Free Miss Darcy's Companion: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Joana Starnes Page A

him rather than the ladies, and discuss the manifold concerns of the parish. So perhaps he need not worry yet that Georgiana might lose her companion to the Braddens. There seemed to be no imminent likelihood of Miss Bennet becoming Mrs Bradden. Perhaps if matters were allowed to take their course, one day she would, and Darcy eventually acknowledged it might not be such a bad thing after all. Bradden was a very decent man. Miss Bennet could scarcely do much better.
    Nevertheless, it was reassuring to know it would not happen for some time, if ever. Georgiana was not ready to relinquish her and, truth be told, neither was he. Having gone past their rather tempestuous differences of opinion, he found he could not truly fault her. She was a welcome influence on Georgiana in many ways, and an equally welcome addition to the household. Conversation flowed easier at the dinner table, much easier than in the days when Darcy and his sister used to dine alone, when she was conveyed home from Mrs Rossiter’s school on Sundays. Those days it was Fitzwilliam who kept the conversation going whenever he came to call, which was very often if he could be spared from his duties. Now his role was seamlessly fulfilled by Miss Bennet and, Darcy chortled to himself, she could play and sing considerably better too.
    Surprisingly, she was quite as apt as Fitzwilliam to hold her own at the chessboard. Darcy had discovered this by accident one evening, when he had consented to indulge Miss Bennet with a game expecting an easy win, as was the case with Georgiana, only to find himself losing to a very skilled opponent.
    “Pray allow me to guess,” he casually observed as he set the pieces for a rematch. “This is another art you have perfected at your father’s knee.”
    “So it is, Sir,” she smiled back.
    “A remarkable gentleman, your father. I should have liked to make his acquaintance.”
    “I daresay you would have enjoyed each other’s company,” she evenly replied, but said nothing further. Instead, she applied herself to thoroughly slaughtering his army for a second time.
    Since then it had become a habit to have a game or two in the evenings, while Georgiana played on the pianoforte, and afterwards talk about everything and nothing, from their daily pursuits to the progress along the reading list. They discussed the recently read books in great detail, and Darcy could not be anything but pleased with Georgiana’s sensible remarks and Miss Bennet’s keen judgement.
    On a few occasions their debates continued late into the night, long after Georgiana had retired, and it was a novel experience for Darcy to find in her as incisive an observer as Fitzwilliam – or himself. Once or twice he had even found it entertaining to argue the opposite and unreasonable point, just to see what her response would be. Predictably, she remained a stranger to the manner of compliant and malleable young women and did not change her stance, but showed herself verily horrified that he would argue such an untenable position. That is, until she understood his game and broke off mid-sentence to lean back and shake her head in mock despair, brows arched and lips pursed in unconcealed amusement.
    As he closeted himself in his study in the mornings or rode away wherever his duties took him, Darcy found that he was looking forward to joining the young ladies in the evenings, and sometimes for a mid-day cup of tea.
    They still saw little of their neighbours, although Darcy had rather grudgingly acknowledged Miss Bennet’s point. It might be to Georgiana’s advantage to become accustomed with moving in society more. But, to begin with, paying the odd morning call or accepting occasional dinner invitations would have to suffice. She was reluctant to do more, and he would not force her.
    Perhaps it would be easier when Lord Vernon returned from his Hampshire estates. His daughters were very close in age to Georgiana and she had enjoyed their company in the