Page 22 of An Accidental Meeting
Mr. Darcy groaned. “You must not start with those terrible puns, Aunt Nora. Please, I beg you.”
Aunt Nora tossed her head. “Georgiana loves them.”
“Georgiana loved them when she was six.”
“She loves them still.”
Mr. Darcy leaned over to Elizabeth and said in a whisper loud enough for everyone to hear, “My sister does not want to hurt Aunt Nora’s feelings.”
“And yet you do not mind doing so?” Aunt Nora cried in mock offence. “For shame, nephew.”
“Nora only tells those terrible jokes because she enjoys the faces you make when she does,” Judge Darcy said, and popped a blackberry in his mouth. “I do so enjoy these summer berries.” He looked directly at Mr. Darcy. “It is refreshing not to have to wait for putrefaction to set in.”
Aunt Nora grimaced, and Uncle Gardiner laughed. Mrs. Gardiner and Mr. Darcy shared an amused glance, and the judge waggled his eyebrows. Elizabeth smiled, feeling a little more at peace.
Chapter Seven
Darcy heard the carriage rattling up the drive as he escorted Aunt Nora and the other ladies to the saloon situated just below his mother’s reading room and shared its view. The uncles had already wandered to the back of the house in search of tackle.
“Ah,” Aunt Nora said. “Please make yourselves comfortable, ladies. We shall return once I have greeted our guests.”
Darcy thought he saw a momentary disappointment flit across Elizabeth’s features, but he did not have time to study her countenance. Aunt Nora was already striding purposefully towards the front of the house.They had hardly exited the house before Bingley rode up with a wide smile. “There you are, Darcy! And with your lovely aunt, too.”
His friend had only met Darcy’s great-aunt and uncle once, when they had come to town a few years back, but Bingley had a talent for never forgetting a face once he had been introduced to the person. It had saved Darcy many uncomfortable momentsin society when someone with a legitimate but tangential acquaintance had behaved as though they knew him well.
“You did not know I would be here?” Aunt Nora asked sweetly.
Darcy stiffened. When his aunt used that voice, it was typically because he had made an error that vexed her.
“I did tell him, Aunt,” Darcy hurried to say. “It is not my fault if he was not listening.”
Bingley swung down off his horse and tossed the reins to one of the stableboys with a smile and a coin. He always offered more than his typically generous vails when he stayed anywhere with his sisters.
“Darcy did say something about guests, and then something about business,” he admitted with a proper bow to his hostess. “But my sisters wished to follow him immediately, and I was too busy explaining to them why we would not be doing so to hear Darcy clearly.”
It was not a position Darcy would ever wish to find himself in. He thanked heaven that Georgiana was of a milder disposition.
The carriage finally came to a complete stop and the footman placed the stairs and opened the door, holding out his hand.
Georgiana was the first to alight, nearly before the steps had been placed and certainly before he could step forward to assist. She walked directly to Darcy. “Brother,” she said with a wide smile, then leaned in close to whisper, “Do not ever abandon me like that again.” She took a step back. “Aunt Nora,” she said happily. “I was so glad when Fitzwilliam said you and uncle were come to visit. Did Alexander not wish to join you?”
At least Georgiana listened to him when he spoke, unlike Bingley.
“Alexander is making a wreck of the house with his experiments, dear. It is better if I am not there to witness it.”
Darcy then returned his attention to the coach. Hurst was lurching down the steps. He did not stop at the bottom to helphis wife or sister. Instead, he nodded at Darcy, offered Aunt Nora a bow, and headed for the house.
Bingley’s frown was pained and embarrassed.
Miss Bingley appeared, ducking so that her rather tall bonnet was not crushed as she exited. “Mr. Darcy,” she called, ignoring the footman and half waving a hand at him. “Would you be so kind?”
Bingley’s cheeks flushed and he moved to assist his sisters.
Aunt Nora glanced at him with one lifted eyebrow. “Who is that creature?” she inquired.
“Miss Bingley.”
“She appears to expect your attentions.”
