A/N: In this chapter we will become reacquainted with a character whom we all love to hate.
In response to a guest review:
There will no violence, sexual or otherwise in this story, except against inanimate objects. This story is meant to entertain not frighten. Darcy is not a stalker or a rapist. I was shocked when those words were used! He is just a man lacking in social skills who has been spoiled beyond belief. If you got that feeling I am wondering at your powers of perception.
Bingley had stayed away from his home for the past three days. He had much to think about and wanted to do so alone not in the presence of his sisters. He slept at his club and walked circles around Hyde Park contemplating Jane's words. In his head, he knew Jane would not intentionally tell him a falsehood. It was not in her nature. In his heart, he felt guilt at suspecting his sisters of such treachery. Jane advised him to rely on his own judgment but in following her advice was he just relying on her opinion instead of the opinion of others? What a conundrum! What did he want? After much soul searching Bingley decided that he wanted nothing more than to have Jane as his wife. He felt complete in her company. He wanted her respect and her love. If he had to be wary of his sisters' true intentions to gain her hand, so be it.
After making his momentous decision he finally returned to his home. Upon entering the house, he heard terrible screeching and things crashing against the walls. Soon any doubts he had regarding his earlier choice would be put to rest tenfold. He could have never have imagined such a scene in his most outrageous dreams.
He ran into the drawing room thinking that someone was being attacked. The only thing being attacked however were his furnishings. His sister Caroline looked possessed. She was throwing anything she could get her hands on while screaming at the top of her lungs, "I hate her! I hate her! I hate her!"
"Caroline, stop! What are you doing? What is wrong with you?" Bingley called out wondering what had induced his prim and proper sister to act like a heathen.
"You!" his sister screeched. "You did this! If you never leased that pitiful estate in that backwoods little shire this never would have happened! This is all your fault! I will never forgive you!"
"Caroline stop this at once and tell me of what you are speaking!" Bingley replied.
"She knows," his sister Louisa said as she stepped out from a protected corner.
"Knows what? Will someone please explain to me what is going on?" Bingley said.
"She read the paper." Louisa continued thinking that was enough of an explanation.
"That does not help me understand what is going on here. Why Caroline is destroying my home?" Bingley answered.
"She knows about Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet." said an exasperated Louisa.
"What about them?" Bingley asked.
"Are you trying to tell me you did not know they were engaged?" his sister turned harpy screeched.
"Darcy is engaged to Elizabeth Bennet? I had no idea, honestly I did not." Bingley replied.
"Look, look it is right here in the London Times." Caroline replied as she threw a crumpled up newspaper at his head. Charles Bingley smoothed out the abused paper and then he saw the announcement that had caused his sister to lose her mind.
"Well I am beyond shocked. I did not believe that Miss Elizabeth even liked him. Darcy did not mention a word. Although, he did have an unusual amount of knowledge regarding the movements of the Bennet family the last time I saw him." Bingley chuckled.
His laughter caused his sister to erupt once again. "This is no laughing matter! He cannot marry that country nobody! He is mine! He is supposed to marry me! I will not allow it! She does not deserve to be Mistress of Pemberley! She is nothing! I thought I was rid of the Bennets for good when I removed that simpering elder sister of hers from your life. This will not happen!"
"Caroline, that is enough." Louisa pleaded trying to stop her from continuing on in that particular direction. Caroline was too far gone to listen to reason and continued digging her hole.
"That little country chit thinks she is worthy of my Darcy. I taught her insipid sister a lesson about reaching beyond her own circle and Elizabeth Bennet is next!" Caroline screamed as another vase met its demise against the fireplace.
"What are you talking about Caroline? What did you do to Miss Bennet?" Bingley demanded of his sister.
"I made sure that worthless piece of baggage could not ensnare you with her arts and allurements. I made sure she understood she was not worthy of a Bingley and you were to marry Miss Darcy!" she growled.
"Caroline, you told me Miss Bennet didn't care for me. You swore you were looking out for my welfare." Bingley practically yelled at his sister.
"And you were naïve enough to believe me. I did what was best for my family and one day you will thank me for it!" Caroline screamed as she started ripping apart the pillows on the settee.
