Page 10 of New World Tea Company
Turning to her plate of food, Caroline remained silent while Louisa, Geoffrey, and Charles spoke about the assembly conducted the previous evening. The Hurst couple agreed thatthe families from the different estates around Netherfield had been friendly and enthusiastic.
“And such lovely young women!” Charles said with a grin. “Their presence made for an enjoyable evening.”
“I believe you danced with every girl in the room,” Geoffrey observed, ignoring Caroline’s look toward the others seated around the table.
“Charles did not dance with me,” the youngest sister complained.
“Caroline, you sat in a chair beside the fireplace and refused all introductions,” Louisa reminded her sister.
“Except for that one gentleman from London,” Geoffrey remembered.
Louisa replied, “Mr Wickham. Yes, but Charles brought him around to meet us. He was polite with a very handsome face.”
“He was a tradesman!” complained the younger sister. “Charles introduced me to a tradesman in front of the whole crowd of farmers.”
“At least it was not at Almack’s where your brother committed such a faux pas,” Geoffrey replied as he laid down his knife and fork. “Can you imagine the words in the newspaper if such an event occurred in front of the tonne?”
“Charles would never…Almack’s does not welcome tradesmen!”
“And that is why Charles has never been invited on his own worth,” Geoffrey replied. “And neither have my lovely wife and I. My position as a member of the gentry with a small estate…”
Interrupting Hurst, Caroline declared, “I am certain that Mr Darcy is invited regularly!”
“Yes, Caroline. But Darcy does not attend,” Charles reminded his sister. “He has no desire to display himself before the ladies seeking rich husbands for their daughters.”
“After he marries, Mr Darcy’s wife will have a permanent ticket to Almack’s!” declared Caroline.
“If she wants it,” Charles replied.
“Of course, I shall want…”
In an unusually grave tone, Charles interrupted his sister. He said, “Caroline, my friend has made it clear on more than one occasion that he has no intention of addressing you. Not yesterday, today, or tomorrow.”
“But I am the perfect wife for the Darcy estate! I am elegant and lovely.”
“And you arrange the menus and place cards around the table very well,” Geoffrey added. “I believe you have told him this while seated at his dining table on at least three occasions. Still, he does not ask for your hand.”
The glare directed at Mr Hurst would have set the man on fire if Caroline’s wishes were granted. Clearing her throat, Caroline said, “Charles, we must return to London.”
“London?” asked the gentleman. “No, there’s nothing in the city to attract my notice this autumn.”
“You promised me that Mr Darcy would join us here in the wilderness. He will mourn the loss of society with me and rescue me with a marriage proposal. The same week he proposes, I shall marry him by common license and return to London in triumph.”
Geoffrey looked at his wife and recognised Louisa’s concern at Caroline’s declaration. He patted Louisa’s hand and said, “Your sister has not had enough sleep, my dear.”
“I slept fitfully, but I know that I want to return to London without any doubt,” Caroline insisted. “The country holds no appeal to me.”
Charles shook his head. “Caroline, there is no house in London for you or even a suitable chaperone. Do you have any friends who will give you house room?”
“No one is present in London of worth except for Mr Darcy!” his sister declared.
“And he would not house you,” Charles insisted.
“When I am Mrs Darcy, none of you will be invited to Pemberley ever again!” threatened Caroline.
Charles sighed and sat his teacup on the table. He said, “Sister, write to your acquaintances, and if one will give you houseroom, I shall have the coachman deliver you and your trunks to their doorstep within days of the letter arriving here.”
Glaring at her brother, Caroline was silent as she considered if there were any quality families still in the capital at this time of year with whom she could seek refuge.
