Darcy’s gut clenched. Miss Bingley was correct. This was a mistake. He would say he—
One corner of Georgiana’s mouth twitched upward.
A…smile?
“Colonel Fitzwilliam?” Miss Bingley asked, still clutching his arm.
Miss Lydia said something more. All three younger ladies looked his way, to where Miss Bingley hung on him. Georgiana blinked rapidly. The other side of her mouth turned up as well.
Relief washed through Darcy. When was the last time he’d seen his sister smile? A hard lump formed in his throat.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam?” Miss Bingley repeated a touch too loudly.
He looked down at her, startled. “Yes?”
“Shall we be seated?”
“Oh, ah, yes.” As he turned, he realized that even though everyone else had taken their places while Mrs. Bennet called for tea, Miss Elizabeth still stood, watching her younger sisters with his.
The line eased from Miss Elizabeth’s brow. Her shoulders settled to a more natural angle. Darcy glanced back to see that Georgiana still wore that slight smile.
Miss Bingley pulled him over to the sofa and down to sit, far nearer to her than he liked, though he managed to extract his arm. A moment later, Miss Elizabeth settled onto the far end. On the other side of the large, low table that separated them, Miss Lydia still spoke, leaning across his sister, Miss Kitty mirroring her. Miss Kitty once more giggled. A hint of pink bloomed in Georgiana’s cheeks. Her smile seemed more bemused than happy, but at least she no longer frowned.
“It seems I should have clarified,” Miss Elizabeth murmured. “I said my relations would behave with normalcy, but I meant that they would behave with all the normalcy of which they are capable. Yet, I believe all goes well.”
“What are you two whispering about?” Miss Bingley asked, her voice pitched to carry.
Mrs. Bennet, taking her seat after calling for tea, cast Miss Elizabeth a frown. At her side, Miss Mary echoed the expression.
“I do not believe Colonel Fitzwilliam spoke,” Miss Elizabeth said easily. “For myself, I am sorry if I whispered. I have never had the opportunity to master the art of pitching my voice to carry across a London ballroom, as surely you have, Miss Bingley.”
Darcy commended Miss Elizabeth for that olive branch, though he doubted it would help.
“Never?” Miss Bingley looked past him, and down her narrow nose, at Miss Elizabeth. “You have not had the opportunity to attend such an event?”
“Only my Jane has graced a London ballroom,” Mrs. Bennet said cheerily. “And I do mean graced, for she graces any occasion.”
Miss Bennet dropped her gaze.
“And yet, you are unwed, Miss Bennet,” Miss Bingley stated. “How tragic that the only daughter your parents could afford to have in London did not succeed in capturing any man’s heart.”
Mrs. Bennet frowned. “On the contrary, Jane had an offer almost immediately, but Mr. Bennet refused the gentleman. He said fifteen was far too young to marry. I was angry with him at the time, but seeing how lovely my Jane is now, I have come to accept his wisdom.”
Across from Darcy, all color fled Georgiana’s face.
“Jane will do far better than his paltry five hundred a year,” Mrs. Bennet continued. She aimed the words directly at Bingley, eliciting a wince from both of her eldest daughters.
“But I am fifteen and I am certainly old enough to marry,” Miss Lydia proclaimed.
Mrs. Bennet smiled. “Yes, dear, but you are so mature.”
Miss Bingley’s eyebrows winged upward.
“Well, I daresay that if the cad did not have it in him to wait for a miss as lovely as you, Miss Bennet, he is no true gentleman and did not deserve you.”
Surprised by words that came very near to declaring serious intentions, Darcy turned to find that his friend gazed on Miss Bennet adoringly. She glanced up, flushed, and returned her attention to the hands clasped in her lap. Obviously, Richard had put Bingley in danger in more ways than one by browbeating him into their collusion.
Miss Bingley laughed lightly. “Oh, but a flirtation at fifteen means nothing, whether in London or in the country. Especially not in the country, for country flirtations are so fleeting. Do you not agree, Colonel?”
