“I thoroughly grasp the gravity of the situation, Darcy. I am a woman very well acquainted with the business of a man’s world.”

“Lady Catherine, I do not question your intelligence, but like the rest of the Fitzwilliams, you possess a fervor, which sometimes boils over into misspoken feelings.” He patted the back of her hand as it rested on his arm.

“I will do my best to perform admirably in your presence, Nephew,” she bit out the words.

This time he squeezed her hand gently, suddenly aware of how fragile it appeared—the gnarled knuckles and the no-longer-firm skin. In fact, her hand trembled slightly. “That is all one may ask, Aunt.”

He and Lady Catherine entered his study, followed by Anne. The lieutenant waited impatiently by the hearth. Darcy had purposely delayed their entrance—just a few extra minutes to allow Harwood to become uncomfortable with his surroundings. Darcy’s father had designed the study as an advantage in his business dealings. Dark mahogany panels, rich forest green. The walls sported hunting trophies, weapons, lead crystal—no sign of femininity anywhere. The room could overpower someone—break him with its strength and masculinity. Darcy often used that fact to his advantage.

Upon seeing them, the lieutenant smiled amiably and offered them all a bow before saying, “Your Ladyship, it is pleasant to see you again.”

“Do not feign cordiality with me, Lieutenant!” Lady Catherine barked.

“Sit here, Aunt.” Darcy led her to a chair close to the fire.“Shall I send for some tea?”

Lady Catherine waved away his concern.“I shall be fine, Darcy.”

He seated Anne beside her mother. Since he had sent her from the morning room, Anne’s docility had returned—a fact he had expected. His cousin’s newfound freedom was a delicate thing. “Come, join us, Harwood.” Darcy clustered the chairs in a relatively tight circle.

“For whom is the extra chair?” Harwood remarked, seating himself in the wing chair beside Darcy’s.“Shall I have the opportunity of meeting your wife, after all?”

“Unfortunately, I do not expect Mrs. Darcy to join us until supper. The chair is for my cousin’s legal counsel.” His words brought a simple nod of recognition for what he planned from his aunt and a renewal of hope from Anne.

“I was unaware that the de Bourghs’ man of business traveled with them.” Harwood shifted uncomfortably in his chair and looked around, as though he was expecting a judge to materialize and pass sentence.

Darcy chuckled lightly, having seen the effect of the mention of the word “legal” had on the lieutenant. Suddenly, this conversation took on interesting overtones. “You misunderstand, Harwood. Mr. Worth met my family at Pemberley to settle some financial transactions.”

“Mr. Worth?” Harwood looked surprised. “The gentleman I met this morning?”

Worth strolled in the room casually, playing the part of the disinterested man of law. “I apologize for my tardiness, Darcy. The viscount and I took up a heated discussion on duty and politics: I pray I have not delayed your conversation.”

Lady Catherine played her part by saying, “We have just taken our seats,Worth. Please come join us.”

Harwood glanced around nervously. “I did not expect a full audience for my proposal.”

“People of our connections, Lieutenant, do not even order a sack of seed without legal counsel,” Lady Catherine said and sniffed.

Darcy interrupted, “Harwood, why should we stand on ceremony? Please explain to my aunt and my cousin what you told me yesterday evening.” He sat back into the chair’s cushions, giving the impression of being relaxed.

However, Harwood shifted uneasily in his chair, a point Darcy and Lady Catherine enjoyed.“As you are aware,Your Ladyship, while I visited at Rosings Park, I developed a deep affection for Miss de Bourgh.” Lady Catherine started to object, but a warning flick of Darcy’s wrist stifled her protest. Constantly clearing his throat, Harwood continued, unaware of the private interchange. “And maybe I flatter myself, but I believe Miss de Bourgh returned my interest. I asked your daughter to make me the happiest of men before I left for my new post, but Miss de Bourgh could not muster the strength she would have needed to inform you of her decision, so I departed for Liverpool alone. However, several days after my arrival on the western coast, I received word of Miss de Bourgh’s presence in the city.

“I immediately made moves to protect your daughter by finding her adequate housing. It was not of the best quality, perhaps, now that I consider the situation, but I had hoped to guard against it becoming common knowledge that Miss de Bourgh traveled unchaperoned. Unfortunately, as I made plans to solidify our union, you arrived and whisked your daughter away.Your position made Miss de Bourgh’s name recognizable. As such, many in Liverpool now are aware of her ruination. I have followed you to Pemberley to offer your daughter the protection of my name.”

Lady Catherine bristled. “You accuse me of ruining my own child?”

“May I, Lady Catherine?”Worth inserted quickly.

