This is a NEW chapter, I deleted the old one and changed the plot. I'll explain more at the end, enjoy!
Chapter 8:
Mr. Darcy stood up suddenly, anger filling his lungs.
"What are you doing here?!" he said, in a menacing voice.
"Oh, that? I came inside. It is not so very quite hard. All I had to do was charm one of the maids and she allowed me right in" he said nonchalantly, walking over to the table and reaching for an apple, which he held with fascination in his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Bingley."
Caroline looked simply horrified. Was this the Mr. Wickham? To her surprise, she found him very handsome. No wonder Miss Darcy fell for him! He noticed the blush on her cheeks and winked at her.
"You seem to have been treading dangerous waters Miss Bingley" began Mr. Wickham. "I do not think you truly considered the cards before you."
"You cannot speak to me if you have not been formally introduced" she said haughtily, still sitting and now lifting her chin in defiance.
"What do you want, George?" said Mr. Darcy, ignoring Miss Bingley, he would deal with her later. "I have your debts—do you want me to send you to prison? We had a deal"
"I think we can make a new deal...it seems you are in need of assistance" he said, winking again at Miss Bingley, this time, making her feel uncomfortable.
"No! I will make no more deals, not with you and not with you" spat Mr. Darcy, in full force, looking at both of them. "You cannot ruin my name and you will not ruin Georgiana. I will do what I should have done years ago, George, send you to prison!"
"You wouldn't" said Wickham, his voice sounding uneasy. "I shall spread the truth wide and near. You and your sister shall be ruined!"
"I shall" said Mr. Darcy, calling for a servant. Wickham backed away but was stopped by Mr. Bingley who had heard a commotion and now entered the room. Servants soon followed.
"Seize him!" screamed Mr. Darcy, "I need the town's magistrate, as soon as possible" he said to one of the boys, handing him a coin in his hand. "I will deal with you later" said Darcy to Miss Bingley.
Two of the servants were armed and tied Mr. Wickham, taking him to a room to await for the magistrate. Mr. Darcy was pacing knowing that he needed to what must be done but there would be consequences. He and Georgiana may be ruined if news got out of their almost elopement but he did not care. They could not live like this. A life full of fear was not worth living. A life with her, even less. Suddenly, Elizabeth flashed through his eyes—would she still have him? If the Darcys were ruined? He could not dwell on that, he needed to take care of this matter as soon as possible.
The magistrate appeared in haste some thirty minutes later, shocked by the scene before him. Mr. Darcy dismissed all of the servants, Miss Bingley, but asked Mr. Bingley to stay. He showed him the debts that Mr. Wickham still owed and explained the danger that he was to society. The Magistrate nodded, for a man like Mr. Darcy was not to be trifled with.
"What would you like me to do?" he asked.
"Punished. In prison, sent to America, it matters not. I do not want to see his face again" said Mr. Darcy. "I thank you" he said, extending his hand, "Please let me know when it is all done. I will write to my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam who will accompany him wherever you justice sends him. He will be here in the morrow."
It was hours after that Mr. Darcy had written to Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana, that he finally allowed himself to stop and think. With any luck, the Colonel who was in London will have gotten the express and will have arrived by the morning. He would not let that scoundrel out of sight.
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By the next morning, Colonel Fitzwilliam had arrived and was told where to find the magistrate who told them they would leave in the hour. The Colonel was tired but was used to sweat and blood and there was a thrill and a feeling of vengeance that pulsed through his veins. He hated Wickham and needed all but an excuse to kill him himself.
"You filth" said Fitzwilliam, kicking Wickham as he shoved him in the cell where he would be transported. "You could have had a great life—with Darcy's help—but instead you ruined every opportunity given to you"
Mr. Wickham simply smirked at his opponent, did not even try to fight. His hands were tied behind his back and his legs were tied together.
"I care not for what you think of me" he spat, "I enjoyed my life"
"There is more life for you and I hope to God that there will be no enjoyment left" said the Colonel with fury in his eyes.
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It had been a full two days since the Ball and Jane had no heard from Mr. Bingley. There was an eerie silence from Netherfields Hall. Lizzie could not take her mother's neck turning at every quarter of an hour, glancing outside to see if Mr. Bingley was on his way, for she was sure, she he would be coming and asking for a private audience with Mr. Bennet.
