-`o´-

It has been almost a full month since Mr. Bingley has accompanied his sister to any function. In truth he managed not to see her at all. Not to mention that the last two weeks or so had been full of engagements with Jane and the Gardiners and their circle of friends and acquaintances.

They were closer to his Bingley relations in wealth and consequence than the company Caroline usually enjoyed, but it was no hardship to mingle with them.

Today was the day his luck would run out as Caroline caught sight of him when he was about to leave and demanded he come into the breakfast parlour. He still wasn't sure how to break the news of his engagement to his family, but it was his own fault for delaying until the last moment.

"I am here, Caroline, there is no need to speak so loud," he interrupted his sister in the middle of yet another litany of complaints. Has she always been this obnoxious?

"You are hardly ever home, Charles! You didn't accompany me to last week's dinner party. I promised dear Miss Leathley she will have the occasion to meet you tonight. And next week we are invited to their estate in Kent."

"I have plans for tonight, so you will have to convey my regrets and I have plans for the next weeks and months as well."

"What are you talking about? I hope you are not seeing Jane Bennet, brother. I urge you to think of the danger you are exposing yourself to. She and her relatives in trade will pounce on you without a moment's notice."

"They did not pounce as of yet, and I've been there quite often," Bingley joked.

"How can you be so foolish! She will wait for you to make a mistake, perhaps to propose and then she will start her demands."

"Indeed?" It was perhaps uncharitable to lead his sister on like this, but he really did not know how to break the news to her and was stalling for time. It was a rubbish strategy, even he could see that, as the eruption of outrage that would follow would surely swell to unspeakable proportions. "What would these demands be, sister?"

"Come now, Charles," Louisa interrupted them looking up from her plate. "What we want is for you to give up your acquaintance with the Bennets and for everything to go back to how it was. Why would we need to care about Jane's life? It does no good to toy with her as you do."

"Yes! Yes, Louisa! You are so right. The more you are in her company the more she will feel entitled to it."

Louisa sighed. There was almost no point in trying to present Caroline's words in a more sensible fashion. She was her own worst enemy when something or, in this case, somebody stood between her and what she most desired.

"I have no doubt she feels entitled to my company. And Louisa, I am not leading her on; I never did." He saw Caroline's triumphant smile and Louisa's confusion; even Hurst seemed to pay attention now. "I have asked her to be my wife and she accepted."

As he expected, there were no congratulations forthcoming from his sisters. Hurst smiled slightly and mumbled something about Mrs. Bennet setting a damn fine table and her daughters likely inheriting her good sense.

"You cannot do this to me! How will I ever get married if you bring that… that nobody into our family. Why does it have to be her? There are so many women out there, all of them handsome and from good families! Why does it have to be Jane Bennet and her sister Eliza?"

"Who am I marrying and why is solely my affair, Caroline. And what can Miss Elizabeth have to do with anything? She did not accompany Jane to London, Miss Lydia did."

"I want you out!" Caroline screeched. "Get out of this house! Out of our lives! You have ruined everything for me!"

"Caroline!"

"What will Mr. Darcy say? Did you ever stop to think? Of course you did not! You only care about yourself!"

"Sister, calm yourself!"

"Do not think this is the end of it, Charles. She will be laughed out of every parlour in this town, I will make sure of it."

"You will do nothing of the sort," came the surprisingly alert voice of Hurst. "You could have married better, Bingley, but it's your choice. Louisa and I will support you and your wife."

"We will," Louisa made herself say, although she did not like it. "I wish you would have chosen a better dowered young woman, but what is done is done."

"Louisa! How can you? I will not support that… that..."

"Be quiet, Caroline, or it will be you who will need to find new lodgings," Hurst said more forcefully now, scowling at his sister by marriage.

Not knowing what else to do, Caroline rounded on Louisa. "How can you let him talk to me like this? Will I have to make room for Eliza? See her throwing herself at everybody like..."

"What has Miss Elizabeth to do with anything? I have proposed to Jane!" It was all very odd. Charles Bingley looked at his nearest relations like they were complete strangers to him.

"Louisa, take your sister to her rooms and be sure she understands what is expected of her. I will not stand for her spite and disappointed hopes ruining our social life."

"Of course. Come, Caroline, we should retire."

-`o´-

"I am sorry I ruined your breakfast, Hurst." The other man waved and grunted a response, but it was nothing intelligible to Bingley's ears. "I knew Caroline did not like the Bennets, but this is exaggerated, even for her."

"She does not care about the Bennets. I do not care either, but you should have really found someone with better connections or with more money; preferably both. You think you are well off now, but if you grant Caroline her wish and acquire an estate, you'll lose some three quarters of your fortune and the returns will be much smaller than what you draw from the funds. You needed a better dowered bride."

"Does my happiness matter not at all?"

Hurst shrugged. "It is not for me to say, Bingley. You made your choice and I wish you well. To the extent that I can, I will help you control Caroline."

"You have my thanks."

"Not so fast. You will have to talk to her as well and clearly explain to her that her allowance is dependent on her good behaviour."

