Page 3 of Lord Lonbourn's Daughter
“Pray, Mr Darcy, would you not have dinner with us on the morrow? I am certain my brother would voice no objections. We could have a quiet, intimate little party.”
“I am obliged to decline. I have a prior engagement.”
Miss Bingley had the audacity to lay a clammy hand on his forearm, gazing into his eyes from an uncomfortable proximity.
“None that is more important than your dearest friends, I presume?”
Darcy stared back at her, refusing to reward the impertinence with an answer, but Miss Bingley leant closer.
“I can tell you are contemplating it. You may postpone your answer until tomorrow when you have had a chance to send your regrets to your prior engagement.”
“I am considering no such thing. I am merely stunned at your forwardness in enquiring into my personal business. Good day, Miss Bingley, I wish to depart.”
He needed to have another chat with his friend. Miss Bingley’s behaviour was insupportable.
The lady laughed coquettishly but pulled back her hand while delivering the last of the evening’s absurdities.
“We cannot have you absconding with me, Mr Darcy. What would my brother say?”
Thank goodness,came to mind; though he did not voice it aloud. He merely let a scowl cloud his countenance. He hoped it was not too dark for Miss Bingley to see it.
Chapter 2 Senselessly Bewildered
“Darcy! You were at the Stanford ball last evening, were you not?”
Darcy nodded at Lord Matlock, who had requested his presence a little prior to the dinner party on some business excuse.
“Did you get an introduction to the Earl of Longbourn?”
“No, I did not have that pleasure. It was quite the crush last night.”
“Yes, and you were hiding behind a column as usual.”
“Definitely not!”
“A potted plant?”
Darcy scowled at his uncle. He did not hide, he merely preferred to observe at a safe distance, looking unapproachable.
“Jesting aside, I have invited him and his three eldest daughters here this evening.”
“I thought it was supposed to be a family dinner,” Darcy protested. After attending a ball the previous evening, he was not in the mood for entertaining strangers, and certainly not three unmarried ladies looking for a husband.
“It is. He is a cousin of mine, thrice removed or something. It might be four times when I come to think of it. Well, we are distantly related, which must suffice. He has an orchid I want to purchase for the countess’s impending birthday. It is important that we make him feel welcome.”
“I shall do my best. We met once when I was at Cambridge, but I doubt he remembers me.”
His uncle poured him a tumbler of brandy while they waited, hiding from the countess, for the appointed time to remove to the parlour to greet the guests.
A female voice announced the failure of their endeavour. “Ah, so this is where you have concealed yourselves… I am surprised Richard has not joined you, but it is you I wanted to speak to.”
His aunt turned on him, and he knew what was coming.
“Why have you not brought Georgiana?”
“She is not yet out.”
“You know as well as I that she need not be out to attend a family dinner.”
