Georgiana would only shake her head and continue sobbing in a most distressing manner. Mr. Darcy came in shortly thereafter, and silently gestured to Elizabeth as to the meaning of such utter misery. Elizabeth could only look her perplexity, and indicate that she could not understand Georgiana’s disconsolate reaction to the news any more than could her husband. In a few moments, Mr. Darcy came back to his sister with a cool hand-kerchief and, kneeling by her, entreated that she dry her eyes and tell him what he could do to offer consolation to such distress. Georgiana now realised that she had involved her brother in exactly the way Elizabeth had counselled against, with the result that her tears only increased. Darcy continued to kneel by her, and attempt to comprehend the misery of her feelings.

At length, Georgiana was able to bring herself to speak, and then, only in syllables that were broken between the sobs, said, “D-dearest brother, p-pray do not mind me. I am f-fine. I am j-just overc-come. It has b-been d-dreadful… B-blanche… M-miss”—here Georgiana checked herself sharply—”m-m-my aunt d-de Bourgh, and..n-now this. I am s-s-so s-sorry,” and saying this much, rose and ran into her room.

It was Elizabeth who first spoke following this scene, and asked her husband, “Mr. Darcy, do you understand what she meant by ‘miss’? Is there some source of affliction about which we are unawares? I would only surmise, that she was in unaccountably low spirits before the news of poor Blanche.”

“I confess I do not understand it myself, Lizzy. It is wholly unlike Georgiana to give way to such a display of any kind, and although the present circumstance is in every way afflicting, I cannot see that the latest news should result in such profound despair. I cannot believe that she was attached to Dunfield in any way—she hardly knew him—that is why George and not he was appointed as guardian. If it had been George, I would have been thus aggrieved, but William—Dunfield—I know this will sound abominably cruel, but we may as well prepare ourselves for his history—his life has been so much given to selfishness and dissipation, that I do not expect anyone but a parent could reasonably lament his loss.

“Mr. Darcy!” exclaimed Elizabeth. “I cannot ever remember you using expressions so uncommonly strong—what can be your meaning? I confess myself now doubly bewildered, between your violence of speech, and Georgiana’s violence of feeling!”