Bingley was thunderstruck. Jane had been absolutely in the right. He really did not know his own family. He turned away from Caroline and glared at Louisa. "Did you know of this? Were you part of this plot as well? Did you lie to me when you told me Miss Bennet had no feelings for me?" Louisa would not reply and only looked at the ground apparently cataloguing broken pieces of china.
"Of course she did, you dolt!" shrieked Caroline. "We have been planning to dissuade you from offering for Miss Bennet since we arrived at Netherfield. Darcy even agreed with us at one point and now, now, he as offered for that impertinent, coarse, little harlot!"
"Caroline, you will cease this behavior at once or I will have you shipped off to Bedlam. I am disgusted that you would act in such a way. You knew how much I cared for Miss Bennet! We have both suffered horribly over the past months. Miss Bennet was so ill with grief she could have perished." Bingley replied angrily.
"I wish she would have perished! I wish the ground would open and swallow the entire Bennet family!" Caroline replied malevolently.
Bingley then proceeded to lose his temper as he never did before in his twenty-five years. "Enough! I will not hear one more word against the Bennet family! You will cease your vulgar language. I was such a fool. I believed every lie you told me. I could not conceive that my own family would be deceitful and uncaring. I defended you to Jane. What was I thinking? She must so disillusioned with me. I will have you know that I intend to propose to Miss Bennet and I pray to God that she will accept me." Bingley thundered.
"You will not! I forbid it! I will never speak to you again." Miss Bingley countered believing such a threat would cow her younger brother into submission. He could not do without her company and guidance.
"Good! That will save me the trouble of severing my relationship with you. Unless you and Louisa can graciously welcome Miss Bennet to this family I want nothing to do with either of you. You are no longer welcome in my home and I will not continue to support you financially. You can live off your dowry and spout your venom somewhere else. I have never been so appalled in all my life." Bingley added furiously.
The mention of finances stopped Caroline in her tracks. "You cannot be serious Charles! You will throw over your family for that strumpet and her vulgar relations?" Caroline said with a sneer.
"I will do so immediately! Until I can trust in your characters you are not welcome in my home or in my purse. And incidentally there was never anything that could have persuaded Darcy to marry you. He was set against you after your first meeting! Please see yourselves out at once. I will inform the staff that you are not to receive admittance and they will send your belonging to Hurst's townhouse." Bingley yelled as he stormed out the room. He went to his study and locked the door. He took a rather long drink directly from a decanter of brandy and for the first time he actually felt like he was his own man.
The next morning Bingley arrived bright and early on the Gardiner's doorstep. He stood outside rehearsing his planned speech over and over again. The Gardiner's oldest child entered the dining room and proclaimed their visitor's presence outside of the home.
"Why do you think he hasn't knocked on the door?" Elizabeth questioned.
"Well he seems to be having a very serious conversation." Anthony replied.
"With whom?" Jane asked.
"Himself," Anthony replied with a grin. "Shall I sneak around the side and try to hear what he is saying?" the child replied.
"Of course not. That would be quite rude. Haven't I told you never to eavesdrop." His mother replied.
"Yes mother," a disappointed Anthony replied.
"Well let us proceed to the parlor and await our guest. Although Jane, a man who talks to himself that intently may be a bit worrisome." Mr. Gardiner teased.
After waiting about twenty minutes or so the family became a bit concerned. "Perhaps I should go to the door." Jane said.
"No, no, the man would be embarrassed if anyone overhead his rumblings. Let us be patient." Mrs. Gardiner replied.
A good ten minutes later Mr. Bingley was shown into the parlor. He looked flushed and nervous. The family did a good job of hiding their mirth considering they knew what he had been doing on their doorstep. Hopefully the neighbors did not see him.
Mr. Bingley sat down but could not help his fidgeting. Mrs. Gardiner and Jane attempted to put him at ease but it did not seem to be working. "I have something to say." he finally uttered. "I have something I need to say to all of you. I am sure you are aware that I had accepted an explanation from my sisters regarding their ill-mannered behavior to Miss Bennet. They had insisted they were acting in my best interests and I believed their words to be true. Miss Bennet took me to task on the matter." he said with a smile directed towards Jane.
