He led them with confidence through the mazelike corridors of the place, and she thought he must be used to large estates like this for he lived in one some of the time, and she followed him until he brought them into a room that was entirely empty.
It also wasn’t a study, but rather a sitting room of some kind, small, with a couch and a chair and a window that overlooked the grounds.
Behind them, the door swung shut.
“This is wrong,” said Mr. Darcy.
“Yes, it is,” she said, turning around to open the door.
The door was locked.
She rattled it, annoyed.
“Here, let me,” said Mr. Darcy, trying the knob himself. It wouldn’t turn for him either. “Damnation,” he said.
“Mr. Darcy, are we locked in?” she said.
“Damnation,” he said again.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
MEANWHILE, IN THEactual study in the east wing, everyone was looking at Caroline Bingley as if she was some kind of demoness, including Georgiana, who—to be fair—had not been included in all of the ins and outs of this scheme, because Caroline had rather thought the other girl might not entirely approve of it.
“This is your plan?” Georgiana was saying to Caroline. She looked at Neithern. “I’m ever so sorry. I had no notion I was part of this. Of course I don’t wish to extort you into marrying me.”
“How do you even know of this, Miss Bingley?” Houseman said.
“Probably, you don’t wish to marry me at all anymore,” said Neithern to Georgiana, “not now that you know what it is that I am, which is not a duke at all, but a bastard.”
“Don’t say that word in front of ladies,” murmured Sulles, who was looking them all over with a strange look on his face. “I must say, I didn’t realize you weren’t of our blood at all, little nephew. This is worse than I could have ever imagined. Has anyone killed that Frenchman?”
“He escaped to Scotland,” said Neithern. “Grandmother decided not to pursue, as I understand it. Not worth it. Besides, now everyone knows. I can’t believe Elizabeth told Miss Bingley,but then, she did seem wretchedly stupid in that way, telling Miss Bingley about her secret marriage and all of that.”
“Yes, you can’t trust women, really,” said Houseman. “They don’t know how to keep their mouths shut, unfortunately.”
“Not in their nature,” agreed Sulles.
“Excuse me,” said Georgiana, hands on her hips.
“We could kill them,” said Sulles.
“No, we could not,” said Neithern in shock.
“It’s really much easier to kill a woman than a man,” said Sulles. “They don’t tend to be as strong and their necks are more slender and therefore easier to wring.”
“You’re disgusting,” said Houseman hoarsely.
Caroline rubbed her neck. “No one needs to kill anyone. Just make offers of marriage, as I’ve outlined, and this all goes away.”
“This is how you wish to gain a husband, madam?” said Houseman. “Truly? You can’t think I would ever trust you if you get me to agree by trickery.”
“It’s all trickery in the end,” said Caroline. “We women are forced to try to trick men into thinking there’s some reason to keep us around, to feed and clothe and house us. We must pretend as if we are worth something to you when it is quite obvious you only tolerate us.”
Sulles smirked. “I might like her. It’d be a pity to wring her neck.”
“No neck wringing,” said Neithern sternly.
“You like her, you marry her,” muttered Houseman.
