Page 60
“Yes.”
“You need a big house because you are so tall,” the youngest Gardiner said. “Is it bigger than this house?”
“Yes.”
Master Henry’s mouth dropped open.
“Bigger than Longbourn?” Master Edward asked.
Darcy hesitated. “Yes.”
Master Henry turned to his brother in triumph. “Draw it on the map!”
His brother picked up his pencil.
“You had better be careful, Mr. Darcy,” Miss Elizabeth said. “At this rate, my cousins will have mapped your entire estate before dinner.”
“I shall alert the steward.”
Master Edward fetched a fresh sheet of paper. “How many ponds do you have?”
Darcy resigned himself to an interrogation.
The remainder of the visit passed rather quickly, and when at last Bingley reminded him that they had another engagement, Darcy was annoyed. The festive season was full of tedious dinners and parties, and he had not had enough time with Miss Elizabeth today.
“We must go,” Bingley said with some regret.
“Come to dine tomorrow,” Mrs. Gardiner said. “We shall celebrate.”
Miss Bennet and Bingley spent a little longer lingering over their farewell. Mr. Gardiner cleared his throat, and Mrs. Gardiner struck him lightly in the stomach with the back of one hand.
“Good day, gentlemen,” Mr. Gardiner said.
Darcy turned to Miss Elizabeth. “Until tomorrow, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Until then, Mr. Darcy.”
Her bright smile followed him into the hall and remained with him in the carriage.
After perhaps two streets, Bingley’s smile returned. “She said yes,” he said, shaking his head. “I can scarcely believe my good fortune.”
“It is her good fortune as well,” Darcy said.
Bingley smiled, abashed. “I nearly did not ask today,” he admitted. “Despite knowing that Jane cares for me, I almost lost my courage. But last night I thought I had better ask because Caroline would be well enough to depart today, and then my visits must naturally be less frequent—unless we were engaged. Then when she decided to stay, I thought I could not go through that again, and so I asked anyway.”
This made sense to Darcy only because he knew Bingley well. “You have never lacked nerve where Miss Bennet is concerned, my friend.”
“I lacked it today.”
“But you made the offer,” Darcy pointed out.
Bingley smiled. “I knew what I wanted.”
His friend had known what he wanted from the moment he was introduced to Miss Bennet in October. The words struck harder than Bingley intended, for while his friend had known, Darcy had believed he knew better. How arrogant that presumption had been.
Bingley settled into the opposite corner, smiling to himself. After a moment he said, “You were wrong about Jane. Not just wrong about keeping secrets from me. Actually wrong about Jane’s feelings for me.”
“Yes,” Darcy said.
