Confounding Caroline Page 3

  “There is also one at Darcy House.” He consumed what remained in his glass. “However, your home lacks one thing that my parents’ house does not.”

  “Your mother?” Darcy asked with a grin.

  “Precisely. I have no desire to hear her concerns regarding my lack of a wife.” He placed his glass on the table next to Darcy’s and lay a hand on his cousin’s shoulder for a moment. “If you will forget family expectations and for once pursue your own happiness, then, I might be inspired to do the same, and my mother will be delighted.”

  He continued as Darcy rose from his chair, ready to take his leave, “Do you know how many times I have heard Father and Mother speaking about how they wish to see you happy?” He chuckled as Darcy shook his head. “Neither do they, but it is a great number, to be sure. They will be pleased for you. It is only Aunt Catherine who might pose an issue. But then, when is she not an issue?”

  Darcy and Bingley both chuckled along with Richard. Lady Catherine was known for voicing her opinion about many things quite loudly, and the more her opinion was ignored, as it often was by her brother, the more vocal she would become until eventually, her arguments would expire in a huff.

  “It is not only Lady Catherine about whom you need worry,” said Bingley. “I have a sister who is not easily dissuaded and is intent on securing Pemberley.”

  Richard shook his head. “Is she still at that?”

  “Stubborn, is she not?” Bingley said as he nodded his answer to Richard’s question.

  “Extremely,” Darcy muttered.

  Richard clapped him on the shoulder. “We should take our leave unless you wish to encounter her tonight.”

  “You will contact Colonel Forster?” Bingley asked as they moved into the corridor.

  “I will send him a letter tomorrow, and I am certain Darcy will see that it travels by express?”

  Darcy rolled his eyes. If there was one thing that Richard was good at, aside from his role as colonel, it was weaseling out of extra expenditures. For one who had grown up in a house filled with plenty, he had a strong miserly bent as well as an eye for investment to increase his holdings. A strategic mind, he called it and said it was what made him proficient in his profession.

  “I will call for you tomorrow before I head toward Cheapside to call on Miss Bennet,” Bingley said to Darcy as they reached the front door.

  “Cheapside?” Richard whistled low. “You do mean to disappoint the family.” He laughed and slapped his cousin on the back.

  “It is where her uncle lives. She is a gentleman’s daughter,” Darcy argued.

  Richard moved down the steps briskly and prepared to mount his horse. “You may tell me all her excellent qualities over a game of billiards.” He swung up into his saddle and with a salute was off.

  “You know you will have to tell him everything, do you not?” Bingley asked.

  Darcy nodded. Along with having a miserly streak, Richard Fitzwilliam was also persistent, and much like a starving dog might latch onto a piece of meat and refuse to let go, if there was something that Darcy’s cousin wished to know, he was going to discover it, using whatever means he could. “As long as he lends his help, I will bare my very soul.”

  “Thank you,” Bingley said as Darcy climbed into his carriage, “for telling me about Miss Bennet’s call and all.”

  Darcy leaned forward in his seat so that he could see out the door to where his friend stood. “It is I who should thank you — first, for not tossing me out and, then, for helping me to see reason.”

  “My happiness could not be complete without yours,” Bingley said. “And I promise you, we will find ourselves happy, in spite of my sister.”

  Chapter 4

  Darcy and Bingley stood just inside the foyer of a neat but modest home on Gracechurch Street, waiting for their cards to be presented to the mistress of the home and her niece.

  “The Gardiners do not appear to be destitute or even wanting,” Bingley whispered. “This paper is new.” He nodded toward the wall. “Caroline has admired it and has begged me to allow her to redecorate the front sitting room with it. However, I prefer paint over flowers.” He pursed his lips as he studied the paper on the wall. “Unless of course my wife prefers flowers, and then I shall prefer them as well.”

