Bingley responded with an embarrassed grin. "It's been so long Darce. It's wonderful to see you again."
"And will you introduce me to your companion?"
Bingley's eyes widened then with a suppressed smile, introduced his sister.
"How do you do, Miss Bingley, delighted to meet you."
Miss Bingley blinked. "But Mr. Darcy, we met last year in London."
"Did we? I'm afraid I don't remember. In any case, you're here now and allow me to introduce my sister Georgianna and my cousin Anne. As the cousins were introduced they each stepped forward and curtsied to Miss Bingley briefly then took one of Darcy's offered arms. "Do come in and rest yourselves. I know how tiresome the trip must have been for you Bingley, but I promise to make it up to you," Darcy said.
Inside, Mrs. Reynolds escorted Miss Bingley to her room. Mr. Darcy's instructions had been precise. Since it would be impolite to pitch a tent on the grounds for Miss Bingley he would allow her a room as long as it was as far away from his rooms as possible and still be in the house. Mrs. Reynolds had chosen a room at the far end of the corridor in the east wing.
Bingley lingered for a moment. "I'm so embarrassed, Darce. I just don't know what to say."
"Bingley," Darcy replied, "Richard and I have had to deal with a relative last year that makes your sister look like a saint. I beg you, Charles, don't make yourself uneasy. We're all going to have some fun and if I'm not mistaken, Guy is arriving as we speak. Darcy called out to Richard and Josh announcing Guy's arrival. The four friends hastened down the steps and greeted their oldest friend with jovial good will. "Welcome to Pemberley," they shouted.
The seating arrangement at dinner was as perfect as Anne could make it. Darcy was at the head of the table and had Bingley and Guy on either side of him. At the opposite end sat Anne with Josh and Richard on either side of her. Sandwiched between Richard and Guy, Caroline sat facing Georgianna. Darcy engaged Bingley and Guy in serious conversation catching up on all the latest news. Anne concentrated on making Josh feel comfortable. Georgianna was too shy to speak, leaving Richard as Caroline's only dinner companion.
Richard was in rare form, recounting the myriad details of army life. Once he got to the part he'd played in several battles, he really warmed to his subject. His lengthy description of where one should place the artillery to protect the flank was masterful and Georgianna couldn't help herself. She burst into giggles. The look Miss Bingley threw her was sour in the extreme which made Georgianna break out in childish laughter which drew the attention of the entire table.
Darcy smiled at his sister. "what is so amusing little sister?"
Georgianna blushed, being the center of attention. "one of cousin Richard's army stories."
"Not about his long suffering General, I hope."
"No, brother. This one was where to place the big guns to protect your flanks."
"Ah, yes. But Richard save some of your stories. I wouldn't want you to run out of anecdotes."
Richard grinned. "No problem, Darce. I've got a million of them."
Darcy was happy to discover that Miss Bingley never arose before noon so breakfast was a pleasant affair and Bingley and Guy made the most of it. They were obviously enchanted with Miss Anne and she was enchanted with them. Josh seemed a bit put out by it but accepted it in good humor. She had promised to play a game of chess with him that afternoon and he planned to make the most of it. He could stretch the game out for two or even three hours. He might even let her win.
The five men spent the morning fishing and exchanging thoughts about school, the war, and the ladies. School and war was quickly dispensed with and they soon got to the more interesting subject of the ladies.
Guy thought he had fallen in love a year before but the lady wasn't really interested so he lost interest. His friends hooted at this story. They seemed to think that if she had been interested he still would have lost interest. Guy's power of concentration when it came to the ladies was imperfect. He had disappointed the hopes of several mothers.
Bingley tried to describe the charms of the beautiful redhead he'd met in June. They laughed at him. "Everyone knows your preference for blonds, Bingley."
Bingley was insulted. "I don't care what color their hair is."
"If you don't care what color their hair is," Richard chimed in, "that's a good thing. That way you'll never be unpleasantly surprised."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Bingley frowned in confusion.
Richard shook his head in amusement, "one day" he said, "when you grow up, I'll tell you"
Darcy glared at Richard. "Bingley," he said, " it's a known fact that redheads have bad tempers. That's what Richard meant."
Guy laughed, "there's the famous Darcy glare of disapproval."
"What kind of woman will you marry, Darcy?" Joshua asked.
"Well, it won't depend on the color of her hair," he responded with a wry smile. "I'd like to think that she'd have wit, intelligence and be well read."
"It's a well kept secret in the family," Richard gibed, "that my cousin plans to marry himself."
This remark produced gales of laughter.
"Oh, do be quiet, Richard," Darcy said, laughing despite himself. He stood up. "This scintillating conversation has made me hungry. Let's go see what the ladies are up to."
The seating arrangement for lunch was exactly the same as the previous evening. The moment he walked into the dining room Caroline Bingley addressed him. "Oh, Mr. Darcy, how was your morning? Did you catch many fish? Will we have the pleasure of dining on your catch this evening?"
"I'm afraid not, Miss Bingley. But Guy did very well. I'm sure that Guy would love to regale you with some of his best fishing stories, wouldn't you, Guy?"
"Indeed I would, Darcy. Nothing gives me more pleasure than sharing my fishing stories." He turned to Miss Bingley, "what is your favorite fish, Miss Bingley? Did you know that fish are wily creatures and you need a special technique for each kind of fish? Let me tell you how I go about outwitting the carp."
"How's your roommate?" Darcy asked Bingley.
"Mr. Baldwin? Oh, he's fine. Very quiet and studious. Doesn't say much."
"No brandy and conversation to close the evening.?
