Page 41 of An Accidental Meeting
Aunt Gardiner chuckled.
“There he is!” cried Judge Darcy when they entered the sitting room where they were gathering before dinner. “The man of the hour! And I mean that in the best sense.”
Uncle Gardiner lifted an eyebrow. “I am grateful for the caveat, sir. Otherwise I might have been prompted to challenge you.”
“You are familiar with Goldsmith then?” He turned to his wife with delight. “I told you I liked him.”
“Would your challenge be to a duel?” Aunt Nora asked Uncle Gardiner in jest. “You would be disappointed, for I fear he is not much of a swordsman.”
Judge Darcy’s laugh burst from him as though it had taken him unaware.
“A game of chess, rather,” Uncle Gardiner said smoothly. “Which I may do in any case, as your husband has informed me that he is an excellent player.”
Judge Darcy laughed again, more sedately this time. “Darcy is a better one, but perhaps you ought to begin with me.”
“Miss Bennet won her game with my brother this afternoon,” Miss Darcy said shyly. “So perhaps you all ought to play her.”
“Is that true, Miss Bennet?” Judge Darcy said and Elizabeth blushed under the scrutiny of him and his wife.
She nodded. “However, I must warn you”—she motioned to her uncle with a slight tip of her head, “my uncle taught me.”
“I have been forewarned,” Mr. Darcy said as he entered. “Forgive my tardiness, everyone. A bit of house business.”
“You are not late, nephew,” Mr. Darcy’s aunt said. Her gentle emphasis on the first word conveyed the information that there were others who might be.
The Bingleys and Hursts were not late. Not yet. But they were cutting things rather close.
“One ought to arrive a quarter of an hour early when travelling to another’s home for dinner,” Aunt Nora said to Miss Darcy. “It need not be quite so early at a house party.” She opened her locket watch and consulted it.
“Mrs. Annesley did say as much,” Miss Darcy agreed.
“Hmm,” Aunt Nora said, snapping the locket closed.
“Will Mrs. Annesley be joining us this evening?” Aunt Gardiner asked.
“No. With my aunt here, Mrs. Annesley is about to enjoy some well-deserved time away,” Mr. Darcy informed them. “She is preparing to travel to Yorkshire and will be gone early tomorrow. Her daughter is but a year married, and they have not had a visit since just after the wedding.”
“I hope she enjoys herself,” Miss Darcy said sincerely. “She is always so good to me, but she must miss her own daughter.”
Elizabeth thought such thoughtfulness spoke well of Miss Darcy.
The clock was chiming the hour just as Miss Bingley sailed into the room with the Hursts. A grim-faced Mr. Bingley trailed in behind them.
Mr. Bingley offered Mr. Darcy a quick expression of apology, and Mr. Darcy accepted it, all without either uttering a word. It was rather fascinating to watch.
“I must thank you for the flowers, Mr. Darcy,” Miss Bingley said. She used his name, but she was truly speaking to the entire room.
Mr. Darcy appeared confused. “You are welcome, though your thanks ought to go to my aunt, Miss Bingley. As mistress of the house, she is responsible for overseeing such things.”
Elizabeth’s heart sank.
“We did see the flowers being taken to Miss Bennet’s chamber by her maid,” Mrs. Hurst said slyly. “Ours came later.”
“And they were a great deal nicer than . . .” Her gaze landed on Elizabeth briefly before flitting away. “Well, they were beautiful.”
The other ladies agreed that the flowers in their chambers were lovely.
“I must say I found mine both unique and charming,” Elizabeth said. Mr. Darcy’s eyes darkened as he gazed on her, and she was encouraged. “I liked them very much indeed.”
