Chapter Twenty-one
Darcy said nothing to Bingley as they walked together to the stables. He could feel Bingley’s disappointment in his sister. Occasionally his friend would kick at a thicker clump of grass and sigh.
“I suppose you heard our argument?” he asked at last.
“Some,” Darcy admitted. “I beg your pardon for eavesdropping.”
Bingley waved away his apology. “I hate confrontations, as you know. But I truly thought this time would be different because Caroline likes Jane. I knew Louisa would object—I did not need to be told that. I foolishly hoped Caroline would support me against her.”
“When Mrs. Hurst arrives, and you must face her, your engagement to Miss Bennet will strengthen you against her tirade.”
Bingley nodded and shrugged. He stopped near the stableyard entrance and fixed Darcy with a keen gaze.
“Do you have any objection to my marrying Jane?”
“I do not pretend to misunderstand why you might want my opinion. I am certain you expect me to side with your sisters. I do not,” Darcy said, making his voice firm and reassuring.
“From what I know of Miss Bennet, she is a calm, kind, soft-hearted woman. Perhaps she has more reserve of manner than is my preference, but I am not marrying her. Miss Bingley may have a valid point about your future mother-in-law, though.”
“I am not concerned.”
“Your easy nature makes you say so. My suggestion is that you make a plan on how to manage her if she becomes difficult to bear.”
“I will,” Bingley said, a sudden smile making his cares seem far away. “Thank you, Darcy, for supporting my decision.”
“I hope you will be equally supportive of my decision to pursue Miss Elizabeth with the goal of asking for her hand in marriage.”
The last vestige of Bingley’s troubled thoughts disappeared. He slapped Darcy heartily on the shoulder and beamed at him.
“By Jove, that is marvelous news. Jane and I have begun to wonder if you had a tendre for her sister.” He laughed in delight. “Of course we will support you. Fortunately for you, Georgiana likes your choice.” Bingley grimaced. “She would not have liked it if you chose my sister.”
“Miss Bingley’s temperament and mine do not match. I think Douglas is a much better choice for her.”
His friend’s eyes widened considerably. He looked thunderstruck. “The Colonel?”
Darcy nodded and displayed a crooked grin.
“But will she accept him?” Bingley asked in a hoarse whisper. “While he has position, he has no money.”
Darcy frowned. “He does not have a great deal of personal wealth, but he owns his house in London. He manages a comfortable home. He is not extravagant.”
“The same cannot be said for Caroline,” Bingley said gloomily.
He turned and began walking into the stableyard.
Several lads and grooms stood ready to assist him if he should require them.
“Trust me, I will support the colonel’s suit if he should come up to scratch.
She might frighten him off on this walk they are taking at the moment.
She is so frustrated and angry that she may reveal her true character too readily to Colonel Fitzwilliam.
” Bingley scratched his head. “I beg your pardon. I should not have said such a thing about my own sister.”
Darcy chuckled. “I am heartened that you recognize the challenges of her unique personality. My cousin is a good judge of character. Miss Bingley will not fool him into thinking she is always sweetness and light.”
“Hm. Well, I do believe she will mellow when she is in love. How could she not?”
“You may be right. Now, show me this new hack of yours.”
*
The moment Colonel Fitzwilliam and Caroline reached the shade of the giant maples overshadowing the lane, she said, “He is about to make a monumental mistake.”
He took her hand and rested it in the crook of his arm. “Who? Darcy?”
Caroline shook her head, feeling unaccountably comforted by the colonel’s touch. “No. He is not so foolish. I am speaking of my brother. He is so young! Why does he think he needs to marry at his age?”
“I presume the answer is that he is in love?”
“Colonel—”
“Call me Douglas, if you would?”
Caroline blinked, surprised at the offer of familiarity. “Very well. You must call me Caroline.”
“I am honored, Caroline.”
He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it, and she almost stumbled.
“Now, you were saying?”
“Umm…”
“About Bingley being in love?” he reminded her, smiling at her in such a way that her breath quickened.
“Uh…yes…uh, I think he is too young to know his own mind. He is only twenty-and-two.”
“By your reasoning, young ladies cannot know their own mind at that age either. So many are married before then.”
“Men are different than women,” Caroline replied weakly. “Besides, their parents often choose for them.” I cannot think clearly when he is looking at me that way. His eyes are so clear and intelligent. Kind, too. Goodness, what is the matter with me?
