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“Therefore, I am horribly conflicted, taking part, but at the same time trying to keep everyone at arm’s length. Both Richard and Bingley mock me about the Darcy glare, the device I use to keep annoying people away from me. And sadly, the list of annoying people gets longer after every event.”

He scoffed at himself.

“Am I too presumptuous to ask what you are looking for in a wife?”

“No my dear sister, you are not. Because it is a question that I do not know the answer to myself. The best I can explain is that I know what I do not want. I am determined to make more of an effort this season, my responsibility to our family demands it.”

Georgiana Darcy watched her brother put on an enthusiastic mien, but thought back to her initial question. He hardly looked happy at the prospect, and she suspected that was his true feelings on the matter.

Chapter 18

“Susan, it is a pleasure as always. How are you?”

Lady Maria Leonard was calling on her old friend, Lady Susan Fitzwilliam the Countess of Matlock.

“I am well thank you Maria. What has you in such a good mood this morning?”

“I bring news of your nephew.”

“Fitzwilliam?”

Lady Maria understood the family tradition of naming the first son after the maiden name of the mother but it did lead to confusion at times.

“Yes, although may we stick to Darcy to avoid confusion?”

Even his aunt agreed it was sensible.

“He has not been in town since early December. He returned from assisting his friend Bingley. He had leased an estate in Bedfordshire? No, Hertfordshire. He was only in town for a few days and then he and his sister left for Pemberley. They are expected back in town within the week. Is your correspondent from Derbyshire?”

“No, the young lady met him when he was with Bingley.”

Lady Maria had baited the hook well. Mentioning a young lady and Darcy in the same sentence could not but excite the interest of his aunt. She could not hide her smirk at her friend’s eager yet scolding face.

“I should feign disinterest for that terrible example of dragging your coat, but I will indulge you once again. Tell me more.”

Both friends laughed, Lady Susan had been equally disingenuous when passing on information about Lady Maria’s nieces and nephews.

“I am afraid to say it does not start well. I know he was out of sorts this past summer and it carried over to his visit with Bingley. He was overheard at the local Assembly speaking very poorly of one of the local ladies.”

“I know that he can get very standoffish when he is uncomfortable but he remains the gentleman.”

Lady Maria nodded at his aunt’s instinctive defence of him.

“He was being badgered by Bingley, not an excuse but part of the tale, and he lashed out, not really against the young woman but rather at Bingley to get him to leave him alone. I will not repeat the words but it was poorly done.”

“I presume he apologised once he had regained his equilibrium?”

“He did apologise eventually but it was many weeks later. I do not think he realised he had been overheard.”

“Who passed on this information? Is it reliable, truthful?”

“I heard it directly from a young lady who is a friend of my family. She is the older sister of the lady who was insulted. Rather than drag it out through a series of questions, she is Miss Elizabeth Bennet, the niece of Sir Edward Gardiner.”

“Created a Baronet for ‘services to the nation’, with support from both government and opposition. These new baronets are the subject of much scrutiny and discussion. An interesting connection.”

A bland three word statement, yet they both knew the underlying question.

“She saved the life of one of the Duke’s children, without thought to her own safety.”