A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing, as always. A Guest's guess also tends towards the right direction, but not exactly. Do you know that the title of 'Dame' was created in the 20th century? So Lizzy couldn't have become a Dame.

I also want to acknowledge all of you who were saddened by the death of Lieutenant Cieran. I was too.

Chapter 22

Mr. Bingley greeted Darcy enthusiastically, which reminded Mr. Darcy why Bingley had been such a constant companion for the last five years: his friend's cheerfulness always brought a smile to his face.

"Darcy! So good to see you back in England!"

"Bingley, you look well. I must apologize again for abruptly canceling your visit to Pemberley last summer."

"Ah, yes, that. We were disappointed, of course. A visit to Pemberley is always a treat, especially in the summer. Caroline was inconsolable about having to ride past Pemberley without entering, but I understood and sympathized with the urgency of your journey. Having only arrived in town two days ago, I have not had the opportunity to congratulate the Colonel on his miraculous recovery. Fellows here filled me in on his hero's welcome. I congratulate you for rescuing the Colonel and bringing him safely home!"

"Thank you, Bingley. It was a chilling sight—the battlefield, an endless sea of men, standing ready to kill one another; it truly was a life-changing experience. The arduous retreat to Portugal gave me a taste of what our soldiers must go through because of that mad man Bonaparte. But how has life been treating you in my absence?"

"Caroline has been complaining bitterly that, without you here, life has been too dull to her liking. She misses the house parties, hunts, balls and such. To her, my other friends are simply not good enough. We spent the summer in the north, traveled to Weymouth, and then to Bath. We had to return to Scarborough because my aunt fell ill and passed away. I had to put her affairs in order, thus the delay in coming back to town. Caroline complained incessantly we would miss the beginning of the season. She was especially incensed with me after she heard you had returned, and she was convinced you were attending balls and parties without us." Bingley laughed a little, embarrassed by his sister's antics.

"My condolences on your aunt's passing," said Mr. Darcy, which Mr. Bingley acknowledged with a nod. Mr. Darcy continued, "I have been extremely busy due to my long absence. In fact, I shall be going back to Pemberley after my annual visit to my aunt, Lady Catherine. I am afraid I shall not be socializing for the foreseeable future."

"Oh, Caroline will surely be disappointed. We shall have to fend for ourselves."

Mr. Darcy did not respond. Somehow, it sounded absurd to him that their entire conversation had so far centered on what Miss Bingley wanted.

Has it always been this way?

Hearing no response, Mr. Bingley lowered his voice and said almost conspiratorially, "Caroline has been urging me to pursue Mrs. Trumbull. She said Mrs. Trumbull was from a distinguished Anglo-Welsh family, and that should overcome her connection to trade through her late husband. I have no desire to follow her dictate this once. From what I know, Mrs. Trumbull is a brunette, and she is at least eight years older than I. What do you think?"

Mr. Darcy raised one corner of his mouth and asked, "You are not giving up your blonde infatuation for a million pounds?"

Mr. Bingley's eyes bulged on hearing the sum and exclaimed, "So much? Fellows here said half a million." He pondered for a moment and replied, "What is half a million pounds more than what one already cannot spend? My inclination is 'no.' I must love my wife. I have never loved a brunette, and so it would be a significant risk for me to pursue a brunette."

Mr. Darcy looked at Mr. Bingley intently for a long moment, making his friend squirm. No one could say Mr. Bingley had no principles. Was he frivolous? Yes! Easily swayed? Yes! But if it concerned the color of his love's hair? Non-negotiable!

"What?" Mr. Bingley asked defensively. "I love blondes. I own it without disguise."

"Just as well. From what I have heard, there is no shortage of men chasing Mrs. Trumbull, or rather, her large fortune. Since both of us are disinterested in winning the lady's hand, perhaps you do not mind paying a call tomorrow? I am curious about all the fuss."

"You? Curious about things like this? Your experience on the Continent must have truly altered you. You used to stay as far away as possible from the alleged heiresses of the ton."

