Not what they seem
In a case where nothing is ever as it seems, Longbourn Estate is much more prestigious than it appears. Elizabeth is far more highly connected than is known to Caroline. And Darcy is far less single than Caroline Bingley believes. So when Miss Bingley follows her brother to Netherfield Park, she quickly makes several assumptions which make her planned romance into a farce of epic proportions.
AN: This story is dedicated to WatcherofStories, who offered most of the twists in this tale. I've had to alter a few or your ideas somewhat, but I still hope that you enjoy the story.
On the top of Oakham Mount, 1811
"Your new home is coming along quite well, Thomas," Louis de Bourgh, the Marquess of Bromley, praised. "Though my Elizabeth may never forgive you for building your new house on her favorite reading destination in Hertfordshire."
Thomas Bennet smirked, "And here I thought that Lady Elizabeth's favorite destination was Longbourn? By relocating the estate house here, she can appreciate both. And in my defense, I have taken many of her suggestions to heart. Since she has always described Pemberley as the place that nature had done so much for, or where no natural beauty had been so little counteracted by awkward taste."
Lady Catherine, having walked up to join her husband and cousin, nodded, "It will take a few decades for the trees to grow into the same magnificence as Rosings or Pemberley, but in all other respects I believe that you have achieved a similar beauty, Thomas. Your wife would have been proud. Now that you have the house near completion, however, is it not time that you seek another wife? I would be pleased to present any number of desirable choices for you. I am most attentive on such matters."
"Peace, cousin, peace!" Mr. Bennet teased, "With the help of your husband that troublesome entail has been removed once-and-for-all. While I would love to have a son, I would also be content if one of Jane's boys could take my place."
Lady Catherine scowled at the stubborn man, "Lady Brightmore's sons will have futures enough from their father's titles and family, cousin. I should very much like to see a Bennet retaining Longbourn. After all, my mother was a Bennet and she dearly loved this estate. You have done so much to restore it to its original prominence, do not let it slip away now."
Thomas sighed. The truth was that he had love his silly wife quite dearly and had little wish to take another. Still... "I make no promises, dear cousin, but if I should meet a woman who I could bear to take as my wife, I will do so."
When Lady Catherine nodded and went off to seek out her daughters, Lord Bromley laughed, "Oh my, Thomas! You have set the cat among the canaries this time! Count on it, there will soon be a parade of eligible candidates passed before your within a fortnight."
~oOo~
Later that same day, at Netherfield, Lady Anne de Bourgh, Lady Jane Brightmore, and Lady Elizabeth Darcy went over the estate house to ensure that all was right and proper and in good repair.
Anne looked at Jane skeptically, "Is it wise to lease the estate to Mr. Bingley, Jane? Isn't he the man who was making eyes at you even with your husband Mark standing right beside you?" Jane blushed and Elizabeth laughed. Her second cousin was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful women in England. It was not unusual at all for men's eyes to fix on her regardless of the setting or company. It was well known, however, that she only had eyes for her husband.
"It was not so bad as that, Anne. He was simply being friendly. I did not sense any of the uncomfortable implications that I get from other men of the Ton." She shivered. It was not uncommon for some men, even men of high station, to undress her with their eyes. Some had even tried to suggest assignations, but she always and quickly discouraged such improper behaviors. Though Jane might seem soft-spoken and innocent, when challenged she could bear her claws quickly enough. She did often wish that she had her cousin Elizabeth's gift for words in such situations.
Lady Elizabeth interjected, "I believe that the viscount had a private word with Mr. Bingley to make matters clear. Knowing that he was going to be away with my husband for at least the next month, he did not wish for Mr. Bingley to get any ideas."
Wanting to change the subject, Jane asked, "How are you truly, Anne?"
Lady Anne de Bourgh was Elizabeth's older sister by three years. She would have already been wed to Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, Darcy's cousin, but she took gravely ill right before the wedding. Since the conflict on the continent pulled the Colonel away soon thereafter, the engagement had now been extended by two years. "I am fully recovered, dear Jane. When my Richard finally steps on these shores, I will waste not a minute in changing my last name and claiming my beloved."
