Free A Spy at Pemberley by Fenella J Miller Page B

do but I can hardly send her packing with no destination.'
    'I have a solution for you.' Darcy explained about the estate and Bingley looked less fraught by the time he'd finished.
    'If the place has been empty for several months it will hardly be fit to live in. How long do you think it will take your people to make it ready for occupation?'
    'A few days at the most, I should think. I will have to find extra staff as most of those that were employed by my tenant have now retired. There are but a handful taking care of things at the moment.'
    'Although Caroline's reputation is already in tatters, I'm reluctant to make matters worse by sending her without a chaperone. I shall write immediately to my other sister and ask her and her husband to go there.'
    'If you send a letter by express they will have it tomorrow and can set out the next day. This means they will be there within the week. That will be ample time to prepare the house. Although the estate is small, the house is handsome enough and might well do as a permanent home for Forsyth once they are wed. I'd be prepared to sell it to him.'
    His mission accomplished, he stood up to leave. 'I'm relying on you to speak to Jane. I shall expect her to visit Lizzy this afternoon and put matters right between them.'
    He nodded and Bingley reciprocated. Satisfied he'd set things in motion to bring this unpleasant incident to a close Darcy returned to his side of Pemberley. Perhaps it would be the best if the East Wing was returned to him – things would never be quite the same between him and his erstwhile friend.
    *
    The afternoon dragged by and even the pleasure of spending time with her precious babies couldn't raise Lizzy's spirits. Being at odds with her beloved wasn't something she enjoyed and she was now regretting the fact that the dinner party tonight had been cancelled. It would have been so much easier to spend the evening with Fitzwilliam if Georgiana and Jonathan had been present.
    Changing for dinner had been abandoned, unless they had guests, so there was no need for her to return to her room before going downstairs. Would this evening be an opportunity to mend fences or would things get worse?
    The drawing room was unoccupied. She looked at the clock and saw she was five minutes past the appointed time and he was always here before her. She wandered around disconsolately picking up objects and putting them down again.
    Then the sound of raised voices alerted her. Fitzwilliam was arguing with someone on the terrace. She hurried to the long windows in order to see who he was talking to. Not wishing to be seen she remained out of sight behind the curtain.
    The other voice was Mr Forsyth and he sounded most agitated.
    'Look here, Darcy, that won't do at all. We are comfortable here and have no intention of removing to some dismal little estate of yours. Caroline will not budge until we are safely married and can buy a substantial place of our own.'
    'Bingley wishes you both to leave so it would be polite to do as he requests.'
    'Bingley is a great fellow, he's not going to insist that his dearest sister goes if she isn't inclined to.'
    'He might not, sir, but I do. Bingley is my tenant and must follow my instructions if he doesn't intend to be evicted too.'
    Lizzy clutched the curtain. Surely Fitzwilliam didn't intend to send Jane away as well? This must be an empty threat just spoken to push Forsyth into leaving.
    Forsyth replied immediately. 'I've no desire to be at daggers drawn with you, sir, but I warned Mrs Darcy how it would be if things were not resolved…'
    Fitzwilliam had obviously had enough and forcefully interrupted. 'I'll hear no more from you, Forsyth. If you and your future wife require to be accepted in any drawing rooms then you would do well not to make an enemy of me. You will leave Pemberley tomorrow morning at the latest. If you have not gone by the time I rise I shall send my men in to remove you by force.'
    She staggered to the nearest chair