Part 2 - Mr. Darcy's Pursuit of Elizabeth Bennet: A Steamy Pride and Prejudice Variation by Demi Monde

Author:Demi Monde [Monde, Demi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-09T04:00:00+00:00

11

Mr. Darcy strode past Mr. Bingley's butler.

"...Mr. Bingley is in his study, sir."

He felt no guilt for rushing past the servant. He was usually not so brusque, but control of his emotions was slipping. He knocked on the study door, sounding loud and angry even to his ears.

A surprised Mr. Bingley opened the door. "Darcy! I thought you—"

Mr. Darcy pushed past his friend and closed the study door. He winced at the loud slam. "I apologize, Bingley. I am having a difficult time controlling myself."

Mr. Bingley stood in the same location, mouth agape. "Her uncle denied your offer?"

Mr. Darcy tossed his beaver hat onto a chair in front of the desk and ran his hand through his hair, then turned to face his friend. "Bingley, you are not going to like what you will hear. I am sorry for the pain this will bring you."

He breathed deeply. "The Gardiners sent Elizabeth away to Meryton before I had even arrived because members of the peerage refused to do business with Mr. Gardiner because of Elizabeth's reputation. Someone besmirched her reputation at the ball we attended last evening."

Mr. Bingley walked around to the other side of his desk. "But that does not equate. How could the news have reached anyone so quickly? How many families?"

"Several, at least six. All before Mr. Gardiner had arrived at the docks this morning. It would have been completely impossible unless someone at the ball wrote letters and sent them out directly after having left the ball."

Bingley sat down, frowning. "But why would anyone have done that? What need would there have been to spread such a rumor so quickly?"

Mr. Darcy stared at his good friend as he took another deep breath. "We celebrated my pending engagement to Elizabeth last evening." Mr. Bingley opened his mouth, but Mr. Darcy held up a hand. "Do you recognize these family names? Allen, Gordon, Keppel, Finch, Murray, Dunning."

As he had recited the last names, Mr. Bingley's countenance paled. "Those are all families that my sister Caroline speaks of often. She has friends or wants to be friends with a daughter in each family." He stood. "You cannot think—"

"Bingley, I do not know of anyone else that would have been so upset at the news of my pending engagement. And it was Miss Bingley who first informed me of the circulating rumor at the ball."

"But it does not mean that Caroline is the one behind this, though it is horrible."

"No, but I cannot think of anyone else."

Mr. Bingley looked down at the desk while worrying his upper lip.

Mr. Darcy bit the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from telling his friend to stand up to his overbearing harpy of a sister. "Could you question the servants? Someone ran those letters this morning."

Mr. Bingley immediately yanked on the bell pull. Mr. Darcy sat in a chair, tapping his knee.

A quick tap at the door, and then the housekeeper entered the room. "Mrs. Bathurst, please close the door” Mr. Bingley said. “Did

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