Bingley looked up to discover him peering dubiously at the uppermost letter. “Netherfield’s freeholder,” he explained around his mouthful.
Banbury bowed slightly, and though he said no more, he did raise both eyebrows. It made Bingley nervous. The man knew far too much of his private affairs, which made him wonder what conclusions he was drawing. He forced his mouthful down before he had properly chewed it and choked out, “Why I write to him is no concern of yours.”
“Indeed, I made no enquiry, sir.”
“You did—of a fashion. You are doing it again now. Your eyebrows are all up in the air.”
Banbury apologised and frowned.
“No, no, I do not require you to scowl. Leave your eyebrows where they were.” He sliced some more meat and added sullenly, “I am enquiring about purchasing it if you must know.”
“Indeed, there is no obligation for me to know, sir,” Banbury replied coolly as he shuffled the letter to the back of the pile and regarded the next no less disdainfully than the last. “The harbourmaster, sir?”
“Yes, the harbourmaster!”
“Which harbour, might I enquire, sir?”
Bingley threw down his knife and fork. “Blast it, Banbury, that is not your business, either!”
“Undoubtedly not, sir. Though if you were to make it so, it would be much more likely that I should address it correctly.”
“Right.” Breakfast had lost its appeal. He pushed the plate away. “Send it to Liverpool, if you would.” He watched closely as Banbury flicked to the last letter in the pile, anticipating a raised eyebrow, a frown, a sneer, a twitch, someindication of disapprobation, yet theman was taking his own good time peering at the addressee. “My cousin, before you ask.”
“I would never be so impertinent, sir.” Banbury pursed his lips and slipped the letters into his pocket.
“Dash it all, man, I mean to settle in Nova Scotia, and that is all there is to it.” In truth, he had absolutely no desire to live out his days in a foreign country, yet trial and error had proved nowhere in England was far enough removed to keep him away from Elizabeth for long, thus abroad he must go.
Banbury inclined his head. “A shrewd decision, sir.”
“How so?”
“At such a great distance there is almost no possibility your troubles in Hertfordshire might follow you there.”
Bingley felt himself colour. “Just dress me for services, would you?” he muttered, hauling himself to his feet.
“Services are over, sir.”
“What?” Bingley whipped about to look at the clock. It was gone midday. “Upon my word, why did you not tell me the time when I sat down to write those letters?”
“I would never have presumed you could not tell it yourself, sir.”
Bingley narrowed his eyes at him. He swore Darcy never had this much trouble with his staff. “Very well, dress me as you see fit. Only get to it, that I may be left in peace.”
Banbury did as he was bid with mercifully little more impertinence and made to depart.
“Ah, Banbury, before you leave? I would have you take those letters to the receiving office in person. Entrust them to nobody else. Mrs Darcy isnotto get wind of my plans. I shall not have her distressed.”
They parted ways after that, Banbury to wherever it was he went when he was not attending Bingley and Bingley to escape into the park to reflect, with no little alarm, upon the very great moment of the course upon which he had just resolved.
Wednesday 24 February 1813, Derbyshire
“There you are. I thought you meant to join us in the library.”
Darcy looked up from his letter. Whatever Elizabeth saw in his countenance turned hers from happy to alarmed in an instant, and before he had the chance to respond, she was hastening to his side.
“What is it?” she enquired, laying a comforting hand on his arm and peering at him with the utmost concern.
He raised a hand to cover hers. Then he changed his mind, tossed the letter onto his desk and used both hands to pull her gently onto his lap.
