Page 20 of A Cleverly (Un)contrived Compromise (Love’s Little Helpers #3)

CHAPTER 20

G eorgiana cradled Serafina in her arms.

Bingley stood beside her, leaning as close as a friend ignorant of his effect on the young lady would, talking gibberish to the cat and stroking her fur. Georgiana looked up at him adoringly. Darcy’s panic turned to dread. Her infatuation had not weakened.

Richard stepped forward. His lips curved upward, but there was no smile in his eyes.

Darcy shot him a glare, which Richard acknowledged with a grave nod. He would explain later.

Satisfied on that point, Darcy opened his arms and called to his sister, who had yet to notice that he had entered the room, so fixed was she on Bingley. "Georgiana! You have taken us quite by surprise!"

She set Serafina down by a basket at her feet—a basket which rocked and squirmed like a living thing—and bounced into his arms. "You are not vexed, are you, William? Mr. Bingley assured us that we are most welcome."

Darcy refrained from objecting to her unfavorable comparison of himself to Bingley. If he understood why they were here instead of on their way to Pemberley, then he would know better how to proceed. Perhaps he could get some of the story now, enough to satisfy him until Richard explained further. "I am trying to puzzle how you escaped from Aunt Helen.”

"Oh, but she was the one who insisted that I accompany Richard!" Georgiana stepped away from Darcy—closer to Bingley—and smiled sweetly.

Darcy caught Richard's expression, the bunched mouth and furrowed brows. Had caring for a sixteen-year-old girl not yet out in society been too much for his aunt? Aunt Helen had been blessed with three boys, all now grown adults. Her only daughter was her eldest son’s wife.

“Too much youth in the house,” mumbled Richard, the corner of his lips flinching.

Darcy still did not understand. Aunt loved children. She had made it a point to impress upon her sons, and by extension Darcy, their obligation to produce offspring. She had a chest full of embroidered christening gowns waiting to be opened. Her oldest, Frederick, had only recently wed. The youngest, Edmond, had taken over the parish church at Kympton two years ago. It was Aunt Helen’s greatest grievance that despite her best efforts, both Edmond and Richard remained single.

Bingley bounced on his toes, his grin too wide by half. "I can think of no better way to improve the day than for my dearest friends to meet the new friends we have made in Hertfordshire."

Darcy could imagine nothing worse.

Even Mrs. Hurst looked dubiously at her brother. Miss Bingley’s sneer was marred by a violent sneeze. Serafina rubbed against her skirts, wrapping her tail around Miss Bingley's leg and purring up at her for attention.

Georgiana clasped her hands under her chin. "Serafina has singled you out as her special friend."

Miss Bingley sneezed again, her voice nasal when she spoke. "I am honored, to be sure."

"Then you will love her kittens. They are nearly six weeks old!" She bent down to the basket and tipped it over to reveal three balls of fur.

Georgiana frowned, her gaze darting about the room, searching. "There ought to be four. Oh, goodness, there you are!" She crossed the room to the silk curtains adorning the bay window overlooking the garden. A mottled tabby hung there partway up the fabric. When it saw Georgiana approaching, it yowled either to plead for help or to boast about how far it had climbed.

"Are you stuck, you naughty boy?" Georgiana carefully pulled the drapery off his claws and settled him on the floor, where he immediately darted to the opposite corner. "That one is quite the explorer. Aunt had to instruct the servants to keep all the doors closed after we found him coated in coal dust napping on Uncle's pillow. I do not know which was worse—that, or when Aunt found him climbing up the delicate overlay of her new gown to reach the top of her dressing screen."

Darcy now understood why Aunt Helen had sent Georgiana and her kittens away. Too much youth, indeed!

A fine black kitten with white paws and collar sat in front of the basket, its chin held up at a dignified angle. It coolly considered its surroundings.

Bingley motioned at the feline with a chuckle. "With these markings, this one looks like a butler. What is its name?"

The kitten glowered at Bingley with large, green eyes.

Georgiana smiled down at the kitten. "I was rather hoping you might help me name him... and the other kittens. He is not as friendly as his brothers and sister."

Bingley knelt to the floor. "Nonsense. I have yet to meet an animal I do not get on with." He reached out to pet the animal making kissy noises which earned him another green glare that would have discouraged a lesser man. Bingley chuckled once again, but he retracted his hand. "I shall win you over, you will see."

Richard grinned and jabbed Darcy in the ribs. "We ought to name that one Darcy."

