“So you came to Darcy and I,” Colonel Fitzwilliam interrupted. “An excellent choice, and oneI hope Mr. Wickham failed to anticipate due to the rupture in our relations. Darcy, shall you come to London with us?”
“Yes. I will.” Darcy was looking at Charlie with an expression that Elizabeth thought indicated regret. “Bingley, I apologize for treating you so harshly.”
As he said that Colonel Fitzwilliam walked over to speak to the butler, punctuating every word with sharp gestures.
With a blush and a shaken head, Charlie replied to Darcy with a half laugh. “Nothing about it. Was quite a shocking situation — don’t blameyouat all. Never did. But we must help my sister — even if you hate her, she doesn’t deserve to be forced into marriage with that useless fellow at gunpoint.”
“Of course I shall go with you,” Darcy said. “We’ll immediately set out. If we ride all night, we can be in London long before the sun rises tomorrow morning, and—”
“No chance of that, stingy old fellow.” Colonel Fitzwilliam popped back. “I want to be as fresh and dewy faced as a lady before her first ball. Want to nap in the carriage. Not so young anymore.” He laughed. “Gave the orders to have it hitched while you two babbled about forgiveness, friendship, and all. We’ll hire the best horses at each stop, and run them hard. We’ll make better time this way than on horseback. I’m just glad it isn’t my purse that will suffer the consequences.”
Charlie said to Darcy, “I’ll of course pay any—”
“Oh nonsense.”
Charlie smiled at the way Darcy dismissively replied to that offer. Darcy turned to Elizabeth. He fixed his serious dark eyes on her face. “It appears that we part now, a little earlier—”
“If you are by carriage, I’m going as well,” Elizabeth interrupted him.
“But what about—”
“No one is going anywhere!” Lady Catherine exclaimed. She pounded her cane on the rug several times, making a dull thud. “What are you all speaking of! Preposterous. Pre-posterous! You want my nephew to leave so suddenly, and for such a reason! I shall not have it. I shall not stand it.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam poured himself a glass of brandy and took a generous swallow. “We have precise information about where that scoundrel might be. Of course we must go, and time is of the essence. Miss Elizabeth, it will be for the best if you come. Miss Bingley will prefer a friendlyfemaleface when she is found.”
“Then you two may go,” Lady Catherine said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “And best of luck upon it. But Darcy stays.”
Elizabeth almost giggled at the way that Lady Catherine believed that she could successfully order Darcy about like a somewhat disobedient dog.
Darcy was too occupied giving orders to the butler upon how his clothes were to be sent after him to pay any attention to his aunt. So she stalked over to him and started shouting at Darcy more directly.
The sound of the carriage being brought around and clattering on the cobblestones could be faintly heard despite the size of the building muffling the sound. Colonel Fitzwilliam drank back the rest of his brandy in a single swallow. “Time’s up, let’s go.”
“But, cousin, you can’t go!” Mr. Collins tried to stop her as Elizabeth quickly embraced Charlotte in parting. “It would be wholly inappropriate for you to travel in a carriage with three men!”
“I’m her brother by law,” Charlie exclaimed, “Wholly proper.”
And Darcy is my fiancé, Elizabeth thought to herself with a smile. He wouldn’t possibly do anything… improper to her.
“You must allow me to have a deeper understanding of propriety than your honored self,” Mr. Collins said to Charlie. “And I am in the position ofin loco parentiswhilst Cousin Elizabeth stays with me, and—”
“I’ll go too!” Georgiana exclaimed. “Then it’ll be wholly proper. She’ll be going on my invitation.”
“But—” both Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine exclaimed at the same time.
“Decided then!” Colonel Fitzwilliam rushed them all through the door, past their sputtering relations, and out into the carriage. Bright yellow lamps hung from each corner, and the driver was bundled up against the night that still became chilly in April. “Eh, a long night trip, sirs?”
Elizabeth thought the tone of voice had an edge of reproach in it.
“Straight to London, John,” Darcy called out. “Fast as you can make it, and a guinea for each of you all if we get there before the morning light!”
“Oh! Aha. Well then, sirs, in the carriage!” the coachman replied with a clearly pleased expression. “In quick so we can set off.”
Darcy handed up both Elizabeth and then Georgiana, and then he followed along with Charlie and Colonel Fitzwilliam.
Immediately upon Colonel Fitzwilliam lighting in the seat, before he’d even settled himself and closed the door, with a shout, the coachman clucked the horses into motion.
Apparently the promise of a guinea was more than ample to overcome any dislike in the driver’s mind for night journeys and the loss of sleep.
