Page 23 of To Win Her Affections

“No, Miss Bennet,” replied Mr. Darcy. “I would not presume to suggest such a thing.”

A few moments later, the Gardiners returned amid expressions of surprise at Mr. Darcy’s continued presence and teasing comments designed to embarrass him. Mr. Darcy accepted it all with aplomb, appearing to relish the close connection he was forging with them. Only a moment later, he rose to depart.

“It is time for me to return to Pemberley,” said he, “as I have matters to attend to there. As I shall expect to see you at Pemberley tonight for dinner, that must sustain me.”

“Not at all, Darcy,” replied Mr. Gardiner. “I believe I can say that we are anticipating it as much as you are.”

“Then until tonight,” said Mr. Darcy, excusing himself from the room.

“Lizzy,” said Mrs. Gardiner, “if you cannot see what a good man he is, then I must wonder at your acumen. As I have never supposed you to be deficient, I shall indulge in the hope of a bright future for you.”

“Trust me, Aunt,” replied Elizabeth, “I am coming to understand Mr. Darcy’s good qualities.”

Mrs. Gardiner eyed her, then offered a single word in response. “Good.”

Chapter VI

Caroline’s complaints were beginning to irk Louisa Hurst.

It was not as if Caroline had become difficult overnight. Louisa well remembered her spoiled younger sister as a child, always demanding, always certain she was meant for something better. There were no true villains responsible for her temperament—it was a combination of their mother’s indulgence, their father’s absence brought about by business concerns, and Caroline’s naturally forceful disposition.

Looking back, it was more than that, though Louisa had never confessed it to anyone else. Louisa had enjoyed a close relationship with her father, and he had quite doted on Charles, but he had been distant with his youngest child. Where that led, Louisa did not know and did not care to discover. Caroline claimed to reverence their father, but she had always deplored his profession—that same profession that had produced her twenty-thousand-pound inheritance.

The business with Mr. Darcy had grown so tiresome that Louisa, in some of her darker moments, wished never to hear the name again. Yet Caroline, ignoring three years of Mr. Darcy behaving with the perfect measure of politeness and nothing more, was convinced that Mr. Darcy was only waiting for the right time to propose. Louisa had supported Caroline’s ambitions in the beginning—now she considered them pathetic.

“You did not see him, Louisa,” spat Caroline as she paced the floor of her sitting-room, hands gesticulating like a madwoman. “What he sees in her I cannot begin to understand, but he is cavorting with the hussy—I know it! It would not surprise me a jot if she were sharing her favors with him, all in an attempt to induce him to lose control of his reason.”

So fatigued was Louisa that she did not even protest her sister’s language or the disgusting charges she so recklessly leveled. At least it had not been in company where Mr. Darcy could reprimand her then remove her from the estate. Louisa had never cared much for Miss Elizabeth Bennet—they were too different to become genuine friends. But she knew Caroline’s charges were groundless, brought on by her insecurity and rage.

“Well, I have not come this far to accept defeat from the likes of Miss Eliza.” Caroline turned on her heel and retraced her path, her shoes clicking against the tile. “She may believe she has won, but I have not even begun to fight.”

“Caroline,” said Louisa wearily, “take care you do not anger Mr. Darcy.”

“Anger Mr. Darcy?” demanded Caroline as if the very notion were ridiculous. “I shall not anger him; I shall be his salvation.”

As Caroline continued to rant, Louisa found her mind wandering. Though she had often wished she possessed the fortitude to stand up to Caroline and demand better behavior, she did not. The bitter truth was that Caroline’s disposition was forceful, while Louisa was retiring. Caroline would do what she wished, and Louisa would offer no more than the token caution she had already given.

A part of Louisa, a small, petty voice she rarely acknowledged, looked forward to the day when all Caroline’s ambitions were revealed for the pretensions they were. That was not laudable by any measure. But after years of Caroline’s arrogance and casual cruelties, Louisa thought her sister deserved the reckoning.

THE FIRST THING DARCY did when he returned to Pemberley was to ask Mrs. Reynolds for Bingley’s location. Though Bingley rarely visited the library to peruse its books, Darcy had learned while staying at Netherfield that he sometimes retreated there because his sister spent little time in such places. It was not a common occurrence, but Bingley would choose it when he wished to avoid her or found her society trying. Bingley was pensive that morning, unusual given his temperament, but he did not remain silent.

“Darcy,” greeted Bingley with a smile lacking his usual vigor. “I see you have returned. Tell me, how are Miss Bennet and the Gardiners?”

“All well,” said Darcy, knowing that Bingley had guessed his location, if not the reason for his errand.

Bingley regarded him for several long moments. “I find it curious, Darcy, that you are so eager to be in her company. When I consider your dealings in Hertfordshire, I cannot explain it.”

The comment was an invitation to explain, and nothing less. “Remember that I saw her again in Kent, Bingley,” said Darcy. “It has not been four months since I last quit her company.”

“Yet you did not seek her out in the interim.”

“I did not,” said Darcy.

A further comment appeared poised on the tip of Bingley’s tongue, then he sighed and turned away. “As strange as it is to find her near Pemberley, as curious as I find your behavior toward her, the larger issue playing on my mind is her elder sister.”

“In what way, Bingley?” asked Darcy, sensing this might lead them toward the subject he wished to discuss.

“Just that I wonder if I should have listened to you,” said Bingley.