At All Costs by Leenie Brown

Author:Leenie Brown [Brown, Leenie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Leenie B Books

Chapter 11

Darcy looked up from the letter he was reading as Bingley and Richard entered the breakfast room the following day. He gave the briefest of nods in greeting and tossed the letter on the table.

“Not a good morning?” Bingley asked as he filled his cup with tea.

“No, it is most certainly not a good morning.” Darcy leaned back in his chair, arms folded, eyes narrowing as he scowled. “Do you know where our aunt went when she left yesterday, Richard?”

Richard slowly lowered the forkful of food he was about to place in his mouth. There could only be one place Lady Catherine could have gone. “Matlock?”

“Precisely.” Darcy uncrossed his arms long enough to take a large gulp of his tea. “Your father is attempting to calm her, but she has told him the same tales she shared with us at the church. He wishes to see that I am not being taken in by a fortune hunter and so has requested that I put off the wedding until he has had a chance to mollify our aunt and meet Elizabeth.”

Richard’s brows rose. “He is questioning your decision?”

Darcy’s jaw clenched as he nodded. “It appears he is, although he claims he is only doing what he thinks will work best to appease Aunt Catherine and cause the least amount of disunity.”

“Are you going to do it?” asked Bingley around a mouthful of toast and jam.

Darcy shrugged. “I will speak to Elizabeth, and if she is amenable, then yes — but for no more than a week. And it will only be a postponement. I will be marrying Elizabeth.”

“Father is usually quite reasonable,” Richard assured Darcy. “He is merely attempting to keep the peace as much as possible. His visit will be a mere formality. He knows, as well as anyone, that you are your own man.”

Darcy relaxed slightly. “I do hope you are correct.”

“I am.” Richard returned to his plate of food. “He allows her to feel she has been heard and then tells her what will be.”

Darcy nodded. He had seen his uncle use that very tactic with Lady Catherine, and it usually worked with only a small amount of stomping and snorting from his aunt.

He picked up the letter, read it once more, and rose to go write his reply. He would give his uncle until the day after tomorrow to meet Elizabeth, and he would not agree to a postponement until he had discussed the issue with her. He drained the last of his tea as he stood next to the table.

“Sir,” the butler said, entering the room before Darcy could do more than place his empty cup back on the table, “you have a visitor.”

Darcy checked his watch. “It seems early for callers.”

“I am told it is not a social call, but one of great importance which requires your attention, as well as Mr. Bingley’s.”

Darcy’s brows rose.

“It is Mr. Williams, sir,” continued the butler.

“Shall we meet him here?” Darcy asked Bingley, who was still devouring his breakfast.

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