P&P Prelude to Pemberley: Georgiana at School

Welcome to our Pride & Prejudice prequel! P&P: Prelude to Pemberley tells the story of the time leading up to the events of Pride & Prejudice, including what Darcy and Elizabeth were doing and thinking, Georgiana Darcy’s story, the events of Ramsgate, how Mr. Bingley came to lease Netherfield, and much more! Join us on our journey as the Austen Variations authors post the events of 1811 in real time on the date they happened – 214 years in the future.

19th February 1811

When the familiar laughing and tittering of Miss Grantley and Miss Lloyd neared the library, Georgiana Darcy shrank into her seat and held her book in front of her face. Every muscle in her body was rigid, and she chewed at her cheek. Those two ladies tormented her relentlessly, and not matter how she attempted to avoid them, they always seemed to know exactly where to find her. If only she could disappear so they would not see her!

Georgiana had selected this particular room, so she was alone during their brief respite from classes. Instead of gathering in one of the parlours with the rest of the horrid girls at this school, she had huddled into a chair in the far corner of the room where she was not visible from the door. On a pleasant day, the nearby window provided enough light to read, and a novel or some required reading helped pass the time while she hid from the world. This was the one place she could perhaps find peace. Her bedchamber was useless. They had even tiptoed inside and did horrible things to her while she slept. Just this morning, she had awakened to them pouring water over her face. Her mattress would take days to dry with the damp weather!

The laughter faded, but the sound had not grown more distant. She winced, and her hands holding the book began to tremble. Had those horrible girls come into the library? If they had merely passed by, their amusement would not have ended so. She could not look! She would not look! If they had indeed entered and Georgiana ignored them, perhaps they would continue on and leave her be. How she prayed they would!

“Well, well, is it not Miss Darcy,” said Miss Grantley. That young lady’s drawling, nasal tone was obvious. “Why are you in the library when the rest of the girls are in the parlour? Are you too good for the rest of us—too above us to be in our company?”

Georgiana lowered her book to her lap. She clenched the volume in her hands to hide the ferocity of their shaking. “N-no, of course n-not.”

Miss Lloyd leaned forward, turning her ear towards Georgiana. “What did you say? I could not hear you.” The young lady tittered and looped her arm through Miss Grantley’s.

“P-p-p-poor stuttering, Miss Darcy,” said Miss Grantley with a smirk. That expression always made Georgiana’s stomach clench. Why would it not? Miss Grantley always wore it when she tortured her. “The young lady has a generous fortune and a wealthy brother, but she cannot speak. What wealthy gentleman would desire a lady who would embarrass him with her stumbling and mumbling at a ball? Your brother should have saved the expense of an education that is being wasted on you. After all, you will never come out. No brother would wish to endure such mortification. I wager he will rid himself of you. Perhaps a tradesman would do. What do you think, Cecilia?”

Cecilia Lloyd looked Georgiana up and down with a superior tilt of her chin. “I believe even a tradesman would be ashamed of her. No, I am certain her brother will send her to the country. She could never impress those in town with her eloquence. How could she? She possesses none whatsoever.”

After a deep inhale, Georgiana planted her feet and rose on unsteady legs. “He would never—! My b-brother would never b-b-be so cruel! B-besides, I have a gentleman who is waiting for me to finish school.” Both girls burst into a fit of giggles while a few more entered the library. No doubt they had heard the commotion and had come to add their taunts to those of Miss Grantley and Miss Lloyd. Those two ladies, despite their vicious tongues, were quite popular, and most of the girls seemed pleased to direct the vitriol onto Georgiana so they would not suffer it themselves.

“And who might this gentleman be?” asked Miss Lloyd. “A gentleman would never deign to take you, so this man must be a tenant.”

“No, I know, Cecilia. He is a footman!” After almost doubling over with titters, Miss Grantley stepped forward, so she was toe to toe with Georgiana.

She blinked furiously to stop her eyes from burning. She would not cry! It was not a lie. Mr. Wickham had intimated as much in his latest letter. He had been the only one to understand her despondency over returning to school. He had addressed her troubles and been a willing ear through their correspondence. At the very least, she had one person who cared about her!

Miss Grantley’s head tilted ever-so-slightly. “The only possible husband you could ensnare is one who would require your fortune. Any gentleman of means would take the funds, then lock you away in Scotland for the rest of your days.” She elbowed Miss Lloyd. “Such a fate would be a relief for us since we shall not encounter you at Almack’s should that occur.” Miss Grantley gave an evil grin as the girls who had entered now gathered around and laughed with Georgiana’s tormentors.

Miss Lloyd bent her head closer to Miss Grantley’s. “I have a brilliant idea. One of us should wed her brother. Then we can guarantee we never see her pale, ugly face in London ever again.”

With her hands clenched into fists, Georgiana fought tears. “No! He would never . . . He is far t-too clever t-t-to fall for your schemes! You are not good enough for him!”

