Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner (35 page)

“Hmm?” Bingley looked around, causing general laughter. Caroline openly rolled her eyes. “Oh! Oh, yes! As I hope Darcy will stand up with me, I plan to invite him and his sister to Netherfield at the appointed time. We have plenty of room, and Caroline would be happy to play hostess.”

“Of course.” At least Miss Bingley did not grit her teeth.

“There,” said Darcy to the disappointed matron. “I would not inconvenience you, but I hope to visit Longbourn often while we are here.”

“You have an open invitation to come every day!” Mrs. Bennet insisted. “Every day, mind you!”

“I consider myself obligated. Thank you, madam.” He turned to Elizabeth. “Farewell, Miss Elizabeth.”

“Good journey to you, Mr. Darcy, Miss Darcy, Mrs. Annesley.” She looked at Darcy. “I, too, look forward to meeting again.” A fit of giggles from her sisters caused her to shut her eyes in embarrassment.

Darcy smiled understandingly. “As do I. Until then.” With that, he gave the indication he was ready to be placed in the carriage.

The operation, under the joint supervision of Mr. Jones and Colonel Fitzwilliam, took some doing, as the Darcy footmen took great care with Darcy’s injured leg. Once he was well-established in the carriage, his sister and her companion joined him.

“Very well, Darcy,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam, now on horseback. “Bartholomew and the nurse are in the second carriage. We are ready to leave. The Bingleys will follow close behind. I shall make certain the driver takes his time and avoids the major ruts in the road.”

For his usually jolly cousin to talk so seriously told Darcy that the man was concerned. “I leave things in your capable hands, Cuz.” Darcy wished he was on the other side of the coach — he could no longer see the Bennet party, and he wanted one last look at Elizabeth.

It seemed that the lady in question was like-minded, for in the next instant, to his delight, she appeared outside his window, holding a large, ginger-colored creature.

“Mr. Darcy!” cried Elizabeth. “Where are your manners, sir? You would return to London without first taking your leave of Miss Cassandra? She is most put out!”

Darcy smiled. “Ah, an unintended oversight, I assure you. Farewell, gentle friend! Keep your mistress warm.”
Until I return
.

The cat meowed and Elizabeth bent down as if to hear what the beast was saying. “Cassandra wishes you Godspeed, quick recovery, and safe return.” She looked up, a tender look in her eye. “As do we all.”

Darcy said nothing, but he trusted his expression told volumes. It seemed to serve, as Elizabeth blushed prettily and waved as the carriage moved away down the London road. Darcy turned in his seat as much as he could and kept the two in his sight as long as possible.

Chapter 20

I
N THE MONTH THAT FOLLOWED
, a regular correspondence was established between Longbourn and the Darcy residence in London. Elizabeth missed Darcy intensely — he was now
Fitzwilliam
in the secret reaches of her heart — but propriety forbade any direct communication without a betrothal. Therefore, Georgiana became their willing intermediary. Elizabeth filled her letters with the usual activities an imminent wedding generates — dresses and flowers and breakfast menus — enough to satisfy the curiosity of a young, sisterless girl not yet out. But for Fitzwilliam’s sake, she included news of Bingley, of her father’s plans for the spring planting, and numerous innuendoes of how completely a particular lady from Hertfordshire desired the company of a certain gentleman from the north.

It was Georgiana’s task to relate this information to her brother. After a particularly embarrassing episode from the second letter — some little anecdote about Elizabeth’s cat Cassandra purring in Darcy’s lap that made no sense to the sister but had turned the brother positively red — it was decided between the Darcy siblings that Georgiana would henceforth just hand Elizabeth’s letters to Fitzwilliam for his own perusal.

Georgiana returned letters to her friend, but Darcy could hardly relate his longing for Elizabeth to
her
. No, it was left to Miss Darcy to try to give Elizabeth news of Darcy, using her own powers of observation. Elizabeth had to be satisfied with hearing of her beloved by way of his innocent sister.

