Chapter 10

Caroline and Louisa woke up early because they wanted to talk to their brother before he left for London. But Mr. Bingley was not in the mood to talk to his sisters because he was still mad at them. Moreover, after the incident on the terrace, they did not allow him to be alone with Jane for a second, and he really wanted to inform her about his temporary departure due to urgent business. Also, he tried to tell her that when he returned to Hertfordshire, he would ask Mr. Bennet's permission to court her.

Caroline noticed how quiet her brother and Mr. Darcy were and decided not to talk directly to them for the moment. Mr. Bingley's sisters planned to return to London the next day and keep their brother there for the rest of the season. When Caroline learned that Mr. Darcy was leaving Netherfield, she knew there was nothing that could keep her in that horrible place.

"Louisa, I cannot believe how horrible the Bennet family is. Just remembering how the two younger sisters ran after the officers, almost drunk, makes me feel horrified."

"And the other sister making a fool of herself singing that awful song and her father making fun of her in front of everyone. It's inconceivable that there are people capable of acting like that in public," Louisa added.

"That is the most vulgar and ridiculous family I have ever known. How awful that cousin who dared to disturb Mr. Darcy during supper And Mrs. Bennet, bragging about an alleged engagement between her daughter and Charles," Caroline concluded indignantly.

Caroline continued disparaging the Bennets to make her brother understand that he could not have serious intentions with Jane Bennet. But she also wanted to remind Mr. Darcy how inappropriate Elizabeth Bennet was for him and make him feel regret for paying so much attention to her.

But Mr. Bingley knew well why his sisters kept talking about the Bennets. So, he interrupted his sisters' conversation. "Caroline, Miss Bennet is a very polite lady who knows how to behave. It is not proper to hold her responsible for her family's behavior. I hope no one judges me for your behavior."

After hearing her brother's last comment, Caroline saw a slight smile on Mr. Darcy's face and decided to confront him. "And what do you think, Mr. Darcy? I imagine that after seeing the atrocious manner the Bennet family behaved, you will rethink allowing your sister to be friends with Miss Eliza."

Mr. Darcy couldn't help feeling very uncomfortable because he didn't want to be involved in a family fight. But he tried to be honest and answer frankly. He owed Elizabeth Bennet a moral debt and was determined to stay out of that conflict. "I think Bingley is right, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth behave very differently from the rest of their family. And concerning Georgiana, she and Miss Elizabeth move in very different circles, and their friendship would likely be only by correspondence. I don't think there's any problem with that."

Caroline was furious. She was expecting Mr. Darcy's support, and he decided to defend Eliza Bennet again. So, she retorted with all the venom and malice she could to prove that she was right. "I don't know if we can say that Jane and Eliza's behavior is so different from their family. Eliza avoided her future husband all night, and Jane tried to compromise Charles by meeting him alone on the terrace."

"If it wasn't for our prompt intervention, who knows what would have happened," Louisa triumphantly added as she saw her brother blush.

Mr. Darcy was paralyzed for several seconds trying to process the information. Who was Elizabeth's betrothed, and if it was true that Miss Bennet had tried to compromise his friend? But he couldn't ask questions without revealing his interest. Fortunately, it was Mr. Bingley who intervened.

"I want you two to understand that Miss Bennet did not ask me to go to the terrace. She was there, and I had just talked to her for less than two minutes when you two appeared shouting and insinuating things that did not happen."

"You were alone on the terrace with Miss Bennet?" asked Mr. Darcy, concerned and forgetting about Elizabeth.

"No, well... yes, but just for two minutes, Darcy. We barely talk," Mr. Bingley tried to explain.

"You see, Mr. Darcy. But unfortunately, my brother does not understand the possible consequences of all this if Louisa and I had not arrived in time to put an end to that inappropriate encounter." Caroline was happy because she felt Mr. Darcy was worried about her brother for the first time since that conversation started.

"I'm sorry, Bingley, but your sisters are right. You shouldn't have met Miss Bennet alone on the terrace. That might have caused rumors and forced you to assume responsibilities you are certainly not ready to face." Mr. Darcy thought that his friend's sisters were probably right, and Jane, perhaps helped by her mother, had promoted that encounter to force his friend to marry her. Furthermore, at that moment, he could understand why Mrs. Bennet spoke so confidently about her daughter's future engagement to Mr. Bingley. But he chose to remain silent only out of respect for Elizabeth.

Mr. Bingley felt a little embarrassed, and he realized that perhaps his sisters had a point in what they were saying. "I understand, but nothing happened, and I will not put Miss Bennet in a difficult situation like this again." He preferred not to say anything else to avoid further controversy. When he returned from his trip to London, he would talk to Mr. Bennet and close the matter. His sisters would have no choice but to accept his decision.

