“You know what I mean, Darcy! You need to laugh, meet some ladies, dance a little.”
“You mean drink myself into oblivion and embarrass myself with some female whose father will be at my door tomorrow morning…”
“I mean, we are expected at Almack’s this evening.”
“Then, by all means, go enjoy yourself. I, however, shall not be joining you.”
Bingley gaped at him, genuinely bewildered. “Not going to Almack’s? Darcy, that is practically unheard of. Half of London will be expecting you!”
Darcy gave a slight, almost imperceptible shrug. “Half of London will survive without me for one evening, I assure you.”
“No, no. Not this time, Darcy. I mean to drag you from this house by main force if I must. Nearly everyone we know will be there, andyou, Darcy, will enjoy yourself.”
“I cannot go, Bingley, and for that matter, neither can you, so you had best put away your dancing shoes.”
Bingley let out a huff of frustration. “And what could possibly be more pressing than Almack’s?”
Darcy leaned back in his chair. “I had a letter this morning from Edward Gardiner. Remember him?”
Bingley blinked. “Gardiner? The merchant?”
“Yes. He was one of the first men to take a chance on us, back when we were starting out with that ludicrous scheme of yours to import French beeswax. We owe him a great deal.”
“Oh, come now. Gardiner was just a good-natured fellow with a nose for profit. We made him wealthy, he made us wealthy, and then our needs diverged. We have hardly done any business with him these past five years. Surely, he does not expect us to drop everything and turn up for some business meeting when we were expected at Almack’s.”
Darcy gave him a pointed look. “He has requested that we speak on an urgent shipping matter. Apparently, he is in some straits and believes we can help. I am not one to ignore an old friend’s request, especially one who took a risk on us when no one else would.”
Bingley sighed, throwing himself into the chair opposite Darcy’s desk with a dramatic flourish. “So, let me understand this. You would have me abandon the delights of Almack’s for yet another dull business dinner?”
“Precisely,” Darcy said with a slight smile.
“Oh, Darcy, I am beginning to think you derive some peculiar satisfaction from dragging me to the dreariest possible affairs.”
Darcy gave a dry chuckle. “I derive satisfaction from keeping you out of trouble, which is precisely what you are bound to find at Almack’s if left unsupervised.”
Bingley shook his head, looking both exasperated and amused. “The ‘trouble,’ as you put it, is simply society. You really should try embracing it now and again, Darcy. You may even find it tolerable.”
“I doubt that very much,” Darcy replied. “And besides, this is not merely business. It is a matter of loyalty. Gardiner helped us establish our reputation, and I shall not brush off his request for the sake of… frivolity.”
“Frivolity?” Bingley looked almost cut to the heart. “You think Almack’s is frivolous?”
“I thinkmostof the events you drag me to are frivolous. And given recent experience, any arguments you might make to the contrary have not a leg to stand on.”
Bingley gave a resigned sigh. “Very well, Darcy. If you insist, I shall accompany you to this… thrilling business dinner. But mark my words, I shall hold you responsible if it proves as mind-numbing as I expect.”
“Then it is settled. Now, shall we see what Mr. Gardiner wishes to discuss?”
Bingley gave one last, forlorn glance at the door, as if Almack’s were a beloved pet he was being forced to leave behind. “Very well,” he muttered, folding his arms with a good-natured grumble. “But you owe me, Darcy. You owe me a proper evening of enjoyment one of these days.”
Darcy merely smirked. “I would hardly call Almack’s ‘enjoyment,’ but if it will ease your suffering, perhaps we shall revisit the idea—after we have shown Mr. Gardiner the courtesy he deserves.”
Bingley chuckled, rising to his feet. “Lead on, Darcy. But next time, you shall have to face the consequences of Lady Stanwick’s nieces without me.”
Three
“Why are we doingthis? Admit it, Darcy—you would rather beanywhereelse in London tonight.”
“Quite true,” Darcy replied, adjusting his gloves. “Though my preference would beanywherebut Almack’s. No matter how many times you try to sell me on its charms, I have yet to find a single one.”
