Chapter Fifty-Four

A s the Colonel sat in the Bennet parlour, Mr. Darcy used his phaeton to collect Mr. Bingley from Bingley House. The selection of the phaeton, rather than the carriage he generally used in Town, was deliberate. He thought it likely that Bingley and Georgiana would appreciate some time away from the Darcys and the Matlocks, and what could be more appropriate than for Georgiana to be seen gamboling about Hyde Park in an open phaeton with her husband?

"Hop on up, Bingley," he invited his friend, who had been waiting at the front step.

"A phaeton? Are you taking me on a romantic drive, Darcy?" Bingley laughed.

Mr. Darcy recognised the laughter as nervous in nature, and so replied, "Nothing to be nervous about, Bingley."

"If you are taking me on a romantic drive, then I would say there is a good deal to be nervous about," Bingley replied, still chuckling.

"I have never known you to have such a sense of humour, Bingley."

"No, it only happens when I am nervous – yes, hang it, Darcy, of course I am nervous!"

"Georgiana will not decline your offer, Bingley."

"She is too good for me, Darcy. Your sister, after all!"

Mr. Darcy shot a quick glance at his friend. "Bingley, Georgiana is unmarried and five months gone, according to my physician. She should be thanking you on her knees, as should we all."

Mr. Bingley shook his head. "To me, she is still Miss Georgiana Darcy."

Uncertain as to whether his friend was a saint or a simpleton, Mr. Darcy held his tongue until they reached Matlock House.

"Any last-minute advice, Darcy?"

"Bingley, I – I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

But Mr. Bingley shook his head. "Darcy, you have always been a good friend and I shall be honoured to call you brother."

Both men took deep breaths before leaping down from the phaeton and handing the reins to the waiting boy.

Mr. Bingley had been to Darcy House and to Pemberley, and so was not overwhelmed by the splendour of Matlock House. Caroline, he knew, would have been beside herself with joy to have been included in this trip. Then he shook his head. He had to stop thinking about his sister. He was about to have a wife and a child!

Mr. Robeson opened the door upon hearing the knock. He was glad Mrs. Wickham – no, Miss Darcy – was to have a suitable husband. He had never met Mr. Bingley himself, of course, but the servants' grapevine said that he was a good man with a kind word for everyone. The grapevine also said that his harridan of a sister had been moved out for good.

He led the way to the drawing room and intoned, "Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley," before withdrawing to spread the word that Miss Darcy's new husband-to-be was in the house.

Mr. Bingley was presented to the Earl and the Countess. He bowed very correctly and somberly, but his face lit up as he greeted Georgiana.

"Miss Darcy, what a pleasure to see you again!"

Georgiana thought she could not get any redder as she whispered a greeting.

"Mr. Bingley." The Earl commanded his attention in a stentorian voice.

"Yes, My Lord."

"I truly must ask why it is you are willing to marry my niece, ruined and besmirched as she is."

Mr. Bingley suddenly found himself a little angry. "And I truly must ask why it is that a young lady who was led astray by a veritable master of deception – for I have, to my own regret, met Mr. Wickham – is regarded as a social pariah and unworthy of any honourable man's regard."

There was a long silence, broken at last by the Countess' chuckle. "I must say, Darcy, I like your friend quite a bit already. Please sit, Mr. Bingley, and I shall ring for tea."

Twenty minutes later, the atmosphere in the room had thawed noticeably. Mr. Bingley had been questioned closely as to his antecedents, his ability to support Georgiana, and his willingness to claim the child as his own, but it was all done in a rather more friendly manner.

Finally, he said, "Darcy here brought his phaeton; I wondered if I might be permitted to take Miss Darcy on a short drive."

The Countess looked shocked. "In public?"

"Well, that is rather the idea, is it not?" Mr. Darcy said. "That they be seen together, to lend credence to the idea that they are married? And I think it right that they have some time together not under the famed Matlock Eagle Eye."

The Countess observed that this was the first time she had heard of the Matlock Eagle Eye, but she was not opposed to the sobriquet.

Mr. Bingley extended a hand to Georgiana to help her from the sofa. His eyes did not move to her abdomen – for which she was unspeakably grateful – and he held her hand for a moment. "It is quite chill outside, Miss Darcy, and will be colder yet when we are traveling. Perhaps a pelisse?"

She nodded, and whispered, "I will return in five minutes' time."

"You must take as much time as you need; I will wait for you," was his reassuring reply.

When Georgiana returned, Mr. Bingley leapt from his chair and went to her, offering his arm. The two left the room. The Countess strolled to the front window of the parlour, trying to appear casual; she could see Mr. Bingley helping Georgiana up into the phaeton and carefully tucking a blanket around her knees. Yes, Mr. Bingley would do very well indeed.

***

Mr. Bingley, after getting Georgiana settled to his satisfaction, clicked his tongue to the horse and gave the reins a quick shake. The vehicle sprang into motion. "Are you comfortable, Miss Darcy?"

"I am, I thank you, Mr. Bingley. This is my brother's phaeton, is it not?"

"It is, yes. I do have one myself here in Town, but Darcy brought me to visit you, so we took his."

