The Plight of the Darcy Brothers by Marsha Altman

Author:Marsha Altman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2010-03-18T04:00:00+00:00

When Dr. Maddox returned to his townhouse, his wife was there to greet him. “Charles is here. He's joining us for dinner.”

“Is there some news?”

“No, but he had business. Or needed a break from the Bennets,” she said as the servant removed the doctor's complicated and expensive wig, and he fluffed his hair back up. “How's the prince?”

“You know I can't tell you that.”

“I was just curious,” she said, kissing him on the cheek as she escorted him to greet their guest. Charles Bingley was in the sitting room, reading a book that Maddox did not recognize. They bowed to each other, and Maddox excused himself to change into proper attire.

“Georgiana is joining us as well—am I correct in that?” he said at his dressing station.

“Yes. But Louisa and Mr. Hurst have another engagement, so it's just us.” She lay back on the chaise, and he smiled unintentionally because she was beginning to show. “So how is the prince?”

“He is fine, and that is all I will say on the matter.”

“So discreet.”

“It is what he pays me for,” he said, and excused himself to bathe. By the time he was washed up and dressed, it was nearly time for dinner, and Georgiana Darcy had arrived.

“I've gotten a letter from Elizabeth,” she said, as they gathered, and Charles put his book away. “She even sent a little picture of Calais. Doctor, have you seen it?”

“Many times,” he said, as he eyed the card with an etching of the old city walls. He gave it to his wife. “Once, it was an impressive fortress of a city.”

“So she says. They are going south now, I imagine, to catch a boat to Rome.”

“I received a letter from Darcy,” Bingley said. “They must be some way south of Paris by now.”

“They are going all the way by carriage? If only there was some better way that was as quick,” Dr. Maddox said. “Does Mrs. Darcy mention anything else?”

“Only that she has little time to write,” Georgiana said, putting the letter away. “Mr. Bingley, what in the world are you reading?”

The book had mysterious characters on its cover, alongside English ones. “It is a book on the various languages of the Indias. Did you know there are twenty-seven?”

“Charles, if you intend to learn them all, we must find you another hobby,” Caroline said.

“Yes,” Maddox said. “Where this Bingley family obsession with languages comes from, I have no idea. Most perplexing.”

For that he got two looks—a stern one from Caroline for undercutting the chastising of her brother and a thankful one from Charles. Fortunately, the dinner bell rang, and the line of conversation did not have to be pursued.

Over dinner, Charles announced that everyone currently residing in his household was just fine, and that Georgie had finally said her first word. “Actually, it was a whole sentence.”

“My goodness,” said his sister.

“Yes. Apparently she was just saving up or something,” he said. “My wife was right on the floor. I would have been if I hadn't been carrying Geoffrey at the time.

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