Once they were comfortable on the same sofa they had shared earlier, Caroline said, “For Miss Bennet’s sake, I…I feel wretched about any disappointment she may feel. She is agreeable—”
“She is, but regardless of what I might feel for her, or might have grown to feel for her, she is not the one for me.”
He stood and went to pour himself a glass of port. Caroline refused his offer of a libation.
“We must decide on what to say to Darcy. Something that excuses us leaving first thing tomorrow,” Bingley said as he returned to his seat.
“When he is away from here and returned to good society, when all of us are in town again and amongst our usual set, everything will be as it should be. You will forget Miss Bennet, and he will forget Miss Eliza. Once the wedding has actually taken place, we can tell him, and if he is unhappy, I shall act as his loyal, compassionate friend.”
“The housekeeper or one of the gentlemen will write to us. I asked Miss Bennet the details of Mr Collins’s arrangements, especially when he would be married and leave the neighbourhood, but she would say nothing.”
Seeing the way her brother paled when saying the lady’s name, Caroline grasped his hand. “Youwillforget her and be happier for it.”
“I shall. I admit this once and only once. Idolike her. Under other circumstances, perhaps I would have allowed myself to marry her, but I know, I havealwaysknown, it is impossible. As soon as Miss Darcy is old enough, I shall marry her.”
He drained his glass. “Regarding Darcy, it appears we need to revise our approach to making him propose. It will mean being less subtle. I believe we should wait a little while before pressing him. After Christmas, when he returns to town, I shall talk about how anxious you have been for him. I could confess that you have developed atendrefor him, or something along those lines, and how glad I would be to call him brother.”
Caroline embraced him. It was good of him to think about her future when she could see he was suffering.
“We need not discuss it tonight. Now, what do we tell Mr Darcy to excuse abandoning Netherfield so precipitously?”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE
Darcy woke to the sound of uncommon busyness outside of his chamber. Many people appeared to be walking back and forth in the corridor, some quite quickly. Before he had time to do more than notice it, his valet, Quinn, entered the room.
“Oh, sir, you are awake. I was afraid I would have to rouse you.”
Darcy had asked not to be disturbed this morning, given how late it had been when he finally went to sleep after the ball. He had spent above an hour sitting in an armchair before climbing into bed, staring at the fire and thinking about Miss Elizabeth and what he would say when he called at Longbourn after breakfast.
“What is all that noise about?” He jerked his chin upwards, indicating the door. Squinting to make out the time on the mantel clock, he was surprised to see it was not yet seven.
As Quinn held a dressing gown for Darcy to slip his arms into, he said, “Mr and Miss Bingley are preparing to depart for town.”
“I beg your pardon? Did you say they are leaving Netherfield?”
Quinn nodded and evidently wanted Darcy to move through his usual morning preparations, but until he understood what was happening, he would not.
“Sir, I was informed they are anxious to be gone as soon as possible. Mr Bingley begs you to prepare yourself quickly. I have begun packing and can complete the task within half an hour. Breakfast will be sent to your room, with Miss Bingley’s apology for not having a proper meal downstairs.”
Although increasingly perplexed, Darcy knew it was unfair to expect Quinn to tell him more. Darcy hurried through dressing and ate the food on the tray delivered to him soon after. He then left Quinn to his work and went to find Bingley.
Darcy found both Bingleys in the drawing room. She was directing the housekeeper what do to with their possessions, suggesting to Darcy that they were planning a prolonged absence from the estate.
As soon as the servant was gone, he asked, “Are you closing the house?”
Bingley’s eyes flickered to his sister before returning to Darcy. “I am sorry for the abrupt nature of our departure.”
“There is not a moment to spare. Louisa wrote to request our immediate presence in town,” Miss Bingley said.
“I am grieved you received distressing news.”
Bingley began shaking his head, not stopping until he had ceased speaking. “I-I am sure all will be well. A minor, yet pressing, issue.”
This only added to Darcy’s puzzlement, but it was not for him to question what was evidently a private family matter.
“We would like to be gone as soon as possible. I am sure you understand, Mr Darcy.”
Miss Bingley appeared at once calmer and more anxious than her brother. Darcy nodded and took her matter-of-fact tone as an indication of being occupied with arranging the many necessities of travel, especially after a night that had not ended until the early hours of the morning. He had retired before the Bingleys, and he could not have slept more than three hours.
