She smiled then. “Gentlemen must certainly beware of raising expectations!”
Was she speaking of Mr. Bingley? She must be! Oh, Lord, she wanted Bingley! It struck Mr. Darcy like an arrow in his heart. He looked at the clock on the mantel; they had been there for half an hour, twice the polite time for a call.
“Reggie!” he called.
His cousin did not look up from his conversation.
“Reggie! We must be off.”
“No, surely not!” Mr. Fitzwilliam protested, finally looking at his cousin. “Why, we have just arrived!”
“No, we have been here a full half hour. I apologise, Lady Lucas, the time just went by so quickly.”
“Oh, your cousin and my daughter are having such a lovely conversation; it seems wrong to interrupt them, does it not, Mr. Darcy?” Lady Lucas’ tone was coaxing.
“No, no, I am afraid we must go. Reggie!”
“Very well, Darcy. May I come again tomorrow, Miss Lucas?”
“Of course, Mr. Fitzwilliam.” Charlotte rose, smiling, and curtsied.
Mr. Darcy murmured to Elizabeth, “Fear not, Miss Elizabeth; I will speak with my cousin.”
Mr. Fitzwilliam bowed low and then followed Mr. Darcy out the door, all the while asking his cousin why it was necessary to leave so very soon.
Chapter Fifty-One
The moment the two gentlemen got into the carriage, Mr. Darcy turned on his cousin. “What on earth do you mean by such a performance?”
“Performance?” Mr. Fitzwilliam stared at Mr. Darcy, bewildered.
“You call on a young lady at her home for the first time, and spend the entire call monopolising her in a corner!”
“This is bad?”
“Her mother was there to chaperone her, and she had no idea at all what the two of you were speaking about!”
“Darcy! As if I would speak profanity to a young lady?!” Mr. Fitzwilliam was shocked.
“No, of course you would not, it is just that you might be – well, propositioning her!”
“I can scarce believe my ears! You know me better than that, surely, cousin!”
“I do, of course, but Lady Lucas does not!”
There was silence.
“I see,” Mr. Fitzwilliam said, slowly. “So her mother might suspect me of nefarious intentions.”
Mr. Darcy heaved a great sigh. “Yes, exactly. Nefarious intentions.”
“I should go back and assure Lady Lucas that my intentions are completely honourable. Turn the carriage around, Darcy.”
“I most certainly will not! And what do you mean that your intentions are honourable?”
“Why, only that I will soon propose to Miss Lucas. Is that not what honourable intentions are?”
“Are you serious?”
