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Good Lord, did Aunt Catherine share everything with this fool? “No, we arrived only a few days ago.”
Collins’s eyebrows rose, and Darcy cursed himself. Now the man would wonder why he had been in such a hurry to visit Hertfordshire. “I had some urgent business in Meryton,” he said in his haughtiest voice. It was not quite a lie, and he knew Collins would not dare question him if he believed the reason to be private.
But Collins had already exhausted his interest in Darcy’s life. “As you can see, sir, there have been some material alterations in my circumstances since we last encountered each other.” He preened, smoothing the front of his waistcoat, which was a most unholy shade of puce with green and gold embroidery. No doubt some shopkeeper had told Collins it would contribute to a gentlemanly image. His coat must have cost a pretty penny, but it was too big in the chest and too tight in the shoulders. As for his breeches, stockings, and slippers…the less said, the better. Darcy hoped he could soon blot them from his memory.
Collins was perfectly dressed to play the role of a man without discernment who had newly come into money.
“So I understand. My congratulations,” Darcy said.
“Thank you.” Collins made a half bow. “I flatter myself that I have made a few improvements at Longbourn since my arrival. Bennet squandered money horribly, you know.”
“Indeed?” Bennet’s clothing had never been half so expensive.
“Yes, and he was terribly lax with the staff and”—the man lowered his voice—“with his daughters. You heard about the youngest?”
Darcy nodded, and Collins gave a slow shake of his head in a parody of sadness. “Death would have been preferable to such disgrace, and now her sisters must bear the shame.” The ghoul. How often had Collins shared that sentiment with the Bennet family?
“Speaking of Mr. Bennet’s daughters,” Darcy seized the opening, “I glimpsed Miss Jane and Miss Kitty, but not Miss Elizabeth or Miss Mary. I hoped I might pay my respects to all of them.”
“Oh?” Collins glanced about the room vaguely, as if he had only now realized that two members of his party were absent. “I suppose Lizzy and Mary were not interested in attending.” Darcy did not believe this for a minute. Elizabeth always delighted in society.
“They are not unwell?”
“I do not believe so….” He waved his hand dismissively.
“But I understood they reside at Longbourn with you?”
Only then did Collins realize he appeared to care nothing for his own family members. “I…er…have not seen them since yesterday’s dinner. Mrs. Bennet might give you a fuller report.”
Darcy was not quite desperate enough to volunteer for a conversation with Mrs. Bennet. Unfortunately, it was not easy to rid himself of Collins, who always regarded Darcy as eager to share the singing of Catherine de Bourgh’s praises. “Your aunt was of tremendous assistance when this estate was so unexpectedly transferred to me. She condescended to bestow extensive advice upon me.”
“I would imagine,” Darcy murmured.
Collins had his eyes closed and his mouth curved in ecstasy at the memory. “‘The house is disgracefully overstaffed,’ she said. ‘And never allow the tenants to take advantage of you.’ I can assure you I have taken her words to heart…”
Darcy managed not to roll his eyes. Knowing how Rosings was operated, Darcy would not have taken his aunt’s advice on anything. Ten minutes later the man was still talking, and Darcy had given up any pretense of listening as he kept an eye on Jane Bennet. “And she gave Charlotte excellent counsel about the carpet in the breakfast room, although my dear wife has not yet had an opportunity to make those improvements. We were blessed with a little boy last year.”
“Congratulations,” Darcy managed.
“Yes, Lady Catherine personally chose a wet nurse for him and sent her all the way from Kent—”
“I beg your pardon,” Darcy interrupted the monologue. “The set is finished, and I must speak with Miss Bennet on a most urgent matter.”
“Jane?” Collins said dubiously. “Er…of course.”
Miss Bennet had just parted from her dancing partner, who was, now that Darcy saw him up close, quite a bit older than she and walking with a pronounced limp. She had smiled sweetly at the man, but Darcy did not detect any signs of great regard. Perhaps he was simply an old friend of her parents’.
I should have told Bingley what I learned about the Bennets. Darcy’s conscience gave a guilty twinge. But how could he account for hiring someone to visit Meryton and essentially spy on the Bennets? And he did not know if Jane Bennet would welcome renewed attentions from Bingley.
But now the woman in question stood before him, perhaps giving him a chance to guess the answer. “Miss Bennet.” He gave her a little bow.
Her eyes grew large. “Mr. Darcy! I did not know you were in Hertfordshire.” She curtsied.
“I arrived only yesterday.”
“Oh, I see.”
Miss Bennet had aged. Worry had carved lines around her mouth and created dark shadows beneath her eyes. She had lost weight so that her gown fit rather loosely. The dress itself was a bit shabby with pulled threads in the skirt and a frayed hem. Darcy realized with a shock that it was the same dress he had admired on Elizabeth when he first encountered her at the Meryton assembly. He experienced sudden nausea. Could the Bennet sisters indeed not afford new gowns? That hardly seemed likely if Collins and his wife could avail themselves of the latest fashions.
