After Mr. Darcy helped Lizzy out of the carriage, he told her that he was looking forward to seeing her at supper, although his countenance appeared to be saying something else entirely. She quickly made her way into the house only to encounter Lord Fitzwilliam. But her mind was too unsettled to attempt to tackle a conversation with the earl, and she made a quick bow, mumbled “milord,” and went right upstairs.

Georgiana would have made good her own escape if she had not also run headlong into her cousin, who was standing in the foyer looking confused as his eyes followed Lizzy running up the stairs.

“Georgiana, my dear, how lovely to see you. One of your servants just ran past me. I must say that even for a Darcy that is a damn liberal policy allowing a servant to use the front hall stairs.”

After kissing his extended cheek, Georgiana explained that the lady was Miss Elizabeth Bennet and a guest, and after looking at her outfit, he asked if the usual tradition of handing down her used clothing to the maids had been reversed to accepting them from her servants.

“We are dressed this way because we went to Shepherd’s Cave.”

“Oh, sorry I missed that,” he said, rolling his eyes, “but I had a pleasant conversation with Mrs. Gardiner.” After seeing her expression, he reassured her. “Do not worry. I have not been here long enough to outrage anyone. Jackson has not even had time to follow your brother’s standing order to dilute the port.”

Georgiana was so rattled by Antony’s sudden appearance that the remark went right over her head. “Antony, what are you doing here?”

“I was just about to ask that question myself,” Darcy said, entering the foyer with David and Goliath right behind him. It always amazed Georgiana how easily his dogs sensed their master’s changes in mood, and they now stood behind him like sculptures guarding a pharaoh’s tomb.

“I came to find out what is going on,” Antony said while deliberately ignoring his brother, who was vigorously shaking his head in an attempt to quiet him.

“What makes you think something is going on?” Darcy asked.

“Why else would Richard have sent my man to Kent for the purpose of delivering a letter to Anne with instructions to wait for an answer and to return to London immediately?”

After seeing Darcy’s expression, Richard asked, “Can’t I write a letter to my cousin?”

“Of course you can,” Antony answered for his brother. “But why was it so important that Darcy be kept from going to Rosings Park? I suspect it has something to do with that badly dressed lady who just ran up the stairs.”

“Will, may I please get out of these dirty clothes?” Georgiana pleaded, and she tried to slip away, but Darcy caught her by the arm and suggested that they all adjourn to the study for a family discussion.

Once there, Richard tried to extract his young cousin from the mess they now found themselves in. “Listen, Will, Georgie did not have anything to do with the part about Gregg riding to Rosings Park with a letter for Anne.”

“Which part was she involved in, if not that?”

“I swear, Will,” Georgiana said. “I have done nothing behind your back. My only involvement in any scheme was to invite Elizabeth and the Gardiners here to Pemberley and to suggest the excursion to the cave, both of which you knew about.”

“Do I know the lady who is the cause of so much intrigue?” Antony asked, and all three answered with a loud “no.”

“Antony, I know you did not come all the way from London just to catch up on family gossip,” Will continued. “So, tell me. What the hell are you doing here?”

“That is not very nice, Will, especially since I have news to share.”

“So share it.” Darcy’s patience was wearing thin, and his eyes, which could change with his mood, were now gunmetal gray.

“With pleasure. A few nights ago, Richard came to White’s, and after we got Gregg off on his midnight ride to Kent, he worked the conversation around to politics. As you know, my interest in politics is only exceeded by my interest in women. There were rumors that you might be courting Letitia Montford. I say ‘might’ because your attentions to the young lady have been irregular at best, and you have everyone playing a guessing game.

“After beating around the bush, Richard finally got to it. He said that even though Sir John and you were polar opposites on the most important issues of the day, you were hoping to change that. You had gone so far as to say you were determined to secure Sir John’s support for some legislation the Whigs were supporting regarding the expansion of the franchise to vote.

“Knowing that I cannot keep a secret, I understood my brother wanted me to spread this about, and so when Sir John came in the next evening, I told him what Richard had said. He sucked in his breath and forgot to breathe, and turned blue, not his best color, I might add. But then he asked where you were. When I told him, Sir John asked for me to give you a message.”

“Which is?”

“He wants you to pay a call on him as soon as you return to town. He called you a young whippersnapper. I have not heard that word since I asked my father for an increase in my allowance when I was nineteen. Now, I believe I have performed admirably, so may I have a glass of port—from your reserve, Will—not the special port you keep just for me?”

Even considering the source, Darcy decided that this was good news. If his friendship with Letitia could be ended as a result of her father’s disapproval of his politics, then it would turn out all right if his behavior since the ball at Netherfield had not caused irreparable harm in Elizabeth’s eyes. As far as Darcy was concerned, he could not get to London to see Letitia fast enough and get this whole sorry affair behind him.

As soon as Lizzy reached her room, she rang for Ellie and asked that arrangements be made for a bath.

“Right away, miss, and a letter’s come for you. It is on the table in the foyer. Should I get it?”

“I am sure it is from my sister Jane, so it can wait. I am much more interested in getting all of this dirt off me.”

Lizzy felt an overwhelming sense of fatigue and was looking forward to soaking in a warm bath. Hopefully, she could wash away all the anger she was feeling for Mr. Darcy. But when Lizzy entered her apartment, she found her Aunt Gardiner waiting for her.

“I fear that I am intruding, as I am sure you are tired,” her aunt stammered, “but I am actually hiding out in here.”

“From Uncle Gardiner?”

“No, your uncle has not returned. I am speaking of Lord Fitzwilliam,” and she clutched the lace on her bodice. “Elizabeth, he is a total rake. He had me blushing like a new bride. As your guardian, I do not want you anywhere near that man.”

“I don’t think you need worry,” Lizzy said, taking off her coat. “From what I have heard, he would be more interested in you than me. Apparently, he draws the line at seducing maidens.”

“Oh dear! You do not really think that he would try to…” but Aunt Gardiner could not finish the sentence.

“I have never met him, but I think he is probably more talk than action. I imagine one cold look from Mr. Darcy will settle him down nicely. But what did he say to you?”

“I am embarrassed to repeat the conversation,” but with the slightest smile on her lips, she related the hour she had spent in Lord Fitzwilliam’s company. “I have never been in the presence of an earl before, and I did not know what to say. In fact, he told me I was saying ‘milord’ too frequently. He appreciates his rank being acknowledged, but to his mind, a few ‘milords’ are sufficient,” and Ruth Gardiner started to giggle like a young girl. “Actually, he is wickedly charming. I can imagine him getting his way more often than not.”

“But tell me what he said.”

“All right. After all, you are more than twenty years old and not a child. As I said, I did not know what to say to him because of his rank, and so I asked him about his family. He told me that he had two delightful daughters, ten and twelve, who were the apples of his eye. After we had exhausted the subject of his children, I told him that I had met the colonel and asked if there were any other sisters or brothers. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I have two sisters. The younger one thinks I can do no wrong, while the older one thinks I can do no right. The older one actually got it right.’

“That is exactly what he said, but then he went on. ‘My parents had four children, one right after the other, and then no more. I wonder what happened there?’ Well, I blushed from head to toe at the implication that they no longer… Anyway, after he saw me blushing, he said, ‘Tsk, tsk, tsk, Mrs. Gardiner, I wasn’t thinking of that at all.’”