‘What makes you the arbiter of my behaviour?’
‘I am older and more experienced than you. I am also one of the few people who is not intimidated by the Darcy stare.’ Richard grinned at his cousin. ‘I am also the only one who can beat you in a fight because you fight fair.’
Darcy returned the grin despite the pain it occasioned him. ‘You do realise that until these bruises heal, I will not be able to show my face in public. I thank you for the opportunity to remain at home.’
‘Think nothing of it.’
~T~
8Caroline and Friends
Caroline Bingley felt torn. While she was pleased to be back in London, she was furious for missing her chance to display her skills as a hostess to Mr Darcy.
She was also smarting that a woman like Mrs Bennet seemed to have been the driving force to have her brother evicted from Netherfield.
Yes, the solicitor had said that Charles had a choice and technically her brother had cancelled the lease of his own free will, but it had been a Hobson’s choice. That was to say, no choice at all.
One good thing had come out of this fiasco.
Her brother was in London and his latest angel had stayed behind, although now he was moping about the house moaning about a lost opportunity and that Miss Bennet had beenthewoman for him. There had never been anyone like her nor would there ever again. Miss Bingley gritted her teeth and held onto her frayed nerves.
Another and even more important reason for her being out of temper was that they were again living in Hurst’s townhouse on Bedford Avenue, but Mr Darcy had not visited since their return.
Caroline had suggested on several occasions that it would only be polite if they called on the gentleman, but her brother was so out of sorts that he refused to go anywhere.
Unfortunately for her, London was still deserted as the start of the little season was several weeks away yet. As a consequence, she was bored. She could not even console herself by shopping since she had had already spent in excess of her allowance to acquire a complete new wardrobe before their ill-fated sojourn to the wilds of Hertfordshire, where she had meant to impress Mr Darcy.
~T~
Mr Bingley was indeed moping, or perhaps it would be closer to the truth to say that he was sulking.
When he had arrived at Netherfield Park, he had had high hopes of fulfilling his father’s dreams. The manor was all that he had hoped for – large, elegant, and well maintained. The vicinity to London was also a big point in its favour since it would allow him to partake of the season at a moment’s notice as the travel time to town was only three to four hours. A negligible amount of time.
Netherfield also had a good steward to oversee the day to day running of the estate. It would have been the perfect situation for him to settle down when he bought the estate.
Admittedly he remembered that the agent told him that Netherfield was only for lease, not for sale, but he was sure that he would have changed his tune if offered the right price. After all, his father had taught him that everything was for sale.
And then to top it off the first neighbour whom he visited had the most beautiful daughter he had ever beheld. She was everything he had dreamed about… beautiful, genteel, softspoken, and best of all she had displayed proper decorum by not openly flirting with him, which so many of the young women in London did.
After that first meeting, he was determined to marry her. All the men of his acquaintance would envy him when he attended a function with such a beautiful creature on his arm.
Then that beautiful dream was shattered by the behaviour of is sisters and even his friend.
When he was first asked to cancel the lease, he had been so disheartened that he had complied without thinking, a choice he was regretting more and more since it had taken him away from the angelic Miss Bennet. How could he court her when he was in London, and she continued to reside in Hertfordshire?
At present he was irate with his sisters and even his friend, which was why he refused Caroline’s demands to visit Darcy.
In his present mood, Bingley was afraid that he would say something unforgivable to his friend and he did not want to jeopardise his friendship.
A very small part of his conscience whispered that he did not wish to lose Darcy’s continued support and invitations to events which he would not otherwise receive. While Hurst was a gentleman who owned this house in London, he did not move in the same circles as Darcy frequented.
Presently he could not find an outlet for his frustrations since arguing with Caroline was pointless as she never listened to anything he said. Instead, he sat in his chambers and stewed.
~T~
Caroline Bingley lost patience with her brother and decided to visit Mr Darcy without him and asked her sister to accompany her for propriety’s sake.
‘Caroline, I do not believe that is a good idea. You know that Mr Darcy is a stickler for propriety.’
