“And who is he?”
“She, and I never discovered her name. She refused to tell me. All I found out from her before sheflouncedoff in a snit was that the woman Rutherford was meeting was Georgiana.”
“But you said Rutherford was not there.”
“He was not.”
“Where was he?”
“How the devil should I know?”
They had each grown steadily louder in their responses and this last was all but shouted, bringing Darcy to his senses.
“We are going in circles. We had better speak to the one person who might be able to shed some light on the matter.” He rang the bell and, when a footman answered the summons, instructed that Georgiana be asked to join them. He poured his cousin a drink while they waited and thanked him for his efforts that morning.
Fitzwilliam raised his glass in acknowledgement, then took a swig. “I am sorry I did not manage to speak to Miss Bennet. I know you hoped I would.”
“It seems we have more immediate concerns,” Darcy replied, though it was not true. Whatever was afoot between Georgiana and Rutherford,shewas here, safe and accounted for. Elizabeth had not been where her sister believed her to be, and to his mind, that was a far greater cause for concern.
His sister arrived not long after, entering the room with altogether too cheerful an air. “You wished to see me? Oh! Good day, Cousin. I did not know you were here, too.” Her smile faded when her breezy greeting was met with stony faces.
“Sit down,” Darcy told her.
She did, looking nervously between him and Fitzwilliam, though he could perceive no hint of guilt in her expression, and since he well knew what that looked like on her, he did not think he would miss it if she felt any.
He crossed his arms. “Where did you go when you went out earlier?”
The enquiry obviously surprised her, but other than a vague frown, she showed no great alarm at the line of questioning. “To the exhibition on Pall Mall.”
“You admit it, then? Without shame?”
“Why should I be ashamed? I did tell you I was going there today.”
“But you did not tell us why.” This time, Darcy saw her contrition plainly, and it cut him to the quick. It was Ramsgate all over again. “Tell us what you were doing there. And we want the truth, young lady.”
She continued to look between them, wincing in distress. “Iwilltell you, and I beg you to believe that Imeantto tell you, because this makes it seem as though I was deliberately keeping it a secret.”
“Keeping what a secret?” Fitzwilliam pressed.
“Upon my word, it isnota secret. I was going to tell you last night, but you were both so angry with one another, the opportunity never arose.”
“It has arisen now,” Darcy said, his struggle to remain calm giving his voice a hard edge. “What were you doing at the exhibition?”
“I went to meet somebody.”
“Lord Rutherford?”
Georgiana’s eyes widened. “You knew?”
Darcy looked at Fitzwilliam; he had pinched the bridge of his nose and was silently shaking his head. Darcy sharedhis consternation. After everything that had happened with Wickham, he had not thought his sister could be so foolish again.
“Please, let me explain,” Georgiana said plaintively. “It is not what it sounds like—this is not the same as what happened before, I swear it.”
Fitzwilliam made a noise of disbelief. “You have concealed a clandestine liaison from us. It is exactly the same.”
“Let her explain,” Darcy said darkly. “I would hear what this blackguard is playing at.”
“Blackguard? Oh, no, he?—”
