Fighting for Love by Russel David

Author:Russel, David
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-11-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Two hours passed in an agonising search. Bingley was not at home, neither was his valet or his carriage. His sisters became restless when Darcy and the colonel enquired after him, so they chose not to reveal any more details.

They headed towards Lord Weston’s house and found the gentleman in the company of several friends, both ladies and gentlemen. Their reception was cold and the earl reluctantly accepted a short private conversation.

“I apologise on my friend’s behalf,” Darcy began, voicing the excuse with a heavy heart. He could not condemn Bingley’s anger against Weston, only his manner of expressing it in public.

“He has experienced some distressing circumstances lately and…”

“Darcy, I have no interest in listening further. I will not accept some nobody who inherited a little money from trade accusing me of ill manners and ungentlemanlike behaviour. He assaulted me and offended me. I would have him punished accordingly if he was not of so little consequence to me.”

“Bingley is a most excellent man. He has been my friend for many years. He always acts as his conscience and his honour dictates, and only with good reason.” Darcy explained.

“So you suggest it was my fault that your lunatic friend attacked me, out of nowhere? I did not even know what he was doing there—is he a member? Have the standards been lowered so much that they accept anybody?”

“Bingley is as honourable as any of us, if not more so!” Darcy replied severely.

Lord Weston laughed sardonically.

“Honourable but stupid. I could have shot him right there in the club and nobody would have blamed me.”

“Weston, let us speak truthfully,” the colonel interjected, already annoyed. “Bingley confronted you because he heard you speaking rudely and offensively about Miss Jane Bennet. Publicly, in a gentlemen’s club.”

“Miss Jane Bennet? What does Bingley have to do with her?!”

“He happens to be a friend of the Bennet family and he took it as his duty to protect their name. Do not dare deny it, I heard you speaking of the lady rather disrespectfully too. Of her and many others.”

The earl laughed again. “You have all lost your minds. You dare to come to my house and offend me? I could shoot you both too—at this very moment.”

“Stop this nonsense, Weston, we all know you are not quite so good with pistols. And I am not offending you—I cannot pretend to be better than you. Your mockery was rude and disrespectful, but I have certainly been guilty of the same offence more than once. Bingley is not like us. Nor is Darcy.”

“Yes, yes. Darcy is perfect. Perfectly boring. We all know that.”

“I shall not even bother to respond to that, Lord Weston,” Darcy answered. “My cousin only tried to explain what had induced a polite and considerate man to behave so strangely. We hoped you could put all this aside; it is very likely that you and Bingley will not meet again in the future.”

“You cannot intend to leave him unpunished!” Lord Weston shouted.

“What sort of punishment did you have in mind?” Darcy enquired.

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