Darcy caught the tone of Bingley’s voice. “Speak plainly, Bingley. It is what you are best at.”
“I only…that is to say, I am fearful of bringing dishonour to my family should Lydia’s reputation not be preserved.”
“What other option do you see before you? You are engaged to Jane. To withdraw from an engagement would be shameful as well.”
“Our engagement is not known outside of Meryton.” Darcy stared in mute astonishment. “The banns have not been read, and no settlement papers have been drawn up, let alone signed.”
“Your honour is engaged,” Darcy said in a low voice. After all that he and Bingley’s sisters had done to keep him from Jane, Bingley could not truly consider breaking it off. “I am shocked that you are now considering how easy it might be to end your engagement.”
“I do love her! It is only that I now have…reservations about Jane’s respectability. You cannot deny that Lydia’s actions call into question the virtue of all the Bennet girls.”
“Tread carefully, Bingley.” Darcy’s voice dropped low. “I am engaged to one of those girls, and I see no reason to question my choice of a wife. The Bennet girls will be my sisters, and I would thank you not to question their virtue within my hearing. I will not listen in silence while you allow the foibles of one to be applied to them all.”
“Forgive me—you are right.” Bingley flinched and looked away. “But society will think more as I do than you. Louisa made a fine catch marrying a gentleman like Hurst, and Caroline could do the same. They rebuked me enough for Jane’s low connexions. I can only imagine what Caroline and Louisa would say should they learn the truth about Lydia’s departure from Brighton.”
“Then you ought not to tell them. I have every intention of recovering Lydia before they know she is gone!” cried Darcy, and they did not speak until Bingley said good-bye when the carriage left him at the Hursts’ door. Darcy pushed Bingley’s inconstancy from his mind as he entered his own house.
With less politeness than he habitually used when addressing those in his employ, he told the housekeeper to speak to all the servants and determine who had the closest acquaintance with Mrs Younge. He then stormed into his library with instructions not to be disturbed for any reason other than an answer to his enquiries.
How could Bingley question Jane’s respectability—indeed, all of the Bennet girls’ respectability—because of Lydia’s scandal? Lydia was thoughtless and idle, but she had genuinely thought that she was to be married in Scotland. If Bingley could question the respectability of his “angel,” then what hope did the Bennet daughters have should they not discover Lydia and persuade her to return to her friends?
There came a rap on his door, and Darcy turned from the window. His housekeeper entered and behind her followed a young girl, her hands fidgeting with her apron. She was introduced as Nelly, the first kitchen maid, and at Darcy’s nod, the housekeeper departed, leaving the maid trembling with fright at being summoned by the master. Had Darcy not been so anxious for information, he might have pitied her more.
“Do you know the whereabouts of Mrs Younge?”
The maid opened her mouth to speak but only nodded as her face drained of colour. Darcy sighed as he realised he needed to show more patience than was his wont.Elizabeth would be far better at this. She could put anyone at ease.
Suppressing his impatience, he sat behind his desk, hoping it would diminish his height and he might appear less imposing. “Nelly, you are not dismissed, I assure you. I need to find Mrs Younge. Can you assist me?”
This helped because she finally whispered, “Yes, sir, I knew Mrs Younge.” When he nodded, she continued in a slightly louder voice. “We were friendly while she was here, sir. I would bring her tea when she came with Miss Darcy and we would talk. She wrote me once after she left and said she keeps lodgings in Edward Street.”
“Are you in contact with her?”
“No, sir! She left too quickly. We all know what that means. Mrs Younge must’a done something dreadful.”
He dismissed her, and she nearly ran from the room. He would bring Bingley with him when he called on Mrs Younge tomorrow. If Lydia was to be convinced to leave Wickham, his amiable friend must be the one to do it.
ChapterSeventeen
Darcy rode in a hired hackney for the short drive to Grosvenor Street to retrieve Bingley, all the while hoping that the tension between them had dissipated since yesterday. Bingley could not truly doubt Jane’s character; he was only suffering from depressed spirits over what they needed to accomplish. Darcy was shown to the breakfast room where Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley sat at the table, their heads together in private gossip. Mr Hurst said nothing at all and did not look up from his breakfast.
Darcy declined their invitation to join them. The less he said, the sooner he and Bingley could leave to settle this unfortunate affair. Let Elizabeth call him unsocial and taciturn, but he did not have the patience for Miss Bingley this morning.
“We were sorry to leave Bath, but it is such a pleasure to see you,” Miss Bingley fawned. “I had thought you and Charles remained in Hertfordshire. We were only staying in town a few days before we travelled to Netherfield to join you. And Jane, of course.” Her tone showed she expected little pleasure in it.
“Yes, I wrote to Caroline to tell her of my engagement, and sheinsisted on coming to keep house for me. Did you not, Caroline?” Bingley added heavily.
His sister feigned her liking for the idea.
“Tell us, Mr Darcy, what think you of Charles’s choice of a wife?” Mrs Hurst asked.
“Miss Bennet is lovely, and her sense and gentle nature will be a credit to Bingley.” How many more minutes of idle chatter would be necessary?
“We were just speaking of dear Jane, were we not?” Miss Bingley never removed her eyes from Darcy, although she addressed her sister. “Would you not agree that she has done well to receive an offer from Charles, given the Bennets’ poor connexions?”
To this speech, Bingley gave no answer and looked remarkably uncomfortable. Darcy simply stated that it was, in his opinion, a beneficial match for both sides.
“Oh indeed, beneficial for our friend Jane—I had often despaired of her being well settled. It is a shame her other sisters will not be so fortunate.”