"Mr. Bingley, I know you told my brother you would marry me, but no one would blame you were you to withdraw the offer."

Mr. Bingley pulled the vehicle to the side of the road and pulled on the reins; the horse stopped. "Miss Darcy, I hope I may speak plainly."

"I think you must."

"I have always admired you as my friend's sister. You are beautiful – no, hear me out – but more importantly, you are kind. You are sweet-natured. You have always seemed to me to be some sort of lovely little bird, playing the piano and singing. You brought joy wherever you went. That is how I have always thought of you."

She put her head in her hands.

"Miss Darcy, please, please do not cry. All will be well, I promise you."

She looked up at him, her face wet. "Mr. Bingley, even my brother cannot bear to look at me."

Mr. Bingley gave her his handkerchief. "Miss Darcy, you know how he is. You have injured his pride. He will come ‘round."

"And if he does not?"

"Then he will be the one missing out on hearing the little bird playing and singing. I know I am not the match you were expected to make –"

"Nor was George Wickham." She almost smiled through her tears.

"I will devote my life to making you happy. I know we do not love one another, but I believe that will come."

"What of Miss Bingley? Will she not hate me?"

"She no longer lives with me."

"She no longer – but why?"

"Because where you bring joy, she brings misery. Where you are a little bird, she is -is – a crocodile!"

"A crocodile?!" Georgiana could not help but laugh.

Mr. Bingley shrugged. "It was just the nastiest creature I could think of, and she was always crying those crocodile tears. But my older sister, Mrs. Hurst, is a far different person, particularly when she is not around Caroline. The Hursts live with me, as Mr. Hurst does not get along well with his father."

"And my child?"

"Will be raised as my own."

"I think she is a girl, but if it is a boy…"

"Then he will inherit. Your child will be our child."

"Then I will marry you, Mr. Bingley." Her voice was soft.

"Charles. You must call me Charles." He took her gloved hands and placed a gentle kiss on each of them.

"And I am Georgiana." She sat back, smiling in earnest for the first time in many months. Of course, as they entered the park, they excited a good deal of interest from pedestrians and riders. Occasionally, Georgiana could even hear their words. "Is that not the Darcy gel?" "What is she doing in the Park?" "Who is the man with her?" But no one accosted them, and soon enough, they were back at Matlock House.

"Well?" the Earl enquired as soon as they entered the drawing room.

"Miss Darcy – Georgiana – has consented to be my wife."

The Countess rang the bell and called for champagne.

Details were quickly agreed upon. The Matlocks would prevail upon the Archbishop of Canterbury for a special license so that the wedding could take place at Matlock House, rather than in a church. It was fortunate that the Archbishop owed the Earl a favor. The ceremony would have to be performed by a rector, of course, but doubtless a handsome donation to a building fund would ensure the rector's silence.

Georgiana needed clothing, particularly as her shape was changing quickly, but going to a modiste was deemed by the Countess to be too risky. Sally would be prevailed upon to enlist the help of as many of the maids as was necessary in order to provide Georgiana with a wardrobe. The couple would remove to Netherfield until after the babe was born.

"Miss Bennet will be rather confused when I arrive with a wife already in the family way," Mr. Bingley said to Mr. Darcy.

"Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth have been told of Georgiana's situation. They will spread the word that you were simply being a good neighbour by dancing with Miss Bennet, even though you danced with her twice."

"Excellent. Say, I had rather thought to see Colonel Fitzwilliam here."

"He hied off to Meryton to make certain Miss Bennet had no opportunity to forget him."

"Where will they live?"

"I gifted Chestnut Creek, one of my estates, to Richard. It is near to Pemberley."

"Perfect; when you marry Miss Elizabeth, she and Jane will be happy to live near one another. But you had already thought of that, of course."

"I had, yes." Mr. Darcy did not want to talk about Miss Elizabeth. "Listen, Bingley, Georgiana's dowry is thirty thousand pounds and it will soon be yours."

"I will put the money aside for Georgiana's use, of course, but I had rather assumed you had been forced to give those funds to Wickham."

"Ha! No. The money is held in a trust and can only be released with the joint agreement of the Colonel and myself."

"So Wickham got nothing!? He must have been furious."

"He was, and he took that fury out on Georgiana. She has told us of how he treated her, and I can tell you that my blood boiled."

Mr. Bingley's hands clenched.

"Put your dreams of revenge aside, Bingley. He will soon be escorted to the Fleet Prison."

"I hope he rots there!"

The thought of his old friend in prison still made Mr. Darcy uncomfortable, so he did not respond. "Bingley, do not forget to write to the Hursts and tell them of your upcoming marriage."

"I shall, of course. But the newspaper articles?"

"As soon as you are wed, my aunt and uncle will prevail upon the newspaper to issue a retraction and an apology."

***

Mr. Bingley informed Dunstan that he was to be married shortly. "Have I clothes to wear for such an event, Dunstan? I recall telling you that I did not expect to do much socialising while in Town, but we must do the best we can."

Dunstan smiled. "I packed your best coat and boots, sir, as well as your favourite waistcoat, just in case."