Elizabeth Bennet's Deception: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary by Regina Jeffers

quiet study and his books.
    “You are home at last,” Georgiana called as she rushed down the stairs to greet him.
    Darcy breathed easier. The first part of his plan knew success. Now, it was just a matter of time until he could call upon Elizabeth at Longbourn. He brushed a kiss across Georgiana’s cheek.
    “I must return to London at month’s end, but I will explain all later. For the moment, I would welcome my bed. I slept little on this journey.”
    Georgiana wrapped her arm through his.
    “Then most assuredly you should claim your chambers for you never complain.” She walked with Darcy up the stairs to the family quarters. “We shall speak over supper. I am most anxious to know of your success.”
    Several hours later, Darcy entered the dining room to discover his sister waiting for him.
    “Where is Mrs. Annesley? Pray say the lady is not ill.”
    Georgiana motioned the footman to serve the soup.
    “Nothing of the kind. The lady’s nephew welcomed a new son and tomorrow is the child’s baptism. I permitted Mrs. Annesley to join her family for several days. You do recall that Vicar Annesley resides but thirty miles north?”
    “Yes,” Darcy said distractedly. “Now that you mention it, I do recall the lady prosing upon the young cleric’s merits.” He made himself smile at Georgiana. In truth, if he did not promise his sister that they would speak of his journey, Darcy would take a tray in his room and stay in bed. He doubted he slept more than four hours on any of the nights he was away from Pemberley. His initial turmoil over Elizabeth’s insinuation of having known Mr. Wickham wreaked havoc with his composure, which was followed by the glory of a renewal of his hopes. “It was kind of you to consider Mrs. Annesley’s happiness.”
    Georgiana blushed, and Darcy thought Georgiana and Elizabeth would make a delightful pair with their heads together in complementary mischief. It was a shame all Darcy’s thoughts always came back to Elizabeth Bennet.
    “My actions were nothing more than simple Christian goodwill.” Georgiana sipped her soup course. “Now, tell me of your days in London.”
    Following a sigh of resignation, Darcy motioned Murray and Lawson from the room.
    “First, I believe you should learn what occurred between Mr. Bingley and me.” He presented Georgiana a succinct account of his and Miss Bingley’s actions to separate Bingley from Jane Bennet.
    His sister appeared shocked, but Georgiana did not condemn him.
    “Surely there was some circumstance, which spurred you to interfere with Mr. Bingley’s life.”
    “I told myself I meant to protect Bingley, but in hindsight, I realize I meant to protect my tattered emotions.”
    Georgiana’s features crunched up in confusion.
    “I do not understand.”
    Darcy chuckled with irony.
    “Neither did I for a long time. You will be surprised to learn I was as smitten as Bingley by a Bennet daughter.” Darcy paused, but Georgiana looked upon him in complete disbelief. “Not Miss Bennet,” he added, and his sister’s features relaxed. “Miss Elizabeth. Yet, I termed the lady’s connections far below what to expect as the next Mistress of Pemberley.”
    “But Lady Anne greatly outranked our father’s status. True, papa was a wealthy gentleman, but as the daughter of an earl, our mother could claim a titled gentleman. Is not Miss Elizabeth a gentleman’s daughter?”
    “She is,” Darcy admitted. “But at the time of our initial acquaintance I was too top-lofty to overlook Mrs. Bennet’s connections to trade.”
    Georgiana clucked her tongue in disapproval; the gesture was one he heard their mother practice more often than the late Lady Anne would have ever claimed. Odd that his sister mimicked a woman she never knew.
    “Yet you pronounce Mr. Bingley as a close acquaintance.”
    “I am well aware of my shortcomings,” Darcy said with good-natured self-chastisement. “Nothing I did could be called ‘reasonable.’ I permitted