Page 54

“But Darcy is also being tarnished as well, even if only indirectly. As Georgiana heard this very day.”

“These were three random ‘ladies’ who happened to see her. There will be more, and worse, all over town.”

The Earl took a deep sigh.

“Damn and blast the man.”

“Sir! You are not in the House of Lords or at your Club!”

He bowed his head but his answer was not contrite.

“I apologise my dear. But you will agree that the sentiment was accurate if not the actual words.”

That the Countess smiled at him let all three know that her own thoughts were remarkably similar. The Viscount spoke for the first time.

“We have spoken to Darcy about Bingley and his sisters for months, years. He has not listened, forever coming up with excuses, reasons and rationalisations. What are we going to say to him now that will make him listen?”

Silence reigned.

“Georgiana.”

Richard said but the one word, everyone waited for more.

“Darcy has not married yet, although he knows he must. But he is forever worrying about how his marriage will reflect on Georgiana’s prospects. We do not have to shade the truth, we do nothing but recount Georgiana’s experience today. I am her other guardian, I will tell him to his face of my worries. The company he is associating with are reducing the prospects of Georgiana. Andrew, you will chime in at this point and say they may be damaged already. Mother, I think it best if you sit there with one of your ‘I told you so’ faces.”

The Countess tried to act outraged but in the face of laughter from her husband and both sons even she ruefully smiled.

“As for you Father, I think your contribution should be ‘you are forcing me to consider if my sister was not correct when she questioned your guardianship’. Darcy will not countenance such a thing.”

The Countess stood and the other three scrambled to their feet.

“We should have acted more ruthlessly last year. We are now having to repair damage as opposed to heading it off.”

She retired to her sitting room, thinking about the news. Her circle of friends was wide, well connected and mostly of noble birth. She thought about how to involve them and by doing so, drive these leeching Bingleys from town.

--

“Talk to me Richard.”

The two brothers were in the elder’s suite of rooms.

“About what?”

“Do not play the fool, it does not suit you. This plan is going to stick it to Darcy. You have tended to be his defender. Why the change?”

“Everything I said earlier is true. I have merely emphasised some parts over others. Bingley is harmless, but his pretentions will not survive the arrival of carriages bearing the family name. He could, and should, have made a graceful exit, gone overseas. He has the money and the connections for either the East or West India Company. Darcy would not have been much splattered by the connection.

“We both know the problem is the sister. She is every monster from mythology, gorgonic, medusa-like, a termagant, a virago, I do not need to go on, you get the point.”

“That is quite the list.”

“Did I lie?”

“I, fortunately, have never met her, but I recognise her from your descriptors. It is her that is driving most of the censure?”

“Without a doubt. When Caroline Bingley meets you, she immediately assesses you. But purely on how you can assist her. As the second son, I have no value to her. I could see her dismiss me even as we were introduced. If she was ever introduced to you however, then it is entirely possible that she would ditch Darcy’s coattails and try and latch onto your own. She has no chance with Darcy, although she continues to delude herself. I do not know if she would see a Viscount, the heir to an Earldom, as too far above even her. I would suggest you do not test that hypothesis.”

Andrew stood and went to the decanters. He returned with two balloons of brandy, the glasses well filled. They saluted each other and sipped their drink.