Darcy refused to be bothered. Standing next to the fireplace, he surveyed the group. “Mr. and Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley will remain at Netherfield Park until morning, as travel is restricted on the Sabbath. Servants will wake you early to prepare for your journey. I expect you three to depart for London before noon. There is nothing for you here.”
Turning his back on them to the sound of the Bingley sisters blustering, Darcy addressed Wickham. He pointed at the scoundrel, his eyes piercing his worst enemy. “I care nothing about what you do. Nothing! You could go hang yourself, and I would not mourn. My sister is the only reason I haven’t thrown you out. For her, my wife and I would do anything. For you? You are on your own.”
“Bah!” Wickham sneered. “I hear the words spewing from your tongue, Darcy, but I do not believe one of them. This is not about Georgiana. It is about Pemberley, always Pemberley. You would do anything to regain control ofmyestate. Tell me, is that how you caught your bride? Did you tease her with fruitless hopes of being the future mistress of a grand estate? Did you make promises you will never see fulfilled because dreams are all you have in your pocket?”
He knew Wickham’s tactics. He spent years hearing his childish rants. Instead of reacting as expected, Darcy smiled through clenched teeth. “You are a fool like you always have been. Pemberley may currently be yours, butit is temporary at best. You will never have the respect of the tenants. I suspect you’ve already squandered a considerable sum, leaving you unable to repair Darcy House and maintain Pemberley. Unlike you, I have never had debts. I have never been tossed out of establishments because I could not pay for what I already consumed. I have a clean conscience since I have never knowingly cheated anyone.”
His uncle said, “Most importantly, Darcy has the love of an incredible woman who cares not for the trappings of grandeur you always coveted. In truth, compared to you, he has it all.”
Glancing at the Hursts and Miss Bingley, Lord Matlock continued, “There is no reason for you to remain in company. Return to your chambers until you depart in the morning. A tray in your rooms will suffice.”
Ignoring his uncle, Miss Bingley groused. “Mr. Darcy, it is only fitting that you married a Bennet and that my brother left before he could attach himself to one. You do not know how to treat guests, and apparently, neither does your wife. I am forever grateful that I saw nothing in you before you lost Pemberley because I would never want my name connected to yours.”
“Au contraire, Miss Bingley.” Richard grinned. “Even before I left for the continent, you were chasing my cousin, hoping to become the next mistress of Pemberley.”
Her chin lifted. “There is nothing wrong with that goal.”
“The position is already filled. This leaves you being only a man’s mistress instead of the mistress of a household. How far you have fallen, Miss Bingley.”
She gasped.
Darcy added, “The taint of your descent will follow you from now on. I will not have your name attached in any form to mine and my wife.”
“Nor to us,” Lord Matlock proclaimed.
Her face lost all color. She stomped her slippered foot on the floor, then hurried out of the room, the Hursts following her, grumbling.
Hurst stopped in front of Wickham. “Aren’t you going to do anything about her? You created this monster.” He nodded toward where Miss Bingley had been.
Wickham ignored him.
Hurst shook his head disconsolately, then followed his wife to their chambers.
Mr. Bennet stood. “If you do not mind, as much as I have enjoyed this drama, I shall rescue Lady Matlock, Mrs. Wickham, and Lizzy from my ladies.” To Darcy, he said, “I was right in concluding that my daughter’s life would not be dull.” Bowing to Darcy’s uncle and cousin, he took his leave.
Now that it was the four of them, Darcy told Wickham to sit in the same tone he used with his hounds.
“You cannot tell me what to do,” Wickham insisted.
Darcy joined his cousin on a sofa. Lord Matlock sat beside them. Ignoring Wickham, Darcy said to his uncle, “I heard rumors from some of the local landowners that there is an added farm tax being pushed through the House that could cause an immediate dip in the price offered for wheat and corn. Is this correct?”
Hugh Fitzwilliam nodded. “You heard correctly. For those who have not yet brought in their crops, they verywell could end up not being able to afford seed. Of course, this mainly affects those in the north since the cooler air causes a longer growth cycle.”
“Are Matlock’s harvests complete?” Darcy asked, unsurprised when Wickham drew nearer.
“As of four weeks ago, they are. I cannot recall a year when the revenue was as high.” His uncle relaxed in his chair. “What I found to be odd was the direction from which the harvest crew traveled prior to arriving at Matlock. For as long as I can recall, they always went to Pemberley before they started our farms. Instead of coming from the east, they arrived from the south. This time, when they packed up and left, they continued northwest to Chatsworth. According to their itinerary, from there, they will continue west with no plans to return to the locale. They bypassed Pemberley completely.”
“What do you mean they did not go to Pemberley?” Wickham charged toward Lord Matlock, stopping when his feet almost touched those of Darcy’s uncle. “Why did they not go to Pemberley? We need those crops harvested.” Red crept up Wickham’s neck.
“Did you pay the advance deposit for them to come?” Darcy asked casually. “The landowner covers their travel expenses and sustenance as well as their wages. Did you not see this done?”
Wickham threw his hands into the air. “When did I have the time to do this, even if I had known that it was up to me?” He rubbed his hands over his face. “Blast it! I need those funds.”
“Did not Simmons advise you?” Darcy asked.
“Simmons was let go when we returned fromScotland. I grew up knowing more about crops and such than I ever wanted to know. Why would I need to pay a steward?”
“Touché.” Darcy shrugged, as did Richard and his uncle. Then they continued their conversation about the House of Lords until Wickham stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.
