AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Darcy did not glance up. “You must have received my note.”
Richard brandished the paper at him. “Is this a joke?”
Darcy stood, folded his letter, and handed it to Tucker for posting. He waited until Tucker had departed to take the trunk up to the attic. “No,” he responded shortly.
“It must be,” Richard insisted.
“Look around you.” Darcy’s voice was calm.
His cousin glanced around. Covers had already been draped over most of the furniture. With one night remaining at Darcy House, only the bedrooms, dining room, and drawing room were still fully available for the family’s use.
“I do not understand!” Richard sputtered. Under other circumstances, Darcy might have found it amusing.
“I am closing up Darcy House,” Darcy patiently repeated what he had written in the note. “It will run on a skeleton staff. The remaining staff will travel to Pemberley. After staying at Pemberley for a week, we shall close it up as well. Then Georgiana and I will take a ship for America.”
Richard shoved his fingers through his already unruly brown hair. “Ju
st like that?”
“Indeed.”
“But why?” Richard was watching Darcy’s face a little too intently for his comfort.
“My father’s brother, my Uncle Clive, has invited us to visit him in Philadelphia.”
“Yes, yes, so you said in your note. But why now?”
If he only knew the true reason, he would happily purchase my passage himself.
Darcy shrugged. “I have always desired to see it, and Georgiana never had many opportunities to travel, since she was so young when our parents died.” Fitzwilliam was still frowning at Darcy, and he found himself staring down at his desk, rearranging the ink bottle and papers. His cousin’s gaze weighed upon him.
He struggled to keep his face blank. “It is also a good excuse for delaying Georgiana’s coming out. The idea of a debut frightens her. Time away from the concerns of the ton and the marriage market will be beneficial to her.” Richard’s shoulders relaxed fractionally, and some of his frown lines smoothed out. Darcy had hoped Georgiana’s debut was a reason his cousin would understand.
“But America is so far away!” Richard exclaimed.
And that is why it appeals. “Indeed. It was inconsiderate of them to put the country on another continent. But we shall not be gone long.”
Richard regarded him suspiciously. “How long is ‘not long?’”
-“We have no fixed departure date. A couple months, maybe. We will see how we like it and whether they have anything that resembles decent tea.”
“Months!” Richard cried. “You will miss the wedding.”
“I am afraid so,” Darcy murmured.
“Elizabeth will be disappointed.”
Darcy noticed his cousin carefully scrutinizing him. Had he flinched at the mention of her name? “You did change the wedding date,” Darcy observed.
Although Lydia and Wickham’s marriage had served to quell the worst of the scandal, rumors still circulated, and Richard’s parents had insisted that he and Elizabeth delay their wedding a few more months until the scandal abated. Darcy thought his cousin a fool for acquiescing. If Elizabeth agreed to marry him, Darcy would not rest until he had dragged her before an altar.
“You will miss Bingley’s wedding as well!”
Darcy experienced a twinge of guilt. “I penned a letter of apology to Bingley.”
Richard sank into a dustcloth-covered chair. “This is ridiculous! When did you become so impulsive? It must be Bingley’s influence.”
Darcy laughed, although it sounded hollow to his ears. “I have wished to visit America for some time. My business affairs are stable. The opportunity presented itself.”
