Page 143 of Mr. Darcy Comes to Town

“Of course, you could,” Lizzy said. “Let us go down to the dining room and have one.”

“You will have no peace if you join Lydia and Kitty,” Mary said, shaking her head. “I will take them home.”

“How will you keep them with you?” Lizzy asked.

“If Mama and Papa knew how we had found them today, I doubt they would be permitted to attend the assembly tomorrow night,” Mary said grimly.

“We saw two other officers leaving this house as we were arriving,” Mr. Darcy said, frowning. “I think my cousin needs to write another letter to their colonel. What are their names?”

Mary told him, embraced Georgiana, and excused herself to force Lydia and Kitty to come home with her. “One of these days,” she muttered to herself as she entered the dining room where she discovered Lydia ranting against Kitty.

“We are going home,” Mary said in a voice loud enough to overpower Lydia’s rant.

“We are not,” Lydia snarled.

“If you do not stop acting like a baby, I will tell our parents that I found you sitting on the lap of Mr. Denny.” Mary’s cold, hard words caused Lydia to snap her mouth shut. “If you wish to go to the assembly tomorrow night, and to have anything more to do with the officers, you had best do as you are told and come with me now. We…are…going…home.”

Kitty scurried over to her. “I will get our things.”

Lydia gasped. “Traitor.”

“Kitty is being sensible,” Mary told her. “Try practicing that skill yourself.”

“I hate you.”

“No doubt,” Mary said, refusing to give in.

Kitty returned with their bonnets, gloves, and shawls just as Mrs. Conker arrived with tea. The housekeeper appeared confused.

“Lizzy, Mr. Darcy, and Miss Darcy will be down directly to partake of the tea,” Mary informed her. “It will be unnecessary for my aunt and uncle to know the extent of what has happened here today. My sisters arrived with their officer friends but left when they discovered their aunt was not at home.”

Mrs. Conker bobbed a curtsy, appearing relieved to have a story she could tell her mistress.

“However, when Lizzy arrived with her friends, she begged for some tea to refresh themselves,” Mary told her. “Which you supplied because you knew my aunt would wish for you to look after her niece.”

“Aye, miss.”

“Excellent,” Mary said. She looked her younger sisters over. Lydia’s color was too high and Kitty’s was too low. However, they looked presentable enough. “We are off. Kindly refrain from squabbling the whole way home.”

Lydia turned angrily on her heel and marched out of the dining room. Kitty trailed after her and Mary reluctantly followed.

When I am married, I will have as little to do with Lydia as I can manage. If I am blessed, she will marry a man who will take her far away from here.

Chapter Twenty-three

Lizzy led Mr. Darcy and Georgiana into her aunt’s dining room, wishing she could sink into the floor and not come out into the light until long after Mr. Darcy and his sister had left Meryton.

My family—no, Lydia, and to some extent, Kitty—has embarrassed us beyond any forgiveness. I am humiliated. I want to be sick.

And what if Mr. Darcy tells Mr. Bingley about the wanton behavior of his future in-laws? Will Mr. Bingley be so disgusted that he will break the engagement? My heart wrings for my dear Jane.

They took their seats at one end of the dining table, and Lizzy began to pour out. Her hands trembled so much that she had to put the teapot down between cups. Fortunately, Mr. Darcy reached for a cup as soon as she set one down on the table. He passed it to his sister, and then took the next one for himself. Mrs. Conker placed a plate of sliced seedcake before them. Lizzy nodded her dismissal, and the housekeeper left the dining room. Elliot shut Stanley out of the room, closing the door and standing in front of it.

“I am pleased to say,” Georgiana began before anyone else could speak, and nodding all the while, “that standing up to George Wickham has done me a world of good.”

Lizzy blinked at her, marveling at the calm way she spoke. Her brother looked equally surprised.

“How so, my dear?” Mr. Darcy asked. He served a slice of cake onto a saucer and gave it to his sister, and then he did the same for Lizzy. She nodded her thanks.