Page 43 of Bella Darcy is on the Run

"Bella, what are you doing out of bed? You need your rest, sweetheart. Captain Harwood was just leaving."

George looked at her one final time. Her face had gone pale and her eyes were already beginning to fill with tears. He almost lost his resolve then. Almost snatched her hand and pulled her out of the house with him. Her sanctimonious father be damned.

Instead he bowed stiffly. "Good day, Miss Darcy." Then he turned and fled the house.

Chapter Twenty-One

Bella watched George exit the house, his spine stiff and stride long. He did not look back. She wheeled to look at her Papa, who was regarding her sternly.

"Where is George going?" she asked, her hurt beginning to cool into anger. He had caused this, she was sure of it.

"I could not say, sweetheart. About his business, I expect." His tone softened and he took a step towards her. "I do not think you should be out of bed. You have had quite an ordeal."

Bella stared at him. There was something about the careful way he spoke that made her suspicions harden into certainty. Her father had never been a convincing liar. He was too honourable by half and became strangely formal whenever he attempted any sort of evasion. He had said something to George to cause him to leave without looking. He had called her Miss Darcy for heaven’s sake. Something was wrong, very, very wrong.

"What did you say to him?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she strode towards him.

Her papa's eyebrows lifted and he took a small, hesitant step back. "I beg your pardon?"

"George. You spoke to him before he left. What did you say?"

"I had a conversation with Captain Harwood, which I think you will agree was entirely reasonable under the circumstances. He has spent a considerable amount of time in your company these past days and was with you throughout this whole dreadful business. I wished to understand exactly what had happened. It is my prerogative to care for your wellbeing, Arabella."

Bella folded her arms, and tried not to roll her eyes at the use of her full name. She would get to the truth of this if it killed her. "And what else did you wish to understand? What instructions did the master of Pemberley give to the lowly naval captain? An honourable and brave naval captain I might add."

Her father averted his eyes and stared at the polished wood of the floor. When he looked up, his face was grave. "Perhaps we should continue this discussion in the study."

"I would have this discussion in the middle of Rotten Row at the height of the fashionable hour. For I am not ashamed of my behaviour, Papa."

She saw Mina's head pop out from behind the parlour door, her eyes wide, before slowly retreating again. Bella had little doubt that the whole household was attending to the conversation by now.

Her father was silent for several long seconds, every one of which made the frustration prickle more fiercely beneath Bella's skin. At last he said, "Yesterday, that man engaged you in a very public display of affection which was most inappropriate. As your father, it is my right and my duty to ascertain his intentions towards you."

"I daresay after several days locked in a grimy cell we might be allowed a little leeway from the strictures of society."

Red spots had appeared high on her father's cheeks. He drew in a slow breath before grinding out, "And that is the only reason I have not called him out, as I informed him earlier. Now, for God’s sake, go and get some rest."

He had clearly determined the conversation was over and made to turn away from her. She ran after him to match his long strides and caught him by the sleeves. He turned to look at her, eyes wide. They had endured disagreements before, certainly. But she never would have acted so boldly in the past. She found in this moment she could not give a single fig for propriety and respect.

"And what were his intentions exactly?"

"He said that he had no wish to cause you difficulty and that, given everything you have endured, he thought it best to remove himself for the present."

"Those were his words or yours?" The fierce burn of anger was starting to wane now and she felt tears begin to fill her eyes. Her father reached out as if to comfort her but she stepped back from him, pushing the heels of her hands into her eyes as if to stem the flow.

"And what did you tell him my intentions were?"

Darcy frowned. "I did not presume to tell him any such thing."

"No, only what his ought to be."

"Bella, do not twist my words. I merely made it clear that you have been through a grave ordeal and that your mother and I intend to take you home as soon as you are well enough to travel. I hardly think this is the moment for Captain Harwood to be filling your head with romantic declarations."

"Filling my head? Do you imagine I have no part whatsoever in any of this?"

"I imagine that you have spent several days in a horrifying situation and have scarcely slept. Forgive me if I do not think this is the ideal circumstance in which to make decisions that may affect the rest of your life."

"I have made no decision about the rest of my life!"