"I am pleased to hear it."
If Jane thought that she had thus avoided the issue of the Bingley's she was sadly mistaken. Elizabeth told an amusing anecdote, "Mr. Bingley brings along his two sisters and the older sister's husband. To move matters along in London, Fitzwilliam offered Darcy House as the setting for signing the lease. It seems that Miss Bingley came along. She was most impressed with both my tall husband and our fine home. My housekeeper heard her scheming to become the next Mrs. Darcy and already planning out renovations and redecorations of the town house."
"No! It cannot be!" Anne said, "First of all, what could she possibly wish to alter about Darcy House? Lady Anne allowed you free rein to redecorate and everyone raves about the new look! And who is this chit to think that she will be your husband's next wife? Does she plan on murdering you first?"
Elizabeth laughed, "She has only recently relocated from Scarborough, the family home where their father's factories reside. It seems that she believes that the family's wealth makes them eligible for the highest circles. And it also seems that she is quick to make assumptions, the first being that my husband is single, since neither I nor our son were there at the time of the visit."
Jane, who had her eyes opened after a few years of marriage and closer contact with the Ton, sighed, "I shall inform her of her mistake as soon as they arrive. Who knows what manner of trouble she may cause otherwise."
Anne and her sister Elizabeth exchanged looks and grinned. Then Elizabeth countered, "Perhaps we should wait a while on that. Let us find out more about Miss Bingley's character."
~oOo~
"Can you believe that family?! How can they even style themselves as genteel?!" Caroline Bingley barked.
"Of who are you speaking, Sister," Louisa Hurst queried, confused.
"Why, those Bennets! The two eldest daughters are both carting around children out of wedlock! It is vile! Despicable! I cannot believe that the locals even acknowledge them, and yet I have heard mention of the Bennet ladies as 'Jewels of the County'! What at joke it is!"
As neither of the Bingley sisters had been out of Scarborough until recently, they did not know how prominent the Bennet family truly was, nor that Elizabeth was not actually a Bennet, but a de Bourgh by birth. She had often been in residence with her favorite cousin, so the locals often thought of Elizabeth and Jane as sisters, but even they knew the truth. It was a part of Elizabeth's nature, however, that she seldom put on airs. Despite the fact that her father was the Marquess of Bromley, and she was properly addressed as Lady Elizabeth, she squashed that tendency with the locals of Meryton at young age. To them she was simply Elizabeth... which allowed Caroline Bingley to completely miss the truth.
Louisa knew that her sister was one to often rush her assumptions. It had gotten her into trouble on more than one occasion. "Caro, you need to be careful. Just because you haven't met their husbands yet does not mean that there aren't any. If they had children out of wedlock, don't you think that somebody would have said as much?"
Caroline scoffed and ignored her sister, then went on to complain, "Charles told us that he would be meeting with Mr. Darcy here soon, but where is the man? I have already ordered that a room be prepared for my future husband. He should be here by now!"
Now Louisa was concerned, "Caro! You have only just met the man and he made no overtures to you! Are you mad? You cannot go around claiming that Mr. Darcy is your betrothed! He is enormously wealthy and will inherit a great estate in Derbyshire when his father passes. We are merely children of trade."
"Do not ever say that to me again!" Caroline hissed. She hated any mention of her father's business or her 'tainted' origins. "Of course I will marry Mr. Darcy! Do you think that his father will pass soon? I have been making plans for when I am the Mistress of Pemberley."
Louisa shook her head and exited her sister's rooms. When she told her husband all that Caroline had said, the man almost fell off of his chair laughing, "Oh dear! I took a ride with Charles yesterday up to the top of Oakham Mount, where Mr. Bennet is nearing completion on the new manse. Louisa, it is comparable to many of the great houses! Longbourn earns upwards to eight-thousand a year, but Bennet also owns this estate and two more. If he combined them together the entire whole would net around twelve-thousand a year!
