Chapter Three

The following morning.

Fitzwilliam rubbed a hand across his face as the side door to the dining hall opened.

"Brother! You seem to be in the type of sprits' which would hint you didn't sleep well!" A voice he knew all too well cried.

Turning, Fitzwilliam smiled at his sister, Georgina, as he answered.

"You're correct. I was up late last night!"

"I hope you're not stressing over the fact you're trying to hire a governess for me." Georgina replied as she made her way over. When he felt his sister rub his shoulders, Fitzwilliam relaxed and he closed his eyes. Having endured another one of those suspense evenings, he needed someone to rub his shoulders. Georgina was there and he was thankful to her as she asked.

"Are you aware that I was hearing this baby crying all night?"

"You heard him?" A voice asked and Fitzwilliam nearly bolted out of his chair.

This startled Georgina as both brother and sister turned and when Fitzwilliam saw Miss Bennet, she was carrying Jane Bingley's son in her hands. Georgina, as Fitzwilliam straightened himself, though he disliked hearing his heart pound, exclaimed.

"Miss Bennet! I haven't seen you in a long time!"

"No, indeed, Miss Darcy! I arrived last evening and I asked your brother if I could take the position to be your governess."

"And is he your baby?" Fitzwilliam heard his sister ask.

"No." Miss Bennet's response was and Fitzwilliam heaved a sigh of relief.

"Was that from you, brother?" Elizabeth asked and Fitzwilliam wished he hadn't exposed that too loudly.

When he turned to the women, he felt his cheeks burn when Miss Bennet simply squared her shoulders as she held the baby in her hands. He was silent but he seemed to bounce his little eyes between Elizabeth as well as himself. Fitzwilliam cleared his throat as he answered.

"Yes. Perhaps I need to have my morning coffee to settle myself."

"Indeed. You should." His sister replied but Fitzwilliam embarrassment increased.

"Give credit to sisters." He thought as he gestured for Miss Bennet to take her seat.

He stood to attention but he disliked how his sister was eyeing him with her eyes of "I believe I know something you don't" eyes. He wished he could find a way to silence her but Fitzwilliam knew Georgina was sensitive. When Miss Bennet made her way over to her seat, she didn't bother to look at him as she asked.

"Miss Darcy? What shall we start with after we're finished with breakfast?"

"I wouldn't mind beginning with morning prayer before we progress with studies." Fitzwilliam sister answered.

"That sounds fine with me. Mr. Darcy?" Miss Bennet asked and Fitzwilliam was once again on the spot.

Nodding, he answered.

"Grace before we seat ourselves and then I will explain what I know to you, Miss Bennet. Georgina?"

"Yes?"

"After breakfast is finished, care to excuse yourself but keep yourself busy with the pianoforte?"

"Yes."

"Then I will lead us all in thanksgiving." Fitzwilliam finished. He ignored Miss Bennet as he started with the Sign of the Cross.

"In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…"

"Oh, no!" Lily exclaimed when Walter nodded.

"Is it true?"

"Yes. I'm afraid so. The newspapers have it all written and Steven was a witness to it."

The cook paused in her cooking as her eyes softened. She held the spoon in a way she would have been mistaken for being a scullery maid rather than a cook. She asked gently.

"They're no more than?"

"No. The manor was set on fire and Steven rushed back to inform me about it this morning. He's going to return to his family because he told me none of the Bingley's servants were left. Miss Bennet was wise to have rushed over with Mr. Darcy's heir. Because Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bingely are no more."

The sounds of the baby could be heard when Lily turned around and saw the handsome features of Charles Bingely in his son. Her heart softened when she pictured how Wickham did what he'd done to take away all the heirs for Mr. Darcy's inheritance. No wonder why he was sent on urgent business to cut his engagement of with Miss Bennet! She was unware of what was truly happening and when Lily watched as her husband approached the Bingleys son, heir to Mr. Darcy's inheritance second to Georgina, Lily prayed the next move on Wickham wouldn't be as gruesome as he'd done last night.

"He burnt the entire manor down and no doubt shot Bingely?" She asked and Walter looked at her and nodded.

"Steven was a wonderful source of information, my love. It was amazing the late Mrs. Bingley knew what was happening. She knew something was amiss on their wedding because of how Elizabeth wasn't present and she also knew Mr. Darcy was still in love with her."

"We know about it but does Miss Bennet? And yet why leave her in the dark?"

"Because he still loves her, Lillian. Any man who loves a woman wouldn't want her to suffer such a misfortune such as being haunted by a mysterious man who only wants to take away all the heirs for his inheritance. If Miss Bennet conceived, during that period which our dear Georgina Darcy is second to the inheritance, Fitzwilliam would have gone to measures to keep her safe because of the child she bore."

"Similar to the kings and queens who supplied heirs for the thrones?"

"Yes."

"Alright. I understand now."

"Yes. But because Miss Bennet was off at her governess schooling, she wasn't able to attend Charles and Jane's wedding so this information wasn't given to her. Their son is only a newly born or a month into and all this took place in less than 24 hours. Miss Bennet is going to know about her sister's passing, gruesome as it was, when I deliver the report to Mr. Darcy now."

"Does he know about this?"

"Yes. He's known about Wickham wanting his inheritance but I don't know how information reached him, but when Wickham found out Mr. Darcy asked Charles for his firstborn son to be heir to his inheritance, second to his sister, Wickham was furious."

"How in goodness sakes does that rat get his information?!"

"Don't you recall Mr. Darcy and he were friends?"

"Yes."

"Well… he's found his ways to eavesdrop on Mr. Darcy and part of it involved a secret passage which was located in the Bingley's estate. The one he burnt down."

Lillian started to stir the contents of the ingredients a little harder as she exclaimed.

"That man! However did he manage to wreck something as wonderful as a marriage such as Charles and Jane Bingely?! To make such a move such as murder to get some portion of money?!"

"Greed can take one fair, Lillian. Thank goodness Mr. Darcy is wise with his decisions and he's taught his sister how to be cautious about it too."

"What about Miss Bennet? And how is she going feel when she receives this news?"

"Not in the best of spirits, I'm afraid." Walter answered as he stood after he soothed Charles Bingley's son.

After he brushed his hands off, he walked over to the side of the table, and picking up the newspaper, he inhaled before he rolled his shoulders back. With prayer, he turned to his wife, who nodded, before he made his way into the dining hall. He prayed Mr. Darcy as well as Miss Bennet would gracefully accept the information he was going to tell them about:

"Charles and Jane Bingley – Deceased of such and such a date."

Was written on the first headline of Reading's Newspaper.