Thank you for continuing to read this story. I was very happy to receive your reviews. I am sorry I am not able to reply to each reviewer this time but I cannot do without thanking you all:
Shelby66, Guest, crispill, liysyl, Motherof8, lpinney, Leslie E, roses0002, Guest who loves the rat, Deanna27, Lisa, Guest, Guest, Colleen S, Levenez, RHALiz, Gedoena, eelarahs, MrsSP9, dianaanne
It was truly entertaining knowing your thoughts, including more sheep farm ideas, the Scarborough Fair song, how much you loved (to hate) Caro, Wickham being inflicted on the Americans, Hurst crawling in the bed, etc LOL. All those would make an interesting mashup story.
Regarding choosing "Truth or Dare" as last chapter's title, I did not mean the game. It was about Caro either telling the truth or dare to lie and fabricate some weird story. But "Reap What You Sow" is a great suggestion. I might use it. Thank you, eelarahs!
Stay safe, everyone!
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The next morning, Caroline's belongings were all packed and ready to be loaded into the carriage. Caroline was to stay at their London townhouse until Mr Bingley received confirmation from their aunt that she was willing to allow Caroline to stay with her. He did not envision that she would refuse but he nevertheless wanted to observe due courtesy and not make assumptions. Mr Bingley had written to give express instructions to their staff in London that Caroline was not permitted to go out nor receive any calls. He also made this expectation very clear to his sister.
Last night, Mrs Hurst had initially treated Caroline with cold civility. She had not been impressed with her sister's recklessness. Not only did Caroline's actions cause her husband to be hurt, they could also potentially harm the relationship between Mr Darcy and her brother who were very close friends. She was well aware of Mr Darcy's stature and did not want anything to risk their family losing his favour. She had been about to leave her sister's room when Caroline spat at her,
"I thought you were on my side, Louisa! I thought you will defend me and not allow Mr Darcy be taken in by that Eliza!"
"Caroline, let me be clear. What you did was plainly stupid. It revealed what a selfish woman you have become. Do you still not realise the damage you have caused? My husband is injured! And I only hope that Mr Darcy will be forgiving enough to not allow your indecorous behaviour ruin his friendship with Charles."
Louisa had tried her utmost to contain her wrath but she could not restrain herself any longer after hearing Caroline's words. She had hastily left the room after reprimanding Caroline. She did not want to engage in a full argument with her lest they be overheard by servants.
After their brief confrontation last night, Louisa was surprised to see a sober Caroline this morning. She did not know what to expect from Caroline after all her antics but she was relieved that her sister presented a calm, if stoic, expression. She and Charles watched her enter the carriage and not once look back. They could only wish that they had managed to talk some sense into her. Their aunt in Scarborough was known to be quite strict and would not tolerate any inappropriate conduct.
Mr Bingley had also informed Darcy that Caroline had finally departed Netherfield. Once Mr Hurst was settled into his room last night, Charles had immediately asked for the apothecary to be called and had waited for Mrs Hurst to return to attend to her husband's needs. He had felt unsure about how Darcy would react to the news of Caroline's failed compromise. His friend would understandably be angry but he did not know what Darcy would decide to do afterwards. Much as he did not want to lose their friendship, he had no other recourse but to tell Darcy the truth and hoped that he would not take Caroline's poor behaviour against him.
Mr Darcy had waited impatiently for Bingley to arrive. He had wondered why he had been advised to stay in the library. Feeling exhausted, he had wanted to just get a good night's sleep to ensure he was well-rested for the following day. He had been nervously looking forward to calling on Elizabeth. When Bingley arrived, he had noticed that his friend appeared weary. He had done his best to listen to what Bingley had to say without interrupting him. After Bingley finished recounting the events, Darcy had been visibly outraged but had tried not to lash out. After pacing restlessly in the library which made Bingley even more anxious, Darcy spoke,
"Bingley, you can see I am furious. How can I not be? Your sister has really crossed the line this time. I cannot imagine what would have happened had I gone up to my room earlier. If she had succeeded in her attempt… Bingley, I hope you know I am an honourable man. You know how I feel about your sister and how I feel about Miss Elizabeth. Had I been in my room with Miss Bingley, I would not allow myself to be forced to marry her. I could not. I accept that as her brother, you will do what you can to protect her. But I must tell you the truth. I would never marry your sister."
