Thank you for your reviews! Sorry I haven't replied to any. I have been sick all weekend. I actually forgot today was Tuesday and almost didn't get this one out.

Sunday, London

Bingley embraced the silence of his coach as it drove towards Darcy House. He had really made a mess of things. Before, he had resolved to leave the issue alone, and if she accepted Mr. Andrews, then that was her choice. That changed the moment he heard she had accepted him. Then there was seeing them together. Jane, smiling her sweet smile at that… He couldn't even think of a suitable insult. It wasn't Andrews' fault he had lost Jane Bennet.

When they arrived at the Hurst's townhouse the night before, he had been presented with a note from Darcy, asking him to come for lunch. He spent all night spewing hateful thoughts at the unsuspecting man. He wanted to blame everybody. Caroline sat as far away from him as she could in the carriage, and then rushed to her room, unable to bear her brothers glare. He didn't want to stress Louisa out, as it would not be good for her condition. So, in his mind, it was Darcy who received the abuse.

Now, he was simply exhausted and being forced to face the fact that the majority of the blame lay at his own feet. He had realized it the night before, but now, it really hit him. No one physically kept him from Hertfordshire. Sure, they had convinced him with their words, but he could have chosen to ignore their opinions. All too soon, they pulled up to Darcy's Town home.

He exited the coach and entered the home. He thanked Darcy's man for taking his coat and hat, and walked towards Darcy's study. As he approached, he heard voiced. Apparently his cousin the Colonel was joining them as well. It didn't matter, as Bingley was determined to have his answers. He knocked and walked in.

"Charles! Thank God you are here! Darcy has been maudlin since we left Kent, if you can grasp that! Surely you can put him in a better mood!" exclaimed Colonel Fitzwilliam.

"Don't be so sure of that, Richard," replied Bingley as he dropped into the chair opposite the other man.

"You cannot be serious! You too?! What is wrong with the two of you?"

"Charles, what has happened?" asked Darcy, concerned.

Seeing no reason to exclude the Colonel from the conversation, he jumped right into it. "Why did you not tell me that Miss Bennet was in Town?"

Darcy was silent, but Bingley saw the guilt in his eyes. "I know you considered her unsuitable from the beginning, but I felt you were sincere in your other concerns. Then, I learned Miss Bennet has been in Town for months, and that she had called on my sisters, who informed me that you knew, and that you worked with them to conceal the matter. Why? Why would you do that? You knew I had serious feelings for her, that I honestly considered her for a wife! You lied to me! Why?"

"I had thought it was best."

Bingley could sense Richard glancing between himself and his cousin. The tension was very thick.

"You thought it was best? You thought it was best?! I can tell you, most assuredly, that it was not best!" he ground out bitterly.

"Perhaps it was not. I have only had your best interest at heart. I did not wish to see you entrapped in a marriage that you would regret."

"I can appreciate your wishing to help, but what gave you the right to conceal her being in Town? Surely that should have been proof enough that she cared?!"

"Or that she was desperate to secure you!"

"Have you met Miss Bennet? Did anything about her reveal that she was capable of such actions?"

"No."

"NO?!"

"But her mother did. It was clear that she hoped for you to make her daughter an offer. Once it became obvious that you would not return, I was sure she had sent Miss Bennet in hopes she would ensnare you again. I knew you had not be separated near long enough, and thought that more time would offer the opportunity to find your happiness elsewhere… but I was wrong."

Bingley and Richard looked at him in shock. Darcy continued.

"I have very recently been made aware of just how wrong I have been. If I could go back, things would be very different. My actions, though intended to help, have hindered you and backfired on myself. But surely all is not lost! You know Miss Bennet is in Town. I have it from a very reliable source that she did care very deeply for you!"

"Did, Darcy. The word to focus on is 'did'. It is now quite certain, that she no longer cares for me."

"How can that be?"

"You haven't asked how I found out about her being in Town, Darcy." Bingley had gotten up and was currently making himself a drink.

Darcy paled, so Richard decided he would move the conversation along. "How did you discover her being in Town, Charles?"

"Two nights ago, at the Whittaker's Ball. It seemed like any other night, at any other ball. Lots of talking, lots of dancing," he stopped before letting out a mirthless laugh, "new people to meet. We talking with the Wilkins' when someone walked by that caught their mother's attention. I am sure you have at least heard of a Mr. Oliver Andrews?"

"Yes," answered Darcy, "we attended the same university. He had graduated just before I attended, but he was often on campus, visiting with friends. I never associated with him directly."

"My family and I have! Excellent chap! He sells some of the finest pleasure mounts in the country. My father won't buy from anyone else. Georgie's mare was born and bred from his stock..." Richard trailed off after seeing the disgusted look on Bingley's face. "Of course, there is also the scandle of his first marriage."

Bingley's interest seemed peaked. "It seems everyone knows the story but I have yet to hear it. I know he has a daughter."

"According to rumors, they seemed like the ideal match," started Darcy, "until their child was born. She left and lived separately from them for a little over a year. She died in a carriage accident. He hasn't had much to do with society since even before then, however, making friends outside his usual circle. What does he have to do with Miss Bennet?"

"Among his friends are the Bennet's relations, the Gardiners. You know, the ones Caroline was determined to think ill of when she first learned of Miss Bennet's connections," he answered begrudgingly. He had hoped he would learn something useful.

"Mrs. Wilkins waved him over and we were introduce. He had been spotted about Town with a 'mystery woman' in the past couple of weeks and the ladies were determined to find out who she was, and they succeeded. The woman Mr. Andrews had been seen around with… was Miss Bennet. He has been courting her, almost from the moment he stepped foot in Town only a few weeks ago.

