a bit of doing.”
“I will ask,” Darcy assured her. “Are there guns available if anyone is interested?”
“I sees to it, Mr. Darcy.”
“Lady Catherine!” Mr. Nathan blustered as he helped the woman with her cloak. “I was unaware of your arrival, Ma’am.”
Lady Catherine ignored Darcy’s servant. “Where is my niece? I must speak to Miss Darcy. Is there no one to greet me in this great house?”
A woman Her Ladyship didn’t recognize stepped into the hallway from the morning room. “May I be of assistance,Your Ladyship?”
Lady Catherine menacingly asked, “Who might you be, and why are you serving as hostess in my niece’s stead?”
Obviously disconcerted by her question, the woman flustered. “Bingley… I am Miss Bingley,” she stammered. “Charles Bingley, Mr. Darcy’s friend, is my brother. Charles and Mrs. Bingley have joined Miss Darcy in the nearby woods to gather greenery for the holiday decorations.”
“I see,” Lady Catherine scowled. Although she was well aware that the woman standing before her had once held aspirations of being Mrs. Darcy, Her Ladyship had never met Mr. Darcy’s friend. Normally, Lady Catherine would consider making the woman an ally in convincing Darcy to be civil during her intrusion; however, despite Miss Bingley’s social graces, Lady Catherine considered the woman below the current Mrs. Darcy. Miss Bingley may have more money and a better education than the former Elizabeth Bennet, but Mr. Bingley’s father had dealt in trade. Miss Bingley was a Cit! Disregarding the lady’s offer of assistance, Lady Catherine instructed Darcy’s staff. “Miss Anne and her companion shall require adjoining suites, and I shall have my usual chambers.”
“I have sent word to Mrs. Reynolds,Your Ladyship. Would you care to join Miss Bingley in the morning room?”
Lady Catherine glanced at where Miss Bingley waited patiently. “I think not, Mr. Nathan. We had an early breakfast at my brother Matlock’s. Some tea and biscuits shall be sufficient. Anne and I shall await Miss Darcy in the small drawing room.”
Mr. Nathan bowed obediently. “I will have someone see to the hearth and send a footman to find Miss Darcy.” He led the way to the room. “I will serve the tea myself, Ma’am.”
Kitty mischievously scooped a handful of snow into a tight ball. She hid her icy creation under her cloak’s flap and waited for Mr. Bingley to step away from Jane. She had thought to hit Mr. Grange, but neither Mary nor the gentleman possessed a sense of humor. “Look,” Kitty whispered to Georgiana. “Let’s see if Mr. Bingley can protect himself. You make one also, and we shall attack together.”
Georgiana smiled easily. Gathering the evergreen branches and holly had gone well. “Do you suppose it would anger Mr. Bingley?” Without waiting for an answer, Georgiana formed a ball from the line of snow sitting on the fence rail.
“Mr. Bingley?” Kitty chuckled. “As amiable as my sister’s husband is? Not likely.”
Georgiana giggled. “Then let’s have some enjoyment.”
Mr. Bingley bent to gather an armful of branches, but as he turned his back, two snowy spheres found his right shoulder. Plop! Splat!
Surprised, he turned to see Kitty and Georgiana hugging each other tightly while stifling bursts of laughter. “Ah!” he smiled widely. “So, that’s how it’s to be. A man labors to please a woman’s whims, and then she turns on him,” he taunted. As Bingley spoke, he dropped his stack of pine boughs on a horse blanket they had earlier spread on the ground, and then he armed himself. Playfully tossing the icy ball into the air, he teased, “You leave me no other choice, Sisters, but to defend myself.”
Jane Bingley stepped between the girls and her husband. “Kitty was just playing, Charles.”
“Oh, no, my wife,” he continued his banter, “our sisters have declared
Kitty peered around her eldest sister. “No war, Mr. Bingley. Just men against women.”
Bingley’s hands flitted in large circles above his head. “Oh, woe! We are beset! Come along, Grange; you’re with me, as are you, Father Bennet.”
“Charles!” Jane warned.
“No reasoning permitted, Mrs. Bingley,” he mocked. “You’re now one of them.” To prove his point, Bingley lobbed his snowball in his wife’s direction.
Laughing, Jane attempted to return his attack, but her icy missile actually fell apart before it made contact.
Totally enjoying the play, Kitty and Georgiana hastily squeezed fist-sized snow sausages and flung them in the direction of the three men. Mary’s efforts were less stellar, but even she became caught up in the spontaneous fun.
“Sorry, Papa,” Kitty called as one of her efforts slid down her father’s neck and into his cravat.
“Careful with my wife,” Bingley cautioned the other men. “Remember she’s carrying my child.”
“Then my eldest shouldn’t put herself in the way of my best pitch.” Mr. Bennet purposely barreled a loosely packed snowball at Jane.
“Papa!” she protested, but returned a strong lob, landing a solid hit in the middle of his chest.
Laughter filled the frosty morning air. Soon, it was no longer men versus women. Each person fought everyone else, and cloaks and greatcoats were soon drenched in snow. Just as Mr. Bingley caught his wife and planned to dump her in a nearby snowdrift, the clearing of a deep voice brought them all up short.
“Yes, Thomas?” Georgiana fought to catch her breath.
“Pardon, Miss Darcy. Mr. Nathan asked me to fetch you. Your aunt, Lady Catherine, is waiting for you in the small drawing room.”
Georgiana gasped, “Lady Catherine?”
“Yes, Miss. She and Miss De Bourgh.”
Georgiana swayed in place. “Oh, Lord,” she murmured. “What could Her Ladyship mean by her visit?”
“Do you wish me to accompany you, Miss Darcy?” Mrs. Bingley came to stand beside her.
Georgiana shook off the idea. “No, I should see my aunt alone.” She took off at a trot in the house’s direction.
Mrs. Bingley turned to her husband. “Charles, you and Mr. Grange should oversee bringing the greenery to the house. Papa, could you intercede with my mother until after Miss Darcy has the opportunity to address Lady Catherine’s needs.”
“I’m on my way, Jane.” Mr. Bennet followed Georgiana toward the side door.
“Kitty,” Jane continued. “I know Miss Darcy needs to tend to Her Ladyship alone, but you might be available to support her — even if she thinks she doesn’t need it.”
“Certainly.” Kitty rushed to catch up with her father.
“Caroline’s at the house,” Bingley assured his wife.
Jane glanced quickly to where Mary assisted Mr. Grange.Assured of some privacy, she said,“That’s what I fear. Lady Catherine knows nothing of Elizabeth’s problems in carrying to term. I would prefer that she didn’t learn of Lizzy’s anguish from either my mother or your sister. Neither would realize the pain that such knowledge in Lady Catherine’s hands would give Mrs. Darcy.”
“Then you should speak to Caroline,” Bingley observed.
“It might be better coming from you, Charles. Caroline has no true affection for Elizabeth. She would disregard my pleas on Lizzy’s behalf.”
Bingley accepted the task immediately, as his wife gave orders to the waiting footmen. He certainly didn’t look forward to speaking to Caroline about such a private matter, but he would for Darcy. Although, as a man, Darcy hadn’t displayed his feeling, Bingley knew that his friend had suffered as much as Mrs. Darcy, and that Darcy
