22. Chapter 22
W hen Darcy joined his cousin and the ladies in the carriage, they began discussing the exhibit with great enthusiasm. Darcy was pleased everyone had enjoyed it so well. It was certainly one of the best exhibits he had seen.
When they reached Berkeley Square, they visited a sportsman's shop as well as an establishment that sold instruments.
Gunter's was to be their next destination, and afterwards a nearby bookshop would be their last stop before heading home.
For half an hour they enjoyed tea and pastries and good company.
As they left Gunter’s, Darcy offered an arm to both Miss Elizabeth and his sister.
Fitz did likewise to Miss Bennet and Miss Mary.
Following the Gardiners, they came to a crowd of people who were watching a pantomime with a violin accompaniment.
After watching for several minutes, it was decided that Darcy would escort his sister and Miss Elizabeth to the bookshop while the rest of their party would remain to watch the pantomime.
They were a few feet away from the door of the bookshop when Bingley and his sister crossed their path.
“Darcy!” Bingley said. “Miss Elizabeth, Miss Darcy, a pleasure to see you!”
Miss Elizabeth and Georgiana returned his greeting.
“Hello, Mr. Darcy! And, Miss Darcy, how lovely to see you!” Miss Bingley exclaimed. “It has been far too long since Louisa and I have had the pleasure of your company!”
Darcy could see that Miss Bingley was attempting to snub Miss Elizabeth by ignoring her presence.
Bingley turned to his sister with a frown.
“Georgiana,” Miss Elizabeth said, “shall we go in?”
“Yes, Elizabeth,” Georgiana replied, looking at Miss Bingley with disdain. “Something smells decidedly unpleasant out here.”
Miss Bingley’s shock was apparent.
“Excuse us, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley,” Miss Elizabeth said.
Darcy watched them walk into the bookshop. He was sure Caroline Bingley had not anticipated she would be the one snubbed in this scenario, but she had been—times two. Darcy could not keep the slight smile from his lips, nor did he want to.
“How do you do, Bingley?” Darcy asked, ignoring Miss Bingley the way she ignored Miss Elizabeth.
“Darcy, please apologize to—”
“Come, now, Mr. Darcy,” Miss Bingley interrupted, “I know how careful you are with who is allowed to keep company with your dear sister. Surely, this . . . Miss Eliza Bennet is not suitable. As for Miss Bennet, I see your interest in her, Charles. Do not suppose that I do not. And who is she? A nobody! Mr. Darcy, she and her sister are trying to ensnare you and Charles! Do you not see?”
Darcy refused to acknowledge her, his gaze never leaving Bingley.
“Caroline! Enough! Neither Darcy nor I are pursuing the Bennet ladies. You are making an issue of nothing!”
“It is not nothing, Charles! I am merely concerned for you and for our dear friends. Mr. Darcy and his sister are so good and willing to assume the best in others. I do not want them to be the victims of such devious persons.”
Darcy had had enough. He knew what Miss Bingley had left unsaid—that she could also see his interest in Miss Elizabeth. However, she knew better than to come at him in the way she did her brother and presume to direct Darcy’s life.
“Bingley, we will speak later.”
“Yes, of course. I apologize, Darcy. Please give my apologies to Miss Elizabeth and Miss Darcy.”
Darcy nodded to his friend and heard him speak again as he walked to the door of the bookshop.
“Come, Caroline, and not another word!”
Before he could enter, however, the ladies walked out. Darcy tried and failed to catch Miss Elizabeth’s eye, so he reached for her hand and held it until her eyes met his.
“Miss Elizabeth, I apologize for Miss Bingley’s behavior and for not finding a way to avoid that scene. At least you and Georgiana had gone inside before it escalated. Bingley also sends his apologies to you both.”
“No one is responsible for Miss Bingley’s behavior but Miss Bingley,” Miss Elizabeth said calmly. “I thank you, though, and I thank Mr. Bingley as well.”
“Lizzy?”
They turned to see Miss Mary approaching them.
“If you are finished shopping, we are ready to head home,” Miss Mary said.
Miss Elizabeth glanced back to Georgiana, but she did not quite bring her eyes to Darcy’s.
“Yes, we are finished,” she told her sister and began walking with her.
Darcy followed them as he tried to puzzle out the change in Miss Elizabeth. He would not have thought Bingley’s sister could discompose her, but she did not seem herself. What is wrong?
Georgiana put her hand on his arm to slow his pace. He looked at her as he began to walk more slowly. He could see that she was trying to allow more distance between them and Miss Elizabeth.
