Page 23 of Lord Lonbourn’s Daughter

“A Miss Bingley to see you, Lady Jane.”

“Send her in, Mr Schneider, and tell my sisters we have a visitor, please.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Elizabeth was not duped by Miss Bingley’s pretend regard.

She had taken too much delight in their predicament at their disastrous ball to be genuine.

She had heard her snickering over the din, and her comments had not been polite, but she was Mr Bingley’s sister.

He was all that was amiable and good, and for his sake, she would make an effort to befriend the lady.

She entered the parlour where Miss Caroline Bingley was fawning all over her sister.

She hardly noticed the additions to the party.

Mary picked up her book unperturbed, but Elizabeth had not brought anything to read.

Instead, she sat down beside her sister as an experiment to see how long the miss would manage to overlook her existence.

She predicted it would take a while, but then her husband entered the room, gaining everyone’s attention with his mere presence.

“I thought I heard your voice, Miss Bingley. Is your brother with you?”

He addressed the visitor without greeting his wife.

“I am afraid not, Mr Darcy. He is at the coach maker, ordering a new carriage for his bride. He assured me the inside would be covered in leather and the wheels would have at least twelve spokes,” she preened.

Elizabeth saw Mr Darcy frown at the news.

Was he at least a bit embarrassed he had not thought of such a wedding present himself?

A new carriage was the usual gift for a wealthy gentleman to make his bride feel appreciated.

Not that Elizabeth had expected Mr Darcy to provide her with such a gesture following their hasty patched-up marriage.

She was being churlish, but being forced to submit to the exact opposite of what her wishes had been did that to a person.

Never had she wanted to enter a cold and silent marriage of convenience where she doubted her husband’s regard and respect.

Or he might be frowning because Jane was marrying the man he had intended for his sister.

Neither possibility showed him in a particularly good light.

“He is coming to collect me after his errands are finished. I am sure he will have a moment to spare for his dearest friend.”

“Yes, thank you, Miss Bingley. I would appreciate it if I could be notified of his arrival. I have a matter of import to discuss with him.”

“I shall send my brother directly to you. Where can he find you, Mr Darcy?”

“I shall be in my study at Darcy House. Would you be so kind as to ask him to meet me there?”

“Certainly, Mr Darcy.” Miss Bingley smiled in an assuring manner.

Her husband left with nary a glimpse in her direction.

Elizabeth fought hard to maintain her indifference over the slight.

Miss Bingley had, of course, noticed and became even more animated.

Why would she be so delighted? She was joining this family in a matter of days.

She treated Jane with every deference, so why would she treat her any different?

Unless she held a particular interest in Mr Darcy herself.

Perhaps they both had hoped for a Bingley/Darcy pairing. Two, in fact.

Elizabeth had let her thoughts wander too long.

Jane was inviting Miss Bingley to accompany them to her next fitting with the seamstress, prompted by Miss Bingley probing and implying how she longed to be a part of the wedding preparations.

Had Elizabeth been paying attention to the conversation, she might have prevented the unwelcome addition.

#

Colonel Fitzwilliam was in a public house across the road from Dr Sauveterre’s clinic.

Unfortunately, the poor glazing in the windows made it almost impossible to distinguish any details, but he was able to see whether anyone was coming or going.

If anything of interest were to happen, he could always venture out.

It was a shame his sojourn to Ramsgate had been cut short before he could learn anything of import.

None of the neighbouring houses had noticed anything in particular, but none of them were permanent residents, only visitors who had rented a house for the summer.

They did not know their neighbours and therefore took little interest in their affairs.

None of the scouts had discovered anything either. He had sent men in all cardinal directions except for east. He doubted the kidnappers had taken the girls across the channel.

He had been particularly interested in the northern route.

The Scottish border held its own inducements, but his scouts had been investigating inns and the like along the road and had found nothing suggesting the girls had been taken in that direction.

Neither had the soldiers searching to the south and west discovered anything of importance.

It was like the earth had swallowed them whole because they had left no trace.

No one could travel far without leaving a single footprint.

It was the fact that their search area was so vast that was the problem; if he could somehow narrow it down, it would make his job much easier.

