Win, Lose, or Darcy

by Jennifer Joy

  "I apologize, Georgie. You play so well, I get carried away."

  She forgave easily. He turned the page and she resumed the melody set to the tune of the popular waltz.

  A tap at the door to the music room alerted him to the presence of the butler. He announced, "Mr. Hurst is here to see you, sir. He has Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley with him. Shall I tell them that you are away?"

  The butler knew his preferences well. Nonetheless, Darcy was more intrigued that Mr. Hurst would trouble himself to call than annoyed that he would have to endure the company of Bingley's sisters.

  "I will see them in the front parlor," he said.

  "That is where I left them, sir. The ladies expressed their wish to see Miss Darcy. Should I tell them that she is away?"

  Darcy chuckled. His butler held no tender feelings for the Bingley females.

  Turning to Georgiana, Darcy asked, "What do you want, Georgie? You do not have to see them unless you wish it."

  Her eyes widened. "I admit that I am curious how they managed to drag Mr. Hurst away from his club to call on us. It must be a matter of grave importance, and I should like to hear about it."

  "Let us go then." He stood and held his hand out. They walked arm-in-arm to the parlor where Mrs. Hurst practically shoved her husband forward in front of them. Mr. Hurst struggled to keep his rotund figure upright.

  "What a pleasant surprise, Mr. Hurst. To what do we owe this visit?" asked Darcy as he took the seat farthest away from Miss Bingley.

  Mr. Hurst recovered enough to fall back into a cushioned chair, no doubt happy to ease his tremendous weight off his heeled feet.

  Miss Bingley sat with her lips pursed, impatiently arranging her skirts. Mrs. Hurst motioned repeatedly for Mr. Hurst to continue.

  Finally, once he had settled, Mr. Hurst said, "It has come to my attention that the Bennet family is now residing in town. Mrs. Hurst had the pleasure of crossing paths with them at her dress shop."

  That brought a snort from Miss Bingley, who quickly cleared her throat to disguise the sound.

  Darcy waited for more, but nothing came. What did he care if the Bennets were in town? Besides Miss Elizabeth, who would be in Kent by now, he had no desire to see the rest of the family. They could reside wherever they liked.

  Mr. Hurst, relieved to have rid himself of his duty of disclosing the unpleasant news, folded his hands across his ample girth. He would fall asleep soon.

  Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley looked at Darcy expectantly, as if they thought he should be as shocked as they were.

  Finally, wanting to be rid of their company, he said, "I appreciate you telling me your news, but I fail to see how it affects your households, Georgiana, or me."

  Miss Bingley placed her hand over her heart, "Surely, you must see the danger of exposing Miss Darcy to their company. If they are in town, they might seek to improve their social standing by attaching themselves to her." She clucked her tongue and pouted. "Their influence, especially that of Miss Elizabeth with her independent ways, could expose Miss Darcy to disdain, and it must not be allowed. I consider Miss Darcy to be as close as a sister, and I take her protection quite seriously."

  Her words faded into the background as she yammered on. She had said 'Miss' Elizabeth. Miss Elizabeth. Had some miracle prevented her from marrying Mr. Collins?

  "Excuse me," he interrupted, "you said that the whole Bennet family was there? How could that be with the betrothal of Mr. Collins to Miss Elizabeth?"

  Mrs. Hurst answered, "Why any gentleman would want to marry into such a family is beyond me. Mr. Collins, no doubt, decided not to propose. I care not for the details."

  Had Miss Elizabeth refused a marriage of convenience? Darcy would make it his business to find out, though the end was the same. Miss Elizabeth was unmarried.

  Chapter 9

  "Stylishly early, I see," Sophia said as Darcy stepped into her parlor.

  "You know me," he acknowledged dryly. The numerous portrait paintings covering the walls stared at him as if they knew he would rather be anywhere else. He had inquiries to make, but he had refused too many invitations of late and could not refuse another.

  "How is Georgiana? You know, you could have brought her here with you. I would have taken great care that she felt comfortable."

  Darcy shook his head. "She might feel comfortable around you, but she would not around the other members of the party." Several ladies and gentlemen had already set up at the different card tables. "Besides, she is kept occupied with her music and painting lessons."

