“I quite agree, sir,” Georgiana said, beaming at the compliment. “I would feel the same way even if he were not my brother, though I am glad he is.”
“I believe he is recently married, is he not?” he continued. “I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting his wife, though I am sure any lady he chose must surely be the very best of women.”
Caroline forced herself to keep smiling. Must the notion of Elizabeth Bennet’s greatness be foisted on her at every available opportunity? Would she never be allowed to forget that the young lady had already achieved what she herself was still a long way from accomplishing?Is there any place left in England where I might be safe from the mention of that name, or have all the local crofters heard of her, too?
“Indeed,” Georgiana said, casting a sidelong glance at Caroline. “My new sister is a darling woman.”
In short order, Mr Radcliffe introduced a few of his friends. They were pleasant enough, albeit a little keen to show off by talking of the large bets they’d placed on who might win the upcoming boat race.
“Perhaps I shall place a bet, too,” Caroline declared, and Mr Radcliffe turned to her, interest lighting up his blue eyes.
“Do you like to gamble, Miss Bingley?”
“Not at all, sir,” she replied. “But I do like to win.”
“Difficult to achieve one without the other,” he said, amused. “And whom shall you place your bet upon?”
“Why, whichever team you are on.” This was perhaps overdoing it a little, she knew, but subtleties hadn’t yet been part of the Great Endeavour’s curriculum. She ignored Georgiana’s raised eyebrow and kept her attention on her target.
Mr Radcliffe chuckled, giving Caroline an appraising look. “You believe me to be a victor, Miss Bingley?”
“It is not what I believe, sir,” said she. “For I know very little of the sport, that much is true. But I heard your friend Mr Howard say that when you declared your intent to row, several gentlemen immediately changed their bets. To have such support speaks of prior experience with your talent.”
“Is that so?” he said, his eyebrows rising. “A sharp mind behind such a beautiful face, Miss Bingley. Twin dangers indeed.”
Georgiana was watching them intently, her mouth hidden by the rim of her glass of lemonade. The other men, apparently too interested in their own conversations, had already wandered off to stand by the pier.
“What say we make the bet a little more interesting?” Mr Radcliffe suggested.
Now Caroline was the one intrigued. “What did you have in mind?”
“Money is beside the point. I expect you and I have enough of it already,” he said, with a careless wave of his hand. “If I win, I would like to have the honour of your company for lunch.”
Caroline allowed him the full force of her most charming smile, allowing the moment to drag on for a heartbeat longerthan was proper. “Do you think that motivation enough to win, sir?”
He smirked back. “I am certain the opportunity will lend my arms hitherto unknown strength, Miss Bingley.”
Caroline nodded her acquiescence, and Mr Radcliffe gave a short bow before strolling away. “Well,” said she, the moment he was out of earshot, “that was something, was it not?”
“Indeed.” Georgiana opened her mouth, seemed to think better of whatever she was going to say, and closed it again. “I am delighted that you have found a potential match.”
“Hardly,” Caroline scoffed. “One conversation is no basis for a marriage.”
“People have fallen in love over less,” Georgiana pointed out, studying Caroline. “A single look across a crowded ballroom, even.”
“You need not fear the same from me, Georgie. If I am to fall in love, it will take time and many conversations. And many such looks, both in public and in private.” Caroline cast a quick glance at Mr Radcliffe, who was entertaining his fellows with some jocular story that had them all in stitches. Flirting had always been fun for its own sake—and what young lady did not like attention being lavished on her by eligible men?—but when she looked at Mr Radcliffe, she did not feel any particular desire. Still, as she’d just pointed out to Georgiana, love could not be so easy as a single glance. “One ought to know the true nature of one’s intended partner before one utters a weighty word such aslove.”
“Do not tell me you are getting cold feet about your Grand Endeavour now,” Georgiana teased, nudging Caroline with her elbow.
“Firstly, I would have thought you’d encourage me to get to know a man before trying to wed him,” Caroline countered, elbowing Georgiana back and eliciting a grin from her companion. “And secondly, you know very well that it is the Great Endeavour, not the Grand Endeavour.”
“I know it indeed, but nothing pleases me so much as pulling your tail a little, just to see your claws emerge. I have always thought you at your prettiest when slightly peeved, Miss Bingley.” Miss Darcy’s dark eyes met her own, and the look in them was so intimate, so knowing, that for a moment Caroline entirely forgot that they were surrounded by people, forgot that there was a sky above and grass underfoot; forgot everything but Georgiana’s tender smile, meant for her alone. Something in her chest twinged; not the soft pluck of a harp string, but something hard and sharp and—
Someone bumped into her, jostling her hard enough to nudge her off-balance for a moment, and Georgiana caught her by the elbow before Caroline fell flat on her face. “Why, Miss Chester,” Georgiana said, turning to the offending party. “Are you injured?”
Caroline turned too, finding two ladies behind her. The younger of the pair—evidently sisters, with matching brown hair and grey eyes—was staring at the ground and had bent to massage her ankle. The girl, who now looked up in consternation, could not have been more than seven-and-ten. “Oh, Miss Darcy! My deepest apologies to your friend,” she said, looking as guilty as if she’d just run Caroline through with a sabre. “I must have tripped on this tussock. I hope I did not injure either of you?”
Miss Darcy’s hand was still on her elbow. Caroline swallowed as the warm fingers slipped away, wishing they could remain. “I am unharmed,” she assured the group. “And you?”