In the busy street full of carriages, none stopped at the clinic; neither had anyone arrived on foot. Just then a passing landau triggered something in the back of his mind. He could not grasp it, but he could feel it in his bones that it was something of significance.

#

Meanwhile in Mr Darcy’s study

“Bingley, I specifically told you not to inform your sister. Yet, she is in Longbourn’s parlour this very minute. One day, Bingley, one day…”

“I know, Darcy. I had not intended to tell her, but she knew I went to see you at White’s, and you know how determined she is,” Bingley excused himself.

“What else did you tell her?” Darcy barked uncivilly.

“Nothing, Darcy! I swear I did not tell her about your sister’s abduction nor Lady Catherine’s or Lady Lydia’s.

She was ecstatic about my imminent marriage to Lady Jane and would not even have noticed if I had mentioned anything else.

I am glad that I have finally found a lady we both agree on.

Caroline has been my responsibility since our parents died.

She will live with me until she marries.

It is important that she and my bride become better acquainted.

I therefore thought it prudent that they spend some time in each other’s company before they must live under the same roof. ”

Darcy could not fault his friend’s arguments, but he did not trust Miss Bingley’s ability to keep anything to herself.

“See that you keep it that way, Bingley. I shall not have Georgiana’s name bandied about in gossip rags or among society ladies. I am paying a high price for the girls’ reputations, and so are you.”

“I promise you, Darcy, nothing more shall pass these lips in Caroline’s company. But you must understand how difficult it is to keep one’s future felicity from one’s dearest relations!”

Darcy had no such qualms, but his sister was significantly younger than Miss Bingley and not yet out. Her circle of acquaintances was limited. Of course, he was hiding quite a bit from Elizabeth as well, but that was for her own good.

“Can we join the ladies now, Darcy?”

“Certainly.”

#

Wednesday, 20 th May

Gentleman Jackson’s club had opened in 1803, seven years after he had retired from his pugilist career as the seventeenth bare-knuckle boxing champion of England.

Darcy passed through the entrance hall, where a life-size statue of Gentleman Jackson’s symmetrical frame and developed muscles stood on display.

He kept his eyes to the floor and went straight to the changing room to divest himself of everything but his breeches.

He needed not to raise his eyes to know the club was swarming with onlookers; his well-groomed proficiency at closing himself off from his situation could not keep out the din.

A pat on his shoulder notified him that the colonel had arrived.

“Bingley informed his sister despite my warnings,” he informed his cousin.

“I know, he is busy receiving felicitations from half the crowd,” Richard drawled.

“I should not have told him everything. He is unfailingly honest, and if someone poses the right question, his countenance will tell all even should he manage to keep his blabbering mouth shut.”

“Then let us hope no one suspects anything. You must not concern yourself about that now. You must focus on the task at hand. Let me take care of Bingley. I shall find him and stick to him like a leech. If he mentions what he should not, I shall not hesitate to clamp a hand over his mouth.”

“Yes, that would not be suspicious at all!” Darcy mocked.

“Good. Your wits have not left you, Darcy.”

With a towel over his shoulder, Richard guided him through the crowds to the ring, where he was deposited in a corner opposite Lord Hazard.

He made the mistake of glancing up. Hazard was being groomed and taunted to anger by Lord Byron. Behind him stood none other than Prinny himself.

“You have as good a chance as any man against Hazard, Darcy.”

Which meant slim to none. Hazard had not lost a fight in years.

“Thank you, Richard!” he managed to croak whilst fighting his misgivings.

“I shall leave you and go to find Bingley.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Darcy kept his head down, trying to block out the noise.

John Jackson had created rules in his academy which included using only fists rather than scrapping with the entire body. Hair holding and kicking were also illegal. A fight lasted a maximum of fifty rounds, and a round ended when one of the combatants went down.

Jackson called the fighters to begin. The crowd roared while Darcy positioned himself as he had been taught, angling his body with his head and shoulders leaning forwards, knees slightly bent and at ease.

He lifted his fisted hands into the defensive position called the guard.

Jackson left the ring; the fight was on.