Taking the steps two at a time, he quickly reached the parlor where his sister was giggling madly. Surely, she had someone there, and he knew the colonel was out searching at a hotel. It all made sense. How had he missed it before? The colonel would have entertained Georgiana, and he could make her laugh heartily but never with giggling fits. It sounded like she had a female companion. So, Anne had been in his house all this time.
The servants had not explicitly told him. They only said their cousin was with Georgiana. What could that be about? Were the servants in on the conspiracy? They must be or it would have slipped out.
He opened the door, halting Georgiana's giggling speech. It was clear she was nearly at the climax of her story or joke. Her face, lit with humor, drained of color as she realized they had been caught.
Mr. Darcy entered the room fully, not initially seeing Anne, who was reclining on a sofa that was turned away from the door. Could he have overlooked her when they were together? The immediate silence forced Anne to lean off the sofa to catch sight of her cousin, the one she had avoided so far. Her face drained of color similar to Georgiana's.
Georgiana regained the courage to speak first, though her stutter showed that she was not prepared. "Hello, Brother. Should you like to join us for tea?"
Mr. Darcy nodded, his manners overtaking his sense as he continued to wonder how this had all come about. He took the seat beside Georgiana, keeping his eyes on his recovering cousin.
Finally, Anne took a deep breath and asked, "How did you find out? Did a servant tell you?"
"They should have told me." He stated, his mind reeling as he accepted a teacup prepared by Georgiana.
"No, they should not have. Georgiana and I discussed the situation with your housekeeper. If you knew I was here, there could have been a hint of impropriety if you knew and were keeping me company. My mother would pounce on it if she knew. Her insistence that you compromised me would cause rumors I would rather avoid."
"Why did you not marry as soon as you arrived?" He asked, taking a sip and feeling better about his composure.
"We could not obtain a license because we were told by the archbishop you already have one. We have been searching for it when you are not in your rooms, but we cannot find it. Where did you place it? We need to marry before the ball."
"You searched my desk! That is highly improper."
Georgiana instantly put her head down, mumbling under her breath something no one could hear. She had always looked up to her brother as more of a father given their ages. She had disappointed him once, and it hurt her to see that disappointment again.
"Georgiana, how could you be so unfeeling as to go through my belongings?"
Anne came to her cousin's defense. "Georgiana could not. I did. I needed it, and I hoped to marry without you even knowing I was here. We were determined to tell you tomorrow if our search tonight proved fruitless. Where is the license?"
"Locked in the safe with my other valuables. I am the only one with the key."
Anne nodded thoughtfully. "My mother arrives on Monday, so we shall marry Monday morning with your license. She will not arrive until tea time at the earliest."
Mr. Darcy, still upset, listened with barely restrained hauteur. His cousin, sister and servants had all conspired against him. When Anne repeated a question a second time, he shook himself out of his thoughts and turned again to the conversation. "My apologies for woolgathering. What did you ask?"
Anne grumbled in frustration, "I merely asked if you were excited to see Elizabeth again. Surely, you miss her."
"If I had known your location, I could have given you the license sooner and returned to Rosings yesterday." He snapped.
"That is true. I was worried that my mother would find out if you knew. I cannot have her arrive before I am married."
"That will be difficult." He huffed in annoyance, his face only lightening in the memory that Lady Catherine's presence meant Elizabeth's presence also. He did not hear Anne as his thoughts drifted more pleasantly away from the room.
"Darcy!" Anne shouted. When he turned to her again, she repeated her question. "Why will it be difficult to marry before my mother comes to London? What do you know?"
"She is already arriving. She should arrive in the next hour or two, depending on when they set off from Rosings."
Anne and Georgiana stared at him as they digested this information. After a few moments, Anne struggled to her feet. "We must marry before she arrives!"
"That is not possible, Anne." Georgiana stated, not sure how best to pacify her now very agitated cousin.
"We have the license; we can wed at any time and place. Darcy, you must find and return with someone who can wed us. Spend a fortune if you must."
"Why? Your mother wishes to see you wed."
Anne raised her hands in exasperation. "No, she wishes to see me wed you. She is coming to force our hands. Undoubtedly, she will claim you compromised me here in your own house. She might even be willing to stop to visit gossiping friends and tell them you will marry as we eloped to London."
Now Mr. Darcy's face drained of color. It seemed like the sort of thing Lady Catherine would do. She had capitulated much sooner than he thought she would have. He had almost thought her more sensible. He would not marry Anne of course, but there could be more scandal if she did meet her friends. Would they meet before she came here?
"Get up!" Anne nearly shouted. "Go find someone to marry me to Mr. Warden. He is staying at the hotel on Brindig St. I shall write to him to be ready."
Mr. Darcy nodded and rose from his chair, but he stopped when he heard the sound of the knocker at the front door. He had left the door to the hall open. Could Lady Catherine be here already? A footman opened the door promptly, and they heard mumbling. Anne seemed not to be breathing as they strained to hear any hint of who the newcomer might be.
Before they could ascertain anything, Anne shook her head. "I cannot be here. I shall join Mr. Warden. Do not tell my mother where I am, I beg of you. We shall pretend we had been there all this time. You never thought to look there."
"That was the first hotel Richard checked." Mr. Darcy declared, affronted that he was being told what to do.
"I know. That is why I had Mr. Warden go there. It was less conspicuous and a close distance to use a courier to communicate. You were always looking for a couple, and Mr. Warden was always alone in and out of his rooms." She seemed about to bid them farewell, but the colonel entered the room to find Anne and Mr. Darcy standing and looking daggers at each other.
"You are here!" The colonel nearly shouted. "How did you find her, Darcy?"
"No time for that now." Anne snapped. "Are you alone?"
"I came alone. What is going on?"
Mr. Darcy shook his head, "It is a long story, and there really is not time if we are to stem the gossip." He quickly gave the colonel instructions to find Mr. Warden as he left to call upon the church. Hopefully a vicar or curate was not busy and could be persuaded to marry Anne and Mr. Warden immediately.
AN: Well, the school year is out. I finished grading a day early, so I spent my "grading day" finishing building a chicken coop. I run garden club at my school, and my students this year wanted to start caring for chickens. The construction class were supposed to build it, and they did probably 80% before time/materials ran out. I now have it finished, and the chickens moved in today. They had been biding their time in a very warm greenhouse not built for them. It had been modified so that it would not get too warm. I hope you don't know what it is like to build a roof in the summer in a desert. It is unpleasant. But summer is here! I hope to put my relaxation time into writing and finishing this story. This was a mini chapter to finish off the last. I already know what I want to write for the next, and then we should be ready for the ball. EEP!
Many thanks to those who remind me to keep writing by writing reviews. I very much appreciate you. I also appreciate you "silent" readers also.