After breakfast, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley got everything ready for their trip. Half an hour later, they were in the carriage, traveling to London, immersed in their own thoughts.

Mr. Bingley was thinking of Jane and how wonderful it would be when they were married, and she could come to London with him. Without a doubt, he would be the envy of all his friends and London's society men. Jane Bennet was a kind, sweet woman and probably the most beautiful he had ever seen. He had always dreamed of marrying a beautiful woman and was very close to fulfilling his dream.

For his part, Mr. Darcy thought he had made an excellent decision in leaving Hertfordshire for good. He realized that if Mrs. Bennet had been aware of his interest in her daughter, she would have tried to do something similar she did with his friend Bingley.

As soon as their brother left Netherfield, Louisa and Caroline ordered the servants to pack everything. The whole family would return to London the next day and never return. In addition, they wrote a little note to inform Jane that they would leave Hertfordshire forever because their brother had important business in town. They also explained in detail that Mr. Bingley wanted to spend more time with his friends in London. They were determined to prevent Charles from returning to Netherfield.

The next day, the Hurts and Caroline left Netherfield near dawn to avoid mishaps. Caroline ordered one of the servants to take the note to Jane the next day to avoid having to meet her or give further explanations. No one in the Netherfield party was aware of the rumors circulating in Meryton concerning Mr. Bingley and Miss Bennet.

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"This is all Lizzy's fault. If she hadn't turned down Mr. Collins's offer, no one would be talking about this scandal, Jane," Mrs. Bennet yelled between sobs.

"Mother, you must rest. It is not good for your health to be so nervous," Jane said as she served a cup of tea to her mother. Mrs. Bennet had not left her room for several days crying and lamenting everything that had happened in the last few days.

"And now Mr. Collins is going to marry Charlotte Lucas, and when your father dies, he will throw us on the street, and we'll have nowhere to live," Mrs. Bennet continued through tears.

"Mother, no one knows what will happen in the future. So please calm down," Jane said as she helped her mother lie on her bed.

"Jane, our only salvation is for Mr. Bingley to come back and marry you. That way, all those horrible rumors will end," Mrs. Bennet added before crying.

"Yes, mother," said Jane and continued listening to her mother's laments. She didn't have the heart to tell her that she knew that would never happen. Two weeks had passed, and Netherfield remained closed. Furthermore, Caroline had been clear in her note, informing her that they would never return to Hertfordshire.

Jane was sadder every day and didn't even dare to leave the house anymore. Rumors about her and Mr. Bingley had spread all over Meryton. The rest of the families in the area no longer invited or visited them and did their best to avoid any contact with them. She knew that if a miracle did not occur, her reputation and that of her sisters would be irreparably damaged.

Jane felt helpless in the middle of a nightmare that seemed to have no end and could not understand why people were so cruel when she had done absolutely nothing wrong. But there was also the pain of losing the man she admired and whom she thought was in love with her. Her only consolation would have been to continue reading the adventures of General Robinson, but Mr. Bingley not only broke her heart but also took away the chance to continue reading his fabulous story.

Elizabeth was in the parlor trying to read a book to forget what was happening to her family and Jane. But she could not avoid shedding some tears of despair. She was despondent because she saw how Jane was more depressed every day. Her beautiful and sweet sister tried to conceal her suffering, but she knew her very well. Also, Mrs. Bennet did not help with her lamenting and fussy behavior, especially because she blamed her for everything happening in the family.

Elizabeth thought it was her duty to help her dear sister and decided to have a serious conversation with her father. She had been meditating over the last few days about it, but she needed her father's support.

When Mr. Bennet saw Elizabeth entering his study, he was a little concerned. He could see that she had been crying, her daughter's eyes were very expressive. "Do you need something, my dear Lizzy? How about if we play a chess game?" Mr. Bennet thought that was an excellent way to help Elizabeth forget about family problems.

"No, father. I am here to talk to you about more serious matters," replied Elizabeth. She was tense and nervous, but she was determined to do something to help Jane.

"Alright, Lizzy. Tell me what the matter is," Mr. Bennet was aware of the malicious rumors about Jane, but he thought that after a month, no one would remember anything, and people would find another gossip to worry about.

"Father, I want to help Jane, and I need your help." Before her father could begin to excuse himself for doing nothing, Elizabeth said everything she had planned. "I think you should travel to London to talk to Mr. Bingley and inform him what is happening here."

"For what purpose, Lizzy? Jane told me that she and Mr. Bingley had talked for two minutes, and he kissed her hands. Nothing really happened that gave me the right to force him to propose.'

"But father, it's clear this has left Jane in a complicated situation."

