"We're for Whites, will you come, Darcy?" His cousin poked his head into Darcy's private study, the sound of voices down the hall indicating that Mr. Bingley had arrived.
It hadn't taken long for his closest of friends to forgive him, but Darcy still held on to some guilt for the way he had spoken the evening of the Dowager Marchioness's party.
More to the point, he had some guilt with the way he'd spoken of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, as well. He needed to find some way to rectify that.
"Perhaps, yes, in fact, these figures will not make themselves agree if my sight is swimming," Darcy commented, although that was a polite lie. He had been studiously ploughing through the reports his agent had sent him with relative ease. Pemberley's tenants were doing remarkably well after a poor growing season earlier in the year, due to a small reduction in the rents that he had insisted upon, and it looked like they had been able to reinvest their largesse into stock and new crops for the coming year. There would be a bumper season ahead for them, and additional funds coming into the Darcy coffers as a direct result, all the while the tenants praised him for his generosity.
Another reason that he needed to find a wife who was clever and caring in the same turn, if, by some horrible clash of fate, he was not around to see the raising of any future heirs and children… he needed a wife who had the same outlook as him.
Caring for tenants was not just right as landowner, but a privilege—
"Are you going to sit there in a stupid manner, or join us?" Colonel Fitzwilliam cajoled him, a teasing smirk on his face as Darcy got up with a groan. "I'm glad I came to rescue you. Any longer, and you would have turned to stone."
Bingley hailed them both from the entry hall as Darcy's valet, and a footman, helped them into their coats.
"I've got a new team of horses and carriage, did I tell you? I ordered the carriage months ago, and it's finally arrived, so we shall go to Whites in style," Bingley said, in full cheer.
"If we ride with Darcy, we always ride in style," Fitzwilliam reminded their friend, and Darcy couldn't help but smile himself.
"Perhaps slightly outmoded style, I don't see the economical benefit of ordering a new carriage every few seasons—" Darcy added as a footman opened the door for them, ushering in the cool air from outside. He was grateful for the coat, and hat, as he stepped out, the promised carriage waiting at the foot of the stairs with a pretty matched set of bays to pull it. They were good horseflesh, solid to the bone, although slightly heavier than might be needed for town.
He wondered if he might offer Bingley for them, and bring them back to Pemberley to his stables…
"He's in his own dreams again," Fitzwilliam commented as they sheltered within the carriage and it pulled forward. "He's been like this for a full week since the dinner."
"What dinner— ohhh, the dinner." Bingley gave Darcy a knowing smile. "Yes, the dinner. When he was very out of sorts."
Darcy opened his mouth to protest but Bingley held up his hand to stop him.
"Yes, you've said sorry, and we have accepted, but that does not mean we have no right to tease you over it. I thought it was my sister applying herself to your good opinion that had set your teeth on edge, but imagine my surprise to find it was the handsome Miss Elizabeth Bennet that had him so ill at ease." Bingley exchanged glances with Fitzwilliam.
Darcy could only sigh, as he knew if he dug in they would only tease him for the rest of the evening, and he was in need of a night of reading, excellent brandy, and perhaps some good conversation.
He meant to inquire subtly of the Bennet family, not because of Miss Elizabeth, but because of Miss Jane Bennet. She had caught Bingley's eye, and Darcy had no knowledge of their family, at least none that would recommend Miss Jane Bennet as wifely material.
And if he knew Bingley as well as he did, the man was half-gone on the young miss already.
A cause for concern that Darcy intended to bring Fitzwilliam in on. If anything, it would distract him from the latest letter from Lady Catherine De Bourgh that laid, unopened, on his desk in the London Darcy House study.
The rooms at Whites were comfortable enough that Darcy felt no lack of Pemberley's own ancient comforts, and once he had set Bingley down at a card table, he motioned to Fitzwilliam.
"I was going to join up," his cousin complained mildly, but followed Darcy to one of the room's corners.
"Later. Now I need your assistance in finding out information on the Bennet girl—"
Fitzwilliam's eyebrows lifted.
"The elder Bennet girl," Darcy corrected quickly, to which Fitzwilliam crossed his arms over his chest.
"They have no home in town, so I cannot imagine their estate so large, and from what I have heard, their closest relatives in London live on Cheapeside—" Fitzwilliam paused and cleared his throat. "Although my birth may be high, I cannot find fault with a man that works to provide for his family, although some would. I am obviously without inheritance, so fate might have felt to give me the same hand as any man who makes his residence, and his life's work, on Cheapeside."
Darcy privately agreed, although that sort of less privileged upbringing did not bode well for Miss Bennet's accomplishments, or her ability to manage the household accounts, or deal with a rogue governess's dramatics if it came to that. A woman who did not have their advantages would not have had the experience…
"Well, find out what you can. Isn't Stote from Hertfordshire?" He murmured, glancing around the room. "I will speak to Lord Crumbley."