Jane was embroidering a handkerchief, her erect posture, simple gown, and soft curls making for a beautiful picture with the sun precipitating through the windows. Lizzie was struck by how beautiful her sister was.
A servant interrupted her thought, coming in with a note. She handed it to Miss Bennet, curtsied and left the room.
"Oh" said Jane in a whisper, covering her mouth with her delicate hand. "The note is from Miss Bingley, they are leaving town tomorrow and are not returning. This must have been written in haste for the handwriting is very hard to leave. Here, look" she handed it to Elizabeth who read it rapidly, aware of their family's gazing eyes.
"Dear Miss Bennet,
I am afraid we are leaving town and not returning. My brother will be returning to London where he has some business to attend to and I have chosen to stay with him, acting as hostess for our home in London. My apologies for not taking leave in person, there was a sudden change in plans. Mr. Darcy is very eager to see Miss Darcy and I as well, for we are to be sisters. Perhaps we shall meet again in the future.
Until then,
Caroline Bingley"
"This is very sudden" said Elizabeth after a moment of contemplation.
"Humph" said Mrs. Bennet, "This all sounds very odd, Jane. To think he was close to proposing and now is leaving and not coming back"
"Why would he not pay you a visit, if he was so in love?" asked Lydia.
"I cannot make sense of this myself. If you will excuse me, mama, I would like to lie down" said Jane, keeping her calm demeanor as always. But Lizzie saw that behind the calm was hurt and tears that were threatening to come out.
"Of course, darling" said Mrs. Bennet, patting her hand. "Do not fret, he shall be back to ask for your hand."
Elizabeth gave Jane a few minutes alone before following her upstairs and entering their room quietly.
"Jane?" she said, opening the door. "May I enter?"
"Of course, Lizzie" said Jane, forcing a smile. She motioned for Lizzie to join her on the edge of the bed.
"How do you feel?" asked Lizzie, looking up at her beloved sister's face.
"I do not know. It all seems very odd. Why would he not visit me instead and tell me?"
"Perhaps he does not trust himself….he might reveal his feelings or his intentions. No one who saw him with you would doubt his affection" said Lizzie, reaching for her sister's hand across the bed. "Though it is odd" continued Lizzie, wanting to make Jane feel better, "It is evident that he insisted that Miss Bingley write to you, for she seems reluctant in her writing. He wanted you to at least know of their plans, instead of waiting for him." Lizzie would have not really believed that Caroline would have written that letter nor been truthful. She always felt that Caroline did not think Jane was worthy of Mr. Bingley, but she knew that thought deceitful, she would not outright lie.
"Yes, I suppose" said Jane, a tear falling down her face. "I shall be fine"
"Of course you will, but I do not think this is the last that we will see of him"
"Perhaps. However, it was his purpose to notify me so I would not think he will come back and thus I shall keep that in mind" said Jane, taking a deep breath. "Whether he comes back or not, I will always remember him as the most amiable gentleman of my acquaintance"
"As will I" said Lizzie, smiling. "I think you should go to London, stay with our aunt and uncle"
"They do not run in the same circles, I might not even see him"
"I supposed that is true, however, I was not suggesting it just in case you do see him. I think it will be good for you to get out of Hertfordshire till the rumors become old news. Mama and Sir Lucas were speaking of your wedding as if it were expect...hearing that he has left, might make you uncomfortable here"
"You are right, I shall write to Aunt Gardiner, I do love spending time with her family" said Jane, with a sideways smile. "Do you mind if I do so alone?"
"No, of course" said Lizzie, understanding that although Jane did not show much, it did not mean that she did not feel much. Though Jane had not expressed the expectation that he would propose, it was evident that she very much hoped he would and thereby now had to deal with the reality that he had no intention to.
Why would he leave so suddenly? Asked Lizzie to herself. If Lizzie thought all of those things did not add up, she was not ready for the news that came later that afternoon.