"And what do you want me to do if Mr. Bingley denies that he kissed Jane's hand and tells me that he only said hello? I suppose you know there is no way I can make him marry Jane if he does not want. Besides, if he left and hasn't returned, it's because he probably never had any serious intentions with your sister. He left without saying goodbye, and it seems he does not intend to return. Also, do you truly want me to condemn your sister to marry a man who doesn't love her, Lizzy?"

"But maybe if you talk to Mr. Bingley, he'll decide to do the right thing without you having to force him. Besides, I find it hard to believe that he isn't in love with Jane," Elizabeth replied emphatically.

"He may love her, but not enough to say goodbye after raising expectations with his behavior. I'm sorry, Lizzy, but if I go to London and he ignores me, it will make your sister's reputation suffer even more. In a few months, everyone will forget about this incident, and everything will be like it was before," said Mr. Bennet, closing the conversation.

"I understand, father. If you do not want to do anything, I want you to know that I will write to Aunt Alice. She told me on more than one occasion that I would always be welcome if I wished to live with her in Canada. If her offer is still open, I will ask her to let me take Jane with me. That way, I won't have to put up with my mother blaming me for everything, and Jane will have a chance to live in a place where people do not unjustly judge her."

"Do as you see fit, Lizzy," Mr. Bennet said, thinking that Elizabeth was bluffing and that she would never dare to leave home.

"Good evening, father," Elizabeth said and ran from the study to her room. She would write the letter and send it to London the next day.

Jane had left her mother sleeping and was going to the kitchen to ask the cook to prepare a tray of tea. She intended to surprise Elizabeth, sit with her to have some tea and converse, and pretend that nothing had happened and everything was as before. But she couldn't help but hear her father and Elizabeth's conversation.

She could not be a minute more at home, and she ran to her secret place to cry so no one would see her. "It's not fair that Lizzy has to sacrifice herself for me. If only a miracle would happen and I could have the opportunity to solve all this without hurting my dear sister," Jane thought as she couldn't stop crying.

David went to Jane's secret place every day in the hope that he could see her even from a distance and make sure she was well. He had heard what the people in Meryton said about her and the crude jokes the officers made about the incident with Mr. Bingley. He sensed that Harriet Forster was one of the main instigators of those malicious rumors and could not understand why that woman was doing that.

Suddenly he saw Jane running towards the willow tree and sitting on the stone like she used to do when she read his story. But this time, she was crying uncontrollably, and he could not help but feel guilty. "I need to do something to help her; I must help her," David said firmly.

P&P

David had been in London for two days, and his sister was worried because she saw him as very nervous and absent. He told her he had asked for a week off from his superior officer because he had some important business to take care of.

Rebecca loved her brother very much and admired him for always wanting to do what was right. She was well aware that her brother was a wealthy heir who could spend his time on trivialities like most of the men of his wealth. But David wanted to be more than a rich man born to enjoy life and nothing else.

She was two years older than him, and they had always been very close. In fact, she and her mother were the only ones who knew about David's passion for writing, and they read his exciting stories. She had even suggested helping him publish his work, but he flatly refused because he was committed to his military life.

Rebecca met her loving husband through her brother. Mark Fletcher was the second son of Lord Atkinson and had no choice but to join the army to earn a living. Mark was a man who had grown up surrounded by luxury, and it was not easy for him to adapt to an officer's simple life. He was used to all the comforts of a nobleman but could not afford that lifestyle anymore. Mark was three years older than David; however, when the two men met, it was David who protected Mark.

After three years in the army, Mark finally understood that life was much more than what he had seen as a child. His parents were people who moved in the highest social circles and never measured their expenses. When his father died, his brother Vincent assumed the title of Lord Atkinson and took over the family affairs. He soon discovered that the family's financial situation was precarious, and he had to cut expenses to avoid losing the family estate.

When Mark told him that he was in love with the sister of his good friend David, Vincent was not happy. David was a friendly and honest man, but his family were bankers, and an Atkinson should marry a woman of his standing. But Mark assured his brother that he would help him with the dowry of thirty thousand pounds from his future wife if he promised to support them. So, the new Lord Atkinson did not have another alternative but to give his blessing to his brother.

Unfortunately, Vincent passed away just two years after becoming an Earl, and his brother Mark was his heir because he died single and childless.

When Rebbeca married Mark, she thought he could later work with David in the family bank, and she never thought she would become a Countess. Now she moved among the most influential people in Yorkshire and London, and she had to learn rigid social rules and norms to help her husband in his new role. She had been Lady Atkinson for five years, and thanks to her intelligence and good disposition, she was accepted in the most refined social circles.