“Oh, that is a brilliant scheme,” said Miss Lucy who had entered with the group. She stepped beside Miss Lloyd, seemingly ignoring Georgiana. “We should all make an effort to be the lady Mr. Darcy chooses. I, for one, would not object to living at Pemberley. I hear it is quite beautiful.” Georgiana clenched her fists so tight, her fingernails dug small crescents into her palms.

Miss Grantley nodded. “I have also heard of Pemberley’s grandeur. It is quite well-known that the brother is handsome although my father says he is of a disagreeable disposition.”

“I could tolerate disagreeable for ten thousand a year,” said Miss Lucy.

“He w-w-would never f-fall for your charms.” Why did she always stutter in these situations? She did not stumble over her words with her brother or with her cousin Richard. She especially did not have difficulty speaking to Mr. Wickham. That gentleman had been sympathetic when she had told him about these girls and how they tormented her. He had told her he would have never sent her away if she were a relation of his. He was too good! He cared more for her than her own brother. Fitzwilliam could not wait to dump her in this miserable hovel!

“What if we learnt the name of her suitor?” asked Miss Lloyd. “If she truly has one, that is. If he is a gentleman of means, which I doubt, one of us could steal him away. It would not be difficult after all. Miss Darcy is proud, too proud to be friends with us. She mumbles and stammers, and she is so ill-favoured. I would wager that I could wrap myself in the worst of last season’s fashion and still win him.” A vile cackle burst from Miss Lloyds lips.

Georgiana’s vision blurred. No! She would not cry! “You will stay away from him!” Somehow the words came out more forceful than she had ever managed with these harpies.

Mr. Wickham would never allow her to be treated in such a way. He had also told her how to cope with these menaces . . . She shook herself. No, she could never.

A malevolent grin overspread Miss Lloyd’s countenance. “Who is going to stop me? You?” The last was sneered. “You are nothing. You are a pathetic little mouse who is terrified of her own shadow. No one wants you or you would not be here, which is unfortunate for us because we do not want you here either.”

A scream rent the air as Georgiana lunged at Miss Lloyd and grabbed the young lady’s hair in tight fists. She gasped as her feet slipped from under her, and they tumbled to the floor in a mess of limbs, a feral growl bursting from Georgiana as she pulled the young lady’s hair with all her might. One of Georgiana’s hands curled into a fist that she used to strike her opponent’s nose. A sickening crack followed, and blood began to gush from the girl’s nose, staining her pale pink morning gown.

Miss Lloyd cried out at the impact of Georgiana’s fist and attempted to push at Georgiana’s chest, but with little success. Her opponent was smaller, so her attempts proved futile against taller frame. Georgiana, for all intents and purposes, sat astride Miss Lloyd while one hand continued to pull at Miss Lloyd’s curls. Meanwhile, her other hand pummelled whatever she could reach. Georgiana’s mind emptied as she released all her anger and frustration on the girl beneath her. No, not the girl—the bunter—that was the word Mr. Wickham had used. Georgiana’s entire body vibrated, and the sounds she made were strange, even to her own ears. Her fists began swinging as she pummelled Miss Lloyd’s shoulder, chest, and even her already broken nose. Mr. Wickham had been correct. This was satisfying indeed!

When hands wrapped around Georgiana’s upper arms, she struggled to free herself, but it was no use. She was dragged from the limp form of Miss Lloyd who was helped to her feet by Miss Grantley and Miss Lucy. Blood now streamed from Miss Lloyd’s nose and drenched the front of the young lady’s morning gown. She had an eye that appeared to be bruising, blood trickling down her forehead, and a tooth lay on the floor between them. Georgiana glanced down to her hand. Several of Miss Lloyd’s perfect blonde curls were clutched in her fist. When had she pulled them out?

“What is the meaning of this?” cried Miss Dalrymple, the headmistress.

Miss Grantley pointed straight at Georgiana. “She is mad! We stopped in the library to invite Miss Darcy for a refreshing walk about the room, and she did this! All we wanted was to be friends!”

Georgiana gasped. “That is not true! They were saying the most awful things!”

The headmistress put up her hands. “Enough! Miss Grantley, please take Miss Lloyd to my office. I shall need to send for the apothecary to see to that nose. Unfortunately, there is little we can do about the tooth.

“Miss Darcy, I have no choice but to send word of this to your brother. You are confined to your bedchamber for the rest of the day. You will not go to dinner, and no tray will be brought to you. I shall consider what other punishment will be sufficient for what you have done. You may consider this your only warning. Behaviour such as this will not be tolerated! The next time you assault another student, you will be expelled.”

The teacher, who had aided Miss Dalrymple in removing her from Miss Lloyd, walked Georgiana to her bedchamber and locked her in. As soon as the door closed behind the woman, Georgiana looked back down to the sad, limp blonde curls in her palm. She should feel some sort of remorse, but she did not—she could not. If only she had beat the other girls as well!

“Fitzwilliam will be furious.” She closed her eyes as tears began coursing down her cheeks. “But Mr. Wickham will be proud of me,” she whispered. “That is all that matters.”

Read all the scenes in Prelude to Pemberley here!