“Brother, if you are planning on suggesting we all ride together back to Gracechurch Street, I beg you, do not.”
“Why?”
“We cannot speak of it now, but I will explain everything on the way home.”
Darcy looked back to Miss Elizabeth walking ahead of them and sighed. “Very well.”
After seeing Miss Elizabeth and her family off, Darcy climbed into the carriage and turned to his sister. “You indicated that you have something to tell me that could not be overheard by the rest of our party.”
Georgiana nodded, but before she could begin, Darcy interrupted her.
“Just a moment,” he said. “Fitz, do we need to take you home, or are you staying with us?”
Fitz looked at them curiously. “It sounds like I need to come with you.”
Darcy nodded, then turned back to his sister. “Go on.”
“I know you said that you have not yet spoken to Elizabeth of your feelings for her, but do you think she has had reason to suspect your partiality? Perhaps the attentions you have been paying her?” Georgiana asked.
“Did she say something?” he asked anxiously.
“No, William, I am simply trying to lay out some facts the way I understand them, and then you can determine if my thinking is correct or if you have a different interpretation.”
He sighed. “Very well . . . yes, she has reason to suspect my partiality. I showed her marked attentions at the ball, and I continued to do so today. Even before we left Hertfordshire, I hinted at my interest.”
She nodded. “With that in mind, think back to what just played out with the Bingleys.”
“The Bingleys?” Fitz asked, surprised. “When did you encounter them?”
“We crossed paths on our way to the bookshop,” Darcy replied. “Miss Bingley tried to snub Miss Elizabeth by not greeting her, but she and Georgiana cut Miss Bingley and entered the bookshop without a backwards glance.”
Fitz smirked. “I would have paid to see that! Then what happened? I cannot imagine Caroline Bingley meekly took her medicine.”
“No, she made a scene. Fortunately, the music from the pantomime masked her shrieking,” Darcy said, irritated.
“Shrieking? What was that termagant saying?” Fitz asked, frowning.
“That I should not allow Georgiana to be friends with Miss Elizabeth. That she and Miss Bennet were only seeking to secure Bingley and me.”
“William, do you remember what Mr. Bingley said at that point?” Georgiana asked, urging him forward.
“He told her neither of us were pursuing the Bennet ladies and that she was making something out of nothing. It is not surprising that Bingley would say that. He is unaware of my feelings for Miss Elizabeth.”
“Yes, I realized he did not know better when he said the words because you had told me of your feelings for her,” Georgiana said.
“However, when Elizabeth heard him say it, and you did not dispute them, I could only imagine what she must have been feeling, what she must have been thinking. She became so quiet, and she really did not say much after that.”
Darcy looked at her with pinched brows. “She heard him?”
“Yes, William, we both did. There was a window open in the bookshop right across from you. We heard everything, the entire conversation. Brother, she heard his words, but more importantly, she heard your silence.”
Darcy felt sick. How had he let this happen?
“I knew something was wrong. I could see it in her eyes. I could feel it.”
“William, I hope you see why I insisted that you not attempt to ride back to Gracechurch Street with her,” Georgiana said gently. “I do not think she would have been comfortable with it.”
Darcy did not speak, only rubbed his hand down his face and stared at nothing.
“Brother?”
He glanced at his sister and gave a small smile for her benefit. “Yes, Georgiana, I understand. Truly, it was fortunate that I told you of my feelings for her earlier today. It put you in a position to realize what was happening so you could warn me. I am grateful.”
She hugged him as the carriage pulled up in front of Darcy House. He assured her he would do everything in his power to make things right with Miss Elizabeth.
Twenty minutes later, Fitz found Darcy standing at a window in his study, again staring out at nothing. He closed the door and walked to his cousin.
“You could not have foreseen this, Darcy.”
Darcy sighed. “No, but I cannot fathom how I allowed it to happen. If I had been more careful, more aware, I might have mitigated the damage.”
“How so?”
“Had I known she overheard the conversation and was injured by it, I would have assured her of my feelings and explained that I did not correct Bingley because I had not yet spoken to her and because Miss Bingley is not entitled to know my private concerns.”
Fitz nodded. “I understand. However, the fact remains that even now you still must explain all of that and more. You should also do it without delay, Cousin.”
“I know. I have been trying to figure out how to go about it. What if I write to her uncle explaining the incivility of Miss Bingley and my belief that Miss Elizabeth walked away from the encounter with a misunderstanding of my character that I wish to clear up?”
“I like where you are going with this, cousin,” Fitz said, pointing at Darcy as he sat down. “You want to clear up the misunderstanding . . . and?”