Page 40 of Near Pemberley

“Brother! You have returned already?”

“Yes.”

“You did not meet them?”

Darcy removed his gloves slowly before answering. “They left Lambton this morning.”

Georgiana’s expression altered at once. “Left?”

“In great haste.”

She followed him silently into the drawing room, where the remainder of the party still lingered after luncheon.

Bingley rose. “Well? Have you brought our guests at last?”

Darcy paused only briefly.

“The Gardiners have quitted Lambton.”

The cheerfulness vanished from Bingley’s face. “Quitted Lambton? What do you mean?”

“They must have received news which obliged them to depart directly.”

Miss Bingley, who had been arranging cards upon a table near the window, looked up with sudden attention. “Indeed? Some family drama, perhaps.”

Darcy’s eyes moved towards her.

There was nothing elevated in his expression; indeed, his composure remained almost perfect. Yet something in the cold steadiness of his look caused even Caroline to falter slightly.

“I do not know the particulars,” he said, “except that Miss Bennet appeared greatly distressed.”

Georgiana gave a soft exclamation of concern.

Bingley stepped forward at once. “Distressed? Good God! Is Miss Jane Bennet ill? Or her father? Did they say what had happened?”

“No.”

Bingley passed one hand distractedly through his hair. “There must be something very serious indeed to carry them off in such haste.”

Mrs. Hurst, who disliked agitation of every kind unless it directly entertained her, observed languidly, “Whatever it is, I dare say it can have nothing to do with us.”

“No,” added Miss Bingley carelessly, recovering some portion of her composure, “and after all, you relinquished that connexion long ago. It cannot now be of much personal consequence.”

Bingley coloured.

“I-I do not know that one entirely relinquishes…” He stopped. The unfinished sentence appeared to embarrass him more than silence itself.

Miss Bingley laughed lightly. “My dear Charles, you cannot seriously mean to involve yourself again in Hertfordshire anxieties.”

Darcy spoke before Bingley could attempt another answer.

“I believe,” he said with calm authority, “that compassion for the distress of others is not generally considered an impropriety.”

The reproof, though perfectly composed, fell with unmistakable force.

Miss Bingley coloured. “I merely meant…”

“I understood perfectly what you meant.”