"Darcy," Lord Westhampton said curtly. Darcy inclined his head in response and gestured for him to sit down.

"Is there something I can do for you?" he inquired with a faint tilt of his eyebrow.

"I should hope so," the other man replied harshly. "Where is my wife?"

Darcy shrugged. After a very long and rather melancholy day, he was in no mood to coddle his wayward brother-in-law.

"Could you possibly be more explicit?"

Darcy sighed and pushed letter, pen, and inkpot away in a sudden violent motion. "She left nearly three weeks ago, Westhampton. At least according to the letter I received last Wednesday, she arrived there safely over two weeks ago. Doubtless if you had gone directly home rather than coming here first, you would have found her."

"She didn't write me," Westhampton remarked. It was odd, Darcy reflected, how a man of seven-and-thirty could act so like a child.

"Georgiana and I have corresponded regularly since she went to school. Perhaps if you had written her, she would have replied. Or -- " he lifted a shoulder -- "perhaps not."

"My grandmother said she stayed here for four months. I hope you are not encouraging her in her negligence."

"You correspond with your grandmother and not your wife?" Darcy, in regard for his nerves, ignored the second half of Westhampton's statement. The other man's lips thinned.

"That is not relevant to the point, Darcy, the point is -- "

"The point, Westhampton, is that my sister's life is so miserable that she would rather be here, with me, than at Aincourt, with you and yours. Now, while I perfectly understand her preference for Pemberley, the other raises some interesting questions, doesn't it? My sister is hardly flighty. Fond as she is of us both -- the plural refers to my daughter and myself, incidentally -- she would not neglect her responsibilities, if indeed she has, without considerable incentive."

Westhampton's eyes narrowed. "I fail to see what this has to do with my grandmother."

Darcy sincerely hoped age would not so degrade his own mind. "My dear aunt has, quite deliberately, undermined and challenged Georgiana's position at every turn."

"Those are women's issues. They must resolve it between themselves. It does not concern me."

Darcy felt his patience nearing its demise. "Very well, then. It does not concern you. Georgiana will continue to spend months on end at Pemberley, with me, your grandmother will rule Aincourt as she always has, and you can return to London and enjoy your life there. You do understand that this is not a prospect either my sister or I find particularly distressing. Indeed, it is so convenient I am inclined to encourage her."

Westhampton simply stared. How ridiculous this is. Is he actually trying to unsettle me? Darcy met his brother's gaze unwaveringly, until Westhampton groaned and dropped his forehead onto his hands, his elbows resting on the desk. Darcy prudently moved the inkpot to the left and waited.

Westhampton, his voice muffled, said, "I have been a fool."

"Yes, I know," Darcy replied kindly.

"I knew grandmother was -- unkind -- to Georgiana. It's just -- she's lost so much. All her children -- her grand-daughter -- I've tried to talk to her but she just -- I don't know. Somehow I end up agreeing with her."

"Perhaps you only need proper incentive to keep your priorities firmly in mind."

Westhampton raised his swollen eyes to stare at him again. "What sort of incentives?"

"If you do not convince my aunt of, er, the error of her ways, Georgiana will take up permanent residence here. I would be only to glad to have them, you know. I am very fond of Stephen."

"Urrgh," mumbled Westhampton. "Oh God, Stephen. Does he even know me?"

"He will probably recognise you. The artist you commissioned for your portrait was very talented. By the way, you probably ought to mind your tongue a little more carefully around him. Children are very impressionable."

"Very well." Westhampton pressed his fingers against his eyes. "I'm more sorry than I can say. Georgiana must think I'm an utter cad."

"Not quite," said Darcy neutrally, biting his lip. "You should apologise to her, however. You are not married to me."

"Of course not." Lord Westhampton lifted his head up and sat back. "Darcy . . . that's not really why she left, is it?"

He hesitated, then shook his head. "No."

"I just stood there like a fool -- Good God, I had no idea!" Darcy coughed. "I beg your pardon. I didn't know she had even conceived. Frankly, the chances seemed rather against it."

Darcy flinched, scarlet creeping up his cheeks. "She thought you knew."

"How on earth was I supposed to know?" Westhampton stopped. "She truly thought I had known?"

"Yes."

"Then she -- when she told me she had lost it, she must have thought --" He groaned again. "Why did she think I knew?"

Darcy sighed. "I did."

"She told you and not me?"

"No, she didn't have to tell me. I guessed."

"Oh." Westhampton considered this. "Darcy, I'm not you. Surely she does not expect me to be?"

Darcy looked away. "Westhampton, I would bear in mind that her upbringing was very sheltered. All the men in her life have been either Fitzwilliams or -- "

"George Wickham," suppied Westhampton, his expression darkening. Darcy raised his eyebrows.

"She told you about that?"

"Before we were married. She talked more then."

"She was sixteen years old," Darcy said patiently. "She is only twenty now." He added pointedly, "You might have some consideration for her on that score, at least. She was a girl raised by a young man. I was perhaps too lenient -- whatever she wished was done for her in an instant. As Miss Darcy, she had the means and the freedom to do anything she liked. You know what it is like, to go from child one day to adult the next, with almost no warning. I should think you could extend a little compassion and understanding to her."

"It is easy to forget how young she was -- she is. She is so capable; and she does not look it." He frowned. "It's late. You would not mind my imposition on your hospitality?"

"No, of course not," said Darcy. "Incidentally, it might be easier for you to settle your issues with my sister and your grandmother by yourself."

Westhampton glanced at him quizzically. Darcy sighed and elaborated.

"Stephen is here. I asked Georgiana to let him stay for awhile. He should not be at Aincourt, when there is so much -- ill-will -- about."

"You think of everything, don't you?"

"I try."

"Very well. Georgiana and I will come for Stephen in -- March?"

"March would be very convenient," Darcy agreed. "Thank you. He and Anne are very fond of each other, and it's good for her to have a companion of her own age."

A distinctly thoughtful expression crossed Lord Westhampton's face. "Do you suppose an arr -- "

"No."

---