“I will not argue with you over those points,” Douglas said.
Caroline did not know how to reply. She reveled in the cool breeze on her overheated skin, and breathed deeply of the country air, smelling the first fallen maple leaves under feet.
“I am thinking of going into politics when the war is over,” he said, drastically changing the subject. “Though I may sell out sooner.”
Caroline stopped walking to stare up at him. “Are you serious? I thought you meant to stay in the army until you retire as a general.”
His mouth pursed, and he twitched it from side to side as he thought—a habit she found endearing.
“This war…it has gone on for so long. I have served as an officer for fourteen years, you know. We declared war on France in 1803—May 18th. I served in Portugal for three years, until I made colonel and was seconded to General Wellesley’s staff.”
“I thought you are an aide to Lieutenant-General Harry Calvert,” Caroline said, frowning.
“I am, now.” He sighed. “I must look ahead to when the war is over. I believe politics will offer me the opportunity to serve my country without being subject to the commands of a general.”
Caroline tightened her stomach muscles. “You must find yourself a wife from amongst the political set. An MP’s daughter, perhaps. Someone respectable, of course.”
“I do not need a wife from amongst their set,” he said firmly.
In a gentler, more probing voice, he added, “What I need is an intelligent woman who will enjoy entertaining politicians and their wives. Someone who longs to be thought of as a great parliamentary hostess. I want a help meet, as well, not simply a beautiful woman to be on my arm. I would love her to be a woman who will discuss matters of import with me.”
“Goodness,” she murmured. “Do you also hope to find love with such a paragon?”
“I do,” he whispered back, kissing her hand again.
Caroline swallowed. “Do you have someone in mind?”
He smiled, and her stomach unclenched. “I do.”
All thoughts of her brother had disappeared from her mind. Who? Who will Douglas ask to marry him? I hate her already! I must know who she is. Could it be that…that I am his choice? He has been attentive, but I thought he was simply being a good guest.
“Will you tell me who?” she asked breathlessly. Is it me?
“I will say nothing as yet,” he said, touching one gloved finger to her lips. “You see, I am not certain of receiving the answer I long for.”
“I cannot imagine any lady refusing you,” Caroline said, feeling a blush heating her cheeks. “Let us walk on.”
Douglas obediently put her hand through his arm and they continued along the grass path paralleling the gravel lane.
“Oh, I do not know that I am a great catch,” Douglas said, responding to her assurance of his marital eligibility. “My private income is only five hundred pounds a year. I have another five hundred or so from my income as an officer.”
“Which will end when you retire?”
“I can retire on half-pay, or I can sell out. I believe I can get ￡10,000 or more for my commission if I sell it soon. I do not need to wait until the war ends.”
“That is money you could apply to your political campaign,” Caroline surmised. “Or you could purchase a house in London?”
“I own a house in London,” he said, grinning.
“My elderly aunt keeps household for me. I inherited the house from my uncle, her husband. He stipulated that I must give his wife a home until her death since they had no children to look after her. I had no objection. Aunt Margaret is pleasant company, intelligent, and ready to please.”
“Do you think your future wife will mind having her there?” Caroline asked.
“I think she will love her. Aunt Margaret likes cats, too.”
Caroline caught her breath. She released it slowly before asking, “Does she have a cat?”
“Not at the moment. She misses Arabella most keenly since her passing.”
“Poor woman. Do you think she would like Basile?”
Douglas patted her hand. “I am certain of it. She prefers cats with personality.”
“Basile has that.” Caroline almost covered her mouth at the shock of her words. Can he have any doubt of my interest after that remark?
Douglas chuckled. “He certainly does.”
Caroline looked up at him and saw the approval in his gaze. No one ever looks at me with approval. To prove she was not ignorant, she asked, “Since Members of Parliament earn no money, how can you afford to be an MP? Entertaining is costly and so is keeping a household.”
“You are correct. I have a cook, a batman, a maid-of-all-work, a housekeeper, and my aunt has a personal maid.”
“No butler?”
He shook his head.
“You will need a butler once you are elected,” she assured him. “And your wife will have a personal maid as well. Horses?”
“I keep no horses.”
“No footman?”
“None.”
“You will need one to take your messages about London,” she told him. “That makes ten servants. By my tally, I think you would be spending upwards of ￡250 on wages alone. Oh, dear. Then there is their livery and keep.”
“That sounds about right.”