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Darcy looked across the room to where Elliot was laughing with Fitzwilliam. They got along famously and even Fitzwilliam’s mother, the intractable Lady Sarah, was high amused. For a brief moment, Darcy imagined how Lady Anne would have responded to Elliot and knew without a single doubt that she would have been utterly charmed by him.
“It is complicated,” he eventually said. “We have had a difficult start of it, Elliot and I.”
“But you seem comfortable with each other now,” Georgiana prompted.
“I believe we might be.”
“Then…”
“Yes, Georgie,” Darcy confirmed her unspoken question, patting her arms as he did so. “If I can convince Elliot to accept me this time.”
She started. “This time?”
“I will say no more than that!”
Georgiana grinned and made her way across the room to Elliot. What else could Darcy do but follow? The Gardiners were setting up the card tables on Caroline Bingley’s instructions, and the Fitzwilliams joined them. Charles however did not. He came across the room and presented himself to Elliot just as Darcy did so as well.
“Mr. Bennet, we have not yet had an opportunity to converse,” he said softly.
Darcy looked across at Elliot, curious as to how he would respond. He knew the truth of it all now, including the extent of Bingley’s feelings for Jack, but Darcy wondered if Elliot had spent any time considering why Charles had so easily believed in Jack’s indifference, why he had not demanded an audience to uncover the truth of it all before leaving Netherfield, and what his next steps might be. Darcy had not speculated on this in his letter to Elliot, as it did not seem appropriate for him to do so, but he hoped that at some point Elliot might come to understand that, though exceedingly handsome and with a life full of advantage, Charles did not always have the confidence one would expect.
“We have not,” Elliot eventually said, a pause and then, “How are you, Mr. Bingley?”
Charles visibly exhaled before smiling at Elliot with obvious relief. “I am well enough,” he said and then paused again before asking, “How is your brother?”
Elliot tilted his head. “I have four, Mr. Bingley.”
“Indeed, you do,” Bingley replied. “How is Jack?”
Elliot seemed to consider that for a moment, and he looked across at Darcy and Georgiana before responding. “I should tell you he is well also, Mr. Bingley, but I would not do him a disservice by suggesting as much.”
“He is not unwell?” Bingley asked quickly.
“No,” Elliot said. “He is in good health.”
“I wondered if perhaps he had become afflicted with another of those dread colds,” Bingley said. “They are unpleasant.”
“His malady is not of that kind.”
“No…” Bingley shook his head. “I suppose not. I suppose also,” he added. “That our maladies are of a similar nature.”
“Indeed,” Elliot responded.
Georgiana was clearly fascinated by the conversation, her head going back and forth as she attempted to uncover the layers of meaning within it. Darcy did not doubt that she would soon pick up on what was not being said and would assault him with questions later than night or in the morning. Georgiana had an insatiable appetite for gossip, likely because she spent so much of her time in Pemberley with her companions who gave her very little in the way of any meaningful gossip beyond the affairs of the surrounding villages and the household staff! Thus it had to be so though. After the events of last summer Darcy was intent on ensuring that she was properly looked after and hidden away from fortune hunters such as Wickham! He scowled at the thought of the other man, and Georgiana noticed, giving him a quizzical look.
“Miss Bingley is calling for you,” Darcy said.
“I did not notice.”
“Perhaps she hopes you will partner at a game of whist.”
“I doubt it, brother. I am a shockingly poor player.”
“Why don’t you go and find out?”
Georgiana was old enough to know that she was being excused but she took it in good grace, nodding at Bingley and Elliot before making her way across the room where she was welcomed by Caroline Bingley and Mrs. Annesley.
“Tell me” Bingley said after a moment. “When do you intend to return to Hertfordshire, Mr. Bennet?”
