Free Mr. Darcy's Great Escape by Marsha Altman Page A

confirmation and received it. St. Paul’s is no more.”
    Bingley absorbed this information quickly. “And the monks?”
    â€œSome of them have gone to other monasteries, farther east. Some have gone to Spain. Many have walked out of the convent. But there is no accounting of them.” Darcy was still stone-faced, but unconsciously played with his hands. “Before he left, Grégoire agreed to write to Berlin and have the message safely forwarded from there if something was amiss. If something went wrong, he was to return to Berlin and write me from there.” He paused. “By all calculations, he should have already been there by now.”
    â€œWalking?”
    â€œHe promised he would not walk. The roads are not safe.”
    Bingley frowned. At last he brought himself to say, “He will turn up.”
    Darcy said nothing.
    ***
    In the afternoon, they celebrated Edmund, who sat on his mother’s lap and watched the proceedings with no comprehension whatsoever. The children did manage to be herded in without too much trouble. Only Georgie complained about the ribbons in her hair itching, and Frederick seemed sullen in his jealousy, but everyone else was managed well enough before being dismissed so the birthday boy could have a nap and the adults could prepare for dinner. Dinner itself was not a terribly long affair, and the only missing relatives mentioned were the Bennets. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were getting a bit old to travel, and did not come up to Derbyshire for every birthday and holiday, or they would be forever in transit, and the Townsends were newlyweds.
    Shortly afterwards the men and women separated, as various children had to be put to bed. The port was served in the library; only Darcy didn’t partake. It did seem to him a bit odd to be in Bingley’s presence after a family meal without having to speak over Mr. Hurst’s drunken snoring, but the Hursts were in their summer house in the south.
    â€œI am, if you would, in need of some advice,” Bingley said rather calmly. Finally, no grave matter to be discussed. “Financial advice.”
    â€œMarry well and get a royal commission,” Dr. Maddox said, mainly because he liked port. “I’m sorry, but that is all I can offer.”
    â€œBuy land,” Darcy said.
    â€œThat is not the answer to every investment question!”
    â€œIt’s not as if there’s going to be more of it,” Dr. Maddox pointed out.
    â€œDo not get on his side!” Bingley said. “No, this is not related to land.”
    â€œThen out with it,” Darcy said. “We could use the distraction.”
    â€œThank you.” Bingley took another swig of his drink. “Part of my inheritance, completely separate from my personal worth, was a few remaining shares in my father’s company in the textile trade. He sold most of it off shortly before his death, when it was worth considerably more than it is now, but he maintained a few shares—I suppose, for sentimental value. Now they are practically worthless with the embargo. In fact, I calculated that I could regain a controlling interest in the company for less than four hundred pounds.”
    Darcy was skeptical. “And your purpose in doing so would be?”
    â€œObviously, if the company became profitable again after the war, the shares would then be worth a great deal of money,” Dr. Maddox said, and got two looks. “What? I did take economics at Cambridge.”
    â€œThe problem,” Darcy said, “is that if the company goes completely bankrupt before the end of the embargo—and we have no idea when that will be—then its assets will be liquidated, and you will be out four hundred pounds. More to the point, if you become the owner of the company, you will have significant responsibilities to keep it afloat, or you will be firing workers and selling warehouses—and workers do not care for losing jobs. It