"Not only that, but that blond haired daughter, Jane, is actually Viscountess Brightmore, while her 'sister' Elizabeth is Lady Elizabeth Darcy, Mr. Darcy's wife and the daughter of the Marquess of Bromley! Where in this world does your sister get her information?"
Louisa sighed as she sat beside her husband on the loveseat and leaned against him, "I think that she makes it up as she goes, Earnest. Do you think... is Caroline possibly demented?"
"I cannot say..." Hurst had strong opinions on the matter, but he did not wish to hurt his wife's feelings, "But I do think that we must do all that we can to mitigate any harm that Caroline might do to the rest of us."
Louisa tried to speak to her delusional sister later that same day, but to no avail. Caroline would not hear any ideas but her own.
Longbourn Manor, November 26th, 1811
Caroline had refused to accept the invitation to a ball to be held at Longbourn up until her brother informed her that her Mr. Darcy would be in attendance. She could not understand why someone as prominent as Mr. Darcy would deign to give consequence to such a family. Still, it would be only the third time that she had seen her future husband since he came to the area. She had been frustrated when Mr. Darcy did not come to stay at Netherfield as she had planned. She did not know where the man was staying, but assumed that it must be at the inn. Perhaps he was conscious of propriety. People might talk if he stayed in the same house as his fiancée!
She had seen Mr. Darcy outside of Netherfield several times, but he always collected her brother by the stables and then they rode off together for the lessons. He had only come into the house once. Caroline had tried to latch onto him, but he had quickly adjourned with her brother to his study. It was very frustrating. But tonight she was certain that her Mr. Darcy would solicit the first dance from her! That meant that they needed to get to that dreadful Longbourn on time! Usually she preferred to be fashionably late and make an entrance, but that hovel was hardly worth the bother of making an entrance.
They had traveled by carriage for three miles when Caroline looked out and saw Longbourn passing by. "Charles, your really must train your coachman better! He just passed by the Longbourn shack!"
Looking confused, Charles looked out, "I would hardly call the old Longbourn a 'shack,' Caroline. And that is the steward's house now. The new Longbourn is two miles further." Beside her, Louisa looked embarrassed, while diagonal from her Mr. Hurst wore a smirk. If Caroline ever paid the man any notice, she might have wondered at his expression. Instead, she smoothed her skirt and demanded, "Will we arrive in time, Charles? I would not wish to disappoint Mr. Darcy."
Charles could not fathom what his sister meant by that, so he wisely chose to sooth her first concern, "Mr. Bennet only recently graveled the entire road to his estate, so we should be there in another fifteen minutes at most. We will be there in plenty of time for the opening dance." His mind was on Eloise Long when he made that statement. He was oblivious to Caroline's own delusions. It had taken him more than a week when they first arrived to finally look away from Lady Brightmore's beauty and begin to see other local ladies. Since then he had formed an attachment to Miss Long which looked very promising for both of them.
As promised, the carriage arrived with time to spare. That was well because there were at least five other carriages disgorging stylish celebrants at the same time. Had Caroline had any exposure to London and the Ton, she might have been astounded at the consequence of the attendees. As it was, she was shocked at the majesty of the structure they were approaching. "This... this cannot be!" Caroline protested. The new Longbourn was at least twice the size of Netherfield Park and done in the finest Palladian style! It was, in a word, magnificent! And set as it was on the highest prominence in the neighborhood, it offered an incredible view in the setting sun. "How...? How can this be, Charles? Surely we are at the wrong location? This cannot belong to those Bennets?"
Charles cast a look around worriedly at his sister's shrill declaration. Then he grabbed her elbow and leaned close, hissing, "I do not know what you are getting at, Caro, but listen to me: The Bennets are a very prominent family with connections beyond your ken. Do not do or say anything to offend them or their guests, or your entry into the Ton will vanish forever."
The Hursts, for their part, has wisely chosen to walk ahead and distance themselves from their delusionary sister.
