The Colonel laughed and slapped him on the back. “Well enough, Darcy, well enough. I suppose I shall just have to overlook your offenses, so long as you promise not to hide yourself and your lovely wife away from the rest of us.”
Darcy gave his cousin a wide smile as they made to climb into his carriage. “Follow Mr. Bingley’s carriage to Grosvenor Street, Foster.” With a sharp rap upon the roof of the carriage, they were off.
The two carriages pulled up in front of Mr. Hurst’s house on Grosvenor Street, and the ladies within were immediately handed down to the safekeeping of the gentlemen. They all made their way into the house with very little ceremony and were shown into the drawing room, where they were received by the Hursts and Miss Bingley, who, much to that particular lady’s vexation, were unable to join them at the theatre due to a prior engagement.
After about ten minutes of perfunctory conversation, Mr. Hurst stood and addressed his wife. “I say, Louisa, those blasted Saundersons hardly fed us properly when we dined with them this afternoon, and I have been starving now for a good five or six hours since. I say we dispense with this chatter and eat. What say you, Bingley?”
Bingley, as could be expected, remained speechless, but Mrs. Hurst rolled her eyes and steered her husband and his empty wine glass in the direction of the dining room. Bingley escorted Jane, and Darcy was about to offer Elizabeth his arm when he found it suddenly seized by Caroline Bingley instead. She immediately engaged him in meaningless banter as she dragged him with some effort toward the dining room, leaving Elizabeth staring after them. Every attempt Darcy made to return to her was met with fierce resistance by Miss Bingley, and so he could only look back at his betrothed. While she followed on Colonel Fitzwilliam’s arm with Georgiana, she smiled, and her brow arched.
Dinner was the usual affair—usual meaning Elizabeth found herself placed as far from Darcy as she had become accustomed to during her visits at Netherfield.
Darcy, as ever, found very little pleasure in the seating arrangements. Elizabeth made a valiant effort to lighten his dark mood by casting playful looks in his direction from the opposite end of the table. Being seated next to Caroline Bingley was hardly to Darcy’s liking, particularly after the serious tone of the earlier discussion he and Elizabeth had in the coach outside of the theatre. Though it now appeared she had discovered an ample diversion in their current circumstances, he still had no idea what she was truly thinking at the moment, and it bothered him.
When the gentlemen separated from the ladies after supper, Darcy, for the first time in a long while, found himself hesitating. He had no wish to separate himself any longer from Elizabeth, and from what he could see from her frequent glances, neither did she wish it. There was, however, very little he could do about it, and when Colonel Fitzwilliam clasped him firmly on the shoulder on his way to the study, he reluctantly followed, determined to return in a timely fashion to Elizabeth’s side, whether his host was willing or not.
The ladies soon settled themselves in the drawing room. Mrs. Hurst sat by complacently while Miss Bingley made a show of fawning over Georgiana. Jane and Elizabeth were simply ignored and left to their own devices. Elizabeth, who had grown quite used to their rude behavior in Hertfordshire, found this all rather amusing, but Georgiana found much to distress her and tried her best to include her future sisters in her conversation with Bingley’s sisters. Finally, after Miss Darcy had cast many uncomfortable glances at Elizabeth and Jane, Mrs. Hurst said to Elizabeth, “Miss Bennet, I do believe we are very soon to be wishing you joy. When will the happy event take place, do you think?”
Resisting the urge to glance at Miss Bingley, Elizabeth replied, “I am to marry Mr. Darcy on Saturday.” The slightest smile of satisfaction curved her lips as she heard Miss Bingley choke on her meringue, the remnants of which landed on the finely woven carpet at her sister’s feet.
Mrs. Hurst leaned over to pat her sister on the back and continued as though nothing untoward had occurred. “Oh, so soon? Will you be staying in Town after the ceremony or removing immediately to Pemberley?”
“I believe Mr. Darcy plans on remaining in London for some time.”
Caroline Bingley had, by this time, recovered sufficiently to add, “What a treat for you, Miss Eliza. I am certain all of Mr. Darcy’s fashionable friends will be thrilled to make your acquaintance this Season. What a shame no one from his family will likely be in attendance at your wedding.” She leaned forward and continued in a confidential tone, “Now do not worry yourself, Eliza. I am certain their absence can only mean they have yet to learn of Mr. Darcy’s understanding with you. It cannot possibly be because his closest relations disapprove of you as his choice. Perhaps he has not yet seen fit to inform them of his intentions and simply plans to present your marriage as a sort of fait accompli, so to speak. That way you may be spared the embarrassment of having someone as illustrious and powerful as the esteemed Lord Matlock objecting outright to your alliance.”
Jane and Georgiana wore identical expressions of incredulity. Elizabeth, however, smiled sweetly as she said, “Actually, Miss Bingley, Lord and Lady Matlock have assured me they will both be in attendance with the rest of their family. They and Colonel Fitzwilliam have been very warm and attentive ever since we had the honor of being introduced.”
Miss Bingley refused to allow this information to deter her and so tried her hand again. “I suppose you shall be married from your uncle’s house in Cheapside, Miss Eliza? I daresay Lord and Lady Matlock will find it charming, attending the wedding breakfast within full view of your uncle’s warehouses.” She and Mrs. Hurst could hardly keep themselves in check and, so, burst into fits of laughter.
Jane, who had not thought her two future sisters-in-law quite so bad as this, gasped. Before Elizabeth could form her biting reply, however, Georgiana had placed her hand upon her arm and forced herself to say, “Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner will be at the wedding, but Elizabeth and my brother shall be married from our house in Grosvenor Square. Our patronage in the church is very important to my brother, and since Darcy House will soon be Elizabeth’s home, as well, she has graciously agreed to indulge us. As far as my uncle and aunt are concerned, they are both quite taken with Elizabeth. I do believe my uncle already considers her to be a favorite. They plan to hold a ball in honor of Elizabeth, and as my brother detests large gatherings, you can imagine he shall insist the guest list be kept to a rather smaller number of his closest friends and intimate acquaintances.” She said this last part with a pointed look at Miss Bingley, who suddenly recalled something very pressing that required her immediate attention on the other side of the room.
The gentlemen rejoined them shortly thereafter. Darcy was rather relieved to find Elizabeth and Jane in rapt conversation with Georgiana. Mrs. Hurst was attending them with disinterested politeness. Miss Bingley, who had noticed him immediately from her perch on the settee at the other end of the drawing room, rose and glided toward him.
“Oh, Mr. Darcy, I do believe I owe you my congratulations, sir! I had no idea we were to lose you a mere two days from now. What a loss for all of the accomplished ladies of the ton. You are doing us all quite a disservice, sir. So many hearts shall surely be broken.” Her sly smile repulsed him. “I do not suppose you are having second thoughts, sir? I do believe it is customary for many gentlemen to reconsider their options before taking such a fateful plunge.” Miss Bingley moved in closer, gripping his arm tightly, and purred in a throaty voice that made him cringe, “You know, it is not too late to change your mind, Mr. Darcy.”