Bingley grimaced at him, and William led his two hired actors from the room, under the guise of paying them off. He thanked them and sent them on their way, and then called for his servants to begin loading Bingley’s things into his carriage. Bingley himself climbed into the barouche not half an hour later, looking exceedingly dejected, but William was utterly relieved. Now, he could attend to his preparations for receiving Elizabeth. Dinner would have to be put off until a later hour, and he would need to speak to Kitty, but she was nowhere to be found.
***
Kitty sat in her treehouse, sulking. Even the sight of Duchess and her kittens did not cheer her, for it only reminded her of the dashing of her hopes regarding cousin Darcy. His being at Wildewood was the only remotely interesting thing to ever happen to her, and she wished to throttle her guardian for sending him away, even if it was to go and comfort his invalid friend.
For more than an hour, she idly perused the embellished pages of her diary, full of fanciful drawings and poetical accounts of romantic things that had never actually happened. And then she heard jaunty whistling; it was growing closer. Kitty poked her head out and cried out with joy; it was Darcy.
He smiled up at her and then climbed the ladder, still whistling up until the moment when his lips met hers. She was startled, but she swiftly gave in to the pleasant sensation, pulling him into the little treehouse as they clung to one another in a clumsy shambles. Duchess hissed at the disruption.
They broke apart, laughing. “Cousin, you have returned! But… how?”
He grinned. “William can hardly banish me in my own carriage – ha cannot commandmydriver. I left the carriage in Markby, and instructed my driver to return in an hour – I believe I can yet persuade William to allow me to remain here.”
“But what about poor Mr. Bunbury?”
Darcy laced his fingers through hers. “I care nothing for Bunbury, not anymore; I only want to be with you. I believe I am falling in love with you, Kitty.”
She beamed at him, and reached for her diary, patting the ground for him to sit down beside her. “You silly man, we have been in love for more than a year.”
He sputtered with astonished laughter. “Is that so?”
Kitty nodded emphatically as she opened her diary to the page on which he had recorded the rapturous details of their first meeting – fourteen months prior. “It was love at first sight,” she said, and she read the page aloud to him with tremendous feeling.
He nestled against her as they continued looking at her diary, which documented their fanciful romance in heartfelt detail. “Should you like to see one of the letters you sent me?”
Darcy laughed. “Kitty, I have never sent you any letters.”
“You need hardly remind me that I was forced to do so on your behalf. Fortunately for you, it is my greatest triumph. The three I wrote for you after I ended our courtship were so beautiful, and so badly spelled….”
“Our courtship? But you ended it! Why would you do such a thing? I am sure my heart must have been quite broken.”
“It was!” Kitty took his hand in hers and leaned closer to him. “That is what taught me the depth of your regard. The letter of reconciliation you wrote me was even lovelier; it brought tears to my eyes as I transcribed it. Here, you may see for yourself, though I fear it will make you quite smug.”
He looked over the entry in her diary, which, like most of the pages, had been embellished with her intricate drawings of the scenes she described. “And did you forgive me, and open your heart to me once more?”
“Of course I did.” She turned the page and read aloud to him of their tender reconciliation, as she had imagined it.
He brushed away a stray lock of her hair, and then stroked her cheek. “You have a way with words, to be sure, Kitty. I am entirely convinced that my heart is utterly yours.”
“I am glad to hear it, for mine has been in your keeping for quite some time. Ever since I heard of you, I have been quite inspired by William’s accounts of you. Your very name hasstruck music into my heart. I hope you will wish to continue our courtship, now that I have actually met you.”
Darcy flinched. “My name?”
Kitty turned her diary to a page on which she had merely writtenCatherine Darcyin a variety of increasingly embellished styles. She gave a dreamy sigh. “Darcy….”
He laughed and shifted his posture as she laid her head on his shoulder. “My darling, whatever you do mean? My name might be anything….”
“But it is Darcy, which suits you perfectly – it absolutely captures your very essence. It has a divine lyrical quality, which I think says a great deal of your lively and complicated character.”
“Complicated? Oh no, surely I am not that.”
“But you came here to make some mischief on William – I am sure of that much – and yet you did not. You reconciled with him, amended your ways, and have tended our kittens with a warm and gentle heart. I think that shows a great nobility of spirit, just what the name Darcy commands.”
“Yes, of course, my love, but I might be just such a man if my name were anything else.”
Kitty wrinkled her nose in distaste but decided to play along. “Like what?”
“Like… well, I have some relations called Hurst….”
