Still, there was no response.
Caroline’s brow furrowed. She glanced at her footman, the corners of her mouth tightening. “Knock once more,” she ordered, her voice sharp.
Before the footman could comply, the door creaked open, revealing a stone-faced butler. His expression was impeccably neutral, but there was no mistaking the hint of cool detachment in his eyes.
“Madam,” he greeted stiffly, bowing. “The Darcys are not receiving visitors today.”
Caroline blinked, clearly taken aback by the blunt refusal. She opened her mouth to argue, her gloved hand fluttering at herthroat. “Not receiving visitors? Surely you jest. They must have forgotten to make an exception for me. I am a very close friend of Mr. Darcy’s.” She offered a brittle smile, hoping to press her advantage.
The butler’s expression remained unchanged. “I assure you, Miss, thatMrs.Darcy are not receiving anyone at present.” He emphasised the name, subtly pointing out how improper it was for a single lady to pay a call on a married man.
Caroline’s face flushed, her composure cracking ever so slightly. “Surely, you could inform Mr. Darcy that I am here? I am certain he would wish to see me. I wish to congratulate him on his recent marriage. Mrs. Darcy, too, for I met her in Hertfordshire.”
The butler inclined his head, unperturbed. “I have been given strict instructions to admit no visitors, except those specifically invited, Miss. If you would like to leave your card, I will see that it is passed along toMrs.Darcy.”
Caroline hesitated, the rejection stinging more than she cared to admit. Her pride wavered as she struggled to maintain her poise. “Very well,” she said tightly, withdrawing a small card from her reticule. “Please ensure Mr. Darcy knows that I called.”
With that, she turned on her heel, her footman scrambling to follow. As the door shut softly behind her, Caroline’s lips thinned further, her mind racing to figure out why she had been so summarily dismissed. “That impertinent butler,” she muttered.
When she arrived back at her brother's townhouse, she was in a foul mood. She marched into the front parlour, her hands trembling in her gloves—whether from the chill or the humiliation of her failed visit, even she could not say. Withoutremoving her bonnet or shawl, she stormed into the room where her brother sat with a cup of tea, reading a letter with an easy smile on his face.
"Charles!" she snapped, her voice sharp enough to startle him from his pleasant reverie. "I demand an explanation for this—this outrageous treatment! Mr. Adams had the gall to tell me that they were not receiving visitors. Not receiving visitors! After all I have done to be a steadfast friend to him—this is the thanks I receive?"
Bingley blinked at the onslaught, setting his teacup down and folding his letter. He sighed, recognising the storm that was about to hit. "Caroline, do calm down. What are you on about now? What is this about Mr. Adams?” he asked. "Do you mean Darcy's butler? Why would you have called at Darcy House uninvited and with no one to accompany you? How did you even know he was in town? I have only just received word of it myself.”
"I have my ways, Charles," Caroline said with a wave of her hand.
"Darcy intends to be in town for only a short time. He asked me to meet with him tomorrow at his club to discuss some business. I imagine he will have something to say about his new wife as well, and I confess to being most eager to learn how it all came to be. I could scarcely believe it when I saw the announcement in the paper, especially when I realised his new wife was one of the lovely Miss Bennets we met in Hertfordshire."
"That is exactly what I wish to know, brother. You must respond to his note and insist he come here. Then we can both ask our questions about how he came to be married to such an impertinent chit. Surely, she must have trapped him to persuadesuch a steadfast man as Mr. Darcy to elope," Caroline stated vehemently.
Bingley raised his brow at his sister. "Ourquestions, dear sister? Why do you think Darcy must answer you? I cannot imagine you mean to do anything other than to use the information you gather to spread gossip. While I might not know all the details of Darcy's marriage, I can assure you he was not tricked into anything. If he eloped with Miss Elizabeth Bennet, with anyone, it was because he desired it. Darcy is the most honourable, trustworthy man I have ever known, and he would not have acted in such a scandalous manner without a good reason. He does not oweyouany explanation of his actions. Nor will I share with you what he says to me. No, Caroline, I will not demand Darcy meet me here so you can have your curiosity satisfied, and I would recommend that you not visit Darcy House again without an invitation fromMrs.Darcy."
Caroline again scowled at this, but try as she might, she could not persuade her brother to do as she wished in this matter.
From her seatby the window in the library, Elizabeth watched the angry woman stalk away from the house. She and Darcy had been discussing their plans for the next several days while they waited on the others to come down to break their fasts.
“She was rather displeased to be sent away, Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth giggled. “I could nearly make out her voice from here, even with the door closed.”
Darcy rolled his eyes as he nuzzled his wife's neck from his position seated next to her. A month of marriage had not deterred his desire to keep her close and to touch her as frequently as possible. “Miss Bingley presumed a closeness with both my sister and me that did not exist. Did you not hear her ask to pay a call onme? Even before our marriage, for her to call on a single man would have been highly improper. In her frustration, she forgot that her purpose ought to have been to call on Miss Darcy. At least that would have been proper.”
Elizabeth giggled, as much from the sensation on her neck as his words. “Enough, sir. We have only a short time in town and many things to do. Tuesday, Georgiana and I will be away from home all day, visiting Georgiana'smodiste. I hope this is the only fitting I must endure, and that the dressmaker has completed most of the dresses we ordered. You will interview the two potential solicitors on Monday; is that correct? They will come here?” she asked, trying to redirect her husband's attention.
Grudgingly, he allowed his attention to be redirected to their plans and allowed Elizabeth to continue her questioning. “You mentioned inviting your Aunt and Uncle Matlock to pay a visit so you can introduce them to me. Do you wish to invite them for tea or for a meal? I intended to ask my aunt and uncle to dine with us early next week. Do you still believe our arrival will go unheralded, or should we attempt a night at the theatre?”
Darcy sighed, slumping back against the settee. “Miss Bingley's arrival demonstrated that there is little I can do in town that goes unnoticed. I am certain the gossips will be panting for the sight of you. The footmen I hired to act as your guards will needto accompany you and Georgiana everywhere. One should be close to you at all times, Elizabeth. The attack on our way here only goes to show how important it is to remain vigilant. We still need to deal with Lady Catherine and learn if anyone else was involved in her plot.”
Blowing out a breath, Elizabeth nodded reluctantly. “I can tolerate it better in town than I would be able to do at Pemberley. It is not as though I could have gone out and walked in the park by myself, regardless of how close it might be. Do not worry, Fitzwilliam, I will accept the guards accompanying me as long as you deem it necessary.”
The two discussed the other questions that Elizabeth asked, deciding to invite both families for dinner on different nights during their stay. Whether they would attend any events depended in part on how quickly the gossip spread about their presence in town.
In the nextissue of the paper, an item appeared in the local gossip columns, much to the chagrin of the Darcys and the Bingleys although it was for entirely different reasons.
A certain FD of P___ in Derbyshire has arrived in town accompanied by his new bride and his sister. The morning after the gentleman’s arrival, an unmarried lady, a Miss CB, was seen on his doorstep and was heard asking to call on the gentleman. I think that Miss CB might have losther senses after learning that her prey had chosen another for her to have disregarded propriety in such a way. Fortunately for Mr. and Mrs. D, the lady was turned away after the butler reminded her how improper her actions were. I would hate to have been the lady’s brother, a Mr. CB, when the… lady arrived back home.
Chapter Twenty-Two
SATURDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 1811
