The Darcy Cousins by Monica Fairview Page B
Authors: Monica Fairview
Tags: Jane Austen Fan Lit
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began to sputter, for no one had done such a thing since she had been ten and new to boarding school.
Clarissa bounced onto the side of the bed and settled there. "Dear Georgie. Have you never been tickled? With three older brothers and one younger sister, I have been tickled more times than I care to recall, though of course now my brothers have become too old to do it." She regarded her as though it was quite pitiful to have missed such an experience. "I suppose your brother Fitzwilliam has always been too old to do it."
"Of course I have been tickled," replied Georgiana indignantly.
"Plenty of times."
"It would do you good to be tickled, now and again."
But Georgiana was in no mood for such things. "I do not wish to offend you, Clarissa, but I want to rest."
"I do not understand you. We did not even stay out late last night," said Clarissa. "Did something happen at the dance? You were very quiet in the carriage on the way home. Anything you would like to tell me?"
"There is nothing to tell, Clarissa. Now would you be so kind as to leave me alone?" Georgiana pulled the cover again over her face.
"No," she said. "I will not. I will not force you to tell me, though I can, you know. You will tell me eventually, in your own good time. Everyone does."
With a quick sweep she pulled the cover off the bed entirely and skipped away with it.
"If you want the cover," she said, "you will have to come and 96
THE DARCY COUSINS
get it. I will not allow you to languish in bed all day like a heroine out of a melodrama."
"Very well," said Georgiana half exasperated and half amused.
"I will not languish in bed all day. I will complete my toilette and then join you. Does that satisfy you?"
"As long as you do not linger, for I will be back if you do not join me quickly enough. Perhaps I might even send Dawson."
Georgiana came downstairs to find two large baskets of flowers occupying two tables in the hallway. A maid who was passing by smiled and pointed out that one of them was for her, the other for Miss Clarissa. She picked up the note that came with her flowers, hoping--quite illogically, she knew--that it might be from Channing.
Dear Miss Darcy,
Thank you for an enjoyable evening. I hope to have the pleasure of another such occasion very soon.
Sincerely,
Gatley
Georgiana swallowed down her disappointment. The note afforded her little satisfaction. Certainly it went no farther than politeness required, and it was a painful reminder of events she would rather forget.
Curiosity compelled her to look at the other basket. The flowers were similar, no doubt obtained from the same nursery. Looking carefully around to make sure no one would catch her, she furtively pulled out the note attached to the flowers.
97
MONICA FAIRVIEW
Dear Miss Clarissa,
You dance like an angel and float like a cloud. You are the vision that inhabits my dreams.
I await our next encounter with pitiful impatience.
Sincerely,
Channing
If she needed a knife to her pride, that was it.
Everything about that day seemed intended to increase her misery.
Though she had known beforehand that Frederick was leaving, the sight of trunks being loaded into a waiting carriage made her so gloomy she had to escape. She took refuge in the garden. She did not want to say goodbye. She knew--given the state she was in--that she would cry.
But she was not destined to be left to her solitude. Very soon, a quick step crunched on the gravel behind her.
"I see that my departure means nothing to you," said Frederick joining her on the path. "Clearly you prefer walking in the garden to bidding me farewell."
"I dislike goodbyes, especially when I know we will not meet for a long time," said Georgiana.
"We will see each other sometime soon, I am sure. Now that the war is over, travel is much easier," said Frederick cheerfully.
Georgiana nodded and kept her gaze on the tips of her blue slippers.
"I hope all this unhappiness is not occasioned by my departure?"
said
Clarissa bounced onto the side of the bed and settled there. "Dear Georgie. Have you never been tickled? With three older brothers and one younger sister, I have been tickled more times than I care to recall, though of course now my brothers have become too old to do it." She regarded her as though it was quite pitiful to have missed such an experience. "I suppose your brother Fitzwilliam has always been too old to do it."
"Of course I have been tickled," replied Georgiana indignantly.
"Plenty of times."
"It would do you good to be tickled, now and again."
But Georgiana was in no mood for such things. "I do not wish to offend you, Clarissa, but I want to rest."
"I do not understand you. We did not even stay out late last night," said Clarissa. "Did something happen at the dance? You were very quiet in the carriage on the way home. Anything you would like to tell me?"
"There is nothing to tell, Clarissa. Now would you be so kind as to leave me alone?" Georgiana pulled the cover again over her face.
"No," she said. "I will not. I will not force you to tell me, though I can, you know. You will tell me eventually, in your own good time. Everyone does."
With a quick sweep she pulled the cover off the bed entirely and skipped away with it.
"If you want the cover," she said, "you will have to come and 96
THE DARCY COUSINS
get it. I will not allow you to languish in bed all day like a heroine out of a melodrama."
"Very well," said Georgiana half exasperated and half amused.
"I will not languish in bed all day. I will complete my toilette and then join you. Does that satisfy you?"
"As long as you do not linger, for I will be back if you do not join me quickly enough. Perhaps I might even send Dawson."
Georgiana came downstairs to find two large baskets of flowers occupying two tables in the hallway. A maid who was passing by smiled and pointed out that one of them was for her, the other for Miss Clarissa. She picked up the note that came with her flowers, hoping--quite illogically, she knew--that it might be from Channing.
Dear Miss Darcy,
Thank you for an enjoyable evening. I hope to have the pleasure of another such occasion very soon.
Sincerely,
Gatley
Georgiana swallowed down her disappointment. The note afforded her little satisfaction. Certainly it went no farther than politeness required, and it was a painful reminder of events she would rather forget.
Curiosity compelled her to look at the other basket. The flowers were similar, no doubt obtained from the same nursery. Looking carefully around to make sure no one would catch her, she furtively pulled out the note attached to the flowers.
97
MONICA FAIRVIEW
Dear Miss Clarissa,
You dance like an angel and float like a cloud. You are the vision that inhabits my dreams.
I await our next encounter with pitiful impatience.
Sincerely,
Channing
If she needed a knife to her pride, that was it.
Everything about that day seemed intended to increase her misery.
Though she had known beforehand that Frederick was leaving, the sight of trunks being loaded into a waiting carriage made her so gloomy she had to escape. She took refuge in the garden. She did not want to say goodbye. She knew--given the state she was in--that she would cry.
But she was not destined to be left to her solitude. Very soon, a quick step crunched on the gravel behind her.
"I see that my departure means nothing to you," said Frederick joining her on the path. "Clearly you prefer walking in the garden to bidding me farewell."
"I dislike goodbyes, especially when I know we will not meet for a long time," said Georgiana.
"We will see each other sometime soon, I am sure. Now that the war is over, travel is much easier," said Frederick cheerfully.
Georgiana nodded and kept her gaze on the tips of her blue slippers.
"I hope all this unhappiness is not occasioned by my departure?"
said
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