Chapter 18:

Caroline Bingley looked like she had been caught between crossfire. There was nothing she loathed more than the Bennet family and to think that she was going to take her future husband there—it was unfathomable. The worst part was that her brother, Charles, was looking at her with unveiled interest, a clear question on his mind. Had she known something all along that she had kept from him?

"What is the location of their residence?" asked Mr. Darcy, his voice eager and filled with hope. Caroline narrowed her eyes at the question, weighing her options. She could not keep the information from him, sadly, she could not lie, it was not befitting a gentlewoman, a term she deluded herself into thinking she was, but she could delay the information.

"Mr. Darcy" said Caroline, with newfound confidence, "Perhaps we can take a turn about the room?" she asked, giving him a meaningful look with a raise of an eyebrow. Mr. Darcy looked at her perplexed, if he had been drinking water he would was spluttered everywhere—her question came out of nowhere and could not be any less desired than it presently was.

"I beg your pardon?" asked Mr. Darcy, after a moment of confusion.

"I believe you would like to hear what I have to say" she whispered, "Just a turn around the room" she said again, giving him an enchanting smile. Mr. Darcy looked towards the Colonel, who once again looked as if he were to burst into laughter, the scene before him was too comical, but holding back laughter, he tilted his head towards Miss Bingley, nudging his cousin to go along.

"I would be honored" he said in a tone that sounded anything but honored, bowing and offering her his arm. Miss Bingley looked as if he had just proposed, she took his arm demurely and glancing back at her brother and the Colonel, who both were staring with disbelief, she whispered into his ear.

"I do not believe it would be wise to go with my brother" she began, looking at him meaningfully. If this information was supposed to have resonated, it most certainly did not.

"I do not have the pleasure of understanding you" said Mr. Darcy, not wanting to show that he did not remember what he ought.

"Miss Jane Bennet is presently at the Gardiners, I know because she called on me, and we had agreed that we would keep my brother away from her, for his own good" said Caroline, hoping that this piece of information would finally convince him. Mr. Darcy took in her words with a mixture of understanding and disgust.

Had he tried to keep Miss Bennet away from Charles? He reached for his forehead and rubbed it while he was forcing himself to think. Could this knowledge had been related to Elizabeth? Could that be the reason she had rejected his marriage proposal? It suddenly dawned on him that whether Elizabeth knew or not, she eventually would, and not only should he go as soon as possible to the Gardiners, but it was essential that Charles came with him.

"I see" said Mr. Darcy, after understanding dawning on him. Miss Bingley was concerned while she watched him struggle with what seemed an unpleasant memory, but she breath a sigh of relief when he finally answered her, with an easy smile on his face.

"I am glad you do" she said, smiling widely and squeezing the arm that she was holding on to in a warm and affectionate manner. That awakened with Mr. Darcy and he pulled his arm away and walked back towards Mr. Bingley and the ever laughing Colonel Fitzwilliam.

"Miss Bingley knows where they live and it is imperative that we go as soon as possible, and I would like you to come with us, Charles" said Mr. Darcy, his voice clear and demanding.

"At your service" said Mr. Bingley, looking excited and relieved, for in his mind he had already decided that if his friend thought the family suitable, he would not waste another second without his angel by his side. "Let us go!" he declared, calling for the butler to bring their coats and hats.

"I beg your pardon?" asked Caroline in a shrill that only stopped the guests, for those that lived there were quite used to it, "I thought you said you understood, Mr. Darcy!" she added in a desperate attempt.

"I understand more than you think, Miss Bingley, now if you please, what is the address?" he asked, his voice serious and stern. He could not afford to waste another second and her presence was more irritating that he had remembered. Miss Bingley looked confused, she opened her mouth to argue but then debated whether it would be better to simply just cry—but she did not think he would find that attractive and so instead did the only thing she thought she could get away with, she wrote him the address and gave it to him graciously, acting as if she were the perfect gentlewoman, instead of a shrilly girl who held herself back from having a tantrum.

"I thank you" said Mr. Darcy, taking the note from her, which she held on it a little harder than needed, and without looking at her at all, left the drawing room, grabbing his hat and coat from the butler, muttering a wordless thanks, and leaving as quickly as they had come. Mr. Bingley and the Colonel brushed past her and her skirts fluttered with the wind from the rapid movements and she was left all alone, in an empty, gaudy, drawing room, with no one at all but the butler who had a sly smile on his face and a sudden desperate need to burst into laughter.

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The ride to Longbourn had been uneventful. Mrs. Gardiner had arranged for a coach to take them and sent a maid with them, feeling it were not proper for them to travel alone. Mr. Gardiner was surprised to see his other niece, Elizabeth, for less than a day, but after speaking with Mrs. Gardiner privately in his study, he did not ask further questions and simply aided them in their plan to go back to Longbourn. He felt that though her appearance could draw notice, they lived in an unfashionable part of town, that the likelihood of anyone from the ton finding out that she had showed up in their footstep, unannounced and unaccompanied, was very unlikely. Her sudden appearance in town was more likely to produce gossip and therefore he wholeheartedly agreed with Mrs. Gardiner's approval to send them both back home.

