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He made a concerted effort to be more gentlemanlike for his next dinner partner, for she was another of Georgette’s particular friends.

Miss Bentley took the conversation on more than one unusual tangent, and he gamely followed.

She had dined with Mr Darcy and Lord Saye before him, he gathered, and he soon began to suspect that it was her design to compare him to them.

Feeling no compulsion to compete with either gentleman, Anderson did not elaborate his answers to any of her many questions, giving the simple truth and allowing her to do with it as she pleased.

She had a handsome frown that flitted in and out of view between her brows as she appraised him with endearing tactlessness.

He did not tell her so, for he would bet a pretty penny that she would not know what to do with a compliment if it came to her wrapped in instructions.

He would tell Georgette, and she would pass it on in a manner more palatable to her friend.

Mr Emerson proved disappointing; Georgette enjoyed speaking to him about as much as she enjoyed the wilted lettuce he accompanied. Both were equal in charm, though, perhaps, the lettuce had the advantage when it came to presence.

The fourth course looked as though it would be far more promising when a tray-laden footman entered, followed by her next partner.

She did not expect that the conversation would improve much, but if it were presence one desired, then both the huge, livid-red lobster and Mr Darcy perfectly satisfied the brief.

One glared at her sullenly; the other bowed formally and greeted her with a pleasing little turn to his mouth that inclined Georgette to be far gentler with him than she had planned to be.

Not that she would have been terribly mischievous, for Anderson had urged her to be sympathetic to his situation.

“After all,” he had said in that particular manner that softened every bone in her body, “you and I know better than most what it is to wait. ”

She returned the greeting and set about eating the lobster with well-practised elegance. Mr Darcy did likewise. They exchanged a few pleasantries on the dish and the gathering, each time his small smile disposing Georgette to like him a little more.

“I believe it is your turn to say something now,” he said abruptly, and rather testily, startling Georgette out of her reveries of Anderson’s delectable smile.

“I beg your pardon, Mr Darcy. I was in a world of my own. Did you say something?”

“No. I was rather hoping you would.”

She smiled languidly. “Really? You do not strike me as the sort who enjoys small talk, and I am far too vain to exert myself only to be found displeasing.”

He laughed; it was a surprisingly beautiful sight to behold. And she did so appreciate beautiful things.

“You have the right of it, madam. My cousin could not have conceived of an evening’s entertainment I would despise more, in the usual course of things. But I find myself uncommonly desirous of distraction at the present moment, and you have been surprisingly restrained.”

“Surprisingly? Were you expecting me to run on like a bird-brained ninny because I am handsome and wearing an exquisite gown?”

“Not at all. I was expecting you to ask me about Miss Bennet, because that is all anybody else has talked to me about this evening. ”

“That is the only way anybody can get you to talk at all. But it would be better if you did not tell me anything about Miss Bennet, for I should much rather form my own opinion of her than adopt yours.”

He inclined his head, the enchanting curve of his mouth now mirrored by the expression of satisfaction in his eyes. “You will have the opportunity to do just that, now that she has come to Matlock.”

“She is here? I understood she declined the invitation.” She thought of Fitzwilliam and questioned whether this was such a fortuitous development.

“It is a long story, but yes, she is here. I have just dined with her in the library. And now I would very much appreciate some conversation to distract me from the fact that I am no longer doing so.”

Georgette shook her head and laughed to see such impatience in a grown man. “Very well. Shall we discuss our cousins, since we have them in common? Tell me your opinion—is it the army or age that has made Fitzwilliam such a cantankerous old goat?”

Mr Darcy pulled a face. “He is the last person I would talk about. He is presently dining with Elizabeth and has absolutely no cause to be cantankerous.”

Au contraire , Mr Darcy , she thought as she attempted to imagine what Fitzwilliam’s reaction to Miss Bennet’s arrival must have been, for she was certain that he esteemed her. And though he was cantankerous, she hoped he would not do anything that would actually result in Mr Darcy killing him.

