Welcome Home by Mary Smythe

Author:Mary Smythe [Smythe, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9781956613025
Publisher: Quills & Quartos Publishing
Published: 2021-10-25T00:00:00+00:00

Bingley bounced down the front steps of Netherfield, arms thrown wide. “Welcome back to Netherfield. How was your trip to Kent? Was your aunt well?”

Darcy accepted the hand offered to him and shook it, laughing at his friend’s ebullient greeting. His mood was similarly light now that he was returned to the county of his lovely Elizabeth—at her invitation, no less. “It was a good trip, and Lady Catherine is as she ever was.”

“Sounds like my own dear mother,” replied Bingley. “Now, come inside and make yourself comfortable. Your rooms from your last stay have been prepared. I daresay if you can manage to find your way about Pemberley, you can remember the route to your rooms here at Netherfield.”

The two friends ascended the front steps of Netherfield and entered via the double front doors. As he quickly strode across the entrance hall, Darcy darted his eyes towards the parlour that had been in use most frequently during his previous stay. After a slight cough to clear his throat of a disagreeable tightening sensation, he broached a question he felt forced to ask. “Have your sisters accompanied you into the country?”

Bingley tugged at his cravat in the way he did when he was nervous. “At first, Caroline did not wish to return, but then she happened to see some of my correspondence and—”

“Why, Mr Darcy!” The shrill tones of Miss Bingley’s voice echoed around the entrance hall. Affected cultured accent or no, the lady was no more delicate at times than Elizabeth’s mother. Miss Bingley had managed to catch Darcy by surprise by arriving from exactly the opposite direction he had expected, probably the breakfast room, and had used this advantage to pounce. “I had quite despaired of seeing you today! I was certain that you had been overset by highwaymen in this savage backwater!”

Mrs Hurst, standing to the side and just behind her unmarried sister, agreed immediately. “Oh, yes, it was quite disconcerting.”

Darcy forced himself to suppress his eye roll, but Bingley allowed himself the privilege. “It is barely two o’clock! I daresay any highwayman worth his salt would wait until closer to dark before attacking any unsuspecting victims.”

Miss Bingley disregarded her brother entirely and moved forward to latch herself onto Darcy’s arm with both of hers. Her perfume tingled his nose and threatened to make him sneeze. “I am so glad you have arrived here in safety, sir. I do not know what I should do were some terrible fate to befall you.”

Darcy extricated himself from her grasp as gently as he could. “Yes, well, I believe I shall retire to my rooms for now to refresh myself. I shall return directly.”

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