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“That’s horrible.”
“If only the hurt ended there.”
“It gets worse?”
“Clara got sick. Very sick.”
“I’m so sorry.”
Will nodded somberly. “My next meeting with Darcy . . . well. Any love I still had for him died after that.”
“What happened?”
“I went to see her in the hospice and Darcy caught me. I confess, I punched him in the nose before he managed to throw me out.”
“He did what? But that is . . . cruel.”
“Well. I think so. Perhaps I’m too bitter but I . . . it’s hard for me to forget.”
“I mean, Darcy definitely comes across as stubborn and opinionated, but why would he refuse to let you say goodbye?”
“A thorough dislike of himself more than a dislike of me, I think. A spineless coward, who will never know true love.”
Bennet frowned at his wine, insides all screwed up into a tight knot.
“He’s not all cruelty. There was a reason I fell for him, after all. But I’ve seen his true colors when it counts . . .”
“To treat his friends like that! Only because you crushed on him.”
“I sometimes wish I’d never admitted it. But that’s not who I am. I’m proud of myself, and who I like.”
“His lack of pride hurts more than himself,” Bennet murmured.
“Yes.”
“No wonder he’s struggling with the news his son is bisexual. His past behavior must make it hard for him to sleep at night.”
Will snorted. “Karma, perhaps? Life trying to teach him a lesson? One can only hope he learns something.”
Bennet was still processing. “How does he have any friends?”
“By showing how generous he is. How sincere, logical, decent, sometimes even charming—” Will’s phone rang. “Excuse me.”
Will took it outside while Bennet tried to figure out why he felt so . . . disappointed. Like he’d wanted to find out that Darcy wasn’t so bad after all. Like some part of him had hoped . . .
Will returned with a grim smile. “Sorry, I have to cut this short.”
“Is that your ‘save me from a bad date’ call?”
Will snorted. “My friend Denny is going through a messy divorce and he needs a shoulder just now.”
“You’re a good man, Will.”
“Can we try again?”
“I’ll be at the Wool Ball tomorrow. Find me.”
Bennet dissected everything he’d learned as he slowly finished his drink. Will had been generous to insist Darcy had charming qualities when the man had so cruelly hurt him. God, Darcy.
But beneath the anger, Bennet felt sorrow and pity. Why couldn’t Darcy see how miserable he’d be if he continued denying himself?
He drank from his already-empty cup, and laughed at himself. Enough musing about Darcy.
He gestured for the bill and was surprised to find Will had left him to pay for the both of them.
He’d slipped off the barstool to leave when Charlie and Olivia bounded through the door that led to the upstairs apartment. They rounded patrons, laughing, and when they noticed Bennet, Olivia whispered to Charlie and ducked back upstairs.
Charlie waved to a couple of guys he knew and leaned an elbow against the counter, mirroring Bennet. “You look all dressed up, eh.”
“A sort-of-date with one of the shearers. William Wickham, heard of him?”
“Rings a vague bell. So . . . you’re sitting here alone. Bad sort-of-date?”
“It barely got going before he had to leave. But it was interesting.”
“Interesting?” Charlie settled himself more comfortably on a stool.
Bennet watched the frown emerge on Charlie’s face as he shared Will and Darcy’s sad history.
“So? What do you think?” Bennet asked at last.
“Look, Darcy was super rude to you the first night he came to town and I didn’t like him for it, but I can’t help thinking he’s got a lot going on if he took time off from work. Maybe he’s overwhelmed by everything. Some folks show it in a different way, you know?”
Charlie frowned into space, thinking. “I agree he made a bad impression, but does it mean he’s a bad person? So bad he’d do all that to a friend of his? I don’t know. What if he was overwhelmed then, too? It can’t have been easy for Darcy to watch his wife, the mother of his children, pass. Maybe there’s more to the story.”
“Will was careful to assure me Darcy had good qualities. I doubt he would have left anything crucial out. What would it bring him?”
“Pity? You, falling into bed with him?”
“Rubbish. He hesitated to tell me at all until I urged it out of him. Said it would make him sound pitiable.”
“Sounds like Will’s wrapped you around his little finger, eh?”
Bennet flushed and thanked his stars when Olivia crossed over to them, carrying the most beautiful double-breasted red trench coat. He couldn’t take his eyes off it.
“I’ll take the awe on your face as a compliment,” she said. “Come on, then. Try it on.”
“Try it on?”
“I told you I’d whip you up something for the ball.”
