As the three-carriage caravan pulled around in front of the manor house, Bingley, Miss Bingley, and Darcy all went out to the front steps to greet them. Miss Bingley was cordial but not gushing, although she did seem quite flirtatious with Richard. Bingley was warm and welcoming, and Darcy greeted them all, hugged his sister, and turned to Richard with some trepidation.
“I heard something interesting about you, Darce,” Richard said with his booming voice.
“Did you?” Darcy asked, nodding his head ever so slightly towards Miss Bingley. Thank goodness Richard took the hint. Instead of saying something about Darcy being enamoured or bewitched, he said, “Yes, indeed. I heard that you are going soft…there being nobody with whom to fence.”
“Ho, there,” Bingley said with a wide smile. “Am I a man of straw, to be so overlooked? I fence…I mean, not very often, and not as well as Darcy, but Icanfence.”
Richard just laughed and shrugged, and everyone walked into the house.
Darcy whispered to his sister, “You came to meet the lady I love, Miss Elizabeth, yes?”
“Yes. And I did not let any of them read the letter, I just told them you wish to marry a lady, and then suddenly theyalldecided to come.”
“And do they fear I have been taken in by a fortune hunter?”
Georgiana looked down, “I am not surewhatthey think, Brother. I only know thatIthink you are in love, and it is the first time, and knowing how loyal you are, I am pretty sure it will also be the last time. I just…I just want to be here.”
“I am delighted you are here,” he assured her. “But, unfortunately, the timing is awkward for Miss Elizabeth. Someone has started some untrue rumours about her, and she just found out a few hours ago. I will be fairly distracted as I deal with that.”
“Oh, no!” Georgiana looked as immediately concerned as he had expected his soft-hearted sister to be.
“Do not worry, Poppet, I am confident I can make things right.”
“Darcy, Georgie-girl, are you coming?” Richard called from the door of the drawing room.
“If we must,” Darcy responded. He grinned at his sister, and she gasped. “What is wrong?” he asked.
“That smile! I remember that smile from years ago. I have not seen you this happy since….”
“Since before our father died, I am guessing,” Darcy said. He escorted Georgiana into the drawing room.
Mrs Nicholls was offering opportunities to refresh, change, rest, eat, or drink, and Darcy was quite shocked when none of his relations wished to start with such comforts. Before she left the room, he conferred with the housekeeper in a whisper.
“She is ready whenever you are, Mr Darcy. I sent five books from the library to her room if you wish to wait.”
“I think it might be best if I confer with my cousin and sister first,” he said. “Whenever Crocker, my valet, has a message for me, send me word even if I am in a private conference.”
“Very good, sir.”
She left the room, and Darcy sat down next to his sister.
All the Fitzwilliams stared at him, and before Darcy could ask about the roads, Lady Matlock said, “Well, Darcy, you look very well, I must say.”
Lord Matlock chimed in: “You appear happier than when you left us, not long ago. Strangely, you also look younger.”
Darcy laughed. “I know what I look like, and you are being very kind. I have circles under my eyes that could be used as archery targets!”
Georgiana cringed and said, “Not at all, Will! You are being very hard on yourself. I mean to say that you look as if you could use some sleep, but…you are so…happy!”
Bingley said, “He is a new man, actually. He continually surprises me.”
“And to what do you attribute this change, Darcy?” His uncle had stopped looking friendly and pleased; he now looked as if they were having a discussion about a topic of worldwide import. He did not necessarily look anxious, nor unhappy, but he looked quite serious.
“I am courting a lady for the first time in my life,” Darcy said.
He heard a slight gasp that he guessed was Miss Bingley’s. He ignored it and continued to speak to his nearest relations. “I warn you—the lady I am courting has not yet signalled that she is ready for a proposal, and although I dearly hope she will one day marry me, I am not positive she will ever accept my suit.”
“That could not be!” his aunt scoffed.
