“Um, well, Patcham.”
“Patcham?” Lord Saye’s eyes flew open, and he allowed his mouth to fall comically agape. “Where on earth is Patcham?”
“Not three miles from here,” Mr Darcy offered. “Directly along the London Road.”
“Three miles!” It might have been thirty for the way he exclaimed it. He looked to Mr Darcy, then returned his gaze to Elizabeth, incredulity plain on his countenance. “Miss Bennet, would you have us stay in some village halfway to London?”
“Calm down, Saye.” Mr Darcy gave his cousin a look. “Three miles off is hardly halfway to London.”
“Well it might as well be. My dear girl, delightful as you are, you must have run mad. How is one to properly enjoy the sea views from three miles off? The air! How can I enjoy the sea air from such a distance?”
“Pray do not berate her, Saye,” Mr Darcy said, sounding stern. “It is hardly a preposterous notion, particularly with the house in such a state.”
“Itisa preposterous notion,” Lord Saye insisted. “I have not dragged myself down from London to stay atPatchamand look attrees. This house will do, and if Darcy grows missish about a little loose plaster, then he may go to Patcham himself. With any luck, they have a cream ice shop there.Imean to enjoy the view, even if the entire ceiling rains down upon me as I do so.”
“Let us hope that does not happen,” Mr Gardiner said heartily.
“I assure you it will not,” said Mr Tucker. “We have already found the problem in the roof, and it will be dealt with today. There will be no more ceilings collapsed, upon my word.”
“Good man!” Lord Saye saluted Mr Tucker with his coffee cup. “Now I must be about arranging my picnic?—”
“Picnic?” Mr Darcy exclaimed.
“Yes,” Lord Saye replied. “Tucker has a housekeeper coming later today. Sounds the capable sort, but we ought to give her until Thursday to plan the picnic, allow her to settle in first. Miss Bennet, you will join us, will you not?”
All eyes were suddenly upon Elizabeth. The invitation surprised her into silence.
“Georgie will be there, too,” his lordship pressed. “You will like her very well. A seaside picnic! Could there be anything more delightful?”
When Elizabeth had gone, so too did Darcy’s mettle. He sat on the bottom stair—thankfulthatdid not give way beneath him—and dropped his head into his hands.
“Well this is all absolutely delicious.”
He opened his eyes to find Saye smirking at him. “Delicious?”
“Somehow, I have managed to let a house owned by the woman who broke your heart. Affording you a second chance, by the bye!”
Darcy paused, unsure whether he would do best todisclaim his affection for Elizabeth or allow Saye his victory.
“Is she engaged to that fellow she was sneaking about with last night?” Saye enquired. “I might have thought him a man of a different stamp, to be perfectly frank with you, but perhaps Miss Bennet is so enticing that men of all varieties fall in love with her.”
“No, she is not engaged to him,” Darcy replied. At least, he did not believe she was. Though she had not precisely said as much—only that she was neither his mistress nor in love with him. He hardly dared imagine what manner of arrangement Elizabeth was involved in if the manwereinclined as Saye implied.
“If she is not engaged, then why have you been stuffing sweets down your gob all these weeks?”
“It does not signify whom she might or might not be engaged to, does it?” Darcy said despondently. “All that matters is that she declined to become engaged to me, and she is not likely to rethink her decision after that performance.”
“I shall admit you did not begin strongly, suggesting she was Hartham’s mistress.” Saye chuckled again and moved to pour himself more coffee. “Good lord, man, you cannot say such things of a woman you purport to love! What were you thinking?”
“So you were eavesdropping?”
“Obviously.” Saye gave a little sniff. “Would that I had interrupted sooner! At least I stopped you before you proclaimed your reform before a woman you had only just insulted.”
“Insultedagainis more like it. And now she despises me even more than she did before.”
“Perhaps wet your shirt again,” Saye suggested. “She was in no haste to look away when she saw you last night.”
“My wet shirt did no more than to show to her the paunch you are so adamant I have gained,” Darcy replied glumly.