  Darcy chuckled. “I have not considered my preference one way or the other. I simply wish my surroundings to look…” His brow furrowed as he thought of how best to describe his taste in decor. It really was not something he considered often. He knew what he liked and what he did not, but he had not put significant effort into deciding how he would decorate a home. His mother had done that sort of thing, and now, if a space needed refreshing, he simply deferred to the opinion of either Georgiana or Lady Matlock. He shrugged. “I prefer my rooms to be welcoming and not garish, homely and not ostentatious.”

  “Which is why my sister should not be allowed to decorate your home or mine,” Bingley said with a smirk. “Are you prepared to see if it is possible to convince a Bennet lady to take on such a task?” he whispered as they followed behind the maid who directed them to the sitting room on their right.

  They had discussed how they would approach this interview as they had travelled together today. It was decided that the folly of both Caroline and Darcy should be broached directly as neither gentleman wished to be left wondering as to their position in hoping to attain their happiness.

  “Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, it is a pleasure to meet you,” a lady, dressed in the current fashion of the day and appearing to be no older than Darcy, if she was even that, greeted them as they entered the room.

  “The pleasure is ours, Mrs. Gardiner,” Bingley said as he took her hand and bowed over it. “It is a pleasure that should have been ours much earlier had we known your niece was in town.”

  Mrs. Gardiner barely contained a grin. “That is a welcome sentiment, is it not, Jane?” she asked as she extended her hand to Mr. Darcy.

  “Indeed, it is,” Jane replied.

  “Please, be seated while I arrange for tea.” Mrs. Gardiner slipped behind Mr. Darcy and into the hall for a moment but was back before either gentleman had settled into his chair completely.

  To Darcy, she rather flitted about like a bird, happily doing all that needed to be done. She tucked away some material that lay on a work table and pulled the table out to be used, he assumed, for the tea service. Then, she perched lightly in her chair, looking at ease but ready to fly away again if she should be needed for something.

  “Mr. Bingley, I understand that you have been considering an estate in Hertfordshire,” Mrs. Gardiner began, directing the conversation to exactly where Darcy and Bingley had hoped it would eventually fall. “Will you return to it once the season draws to a close? I understand you are in town because you have a sister in need of a husband.”

  Darcy found the way the lady’s lips twitched with amusement to be telling of what she had likely heard about Miss Bingley, and the way that her eyes danced reminded him of Elizabeth. He was certain he would enjoy having this woman’s acquaintance.

  “Of course, you are also unmarried,” she continued, “so I suppose you might also be looking for a wife while squiring your sister to this function and that.”

  Even Darcy could not mistake the meaning of Mrs. Gardiner’s words when accompanied by the pointed look she gave Bingley. It was apparent that Mrs. Gardiner was not the sort of lady to play games but came directly to the point, and that fact made him like her all the more.

  “I should not say it, but I will be beyond elated when my sister finally marries,” Bingley admitted. “She is no small trial.”

  “Oh, we all have relations like that,” Mrs. Gardiner said with a grin. “Some are born to us while others are attached by marriage. I do hope she finds a husband who does not add to your affliction.”

  Bingley chuckled. “I most heartily hope the same.”

  “And what of you, Mr. Bingley? Has the season been kind to you — aside from the trials of a
sibling?”

  Determined and not to be thwarted in her pursuit — Darcy added these qualities to the list of items that recommended Mrs. Gardiner to him.

  Bingley held Mrs. Gardiner’s gaze. “Not until this moment,” he said before darting his eyes toward Jane and returning them to her aunt and adding, “I hope.”

  “Very well said,” Mrs. Gardiner replied with no small amount of approval in her voice. “We had heard you had intentions of a marriage in the future when a particular lady was finally presented to society.” She stood to pour the tea as the maid laid out the service for her.

  “You speak of my sister.”

  Mrs. Gardiner acknowledged the veracity of Darcy’s words with a nod of her head.

  “Neither Bingley nor I have ever harboured such a wish for any such joining of our families.”

  Bingley gave his fervent agreement. “I assure you that I view Miss Darcy as nothing more than the sister of a very good friend. If our families are ever joined, it shall not be through either of our sisters.” He turned to Jane. “I must apologize for the actions of my sister. I only learned last evening that you were in town and that is only because Darcy told me.”

