Page 16 of The Cheapside Runners
Both men startled slightly guiltily when the door opened abruptly. Miss Elizabeth stepped in quietly and closed the door.
Darcy thought the lady was pushing her luck slightly with regard to propriety, but since it was two gentlemen of good repute in a public dining room, he supposed it was acceptable. Such things generally made him slightly nervous, but he had been in similar situations with Miss Bingley many times.
Both men stood to greet her and exchanged all the usual bows and such.
“Gentlemen, I hate to disturb you, but I hope to ask a favour,” she said without preamble.
“I am at your disposal, madam,” Bingley replied enthusiastically to nobody’s surprise.
She took a deep breath, and for the first time in their acquaintance, looked more than slightly discomposed, but only for a moment as her countenance hardened.
“My sister and I will be leaving at first light. I wonder if we could impose on you for the use of your carriage. If that is not convenient, I will fetch my father’s,” she said without an ounce of inflexion.
“Leave! Impossible!”Bingley burst out before he could think all the way through his response.
Elizabeth responded with similar forthrightness. “Jane has a cold, not a gunshot wound. She will be fine, and we have imposed on your hospitality long enough.”
“But… but… but…” Bingley continued babbling, apparentlycompletely adrift in the conversation.
Miss Elizabeth continued relentlessly. “I obviously do not insist on the carriage, sir. I only wish to ascertain what time I need to get up so I can arrange matters appropriately.”
Darcy rather incredulously replied, “You could not possibly fetch the carriage before first light.”
She sighed with an expression indicating that only politeness prevented her from pinching the bridge of her nose or smacking her head at his stupidity (or perhapshishead).
“Hardly! It is but three miles. I walked here in an hour two days ago, and I can perfectly well walk back. In fact, the roads have considerably dried since then. It would hardly be the first time I awoke at five, and I already asked the stable about the loan of a lantern. All will be well.”
Bingley was still sputtering, but finally said, “You are more than welcome to my carriage, of course. You need but ask. I am loathe to have your sister risk her health, but I suppose you know best.”
“I thank you, sir. That will be most advantageous. I should be obliged if you called for it at seven,” she said, then curtseyed as if the conversation was over.
“A moment,” Bingley spat out in some desperation. “Pray, might you explain the urgency?”
She stared back and forth between the men unnervingly for some time.
She finally said, “I…”
Darcy could see her working her way up to prevaricating in a way they could not counter, so he decided to forestall her.
“Naturally, we cannotdemandan explanation, but if I might ask politely—”
“I have reasons that I prefer to remain unspoken.”
“If there is something wrong in my house, I should like the opportunity to correct it. I know Caroline can be a trial, but I didnot take you for one to be intimidated by the likes of her.”
Elizabeth snorted rather indecorously and let out a good-sized laugh. “No, I have no difficulties with your sister. She is not special!”
Darcy tried another tack. “Your precipitous departure will be noticed, and it may cause talk. If there is something wrong in this house, we would like to know what it is. If we can impose on you to speak candidly, we will give our word to keep it private and give you no censure.”
She stared them down for a bit longer and finally sighed in resignation.
“We will leave, because I will not allow any of my sisters or friends to reside in the same house as Viscount Fitzwilliam for even a day. The only reason we are still here is because it was nearly dark when I met him.”
Both men startled in shock and stared in consternation.
Darcy asked with a bit of temper, “Of what do you accuse my cousin?”
“I make no accusations whatsoever,” she snapped, finally seeming to show her own temper for the first time in his presence. “I only state our need to reside elsewhere.”