"Safe trip" he had said to them, handing them a sack of coins, which he could only suppose they might need.

"I thank you, Uncle" said Lizzy, her eyes watering at the gesture. She had never felt such love as she had in the past day, with Jane by her side, and her Aunt and Uncle, quietly supporting and respecting her decisions and feelings. She had been nervous at having to explain or divulge more than she wanted and she would be forever grateful for their discreet nature and their unconditional love. Lizzy could only hope that her reputation would not be tainted and that she could, in due course, repay their Aunt and Uncle in kind.

When the coach finally arrived at Longbourn, the inhabitants of the house came rushing out, Mrs. Bennet fussing over her daughters, unaware that anything was amiss. Her younger daughters followed suit, always excited for a distraction, however, Mary looked specially reluctant, having been interrupted from finishing her latest book of sermons.

"Jane! Lizzy!" exclaimed Mrs. Bennet, her arms wide open, hugging her daughters as they stepped out of the carriage. "We had not expected you!" she said, now looking at them for an answer.

"My trip ended early" said Lizzy, her voice even and calm, "And I longed to be home."

"Indeed!" said Mrs. Bennet, "Did you meet any potential suitors in Kent or in Warwickshire?"

"No" said Lizzy, a knot in her throat, "None."

"Oh, what a shame!" exclaimed Mrs. Bennet, unaware at the pain that her words were causing Lizzy. "Come, let us go inside—it is almost time for supper. I am sure Hill prepared enough" she added lovingly at her daughters. "I hope you, my pretty Jane, met someone while staying at your Aunt and Uncle" she added, now walking alongside Jane, her eldest and most beautiful daughter.

"I made a friend" said Jane, not wanting to disappoint her mother, but hating always been reminded of her loss in Mr. Bingley.

"Does she have any brothers?" asked Mrs. Bennet in her usual boisterous voice, looking at her daughter expectantly.

"She does" said Jane with a demure smile, "A Viscount, but I did not have the pleasure of meeting him."

"La!" said Mrs. Bennet, now entering the drawing room, walking next to Jane, while her other daughters followed from behind in age order. "What a shame, indeed!"

Mr. Bennet had heard the commotion and saw from his window that his two eldest daughters had arrived, he breathed a sigh of relief and went out to greet them, meeting them as they were walking into the drawing room.

"Elizabeth!" he said, with all the emotion that a father could express at seeing a daughter whose whereabouts had been unknown for the past two weeks. "Please do come into my study, I would like to speak to you."

"Of course, father" said Lizzy, biting her lip. She knew that Mrs. Collins had told her father the truth, correctly surmising that he would have not fallen for her cover story. But Lizzy did not know what to reveal.

Mr. Bennet held back tears as he hugged his daughter once they were in the safe heaven of his study, away from prying eyes. He had wanted to hug her the moment he saw her face, but he did not want to draw attention nor curiosity from his wife, the servants, nor his gossiping younger daughters.

"I was very worried, indeed" he said, finally letting go of her and looking into her eyes, which were wet. "My dear" he whispered, caressing her cheek. "Please, sit down, and tell me everything" he said, motioning to the chair and going back to his seat and settling himself in his desk.

"I was in Kent, in Lady Catherine's garden when a group of men surrounded me and Mr. Darcy. They put some liquid on our nose and when I awoke next we were tied up in a carriage. We were on the way into Scotland. I believe they expected a large amount of ransom money from Mr. Darcy, I am not sure why they took me as well. I believe, after pondering on the matter, that it was simply that I was in the way. I would have notified the authorities had they left me" she said. Her father looked as if he were about to ask an uncomfortable question and she saved him the trouble by adding, "They did not touch me, father. They said so while they believe I was asleep" she said, her cheeks reddening at discussing this with her father.

"Thank Heavens" he whispered, looking happy and relieved. "Please do continue."

Lizzy nodded her head and continued, "We managed to jump off the carriage, and we found a hospital in Scotland where a lovely nurse took care of us, a gesture we must repay in due course, and then the Colonel, Mr. Darcy's cousin found us and brought us back to into England. I went straight to London once I was strong enough and I wanted nothing more than to come home."

"Oh my dear, I am so very glad you are well! I have many questions but I believe you have had enough of an ordeal to have to relive it all tonight. Please do go and rest, I shall ask Hill to send you supper upstairs, you must rest" he said lovingly, the first time he had ever expressed himself in such tender voices to Lizzy, a thought that made her want to smile and to cry.

"I thank you" she said, swallowing hard, her emotions all mixed up and confused. She rose from the chair and left hastily, wanting to avoid talking to anyone else and wanting nothing more than to succumb to sleep in the safe haven of her childhood bed.

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Thank you everyone for the lovely reviews! so the first time I posted this story, I didn't really delve into jane and mr bingley, I hinted...i said there was a viscount but I really didn't develop it. I really just focused on mr darcy and elizabeth. is there any interest in me expanding that part of the story? I'm taking the opportunity that im reposting to also edit and maybe add some more details and parts of the story.