“They must be theworst….”
“Or Bingley, that is not so bad – is it not musical, as well?”
“Not especially. It sounds rather made up.”
“Yes, well, are not all names made up, when you think about it?”
“That may be, but nonetheless, I am glad yours is Darcy – especially if I am to cherish any hope it is to be mine one day, as well. Is that not the usual result of courtship?”
He blinked at her. “I suppose it is, and I am very happy you wish me to court you, darling Kitty. But you really could not love me if my name was not Darcy?”
Kitty tapped her chin playfully. “I might respect you. I might admire your character, your fine looks. But I fear it is impossible that I could give you my undivided attention.” She leaned close, batting her lashes at him, willing him to kiss her again. He did not, and she was obliged to rest a hand on his face and draw him closer.
He gazed into her eyes, his own so full of feeling that Kitty gave a giddy laugh, marveling at the sight of the man she had long imagined now finally made a reality. And he was taking her in his arms – how right and perfect it was! He kissed her gently – but this would never do. She curled her fingers into his lovely blond hair, wordlessly beckoning him closer. They tangled themselves together in the confines of the little treehouse, kissing with a greater passion until Darcy broke away, panting.
“Kitty, I must speak to your guardian at once!”
She gave him every proper encouragement, and walked back to the house with him, full of advice on how he might best make his case to court her properly, appealing to William’s sense of honor and duty, and other such principles that he too often let dampen his sense of humor.
Dinner had been put off for another hour, but her ardor in the treehouse had given her an appetite, so Kitty resolved to take some refreshment at her favorite table in the back garden. Not ten minutes after she sat down to enjoy some tea and the lovely muffins the cook had made for breakfast that morning, a visitor intruded upon her reverie….
Chapter Eleven
William was in the billiard room, reading over the seven eloquent and affectionate letters Elizabeth had sent him since their parting. He was relaxing after Bingley’s departure, enjoying a glass of fine brandy as he prepared himself for what he hoped would be an exceedingly amorous reunion with the woman he meant to marry. What he was absolutely not doing was what he had set out to do, after having a room readied and making adjustments to their dinner plans – he was not thinking about how he would go about telling her the truth.
He had scolded Bingley for his dishonesty with Kitty, which had only lasted three days; William had allowed his charade to go on for six weeks. He ought to be more ashamed than he was, this he knew, but at present he could only rejoice that she had cast aside convention and was making her way tohim. He had not known himself to be so susceptible to such acts of grandiose passion, but he had never been happier.
And then Bingley sauntered into the room.
“You!Whatare you doing here?”
“Now, William, do not murder me. I have come to make a bargain with you.”
“Does that bargain involve you departing my premises immediately?”
Bingley scoffed and poured himself a drink before lazily seating himself across from William. “You speak as though we are not friends of many years! I would never have imagined you to be so inhospitable. Richard opened his home up to us for six weeks, you know, and you were not entirely honest with him until the final days of our time there.”
William gazed upward, clenching his jaw as he drew in a slow breath. Surely the impatience must be fairly radiating from him. “Bingley, Elizabeth is on her way to Wildewood. I expect her within the hour. You cannot be here – you cannot be Darcy while she is here. Had you told Kitty the truth, I might not be obliged to turn you out of the house. It is entirely your own fault, but you must go.”
Bingley looked thrilled. “Oho! You are in quite a bind!”
“You must go!”
“Youneedme to go, because you have not been honest with your fair lady, either.”
“I intend to tell her the truth, for we are to be wed. I will tell her, throw myself upon her mercy, and then, with any luck, we shall be bound for Scotland.”
“Your plans are not unlike my own,” Bingley said, swirling the brandy in his glass as if he were not the least bit bothered by William’s dilemma. “I intend to ask for Kitty’s hand. Not right away, perhaps – certainly not while you are in such a foul mood– but I have returned to court her properly, even if it means I must confess the truth. I daresay I shall fare better than you, since my deception has been of a far shorter duration.”
William groaned and gave a heavy sigh. “Can you not court her some other time? Go back to London, Bingley, and I shall see you when we return from Scotland. We can speak then about your courting Kitty.”
“No. If we both come clean, there shall be no reason why I might not stay.”
“As I have informed you, I mean to depart in a few days’ time. I cannot permit you to stay here, alone with Kitty. Anyway, this is my house, Bingley, and I can turn anybody out of it whenever I please.”
“You are certainly free to do so, and to experience the consequences of so doing.”
“I think I can bear Kitty’s ill humor for a few days. Perhaps I shall be exceedingly fortunate, and she will forget all about you once she is dazzled by Elizabeth.”