"Surely there is no need!"

"There is every need, Bingley. I will cut both you and Caroline if you don't get your house in order and do not think that Louisa will prevent me. I do not care what happens, as long as she does not materially damage our standing - mine and Louisa's."

"I - I do not believe Jane will damage your status, Hurst."

"No, she will not. Her younger sisters are a different story, however, except for the spitfire. In any case, I was talking about Caroline. If you cannot find it in yourself to rein her in, then you can have her."

"The spitfire? You need not worry, though. The youngest - you remember Miss Lydia?" Hurst nodded. "She is courted by a lieutenant. Some cousin found him a better paid posting in London."

"This is good news. And the rest?"

"At home with tutors."

"Excellent." Things were definitely looking up as far as Mr. Hurst was concerned. Until another thought intruded, that is. "Are you paying for it all, Bingley?"

"Me? Goodness, no!"

"Even better. I knew, from how the house looked and the table they kept, that they had more than they let on. Not that I'm judging how a man spends his income, far from it." Hurst stopped to have more coffee and drummed his fingers on the table. "You will have to talk to Caroline and impress upon her the need to keep her mouth shut. Darcy would not have married her even if he never met Miss Elizabeth. I will tell her that, but you will have to do the same."

"Why is everybody talking about Miss Elizabeth? What does she have to do with anything? I swear I have not seen her once since last Autumn! I'm marrying Jane Bennet! Jane."

"You mean you did not notice how Darcy looked at her?"

"At Jane?"

"You cannot be so daft! At Miss Elizabeth, you dolt! Why do you think Caroline cannot stand her?"

-`o´-

"You let that imbecile you call husband talk to me like that! Louisa! What were you thinking?"

"I do not have time for your antics, Caroline, and do be careful and mind your tongue. You are living here at his sufferance."

"I am your sister!"

"Mr. Hurst is my husband. Do not make me choose, for you will not like it."

"What has gotten into you? Have you been at the wine?"

Mrs. Hurst rolled her eyes, not at all offended by her younger sister's insults. "The more you talk, the less I care what becomes of you. Now be a dear and listen. Hurst and I have spoken on several occasions and we arrived at the conclusion that Darcy will not marry you. You can forget about him. What is expected of you now is that you will be polite to all our acquaintances old and new."

Caroline gasped, correctly surmising it meant the aunt and uncle in trade.

"You will not gossip about them, not one word, Caroline. Hurst will throw you out at the slightest hint you might be bringing scandal upon us. Jane Bennet will marry our brother and she will advise him in regards to everything he spends money on, including your allowance, always remember this. She will also manage a comfortable house, maybe even an estate; Mr. Hurst and I would like to retain the right to visit. She is well bred, beautiful, and docile and she will not embarrass us."

"Her sisters will! We will be a laughing stock! I will not call them my sisters!"

"We will see. They are still young, they can learn. The problem now is you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Get yourself a husband, Caroline. You are getting old and will suffer by comparison to Jane's sisters." Unlike Miss Bingley, Mrs. Hurst knew exactly how to employ her insults to get her point across. "I intend a visit of congratulations, tomorrow or the day after, and I will invite the aunt for tea. Do I need to make your excuses? No? Very well."

-`o´-

While the Bingleys and the Hursts were in turmoil over the unexpected and unwelcome news of a much too close relationship between themselves and the Bennets of Longbourn, the one Bennet who engendered so much strife between the siblings was having a perfectly lovely time at Hunsford.

Perfectly lovely if you did not count the presence of one Mr. Darcy.

Elizabeth was sitting by herself one morning, and writing to Jane while Mrs. Collins and Maria were gone on business into the village, when she was startled by a ring at the door, the certain signal of a visitor. As she had heard no carriage, she thought it not unlikely to be Lady Catherine, and under that apprehension was putting away her half-finished letter that she might escape all impertinent questions, when the door opened, and, to her very great surprise, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Darcy only, entered the room.

He seemed astonished too on finding her alone, and apologised for his intrusion by letting her know that he had understood all the ladies were to be within.

They then sat down, and when her enquiries after Rosings were made, seemed in danger of sinking into total silence. It was absolutely necessary, therefore, to think of something. She could well imagine Mrs. Croft tutting her disapproval of her not being able to be a gracious hostess.

"My sisters Jane and Lydia have been in London these past three months. Have you happened to see them?"

Miss Lydia? From what he knew of the closeness between the two eldest Bennet sisters, he would have supposed Miss Elizabeth would be called upon to accompany the eldest to London. "I did not know Miss Lydia was in London," he answered and then he recollected himself "or Miss Bennet. I have not had the pleasure of meeting them."

But you knew that Jane was. Mr. Bingley had probably been right to rid himself of the meddlesome Mr. Darcy, his wealth and connections notwithstanding.

There was now a dangerous glint in Elizabeth's eyes and she pursed her lips slightly, lest she would make some intemperate remark.

