“Come now, dear, and sit with me. The Earl will join us shortly, but just now I should like to become better acquainted with you.” The Countess gestured for Caroline to sit beside her.
A tea tray appeared as if by magic, and soon the two ladies were speaking easily to one another, with Richard grinning like a besotted swain watching them. The Earl soon joined them, and was kind enough to Caroline, though not as warm as the Countess.
Eventually, Richard said, “Caroline, I shall have to leave you for a time.”
“To resign your commission?”
“I shall do that as soon as may be, but I have one last mission to complete.”
Caroline’s brow creased. “Shall you be in danger? Oh, no, surely this is not necessary!”
“No danger at all. I go to be of service to my young cousin.”
“Oh! To fix whatever it is that keeps her from the man she loves?!”
“Exactly.”
“How long will you be away?”
“As long as it takes to get to Newcastle and back, with the fastest horse that Elmstree can provide.”
The Earl said, “So we should not expect to see you for about three weeks.”
Richard nodded. “I very much dislike leaving you at this time, Caroline, but –“
“No, no,” she protested. “If your endeavor aids Georgiana, then I support it with my whole heart.”
The Countess added, “And we have a good deal of wedding planning to do in any case, Richard, and you would only be in the way.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Jane, of course, could not wait to give her sister the news. No sooner had Caroline and Richard left for Matlock House then she was in her carriage headed for Darcy House. She found Lizzy and Georgiana in the drawing room, with a number of Georgiana’s friends. Jane was far too well-bred to want news of this engagement spread around Town before the Matlocks formally announced it, so she waited, albeit rather impatiently, for the other ladies to leave.
Finally, Jane was alone with Elizabeth and Georgiana. She opened her mouth, eyes twinkling, but Georgiana was faster. “He proposed and she said yes!”
Jane stared. “How did you know of this, Georgiana?”
“Am I blind?” the girl demanded, laughing. “I think we all saw how Richard favored her at Elmstree, did we not? And what use has my brother for a horse farm, if not to enable Richard to leave the Army and marry?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “It really was too obvious, Jane.”
“She was so afraid that the Countess would disapprove,” Jane said.
“The Countess will be delighted, I assure you,” Elizabeth said.
“Which is what I kept trying to tell her. They are at Matlock House now.”
“I am so happy for Richard,” Elizabeth said. “But I confess I never imagined that Caroline Bingley – of all people! – would be his wife.”
“She is a vastly different creature from who she was just a few short months ago. On that note, I believe we owe Mrs. Annesley a good deal of the credit.”
“Oh! I will go get her,” Georgiana said, and she was off. She was glad of an excuse to leave the room; she was happy for Caroline, but oh, oh how she wished for her own happy ending!
Georgiana knocked on Mrs. Annesley’s door, and asked her to join them in the drawing room. The moment Mrs. Annesley saw Jane and Elizabeth, she began to laugh. “So the good Colonel finally woke up!” she said.
“You knew as well?” Jane asked.
“It seemed clear enough,” Mrs. Annesley said. “Georgiana told me about Elmstree, and that was evidently the missing piece.”