It was at supper that Mr. Collins cleared his throat, silencing the family, and declared:
"Dearest Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, I must thank you profusely for your hospitality. Not only have you welcomed me into your home but it is due to this visit that I have found the woman of my dreams and she has readily accepted" he began, grinning widely. Mr. Bennet stared in shock. The younger girls were holding back laughter-for who would ever accept him? Mary seemed distraught. And Mrs. Bennet burst out in shock:
"You sly thing, Lizzie! You did not tell us he had proposed! Oh what joy to have a daughter to be married!"
"Ahem, no, Mrs. Bennet. I did not ask Cousin Elizabeth for her hand in marriage. It seemed to me that she was not interested. I am referring to Miss Charlotte Lucas, your kind neighbor" he explained. If he thought that explanation would soothe Mrs. Bennet, he was very mistaken. She looked like she was ready to burst.
"Alas, you said you would choose from one of our girls—"
"Congratulations, when are the nuptials?" interrupted Mr. Bennet, giving a meaningful look at Mrs. Bennet. He knew perfectly well that Lizzie would have never done for him.
"We would like to be married in fortnight" he announced. Jane now felt obliged to congratulate him and this led him on a rant of the importance and happiness found only in matrimony. He had not mean to wound his cousin, but she felt a pang of sadness at being reminded of Mr. Bingley's departure.
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The next morning brought Mr. Collin's departure, which was gladly received by the entire family. To their displeasure, he requested to be allowed to stay in their humble abode in two weeks time, for the wedding. Mrs. Bennet begrudgingly accepted. She was sulking in the drawing room when Hill came in and notified the missus of a most newsworthy event.
"Mr. Wickham has been sent to prison?!" said Mrs. Bennet, her loud voice catching the attention of all her girls. Hill told her what she had heard: he owed great many debts to Mr. Darcy who sent for the Magistrate and sent him to a debtor's prison in London.
"But he was so handsome!" shrieked Lydia, "What a waste to be sent to prison!"
"Lydia!" rebuked Lizzie, who had always suspected something untruthful about him, "He was dishonest with the townspeople and it seems he had already got more debt in his short stay."
In the coming days, more rumors of Mr. Wickham came to life. They were enough to horrify the Bennets and count themselves lucky for his leave of absence.
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Charlotte came by that afternoon, hoping to speak to Lizzie. Judging by Mrs. Bennet's cold reception, Charlotte suggested they take a walk, for she understood that she was not welcomed.
"I apologize for my mother's behavior" said Lizzie, when they were outside by the garden.
"I understand" said Charlotte, "She was hoping he would marry one of you. I know what it is like to want your children to be married. My parents gave up on my prospects many moons ago. I do not think they believed someone as plain as me and with very little money would bring in such a fine match"
"Fine match? You cannot be serious Charlotte!" said Lizzie. "He is the most ridiculous man in the world and you cannot deny it!"
"I do not, but do not judge me Lizzie. You are beautiful and still young. I am neither of those things and this was likely the last offer I would ever receive. I do not want to become a burden to my family. This will buy me my freedom" said Charlotte, calmly. She was happy and very at ease with her decision.
"You seem happy" noted Lizzie, wanting to be angry but understanding that she could not judge Charlotte any further.
"I am happy. I do not fancy myself in love with him but I never wanted to marry for love, that was you and Jane, and I hope that that will still happen for you. It is, however, not the path that was chosen for me" she said regretfully. "I hope we will still continue our friendship. My father and Maria are planning on visiting me in February. Can you join their party and come as well? It would mean a lot to me. You are like a sister to me, Eliza"
"Of course" said Lizzie, still shocked. She wanted to mourn for Charlotte what she would now never have: a life full of love. Lizzie underestimated Charlotte's wisdom when making this decision and did not know, nor would Charlotte tell her, that she helped bring it along. She gave Mr. Collins all the encouragement he needed and was not surprised, though pleased, when he finally proposed.
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I'm baaaccccckkkk. I apologize for my absence. I had originally written this chapter to please the readers and all the comments that wanted Caroline's demise, I felt the story was moving too slowly and really wrote the last chapter for others, not for myself. And it didn't feel right, I couldn't continue, it wasn't how I had envisioned certain scenes happening so I went back deleted and decided to continue the story that I had originally set out to write. I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)
Let me know what you think!
p.s. for all of those you worried, caroline WILL get her demise...