Confounding Caroline Read online

  Darcy shook his head but did not lift it from where it rested in his hands. “Bingley would do better to establish himself with a lady of higher connections, but I would not have denied him his heart had I not suspected that Miss Bennet — Miss Jane Bennet, ” he clarified as he finally lifted his head, “was indifferent to him. I did not wish to see him hurt.” He scrubbed his face. “So I have lost my chance at happiness?”

  “You have not lost.” Richard grasped Darcy’s shoulder. “I do hope you can forgive me for telling Miss Bennet about Bingley, but I truly was doing it as a service to you, not as a disservice — as it turns out to have been. But you have not lost,” Richard repeated. “As my father always says, ‘what is done is done; now, how are you going to fix it?'”

  It was a phrase Richard had heard many times over the course of his years, and it had become a part of his very fiber — a maxim by which to live.

  Darcy chuckled at Richard’s imitation of Lord Matlock’s voice.

  “It must be set right, of course,” Richard continued as he rose and began pacing a path from his chair around the billiards table and back again. “First, we must ascertain how much damage has been caused to Miss Jane Bennet.”

  Darcy nodded. “And inform Bingley of my interference.”

  “If necessary,” Richard agreed and then added with a rueful smile, “which I believe it is.” He took another turn around the billiards table. “Were you your normal reserved and proper self when in Hertfordshire, or were you more reserved and a bit uncivil?”

  “I was constantly in Miss Bingley’s presence.”

  Richard groaned. He had seen Darcy with Miss Bingley. The woman always put Darcy on edge with her fawning and posturing. It was as if she expected something she possessed in manners, countenance, or position could suddenly sway Darcy to develop an unquenchable desire for her! Richard shook his head. How many times had he himself heard her supposed qualifications woven into a conversation? “Miss Bingley is an understandable reason for being less civil than is your normal wont.”

  Darcy nodded. “She was insufferable.”

  “When is she not?” Richard asked with a small laugh.

  “I am sure I have never observed such a time,” Darcy grumbled, causing Richard to chuckle once again.

  “Very good. We have established that you most likely need to speak with Bingley in an attempt to undo the wrong caused by your interference and that you were driven to incivility by the presence of Miss Bingley, which I will assume was accompanied with a lofty air.” He stopped on the far side of the billiards table and, looking at Darcy, waited for confirmation that his assessment so far was accurate. Receiving Darcy’s acceptance of the facts, Richard continued, “Well, then, besides your off-putting countenance and Miss Bingley, are there any other reasons why Miss Bennet might have a dislike for you?”

  Darcy expelled a deep sigh as he nodded slowly. “Remember Wickham?”

  ~*~*~

  With the Colonel’s Help is available at your favourite retailer.

  Find this book at your favorite store.

  BUY NOW

  ~*~

  And remember to sign up for

  BOOK NEWS FROM LEENIE BROWN

  to get exclusive sneak peeks as well as access to opportunities for advance reader copies and receive a copy of a book for joining.

  Before You Go

  If you enjoyed this book, be sure to let others know by leaving a review.

  ~*~*~

  Always know what’s new with Leenie’s books by subscribing to her mailing list

  and as a thank you, you will receive a copy of Teatime Tales as well as Better Than She Deserved, A Willow Hall Romance Sequel:

  Book News from Leenie Brown

  (http://eepurl.com/bS1eI1)

  Acknowledgements

  There are many who have had a part in the creation of this story. Some have read and commented on it. Some have proofread for grammatical errors and plot holes. Others have not even read the story and a few, I know, never will. However, their encouragement and belief in my ability, as well as their patience when I became cranky or when supper was late or the groceries ran low, was invaluable.

  And so, I would like to say thank you to Zoe, Rose, Betty, Kristine, Ben, and Kyle as well as my patrons on Patreon and the readers who faithfully read all those Thursday posts on my blog. I feel blessed by your help, support, and understanding.

  I have not listed my dear husband in the above group because, to me, he deserves his own special thank you, for, without his somewhat pushy insistence that I start sharing my writing, none of my writing goals and dreams would have been realized.

  Other Leenie B Books

  Novels ~ Novellas ~ Shorts

  ~*~

  Oxford Cottage: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

  For Peace of Mind: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

  Teatime Tales: Six Short and Sweet Austen-Inspired Stories

  Listen To Your Heart: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

  With the Colonel’s Help: A Pride and Prejudice Novella

  ~*~

  Darcy Family Holidays

  Two Days before Christmas (book 1)

  One Winter’s Eve (book 2)

  ~*~

  The Choices Series: Pride & Prejudice Novellas

  Her Father’s Choice (book 1)

  No Other Choice (book 2)

  His Inconvenient Choice (book 3)

  Her Heart’s Choice (book 4)

  ~*~

  Willow Hall Romances

  And Then Love: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Prequel (book 1)

  The Tenant’s Guest: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Novella (book 2)

  So Very Unexpected: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Novel (book3)

  At All Costs: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Novel (book 4)

  Better Than She Deserved: A Pride and Prejudice Novelette (sequel 1)

  ~*~

  Touches of Austen Collection

  His Beautiful Bea

  ~*~

  Other Pens

  Through Every Storm: A Pride and Prejudice Novella

  Henry: To Prove Himself Worthy (A Mansfield Park Continuation)

  Dash of Darcy and Companions Stories

  A Dash of Darcy and Companions Collection

  Finally Mrs. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Novella

  Waking to Mr. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Novella

  A Very Merry Christmas: A Pride and Prejudice Novella (A sequel to Waking to Mr. Darcy)

  Discovering Mr.Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Novella

  Not an Heiress: A Pride and Prejudice Novella (A sequel to Discovering Mr. Darcy)

  Unravelling Mr. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Novella

  Becoming Entangled: A Pride and Prejudice Novella (A sequel to Unravelling Mr. Darcy)

  Enticing Miss Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Novella (A sequel to Becoming Entangled)

  Mr. Darcy’s Comfort: A Pride and Prejudice Novella

  Coming June 2018:

  Master of Longborn: A Pride and Prejudice Novella (A sequel to Mr. Darcy’s Comfort)

  About the Author

  Leenie Brown has always been a girl with an active imagination, which, while growing up, was a both an asset, providing many hours of fun as she played out stories, and a liability, when her older sister and aunt would tell her frightening tales. At one time, they had her convinced Dracula lived in the trunk at the end of the bed she slept in when visiting her grandparents!

  Although it has been years since she cowered in her bed in her grandparents’ basement, she still has an imagination which occasionally runs away with her, and she feeds it now as she did then ─ by reading!

  Her heroes, when growing up, were authors, and the worlds they painted with words were (and still are) her favourite playgrounds! Now, as an adult, she spends much of her time in the Regency world, playing with the characters from her favourite Jane Austen novels and those of her own creation.

  When she is not traipsing down
a trail in an attempt to keep up with her imagination, Leenie resides in the beautiful province of Nova Scotia with her two sons and her very own Mr. Brown (a wonderful mix of all the best of Darcy, Bingley, and Edmund with a healthy dose of the teasing Mr. Tilney and just a dash of the scolding Mr. Knightley).

  Connect with Leenie Brown

  E-mail:

  [email protected]

  Facebook:

  www.facebook.com/LeenieBrownAuthor

  Blog:

  leeniebrown.com

  Patreon:

  https://www.patreon.com/LeenieBrown

  Subscribe to Leenie’s Mailing List:

  Book News from Leenie Brown

  (http://eepurl.com/bS1eI1)

  Join Leenie on Austen Authors:

  austenauthors.net