Mr. Darcy knew he could not hide his true intention of the visit if Mr. Bingley went with him. He said, hesitantly, "The Colonel told me he had seen Miss Elizabeth Bennet at a gathering there. She is a close friend of Mrs. Trumbull. I thought I would pay my respects when I call. I did not tell you, but last Easter, she was in Kent visiting her cousin while I was visiting my aunt, and we met a few times at my aunt's house. Lady Catherine was fond of inviting the vicar's family to Rosings."

Mr. Bingley looked lost for a moment but soon said, "The Bennet family! I have almost forgotten about them. It has been more than a year since we last saw them at the Netherfield ball. Caroline told me some terrible scandal befell the family, and they were forced to leave their home. What a pity!" Mr. Bingley shook his head in sympathy. He returned to his cheerful demeanor only a moment later. "I would be pleased to see Miss Elizabeth Bennet again."

"How did Miss Bingley hear of their scandal? Did you not say your family had been gallivanting continuously around the country, far away from Hertfordshire, until a few days ago?" Mr. Darcy wrinkled his brows in puzzlement.

"Gallivanting! I cannot deny we sought pleasures everywhere we went. I believe Caroline has spies all over. If your retainers were not completely loyal to you, she would know your every move as well."

Mr. Bingley laughed on seeing Mr. Darcy's startled look. He said, "Darcy, for someone as clever as you, you can be quite obtuse when it comes to women."

Mr. Darcy immediately retorted, "What do you mean? A gentleman should never distrust… the sister of a close friend."

Mr. Bingley's smile grew bigger, very pleased that, in this regard, he was smarter than his friend.

"Thank you for your faith in me and my ability to restrain my sister. After my father's death, my mother indulged Caroline terribly. I was away at school and knew nothing of the person my younger sister had grown into. After my mother's passing, to keep the peace, I generally let her have her way. You know how I detest confrontation. For important matters such as my best friend's well-being, I exert my authority and speak in the language she understands. If she does anything untoward, I will be on your side, and I will cut her off financially. My father's will allows me to exercise that right as needed. He must have seen what Caroline was becoming. The ton, the people she cares about most, will ridicule her. My father was an astute tradesman, and I learned at his knees from as far back as I can remember. He took me with him to many business meetings. Once I began school, my mother insisted I should become a gentleman and should associate myself with gentlemen's sons instead of turning into another tradesman. My father hated confrontation as I do, but he happened to agree with my mother on this point. So here I am, trying to be a gentleman."

Mr. Darcy was astounded by Mr. Bingley's frank confession. He asked, somewhat bewildered, "Bingley, we have been friends these past six years. Why did we never discuss this?'

"The topic never came up. You and I have a relaxed sort of friendship—remember all those Sunday afternoons when we did absolutely nothing! You never pry or argue except with Miss Elizabeth Bennet. When you were on the Continent, I had incessant complaints from Caroline about your 'desertion.'"

Mr. Darcy was again appalled by a claim of intimacy which did not exist.

Mr. Bingley clarified. "Do not be alarmed, Darcy. I am deaf to her dissatisfaction. Enough is enough, that's what I have decided. I am five-and-twenty. Caroline is younger by just one year. She should have married long ago and been off my hands, but she has this pig-headed notion you would marry her someday. Now she will have to fend for herself."

This was disturbing for Mr. Darcy. First, though, he needed to know whether Mr. Bingley truly meant what he said. He remembered clearly how at Netherfield, Bingley told Mrs. Bennet that whatever he did was done in a hurry—if he were to quit Netherfield, he would be off in five minutes. Was his friend in earnest this time, or would he change his mind in five minutes?

He asked skeptically, "Can you follow through with your resolve? Our entire conversation has centered on Miss Bingley—and we have not seen each other for more than a year!"

"I freely admit to making snap decisions. This time I am serious. She has so bothered me lately that she is on my mind constantly. You always make me see things clearly, and when you were away, everything seemed muddled."

Mr. Darcy was feeling more and more uneasy about his friend's state of mind. He had thought this trait endearing and was always willing to help one he treated as a younger brother. Now he felt his own knees had replaced those of Bingley's father.

This was a good segue into what he wanted to know. He asked, "Bingley, when you quitted Netherfield, had Miss Bingley already tried to persuade you not to return after your trip to town, or did you hear from both Miss Bingley and me at the same time?"

