I don't own Pride and Prejudice
Darcy was not surprised, when a week later, a very agitated Mr Bingley was shown into his office. Well, not that he wasn't surprised, he had expected him to come sooner. "What is this I hear you have married Miss Bennet?" The normally jovial man slammed his fists down on Darcy's desk.
"Please Bingley, won't you have a seat." He motioned to the chair in front of his desk, before motioning to the footman, "Please inform Mrs Darcy that I will be late for tea."
"You just have to rub it in that you married my Angel right from under my nose. I had believed Caroline to be lying when she said you married Miss Bennet, but you just admitted it."
"I admitted to being married, and I will confirm that I married what I believed to be the handsomest of the Bennet sisters." She said with a smirk, and was as his friend blustered even more.
"You do not even prefer blondes, in university you told me your preferences were more toward brunettes. Now you're telling me they have suddenly changed, having laid eyes on my Angel."
"My preferences have not changed, nor did I ever think the eldest Miss Bennet was the handsomest of the sisters." He thought he and given it away there, but his friend seemed to be exceptionally thick.
"Of course she was the handsomest of her sisters, the only one who came close was Miss Elizab..." He was glad to see the realization dawn on his friend.
"Who is indeed, very much a brunette." He said with a smile.
"Well, I feel like a cad, truly Darcy, I should have known better when Caroline was so insistent that Miss Bennet was off the market. She started throwing every debutante she could find at me." Charles flopped into the chair and put his head in his hands.
"Not to worry Bingley, it is obvious you care for Miss Bennet." He was hoping the man would take the bait as there was something he thought needed to be addressed if Bingley was seriously going to pursue his new sister.
"I feel for her more than I have ever felt for any woman." Bingley wasted no time in admitting.
"Then what are your intentions where she is concerned?" He asked seriously, and he hoped Bingley would not see this as a time to joke. Elizabeth had informed him that her sister's feelings had been engaged, and he wanted to make sure to spare her anymore pain if Bingley wasn't going to be a consistent suitor, as past experiences have shown.
He was glad to see the man regard him with all seriousness. "I believe I could be in love with her, I would like to ask for a courtship, however I am fearful she will not accept me. She could have her pick of any man, especially now that her sister is married to you."
"So her mother has stated," Darcy muttered while rolling his eyes. Then to Bingley he said, "If you are serious about courting her, then you need to take your sister in hand."
"What has Caroline done now?" Bingley asked in exasperation.
"We overheard her gossiping at the theater last night about Elizabeth's family. However, that is not what I'm talking about." This conversation was long overdue, and he regretted putting it off, and dreaded having it.
"What I am talking about is that if you plan on bringing a wife into your home, your sister needs to learn her place. It is not fair to make your wife check her, and you know Caroline will not simply sit back and let another woman be mistress of your home. She will do all in her power to undermine your future wife, and you know it."
"I don't even know how to begin to check her." Bingley admitted.
"Start by making her live within her means. If she over spends her pin money, take it out of her next quarters." He knew how much Miss Bingley's pin money was, as Charles has complained about her overspending many times in the past. He also knew that Elizabeth spent less on two entirely new wardrobes, as well as a significant number of dresses for Georgiana, than Miss Bingley spent on three of the monstrosities she wore during the season.
"She will not like that one but." Bingley almost sounded as if this was an argument against it.
"Then she will really hate this next part," Darcy knew this would be the one thing that would give his friend the most trouble. "You need to stop brining her to events hosted by those in the first circle unless she proves to you she can behave properly."
Bingley had been receiving invitations to some of the less elite balls and parties hosted by the first circles for a few years now. First they came because he was a friend of Darcy's. Then as he made more friends more invitations would come. However even more would likely have been issued had it not meant Miss Bingley would come. Bingley was well liked for his friendly and unassuming manor. The people he socialized with in the first circles liked that he was friendly with them for themselves, and not for their titles.
"She will never allow that to happen." Bingley shook his head forlornly.
"Then you set her up in her own establishment and be done with it. The threat alone would likely have her tow the line, for no other reason than she needs your support until she finds a husband, and her being put into her own establishment will make her be seen as most unmarriageable." Personally, he felt that ship had already sailed, but there were those of the gentry who needed a dowry like the one Caroline would bring.
"While I don't look forward to doing what obviously needs to be done, you're right it is high time it were done." Bingley wiped his hands over his face.
"And perhaps if you make some headway with it you'll be able to offer that courtship to your Angel after Christmas. For I have been informed by new sister will be staying with her aunt and uncle here in town."
"What is all this?" Fitzwilliam asked as he entered the parlor, Mr Bingley behind him.
Elizabeth put down the little dress she was stitching daisies onto, and smiled at her husband, "It is a project the girls and I have been working on since our gowns were delivered."
"Brother, aren't they just darling?" Georgiana asked as she held up a little purple dress with little roses stitched across the neckline and the hem in a darker purple thread.
Kitty held up a little purple ribbon in the same color as the embroidered flowers, "This will tie around the waist and we also have some that can be tied into the hair to match."
Both girls were beaming with excitement, but the two men still looked confused. "Jane and I have had Mme Bellamy make dresses for the daughters of our tenants. We find some sturdy muslin in different colors from our uncle's warehouse, and when the dresses are done we stitch little patterns on them. We also purchase shirts and pants for the sons of the tenants."
"That is very generous of you both," he couldn't help but smile as she set her stitching aside to prepare their tea.
"These ones will be for our tenants." Georgiana said proudly, "Lizzy has been teaching us differently patterns for the flowers, and we have been helping her."
"I asked Mrs Reynolds how many children there were between the staff and tenants. It'll be tight, but we should have them done by Christmas." Elizabeth informed them.
"I was hoping we could include them with the coats and shoes." Each year he gave the children of his tenants and staff new coats, gloves, hats, shoes, and scarves. It was cold up north in Derbyshire, and he felt that it was the least he could do to ensure his people were well cared for. He would also provide them for the adults if they couldn't provide them for themselves, but most found it easier to do since they didn't have to buy for their children.
"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea." Georgiana beamed at him, and he couldn't help but smile back. He couldn't believe how much his sister had altered in the past few weeks since Elizabeth and Kitty had come to live with them. She was still shy, but her confidence was boosted when she had Elizabeth or Kitty near by.
Kitty too had been altered. No longer did she flirt shamelessly with anyone who paid her attention. In fact, it was almost as if she didn't even notice the looks she got. He did, and he saw Elizabeth did as well, and they knew that once the girls were out they would have their work cut out for them finding decent husbands who would treat them right.