Honour and Intimacy - A Sequel to Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'

Chapter 17

Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy returned to Derbyshire that evening and they too remained aghast after being informed about Mr Everett's disappearance.

"We shall never find that man if he has left without giving us a hint." Mr Darcy went through the letter again and again, trying to figure out something.

"I hope Catherine Bennet feels better. What must she be going through?" Mr Bingley exclaimed.

"My dear Charles, you should have seen her in the morning, lamenting over this man, who means nothing to us now. She was grieved and when she was leaving, I wanted her to stay so that I could protect her. She seems to have lost all the trust in everyone." Jane agonised.

"I must leave to-morrow, brother. Mr Birch has asked me to join him in his visit to Nottinghamshire." Georgiana played with the candle which was kept in front of her on the table.

"You shall go. Are his sisters coming?" Mr Darcy asked.

"I do not think so."

Mr Darcy slightly nodded and went through the letter again.

"Let us forget this whole matter. Men come and go, and Kitty would find someone better than Mr Everett. We must start eating our dinner, before it gets any colder." Elizabeth said.

They discussed the matter further no more and continued with their dinner. The ladies expected the men to be hungry but because of the dismay, their hunger had vanished.

After the dinner, Mrs Reynolds had helped Georgiana with packing her clothes and belongings and she felt really happy about leaving Pemberly for some time.

"Miss Darcy, apologise me for intruding in this matter but you must be more grieved than Catherine Bennet."

"Mrs Reynolds," Georgiana choked on her words and breathed in some air before continuing; "why did you say such a thing?"

"Because I know that you and Mr Everett were greatly intimated. I have never seen such a friendship. He had always brightened up your mood and you had brightened up his. He had once told me that he was honoured to have a friend like you. He respected you highly. It is alright to miss him and to grieve over him. He was not a horrid man."

Georgiana smiled painfully before repeating Mrs Reynolds' words. "Yes. He was not a horrid man."

She grabbed a dress and started folding it but Mrs Reynolds took it from her. "You must not tire yourself, Miss Darcy."

She thanked her and walked out of the room to the grand library, where Mr Darcy had put up the portrait of Georgiana which was made by Mr Everett. She stared at it and remembered his smiling face when he had shown her that painting. His voice, his stare, his smell, they all lingered in her memory.