To say the least, Darcy was
not
satisfied. He never was a good patient in the past, and coupled with his burning desire to return to Longbourn, his behavior now bordered on the uncivil. Mr. Macmillan bore the brunt of it. The good man withstood the badgering of his employer and would not allow him to try to walk with a cane until Christmas.

Even sweet Georgina felt the sting of his black mood. About a week before Christmas, she skipped into her brother’s study, Elizabeth’s latest letter in her hand and mischief in her heart.

“Look, brother-mine, a letter from Miss Elizabeth!” She held up the communication.

Darcy, a smile on his face, held out his hand. “Thank you, my dear. Do you not have music lessons soon?”

Georgiana knew Fitzwilliam preferred to read Elizabeth’s letters in private. It was her intention to deliver the note, but Elizabeth’s witty commentary had apparently ignited the imp in Miss Darcy. She wanted some sport with her brother first. She twirled about, crushing the letter protectively to her breast.

“No! You shall not have this letter! It is improper.”

“Georgie,” said Darcy wearily, “I am in no mood for this.” Indeed, Mr. Macmillan had prescribed exercises to strengthen his leg, weakened by neglect and lack of use, and Georgiana was aware that they hurt like the devil. “Give me Miss Elizabeth’s letter, please.”

“No! It is mine. You will just have to come and get it,” she teased.

“You know I cannot.”

“Oh, that is too bad. And it is such an interesting letter, too.”

“Georgie . . . ” There was a world of warning in his voice, but Miss Darcy chose not to mark it.

“I shall just sit here and enjoy it again.” She sat in a chair on the far side of the room.

He grew sharp. “Georgiana, please.”

“Or perhaps I shall take it outside! It is not too cold, is it? What a good idea!”

Darcy snapped. “I am your brother, and you will give me that letter
right now!
”

Needless to say, it took the rest of the day for a contrite Mr. Darcy to apologize fully to his distraught sister.

* * *

Christmas and Boxing Day came and went, as did the New Year. It was but a few days later that Darcy’s butler walked into the study one evening.

“Sir, Colonel Fitzwilliam to see you.”

From behind his ornate desk, Darcy granted his cousin permission to enter and carefully stood as the officer bounded into the room. Darcy moved to greet him, a wry smile on his face.

“You are in a good mood, Fitz,” Darcy observed as they shook hands.

“I should be,” said the colonel, a rather silly expression on his weather-beaten face. “And you? How is your leg?”

“Tolerable. Macmillan has removed the splint, as you see. I manage to hobble about with a cane when it is too painful.”

“Good. Georgiana has said you have been rather beastly of late.”

Darcy flushed a little. “It is nothing, Fitzwilliam. What brings you here?”

“A drink! I need a drink of your fine brandy, for I bear monumental news!”

Assured that his Fitzwilliam relations were well, Darcy bade his guest sit and soon presented him with a snifter of Cognac. “Well?” said Darcy upon taking a chair opposite his cousin. “Will you tell me this news directly, or shall I have to weasel it out?”

Colonel Fitzwilliam was very smug. “You will never guess.”

“Let me see. You have a new horse — that fine chestnut from Knightley.”

“No.”

“That pointer bitch Willoughby was boasting about? You had your eye on her.”

“Come, Darcy, you can do better than that!”

“Truly, Fitz, I am not in a humor for this. Tell me your news or let us drink in silence.”

“Congratulate me, for I am to be married!”

Darcy’s head jerked up. “Married? To whom? Forgive me, Fitz — allow me to wish you joy, but who is the unfortunate lady?”

“Ha! Miss Caroline Bingley.”

Darcy sat back, crossly. “I said I was not in a mood for your jokes.” He took in his cousin’s expectant expression and raised an eyebrow. “You are in earnest? You have proposed to Miss Bingley?”

“Yes, but officially she has agreed only to a courtship. A mere formality — we have determined we shall be married by year’s end. I might yet beat you to the altar unless you have finally proposed to Miss Elizabeth Bennet.” He gestured at the drawing of Elizabeth done by Miss Kitty, mounted and hung with obvious care next to the portrait of Georgiana.

