the riddle. Surely there is something that could jog our mental faculties and help us solve the matter?” she asked.

It had only been raining for a little while, but he could see that his sister grew restless of being trapped indoors.

It was a change that had no doubt been brought on by Miss Bennet.

Before the young lady had come into their lives, Georgiana had been content to sit inside all day and have no contact with the outside world save for his company and that of her faithful maid.

Now, she seemed to have a thirst for life that could not be quenched. And he was glad of it.

“What kind of enticement do you think our faculties need?” he asked, teasing her gently.

She stood before him, her hands clasped in front of her to help contain her excitement. “I suggest we go into town again and look around. I just know we are missing something. We can even lunch at one of the public houses.” She bounced on her toes in anticipation, and he quickly relented.

“Of course. That is a splendid idea,” he said. “I shall call for the carriage now. How long will it take you to ready yourself?”

Georgiana squealed with delight and went toward the door. “Not five minutes,” she said. “I shall meet you down in the foyer in a moment.” Georgiana went out to retrieve her gloves, wrap, and hat, and true to her word, soon met him below stairs.

The carriage was ready when they exited the front door, and they climbed in quickly to avoid the drizzle of rain.

They chose a tidy stone inn at the heart of the village.

Darcy ordered lunch for them, though he could not help but feel a little concern upon seeing that lunch that day was a certain local delicacy.

When the haggis, neeps, and tatties came, he held his breath in anticipation of what Georgiana might do.

He half expected her to turn her nose up at the haggis, but to his surprise, she tried a goodly bite of the savoury pudding and raised her brows.

“It is delicious!” she complimented the innkeeper’s wife, who went away with a proud smile.

Darcy raised an eyebrow. He had not thought Georgiana would dive so bravely into haggis — not knowing it was the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep, mixed with oats, onion, and spices and cooked in the animal’s stomach. Her bravery had been rewarded, for it was indeed delicious.

“I confess I did not think you would be keen to try this dish,” he said.

Georgiana finished chewing, wiped her dainty mouth, and then put her silverware aside for a moment.

“Miss Bennet says that anytime she must do something new or frightening, she tries to see it as an adventure and find the best in it. It costs nothing to be brave and try new things, and it is far worse not to try anything at all. That is what she says,” Georgiana replied with a smile.

She picked her fork back up and took another bite.

“That is a wise sentiment to hold,” Darcy said.

Elizabeth’s outlook on trying new things was exemplary — exactly what he would wish Georgiana to emulate.

He hoped that no matter what might happen in his sister’s future — for there would surely be other disappointments and failures — that she would remember her new friend’s words and never slip back inside herself, leaving the outside world behind.

Seeing her emerge from the darkness and become the bright young woman that was her true self had touched him to the heart.

Wickham had nearly destroyed her, and he would be eternally grateful to Elizabeth for helping to bring her back.

Indeed, Elizabeth’s tutelage was turning his sister into the fine young lady he had always known she could be.

“Miss Bennet’s advice has been invaluable to me. From now on, I shall always face my fears with her words in mind. I never could have dreamt that I would be so changed by this trip to Scotland.”

Darcy thought ruefully that he could use a little of Elizabeth’s outlook on life himself.

He was all too aware of his own lack of ease in unfamiliar settings and in conversing with strangers.

Much was expected of the master of Pemberley, and Darcy had always done his duty — sometimes with reluctance and inward uncertainty, but he had done it.

It would be a change indeed to view each challenge he faced as an adventure, as Elizabeth had suggested.

Darcy suspected it might enrich his life just as much as the same wise advice was helping Georgiana.

With luncheon over, they decided to walk about town, since the rain clouds had moved on, leaving bravely striving rays of sunshine to dry the little puddles in the cobblestone streets.

“I do love this little town,” Georgiana sighed. “Oh, there is a jeweller! Can we go inside and look around?” she pleaded.

Darcy, who had no wish to refuse his little sister anything, motioned for her to go in ahead of him.

He looked at the display of necklaces, not really seeing anything, while Georgiana looked intently at every bauble.

“Oh, what a pretty pin! It would go perfectly with my new tartan gown,” she exclaimed, waving him over to inspect the piece with her.

“It is a Scottish thistle,” Darcy commented.

The silver pin had been moulded skilfully in the shape of a thistle, with tiny amethysts laid into the top of the flower.

The design was unconventional, but lovely.

He could see why it would appeal to Georgiana.

Perhaps, too, she wanted it as a memento of her time in Scotland, which had transformed her so completely.

“It is beautiful,” she said, pointing at the pin through the glass. “May I see it, please?” Georgiana asked the jeweller. He removed it from the case and set it on a black velvet cushion.

“An excellent choice, to be sure,” the man said, beaming up at Georgiana and Darcy. “It will bring you luck, lassie.”

“Will it? Oh, my,” Georgiana breathed, lightly running her fingers over the pin. At the price the man named, which was if anything rather less than Darcy would have guessed such a piece might fetch, Georgiana beamed hopefully at him.

Darcy nodded to the jeweller. “Wrap this, please. We will take it,” he said, and had to smile at his sister’s gleeful reaction.

“Oh, Fitz, thank you,” she said. “Would you mind very much if I spent my own money and got one for Miss Bennet? I think she would like one too.” She started digging around in her reticule, but Darcy put his hand on her arm, thinking for a moment.

“I will purchase it. But you will have to say it came from you. It would be inappropriate for me to give her jewellery.”

Georgiana’s eyes became enormous. “Fitz! That will still be like you giving it to Miss Bennet yourself! I mean — never mind.” She gave him a knowing look. “I mean, I will certainly do as you say, brother. Thank you for indulging me so.”

The jeweller wrapped two of the silver thistles, and he paid the man, then led his sister out into the street. Dark rain clouds had gathered once more, and they hurried to the carriage.

“Well, shall we drive around the village for a little while and see if we can find a clue about the riddle?” Darcy asked.

“Yes, let us do exactly that. I think it is so pretty in the rain,” Georgiana said.

She looked out the window. Darcy turned to look out the other side, lest they miss anything.

However, nothing he could see from the carriage seemed to have anything to do with the riddle.

What did neebors and billies have to do with the village?

He would not have put it past Mr Campbell to hide the key somewhere in town, but where that would be, he did not know.

“Miss Bennet is the best friend I ever had. I wonder, brother, if it would be appropriate to invite her to come to Pemberley?” Georgiana paused for a moment. “To be my companion.”

Darcy frowned. He could not deny that it would please him to have her always near him.

But it would also be deeply inappropriate to ask a woman of family to accept employment as a paid companion and thereby lower herself.

The position was usually reserved for women who had no other means of providing for themselves, typically widows or spinsters with no hope of marriage.

“I am sorry, Georgiana, but that is not possible,” Darcy said.

“Though I am sure Miss Bennet would be an admirable companion, she is presently a gentleman’s daughter with no need to work.

We cannot suggest it, for it might be considered an insult.

In any case, Miss Bennet likely hopes to marry one day. ”

Georgiana gave him a bemused look, as though she could see right through him.

“Hmm, I suppose she does. Well then, I hope I may invite her to come and stay for a prolonged period, as a friend.” She gave him another knowing look, making Darcy wonder if his sister had caught on to his growing feelings for Elizabeth.

He could not deny the way his heart swelled with hope at her suggestion.

“We shall have to see,” Darcy said cautiously, not wanting to give away too much of his true feelings on the matter.