“What are you about?” Caroline hissed as she tried to wrench her arm away from her sister.
“What am I about? I am stopping you from making a hugefaux pasand more likely than not making sure Charles will lose his friends because of you,” Louisa returned insotto voce. “You think you know all about high society, but in society, a girl not yet out never approaches a gentleman, and even if she is out, she waits until he invites her company. Go sit and try and behave; otherwise, this will be a very short call.”
Harold had been doing what he liked to do, observing those around him. He had not missed the way Darcy had tensed as soon as the red-headed young lady began to make a beeline for him. However, he had been most impressed when Miss Bingley had intercepted her younger sister and taken herto a corner and spoken to her so no one could hear. He had not missed how after the conversation the youngest Bingley had returned to her chair with no good cheer, pouting and sulking.
He looked at Miss Bingley. She was on the petite side and had strawberry-blonde hair, a very similar colour to Bingley’s, and her eye colour was fascinating. It was almost grey. He could discern that Miss Bingley was intelligent, and unlike the mother and younger sister, she had no ambitions of climbing the social ladder.
As he watched Mrs Bingley pour tea, all the while fawning over Fitzwilliam and Darcy, Harold had not noticed Miss Bingley’s approach with a cup of tea in hand.
“Mr Fitzwilliam told us your preference for tea,” Louisa said as she handed the cup to Master Hurst. “Pardon me if I speak out of turn, but I get the idea that you observe everything around you.”
That she had noted his eyes taking everything in made Miss Bingley someone who was cognisant of her surroundings, and it seemed she had the ability to notice things others may miss. He looked at his friends. He could see that Fitzwilliam was amused at Mrs Bingley’s attention, while Darcy looked uncomfortable. Harold was sure that had it not been so very rude—given such a small group for tea—Darcy would be standing staring out of the window, arms behind his back, which would have faced those in the room.
“I can see my mother is making Master Darcy uncomfortable; I am sorry for that,” Louisa said softly.
“Miss Bingley, you already stopped your sister from making a rather bad error, and besides, your manners are flawless so you have no reason to apologise for the actions ofanother,” Harold replied. “May I ask if you will be returning to Scarborough after Cambridge?”
“Indeed, we are to depart in the morning,” Louisa confirmed.
“Like the Fitzwilliams; that is, except for my friend who is to join the army, and the Darcys, I too will travel north. I must go to London first and then along with my parents, I will be at my father’s estate for part of the summer. From Winsdale, it is a little more than five and forty miles to Scarborough. I know this may sound precipitous, but may I call on you if I decide to come to your town to be by the ocean for part of the summer?” Harold enquired. “If it is too soon, please say so.”
Louisa wondered if this man had read her mind. She had just been thinking about how nice it would be to get to know him better. “On the contrary, I would be happy to have you call on me. I have reached my majority, but if…when…you call, we can inform my father.”
This was the first lady who had ever excited any interest in him. It was early days yet, but he suspected this may be the woman he could love.
After tea, when Mrs Bingley’s excuses for them to remain longer were exhausted, the three men took their leave. No sooner did the door close than Miss Caroline turned on her sister in anger.
“Why did you stop me speaking to Mr Darcy?” Caroline demanded.
“You have just forgone one quarter’s allowance,” Bingley stated firmly. “I saw what you were going to do, and I thank goodness your sister diverted you before you made us alaughingstock.” He saw his youngest was about to protest. “Not a word, or I will withhold a second quarter’s allowance.”
Miss Caroline swallowed her words, especially when she saw Mamma would not risk her own allowance and support her. She stamped her foot and huffed all the way back up to the suite she was sharing with Louisa.
Said sister cared not for her younger sister’s tantrum. Her mind was engaged in a much more pleasant pursuit as she thought about the man she had just met.
Chapter 4
During the month of June 1803, all three Hursts were at Winsdale. It was a rare thing for the Hurst patriarch to be able to be away from London, but he had full confidence in his second in command, and he knew that a courier would be dispatched if his presence was required back at Somerset House before his scheduled return.
Harold joined his father in the study one morning after being home for about a sennight. “I heard from Fitzwilliam. Only he would relish how physically punishing the initial training has been,” he reported. “Also, he told me what the parasite chose.”
“That was very well done of you to nudge the Darcy heir towards making the disclosure to his father,” Hurst stated.
From Cambridge, Harold had made for London, where he had met up with his parents so that they were able to travel to Winsdale together. During the four days in the coach, he had told his parents all that had occurred, including that he had met a lady he wanted to get to know. His parents had not pushed for too much information, knowing he would share news with them once there was something to report.
“William Darcy can be rather inflexible and does not like to change his mind when he has made a decision,” Harold related. “Regarding that, Fitzwilliam wrote that Wicky, as he and Darcy call the seducer, accepted the terms Mr Darcy gave him. Only time will tell if the parasite is able to change his ways. He will be closely watched.”
“It is a great pity that he turned his abilities in deception to evil pursuits; such a man could have been a very good member of my team,” Hurst opined.
“Father! You cannot be serious! That man cares about nothing that is not for his own benefit. Self-preservation is the only reason he agreed to the strictures Mr Darcy laid out. In my opinion, if he sticks to the rules, it will only be because the alternative will be far worse.”
“Peace, Harold. That is not the kind of man I want in our ranks. I was only saying that if he had been a man willing to use his abilities for the good, he would have been someone I would have recruited.”
Now that Harold listened to his father’s words, which he should have done before unleashing his visceral reaction, making him miss half of what Father had said, he felt rather sheepish. “Please pardon me, Father. I more than most know how important it is to listen to everything being said before I make a judgement.”
“Think nothing of it. Now, Son, have you decided when you will travel to Scarborough yet? Is it not warm enough for you to visit the coast?” Hurst grinned at his son.
“I was planning to depart on the first Monday in July. There is still much for me to do on the estate, and in addition, I did not want to seem too keen and arrive too soon after the Bingleys reached their home.”