For himself, Darcy relaxed. Elizabeth had been quieter, more guarded in her discourse with him than he remembered her from Netherfield, but the spark in her eyes he could see now was such a welcome change! Very few things have given him more pleasure than their debates and he looked forward to many such in the future.

"I suppose they do not go out much, although they attended a play, together with Lt. Denny."

"Lt. Denny?" Darcy wondered who he was. Was Miss Bennet hedging her bets in case she could not bring Bingley to propose?

"He is courting Lydia. Is this not a wonderful thing? She is the youngest of us all and the first to have a suitor. But we were talking about plays! They were so lucky as to see Mr. Edmund Kean in his first role at Drury Lane," Elizabeth enthused. "My uncle could not find tickets to his performance for the night I spent in London myself. Such a shame, isn't it? He is so young and reputed to be excellent."

"Indeed," was all he replied. His plan was to engage her in quite a different conversation, to see what she thought about being away from Longbourn and her family. Discussing theater and up and coming performers was not something he considered beforehand so he was slow to answer and his silences stretched uncomfortably long at times.

He had tried, more than once, to bring their discussion on the subject of matrimony, by means of commenting on Mrs. Collins' apparent contentment, but Elizabeth was not interested. He wondered what it meant. Was she not interested in him anymore? Was she subtly rebuking him for not coming to the point last Autumn?

-`o´-

"I spoke to Hurst yesterday."

"That is well, Charles."

"He suggested that Darcy is the reason our sister is so unreasonable when it comes to the Bennets."

Louisa laughed, although there was not much humour to it. "Our sister is unreasonable in most everything she desires. The Bennets and Darcys are people who happened to cross her purposes, as is sometimes the case in life."

"So you do not believe Darcy had a tendre for Miss Elizabeth?"

"So formal, Charles. Did she not give you leave to call her by her name?"

"I have not seen Miss Elizabeth since last Autumn, Louisa. I did not lie when I said so."

"Oh. Excuse me, then. I would have thought that it would be Miss Elizabeth to accompany Jane to London."

"Miss Lydia is in London with Jane. She is courted by an officer - Lt. Denny, if you remember him."

"Yes, Hurst said something about it. When next you visit I intend to accompany you and congratulate Jane. I also intend to invite Jane, her aunt, and Miss Lydia to tea and the whole family to dinner sometime in the next two weeks. I will have to see how soon I can manage," she continued, although Bingley could see she was not talking to him, but mostly thinking aloud.

"Weren't you all to go with Caroline's friend at her parents' estate?"

"No. Caroline managed to finagle an invitation for herself and for you, of course, but apparently there were no rooms for us."

Bingley frowned. It would not have been the first time he and Caroline visited friends without the Hursts, but he never wondered before how it came to happen.

"It is well, Charles. She will have to make her excuses and stay in London. She should be here to welcome her future sister and the future sister's family," Louisa continued with a smirk. "How is the aunt? Another Mrs. Bennet?"

"Not at all. You could have already known that if you met her when Jane wrote to you."

"I hoped you would do better. Make no mistake, Charles, Hurst also hoped you would have had more sense than to attach yourself to a penniless nobody. We will support you as long as you do not embarrass us."

Charles Bingley sighed. Did nobody care about his happiness at all?

"Hurst said the other sisters are at Longbourn? With tutors?"

"Miss Elizabeth is visiting her friend, Mrs. Collins, the former Miss Lucas, in Kent."

"Miss Lucas? The daughter of Sir William, is that right?" Bingley nodded. "Collins? The obnoxious minister? I thought he had his eye on Eliza."

"You did? How come? I never saw Miss Elizabeth showing any preference for him."

"She could not stand him. Her mother was most keen to forward the match, though. I wonder what could have happened?"

"Who knows? We should not speculate on other people's business."

"Don't be daft. Of course we should, it's what everybody does!"

"I do not." Bingley did not know what to make of it so far. Both Hurst and Louisa told him to stop being an idiot. Did everybody thought he was?

"No, you do not," Louisa agreed. "I daresay Jane does not either. See, this is why you were surprised to find out Mr. Darcy had shown a preference for Eliza."

"So it is true? Hurst said so, but I did not really believe him."

"Of course it's true. He barely paid any attention to anyone else when she was about. He most assuredly did not talk to anyone else when he could draw her into conversation."

"Conversation? What conversation? He was very rude to her, if I remember well; Caroline too. They never had a civil conversation, they had disputes."

"Then you do not remember well. His interest was piqued, he could not refrain himself from engaging her. If he was rude, although I saw nothing of the kind myself, it was because he was attracted to her against his will. Eliza is not the kind of bride society expects Mr. Darcy would choose."

-`o´-

Author note:

Thank you all for the comments, they are wonderful!

Guest bjaofbodfb:

I feel your pain. I'm truly sorry, but I believe I might be beyond help.

For example if I say "Jane and I will do smth" - this sounds completely fine. "I and Jane will…" doesn't make any sense; as far as I'm concerned it should be "Me and Jane will…"

There are quite a few grammatical constructions that make perfect sense in, say, French, but not in English.

It's an explanation, not an excuse. I'll try to do better.