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The duchess raised her eyebrows to glance at Darcy for confirmation. She seemed to be having trouble remembering he was blind. Her aspect could not have been more sceptical if Elizabeth had declared the invalid had been doing handstands rather than listening to a novel.

Darcy had relaxed back onto the pillows now that his sister had arrived.

Standing just inside the threshold, Princess Brunhilda glanced around the room, appraising the occupants thoughtfully.

“A chair for you, princess,” said Farley, following in her wake to offer the Hepplewhite carver that Elizabeth had been using at the secretaire on the landing.

The duchess gave up her pawing of Darcy to recede into the chair nearest the bedside that Elizabeth had recently vacated. Georgie indicated that Elizabeth should take the chair Clara had been using. She was disinclined to do so until Hobbes appeared, carrying the roman campaign stool from the hall, which Georgie took.

“Well!” said the Duchess as they all sat down. “Isn’t this cosy!—all the ladies who love you, Darcy!”

“I am not sure the princess would care to be included in that category, Almeria,” he replied.

“Nonsense!” countered Brunhilda. “I am all admiration for how you bore the trip home, Mr Darcy. It cannot have been easy! Do not exclude me.”

Darcy laughed, causing Georgie to shoot a pleased and slightly wondrous glance at Miss Gardiner.

“I feel I have been remiss,” continued the princess, “in not visiting earlier. Georgie kept urging me to come upstairs but I thought you would do better taking more rest.”

“Your visit is welcome today, Princess, though I cannot think you have erred in delaying it. I have been sadly out of temper, as Miss Gardiner knows, but she has been doing her best to improve my behaviour.”

Now it was Elizabeth’s turn to blush at this accolade, her embarrassment not helped by the steely gaze the duchess directed at her.

The princess turned the conversation to a recital of their morning’s visits, ending with her introduction to the duchess at Lady Sefton’s. Her observations on the characters of various members of the Ton had the duchess laughing and contributing her own mite. Georgie added a word now and then when there was the least possibility of it being heard. Elizabeth felt distinctly out of place. Darcy was glad to have the attention drawn away from himself. He was still uncomfortable about the way Almeria was clutching his right hand. Perhaps Georgie thought nothing of it, but he found himself wondering what Miss Gardiner was making of the duchess. After his initial slip during the introductions, he had reminded himself that she was Miss Gardiner, not Miss Bennet, but his mind kept playing tricks on him, imagining Elizabeth sitting there, watching his former mistress fondle him.

Finally, the duchess mentioned another engagement. Squeezing Darcy’s hand, she got up to go. With a bumping and scraping of furniture the ladies made their adieus. Darcy closed his eyes and exhaled; glad the ordeal was over. He listened attentively, trying to discern if Miss Gardiner had also left the room. He fancied he could still detect her presence near the window. But before he could be sure of this, Almeria’s voice declared in the hallway that she had forgotten her reticule. He heard the swish of her skirts re-enter the room.

“Could you give us a moment, please?” the duchess asked imperiously.

Darcy heard Miss Gardiner quietly move from the spot near the window where he had guessed her to be and groaned inwardly.

Elizabeth picked up the campaign stool on her way out and, returning it to its customary position in the hall, settled herself onto it.

“Dear boy,” said the duchess, not bothering to lower her voice, “I do hope you are not getting too attached to the hired help. I realise this must be a terrible calamity for you, but Georgie says the doctor has high hopes that you may regain the use of your legs once more. How are things down here?”

Elizabeth blushed despite herself. Was the duchess referring to Mr Darcy’s legs or something else?

Uncomfortably aware that Miss Gardiner might be overhearing the conversation, Darcy replied, “I had three toes amputated on my left foot. Once I am up and about, I will have some boots made to order by Hoby. Byron hides his deformity very well so I expect I can do the same.”

Elizabeth’s mouth opened in an ‘O’. She had not realised Mr Darcy had also lost his toes, assuming his lack of mobility arose solely from weakness of the muscles or involvement of the nerves.

“No!” laughed the duchess playfully. “Here!”

Elizabeth could not hear Mr Darcy’s soft reply but was now fairly sure the duchess was not referring to his legs or toes. Nor did Elizabeth believe she had jumped to conclusions on the nature of Mr Darcy’s relationship with the duchess, despite Georgie’s confirmation that the lady was an old family friend.

“Do not worry,” said the duchess. “I am sure Lady Sophia Amberley will still be interested. Her family are all to pieces. Shall I bring her with me next time I come?”

“No, Almeria, please do not. I do not wish to be seen in this state. My recovery is very slow, and I would rather not have visitors until I can greet them in the saloon.”

“Very well, I shall go. Know that my thoughts are with you.”

There was a quiet pause before the rustling of the duchess’s skirts announced her imminent emergence from the bedchamber, and Elizabeth’s imagination could only fill this with a tender kiss exchanged between the two. Realising she had the foresight to bring Sense and Sensibility with her, Elizabeth buried her nose in it. The duchess swept past without a word.

Elizabeth stared at the page in front of her without moving her eyes. The duchess had said ‘Sophia Amberley’—one of the names that had been written in the notebook next to her own! It confirmed her suspicion that Mr Darcy might actually have been seriously considering her as a prospective partner! But wait, what else had the duchess said? ‘That her family were all to pieces’ Drat! Lady Sophia could equally fit her alternate theory—she or her family might have been manoeuvring for the match with Darcy for mercenary reasons.

After she heard the duchess exit to the street, Elizabeth stood and returned to the bedchamber. Darcy was laid back on the pillows, his head tilted towards the ceiling. Although she could not see his eyes clearly because of his tinted glasses, the muscles of his face were relaxed, an expression that Elizabeth associated with his moods of despondency.

“Would you like me to continue reading?” she asked.