"I will return victorious," Fitzwilliam promised, making a casual line across the room to Mr. Stote who was ensconced in another corner with his contemporaries.
"Wellington surely misses your determination," Darcy whispered after his cousin, before turning to see if Lord Crumbley was engaged.
"I lost a packet and no mistake, I am humbled for it," Bingley groaned after the three of them met up later at the end of the billiards room.
"Join me on the green, and you shall lose another," Fitzwilliam promised before Darcy gave him a dark look. "Or perhaps not. I will find another victim this evening."
"Not until we discuss with Bingley, some information about Miss Bennet he might be interested in," Darcy commented, making Bingley turn from where he was gazing at the closest billiards table with smothered longing.
"Miss Bennet? Have you been sleuthing, Darcy? What could you possible have heard?"
"Very little, but not much to recommend her family," Darcy said tightly, "even if she was, as you said—"
"Perfectly lovely," Bingley replied with a sigh, causing Fitzwilliam to hide a smile behind his hand.
"He is besotted and he hasn't even danced with her, one dinner, and he is gone. I have never found myself so caught by any lady—"
"Then you have no taste, Fitzwilliam," Bingley shot back.
"There is not much in the way of a dowery," Darcy said, hoping of hopes that would douse cold water upon Bingley's passions, but when his friend looked at him, he knew it was a lost cause.
"That is nothing to me," he said with a shrug, "I have more than enough to provide a wife, particularly one who is modest means, a life beyond her imaginings," Bingley replied.
"Not if you keep ordering new carriages," Fitzwilliam muttered, reaching for a pool cue, but Bingley studiously ignore him.
"Nothing to you? I am sure if you offer—"
"I have not said I will speak out, Darcy—"
"If you do, you'll have her and her entire family, however many of them there are, to offer some kind of support to. The younger Miss Bennet likely has not much more dowery to offer either, and that'll need padding," Darcy tried to keep the despair out of his voice.
Bingley could not truly find himself interested, or entangled, with Miss Jane Bennet.
It would ruin Darcy.
He would be forced to spend far too much time in the company of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and that was something he could not bear.
Not another moment feeling as if he would drown in her lovely, fine eyes…
He took a deep breath.
No he could not spend any house parties, holidays, the events of Georgiana's coming out, in the presence of one Jane Bennet, because that implied the possible presence of Elizabeth Bennet too.
It would bring him to his knees, he was sure of it.
He would not do that to himself, or his future wife, not if he intended to remain true to his morals.
For it was she, Miss Elizabeth, who haunted his nights, he had barely spoken a few words in her presence, had only needed to hear the soft notes of her musical laugh, and he had been slain.
It also made him a hypocrite, to attempt to diffuse Bingley's passion when he, Darcy, was hiding a roaring wildfire within himself.
He had no idea how he would get through the Season, seeing her at outings and events. Hopefully he could do his duty and find a wife soon, while disregarding Elizabeth Bennet entirely.
"I have thought of that. My own sister has a dowery of note, and no offers to speak of, so I cannot imagine that a poor dowery is would keep a suitor away if the young lady truly recommended herself, and Miss Elizabeth was lovely as well, I am certain once she is presented, she will be reticule-deep in offers," Bingley said, so casually that it struck Darcy mute.
"Ah, now you have set him off, Bingley, don't mention Miss Elizabeth, have you learned nothing? Come, join me," Fitzwilliam cajoled, and finally Bingley picked up a cue, moving toward the table.
Darcy stood there in dismay and despair, unsure of how to better communicate to his friend that a match with Jane Bennet would not be wise financially, or through her familial connections.
But she is being sponsored by the Dowager…
His treasonous mind reminded him, and surely that would recommend her positively? For the Dowager was not known to throw her weight behind any young lady needing to be presented, and withheld her favors unless the one she bestowed them on was truly worth.
Jane and Elizabeth Bennet were an enigma. Their gowns implied wealth, but neither had a dowery to match, likely did not have the pin money to support even one of the dresses they would need for the season, so the Dowager had truly and fully sponsored them.
Even their aunt, Mrs. Gardiner, a pleasant and clever enough woman, was a credit to them. If the rest of their family were as such?
Did he have much argument to make against Jane Bennet? Especially when Bingley was clearly set after only one evening in her company?
There was nothing for it. Darcy would need to conspire to put them in company as frequently as possible, if only to test Bingley's resolve on a match with the elder Miss Bennet.
And as the saying went, with familiarity, followed by contempt. Perhaps too much time with one another would ferment that.
It would mean seeing Elizabeth Bennet, often, without reprieve. But Darcy was created of stern stuff, sterner then even his contemporaries gave him credit for. He would withstand her many charms, and indeed, might even follow with contempt himself.
He could only hope.
I am so pleased to announce that Duty and Desire is now available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple iBooks, and more, just search for 'Nora Kipling - Duty and Desire'! You may purchase it right away or wait for a new chapter to be uploaded here. Thank you for all your loving support.
- Nora