“Bingley, not that it is yours to question, but Harry has been a very good friend of my brother for a decade. William and I met him in our first year at Eton and have been friends for more than seven years. He has been to Snowhaven, Hilldale, and Pemberley, and most of us have been to his father’s estate in Yorkshire,” Fitzwilliam explained with a little asperity. “My parents and Darcy’s father know him, and they do not know your family. In case you are unaware of the mores of society, any contact with our parents must be initiated by them.” Fitzwilliam did not miss thekicked puppylook on Bingley’s face. “The best I can promise is to meet you at the Cock and Bull Inn a little later in the day and join you for tea. You may then introduce me to your family.” He looked at Harry and William, who nodded. “If they want to meet us, the three of us will meet them then.”
It was not hard for Bingley to understand that if he attempted to push for more on his mother’s and younger sister’s behalf, even what Fitzwilliam agreed to would be withdrawn. Mother and Caro would have to be satisfied. At least, they wouldbe meeting the men they had demanded to meet since that letter he had written.
“I will let my mother…my parents know.” With that, Bingley bowed and left the sitting room.
“Puppy is a good descriptor,” Hurst jested once the door had been closed.
“Richard, are you still calling Bingley a puppy?” William enquired rather indignantly.
“Tell me I am wrong,” Fitzwilliam challenged. “Mother and Father would not have been happy had we forced the connection on them. You well know, it has nought to do with the senior Bingley being in trade. You are aware both of our sires invest with Gardiner and Associates which shows that they value tradesmen. Mother sits on some charitable boards with Mrs Gardiner, and they have been guests at Matlock House not a few times, and my parents have had dinner in their home.”
Not wanting to give away too much about their wealth, Harold did not mention that his father was also one of Gardiner’s investors. When he had a chance, he would tell Fitzwilliam that Gardiner was being recruited to supply information to their organisation.
“You are right, but I hate to see that wounded look he gets when someone says no to him,” William explained.
“Part of maturing is getting used to being refused along with affirmative replies, is it not?” Harold realised he had allowed William to see too much of his true self. “Fitzwilliam, your mention of the Cock and Bull has made me thirsty. Come, let us quench our thirst.”
“You are always ready for that,” William mumbled under his breath. Hurst was a man he tolerated. He had never been comfortable with over-imbibing and especially not with Hurst’s wont to fall asleep once he had indulged in spirits. Other than that, William knew no ill of him, and as Richard had articulated to Bingley, Hurst had been a friend to the Fitzwilliams for many years and his aunt and uncle liked him, as did his own father.
One thing William had to agree with was that it was not acceptable for the rest of the Bingleys to try forcing their company on his family. It was then he remembered he had wanted to try one more time to convince Richard to turn away from his chosen path.
“Are you still bound and determined to join the regulars?” William asked his cousin.
“I am, but you can stop worrying about me going to war, even now that one has begun with the little Corsican. I will enter the Dragoons as a captain, and after my initial training I will be a liaison officer to the navy working out of Somerset House.” With a straight face, Fitzwilliam turned to Harry. “I will see your father there, will I not? Is not his office in Somerset House?”
“That is the best of news!” William exclaimed before Hurst responded. “Do Aunt Elaine, Uncle Reggie, or Andy know yet?”
“I will inform them on the morrow, once you and I have spoken to your father,” Richard replied. He did not miss the look on William’s face; he guessed his cousin had hoped that subject had been forgotten.
“By the by, you are correct, Fitzwilliam. My father works out of an office within those of the Navy Board. I am sure you will see him at some point,” Harold stated.
Soon enough the three made their way to the taproom in the Cock and Bull Inn. Much to William’s chagrin, Hurst was soon in his cups and seeking a place to sleep off his overindulging.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As soon as William went to bed, Fitzwilliam slipped out of his bedchamber and made his way to the inn where Harry had a room. As expected, his friend was alert and awake and anything but foxed. “Poor William, he is completely fooled by the act you put on.”
“I would not be very good if I could not make even those who have known me for years believe I am an indolent, drunken sot,” Harold responded. “I have not seen you since you accepted my father’s offer for employment. I am very glad you did, not only because you will not go to war, but also because I know you will be a very effective operative and I look forward to working with you.”
“As I do with you. It has been hard to keep this from Andy, Mother, and Father, but I know I must,” Fitzwilliam owned.
“You should return to your suite in case your cousin seeks you out.”
“If he does, I will tell him a partial truth: I needed a walk before settling down for the night. Once we have met with William’s father, I will inform you what he decides. Thank you for tipping the scales so William agreed to do this.”
Harold inclined his head, uncomfortable with the praise. He shook Fitzwilliam’s hand and then bade farewell to his friend.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After their respective families arrived the next day, Fitzwilliam and Darcy waited for the men to wash and change. Upon their arrival they had indicated they needed to discuss something with them. The cousins had agreed that it would help bolster the case with Lords Matlock and Hilldale present. Gigi would remain with Aunt Elaine and her governess.
“You two wanted to see us?” Matlock questioned after the three men joined the two graduates in the sitting room attached to Robert Darcy’s suite.
William stood. “Father, I have been hiding something from you,” he began.
“George told me you had been overspending after losing money in gambling and running up debts with shopkeepers. I am pleased you are willing to admit…” Darcy stopped when he saw the anger on the countenances of both his son and nephew.
“Father, Wickham lied to you! He described his own vices and forgot to tell you about his seductions. When have you ever known me to gamble? You should know I have never opened even a single account with a merchant; I pay with coin,” William insisted firmly. He noted that his father was about to interject. “Please, Father, allow me to speak, and thereafter, you say what you will.” He saw his father give a tight nod. He hated seeing his father’s grey pallor, but he needed to complete what he had begun. “What I have kept from you is that the additional funds I requested were needed to pay debts with tradesmen and debts of honour your godson has incurred. I made the mistake of trying to hide the truth from you to spare you pain, and instead, I enabled your godson to sow pain wherever he goes. You should know that disguise is my abhorrence, but if you need to askRichard, he was witness to all. If that is not enough; we have not a few independent witnesses who are not family members. Go canvas the shopkeepers in Lambton about the debts he left behind which I paid. Ask Mrs Reynolds about the maids and tenants’ daughters he meddled with at Pemberley!”
