Page 139 of Mr. Darcy Comes to Town

Darcy wondered if this was the route Wickham had used to leave Netherfield without anyone knowing how he managed it.

“You are frowning. Is aught amiss?” she asked, stroking Jeffry while looking up at him.

“Did you hear about what happened Monday night at Netherfield?”

Looking puzzled, she said, “I heard nothing.”

Darcy pressed his lips together and marshaled his thoughts. At last, he explained. “While we were at the comet-viewing dinner, George Wickham tried to force his way into Netherfield to see Georgiana.”

Miss Elizabeth gasped in a satisfyingly horrified way.

“Fortunately, my man, Elliot, knew him and refused to let him in to see my sister. He forcibly evicted him. When we arrived home, the house and grounds had been lit up. My cousin and the male servants were out searching the grounds. Georgiana had seen Wickham from behind the banister and was in a state, as you can imagine. Wickham was not found. Just now I was wondering if this is the route he took to escape discovery by my cousin.”

“That is why Elliot now escorts her when you are not with her,” Miss Elizabeth said, shaking her head in concern. “No one is going to attack her when he is with her.”

“My cousin has written Wickham’s colonel. I hope Wickham will be convinced to leave the militia and join the Regulars.”

“Before he has an effect on the local ladies,” she muttered. “Particularly the impressionable younger ones.” She freed one of her hands from holding Jeffry and placed it on his arm. “I am truly sorry you and Georgiana have been troubled by this despicable man. I…I…would hate to see you leave, Mr. Darcy, but would it not be better to take Georgiana back to London?”

Darcy’s stomach muscles tightened in reaction to her touch. He drew in a shaky breath and released it slowly.

“Douglas has gone today to bring a potential governess-companion for Georgiana. I am praying that she will prove to be a strong-minded, able woman, someone capable of standing up to blaggards who attempt to importune my sister. She should arrive in a few hours.”

“Will she be able to start immediately?”

“I asked that she come prepared to stay for a few days. I need Georgiana to like her, and I want to be sure of her character.”

Miss Elizabeth nodded thoughtfully. She pointed to another narrow lane. Calico shook his head, seemingly not liking the narrowness of the track.

“Calico,” Miss Elizabeth said in a soothing voice, “you can manage it, my handsome boy.”

The horse calmed down at her words and entered the lane without any more fuss.

“So, the horse is handsome?” Darcy probed.

She looked up at him, meeting his gaze with a startled one of her own. “Mr. Darcy, you must know that you are noted for being a handsome man.”

“I hoped that you thought the same.” Darcy held his breath. She blushed furiously and looked down at the guinea pig in her arms.

“I…think the same as the…as the general populace.”

The general populace?

“Well, Miss Elizabeth, I think you are beautiful,” Darcy declared.

This startled her into peaking up at him before she looked away. “Mr. Darcy, are you certain you do not mean handsome?” she asked, wonder in her voice. “Jane is beautiful.”

“Miss Elizabeth, you must allow me to know my own mind on this matter,” he replied, making his voice low and fervent.

“Oh,” she expressed, glancing swiftly up at him again, and then away once more. “Goodness.”

Darcy, about to slow the gig so they could speak in the relative privacy of the wooded lane, spied a tinker’s wagon pulled off to one side in a clearing of sorts. An Irish cob was tied to a tree next to the wagon. An old woman, dressed in black, with a colorful shawl tied around her shoulders, lifted a hand to them. Darcy drew up.

“What is it?” Miss Elizabeth asked, looking up at him, her eyebrows lifted.

“See, there,” he said, pointing with his chin.

Lizzy turned her head to look and felt Jeffry disappear from her arms. He’s gone again. Suddenly, she saw him sitting on the wagon porch beside the old lady.