“Pray what is it?” her companion enquired. His mouth was a hard line now, the pleasing lilt banished.

“What is what, sir?”

“Why did you look so concerned just then, when I said Fitzwilliam was with Miss Bennet?”

“You ought not to impose your own feelings onto other people’s actions, Mr Darcy. If you are concerned that Miss Bennet is dining with somebody other than you, perhaps you ought to do something about it. After all, you cannot think Saye means to stick to his own ludicrous dining arrangements.”

Several emotions flickered across Mr Darcy’s countenance as he fought a visible battle with his conscience. Georgette took pity on him. “It is well, sir, I shall not be offended if you go.”

She sighed to herself as he departed. Handsome he may be, but he was rather too theatrical for her liking. Anybody would think he was the only person ever obliged to wait for happiness.

Sir Phineas blustered into the dining room along with dessert.

He filled two seats, ate three helpings of candied plums, and turned out to be the most entertaining partner of the evening, bar one.

Once Georgette let it be known that she was a dab hand with a fowling piece, their conversation grew livelier by the moment.

When they both had finished, she threw her napkin on the table and came to her feet, forcing his overstuffed lordship to do likewise. “Come! Let us see what trouble everybody is getting up to in the drawing room. I should not like to arrive late. I do hate to miss out.”

Anderson felt for Miss Bennet. There had clearly been some manner of disagreement, for he had heard raised voices as he neared the library, and Colonel Fitzwilliam had stormed past him as he approached the door, his lapels soaked.

He had discovered Mr Darcy within, and there had been a moment of silence that was evidently mortifying for the young lady before that gentleman finally consented to leave and stalked away with barely less rancour than his cousin.

Now Miss Bennet was subdued and discernibly embarrassed, and Anderson was struggling to think of how he might put her at ease.

“Can I help you to dessert, madam?” he enquired.

“Thank you,” she replied. “That would be appreciated. I did not have the opportunity to eat much of the lobster.”

“I believe Lord Saye intended that this should be a diverting way to pass the evening,” he said as he returned with a plate for each of them. “But he overlooked the fact that, without the distraction of twenty people around one table, everybody’s behaviour—and misbehaviour—is far more noticeable.”

“Yes,” she replied quietly.

“Ordinarily, for example, I might never have noticed that Lady Aurelia was three sheets to the wind, but it was really impossible not to notice when her food dropped off her fork into her wine and she began examining the ceiling, convinced the plaster was falling off.”

Miss Bennet huffed a soft laugh and smiled gratefully. “I only found out recently that Colonel Fitzwilliam had a sister—and even then, it was Mr Darcy who told me. The colonel did not mention her to me himself.”

“He would not be the first person with a brother or sister to whom he would rather not draw attention,” he replied, thinking of Randalph—and Matthew, though it was his parents who had forbidden any mention of him.

“Very true,” Miss Bennet replied. “I am one of five sisters, and though I like to think we were all charming as young children, not all of us made it into womanhood with that charm intact.”

“Children are far less complicated than adults.”

She agreed whole-heartedly before delighting him with an account of her young cousins, whom she explained lived in London.

Speaking of them seemed to return a measure of her composure, and though he generally shied away from mentioning his private affairs, Anderson resolved to tell her about his own experience with youngsters in the hope it would restore her equanimity completely.

“If you are fond of children, you will have to visit some of mine next time you are in town.” He laughed at her expression and hastened to explain.

“I own an institution for sick and disfigured children. All those dear souls whose families no longer want them. We do as much as we can for as many as we can there—which is not many, more’s the pity.

” He proceeded to tell her, because she seemed genuinely interested, about the management of the institution and some of the children it had helped.

“That is wonderful,” Miss Bennet said, sitting forward in her seat, with ingenuous approbation that made her eyes gleam prettily.

“I am glad you think so. Not everybody is as convinced of its worth.”

“Who would think helping children is not a worthy cause?”