  Jane looked between the men in confusion.

  “Miss Bingley told me of your call when I stopped to deliver something to Bingley yesterday afternoon.” Darcy accepted a cup of tea from Mrs. Gardiner and then began his painful confession. “She thought I would be delighted about how she had snubbed you. I was not, of course, although I admit to not remonstrating her for her actions but only accepting her account and fleeing as quickly as I could.”

  Bingley chuckled. “You must forgive him for that. Darcy knows my sister’s intentions in regard to his marital state and has no desire to encourage those attentions or to find himself unwarily caught in a trap from which his honour will not allow him to escape.”

  “You do not like Miss Bingley?” Jane asked Darcy in surprise.

  Darcy grimaced and looked at Bingley apologetically. “Not particularly. However, there was a reason for her to think I would find her actions towards you acceptable, and for that, I must apologize. You see, I supported Miss Bingley’s desire to leave Netherfield and persuade her brother not to return.” He closed his eyes and shook his head in self-remonstration. “I abhor disguise, Miss Bennet, and yet, I prevaricated most grievously. I agreed with Miss Bingley that a connection between her family and yours would not be beneficial to her brother.”

  He stood and placed his untouched tea on the tea tray. He knew admission of his failings would be difficult, but to see the pain in the eyes of a woman as kind and sweet as he knew Miss Bennet to be made the task far harder than he had imagined.

  “I will admit to having certain reservations about your family.” He grimaced. “They have nothing to do with your ties to trade. They are — were solely based on what I have perceived to be improper behavior.” He shook his head again. “Not even I can deny how arrogant that sounds.” Indeed, as he said the words here, in the sitting room, standing before both Miss Bennet and her relation, the words sounded like those of a pretentious fool. “Please forgive me.”

  He drew a breath. He needed to complete his admission of guilt, no matter how painful it might be to do so. “I worked to keep Mr. Bingley from returning to Netherfield as he wished.” He smiled sadly at Jane whose eyes had grown wide at his comment. “He wished to return to you. However, I had made a promise to remain with him at his estate until he had decided on either purchasing or moving on and then, if he purchased, until he had enough knowledge to stand on his own as master of his own domain. However, I could not return.” He shook his head slowly as he returned to his seat. “I simply could not be there.”

  “I should not have allowed myself to be persuaded,” Bingley said softly as Darcy retreated into his chair to allow Bingley to make his own apology to Miss Bennet.

  “No,” Jane agreed, “you should not have.”

  “Was it an unpardonable error?” Bingley’s heart thumped wildly, and his palms became moist while drawing a breath became something about which he needed to think. How he would survive a negative response without making a complete cake of himself, he was uncertain.

  Jane’s cheeks grew rosy, and she took a slow sip from her cup. Then, as she returned her cup to her saucer with only a small clatter, she answered. “It is only unpardonable if your intentions in calling today are less than sincere or if you should be so easily persuaded once again.”

  “I promise my intentions are both sincere and unwavering,” Bingley replied, passing his cup to Darcy. “I fear I will drop this if I must hold it any longer.” He rubbed his hands on his breeches. “If you will allow me, Miss Bennet, I will request an interview with your uncle to gain his blessing in your father’s stead to court you. I know this is not exactly the most fitting setting for such a discussion. I should have asked to speak to you in private. However, I came today determined to discover if I had any hope of winning you, and I am willing to openly suffer any humiliation my offer may bring.” He smiled sheepishly. “Although I would be lying if I said I did not hope to avoid the humiliation of rejection.”

  “You may speak to my uncle,” Jane said with a smile.

  Bingley grasped Jane’s hand which was not holding her cup and lifting it, kissed it. “Thank you,” he whispered, returning her smile.

  “My husband will not be home for many hours,” Mrs. Gardiner said. “He is to dine with an associate this evening.”

  “Tomorrow would be soon enough,” Bingley replied. “Unless it would not be too offensive for me to visit his place of business today.”

