They gazed into each other’s eyes until Elizabeth worried that she would act imprudently and turned away. Several minutes passed before she went to speak to someone else.
Elizabeth continued to spend time with Miss Reed and, in so doing, saw Lord Bramwell several times. He was always amiable, which was a marked contrast to Colonel Fitzwilliam, who tended to regard her coldly. She never saw Miss Darcy, though she did spy Lord and Lady Romsley at one event or another but was not introduced to them—until the afternoon she was walking in the park with Miss Reed. The couple and the viscount were walking towards them.
“Miss Reed, Miss Bennet, what a wonderful surprise to meet the two most charming young ladies in London on this fair day.” The viscount made an exaggerated bow and turned to his parents. “You remember Miss Reed, I am sure.”
“Naturally. Ihaveknown her father since we were boys. If you paid attention to what I said upon occasion, you might recall I mentioned having dinner with him last week.” Lord Romsley’s tone was droll, and there was a certain lightness in his demeanour that Elizabeth found agreeable.
Viscount Bramwell did not seem to hear his father’s remark and went on. “And this is Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Miss Reed and she have become good friends since they met earlier in the year, which does not surprise me in the least.”
“You seem to want one of us to ask why, and I shall, to spare the young ladies a measure of your teasing,” the countess said.
Lady Romsley was a tall, slender woman, with an air of confidence Elizabeth currently envied. She was used to thinking poorly of the couple, comparing them to Lady Catherine in her mind, but she could see that they were not the same. Consequently, she was embarrassed for having judged them before they had ever met. Would they have raised objections to her marrying Mr Darcy regardless of his sister’s health? If she made a good impression, would they thinkdifferently of the matter and encourage their niece to do likewise?
The earl chuckled, and Lord Bramwell added an awkward noise that might have been meant as a laugh.
“They are both admirable, as you would know if you knew them as well as I have come to, and I believe they have a great deal in common, besides being equals in beauty. They are each caring, well-informed ladies and not silly or conceited, as so many are.”
“I am very glad to hear it. Now, we ought to let them continue their walk. Miss Reed, it was lovely to see you again. Please give our regards to your mother and father,” Lady Romsley said. She regarded Elizabeth for a moment before adding, “Miss Bennet, it was a pleasure to meet you.”
Before they parted company, Lord Bramwell met Elizabeth’s eye and gave her a quick smile, leaving her once again with the impression that he did not share his family’s concerns regarding her connexion to Mr Darcy. He gave Miss Reed a longer look and one of a rather different character.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Almost two weeks after his meeting in the park with Elizabeth, Darcy was with his cousins in a sitting room at Grosvenor Square. The three of them had been riding earlier and had just finished a light repast.
“I introduced your Miss Bennet to Mother and Father. We were promenading in the park and met her and Miss Reed quite by accident,” Bramwell said, obviously attempting to act as though it was an insignificant event, although clearly it was not.
“Accident, was it?” Fitzwilliam asked, his voice indicating he was dubious.
Bramwell shrugged. Darcy did not know what to think. His cousin surely could not have known that Elizabeth and Rebecca would be in the park, but then, Bramwell had a way of knowing things.
“She is not my Miss Bennet,” he said.
“Are you sure about that?” Bramwell waggled his eyebrows.
Fitzwilliam, who sat beside his brother, punched his arm. “Leave it.”
“If it were not for Georgiana, would you be against him marrying Miss Bennet?” Bramwell asked bluntly.
Fitzwilliam scowled and hesitated before admitting, “I suppose not, despite it being a poor match for him. But the fact is, wedohave to consider Georgiana.”
“Wehave to help Georgiana see that she is not a wicked little girl who deserves endless punishment and thus seeks it from herself since she is not going to receive it from either of you, as her guardians, or the rest of us, as her family.” Bramwell took his fob watch from his pocket and began to polish it with a handkerchief. “I have decided to marry. Since Georgiana spends a fair amount of time at Romsley Hall, and I expect my wife and I shall receive many invitations to Pemberley, she will spend more time with my dearest wife, which will aid her. Georgiana, that is. My wife will like it too, needless to say.”
Fitzwilliam sighed. “Whom have you decided to marry? I notice you do not name her, which can only mean you hope we shall tease you into telling us. I warn you, I shall only ask this once.”
“Do you not know?” Darcy asked. He had guessed Bramwell’s interest in his cousin Rebecca weeks earlier.
“Do you?” the brothers said at the same time.
Darcy shrugged, and if he were not so melancholic at the thought of Elizabeth, he might have laughed at the petulant look Bramwell sent his way.
“I refuse to identify the lady until everything is settled.” Bramwell watched Darcy until he shrugged again to signal that he would keep his suspicions to himself. “Once Georgiana has regained a little of her strength, I see no reason why you andMiss Bennet should not likewise marry. She would be an excellent sister.”
“Just how well do you know her?” Fitzwilliam demanded.
“Well enough. Darcy, explain the situation to her and give her—and yourself—hope.”
While Darcy affirmed that he had, Fitzwilliam again ordered his brother, “Leave it alone. The matter is settled. Darcy will find another lady, one more acceptable to the family and especially to Georgiana, and Miss Bennet will attract another gentleman. In fact, I hear Robert Grey has been spending a great deal of time with her and the Bingleys.”