"That was more than a year ago. Let me remember…" Mr. Bingley placed a finger on his chin and thought for a minute. "Ah, Caroline ordered me to stay in London. Persuasion is not her style. Of course, I resisted. I like to maintain the peace, but it does not mean I would throw my hands up and surrender every time. Besides, the matter was of some importance to me. I loved to gaze at Miss Bennet's angelic face, framed by her silky golden hair. For a brief time, I considered offering for her because I believed my life would be tranquil having such a serene beauty by my side. I also planned to delegate the problem of Caroline to my would-be new sister. Miss Elizabeth Bennet could have vanquished Caroline's ridiculous nastiness with a few choice words."

The corner of Mr. Darcy's mouth lifted at the image of Miss Bingley cowering before Elizabeth. He returned to his serious mien, however, when his own culpability in separating Bingley and Miss Bennet needed to be addressed. He had not lied. At the time, he had truly believed Miss Jane Bennet's heart had not been touched by Bingley's enthusiastic gazing. However, he now knew his perception was faulty, and Bingley's desertion had broken her heart.

"Bingley, if I had not intervened with my fool-hardy suggestion, would you have offered her marriage?"

Mr. Bingley again stopped for a moment before answering, "Possibly… to spite Caroline. I do thank you for having put some sense into me. Spiting your impudent sister should not be the basis for such an important commitment as marriage. Even now, a year later, I do not feel ready to marry and settle down. My circle of friends is ever expanding. I enjoy the travels and pleasures of these engagements, despite Caroline looking down on my friends. According to her, their estates are nothing to Pemberley. No, having a wife and children would not do. They are incompatible with my life at present."

After what he witnessed on the Continent—men years younger than Bingley suffering and dying from injuries and sickness, all because they answered the call of duty to their countries—Bingley's pleasure-seeking life seemed hedonistic and aimless. He hoped and prayed his friend would not soon squander his inherited fortune, even without Miss Bingley's help.

"What? You disapprove? You are wearing a deep frown," Bingley asked with curiosity. "Don't worry. Now that you are back, I shall not be sowing my wild oats as much. In truth, my engagements have been rather innocent—hunting, fox hound racing, occasional visits to what you would consider disreputable establishments and the like. I have not taken to gambling other than card games with friends. My father's legacy is intact, if that is what you worry about."

Mr. Darcy looked him in the eye and said solemnly, "Bingley, you are a grown man. How you live your life is entirely of your own choosing. I, of course, would help in whatever way I can if you ask. I shall, however, not interfere with your life from now on."

"Why so solemn, man? At least with me, you did not always look like someone had stolen your favorite puppy. Your experience on the Continent has indeed changed you!"

"Do you think so? I have felt a shift within me. It is impossible not to have been affected by what I saw and experienced."

"To own the truth, you have always been serious. You have never sown a single wild oat that I know of. My recent change in behavior must have shocked you. Sometimes I wonder if this life of a gentleman suits me. I was an excellent student. I can apply myself, but I feel anchorless now that I have no estate to learn to manage, and no business to attend to—God forbid if Caroline heard this." Mr. Bingley sighed and took on a serious mien, quite different from his carefree self.

"I have indeed never lived an epicurean lifestyle. My early inheritance of Pemberley killed my plan of freer living on my grand tour in Portugal or even North Africa.

"I am not judging you by any means. You have not touched your father's inheritance. You are not a wastrel. As you so astutely observed, I need time to adjust my thinking back to peacetime life here in England after almost six months under threat of war.

"If you have no engagements this evening, would you come to supper at my house? My cousin, the Colonel, will leave for his new assignment at Court tomorrow. He would enjoy someone besides me for a pleasant evening. However, I must request that you come alone without your sisters."

"Thank you, Darcy. I would like to come. Caroline was extremely unhappy that I was to meet you here at the club. By the way, she did have designs on your person had we stayed at Pemberley last summer, but I thwarted her plans and warned her so she understood. I have my own eyes and ears." Bingley smiled mischievously.

"I see," was all Mr. Darcy said.