Caroline's first wake-up call came in the form of seeing Jane in the receiving line with a handsome and distinguished looking man who was introduced at her husband, the Lord Brightmore. Caroline couldn't help but sneer, wondering what schemes and machinations poor Jane Bennet must have used to capture such a husband.
Her next shock was when she learned that the couple behind her, an older man and a younger woman, were the Duke of Devonshire and one of his daughters, Lady Abigail. It almost seemed, by their manner of speaking with the surprisingly debonair looking Mr. Bennet that the Duke was seeking a match between Lady Abigail and Mr. Bennet! But that was ridiculous!
But the worst shock upon stepping past the receiving line was seeing that fallen woman, Miss Elizabeth Bennet's hand held possessively in her Mr. Darcy's arm! Was she his mistress?! She wanted to rush over and separate the pair, but she did not wish to cause a scene.
Luckily, Caroline happened to glance over an recognize one lady she did know from her short sojourn in London. She had been with her brother at Mr. Darcy's house when Lady Catherine de Bourgh paid a visit to her dear nephew. Surely she, of all people, would be able to induce a separation between that creature and her Mr. Darcy?!
Thus resolved, she stepped up to the woman and curtsied. "Lady Catherine, it is a pleasure to meet you again."
The woman, standing next to the man who must be her husband and a somewhat pale lady who was almost past the age of maidenhood, raised an eyebrow at Caroline. Beside her Lady Anne hid a smile with her hand and whispered something to her father. Caroline saw nothing as she barreled on. "You might not remember me, but I was a guest at your nephew's house in London when you paid a visit. Seeing how dearly you love your nephew, I thought that I should bring a troubling matter to your attention."
"And what would that be, young lady?"
"Only this, do you see that woman who has latched onto your nephew's arm? I have it on good authority that she is the worst sort of woman. Why, she even had a son out of wedlock! Surely you would not wish to see such a vile creature attaching herself to your nephew?"
Legend has it that poor Mr. Bennet had to hire carpenters to check all of the nails in his new house after that night, so loudly and vociferously did Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Marchioness of Bromley, lay into poor, delusional Miss Caroline Bingley. As soon as Charles felt safe enough to approach, he dragged his quaking sister back out of the house and to his carriage, where he sent her back to Netherfield with plans to return her to Scarborough the very next day.
Lady Catherine was only calmed when her two daughter admitted that they had allowed the foolish woman to believe as she wished, giving her just enough rope to hang herself with. It took the collective amusement of her husband, Mr. Bennet, and the Duke of Devonshire to finally restore her good humor.
Lady Abigail was so taken with the still handsome Mr. Bennet... and his home... that she was more than pleased when he seemed to return her interest. The Duke was also pleased with the match, though he exercised his considerable power in Parliament to see his new son-in-law made into a baron. This only served to enhance the attractiveness of Bennet's three unmarried daughters. They all married very well and happily.
Lady Abigail Bennet, though older and widowed, still managed to give her dear husband two sons to carry on the Bennet name. They shared their cousin Elizabeth's sense of humor, so Meryton was entertained by pranks for at least another generation.
Elizabeth was appropriately punished by her mother for her joke when that lady installed herself and her husband at Darcy House for three months full. Of course the true reason for this was so that her other daughter, Lady Anne, could honeymoon at Rosings with her husband Richard. He had returned wounded and unable to travel. Anne, no longer willing to wait, had seen to the procurement of a special license so that she could marry him and tend to his wounds herself. Elizabeth jested that Anne had more of her mother in her than she admitted.
Charles, despite the horrific display by his sister, was forgiven and continued to be welcome in Meryton. He was wed to Eloise Long before the year was out. They found an estate in the south of England, as far away from Scarborough as possible.
The Hursts returned to London, where they slowly and patiently built a life and a reputation as good and dependable people... unlike the "mad harridan" from the north.
As for the "mad harridan," as she became known from tales of that famous ball, she disappeared into Scarborough, never to be heard from again. One might question her brother or sister on her whereabouts, but nobody ever did.