Eclipse

Chapter Eleven

 

It was snowing again. Darcy turned from the window and walked back to his desk near the fire. He would have to remind Robert to see that the ponds were free of ice every few hours for the animals. The firewood for the tenants also needed replenishing. He had noticed it was low on his ride today. They know to do so, it is not their first winter. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with his fingers.

It had been a month since their departure from Hertfordshire. He had only arrived at Pemberley the week before wishing to be with his sister at this time of year. After the occurrences of the past summer he thought a quiet Christmas at home would be best. Of course the Bingleys would be arriving soon. He had invited them long ago, when he thought that Bingley and Georgiana...There was a light tap on the door and he raised his head from his hands to see Mrs. Reynolds peeking around the door. He had been very busy after his return and this evening would be the first he had had to relax and enjoy his sister's company.

"Sir, tea is served in the library."

The library was their favorite room and they often took their tea in Pemberley's. "Thank you Mrs. Reynolds, I will be out momentarily." She closed the door. Bingley would be here the day after tomorrow and his family next week. With the visiting of the tenants tomorrow, tonight would be his last occasion to be alone with his sister for some time. He took the key from his pocket and opened a drawer in his desk. Her present lay on top where he had placed it after returning from London. When he reached for it his fingers brushed the soft leather glove that lay next to the wrapped parcel, but he ignored it as some forgotten memento and closed the drawer.

He entered the library to find his sister standing by the window watching the snowfall. She turned as he walked to stand behind her and smiled. "The ground could not be made more beautiful, yet watching it fall is peaceful."

"I agree with you. I was just doing the same in my study."

"Do you think the Bingleys should like to go for a ride in the sleigh like we used..." She faltered and turned back towards the window.

"Like we used to before...when you were still a child and the house rang with your laughter."

"Yes."

"It does not matter, we shall go if you wish to, and I am sure Bingley would enjoy it."

"Oh, thank you." Her eyes were shining and she led him to the table where their tea had been prepared. "I like Mr. Bingley, he is very nice."

"Yes, he is most certainly that." He laughed and they continued their meal in a light-hearted silence. He felt more at ease with her than he had since last summer. "You will have to be more open in your conversations with our guests now that you are older."

"Yes I know." She whispered. "It is easy with Mr. Bingley, but his sisters..."

"Bingley is nice and an easy sort to talk with, but you must practice with those who are not. Do not worry, his sisters will always be agreeable to you also."

She nodded. "You have spoken so little of your visit with Mr. Bingley to his new house in Hertfordshire. Will you tell me so that I may have a subject to discuss with them?"

Darcy took a sip of his tea and lowered the cup back to the saucer. "We were there barely six weeks, hardly enough time for any more news than what I wrote to you."

"Your letters, I shall have to retrieve and read them again for any overlooked information. I remember you wrote of the neighbor who became ill and her sister who had the fall from her horse, but that was the last. Then there was the grand ball that Mr. Bingley gave. Did the sister, Miss E...E..."

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

"Thank you," Georgiana smiled at him and continued talking excitedly of the news with her brother. "Did Miss Elizabeth Bennet recover in time for the ball? You did not write again afterwards."

"Yes, she attended."

"But was she recovered? You wrote so well of her previously, I thought you might have danced with her if she were able."

"I did."

Georgiana looked at him, her eyes wide with questions, "And..." she prompted and waited again, but he had busied himself with the pretense of selecting a morsel from the tray. "Brother, please tell me the exciting events of the ball. I should like to hear them."

Darcy finished with his cake, sat back and laid his napkin across his crossed knee. "Very well, we danced..." He watched Georgiana's interested face as her eyes shined with anticipation of the news. "once. That is all. I wish I could say more. Then we parted and spoke little the rest of the evening."

"You only danced with her once? But in your letters..."

"She is a most agreeable person, but our paths did not cross as much as one would wi...suppose. She had other partners, and I..."

"You are not as shy as I am." She paused then a thought seemed to occur to her. She looked up at him, both brows raised, "Did you dance with Miss Bingley?"

"Yes."

"And Mr. Bingley?"

"What!?"

Georgiana laughed and playfully shook her head, "No, with whom did Mr. Bingley dance?"

"I believe I saw him dance a few times with Miss Bennet, the ill sister." It was good to see her laugh. It had been so long. He only continued this conversation because she did seem cheerful.

"Will you return in the spring?"

"I do not believe so. It was only a temporary let, and I believe it is not in Bingley's best interests to return."

"Oh." She seemed saddened by this news. "I thought maybe...but it is nothing." She finished and stood holding out her hands to him. "I have learned a new piece that I wish to play for you. I think you will enjoy it."

He took her hands and together they walked out of the library and made their way to the music room. He looked down affectionately at the top of her head with the light, brown cinnamon touched curls gently bouncing as they walked. It was the first time he had noticed that when she teased him both of her brows had risen, not just the one...like hers...

