The corner of Darcy’s mouth turned up, thinking how Miss Elizabeth’s sweetheart mouth had done the same earlier. “Since you have justified your time, we are to meet the ladies at one.”
“You say that the Crosgroves will be there? And what is the purpose? Shopping?”
“I am to purchase Miss Lydia Bennet a bonnet of her choosing.”
Bingley fidgeted. “Say, Darcy, you do know that thepurchase of gifts for females wholly unrelated to you is a sign that you are courting a lady in the family. Since we were introduced, and you only danced with Miss Lydia, have you determined to have her as your bride?”
“Absolutely not.” Darcy knew the rules of society better than Bingley. “Nor is the young lady expecting attention from me. There are two reasons an unattached man would gift trinkets to a family of ladies. Courtship or bribery. In this case,quid pro quoruled my decision to bribe Miss Lydia last night. Additionally, by purchasing for all the Bennets, I am not singling out any of them. If Mr. Bennet takes issue, I will gladly explain my position. This I do not expect since Miss Lydia thoroughly delineated how frequently her father denied the purchase of this bonnet because of the cost.”
His friend nodded. “But can you bear the expense, Darcy?”
“The cost of honor is the more salient consideration for me. Miss Elizabeth challenged me to keep her sisters under good regulation as repayment for my harsh comment. I was forced by my own poor conduct to make retribution. What money I spend is far less than what the price would be had Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty been left without firm oversight. Also, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, who seek to set a good example for their younger sisters, are modest. I was right that this quality would determine their expectations for today. Because of this, I can comfortably bear the expense.”
Bingley almost bounced from his seat. “Why, that will allow plenty of time to be at home when my family arrives.”
“As you say, Bingley.”
Stepping from the carriage, Darcy surveyed the house in the moonlight. Netherfield Park was sufficient for Bingley, should he choose to purchase the property, but it was not Pemberley. Still, it was good to be inside a house where peace ruled the day. Unfortunately, that would change once Bingley’s family arrived.
Darcy knew their habits well. Gilbert Hurst was interested in eating, drinking, and shooting. His wife, Bingley’s eldest sister, was completely under Miss Bingley’s control. From experience, he knew how badly Miss Bingley wanted to be a part of the highest circles of society. She chased him like a hound until he lost his fortune. Like Wickham, she was an opportunist. He had not regretted being absent from her company once since the summer. In truth, he was not any happier than Bingley to be living in the same house as the rest of Bingley’s family. He would need to finish his obligation to his friend, then leave as soon as Bingley felt confident enough to manage his leased estate with only his steward.
A vision of Miss Elizabeth’s sparkling eyes popped into his mind.Where did that come from?Rejecting the thought, he counted the minutes until the appointment at the haberdasher where he…Oh, goodness!There she was in his head again.
The next morning,Parker waited until after he shaved Darcy before mentioning that he’d received a message from Mrs. Price. Her first few letters from London painted a surprisingly pretty picture of domestic bliss as Wickham escorted Georgiana to one social event afteranother. Lately, the tone had changed. Like the one received the day prior, the housekeeper had little good to say about her new master. How disconcerting to learn Georgiana was no longer happy.
“I thank you, Parker. There is not a minute of the day that I do not worry about my sister. Wickham has always been selfish. The shine of playing at being a new husband has quickly tarnished. I am not surprised that he is spending so much time away from his wife. He has never been constant. That he lasted this long is a surprise.”
“Sir, she also writes that Mr. Wickham is now placing all his business papers in the safe instead of leaving them on the desk. Before he started doing this, Mrs. Price saw the signature at the bottom of one of the documents. She recognized it as belonging to Simon Cole.”
“What?” Darcy’s mind ran in circles with this information. Why would the two men have any further business? What could it mean? Had Cole returned to England? Dreading what the answer might be, Darcy needed to take action. Once he received the following report from the men he hired, he should know what to do. Whatever it was, it would not be in Hertfordshire. He would enjoy the day with the Bennet ladies, focus on helping Bingley with the estate, and then be prepared to depart as soon as word concerning his former man of business arrived.
The air was crisp,a harbinger of the coming winter. Bythe time the Bennet ladies prepared to walk to Meryton, the mist had vanished, leaving behind clear blue skies.
Lydia wore her light blue day gown for the first time since it arrived from the seamstress earlier that week. To keep her hem from the dust of the road, she walked the full mile holding her skirt above her boot-covered ankles. According to her, her gown was the perfect complement to the bonnet she was eagerly expecting Mr. Darcy to purchase. Kitty was insistent that she needed a bonnet, too, although she could not clearly explain her reasoning.
Mary said, “All you think about is ribbons and lace. ‘A meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God, is of great price.’”
Lydia chirped, “Good lord, Mary. It is not God that I am interested in impressing, for he does not wear the red coat of an officer nor the finely tied cravat of a wealthy gentleman. Mr. Darcy said that I should learn patience so I can aim high for the husband of my dreams. I have already waited twelve full hours. He will be most pleased with my efforts.”
Elizabeth cupped her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.Only Lydia!Poor Mr. Darcy.
Jane, too, took special care with her appearance that morning. The lavender and white stripes of her muslin complimented her fair coloring, bringing a glow to her complexion.
Not wanting to attract attention to herself, Elizabeth left her new day gown behind, wearing her familiar brown cotton with cream trim. Her bonnet was unadorned. The last thing she wanted was for Mr. Darcy to believe that she was trying to catch his eye. She absolutely, positively was not!
When they approached the main street of Meryton, she saw Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy in conversation with young Petey Sawyer. The lad looked up at Mr. Darcy with an eager expression. His face was spotlessly clean, likely the effort of his grandmother.
The boy was the first to see them.
“Miss Lizzy, this here is Mr. Darcy, who has the finest horse I’ve ever seen.” Petey poked his chest with his thumb. “I’m in charge of taking care of that gelding when he brings him into Meryton. Today, he asked me to watch his carriage horses for a bit after his driver takes care of them. Grammy says I need to keep my hair combed and my face shiny if I’m gonna be workin’ for a gentleman.”
Smoothing her fingers through his yellow curls, she said, “Well, I must say that your grandmother is correct. You look like a working man already, Master Sawyer. It shows discernment on Mr. Darcy’s part that he saw your value right away. You have always liked horses, have you not?”
“Oh, I do. I like them almost as much as I do the red squirrel that stores nuts in Grammy’s tree. I tried to store nuts, too, but I kept eating them.” His face lit up, highlighting the multitude of freckles covering every inch of his skin. “Miss Lizzy, do you know what Mr. Darcy told me?”
“I cannot begin to know. What did he say?” Elizabeth glanced at the man to see a blush blooming from his shirt collar to his cheeks.
Petey stepped closer. “He is gonna buy me some shoes, then give me a ride back to Grammy’s in his carriage. I told him I didn’t want to sit inside where nobody would see my new shoes. I want to stand on theback so everyone can see my feet. Can you imagine? Riding inside a carriage where no one can see my new shoes.” He huffed.
