Standing in front of the empty fireplace where he faced the door, Darcy welcomed Elizabeth’s presence next to him, her hand wrapped around his elbow in support. He set his canes behind him. In this way, he had the dignity of not leaning on his canes when the Bingleys and Hursts entered the room.
Miss Bingley’s eyes swept the area before settling on him. “Mr. Darcy, it is good to once again be at Pemberley. Why, I do believe your estate improves each time we are here.” She stopped cold when she noticed who stood next to him. “Eliza Bennet? What are you doing here?”
With a tip of her head, Elizabeth replied, “Like you, I am a guest of the Darcy family.”
“Well, I never!” Miss Bingley glanced toward her sister for support. Mrs. Hurst and her husband wisely ignored her.
Bingley fairly bounced into the drawing room. “Miss Elizabeth, what a delight to see you. How is your family? Are they traveling with you?” He finally surveyed the room. His disappointment at not seeing Miss Jane Bennet was visible.
Darcy welcomed them and then introduced the Bingleys to the Gardiners. Mrs. Gardiner slightly dipped her knee to them. “My husband and I have already been introduced to the ladies when my eldest niece and I called on them at Mr. Hurst’s residence in London. They returned the call not two months ago. It is a pleasure to meet you at last, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Hurst.”
Darcy wanted to laugh. Her words were a direct blow, an arrow to the heart of the matter. Bingley would now know that Jane Bennet had been in London and that his sisters hid that information from him.
As it was, tension stiffened Bingley’s spine. A reddish hue filled his countenance from the top of his cravat to his hairline. Spinning on his heel, he hovered over his sister. “You did not tell me that Miss Bennet was in London!”
Miss Bingley waved away his outburst. “Charles, now is not the time to discuss this.”
“Why, Caroline, I believe you are in error. You see, there is not one person in this room who does not have a vested interest in your reply.”
She spluttered. “Charles, you are embarrassing me.”
“If that is the case, then perhaps it is because your conduct is in question, not my manners.”
“Charles!” she hissed. “Not now!”
“When?” Bingley studied his sister’s face before turning away from her to approach Darcy. “I apologize sincerely for our early arrival, my friend. I see that you are already fully occupied. Since we spent the night at Bakewell and have not traveled any distance today, I believe the wisest course would be for us to depart. If you would call for my coachman to remain with my carriage, we shall leave for Netherfield Park immediately. If there is a chance for Miss Jane Bennet and me, I will know within two days.”
Turning his attention to Mr. Gardiner, Bingley said, “Pray, know that I would never approach Miss Bennet if it would cause her distress. Do you think I have reason to hope?”
Mr. Gardiner replied, “I will only say that if I were in your Hessians, I would be on the road to Hertfordshire as soon as my horses were ready to travel.”
Bingley nodded. “Then we are off.”
Tipping his head, Darcy asked the footman to stop the driver from unhitching Bingley’s vehicle.
Miss Bingley tried to stop him. “But, Mr. Darcy, I am quite tired. I need to rest, and Pemberley is the perfect respite.” Her expression sly, she simpered. “Surely, you can see that returning to Hertfordshire would not be in Charles’ best interest. You are aware of the danger.”
Darcy refused to play her game. He was grateful he had explained his interference with Bingley and Miss Bennet to Elizabeth when they were in Kent. At least, he thought that he had. Had he?
“Miss Bingley, it does not serve you well to not listen to your brother since he is the authority figure in your home.”
She batted her lashes, then cloaked herself with what she assumed was a demure expression. “Oh, Mr. Darcy. You are a tease. My brother, as you well know, will listen to your opinion over mine. He will always do what you ask. On his own, he rules nothing or no one. As it is, his purpose when we departed Bakewell this morning was to journey no farther than your estate. Why he is vacillating now, I do not know. Perhaps, if you were to remind him of his responsibility toward me then we can enjoy ourselves during our stay here.”
Elizabeth gasped and tightened her fingers on his arm.
Deciding that he had enough, Darcy said, “Miss Bingley, I learned a valuable lesson during the winter that will forever keep me from interfering in my friend’s business again. Perhaps you should learn the same?”
“Mr. Darcy,” she purred. “Do you not yet realize that I will become whatever you desire me to be, sir? If you want me to listen more to Charles, then consider it done.” She coyly stepped closer, the feathers of her bonnet almost brushing his nose.
With the stone fireplace behind him and Elizabeth at his side, he could not step back. He loathed feeling boxed in.
“Miss Bingley, what you choose to do has nothing to do with me. I have selected the woman who will become the next mistress of Pemberley. The position is no longer available.”
Caroline Bingley’s nose wrinkled like she smelled something unsavory. “You would attach yourself to Eliza Bennet?”
“Gladly.”
“Well, I never!” Spinning on her heels, she said, “I can see that we are not welcome here. Charles, let us leave.”
