Page 122 of A Life Diverted

“As I can see you will not relent, you will not attend the assembly. We will not allow you to sully the Bingley name with your behaviour.” Bingley held up his hand to stay the vitriol his younger sister was about to launch.

“One word and you will be on your way back to Uncle Paul before your feet touch the ground. You may have fooled him, but we see the truth. Your delusions will be your ruin, sister.”

Miss Bingley stomped out of the drawing room in a decidedly unladylike fashion. Not long afterwards, sound of her bedchamber door being slammed reverberated around the manor house.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

It was done. Darcy was His Grace, the Duke of Derbyshire; William was the Marquess of Derby; Georgiana had the honorific title of Lady.

The Darcys returned to their house a little after four.

The newly minted Duke sent a copy of the patents the Lord Chamberlain had presented him with to the firm of barristers and solicitors at Norman and James who represented his family.

The estate of Rivington, in the Darcys’ opinion the second-best estate in their home county, four satellite estates, and substantial additional liquid assets came with the titles.

According to the Lord Chamberlain, the notice of the Darcy elevation would appear in the evening edition that same day as well as in the morning papers on the morrow.

Their plan was to depart for Hertfordshire in the morning.

With the decree appearing in the evening broadsheets, their elevation would not be a secret to their friends, family, and everyone else by the time they arrived at Netherfield Park.

That evening, before the papers were delivered to Holder House, the three Darcys arrived for an impromptu family dinner and informed their relatives of the day’s happenings.

After many congratulations and much ‘your gracing’, it was decided the Carringtons would join the Darcys for their journey into Hertfordshire in the morning.

William hoped he would be able to come to an understanding with his Lizzy soon as if he had thought he had been hunted by fortune hunters before, it would be nothing in comparison to what it would be like after the elevation was made public.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

When the three Darcys walked into the largest drawing room, followed by the Carringtons, all of those present rose as one and gave the newly elevated Darcys the deepest of bows and curtsies they were able to—including the Prince and Princess.

As William expected, Richard engaged in a bout of heavy teasing of the newly elevated Marquess. Luckily for William, one look from Cassie ended the teasing long before Richard would have preferred.

“Very droll,” Darcy exclaimed as Georgiana made a beeline for her best friends.

“My Lord,” Elizabeth intoned as she approached William, her eyes shining with humour.

“Your Royal Highness,” William gave his beloved a deep bow.

“ Touché , William,” Elizabeth conceded. “It is good to see you again.”

“It is very good to see you, Lizzy.” William took her hand and bestowed a kiss on her wrist. As she always did when he touched her, Elizabeth felt a fluttering of joy. “I would like to reserve the first, middle, and final sets, if you please.”

“I do please, William; they are yours,” Elizabeth granted immediately. “I do want to warn you, my Lord, the woman claiming you as her future husband will not be happy to see you dance those sets with me.”

“ Your happiness is everything to me ; she matters not,” William stated with meaning.

“All we can pray for is that Miss Bingley has a modicum of common sense so there will not be a scene,” Elizabeth shared. “Somehow I doubt it, though.”

“Let us discuss more pleasant topics, please. I have no interest thinking about—wasting my time with you on—that woman.” He led her to a corner to ask about her and her family.

“I have news on that front,” Bennet informed the group. “Hill sent me a note. Mr. Bingley has denied his sister permission to attend the assembly, so we should have a harpy-free night.” Everyone approved of Mr. Bingley’s stand against the social climbing, fortune hunting virago.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

“I am to be a Duchess !” Caroline Bingley exclaimed after she saw the decree in the papers when she finally joined her family to break her fast. Her brother refused to keep Town hours in the country, and after she missed breaking her fast three days in a row, Miss Bingley had learnt she would be required to follow suit when Mrs. Hill had refused to provide her with a plate, referring her to Mr. Bingley.

Now she flounced in at the limit of her brother’s forbearance for her to join the meal and eat with them.

“What are you babbling about?” Hurst asked frustratedly.

“Did you not see? Mr. Darcy is the Duke of Derbyshire, and his son, who I will marry, is the Marquess of Derby,” Miss Bingley gushed.

Her family held their breath to cool their porridge, knowing they would be wasting time and would only destroy their own equanimity, as she would not hear that which she did not desire to hear.

“Do not forget Caroline, you will not be accompanying us to the assembly,” Bingley reiterated. His sister gave a disinterested wave of her hand.

After a bit of toast with a little butter and jam, Miss Bingley pushed her chair back and left the dining parlour without a word.

‘ I must go prepare to impress my marquess! ’ Miss Bingley was off to her bedchamber to plan her outfit, coiffure, and jewellery to make sure she would stand out at the assembly.

She had determined she would ignore her brother’s edict, even if she had to walk to the assembly hall.

Nothing would stop her winning her marquess, especially not her weak-willed family!

She would have been gratified to know that her family in the dining parlour were under the impression she would not defy her brother.