Page 34 of Hidden Desires

“That is enough. You may think yourself clever, but on this you are willfully blind. Miss Bennet is my superior in every way, and the finest person I have ever met. Her kindness is genuine, her nature cheerful and sincere. She is not guided by pride or prejudice, unlike many I know. In my view, she surpasses me, as well as anyone else you might compare her to, including yourself.”

It was clear that Caroline disagreed with her brother, but to her credit, she held her tongue, allowing his usual calm to return.

“When you see him,” Bingley said, turning to Darcy, “remind him of the invitation to supper a week Wednesday. I hope his family can attend.”

“You are not well enough for something so strenuous as a supper with a family like the Bennets,” Caroline insisted, her voice edged with urgency.

“I am sure they have no wish to attend such an event, where poor manners are unwelcome and proper dress expected. It would be best to postpone the gathering until your injury has healed.”

“I want the supper to go forward,” Bingley said firmly. “Darcy, confirm my invitation.”

“As you wish,” he replied, masking a smile at Caroline’s vexation. “Come, Georgiana. Miss Elizabeth is waiting.”

Darcy smiled to himself as they left the house, amused by Caroline’s sour expression. At Longbourn, he stepped down from the carriage and turned to help his sister to the ground.

The door opened before he could knock.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Darcy,” Mr. Hill said. “Mr. Bennet was called to assist a tenant with a problem. He is in the orchard past the fields if you wish to join him. Just follow the path behind the stable.”

Darcy hesitated, torn between joining Bennet and staying with Georgiana. He was on the verge of declining when Elizabeth appeared beside the butler.

“You may return to your tasks, Hill,” she said. “I will welcome our guests in Papa’s stead.”

With a nod, the servant withdrew into the house.

“Papa apologizes for leaving,” she said. “One of his tenants came to him this morning with a concern, and he thought you might like to accompany him. Georgiana and I have our own plans today, so you are welcome to stay, but I suspect Papa would offer more entertaining company.”

Darcy compared Elizabeth’s calm expression to the excitement dancing in Georgiana’s eyes, though he could not guess its cause.

“Go, William,” she urged. “Elizabeth and I will be fine. As she said, you will enjoy your time with Mr. Bennet far more than you would here with us. It does not seem she regrets yesterday’s invitation.”

“Not at all,” Elizabeth said. “In fact, I confess to a little impatience as I waited. What I have planned will occupy most of the day, so we should begin.”

“If you are certain,” Darcy said. “I had not planned to abandon you as soon as we arrived.”

“You have nothing to worry about,” Georgiana said, though Darcy thought her voice trembled. He studied her face for signs of unease but saw only anticipation.

“Please free the horse and turn him loose in the pasture,” Elizabeth told the stable hand, who stood waiting beside the carriage.

“If you are certain, I will join Bennet,” Darcy said and turned toward the path.

“Go,” Georgiana said with a quiet laugh. “Elizabeth and I will be fine, I promise.”

Darcy gave a brief wave and set off, following the trail around the stable.

* * *

“Thank you for coming back,” Elizabeth said once they were alone. “I feared you might change your mind and decide to avoid my company.”

“A friend does not act like that,” Georgiana replied, the mild rebuke a sharp contrast to her manner yesterday.

“I thought we might spend the day out here again,” Elizabeth said, sweeping her arm toward the open grounds. “You can see more of the estate, and with such fine weather, why waste it inside?”

“As I suspected,” Georgiana said with a laugh, pointing to her feet. “My shoes today are better suited to walking than the ones I wore yesterday.”

“Your intelligence is commendable,” Elizabeth said. “I made only a passing remark about my fondness for Longbourn, yet you arrived prepared. You were paying attention.”

Georgiana tilted her head and placed her hands on her hips. “Did I give the impression I wasn’t?”

“No,” Elizabeth said, laughing, “but I am used to conversations with Lydia and Kitty, who pretend to listen but forget everything the moment I stop speaking. You, I see, are different.”

“Well, thank you for the compliment. I think it was one,” Georgiana said, shrugging as she tipped her head. “I hope I never disappoint you.”

“I doubt that will happen,” Elizabeth replied, turning toward the house. “I asked the cook to prepare a luncheon so we could wander without needing to return.”

Leaving Georgiana to admire the blossoms in the garden, Elizabeth stepped inside to collect the basket.

