"Mr Darcy. A word."
???
Darcy crossed the room to Lady Hortensia, who waited until he stood beside her chair before speaking. Her expression was not severe, but neither could it have been described as warm. "I am pleased to see that you and Miss Elizabeth have resolved whatever difficulty lay between you yesterday."
"We have," Darcy said. "She has agreed to allow me to court her." He could not suppress a grin.
Lady Hortensia's brows rose, though she did not appear surprised. "That is certainly more satisfactory than some other possibilities. I hope you intend the courtship to be conducted openly."
"I do."
"Then I must point out that your conduct has not yet been entirely open. I know that you went to the ladies' corridor yesterday and ignored the footman placed there to prevent precisely such visits. I also know that you and Miss Elizabeth were alone in the gardens this morning, and I am reasonably certain that neither of you spent the whole time admiring the view."
Darcy felt some warmth rise beneath his collar but made no attempt to deny it. "I have already apologised to the footman for placing him in a difficult position."
"I am glad to hear it. I am not a great stickler for every rule of propriety, Mr Darcy, and I have no wish to prevent two young people from enjoying one another's company. But Miss Elizabeth is under my protection while she remains at Chaffley Hall. You have not yet spoken to her father, and until you do, I expect rather more caution than you have shown thus far."
"I would never act in a manner that could harm her."
"I believe you. That does not make you incapable of foolishness." Lady Hortensia glanced towards Elizabeth, who was speaking to Jane but watching them whenever she thought herself unobserved. "Affection has made greater fools of better men than you."
Darcy followed her gaze. "I intend to speak to Mr Bennet before the ball."
"Good. In the meantime, you will remember that Miss Elizabeth is not only the lady you are courting but the captain of the opposing team. I will not have her distracted to the point of ruining my competition."
At that, Darcy almost smiled. "You are more concerned about the Challenge than her reputation."
"I am perfectly capable of being concerned about both. Her reputation requires discretion. The Challenge requires her full attention, and this morning you appeared determined to deprive her of it."
Darcy accepted the rebuke, though Lady Hortensia's mouth had begun to soften at the corners. "I gave much the same warning to your father," she continued. "He too developed a habit of disappearing with Lady Anne when he ought to have been consulting his team. I told him that if he intended to court her, he must do it properly and leave her enough time to defeat him."
Darcy looked at her with renewed interest. "Did he listen?"
"Not especially. Once the men of your family fall in love, they seem to lose what little good sense they possessed beforehand."
"I had not realised it was a family failing."
"It is a very marked one." Lady Hortensia settled both hands upon the head of her cane and gave him a look which was now more amused than stern. "Speak to Mr Bennet. Treat Miss Elizabeth with the care she deserves. And for the next few hours, try to remember that nine other gentlemen are relying upon you to think about something besides her."
Darcy glanced once more towards Elizabeth. She caught his eye this time and smiled before returning to her conversation.
"I shall do my best," he said.
Lady Hortensia followed the exchange and sighed. "Yes. I feared that might be the most I could expect."
???
Half an hour later, the company had arranged themselves upon two long sofas facing one another across the drawing room. The ladies occupied one side and the gentlemen the other, while Lady Hortensia sat between them near the fire with the Challenge ledger upon a small table at her elbow. Mr Pritchard stood beside her holding a sheaf of folded papers and wearing his usual grave expression.
"The rules are simple," Lady Hortensia said. "Mr Pritchard will read each riddle once. The first team to give the correct answer will receive the point. You may confer, shout, argue or make fools of yourselves as you please, but Mr Pritchard must hear the answer clearly."
"And if both teams answer together?" Mr Hadley asked.
"Then Mr Pritchard will decide who spoke first."
Every face turned towards him. Mr Pritchard inclined his head but gave no further explanation.
"There will be seven riddles," Lady Hortensia continued. "The team which answers the greater number correctly will receivethree points. If the result is tied, I have one final riddle prepared."