Darcy sat on a plush sofa and watched Georgiana make her way to the beautiful, old harpsichord that had been his mother's. His father had had it shipped from France as a wedding present and his mother had dearly loved it, filling the house with her music.

Georgiana, like Darcy before her, had sat for hours staring at the scenes painted on the polished wood. The raised lid depicted an idyllic scene of fishing peasants near a placid stream. There was a large, gnarled oak that sheltered them and Darcy had roamed his father's property as a child looking for just such a scene. The delicate gilded legs were carved with intricate scrollwork and seemed too petite to hold the massive instrument. There were two keyboards, but Georgiana had inherited her ability from her mother and played with talented ease.

As she went to take her seat, she noticed the wrapped parcel lying on the top of the instrument near the edge so as not to harm the delicate strings. She frowned and looked at Darcy who only smiled. Then she picked it up and tore the paper to reveal a small, interlocking picture frame with four portraits. There were one each of her parents when they were young, perhaps not long after their marriage, and one of her and Darcy as well, that had been completed recently.

"They are beautiful." She breathed, amazed at the likenesses, and traced the faces with a gentle fingertip.

"I had them copied from the originals in the gallery when you were gone last sum..." His words caught in his throat when he realized what he had been about to say. She had halted in front of him, the frame clutched to her heart, tears in her eyes.

"Thank you." He watched her close her eyes, compose herself, and begin to speak again. "Thank you dear brother, for all that you have done."

He reached up and taking her elbow, pulled her down on the sofa near him. "Hush, it is nothing we need ever to speak of again." She nodded, her head still down. She removed her handkerchief from her sleeve and blotted at her eyes. "Do you like your present? I thought they were an extremely good likeness to be so small."

Georgiana took a deep breath, raised her head and spoke, "I could not have prayed for a better brother who has given me a present to cherish always, and who at all times thinks of his sister before himself. Thank you."

"Your welcome dearheart." He used the affectionate name he had called her as a child and she smiled. Then placing the opened frame on a nearby table, she crossed to the instrument and began to play a lively, yet haunting tune. He enjoyed watching her fingers fly across the keys, it alwasy amazed him how she could keep her place. The song sounded familiar, but he could not place it. Each note swiftly followed the previous up and down the scale until slowly altered by the haunting tune that captivated the listener before leading into the melody anew.

At last she finished and turned to him her eyes shining, rubbing her hands together. "Did you like it? I found it in some of mother's papers. It was Bach's Allemande Suite in A minor."

Darcy nodded, "I remember mother playing it when I was but a child at her knee. I believe it was one of her favorites, although it does seem melancholy. I would sit for hours watching her and dreaming of fishing." He laughed and waved a hand at the harpsichord indicating the painted scenes.

Georgiana only nodded, her smile faint and sad. "I thought so too, but I wanted to learn it for her."

"She would be proud that you did."

"I have a present for you too." She quickly hurried over to a chest and withdrew a large rectangular canvas. "I painted this from memory, I hope you like it." She handed it to him and stood back to await his judgement.

He took the canvas and gasped at the likeness she had captured. It was of himself astride Cannon. They were ready for the hunt poised atop a small hill, and outlined perfectly against an azure morning sky. Darcy had just reined in Cannon and was looking back towards Pemberley. "You did this from memory?" When she nodded, he continued in awe, "You have given him that gleam in his eye and the tilt of his head that he is wont to have prior to a wild gallop across the country."

"I am sorry you did not get to participate in the hunt last November."

"But, I was in Herfortshire with Bingley."

"Yes, but I know why you went to Hertfordshire, instead of staying at Pemberley for the season."

He lowered the canvas and gazed at his sister. She was pale and her hands were trembling. "Georgiana, I have been on a hunt every year since I learned to ride. I enjoyed my time at Hertfordshire immensely. It was nothing to miss the hunt, and certainly no fault of yours."
"I am glad then." Her smile was weak and he reached for her hand. "I had hoped when you wrote of Miss Bennet that you had found someone worthy to occupy your time." She sat down again next to him on the sofa, still holding his hand.

His own smile mirrored hers. "Yes, she was worthy, but I shall not be going back because Bingley will not. Do not worry about me, it is you who deserve all the attention." He squeezed her hand. "Now, I shall have this framed and hung in my study."

"Would you mind hanging it in the library? That is our favorite room and reminds me of you when you are away."

He watched her for a moment. She was composed again and seemed to be in a lighter mood. "Then the library it shall be." He laid the canvas on a nearby table and rose while beckoning for her to follow him. "Let's take a short stroll outside in the snow. I would like the fresh air to clear my thoughts."

Georgiana nodded her acceptance of his idea and laughed as she took his arm. "I promise to behave and not pelt you with snow as I did when a child."

 

 

This story is written by Cristal, and she owns full © copyrights to it.

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