Darcy merely blinked. His years of practice in hiding his true feelings served him well now, but Colonel Fitzwilliam was not deceived.

“I know what you are thinking, Darcy, and you are wrong about Caroline.” He smiled. “Not that I blame you. Few people know the real Miss Bingley. It is her own doing — those airs she puts on! It is to laugh if one did not feel for her.”

“You . . . you have feelings for her?”

“Of course. Just because I do not moon as you do over your ladylove does not mean I fail to hold Caroline in high regard. We got to know each other quite well in Hertfordshire. It was not so great a burden to keep her away from your sickbed as one might expect. In private, absent from those she means to impress, she is very amicable and amusing.”

“Are we speaking of the same Caroline Bingley? Charles Bingley’s sister?”

“I am. You only know the public guise she put on — rather poorly, I might observe. Poor girl, always running from her roots in trade without having any proper guidance on how to do it. That ridiculous superiority! One can either despise her or pity her. I chose to show compassion. And do you know what I discovered? A lovely, insecure lady longing to belong to someone. She is terrified of returning to trade, yet she has found entrance into the
ton
difficult. When I found her out, oh how she resisted me! But I was determined; I would not be gainsaid. I wore her down with good humor and patience. She now loves me more than she ever loved you.”

“You do realize she wanted to be Mrs. Darcy.”

“Wrong, old boy,” said the colonel with a smile. “She wanted to be mistress of Pemberley and the acceptance by the First Circles that title would provide her. You just came along with it. Once I was able to get her to see that you were unattainable, it was no hard work to have her understand that the second son of an earl might do as well, especially as he is amusing and has not the abhorrence of society owned by his cousin.”

“But you have no fortune.”

“True, the loss of the Darcy funds was a blow to her. But I am not exactly poor, and my modest expectations from Father, plus her twenty thousand, should provide a comfortable living in London. London is the key; she longs for parties and dances and society — things I like and you hate. In the heat of summer, we can visit her family in Scarborough and mine in Derbyshire. We will find it very agreeable to have someone else pay the bills a few months out of the year, ha ha!”

“But what of affection?”

Colonel Fitzwilliam shrugged. “We have become good friends. There is affection enough for now, and when the time comes, I am certain we will get along rather better than most — certainly better than my brother and
dear sister
.” He grinned. “The trick is to convince her that passion is
de rigueur
in marriage. I will enjoy teaching her. It should not be too hard. She loathes Mrs. Hurst’s marriage, and I have assured her that ours will be quite different.” He wagged his eyebrows.

“She accepted your assurances?”

“It was more of experiencing them.”

Darcy was shocked. “Fitzwilliam! What have you done? You did not compromise the lady, did you?”

The colonel waved him off with a grin. “Oh, nothing permanent! Just enough of a taste to know what to expect. She enjoyed it, I think. I know I did.”

Darcy was not completely assured by his cousin’s words. “Then why a courtship? Even a ‘small’ compromise should lead to an immediate engagement. Are the earl and countess opposed?”

“Of course, they are opposed! They are Fitzwilliams, after all! Father will come around. Caroline is pleasant to behold, and her fortune alone makes her acceptable. Besides, he knows that society expects no better from me, being a second son with no estate. Once Father learns of Caroline’s wicked, biting sense of humor, they will get along famously. Mother, on the other hand, will rail for weeks until she gets it out of her system. Then she will magnanimously take the poor girl under her wing and teach her proper Fitzwilliam manners. Between shopping and gossip, the two might become dangerous.

“As for the courtship, it was Caroline’s idea. She wants to go through one last Season with me on her arm. That is why we have made no announcement. She wants to show me off and rub her good fortune into the faces of some of her acquaintances. So I must ask you to keep my news to yourself. Only my parents know, besides you. We have not even told Bingley yet. You know he cannot keep a secret.”