Anderson smiled ruefully. “More people than you might imagine. Most of these children are exceedingly unwell. They do not look or behave as others their age do. They would ordinarily be consigned to an asylum, put out on the streets, or worse. They are unwanted—considered unholy by some and disgusting by most. My involvement in the home is distasteful to almost all who know of it.”

“I am very sorry to hear that.”

“Society does not do well with whatever is different, Miss Bennet. And it is entirely too free with its scorn.”

She raised her glass. “Then let us toast to differences, Mr Anderson. For I have never cared for the world’s scorn.”

Anderson joined Miss Bennet in her toast, heartened to have discovered such a compassionate soul among Lord Saye’s guests.

He thought he heard a shuffle outside the door and paused.

There was another shuffle, and then he distinctly heard someone sigh.

He was fairly certain he could guess who it was, for never had he heard an exhalation imbued with such impatience.

Repressing a chuckle, he said, “I thank you for your commendation, madam. Now, I find I have eaten quite enough plums for one day, and since I can hear another gentleman anticipating the pleasure of your company, I hope you will excuse me.” He rose to his feet and bowed.

“It has been most enjoyable, Miss Bennet.”

Mr Darcy nodded his thanks as they passed each other.

Anderson returned the gesture, privately hoping the man had put the last half an hour to good use and thought of some more successful ways of pleasing his betrothed.

He made his way to the drawing room, expecting to be the first to arrive, since his dessert course had been curtailed.

He was not particularly surprised to find Georgette already there, holding court before several of the other gentlemen, all laughing uproariously at something she had just said .

He sent a silent prayer of thanks heavenward to have won the heart of such a woman.

She truly was astounding, not least for her flawless person, but for her conviviality.

Her present audience comprised a motley selection of drunks and dotards, but it did not trouble her.

She gave her time as willingly to them as she did to the children at his institution, or his dissolute and undeserving younger brother, or her own recalcitrant father.

There was nobody Georgette considered beneath her notice, nobody from whom she would withhold her charm, and Anderson adored her for it.

She caught his eye and winked, which provoked Lord Phineas to frown between them disapprovingly. Anderson sighed to himself and walked away to request a cup of coffee from the footman serving the drinks. Moments later, Georgette arrived at his side and requested one for herself.

“Pray tell me why my winking at you should cause such obvious vexation, Mr Anderson,” she enquired airily, and not at all quietly.

He gave her an expressive look and gestured for her to step away from the refreshment table with him. “Lord Phineas saw you,” he said in a low voice. “We agreed we would be careful, love. Your father would hear of it in a blink if we were discovered here, in your own cousins’ house.”

“Oh, fie on my father,” she replied in an angry whisper. “I have a good mind to tell him how thoroughly I have already allowed you to compromise me and let him choke on the shock. ”

“He would not choke before he put a stop to it. Georgette, we would never marry if he got wind of our plans now.” She looked chastened, which made him wish to kiss her back to her usual liveliness.

In a gentler tone, he added, “Besides, I have not compromised you as completely as I would like. It is only a few months until we may do as we please without his consent. I beg you would do nothing to expose us before then.”

She grinned saucily at him. “No more than you exposed me in the dining room?”

“There were no witnesses there. Winking at me in front of half the guests is riskier.”

“You must not concern yourself on that score. I winked at every other gentleman who came into the room as well.”

Anderson smirked. Of course she had! “Have I told you how well you look this evening, Miss Hawkridge?”

“Not with words, but I took your meaning when you did that wonderful thing at dinner.” With a look that almost rendered Anderson indecent to remain in company, Georgette returned to her seat.

With a complacent smile, he relaxed into the corner of the nearest settee, firmly of the opinion that Lord Saye’s unusual notion for a dinner party had been a triumph.

By the end of the evening, it seemed his lordship was of an entirely contrary opinion, and Anderson took some comfort in the fact that he was not alone in finding courtship a troublesome business.