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Hurst grunted. “About what?”

“About the acquaintance,” Miss Bingley said, her patience seemingly exhausted. “We shall not see the Bennets in society, of course, but there are places they may appear. Miss Bennet told me that her relations attend the theatre, and I would assume they shall attend the various exhibitions if they are in town for any length of time. What should we do if we run into them?”

“Say good morning?” Hurst asked.

“You will have to allow her to call,” Darcy said. “It is only proper.”

“Yes, but that means we shall have to return the call,” Miss Bingley answered, her upper lip curling downward in distaste. “Which will require that we travel to Cheapside. I do not know how we shall stomach it.”

Hurst sighed. “Eat first.”

“I need not go,” Mrs. Hurst said. “You were her particular friend, not I.”

Miss Bingley stared at her sister, incredulous. “You are not serious.”

“I am, quite,” Mrs. Hurst said. “I shall meet her here, but I will not go to Cheapside.”

“Louisa, you cannot abandon me to make a call in that part of town alone.”

“Take a footman.”

“A footman cannot help me make conversation.”

Hurst sipped his drink. “Neither can Louisa, before dinner.”

His wife’s glare was heated enough to turn the contents of his glass into steam, but Hurst was unbothered.

Darcy did not think Miss Bingley’s objection entirely unreasonable, though he would not have put it in those words. He had seldom gone into the city except to see his bankers. He supposed Miss Bennet’s uncle lived over his warehouse, as such men did. He felt some pity for Miss Elizabeth having to reside in such a place, but it could not be his concern.

“Mr. Darcy, surely you agree that no return call can be expected under such . . . extraordinary circumstances,” Mrs. Hurst said to him.

This was beyond enough. He had only come to speak to Bingley, not to be caught up in the niceties of ladies calling upon one another. “I beg you would excuse me,” Darcy said, rising. “I see you have private matters to discuss.”

“You are leaving?” Miss Bingley asked.

What did she expect him to do? “I must return home.”

Miss Bingley folded her letter. “You will not mention this to Charles?”

“I have no intention of doing so,” Darcy told her.

While he was retrieving his hat, Darcy reflected that keeping Bingley ignorant of Miss Bennet’s presence in London would be simple enough. Miss Bingley, had she not been surprised into revealing the contents of her letter, would likely have managed him in the same way. The comparison did give him a moment’s unease, for he did not appreciate being treated in such a way, and Bingley would not either.

Darcy could not pretend that his hopes for Georgiana had played no part in his advice. But having a personal interest in the outcome did not make his judgement unsound. He had observed Miss Bennet closely, considered the impropriety of her family, and reached a rational conclusion.

Miss Elizabeth would of course dispute both his reasoning and his right to interfere if she knew about it. But she never would.

CHAPTER 3

Four hours after leaving Longbourn, Elizabeth and Jane’s carriage drew up before the Gardiners’ house in Gracechurch Street.

The door opened almost before the servant could knock.

“Goodness, you must be half-frozen,” Aunt Gardiner said, coming forward to embrace them as they were helped down to the pavement.

“Very nearly so,” Elizabeth said as she returned her aunt’s embrace. “But you know I am impervious to the weather. Jane, on the other hand, complained the entire journey.”

“Elizabeth.” Jane smiled. “Do not believe her, Aunt Gardiner. The journey was cold, but we had heated bricks and rugs. We were quite comfortable.”