  Sophia rolled her eyes dramatically. "You cannot keep her in the nursery much longer. She is fifteen and approaching the age where she will be expected to enter into society. You are too protective of her."

  "Perhaps so, but I will not make her do something for which she has no inclination. Georgiana does not wish to come out for at least another year." After her recent heartbreak, Georgiana preferred to stay out of society’s critical eye. Her painting and music were a step in the right direction and slowly, but surely, she was growing in confidence.

  Sophia scanned the room satisfactorily. "I invited two surprise guests. I think you will be pleased with my selection." She watched him from the corner of her eye.

  Darcy tried to look interested, but he had every intention of staying the minimum amount of time considered polite. He had some information to seek which was of far more interest to him than a stuffy tea and card party.

  "Do not look so bored, Darcy," she teased.

  Her uncanny ability to read his expression always set him on edge. Feigning interest, he asked, "Very well. Whom have you invited?"

  She twisted her shoulder and looked at him askance, "Only a couple of ladies who are new to town from Hertfordshire."

  He inhaled sharply while attempting to swallow, resulting in a coughing fit. He tried to keep his face neutral, but it was blasted hard to do.

  Sophia said, "I see that I have your interest now. I met the eldest Miss Bennets at my dress shop yesterday. Miss Bingley was there, too, and said the most horrible things to Miss Bennet. Fortunately, Miss Bennet has a champion in her sister, who did a beautiful job of defending her. I rather like Miss Elizabeth." She examined Darcy for a reaction.

  He would not give her one. Darcy said, "I hope you find their company diverting."

  She narrowed her eyes at him. "Miss Bingley's bitter comments against the ladies made me think that you were rather taken with one of them…"

  He relaxed his face and lifted his chin, doing his best to look haughty— an expression he had mastered over the years and which went a long way in discouraging unwanted conversation.

  Looking down his nose, ready to give a retort to silence Sophia’s prying questions, his voice caught in his throat when Miss Elizabeth walked in with her sister.

  She saw him immediately. The disgust on her face made him feel like a puffed up peacock, and the retort on the tip of his tongue seemed foolish, so he swallowed hard and tried to relax his stance.

  Fortunately, their arrival distracted Sophia, so she did not see his blunder. Or so he hoped.

  "Miss Elizabeth, Miss Bennet. How good of you to come." Sophia held her arms out and kissed them on the cheek like old friends.

  Miss Elizabeth kept her eyes fixed on Sophia, her smile lighting up her face and the room. She was lovely in her simple frock in a color which reminded Darcy of the green fields of Pemberley in the springtime. A gold pendant caressed her throat with matching gold raindrops dangling from her delicate ears— the same simple jewelry she had worn when he last saw her. Her manners were every bit as pleasant and relaxed as they had been in Hertfordshire, though to him, she exuded a cold indifference which he was determined to conquer. She was not intimidated, nor was she haughty at the attention given her by Sophia— a powerful ally in the ton. He furrowed his brow. How was it that he admired her humble, independent nature when he took such pride in his superiority? Would he have noticed her had she been any different?

 
"You are heavily in thought, Darcy. Tell us, what are you thinking?" asked Sophia, with a smirk on her face.

  Frustrated that he had allowed himself to be caught in a vulnerable moment, he replied truthfully. "I was contemplating the advantages of humility over pride, of self-assuredness over a preoccupation in pleasing others."

  Miss Elizabeth's eyes grew large. "You, Mr. Darcy?” She visibly bit her tongue and her cheeks colored.

  “Does it surprise you that I might see any advantage in a quality you consider so distinct from my own character?” he challenged.

  Sophia laughed. Reaching out to touch his arm, she said, "Take that, Darcy! I feel that I have found my long lost sister in Miss Elizabeth. She speaks with an openness and sincerity sorely lacking among my friends. They are too polite and are often terribly dull as a consequence."

  Darcy did not like the idea of Sophia befriending Miss Elizabeth.

  Looking at him directly for the first time since she entered the room, Elizabeth said, "I apologize if I have offended you, Mr. Darcy. Sometimes I speak before thinking and… I… I did not mean to be unkind."

