Dear readers, I can definitely say I appreciate fanfiction authors more now. Writing is not as easy as it might look. Anyway, I will forge ahead otherwise I won't get anywhere. I hate it when I get caught reading stories that suddenly stop with no updates for months or years. I know it is not the authors' fault as real life takes priority. This is a free site, so I have no right to complain. But that thought makes me more determined to finish this!
Thank you all for reading, following, favouriting and reviewing. I think all of you have a good idea of what Caroline may be up to. I felt this fic won't be complete without Caro making an appearance and causing trouble. She just has to. Some of us do love to hate Caro.
roses0002: Bingley has a bit more sense here in this story. I am not too fond of a weak Bingley. Yes, Caro is up to something.
Guest: Sorry you think the only reason I used for Elizabeth disliking Darcy is the insult at the assembly. I agree that it is far more than that, and I thought I made that clear. I wrote about Wickham. Bingley's advice implies how Darcy might be perceived negatively by others. Darcy and Bingley are not leaving Netherfield so there is no issue here about Darcy separating his friend from Jane.
DW.618: Darcy may be lacking in social skills. ;-) All will be explained soon about the "note".
Guest: Agreed. Thank you for clarifying.
Deanna27: Yes, we all know what Caro can do.
Lisa: LOL. I laughed reading your review. That was fantastic! I am almost tempted to include those ideas in the story. I would pay to see Caro banished to a sheep farm in Scotland. Baa!
PDS1: I am beginning to love that rat. It can be the mascot of the story. ;-)
liysyl: Yes, more on Caro here. She is begging to steal the show.
Levenez: Thank you for your support. I am delighted to get new readers. Thank YOU! Agreed. Elizabeth cannot accept Darcy straightaway just because he is handsome and rich and all.
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Before dinner, Mr Collins asked Mr Bennet for consent to marry Mary. Mr Bennet was surprised at this shift of interest from one daughter to another. After confirming with Mary that she had agreed, willingly, to marry the man, Mr Bennet granted his consent. He never expected that Mary would be the first daughter to get engaged, but he was slowly beginning to see some advantages to the match. Longbourn would stay in the family. Mrs Bennet would be relieved and hopefully cease ranting about her fears of being thrown into the hedgerows. And most importantly, Elizabeth would be safe from that fool. That would have been a disastrous match. Elizabeth may be his favourite, but he loved all his daughters despite being an indolent father. He was satisfied that Mary would become the next mistress of their family home and was consoled by the hope that at the least, the couple could share a commitment to their faith. He did not believe that Mr Collins would be an abusive husband. The clergyman may be absurd but his temperament might possibly be moderated with having a wife and children.
Mr Bennet announced the engagement between Mr Collins and Mary during dinner. This news was met with mixed reactions. After recovering from the initial shock, Mrs Bennet squealed that they were saved. She then started crying and talking at the same time, and everyone at the table struggled to make sense of her words. Jane and Kitty wished the couple joy.
Lydia barely uttered her congratulations. She was not pleased with this development. Not that she wanted Mr Collins for herself, but she always dreamt of being the first daughter to marry. She thought it was not fair—Jane was considered the handsomest, Lizzy the cleverest, Mary the most accomplished, and she the silliest! As for Kitty, there was nothing remarkable about her except her coughs, and that she was almost as silly.
How could Mary be the first to get engaged? Never mind. Mr Collins is hideous. She probably accepted him because no one else will notice her as she is so plain. Wait till I find myself a dashing husband!
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Elizabeth had been wanting to see what was written on the folded papers that Mr Darcy had slipped into her hand. She was about to start reading when Jane came in to check on her. Mary then soon followed with her news. Someone would be coming shortly to bring her a tray of food and Jane would also return with Mrs Hill to treat her wound. She would have to wait till she was finished eating and her tray was taken away. She was well aware that it was inappropriate for a man to write a letter to a woman who was not his betrothed, but Mr Darcy's voice sounded serious and urgent when he told her to read it and keep it safe. He must have strongly felt that she needed to know what was written on those folded sheets.
What could he possibly write to me about?
