Page 77 of Master of Netherfield
Mrs Annesley cleared her throat and Georgiana grew silent, glancing at her brother. Darcy wiped his mouth with his napkin before saying, “I believe you have been mentioned a time or two at the Bennet dinner table. Something was said about gangly feet and ladies with crushed toes.”
“No brother, they were speaking of you and the crushedtoes–not Mr Bingley.”
**++**
Chapter 30.An Intrusion
After two weeks of pleasant dinners and visits with the Bennet family, and just three days before the Assembly at Meryton, the peace of Netherfield was shattered by the arrival of an unexpected guest.
A footman met Mr Darcy and his guest as they rode back from a visit to the farms beyond the Netherfield Wood. The ride through the well-tended wood lot exposed signs of logging now in selected locations and the two men stopped often to talk about logging costs, dangers and profits. When they came to the road at the main entrance to Netherfield, a footman from the house stood waiting.
“Harris? Is there a problem?”
Bowing the man said, “Begging your pardon Mr Darcy but there is an unexpected guest arrived, and Mrs Hobbes asked me to find you and your guest.”
For a moment, Darcy feared Lady Catherine had descended upon Netherfield again but the footman relieved that concern with his next words, “The young woman says she is Miss Caroline Bingley, Mr Bingley’s sister.”
“Oh, good Lord!” swore Charles.
“Where is Miss Darcy, Harris?”
“Miss Darcy and Mrs Annesley are at Longbourn, sir. They went early this afternoon for music lessons.”
“Mrs Hobbes placed Miss Bingley in the sitting room?”
“Yes sir. The lady was not happy that none of the family were at home to greet her. She acted very displeased that Mrs Hobbes would not allow the hired coach to leave. Her luggage is still in a wagon that followed the coach.”
Darcy’s face grew very sour, and Bingley turned red with anger.
“She’ll not be staying Darcy,” Bingley swore. “I do not know what has happened with the Hursts, but she cannot just descend upon you and expect to be welcomed.”
“She is your younger sister, and you are her protector,” Darcy reasoned. “My Aunt Catherine often creates scenes and worries the servants. Let us to the house and hear her tale, but I do tell you now, none of my house will change to suit her mood.”
“Agreed.”
Darcy turned to the footman and commanded, “Walk back to the house as you will. We shall ride ahead.”
“Thank you, Master Darcy.”
At the house, stable boys waited at the mounting block as Darcy and Bingley slid from their horses and handed the reins to the boys who led the mounts around the house to the stables to cool off and get rubbed down before being stabled with water and hay.
The rented carriage and a wagon overloaded with trunks and hat boxes sat waiting patiently. The drivers tipped their hats; one of the two gentlemen would be paying the bill for the delay.
A second footman opened the door as the two men approached and Darcy walked in to find his housekeeper nervously pacing in the hall with the head footman waiting patiently for the master of the house.
“Mr Bingley, your sister, Miss Caroline Bingley, waits for you in the morning sitting room,” the footman explained to his employer’s guest. “She has asked for tea, a suite of rooms, Miss Darcy, Mr Darcy, a dressmaker and a hat-maker since her arrival just over an hour and one half ago sir.”
“Thank you, Simmons,” Bingley replied. “Did she bring any letters with her?”
“None that she gave to me to deliver, sir.”
Charles glanced at Darcy before announcing, “I shall conduct an interview with Caroline, and I shall call on you in the library in one half hour.”
Darcy nodded his head gently but said nothing as the footman led his friend down the hall. When the door to the parlour was opened, everyone heard Caroline’s strident voice demand service but suddenly fall silent when she saw her brother. Charles stepped inside and the footman pulled the door closed. The servant remained on guard at the door and with a stern look, sent an errant maid scurrying back to the kitchens when the girl came past with a broom and dustpan.
Darcy’s mouth twisted about for a moment–a scowl fought with mirth before he spoke to his housekeeper. “I am reminded of Lady Catherine’s last attempt to breach the walls of Netherfield. If any of the Miss Bennet sisters were here, Miss Bingley would have fled back to town with bite marks before the first hour passed.”
“Mr Darcy, what are we to do?” asked Mrs Hobbes. “She drove through Meryton, and the entire town must have seen her carriage and wagon. Her maid is hiding in the kitchens and the poor girl says her mistress stopped the coach twice in the village to ask for directions to Netherfield. She told everyone she was the particular friend of Miss Darcy come fora visit from town.”