"He made mention of her home. Caroline and Louisa revealed that we had been there very recently. That was when I learned she had been in Town since the New Year, and that she had called on my sisters. Caroline was not happy to have been found out. She began to tell him of Miss Bennet's lack of a fortune and everything she disliked about her family. The man tore down every argument she made. 'He doesn't care about her lack of fortune for he has enough for the both of them.' 'He's been friends with the Gardiner's for years, so nothing could be said of her family that he did not already know.' Then he looked right at me and said he would make sure she knew how wonderful she is every day."

"But that hardly says she wouldn't still accept you," said Richard, taking the bourbon bottle so the distressed man could not pour himself another drink.

"Oh, I am getting to that. I confronted my sisters once we returned to Hurst's town home. Louisa showed some remorse, if only for hurting me. I can still tell she is not unhappy that Jane has apparently moved on. Caroline doesn't care at all. I believe she is under that assumption that since you and she schemed to keep me separated from Miss Bennet, you now want her for a wife." He watch the man he had considered a good friend shudder. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the sight. "I am sending her to Scarborough. I refuse to live in the same home with her at the moment. I bluntly told her you would never have her, and that made her angry."

"A woman scorned," mumbled Richard.

"Will you not go to see Miss Bennet?" asked Darcy

"That would reap disastrous consequences at this point in time. No, I had decided that I would wait and see if she refused him. Unfortunately for me, Mr. Aster had invited Caroline and I to attend the opera house with him and his wife." He filled them in on the events of the night before. "I watched as she smiled shyly at him, the same smiles she once bestowed upon me. They were different from the smiles she gives everyone else. You just had to be paying attention. He leaned over and talked with her throughout most of the performances, and she would laugh. During another break I heard about how much his mother admires hers. Mrs. Andrews had apparently spent the day telling everyone she could about how much her granddaughter adores Miss Bennet and that the little girl is excited to have her for a mother.

He told them about meeting them in the foryer, and his poor choice of words. "I want to hate him, Darcy! I have never, in my life, wanted to hate someone, but him…. I want to hate him and I can't! I want to hate you, too. I want to lay all the blame on you and my sisters, but I can't. I played my part. I made the choice not to go back. I could have ignored all of your advice, and returned to Hertfordshire, but I didn't!" he bellowed.

The room was silent once more, for a few moments anyway. The Colonel had finally realized why the name sounded familiar.

"Wait a minute! Miss Jane Bennet? As in Miss Elizabeth Bennet's elder sister?"

"How do you know Miss Elizabeth?" asked Bingley.

"She was visiting her cousin, Mr. Collins and his wife. After we left Hertfordshire, Mr. Collins married her good friend, Miss Charlotte Lucas. My aunt, as you know, is his patroness," said Darcy, looking guilty. Bingley narrowed his eyes at him.

"I am so sorry, Darcy. I thought I was helping," said Richard softly. Darcy swung his head towards his cousin.

"What did you do, Richard?"

"I saw that she was determined to dislike you, and I thought that if she knew how good you are to your friends, she might look a little kinder on you."

"That's how she knew! What were you thinking?"

"I am missing something, aren't I?" said Bingley.

Darcy sat back with a sigh. "When we were in Hertfordshire, I was drawn to Miss Elizabeth, as you were to her sister. I denied myself, knowing what is expected of me. I thought of her often in our time apart. When we arrived at Rosings, I learned of her presence in the parish. I am ashamed to say that I practically stalked her. I took every opportunity I could to speak with her. At first, I was hoping to find some fatal flaw. I only found myself drawn to her all the more. She missed dinner one night, and, seeing an opportunity, I rushed to the parish to speak with her. When I arrived, she was quite pale and did not look at me with a friendly eye. I now know why," he glared at his cousin.

"Before I could stop myself, I proposed to her, and it was not well thought out or executed. To get to the point, I now realize why she found it so insulting. I will always remember the manner in which she utterly rejected me. She told me, and I am quoting her here 'You are the last man I could ever be prevailed upon to marry.'"

Before he could stop himself, Bingley started to laugh. Richard wanted to join in, but thought better of it. Darcy was glaring at both of them.

"I am not even going to talk about the blatant hypocrisy in your actions. I think you are suffering well enough for your actions. What is it the Good Book says? 'You reap what you sow?' Now here we all are, broken and battered over the Miss Bennet's," said Bingley.

"I'm not broken and battered over a Miss Bennet," said Richard, quickly followed by "but I will be more than happy to stay and sympathize with you both… and keep you out of the brandy."

The gentlemen had all other appointments canceled and Bingley had a message sent to his sisters to inform them that he would be staying at Darcy House for the week. He would not be seeing Caroline off.

Not what I expected. We have not seen the end of their friendship, obviously. In my mind, they have both had a couple of days to think about what all that has happened. There was always a part of me that wondered why Darcy didn't tell Bingley about Jane being in Town once he got back, and I can't help but think it was a bit of pride and guilt. He didn't want to admit he was wrong, but being faced with the questions, he would. Perhaps he thought it was too late. Knowing what his sister faced before they arrived at Hertfordshire, Darcy would have been on the lookout for fortune hunters, and he believed Bingley as naïve as his sister. He honestly wanted to protect his friend, but he should have realized he was a grown (even if only just) man capable of making his own decisions. I can't make Bingley mean. He is angry and hurt, but I do not think his personality would allow him to write Darcy off completely. I can't help but feel he is one of the few friends his sisters did not run off, and that is because they approve of him and want to claim some sort of connection with him. He would not want to let that go.

I adore the Colonel. Here, he has played a bit of comic relief between the two. I want him to play a bigger part, but I am not sure how much of one he will have. I have some ideas written for him and for Bingley, but I have to get to certain parts of the story before I will or won't use them.

Next chapter: Oliver meets with Mr. Bennet!