Page 126 of A Most Unwelcome Acquaintance

Louisa watched her sister. “Whose caution?”

Caroline did not answer.

The sound of wheels came from the drive, followed by Bingley’s voice in the hall. Caroline turned from the window. Lady Catherine straightened in her chair and placed both hands upon her cane.

Georgiana looked toward the door, worried that Darcy had returned without warning of what awaited him inside.

Chapter 28

DARCY ENTERED THE MORNING room with Bingley and stopped before the door closed behind them. Lady Catherine sat beside the fire as though Netherfield belonged to her, with Anne near the window and Georgiana at her side. Caroline occupied the chair nearest Lady Catherine, wearing the expression of a woman whose appeal had reached the proper authority. Louisa looked less encouraged, while Hurst remained behind his newspaper, choosing the quieter inconvenience.

Georgiana rose. Darcy crossed the room to her before he greeted anyone else, and the strain in her face told him that the journey was not her choice.

“Georgiana.”

“I am glad to see you.”

Lady Catherine glared at him. “You should have been here to receive us.”

“I did not know you were coming.” Darcy turned to her. “Had I known, I would have advised against the journey.”

“Hoping for delay, which amounts to the same thing. I had no intention of allowing this matter to grow while you found reasons to conceal it.”

Bingley glanced from Lady Catherine to Darcy. “What matter?”

“The company your friend is keeping in Hertfordshire.”

“My company?” Bingley asked.

“Your judgment concerns me less than his, though I find little to praise in either.”

Caroline lowered her eyes, but satisfaction escaped in the curve of her mouth. Darcy saw it and understood that Lady Catherine had heard enough to strengthen every conclusion she had carried from Rosings.

He took the chair opposite his aunt. “You travelled from Kent to question my acquaintance with the Bennets.”

“I came because no one else appeared willing to act. Mr. Collins gave me an account of the family, and your letters supplied what his report lacked.”

Darcy’s attention returned to Georgiana. She held his gaze, though color rose into her face.

“She found impressions on blotting paper that a servant removed from my room.”

For a moment he said nothing. Georgiana had feared anger, but the restraint in his face proved worse than any display.

Lady Catherine lifted her chin. “I took nothing from Georgiana’s desk. Waste paper entered the servants’ hands, and I learned enough from it to recognize a danger to this family.”

“You searched discarded paper for traces of a private letter.”

“I examined what had already left her possession.”

“You used a servant to invade her privacy, then brought her here to give the intrusion consequence.”

“I brought her because she is your sister and has an interest in the choices you make.”

Georgiana’s hands tightened in her lap.

“My sister’s interest does not give you authority over her correspondence.”

“Do not turn this into an accusation against me. You wrote of a young woman whose family has neither sense nor restraint, whose sisters run after officers, and whose mother announces her ambitions before anyone who will listen. You have remained among them long enough for the neighborhood to remark upon it.”