An Engagement at Pemberley by Rosemary Barton

Author:Rosemary Barton [Barton, Rosemary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-01-14T05:00:00+00:00

22

Darcy’s mind was full of Elizabeth when he entered the drawing room where Georgiana sat with the Bingleys. Darcy knew she would not have enjoyed a day with the sisters but he was slightly sorry to think all he could care about at that moment was Elizabeth and the prospect of seeing her again the next day. He was determined that he would find a way to sit by her so they might talk alone. He wanted more of her sparkling conversation and shining eyes. He was greedy for her and he could not find it in himself to regret it.

“Mr Darcy,” Miss Bingley cried as soon as he entered the room. “There you are, sir! What a shabby way you have of treating dear friends. Here we have all been waiting for you and you did not return home all day. We have been most concerned, were we not, Charles?”

Bingley looked up from where he had been playing chess with Georgiana. His cheerful expression did not look distraught.

“Nothing of the sort. I said he might have some other business to attend to. A man is entitled to have his own concerns without answering to friends.”

Miss Bingley threw her brother a poisonous look then turned to Darcy with such honeyed sweetness he wondered how she could keep her expressions straight.

“Where have you been all day? We have been desolate without you, were we not, Georgiana?”

Georgiana snapped her head up in alarm and looked between Miss Bingley and Darcy.

“I…I…”

“Desolate,” said Miss Bingley firmly. She beamed at Darcy. “We did not know you intended to stay away all day or we should have joined you.”

“Come, Caroline, let the man sit down,” said Bingley carelessly as Georgiana swiped one of his pieces. “I am sure if Darcy wanted a lady to accost him and expect him to account for his day when he is scarcely in the door, he should take a wife.”

Darcy blanched at that. Miss Bingley was not subtle about her determination to become mistress of Pemberley. If she had her way, she would have married him a long time ago and he would have had several years of her cloying behaviour already. Some man somewhere would one day have the misfortune of granting Miss Bingley with his surname, but it would not be Darcy.

Miss Bingley threw Bingley a wounded look though there was a flash of steel in it.

“I was concerned because a dear friend of mine said he had some business with his solicitor and then did not return until after nightfall. I wonder you were not more worried, Charles, when Darcy is supposed to be your closest friend. I sometimes think I am a better friend to him than you are…” She threw Darcy a coy little look that Darcy suspected was supposed to convey some intimacy between them. He barely managed to avoid shuddering. If it helped keep him safe from Miss Bingley’s cloying attentions, he might marry the first woman he saw who was not her.

“I

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