Her son had been hoping to do a good deal better than Miss Weatherington, certainly, but she had to admit that he richly deserved this catastrophe. And, frankly, there was no honourable way out.
“Mrs. Weatherington,” the Countess said, turning to address that worthy lady. “You would be willing to serve on a few more of my committees, would you not?”
“It would be a privilege, Lady Elaine,” was the immediate reply.
Everyone now understood that a wedding would take place very soon.
Chapter Forty-Four
As his wedding day approached, Mr. Bingley was reminded by Mrs. Hurst that he had not yet written to Mr. Darcy to ask him to stand up with him at his wedding. ”Unless you have changed your mind and wish my husband to do the honours?” she asked.
Mr. Bingley shook his head. “It was Darcy who encouraged me to lease an estate, it was Darcy who took the trouble to sign the papers and accept the keys, and it was Darcy who convinced me that Jane was right for me. I shall write to him at once.”
Darcy,
I am getting married on the twenty-fourth of February and would be everything grateful if you would stand upwith me. It is thanks to you that I have found my beautiful Jane, and the event would be incomplete without your presence. Will you come?
Bingley
He sent it off with a messenger who was told to await a reply.
***
At Darcy House, the message was presented to its intended recipient on the customary silver platter. “The messenger says he is to await a reply, sir,” the butler said, bowing.
Mr. Darcy slit open the message, read it and frowned. It was inescapable, he knew; he had to stand up with his friend and, in doing so, see Miss Elizabeth again. He should avoid her, of course. He should make every effort to never see her again, not until he was safely married, in any case. But he could not disappoint Bingley.
Bingley,
I would be honoured, of course. I will come to you on the twenty-third, but you must forgive me if I leave immediately after, as I have a good many obligations in Town that same week.
Darcy
It was a lie, of course. There was nothing all that pressing that last week in February, but he knew his weakness and, as a rational man, he knew he must be careful not to give himself any opportunities to succumb to it.
He was to join his aunt and uncle for dinner that night, and he would take that opportunity to inform the Countess of his impending departure.
***
At Matlock House, he was surprised to hear raised voices when he was escorted to the drawing room and announced.
“Oh, Darcy, there you are!” The Viscount gazed at his cousin with relief in his eyes. “Come and tell my parents that they are being entirely absurd!”
Mr. Darcy’s brows rose. “Are they, indeed?” he asked, calmly. As it was highly unusual for his cousin to solicit him in any fashion, he suspected something was very much amiss.
“I tell you, it was not my fault! Tell them, Darcy, it could not possibly have been my doing.” He gestured to the Earl and Countess, sitting quite stiffly side by side on the sofa across the room.
“I apologise, cousin, but I have not the pleasure of knowing to what you refer,” Mr. Darcy replied.
“Well, you are likely the only person in London who does not,” the Earl barked. “This young fool allowed himself to be compromised in a ballroom!”
“I take it you were not at the Waverly ball, Darcy,” the Countess said, in a weary voice. “Else you would know all about this sad state of affairs.”
“No, indeed, I had promised the Farringtons that I would attend their musical evening. You must tell me what has happened.”
The Viscount answered. “I was forced into dancing with a Miss Harriet Weatherington – and that was your doing, Mother! – and she asked me to take her to the balcony, where she proceeded to all but rip her gown to bits and then scream her fool head!”
Mr. Darcy was torn between outrage and hilarity. Was this not just what Daniel deserved? “And then?” he asked.