Elizabeth was getting very impatient to learn more about the papers so she decided to sneak a peek. She took them out from under her pillow and gasped. It was addressed to a man! It was not a letter from Mr Darcy to her! She inspected the front and the back and noted that the sheets appeared wrinkled. Perhaps the sheets got wet in the rain.
A light knock sounded on the door so she hid the sheets again. Her tray of food arrived. She did not feel very hungry so she only ate a little. Afterwards, Jane and Mrs Hill also arrived with supplies to treat and dress her wound. All the while, Elizabeth felt conflicted. Should she read the letter? It appeared to be a letter, but not written to her. She felt very uncomfortable reading a letter that was not originally meant for her. But Mr Darcy was not the type of man to take things lightly. He must truly need her to read it.
Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth decided to just go ahead and read it. She trusted herself not to reveal to anyone whatever was in that letter. Despite her being unsure about Mr Darcy, she instinctively knew she could not break this confidence. Carefully, she unfolded the letter and started reading. She quickly devoured the words in the letter and felt increasingly pained and emotional whilst reading it. By the end of it, she was openly crying. After she managed to control her outburst, she read the letter once more, this time at a steadier pace. She was horrified, shocked, angry and thoroughly ashamed of herself. How could she believe that scoundrel? How could she be so mistaken about Mr Darcy? And poor Georgiana! Elizabeth felt the heartbreak in every word that young and innocent Georgiana wrote to her devoted brother before he left Pemberley.
Elizabeth kept the letter safe. She would and could never reveal its contents to anyone. Even without the letter in front of her, she could see the words written in Georgiana's delicate hand. The sheets were wrinkled not because they got wet in the rain, but because of Georgiana's tears. Elizabeth could not stop thinking about Georgiana, Mr Darcy and Mr Wickham. She cried herself to sleep. Her dreams were filled with disturbing scenes of Mr Wickham pushing her into the shed with an evil sneer, her falling to the ground on a dark, rainy night with no one to help her, a faceless young girl confining herself to her large, empty chambers. Images of some painful words from the letter swirled around. She heard a haunting voice…
I am deeply sorry, dearest Fitzwilliam, for having caused you pain...
For putting our reputation at risk...
I know not how to confide in you regarding my shameful behaviour...
I fancied myself in love with Mr Wickham...
But he is full of deceit...
You must be so disappointed in me...
You have been a pillar of strength since our parents passed away...
I know that wherever they are, they are so proud of you for being the best brother and a most conscientious master of Pemberley...
I hope you find a loving wife to care for you, for you deserve all the happiness...
I may never marry but I shall be delighted to have a sister...
Please forgive me...
Please forgive me...
Please forgive me...
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At Netherfield, Caroline was livid. She was determined not to lose Mr Darcy to that chit. She wanted to rush to her sister Louisa for advice but she knew she could not disturb her at this time of the night. She had no time to lose. Mr Darcy was planning to talk to that Eliza tomorrow. If he proposed her, that hussy would be sure to accept him. She must do something now to prevent that from happening.
Caroline felt that she had no other choice. She was desperate. She had to find a way to make him marry her. All these years, she had been very patient with him, waiting for him to ask her the most awaited question. She thought he would be impressed with her performance as mistress here at Netherfield and that would finally compel him to offer for her. But no, that Eliza had been scheming to steal Mr Darcy from right under her nose.
Looking into her wardrobe, she selected the sheerest and shortest nightgown she owned. She then covered herself up with a robe and went in search of the master keys.
Trying to make no noise, she let herself into Mr Darcy's room. She removed her robe and threw it carelessly to the floor. She then ripped her nightgown and rumpled the bedsheets. When she had set the scene, she settled on the bed to wait. As soon as the door opened and Mr Darcy entered, she was going to scream.
Caroline lay on the bed and waited. It was taking Mr Darcy such a long time to retire. She decided to sleep, knowing she would wake up when the door opened.
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Caroline's eyes fluttered open when she heard the door creak. Nervously, she listened to the footsteps and the door shutting. She held her breath, exhaled slowly and screamed.