Bingley sighed. “Once she knows it helps Elizabeth, she will agree.”
Richard clapped him on the back. “Congratulations, Bingley, on your upcoming nuptials. We will be sorry to miss them.”
Bingley returned the gesture. “Thank you. Be safe, the two of you.”
Moments later Darcy was striding upstairs. He entered his chamber and found his valet already moving briskly about the room, laying out his nightclothes and shaking out the wedding clothing to be pressed.
“Bates,” Darcy said, “you have fifteen minutes. Pack what is necessary, and then you are leaving with Lady Anne and Georgiana.”
The valet paused only briefly. “Very good, sir.”
Then, with careful hesitation, he asked, “May I inquire… does this mean Miss Elizabeth has cried off?”
Darcy’s expression hardened. “No, but her father intends to force her to do so.”
Bates straightened, his only reaction to this shocking news was a slight widening of his eyes.
“We are going to retrieve her,” Darcy said.
The valet nodded once and began to start placing clothing on the bed with remarkable speed.
“You will escort Lady Anne and Miss Darcy to a coaching inn,” Darcy continued. “Remain with them until I arrive.”
“Yes, sir.”
Darcy watched him for a moment with faint amusement at his valet’s orderliness. Darcy suspected that if the King himself were announced at the door—or the world were ending—Bates would receive the news with the same calm nod and reply,“Very good, sir,”before continuing to fold cravats with exacting care.
Under other circumstances the thought might have diverted him more, but tonight, it merely steadied him. If Bates could behave as though the world were not collapsing around them, then Darcy supposed he could attempt to do the same—at least until Elizabeth was safe.
A knock sounded at the door, but it opened almost immediately. Richard strode in, not having waited to be admitted.
“My trunk is ready, Bates,” he said. “Can you ensure it makes it into the carriage with Darcy’s things?”
Bates simply nodded, and Darcy gaped at his cousin. “You are already packed?”
Richard shrugged. “One of the advantages of growing up with very little personal belongings as the spare younger son of an earl.”
Darcy grimaced. “I can well believe it.”
“And there were several campaigns where we had to abandon camp quickly,” Richard added casually. “Unless I wished to march to safety without a clean set of breeches, I learned how to gather what was needed in a timely fashion.”
“I see.”
There was a moment of silence, then Richard said, “So, are we going?”
Darcy shook his head out of the fog. “Yes—yes, of course.”
They descended the stairs together and stepped out into the cold night air. Bingley had been as good as his word—thecarriage already stood before Netherfield’s entrance, the horses stamping impatiently as though they too sensed the urgency of the errand.
“Godspeed,” Bingley said quietly as Darcy climbed inside. “Get your Miss Elizabeth to safety.”
Darcy clasped his friend’s hand firmly.
“Take care of Miss Bennet.”
“I intend to marry her tomorrow,” Bingley replied with a determined nod. “Which seems the most effective way to accomplish that.”
Richard laughed softly as he settled opposite Darcy. “An admirable strategy.”
