Page 42 of The Work of a Moment

After a glance at Elizabeth for her permission, Darcy provided his cousin a more detailed explanation than he had managed in Kent of how the rumours about his sister and Bingley had originated.

“Hounds’ teeth,” Fitzwilliam thundered, shaking his head in disgust. “Georgiana is untouched by the gossip, but I am sorry for your sister. My mother refers to Miss Bingley as a maddening mushroom, but she deserves a far worse sobriquet for misusing two such gentle ladies. Horrid witch.” He smacked his hand on his chair before hurling himself from it and stamping towards the decanter on a corner table.

Seeing his cousin in such a lather, Darcy held up a hand, his gaze still intent on Elizabeth. “I met with Bingley yesterday at his lodgings to ensure he had done nothing to encourage his sister’s actions and, once satisfied, warned him of his sister’s duplicity. I counselled him to put distance between them and take himself from town—advice which I repeated with greater urgency after his call at Gracechurch Street yesterday.” His voice softened. “Truly, I regret any harm to Miss Bennet’s welfare from his unexpected appearance.”

“Your efforts are greatly appreciated.” She paused. “Jane is very well.”

“I am glad.” He despised how formal he sounded. Fitzwilliam was watching them curiously, and realising his cousin had called with similar questions, Darcy leant back in his chair and directed his words to both.

“Georgiana, too, is well, and though plagued with far too many visits from Miss Bingley and her thick-headed brother, she is unaware of the gossip. I told her of Miss Bingley’s hopes and her propensity to overstate the depth of our families’ friendship. If some bit of the hum reaches Georgiana, she is prepared to be amused rather than troubled.”

He turned back to Elizabeth, and in a lower voice, said, “As you heard, my aunt, Lady Matlock, has summoned her to the safety of the country. I apologise if there was any confusion when you arrived earlier. The servants are under firm orders not to allow anyone, particularly Miss Bingley, into the house.”

Judging by her expression, Elizabeth seemed to understand he had discerned Fitzwilliam’s ploy to save her embarrassment.

“I was at my solicitor’s offices,” he explained, moving his gaze to his cousin. “Ugly lies and insinuations can become truth in the minds of scurrilous readers, and I will not have that happen. I have been concerned about the scandal sheets taking up the rumours that have sprung from Miss Bingley’s letters. One bit of conjecture I heard… is that I have pushed Bingley to marry Georgiana because she is with child—perhaps his, perhaps another man’s.”

Fitzwilliam flushed a deep red, displaying the same fury he had shown less than a year earlier when Darcy told him of the events in Ramsgate. “Devil take it!”

Elizabeth appeared not to notice his cousin’s choice of words. “That is abhorrent! Miss Darcy is but a girl!”

He would have to tell her of Wickham and Ramsgate and why this particular type of gossip was so painfully horrible to them. But this was not the time.

“Nothing is being bandied about in my clubs,” he said, glancing at Fitzwilliam, whose dangerous expression had not eased, “and my solicitor has his clerks monitoring the scandal sheets, which have been free of anything hinting at Miss Bingley’s fabrications or rumours springing from the ton.”

Fitzwilliam let out a low whistle. “You will file a suit for slander and lies if there is any mention of a young lady, granddaughter of an earl and not yet out, being engaged for any reason? Capital idea.”

“I know nothing of the law,” Elizabeth said quietly, “but would such a threat not worsen the situation by arousing curiosity?”

Of course she understood the danger in it. “It would,” Darcy admitted.

“You have taken care to chasten Mr Bingley and remove him and Miss Darcy from town, for quite opposite purposes. You have things well in hand, sir.”

Elizabeth’s praise and her small smile, warm and encouraging, stirred a sense of peace within him. There was much he wished to say to her, to ask if she was truly well after Lady Catherine’s actions and to have a conversation about ordinary things that had nothing to do with the Bingleys.

“It is Miss Bingley’s jealous hand that began all of this,” Fitzwilliam said. “She is an unpleasant spoonful, is she not?”

At the sound of his cousin’s words, Elizabeth’s gaze fell away from Darcy’s. He groaned. If only Fitzwilliam would save his breath and leave the two of them alone, but of course, his annoying tones boomed again from across the room.

“She penned the incriminating letters and imposed herself on Georgiana. But you must own up to some fault as well,” he said, shaking a finger at Darcy. “You have been loath to inform Lady Catherine you will not marry Anne. Have you also failed to inform Miss Bingley you have no intentions towards her? By remaining silent, the sauce-box retains hopes that a match between a Darcy and a Bingley would encourage another such alliance.

“Have you not considered the urgency in rebuking her hopes?”

CHAPTER 31

A Salacious Rumour Is Born

Darcy shot out of his chair. He had not hit Bingley, but his cousin’s smug face nearly demanded a punch.

“Would you suggest I insult her gowns?” He strode to Fitzwilliam, glaring. “It is neither common nor polite for a gentleman to announce to a young lady that he considers her beneath his consideration. I have never granted Miss Bingley a hint of interest nor paid her a compliment. She is a vain, petty creature whose temperament worsened in Hertfordshire when she saw not only her brother’s interest in Miss Bennet but the pleasure I took in conversation with Miss Elizabeth. That does not excuse her actions.”

A glance at the object of his affection showed her to be shyly blushing.

“It is a reason, however. Spite is at the root of it, then,” Fitzwilliam said. “She is desperate for any connexion to the Darcy name. If she cannot have you, her brother should have Georgiana. Or, in damaging Georgiana, you will have to save the family reputation and marry Miss Bingley.”

“Miss Bingley is not a kind person,” interjected Elizabeth, “but that sounds rather devious, even for her.”

Darcy glanced at Elizabeth. “I agree. Hers is a difficult yet intelligent character, but such scheming is beyond her. She wrote what she did to hurt and warn off your sister, never thinking what could happen if her words were taken as truth and shared.”