"My dear, do you know where David is? I need his help with some matters. He told me that he would return to Hertfordshire in two more days, and I have not had the opportunity to have a private conversation with him. I don't know, but I think he has a problem because I do not remember seeing Colonel Smith asking for days off.

Maybe talking to an old friend will do him some good," Mark said to his lovely wife.

"If he hasn't wanted to tell me, I doubt he will tell you, my dear husband," Rebecca replied, annoyed. She was aware that it was ridiculous to be jealous of his brother's relationship with her husband.

"I am sorry, my dear and beautiful Rebecca, but sometimes a man prefers to confess certain things to a good friend than to his sister," said Mark with a mischievous smile.

"And what could a man talk with a friend that can not talk with his dearest sister, my lord?"

"On many subjects, my dear Countess, but mainly about a woman he likes, for example," Mark replied with a devastating smile.

"Do you think David is in love? Oh, Mark, if you find out something, you must tell me, or I'll never forgive you. She must be an exceptional woman, and I hope she loves my brother very much because he deserves the best," Rebecca said excitedly.

"Rebecca, I didn't say that David is in love…." Mark tried to clarify, but his wife didn't listen because she kept talking about how the woman who captured her beloved brother's heart should be.

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The first day David arrived in London, he first talked to some of his acquaintances to find out how he could speak to Mr. Bingley. One of his contacts informed him that he always had lunch at an exclusive club with some friends. Fortunately, his father was one of the most prominent members of that place, so he had no problem gaining access to it. The previous two days, he had stayed there for several hours hoping to find him, but he did not appear.

David knew he had only three more days in London, so he couldn't waste more time. That's why he decided to go directly to Mr. Bingley's house to tell him about the rumors about Miss Bennet. He couldn't understand how that fool could have done what he did with the most beautiful and noble woman he had ever known. What kind of man made a woman fall in love with him and then abandon her without even saying goodbye? But he was not there to judge this man but to help Miss Bennet, so he would not say anything that was not strictly necessary.

He had practiced what he would say to Mr. Bingley several times to not seem like an intruder meddling in other people's affairs. So David would tell Mr. Bingley that he was in the garden near the terrace when he and Miss Bennet talked for a few minutes, and that was why he was disgusted with the unfair rumors and thought it was his duty to help to clarify everything. Besides, he would tell him that a gentleman should never allow a lady to bear the cost of an alleged compromising situation alone.

Fortunately, Bingley's house was not so far from his sister's, so he preferred to walk the few blocks to calm down. He did not want to lose control and tell that man everything he thought of him.

When he arrived at the indicated address, he knocked on the door and handed his card to the butler. "Please tell Mr. Bingley I need to speak to him. I'm Colonel David Smith, and we met in Hertfordshire."

The butler received the gentleman's card without being able to avoid looking at his bushy beard. "I'm sorry, sir, but..."

"Logan, has Madame Losier arrived?" Caroline asked as she saw the butler at the door. She was waiting for the modiste impatiently because she had something to do. Her brother had gone to Darcy House, and she planned to visit Georgiana, pretending she forgot that she was not in town. She was dying to see Mr. Darcy and spend time with him. She knew many women were looking for handsome and wealthy husbands in London, and she would not let them bother her almost betrothed.

"Good afternoon, Miss Bingley. I came to talk to your brother. Could you please let him know that I'm here?"

"Logan, I will take care of the Colonel," Caroline said and thought for several seconds. She didn't understand what that man could want with her brother, but she sensed that it was not something good.

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Thank you to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story. Knowing that many read and follow my stories is my primary motivation for writing.

I thought maybe I could post some of my past stories every week for a whole week. I don't know what you think of the idea. Some of you always tell me you want to reread what I've already written. So let me know what stories you are interested in and if you like my idea. I can upload it all in one day and leave it for an entire week so you can read it.

In the next chapter, Colonel Smith will do his best to help Jane.

See you soon!

Saludos,

Yo

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Special note:

At the beginning of each of my stories, I warn you that English is not my primary language. Therefore it is highly possible that you will find more than one error in the use of language and vocabulary.

Also, the first time I post a story, it's unedited because my most loyal followers prefer to read long chapters with errors than to wait weeks for a new one. So, if you leave a comment saying that this story has errors, you are telling me something that I already know and that you should know because I warned you at the beginning. Also, if you think for this reason, it is difficult for you to understand the plot, I suggest you stop reading it and read it when I post the edited edition.

If I have said this so many times, if I write a warning at the beginning, I have come to think that the only purpose of comments like this is to annoy, which is why I simply delete them if they are from guests.

On the contrary, if you leave comments telling me precisely where I made a grammar or vocabulary mistake, I will thank you and correct the problem. There is an old saying in Spanish, "El que no ayuda, estorba."

¡Muchas gracias!