“And?”
“And what?”
“There is more, Bingley, clearly.”
Mr. Bingley drew a deep breath. “Caroline said that Jane alluded to something that I was meant to talk to her about.”
“Ah! Did Miss Bennet break the news?”
“No; she simply said that she had spoken out of turn.”
“Miss Bennet is ever so polite.”
“She is; it is one of her many perfections.” Mr. Bingley grinned.
Mr. Darcy managed – barely – not to roll his eyes. “Bingley, you must speak to her. If you do not, Miss Bennet will come to think that you do not intend to honour your promise to her. She might withdraw from the engagement. I note that the banns have not yet been read for the two of you.”
Mr. Bingley paled. “You are right, Darcy; I had not considered that. But you can see that I must wait until after the ball to do so.”
“Can Mrs. Hurst not complete the arrangements?”
“I do not know and do not want to run that risk.”
Mr. Darcy shrugged. “Very well; I have done all I can. I will leave tomorrow after breakfast and return in three days’ time.”
***
Mr. Darcy and Franklin arrived at Matlock House well before noon the next day. Franklin was well-acquainted with the house and made his way to his master’s usual room, with a footman carrying a large trunk behind him. Mr. Darcy’s protests that they would be gone only a few days had fallen on deaf ears, and Franklin had packed for any and all possible events.
Mr. Darcy was greeted in the drawing room by the Earl of Matlock, the Countess of Matlock, and – “Richard!”
“Cousin!”
The two men embraced. “I never expected to see you here, Richard!”
“I had a few days’ leave and thought to spend it with my parents, but I was delighted to learn that you would be here as well, Darcy.”
“I am very glad.” He wasveryglad, in truth, as he loved his cousin Richard and worried about him on the battlefield.
“I understood you to be rusticating in Hertfordshire,” Colonel Fitzwilliam observed. “What brings you to Town?”
“I have decided to put Wickham in prison.”
The Colonel laughed aloud. “That is the best news you could have given me, Darcy. What made you finally see sense?”
Before Mr. Darcy could stop himself, he said, “A young lady.” And then he immediately winced.
Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam’s keen eyes saw the wince and reached a fast conclusion. “And who is this paragon who has such influence?”
“No one; she is no one at all.”
“So there is a ‘she,’ then,” Richard said.
“Well, there is, but she did not – it is not because of her – dash it, Richard, it is just the right thing to do!”
“It has been the right thing to do for some time now, cuz,” Richard drawled. “But clearly something gave you the boot in your arse.”
“Richard!” The Countess was scandalised. “This is not an army camp!”