“Certainly, Mr. Worth. Please earn your pay.” Her caustic tone spoke of her disdain for Harwood.

Worth leaned forward to press his point. “May I summarize, Lieutenant?” Without waiting for a response, he continued. “You are under the impression that Miss de Bourgh, first, is afraid of her own mother and would refuse a man whom she affected rather than address such a wish to Her Ladyship. Secondly, you assume that Miss de Bourgh came to Liverpool specifically to join in holy matrimony with you.”

“Of course, Miss de Bourgh came to Liverpool because of my earlier request,” Harwood blustered.

“Which Miss de Bourgh had already refused, if I heard you correctly?” Worth’s voice overrode Harwood’s.

A flash of anger showed on the lieutenant’s face. “Yes, she refused. Anne knew her mother would object to our union.”

“Let us for the moment give some credence to the possibility that you misunderstood the lady’s intentions,”Worth retorted. “Might it be in the realm of reason that Miss de Bourgh had another reason to travel to Liverpool besides the inducements of your charms?”

Suddenly, Anne chimed in softly. “May I ask, sir, if I so feared my mother’s disapproval, how I might then oppose her? First, I was afraid, and then I was not. Afraid…not afraid. I am seven and twenty, sir—not a child to be punished for misbehavior.”

“Exactly, Miss de Bourgh,”Worth asserted.

“No matter the circumstances,” Darcy parlayed his farce,“should we not consider Harwood’s offer? After all, if Anne’s reputation is in tatters…”

Worth took the reins once more, just as Harwood began to preen. “So Miss de Bourgh refused your overtures. Then you assumed her appearance in Liverpool meant that she sought you out as her affianced?”

“She came to me in Liverpool!” Harwood protested.

Worth smiled confidently. “I am sure she did. Miss de Bourgh was in a strange city, so she turned to a person she considered a friend—an acquaintance who might do the gentlemanly thing and see to her needs without creating a compromising situation.”

“And that is what I did. Did I not, Anne?”

Lady Catherine’s voice sliced through the conversation. “Lieutenant Harwood, I must insist that you show my daughter proper respect by not using her Christian name as if you were an intimate.”

“But we are intimates, Lady Catherine,” the man asserted. “Less than an hour ago, Miss de Bourgh called me Robert before all those in attendance in the morning room.” He gripped the chair arm tightly, indicating his irritation.

“My cousin did as the lieutenant described,” Darcy confirmed. “Perhaps Harwood has a case, Aunt.”

Lady Catherine asked hotly, “Why do you choose to support this scoundrel, Darcy?”

He had only discussed his intentions of portraying the devil’s advocate with Worth, but in order to weaken Harwood’s defenses, Darcy recognized the need to give the lieutenant a false sense of security.“I certainly do not agree with the lieutenant’s methods, but it appears he is offering my cousin an honorable alternative.”

Lady Catherine harrumphed in disgust.

Worth interrupted, “May I ask, Miss de Bourgh, if you have ever verbally agreed to the lieutenant’s suit—either at Rosings or in Liverpool?”

Darcy had warned Anne regarding her legal response, and although her cousin’s apparent support of Harwood confused her, Anne still followed Darcy’s advice. “No, sir.”

“I object!” Harwood exclaimed, nearly coming out of his chair with anger.

Worth laughed. “This is not a trial, Lieutenant.”

“It certainly has the feel of one!” Harwood blustered.

“I am sure no one wished to place you on the defensive, Lieutenant,” Darcy soothed him.“Having always known such opulence, it is difficult for us to see our lives as others might.”

Worth leaned back, following Darcy’s carefully worded suggestion of not appearing so aggressive. “I agree, Mr. Darcy,” he said cannily. “We are jumping the gun. I simply wished to establish early on that, although Miss de Bourgh held an acquaintance with the lieutenant, she neither considered herself engaged nor did she encourage the gentleman to make arrangements for a wedding. Obviously, such an agreement was out of the question. A special license was impossible for Lieutenant Harwood, as he is not part of the aristocracy. Therefore, he would have to take the traditional route of first establishing residency before the banns may be called. Most parishes require a minimum of a fortnight and often as long as thirty days to indicate a resident. He, by his own words, spent only a few days in Liverpool before your cousin’s arrival. Add to the residential time the three weeks to call the banns. Surely, the lieutenant is not accusing Miss de Bourgh of being the type of woman who would spend five to seven weeks with a man she had previously refused. And if the lady so feared her mother as to seek a clandestine meeting, Miss de Bourgh could not possibly believe she might avoid a confrontation with Her Ladyship for such an extended period of time.”Worth knew firsthand that Anne had no knowledge of these facts at the time, but she certainly would not say so now.