Page 68 of A Most Favourable Match

“…As for Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth continued her sentence with a half-serious reflection. “It would be most inconvenient if he took a liking to me after I swore to hate him forever only a few months ago.”

Kissing Charlotte farewell, she dashed off to her carriage. Yes, it would be very inconvenient if Mr Darcy had a genuine affection for her, and even more inconvenient if she returned it.

Chapter 24

“You will be packed in time to leave on Friday, won’t you?” Darcy asked Georgiana and Mrs Annesley, putting his head around the door of the Netherfield Park music room at the end of a duet on the pianoforte. “I am most anxious to reach Pemberley.”

In truth, Darcy was growing more anxious by the hour. Miss Bingley had been trying enough on the night of the Meryton assembly, but in the few days that followed, she had become a positive menace.

Every time he turned a corner in the house, sat down to read in the library, or stepped out into the gardens for air, Caroline Bingley would be there, creeping up on him with her sly glances and over-bright smiles.

“Everything is in order,” Mrs Annesley assured him with her usual efficiency. “The maids have their instructions, and your carriage will be packed and ready to depart on Friday morning.”

“Good.”

“I shall be ready first thing on Friday, Brother, although I do wish we did not need to rush off so soon,” Georgiana sighed. “I should like to know Miss Bennetand Miss Elizabeth better, and there is so little time before we go.”

“I did say that their family would be welcome to visit Pemberley,” he excused himself, feeling the lameness of his words and knowing that he had not said nearly enough to Elizabeth to have any hope of a visit.

“It is too far away,” replied Georgiana mournfully, echoing his own thoughts. “They won’t come. I know it.”

As Mrs Annesley played the opening chords of another duet, his sister was drawn back to the music, and Darcy took his leave.

“How divinely your sister plays,” said Miss Bingley, appearing again in the corridor almost at the instant he left the music room and matching her fulsome praise by approaching him far too closely. “Georgiana is such a credit to you, Mr Darcy. Let us listen awhile together out here together. Music is truly the food of love.”

Darcy looked at Miss Bingley askance. She wore a white silk dress more suited to evening than day in its cut and decoration, and a generous amount of scent for the hour as well.

“So Shakespeare said,” he returned cautiously, sidestepping Miss Bingley and wondering what was wrong with her.

“Not only Shakespeare,” Miss Bingley replied oddly, with her high-pitched and artificial little laugh. “Certain other gentlemen have said the same thing to certain ladies, have they not?”

What on earth was she talking about? Darcy could make neither head nor tail of Caroline Bingley’s cryptic utterances in the last few days and was not of a mind to try any harder.

“Do excuse me, your brother and I are going out to ride,” he told her and hurried away.

The sooner he was gone, the better.

∞∞∞

A long, hard ride before luncheon did little to ease Darcy’s spirits. Bingley’s entire conversation now seemed to be of Jane Bennet and whether it would be appropriate for him to make an offer for her hand yet. Would Mr and Mrs Bennet approve? Might Lord Grantchester take exception? What would the neighbours think?

“Why not ask these questions of the person they most concern?” Darcy eventually told his friend bluntly, having run out of patience by the time they came up the steps of Netherfield Park after their ride. “I am sure the views of the lady and gentleman in question ought to matter more than the rest.”

“I say, Darcy, the matter is very delicate and I cannot just —”

Bingley cut short the rest of his answer upon seeing his sister in the hallway, in the act of folding a letter into her pocket at the sideboard. She seemed to have had a flurry of letters recently, but though Miss Bingley hadseemed almost to wish comment from him, Darcy had been careful not to be drawn in.

“There you both are,” Miss Bingley said brightly, an unusual glow in her cheeks and self-consciousness in her expression. “What a long ride you took today. I was starting to think we must have luncheon without you.”

How much of their conversation had she overheard? Darcy grimaced to think of it. He doubted somehow that Caroline Bingley would approve of her own brother marrying any of the Bennet daughters, however amusing she might find it for Lord Grantchester to do so. And poor Bingley was uncertain enough without suffering his sister’s sharp barbs and veiled strictures.

“Almost one o’clock,” remarked Bingley to his sister with a laugh, jogging up the stairs. “We lost track of time. Why don’t you ladies start without us, and Darcy and I will join you when we’re presentable.”

Walking up more slowly after Bingley, Darcy felt a hand catch at his sleeve and looked back at Caroline Bingley with almost threadbare politeness.

“I agree with you, Mr Darcy,” she said, apropos of nothing, before dropping her voice to a conspiratorial level. “I too believe that the views of the lady and gentleman in question ought to matter more than anyone else’s. If an offer is made…well, I shall talk to my brother and make my views known.”

Darcy frowned and pulled back his arm, too confused to make any answer. Had Miss Bingley heard something of her brother’s plans and approved of hismarrying Jane Bennet? It seemed unlikely, and he sensed a trap, although its shape was presently beyond him.