Page 10 of Shields and Roses

With a pitying look, Richard said, "From what I hear, George is his own friend, although he sticks close to you for the benefits it gives him.

"You must be wrong. George is my friend. He helps me get along better with the other boys at school and keeps me company here at Pemberley."

"Well, if that is all you ask for from a friend, then I suppose he is. I would just warn you not to trust him too far. He will not keep your secrets, and I know he will not watch your back. In fact, far from helping you get along with others, I believe he deliberately keeps you from forming other friendships so you will have to go through him to feel comfortable with the other boys."

"You are too suspicious, Richard. Even Aunt Catherine said he is a good friend for me despite being merely a steward's son."

Richard stopped in his tracks, looking at his cousin with disbelief. "Aunt Catherine approved of him? If I was not suspicious of him before, that information would make me worry about him on its own. Why would the subject of George Wickham even come up in one of her letters?"

Will turned back and impatiently motioned for Richard to keep moving. "Come on. We do not want to be late." He continued as Richard joined him in jogging across the lawn to the side entrance they usually used. "She did not tell me in a letter. She brought up the subject while she was visiting."

"When was that? Father did not mention that she had left Rosings Park recently."

"Oh, she was here when I arrived back home from school last month. She said she came to check Georgiana's progress and ensure the nurse was taking proper care of her. She left just last week."

"Well, that explains why you are so full of her opinions at the moment. I pity the poor nurse. She must have gotten an earful."

"I suppose so," Will admitted. "The nurse father originally hired left before I got back from school. The new one was suggested by Aunt Catherine."

"Poor Georgiana, then. Father says Anne's nurse has coddled her to the point where our cousin can barely do anything by herself. I would hope for better for Georgiana."

"What, you want her out running around and making messes like that Bennet girl?" Will asked scornfully.

"There is no harm in being healthy, active and able to think for herself. I would hope the same for your sister."

"Aunt Catherine believes girls should be quiet and demure, like Mother was. Father must agree, because he approved of the new nurse."

"And yet Aunt Catherine is anything but quiet or demure. Ah well, Georgiana is only two years old. She should not encounter too much harm yet. Still, I think your mother might have felt differently about how to bring her up. Aunt Anne was certainly a proper lady, but from what Father says, she was still very active as a girl. Well, at any rate, we had best get changed quickly. Neither of our fathers approves of tardiness."

"You are right about that," Will said, giving his cousin a speculative look. He grinned as he opened the side door and added, "Race you to your room." He slipped inside, shutting the door behind him.

"Hey!" Richard said, pulling the door open again and hurrying inside. "No fair!"

Both boys laughed as they clattered up the stairs.

~o~

"I believe that is checkmate," Richard said as he placed his knight in the position he had been setting up for several moves.

"How did you?" Will began, and then he looked more closely, evaluating what he saw. "Oh, I see. You have been distracting me with your queen."

"Precisely. You saw the visible attack and reacted to that, without looking at the situation any deeper. The strategy often works against you, in chess and in life."

"Are you going to go on about Aunt Catherine and Wickham again?" Will asked wearily as he tipped over his king.

Richard smiled. "No need. I've already made my point. Who you decide to trust is your business. Just look a little deeper, is all I'm trying to say. You cannot accept anyone at face value, not even family."

"If that is the case, why should I trust you?"

"You should not, until you have looked at the situation more carefully. Or, perhaps, a better way of saying it is to trust, but verify. I have no worries about what you will find in regard to me."

Will looked at his grinning cousin as if trying to read his soul. Richard waited, saying nothing more. Eventually, with a slight shake of his head, Will said, "Fine. Shall we play another game?"

"It would be my pleasure," Richard replied as he began to set up the board.

Chapter 7: Travels

Fifteen-year-old Richard Fitzwilliam looked across the crowded courtyard at all the students and their various family members, carriages and servants preparing to leave Eton behind them for the break. Behind him, his own family's servants worked to secure Richard's trunk to the back of the carriage he would ride in as far as the townhouse in London.