“If you are ready, we can go,” she said upon returning, her arms full with a neatly packed hamper. “I have much to show you today, including something I think you may find interesting.”

Georgiana followed her across the garden to a path that led in the opposite direction of the one they took the day before. The trees enclosed them almost at once, and within a few steps, the manor disappeared behind a curtain of leaves and branches.

Elizabeth took a slow breath, savoring the mix of wild scents that drifted from every side. She led Georgiana forward and inhaled again, delighting in the soft bite of green leaves, damp soil, and the strong floral notes of midsummer.

The sounds of the estate faded—first the voices of servants, then the cries of livestock—until only their footsteps and the occasional call of a bird disturbed the quiet.

“This is a path I often follow,” Elizabeth said, her voice low to match the hush around them. “It lies just beyond the garden, which makes it convenient. I love how the woods press so close to the house. It helps me forget where I am.”

“It is lovely,” Georgiana said, pausing to admire the wildflowers flanking the trail. “If I did not know better, I would think we were miles from anyone.”

“That is why I come here. The solitude helps me consider things without interruption.”

Georgiana said nothing for several steps, her thoughtful expression drawing Elizabeth’s notice. She held her peace, offering the girl space to reflect.

“I would love a place like this at Pemberley,” Georgiana said at last, her voice quieter and her lips turned down, a hint of sadness in her tone.

They walked on until, after a pause, Georgiana spoke again, a small smile returning.

“Tell me, what part of Longbourn are you taking me to?”

“Practice a little patience and I will show you,” Elizabeth said, a mischievous smile lighting her face. “Until then, let us enjoy the walk.”

For more than two hours the girls walked the paths, each trail offering a new experience unlike the last. As they wandered, Elizabeth’s pride in her home was clear; her descriptions full of warmth and laughter as she recalled happy occasions.

Georgiana listened with interest, her amusement at the mishaps and mistakes offering more than polite contentment. To Elizabeth’s relief, it brought genuine delight.

“I would show you Oakham Mount,” Elizabeth sighed, “but the distance is farther than we should walk today.”

“Oakham Mount?” Georgiana asked. “Is it significant? If so, I want to see it.”

“You will, I promise,” Elizabeth said, placing her hand over her heart and dipping into a small bow. “Perhaps on your next visit. My intention today is to explore a different part of the neighborhood.”

“Could we stop and rest first?” Georgiana asked, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “I do not often walk this far.”

“Of course,” Elizabeth said, blinking as she looked along both sides of the trail. “Forgive me, I should have asked sooner.”

She pointed to a small glen off the path, and they stepped between the shrubs and low branches to reach it.

Once there, Elizabeth placed the basket at her feet and opened it.

She removed the blanket and spread it on the grass, then began unpacking the contents.

The tableware came first, followed by the food the cook had prepared.

She laid out cold cuts of meat, cheeses, bread, and fresh fruit with practiced ease while Georgiana waited nearby.

“I think we are ready,” Elizabeth said, gesturing toward the meal, and they sat without delay. For half an hour, little was said as they satisfied their hunger.

“It appears that Mr. Bingley is developing feelings for your sister,” Georgiana said once they were walking again.

“Why do you suppose that?” Elizabeth chuckled. “Has he said anything to you?”

“No,” Georgiana replied, her lips tightening as her gaze dropped to the ground. “I may have misunderstood something he said to William. Miss Bingley dismisses it as nothing more than infatuation.”

“She does not want her brother becoming fond of Jane,” Elizabeth said. “Instead, she encourages him to pursue someone in London, having made her preference for that city clear.”

“If that is true, she has help now,” Georgiana said with a dry laugh. “Her sister and Mr. Hurst arrived this morning because of a letter she sent. I think she hopes they will help convince him to return to London and forget Miss Bennet.”

“If Mr. Bingley falls in love with Jane,” Elizabeth declared, “all the scheming in the world should have no effect. They are so well suited that a marriage between them would benefit both.”

“Many say love is a fantasy,” Georgiana said, barely above a whisper as she nudged a stone along the path. “The best one can hope for is a marriage where husband and wife are friendly toward each other.”

“I could never marry someone I did not truly love,” Elizabeth said. “Love should be the foundation of any marriage. Without it, why consider such an arrangement? For me, that is the beginning and end of the matter.”

“I am not sure such love exists,” Georgiana said with a sigh. “It is a wonderful thought, but I fear it is beyond reach.”