Revelations an adaption of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 53

After a difficult parting, for Georgiana at least, Fitzwilliam probably can't wait to leave London and be en route back to Hertfordshire, they make good time on a road mostly cleared of snow by now. At least in the city, the heavy traffic reduces it to a soggy, filthy mud, which is shovelled to the side by men hired to keep the roads safe.

Outside town the traffic thins, and the snow is still as pristine as when it first fell.

Bob must be eager to return as well, for he really keeps the solid mares working, of course slowing down over bridges and through drifts, but eating the miles nonetheless.

'You're even more quiet than usual, Georgie. I hope you don't mind Mr Fielding coming to live with us, there wasn't much else we could do you know.'

Georgiana immediately retorts, afraid to be found out or to spill her heart's contents to him.

'You haven't been much livelier, Fitzwilliam. My head is stuffed full of music, I was working some things out, sometimes that's good to do without instrument.

And to answer your question, no, I don't mind Mr Fielding moving in. The very thought of that nice, sensitive man on the streets makes me sick even now the danger has been averted.'

Her brother nods, he doesn't understand either. But Georgiana is not done talking, yet.

'His situation does make me quiet, how he must feel right now, at another rich man's mercy. Such genius, reduced to a pawn of people who haven't a clue of its worth.

No offence intended, Fitzwilliam, you did the right thing after all.

And yes, there is a certain challenge involved in finding one's teacher whom one admired, to be a human being with feelings, and those sadly stirred. I won't hesitate to admit I had real trouble keeping myself from comforting him as I did you when you were suffering so badly.'

He offers to hold her, her dear sweet brother! It's so good to have a big, solid brother to sit against when so many feelings strive to be felt inside her. Resting her head against his broad chest, his voice is lower and it kind of rumbles.

'I can imagine you did, Georgie. He did nothing to deserve that, it's always difficult to see someone suffer from circumstances beyond his control.

But I assure you he will feel much better soon. I intend to really do well by him, I thought to help him develop his musical skills further, but seeing him in such dire straits I am inclined to think maybe we'd better help him gain independence. If he can make his own way in life, he need never be at a rich man's mercy again.'

He looks her straight in the eye now, rather intently.

'What do you think? Try to gain him fame at the cost of staying dependent on me, or to help him take charge of his own life? Possibly at the cost of world-wide fame?'

Georgiana of course no longer operates on a single agenda where Eric is concerned. She doesn't want him to go to Europe, she wants him with her. But she also truly, unselfishly wants him to develop as a composer, more so than as a performer.

Looking right back at her brother, she says, 'I'm not the right person to ask, Fitzwilliam, of course I want my teacher close, especially since I found out he's a very nice person as well as a great teacher. I have learned so much in those hours we spent together, my head is still spinning.

And I'm so incredibly impressed by his composing, I really cannot imagine why he would be blinded by a wish of being a performer of other people's music when he makes such fabulous compositions himself.'

Her brother smiles ingratiatingly, he's made up his mind already, and Georgie has contributed though she said she didn't want to.

'Then it's independence. To become known as a composer he can stay in London or come with us to Pemberley as easily as travel all over the world. Of course he can find himself a master somewhere in Europe to improve his performance whenever he needs it to progress, but that could be done in months, it's building a career as performer that takes the real effort, staying abroad for years on end, travelling from venue to venue, promoting himself by competing against others, that is what his patron couldn't afford.