  Mrs. Gardiner chuckled. “You do not do things by halves, do you, Mr. Bingley?”

  “Not when it is of such importance as this,” Bingley replied with a smile. “Now, if you were to ask me to muck out the stables, I might not be so eager.”

  “I shall ask you to do no such thing.” Mrs. Gardiner’s left brow rose with an impertinence that reminded Darcy once again of Elizabeth. “However, there are four children in the nursery, and I would not be above shuffling one or more of them off on you so that both their nurse and I might have a nice quiet cup of tea and a read.”

  Bingley shrugged and settled back into his chair. “I am fond of both children and toys, especially if there might be a tin of biscuits involved.”

  “Oh, boys and their biscuits!” Mrs. Gardiner cried. “My youngest son is forever attempting to sneak an extra treat when his nurse’s back is turned.” She chuckled. “He is only two, so, though I reprimand, it is forgivable.” She held out a plate of almond cakes to Bingley.

  “Mr. Darcy,” she began as Bingley selected two cakes from the plate, causing her to smile. “You are like John,” she said to Bingley before turning back to Darcy. “You said you could not return to Netherfield, and I admit to being curious as to the cause of your reluctance — nay — refusal to return.” She offered him an almond cake and refused to move from her spot until he had taken one. Then, she gathered his cup from the tea tray and returned that to him as well. “I will not have you leave without refreshment,” she said kindly before returning to her seat. “Would I be correct in assuming it had something to do with another one of my nieces?”

  Darcy washed down his bite of cake with some tea. “Yes,” he replied simply.

  Chapter 5

  “Were you much attached to Lizzy?” Jane asked, causing Darcy’s eyes to widen in surprise.

  The Miss Bennet he was witnessing today in this drawing room clashed with the one he remembered from his time in Hertfordshire. This Miss Bennet was much bolder. However, from the pink that stained her cheeks and the way her eyes did not hold his for long before dropping away, he knew that the effort was not without cost.

  “Surprisingly, yes,” he admitted. “Although I did not realize just how much until I returned to town and could not rid myself of her memory.”

  “She likes you,” Jane’s voice was no more than a whisper.

  “I am sor
ry to disagree with you, Miss Bennet, but your sister most certainly does not like me,” Darcy returned.

  “Oh, no,” Mrs. Gardiner said, “our Lizzy is quite taken with you. She just does not realize it.”

  For the first time since his arrival, Darcy saw the woman relax into her chair and take a leisurely sip of her tea rather than the quick ones she had taken thus far.

  “You will have to explain that to me,” Darcy said. “I was left with the distinct impression that she did not approve of me any more than I approved of such a connection at that time.”

  “How will your family receive her?” Mrs. Gardiner asked.

  Darcy shook his head and shrugged. “I do not know, but first –”

  “Do you love her?” Mrs. Gardiner interrupted.

  Darcy drew a deep breath and released it as he nodded his head. “But I do not see how –”

  “Good,” Mrs. Gardiner interrupted again.

  It appeared that the lady was determined to be the only one asking questions and directing the conversation, so Darcy leaned back and waited expectantly.

  “No more protests, Mr. Darcy?”

  The familiar twinkle had returned to Mrs. Gardiner’s eyes, causing the right side of Darcy’s mouth tipped up in a half smile. “You are very much like her,” he commented.

  Mrs. Gardiner finished the tea in her cup and placed it to the side. “I cannot deny that. However, the fact that you have recognized it speaks to how much you must admire her to have noticed such a thing. Tell me, because my curiosity must be satisfied: what makes you say that Elizabeth and I are alike?”

  Darcy tipped his head. “You would leave your children in the care of Bingley to have a cup of tea and a read. Therefore, I assume you enjoy reading as much as she does.”

  With a tip of her head, Mrs. Gardiner accepted his statement as true.

  “You are determined and unafraid to speak your mind. You challenged both me and Bingley.”

  “One of my faults,” Mrs. Gardiner said with a smile.