Bingley smiled, "I really missed our evenings together. I still do. No suppers on the square. No Friday nights at the QR." Bingley sighed, "I miss you, Darce. Studying isn't nearly so difficult if you can look forward to some fun. My last year at Cambridge will be a rather gloomy affair. Mr. Baldwin does not believe in fun. I don't think I've ever heard him laugh."
"Surely you've made other friends?
"Oh sure, but they don't live with me. I guess I got spoiled by having you and then Joshua as roommates. It gets kind of lonely, that's all I'm saying."
Darcy's attention was suddenly drawn to Caroline Bingley. Guy had drawn a breath between his description of how to catch a tench and how to fly cast for trout. It had allowed Caroline a chance to interrogate Georgianna.
She began by praising his sister on her expertise at the pianoforte, asking her who her favorite composers were, if she drew, what were her favorite shops in Town and when did she expect to return to London? When Darcy heard her ask if Georgianna would like to join her for a drive to that adorable little village of Lambton, he decided it was time to rescue his sister.
"Georgianna, will you come to the study with me dearest. I have something to show you."
"Miss Bingley smiled broadly at Darcy. "Your sister is absolutely adorable, Mr. Darcy. Absolutely charming."
"Thank you, Miss Bingley. I think so."
Taking care that Miss Bingley wouldn't follow them Darcy locked the door behind him. "Sorry, Georgie. I saw she had you trapped."
"Her perfume is so heavy I could hardly breathe. I don't understand, Wills, if she's after you, why is she bothering with me?"
"She thinks that if you like her, then I'll like her too."
"Would that work?"
Darcy laughed, "no, dearest. It would not. I have no idea who the real Caroline Bingley is. She's the type of woman who thinks the way to a man's heart is to be the kind of woman she thinks he wants. If he falls for her guile and marries her, then he will discover her true nature."
"And then it will be too late?"
"Exactly."
"She's very different from Anne."
"Anne is a lady and I fear that Miss Caroline Bingley is not. I listened to your responses to her inquisition and I'm proud of you Georgie. You played her like a fish."
Georgianna giggled. "You should have seen the the look on her face when Mr. Waltham described how to skin and gut a fish. I thought she was going to faint. I really felt sorry for her. First cousin Richard and his army stories and now Mr. Waltham and his fishing stories. I wouldn't be surprised if she wishes she were back in London.
Darcy grinned. "Perhaps this experience will teach her a lesson. If so, then it was worth enduring her presence.
Darcy alerted Anne and Georgianna that the men wouldn't be joining the ladies after dinner; that as soon as Georgie, Anne and Miss Bingley left the the dining room, the men would be quietly leaving the house. He instructed them not to mention this to Miss Bingley unless she became insistent. He knew this was cruel treatment of his guest, but she was, after all, an uninvited guest and hopefully this disdain he had been showing her since her arrival would teach her a valuable lesson. He hoped for Bingley's sake that this would be the case.
It was one of those magical evenings that all too infrequently visited the hills of Derbyshire. There was still warmth in the air though the sun was moving to the west and would soon leave all of England in darkness. By the time they returned, there would be a full moon high in the sky lighting their way safely home.
Once they had passed through the forest that separated the grounds of Pemberley from the farmlands of the estate they began to hear the distant sounds of music. They followed the sounds up over a steep rise then came to a halt staring down at a small vale which ended at the arc of a creek.
"Good grief," Richard murmured," what have you done?"
Darcy grinned at his friends, "what does it look like?"
Bingley stood in awe. "It looks like the QR's baby," he said.
Guy and Joshua were speechless at the vision below them.
Darcy laughed at their expression. He was rather proud of the building. He had built it as a replica of the QR only on a much smaller scale. There was even a veranda around the sides and back. There would be no drownings here as the creek was no river Cam, but he thought it the crowning touch.
His friends bombarded him with questions, mostly asking what it's purpose was. "It's for the tenants," he said. "It will serve as a meeting place, but mostly it's a place of entertainment for them. He turned to Bingley, "at lunch this afternoon you said that studying wasn't nearly so difficult if you can look forward to a little fun. That's the reason I had this built. My people work hard and I want them to have a little fun."
Richard wanted a closer look but Darcy shook his head. "No, it's their place and five gentlemen invading their space would be obtrusive. Besides, I've set up the bar at the gazebo and you all look like you need a drink."
Naturally Richard, Guy and Joshua poured the Armagnac and settled down to enjoy the brandy. Both Darcy and Bingley opted for the port and a walk out on the grounds. They finally settled near a large tree and relaxed.
"Hard to believe two years have gone bye," Darcy said. "It seems the older I get, the faster time moves."
"Don't you ever get bored living out here? The society seems rather limited."
Darcy nodded. "Not so much boredom as restlessness. I work to exhaustion and fall into bed half -dead. Then I can't sleep. I toss and turn so much that the sheets twist around me like a shroud."
"At Cambridge," Bingley remarked in obvious amusement, "they have a word for that and it isn't restlessness."
The friends shared a knowing smile. "Well," Darcy said, "I'm heading for Town next month. Anne is ready to take her place in society. Georgie is becoming a young lady and it's time I start the the business of being a debonair man about town."
"Aren't there any women out here?"
"None that I'm interested in. They're all too young or too old. I'll have to start searching in Town." Darcy sighed heavily, I don't look forward to it. It means I'll have to dance and make small talk and try not to look bored. But I have to do it for Georgie's sake. One day she will make her debut and if I'm too reclusive it will not be to her advantage."
Bingley laughed, "Darcy, if you're serious about finding a wife, perhaps you ought to practice looking interested."
"You are naturally interested in everyone, Bingley, but I'm not. The sameness of all the dinners and balls drives me to distraction."
Bingley laughed at Darcy's gloomy expression. "With a face like that, you'll scare all the ladies away."
"It's never the ladies that frighten me, Charles. It's their mothers."