  He dearly wanted to tuck a fallen tendril of hair behind her ear, letting his thumb trail along her cheek. Gluing his hands firmly to his sides, he muttered, “You only responded in a manner which befits your assessment of my character. That being the case, I should thank you for your lenience.”

  He may as well have slapped her across the cheek. Why could he not have said a simple, “Thank you”? The tiny muscles in her jaw clenched, but she did not look angry. What was her expression? Frustration? Confusion?

  Amidst his desperate attempts to read her, Miss Bennet’s soft voice said, "It is a lovely surprise to see you here, Mr. Darcy. Do you plan to stay in town for the winter?"

  "I am here for the advantage of my sister, Georgiana. She is studying with the masters and is enjoying herself so much, I could not take her away yet."

  "A noble cause, indeed," she acknowledged, looking pointedly at her sister.

  Miss Elizabeth looked at him again. Her lips parted, and her eyes opened as if seeing him for the first time in a favorable light. Darcy captured every detail, the image of even a hint of her approval branded in his memory. He felt the corner of his lips tilt upward.

  Sophia bumped into him, ruining the moment and scrambling his thoughts. He glared at her as she chattered on to the Bennet sisters.

  "You may wonder how we know each other, so please allow me to satisfy your curiosity on that point. My mother was dearest friends with Lady Anne, Darcy's mother. Unfortunately, my mother and father died in a tragic accident many years before I reached my majority. Mr. Darcy and Lady Anne, who was still alive at the time, agreed to take me in. In some ways, I feel like I am Darcy's twin. We are the same age, possess our own fortunes, and have difficulty making new friends."

  Miss Elizabeth stepped back. "You? Difficulty making friends? I believe it wholeheartedly of….” She stopped abruptly.

  “Of me?” Darcy asked with a smile, choosing not to be offended. He admired her effort to be amiable to him against her judgment.

  A glint in her eye spurred him to continue. “I do not find that surprising, given the poor impression I gave all of Meryton at their assembly. I was in no mood for company and would have done better to have stayed at Netherfield Park than unleash my ill-humor on the innocent present during what was supposed to be a joyous occasion.” He nearly burst from contained laughter at Miss Elizabeth’s bewilderment. She had not been schooled in the art of disguising her expressions as well as he had.

  Sophia smiled. "Money does that to people, you know. Darcy has yet to master the ability to keep his true friends close while holding the social climbers and fortune hunters at bay. I am certain that you will find it to be a challenge when people try to get close to you only for what you have to offer them— now that you are in possession of a fortune."

  Darcy had appreciated the irony of Mrs. Bennet winning the lottery when he had seen it in the paper. Apparently, her winnings were far greater than he had supposed.

  "I shall be cautious whom I befriend," Miss Elizabeth said cheerfully.

  Just then a gentleman Darcy was in no mood to see interrupted. Mr. Gerard Gordon was the most obnoxious, irresponsible man accepted by society that Darcy knew. He was the same at university and had never matured beyond his adolescent flirtations and carefree living.

  "Miss Kingsley, who is this lovely creature? You simply must introduce me," Gordon said with his gaze fixed on Miss Bennet.

  The lady blushed and clasped her hands nervously together, looking to Miss Elizabeth for help.

  "Mr. Gordon, that is no way to ask for an introduction. However, I will compliment you on your good taste. Miss Bennet is one of the loveliest ladies of my acquaintance."

  Sophia introduced Gordon to her guests, then added, "I suppose that I should mingle with my party. I fear that I am neglecting my guests."

  Gordon led Miss Bennet to a card table and Sophia made to join them. Over her shoulder, she whispered to Miss Elizabeth, "Do not worry. Mr. Gordon is a harmless flirt, but I will stay nearby so that your sister does not feel too uncomfortable."

  Darcy read the relief across Miss Elizabeth's face.

  Before Miss Elizabeth had a chance to escape, he asked, "Are you enjoying London?"

  "Very much. We have only been here a se'nnight, but I enjoy the variety of company to be found."

  “Miss Kingsley will introduce you to the best circles.”