Jane blushed at his words and began an apology, "Mr. Bingley I did not mean to."
"Miss Bennet please do not apologize. What you said was hard to hear but I appreciate your candor more than you can ever know. I have discovered that you were completely correct. My sisters were acting in a contemptible manner and are guilty of telling many falsehoods both to you and myself. I discovered the incontrovertible truth yesterday. The words that came out of Caroline's mouth were vile. I was played the fool by my own family and my sisters were proud of their success. I find myself betrayed by the very persons I had the most trust in." Bingley said sadly.
"I am very sorry for you. It must be an awful thing for you to have to face." Jane replied thoughtfully.
"I truly thank you for helping to open my eyes Miss Bennet." Bingley replied with an adoring gaze. "I have felt the need to sever my relationship with my sisters until they can behave in an appropriate fashion. They have taken up residence in Mr. Hurst's townhouse and are no longer welcome in my home."
"I am very surprised that you have taken such drastic measures." Mr. Gardiner replied.
"It had to be done. The things that Caroline said were so hateful. She wished for harm to come to a family that I have come to care for deeply. She also destroyed my drawing room in a rage." Bingley added with a grimace. "I surprised myself with my reaction. I did not know I possessed the strength."
"I did, you just needed the time to find it in yourself." Jane replied with a blush.
Mr. Bingley walked over to Jane and knelt before her forgetting there was anyone else present. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner began to discretely leave the room assuming some privacy would be in order. Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet were the last to leave still slightly apprehensive regarding Mr. Bingley. Mrs. Gardiner gave them a gentle tug and whispered, "Do not fear. Jane knows what she is about. I have complete faith that she can handle herself. I will leave the door ajar to ease your minds."
Fifteen minutes later a jubilant Mr. Bingley appeared in the hall. He proceeded to the library where the rest of the family had retreated. "Mr. Bennet may I request a few moments of your time?" he asked.
"Yes, yes, if you must." Mr. Bennet replied in his usual cranky manner.
"Miss Elizabeth, your sister requests your presence in the parlor. Yours as well Mrs. Gardiner." he said with a smile.
Mr. Bennet invited Mr. Gardiner to stay for the discussion and the ladies hurried into the parlor. There sat Jane with the most beautiful smile on her face and tears of joy in her eyes. "Oh Lizzy, I am so happy. I never dreamed we would reach this point not after the past few months. I am so happy. I have never been so happy in my life." Jane gushed as she hugged her sister.
"Jane are you sure? Is this your choice? Is this what you want? It is so soon after everything that has occurred." her sister questioned.
"Yes, it is what I want and for the right reasons now. I no longer hold onto my childish thoughts of a perfect marriage. Relationships can be difficult but Charles, Mr. Bingley, has grown so much. He has shown that he respects my thoughts and wishes and will endeavor to ensure my happiness. He was proven that he will struggle to reach his own ambitions and not blindly follow the whims of others. I was not completely sure until I heard his speech today but now I am. We have both learned valuable lessons." Jane assured her.
"Then I am happy for you. I wish you joy my sweet niece." Mrs. Gardiner replied and drew her into a hug.
"As am I." Elizabeth replied. "All I have ever wanted was your happiness and security. I think you have grown as well. I am so proud of you."
The men rejoined them shortly thereafter. Bingley looked a bit green and rushed to Jane's side. Elizabeth assumed her male relatives had menaced him a bit and was glad for it. She was sure they meant well and a bit of a reminder of his past transgressions was not uncalled for in this case. She truly wished them well and now only had to concern herself with her own unsettled future.
"Well, I am sure there is no need to make this declaration but I will not be robbed of announcing my eldest daughter's engagement. Jane and Mr. Bingley are to be married and I have granted my consent. It was a long time in coming but I wish them both great felicity in their future together." Mr. Bennet said proudly.
The couple accepted more good wishes from all the family. Elizabeth approached Mr. Bingley, "I am delighted to welcome you to the family. I have always wanted a brother." she said with an impertinent smirk. "I must ask now that we are to be family, did Miss Bingley destroy your drawing room because of your engagement to my sister?"
"No," Mr. Bingley replied. "She destroyed it when she heard about yours."