Bingley laughed too heartily at Richard's joke. Georgiana, sweet girl she was, rose in her brother's defense. "Oh, no, Richard! William is not half as cantankerous as this little gentleman, though I admit that he does have a certain something in his air and way of walking."

As though to prove her point, the black kitten considered each of them with a look between disdain and indifference on his haughty little face, flicked his tail at Bingley, and sauntered across the room, where he found a sunny spot on the floor to lounge in.

Richard and Bingley roared in laughter. Darcy was not amused. He was tempted to leave his company and join the cat in his peaceful spot.

Georgiana pointed to another kitten sitting in front of the bay window. He was white except for a tuft of black hair sitting at a rakish angle on his head, like a top hat. He faced the window, his tail twitching from side-to-side, watching the birds fluttering by. Had they any idea how keenly they were being watched through the thick glass, they might not have lingered. "He is very playful. Uncle made a stick with feathers for him, and he loves to play with it. He likes to hide under the furniture and pounce on feet like a little tiger. Unfortunately, he startled the scullery maid—” Georgiana cut herself short, the reddening of her face displaying her embarrassment and revealing what she would never say aloud.

Richard shook his head and chuckled. He was not as delicate. “Chamber pots everywhere.”

“Aunt Helen was rather cross." Georgiana wrinkled her nose.

With a glare at Richard, Darcy took Georgiana’s hand and looped her arm through his. "It is not a subject talked about, but I can now appreciate the difficulties your pets put Aunt and Uncle's household through."

Richard cleared his throat. "Yes, Mother and Father have always favored hounds over felines." He looked at Darcy, then at Bingley, a grin spreading over his features as his gaze bounced back and forth between them. "I think kindly of both."

Darcy did not know what he was talking about, nor did he care to decipher Richard's meaning. He tipped his forehead at the last kitten—white with cinnamon brown ears and tail. She was clearly the lady of the litter. She sat beneath the tea table licking her paws and admiring them as she groomed. "What is that young lady like?" Darcy asked.

Georgiana gushed. "She is a lady through and through, much like her mother. She is the perfect sister, playing with and grooming her brothers. Of course, except for the black one, they do not like her attentions very much."

The little lady sashayed over to Georgiana, bumping her head against her leg and rubbing against her skirts while Georgie praised her.

“Achoo!” Miss Bingley's loud expulsion sent the female kitten scurrying back to her basket. The tip of Miss Bingley’s nose was robin breast red.

Georgiana's face twisted in pity. "Oh dear, are my cats making you sneeze, Miss Bingley? I ought to have asked before bringing them, but there was simply no time."

Miss Bingley sniffed as delicately as one could do with a swollen, drippy nose. "Of course not! I am as hale as always. It must be dust. I shall take it up with the maids."

Pleased with her reply, Georgiana regaled them with more tales of the kitten's antics. After a good five minutes of uninterrupted, excited chatter, she pressed her hands against her cheeks. "I do apologize for talking so much, but are they not the sweetest little dears?"

Darcy loved seeing her so cheerful. Had he known how she would dote on another pet—or four—he would have given her a box of kittens last summer instead of surrounding her with their old friends. Then she would not have fallen in love with Bingley. Pemberley would have been overrun with felines, but he would not be in his current predicament... and there would be no mice hiding in the pantry.

Georgiana tapped Darcy’s arm gently, looking up at him through her thick, golden eyelashes. "I do hope that your betrothed loves cats." Her voice was shy.

Darcy did not know how to reply. He must not have grimaced, for Georgiana continued, "I am eager to meet Miss Elizabeth. She must be lovely."

"You poor dear, how uncomfortable it must be to only now meet the woman who will be your sister. It would have been better had she been a friend of long-standing to take on such a role, but it all happened so unexpectedly." Miss Bingley would have her say.

Georgiana shook her head. "Oh, but I was not surprised at all!"

Darcy felt his jaw loosen, but he held it shut. What was this?

"You look shocked, William," Georgiana continued, "but you need not be. You are so careful not to show any particular attention to any young lady. When you mentioned Miss Elizabeth by name on three different occasions in your letters to me, I knew she must hold a special place in your affections. I am so happy for you! There is nothing more romantic than to marry for true love."

Darcy was too stunned to speak. Richard smirked at him with one brow arched.

Miss Bingley sputtered and then fell silent, her face as crimson as her nose.