  “That is my hope. What is the use of coming to town if one does not widen her social circles?”

  How could he ask her what he so badly wished to know? He cleared his throat. "I recently heard from my aunt Lady Catherine de Bourgh—"

  She sighed deeply. "I know who she is. We heard about her constantly during Mr. Collins’ stay."

  Good. She mentioned Mr. Collins.

  "How is Mr. Collins? Is he to join you in town?" he asked as casually as his pounding heart permitted.

  She answered so quickly and vehemently, he leaned back. "No. Mr. Collins has returned to his living at Lady Catherine's estate, and I do not suspect that he will ever seek out the company of myself or my family again."

  She did refuse him! But before or after the turn of fortune? Cautiously, he asked, "I suppose that a man as humble as he professes himself to be would take offense at your family’s change of circumstances?"

  Miss Elizabeth's eyes flashed and her nostrils flared. "Do you have an issue with our change of fortune, Mr. Darcy? I suppose that you think it lessens us in some way, but let me remind you that my family is of the gentry just as yours is and—"

  Darcy raised his palms out to her in a truce. "That is not what I meant to imply in the least, Miss Elizabeth. Let me reassure you, on the slight chance that my opinion is of any import to you, that I could not care less about your newfound wealth or how it was acquired, but rather, I rejoice for you. I merely sought to ask what Mr. Collins’ opinion of the matter was."

  She folded her arms, her gaze never wavering from his. "I would not know. He left Longbourn before Father read the news in the paper."

  A weight lifted off Darcy's shoulders, and he felt incredibly light-hearted. She had refused a marriage of convenience.

  "Why are you smiling, Mr. Darcy?" she asked.

  He straightened his face, though it was difficult. "I was not aware of doing so. Would you like to join the table with your sister?" he asked, to turn her attention away from himself until he could better control his expressions.

  The look of alarm on her face made him look over to the table where Miss Bennet sat with a very attentive Gordon. Miss Bennet did not appear to enjoy his attentions in the least.

  "I had better see to Jane." She paused mid-step. "For a certainty, I meant to ask you what has become of Mr. Bingley. I saw Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst yesterday, but they said nothing about their brother." She looked at her sister, then back at him.

  "Bingley left town yesterday. He had s
ome business to attend to, and I do not know when he expects to return." He regretted giving her disappointing news. And watching how repulsed Miss Bennet was by Gordon, he began to doubt his assessment of her character. Miss Bennet may have seemed indifferent in reciprocating Bingley’s affection, but she was firm in her refusal of Gordon’s attentions.

  With a frustrated puff, Miss Elizabeth said, "Thank you, Mr. Darcy," and continued over to where her sister sat at a game of whist.

  Darcy, now in no hurry to leave, did his best to observe Miss Elizabeth from afar. She had refused a marriage of convenience. Why? Could it possibly be for the same reason he remained unmarried? Did she seek something greater than an improved situation and security? Was she, like himself, looking for love? The longer he watched her, the more convinced he was of it.

  Sophia, having done her duties as the hostess, returned to where he sat alone on a couch. "She will not lack in admirers," she said.

  He stiffened, and he felt the hair on his arms stand on end. Miss Elizabeth's disposition toward merriness would make her popular among the single set.

  "I do feel bad for poor Miss Bennet. She does not seem to want any admirers, and yet, she can hardly avoid them."

  Darcy shook his head, forcing his jealous thoughts into a tight corner. "Miss Bennet is handsome. Even here, where there are many other young ladies of quality and beauty, she stands out in the room. However, she lacks in the accomplishments common in most ladies as well as a family who would represent her well."

  Sophia bunched her cheeks up. "How can you speak so coldly about such a lovely lady? Only you are capable of it, Darcy. It is no wonder you have not married."

  "Need I remind you that you also remain single?" he retorted.

  "That is only because I refuse to settle for anything less than the best."

  “I believe that your new friend would agree with you.” He heard Miss Elizabeth’s laugh and used the excuse for his gaze to linger upon her again.

  Chapter 10

  Elizabeth relaxed against the coach cushions as the movement inside rocked her back and forth over the cobbled roads.