Mrs. Jennings took to the notion with alacrity, and dispatched some hasty directives to her staff to make the preparations ready at an instant. A selection of fruit, cheese, and other refreshments was to be packed up, along with rugs and cushions for their comfort, and conveyed to Hyde Park, which was but a short walk for her guests.
The viscount congratulated them for such clever thinking, and declared, “Matlock House is along our path – I must invite the countess to join us, and I should very much wish to present my girls to you ladies.”
Jane looked at him with surprise, and did not notice the look of envy Miss Bingley cast at her. “That would be lovely, Viscount Bellamy.”
Elizabeth peered up at Mr. Darcy, who was still standing beside her. He extended his hand to help her to her feet. “As you are to be my muse, Miss Bennet, I shall learn your fondness for walking.”
Miss Bingley’s next poisonous glare was not lost on its intended recipient, but Elizabeth smiled brightly at the woman. “Excellent. We shall be a very merry party, even if we are notsufficient inducement for Miss Bingley to tempt her brother back to London.”
“I am sure we are all where we are meant to be,” the viscount said, offering Jane his arm.
The rest of their party began to sort themselves as they donned their outerwear and vied for their preferred walking companions.
It was but a block to Matlock House, where the viscount entreated his step-mother and three daughters to join their already large party. From there they continued two more blocks to Hyde Park, and made their way toward the Serpentine, where Mrs. Jennings’s beleaguered butler was supervising the setup of their impromptu picnic.
As he shepherded his daughters, timid girls of eleven, eight, and six, the viscount fell into step with Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. “Miss Elizabeth, I wonder if you might now tell me what would not have been polite for you to reveal in the drawing room.”
“Phillip,” Mr. Darcy said with a sigh as he looked askance at his cousin.
Viscount Bellamy ignored this. “Come, Miss Elizabeth; I begin to share my cousin’s appreciation for that sparkle of wit in your eyes. I know you wish to tell me some great secret you are privy to, and I daresay it has to do with my rival. I am a pitiful fellow, and I need every advantage."
Elizabeth followed the darting of his gaze to Jane, who was stuck with Edward Ferrars as a companion for their walk to the park. And then she looked over at Mr. Darcy, who was still grimacing at his cousin. “You need not indulge him, Miss Elizabeth,” he said softly. “You have admonished me for my previous meddling; I understand it is not something you should wish my cousin to pressure you about.”
“I should hardly consider it meddling when I mean to present him with facts, rather than opinions or assumptions, or any manner of subterfuge.” Elizabeth grinned cheerfully, for she rather enjoyed abusing Mr. Ferrars; it had become the one comfort of enduring his company.
She turned her bright smile on the viscount, and she leaned in to whisper to him, without releasing Mr. Darcy’s arm. She relayed the substance of Edward Ferrars’s conduct to Viscount Bellamy – how he had practically courted Elinor, causing his sister to cast the Dashwoods out of the house, and how the cad had all the while been secretly engaged to a woman he now wished to forsake.
“And the young lady – is that Miss Steele? Miss Bingley’s accomplice, you called her,” the Viscount said with an appreciative whistle at her scandalous information, as Elizabeth nodded her head.
“We do him a disservice in discussing it; we cannot know the nuance of the situation,” Mr. Darcy said gravely. “He walks a fine line in following the strictures of his own conscience while dependent on the good will of his relations.”
“Given his dependency, I consider his decisions to be rather reckless,” Elizabeth said to the viscount. “I am sure my sister is of the same opinion. You must rescue her from her misery.”
Viscount Bellamy raised her hand in his and bowed his head over it. “Wise Miss Elizabeth, I give you my thanks, though it seems I must leave you to the admonishments of my shamefully neutral cousin.” He led his daughters to walk with the countess, and then he hastened to intercept Jane.
They were just entering the park when Elizabeth finally spoke, after watching Mr. Darcy and waiting for him to react toher indiscreet revelations. “I suppose you already knew of Mr. Ferrars’s… situation?”
While the viscount had responded with reasonable shock, Mr. Darcy had not shown a trace of surprise at what Elizabeth told them. She studied the man whose arm she held, curious at the subtle shifting of emotions on his handsome face. Finally, he gave a nod of his head.
“Miss Elizabeth, I know all too well the desire to protect one’s sister. However, I believe Miss Bennet has demonstrated that she is perfectly capable of speaking plainly; I am sure that she is quite safe with Mr. Ferrars.”
Elizabeth begrudgingly agreed that if her sister could firmly tell Mr. Darcy that she no longer cared for Mr. Bingley, surely Jane could handle Mr. Ferrars. Even so, it nettled her that he would not involve himself, even on his cousin’s behalf.
“I thought you wished to learn somewhat of my mischief, sir.” Elizabeth flinched, for she could see that her jest had not the intended effect on Mr. Darcy.
“I also wish my friend to be the master of his own fate, to make his own decisions. It is what I ought to have done with Bingley, and I consider not more than mere mischief to repeat that mistake with another friend, whose circumstances are far more precarious.”
“I see. And so Jane’s kindness must be prevailed upon so that Mr. Ferrars does not fall from his mother’s favor?”
“Elizabeth, I have no wish to speak of it,” Mr. Darcy said in exasperation.
She gaped at him as he spoke her name so intimately, and in such a harsh tone. Without saying another word to him, Elizabeth withdrew her arm from his and stormed away, to walk with Georgiana and Sophie the remainder of the way to the Serpentine. She did not speak to Mr. Darcy again.
***
Jane smiled at the sight of Viscount Bellamy as he fell into step beside her. She had declined Mr. Ferrars’s arm as they walked together, but she took the viscount’s with a grateful smile.
“I hope I am not too forward,” he said, “in wishing to acquaint you with my daughters, Miss Bennet.”
