Page 77 of The Matchmaker’s Mistake

Lyle’s colour deepened. “Of course.”

Darcy offered Miss Elizabeth his arm. She accepted it, and he walked her back towards the main rooms. They stood for a moment in the quiet of the hall just outside.

“I was on my way to see if my uncle wished for anything to eat,” she said quietly. “The captain sent the footman in the hall off on some errand.”

“You have done nothing wrong.”

“A thing can be right and still foolish. There are a great many people I do not know here tonight, and some have consumed too much wine. It is not like your mother’s smaller affairs.” She took a breath and seemed steadier. “Your mother did not send you, did she?”

“No.”

“How very shocking,” she said. “I had not thought you a man given to falsehood.”

He was pleased to hear her coming back to herself. “I am not, generally.”

“Only in emergencies?”

“Only when the truth would have left you in unsuitable company.”

Before he could say anything more, Mrs. Gardiner stepped from the doorway of the drawing room, a glass of punch in one hand and a look of mild surprise on her face.

“There you are, Lizzy. Were you walking to the card room?”

Miss Elizabeth’s fingers tightened briefly on Darcy’s sleeve.

“I was, but Mr. Darcy was just bringing me back to you,” she said.

“So I see,” Mrs. Gardiner replied, her glance moving from one to the other. “Thank you, sir.”

Darcy walked Miss Elizabeth into the drawing room before relinquishing her to her aunt’s care. He then joined Richard at the punch table, where his cousin handed him a cup. Wickham and Em were near the window, speaking with a couple he did not know. Em nodded to them and they both nodded back.

Milton appeared from the direction of the music room. “I have returned your sister to your mother,” he told Darcy. “She was explaining the camellias to Lady Honoria.”

“Georgiana?” Darcy asked.

“Thankfully, yes. If your mother had begun explaining the camellias, we should all be there still. Lady Honoria was also giving us her views on the Italian school. It would have been uncivil to leave in the middle.”

“It was three-quarters of an hour, Milton,” Richard said.

“You escaped easily enough,” Milton said, and then turned to Darcy. “Your mother’s parties are very well managed.” He ignored his brother and poured himself a glass of punch. “Every guest seems to be exactly where she wants them.”

“Nearly every guest,” Richard said.

Milton looked across the room. “What do you mean?”

“Lyle wandered into the wrong corner,” Richard said. “I was about to restore him to his proper place, but Darcy was there first.”

Milton’s brows rose. “Was he?”

“Yes,” Richard said. “Lyle was standing before Miss Elizabeth, not allowing her egress. He was making himself remarkably . . . inconvenient.”

Milton glanced from one cousin to the other. “And you removed him?”

“No, but Darcy nearly pitched the man through a window. And he did remove Miss Elizabeth. Lyle wisely removed himself.”

Milton looked at Darcy with some interest.

“It was not so dramatic as all that,” Darcy grumbled. He had not even seen Richard, but the man did have a talent for making himself invisible when he wished.