As if in confirmation of that, Miss Bingley met his gaze and asked, “Do you not agree, Mr. Darcy?”
“I imagine it is the best for which we can hope in such a provincial backwater as this,” Richard stated, using words that had become all but a catch phrase since he put in his appearance at that local assembly upon his arrival. He slanted a look at Darcy. Were his cousin a less civilized man, Richard thought he might actually growl.
Encouraged, Miss Bingley moved on to discussing the quality of Longbourn’s carpets. She possessed impressively keen skills of observation. She would make a wonderful spy.
The drive back to Netherfield Park seemed over long, and when they arrived, Richard disembarked with as much alacrityas manners allowed. He turned, ready to bound up the steps before—
“A word,Mr. Darcy,” Darcy ground out. “If you will.”
Richard winced. “Certainly, Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
“In my chambers, if you do not mind.” Not waiting for a reply, Darcy marched past him up the front steps.
Inside, Darcy quickly removed and handed over his outerwear, before stamping up the staircase. Richard trudged after. They proceeded to the sitting room off Darcy’s bedchamber, where Richard’s cousin opened the door with more force than necessary. He gestured Richard in.
With a beleaguered sigh, Richard complied, protesting, “Before you go off all righteous and indignant, I was simply—”
“I see no reason why you must depict me as such a tremendous boor,” Darcy interrupted as he closed the door. “I have surmised that your behavior at that assembly you attended was calculated to cause talk in London, but how insulting the Bennets in their own home will help draw ne'er-do-wells here, I cannot fathom. You are denigrating the Darcy name simply for your own amusement.”
Not troubling to sit, Richard rounded on his cousin. “For your information, Mrs. Bennet has relations in London, in trade, and if they gossip anything like she and her sister, Mrs. Phillips, do, they will have word of Mr. Darcy’s presence here spread about the lesser echelons of the city in under a day.”
Darcy blinked at him, then scowled. “Yes, Miss Bingley said something about their relations in trade.”
“Then honor me with the assumption that I know at least somewhat what I am about.” Richard kept his voice and face stern. He would never admit to Darcy that, yes, he was enjoying playing his cousin at his most supercilious. All the more entertaining with Darcy there to watch. Maybe he would even learn something.
“Know what you are about?” Darcy paced away across the room. “Did you truly need to say to Mrs. Bennet that, ‘in a country neighborhood, you move in a very confined and unvarying society?’ She was visibly insulted.”
“Oh, come now,” Richard scoffed. “Tell me you were not thinking that very thing?”
Darcy scowled at him.
Richard struggled not to grin. He jabbed a finger at his cousin. “I am playing you, and doing a fine job of it. If you do not like what you see, I am not entirely certain that is my fault.”
“I would never behave in so rude a manner.”
If Darcy were any more rigid, he wouldn’t be able to put his trousers on, Richard reflected. “I have seen you behave thusly around those you deem your inferiors. You cannot tell me you see the Bennets as your equals?”
Darcy’s gaze skittered away. Much of the anger drained from him in the form of a sigh. “You are correct. I cannot tell you that. Still, there is no reason not to behave with civility.”
“No? You do not wish them to be repeatedly reminded that Mr. Darcy is above them?” Maybe his cousin was, indeed, learning something.
“They are helping Georgiana,” Darcy said quietly. “I have not seen her so animated in over a year.” He raised stricken eyes to Richard. “I have not known how to help her. You cannot imagine how miserable she has been.”
Richard softened his tone as well. “No, I cannot, and perhaps I have made Mr. Darcy behave badly enough for a time. I will attempt to be a less egregious version of you.”
“Thank you.”
Richard studied his cousin, taking in lines of strain that had not been there a year ago. Georgiana was not the only one made miserable by her mistake. “I admit to some surprise at you permitting Georgiana to socialize with the Bennets in the firstplace. I cannot imagine that Miss Bingley did not speak against the idea.”
With a half-grimace, half-grin, Darcy nodded. “She took little time in informing me of their lack of suitability.”
“Yet, you still called there, with Georgiana.”
“Miss Elizabeth had suggested that socializing with those who do not know of her sorrow might be a balm for Georgiana.”
“Miss Elizabeth?” It wasn’t like Darcy to discuss such matters with a young miss, let alone take the advice of one. Richard narrowed his eyes. “You mean, the shorter sister with the brown hair?”
“The petite sister with the dark locks, yes.”