Mr Bingley had nodded slowly,
"I understand, Darce. I know you would not do anything so inappropriate. I have known you for many years and your reputation has always been impeccable. I know you would never even consider engaging in… improper activities. You have always treated women with respect. And Caroline's story was just utterly ridiculous."
"So what happens now? Do you want me to leave?"
"No! I honestly hope that you will stay. It is entirely your choice, of course. Caroline will be leaving for London in the morning and hopefully she will be on her way to stay with our aunt in Scarborough in a few days' time. She will be out of your way."
Darcy had paused to think, then had spoken in a low voice,
"I cannot blame you for your sister's actions, Bingley. I thank you for believing in me."
"I hope this means we can continue our friendship, Darce. However, at this point in time, I think we are both tired and more than ready to retire. We still have plans for tomorrow."
"You are a good friend, Bingley. But I agree, we need to get some rest after this very trying day. I do not wish to sleep in my room after all that has transpired. Would you mind if I slept here or perhaps in another room?"
"It won't be very comfortable but you may sleep here. If we ask for another room to be prepared, that might invite speculation. You should perhaps ask Fletcher to stay with you and secure the doors. I will stay with you if you wish."
"No need, Bingley. At least one of us can get a good night's sleep. I should manage here for one night. I shall call for Fletcher."
After Miss Bingley left, Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy made themselves ready to call at Longbourn. Both men felt a mixture of hope and apprehension. Mr Bingley wanted to have a chance to speak to Miss Bennet to declare his intentions. He admired her not only for her beauty but for her kind spirit. He was certain that she would be the ideal wife for him. It was true that he had been attracted to other ladies in the past, but he had never pursued any of them. He had felt something lacking and that he only appreciated their physical attributes but nothing deeper. With Miss Bennet, his heart had been touched by her genuine warmth.
Mr Darcy, on the other hand, was desperate to find out what Elizabeth thought of Georgiana's letter. He truly hoped his sister's words were enough to convince her of the truth, most especially about Wickham's character. The letter contained very personal information but he could not think of any other way to urgently let her know about what kind of a person Wickham really was. She was in danger of falling prey to that scoundrel's charms, judging from what he saw yesterday. He knew he had to gain her trust first before he proceeded with any attempt to win her heart.
When they were received at Longbourn, they were disappointed to see that Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth were not present in the parlour. Mrs Bennet informed them that Miss Elizabeth was ill and that Miss Bennet was tending to her. She then sent Miss Mary to take Miss Bennet's place so that Mr Bingley may have a chance to speak to her. While they were waiting for Miss Bennet to appear, Mrs Bennet continued to explain Miss Elizabeth's condition. Afterwards, she also told them the news of the betrothal of Mr Collins and Miss Mary. They learnt that Mr Collins intended to return to Hunsford on Monday, the day after the first reading of the banns.
Mr Darcy was relieved to know that Mr Collins was engaged to someone else. Now he just needed to ensure that Elizabeth discovered Wickham's deceitful nature. But more than that, he was very concerned about Elizabeth. She had been suffering from fever since last night and had a bad gash on her foot. Elizabeth appeared to have a healthy constitution but her body must have not withstood the stress of yesterday's events. Thinking back, he now worried that he had not offered his coat to her early enough. He questioned himself why he had waited till it was raining hard before he acted. He had felt awkward about offering her his coat and he had hoped the rain would not last. Moreover, he had not even thought to ask her how she was after she tripped on a branch. Elizabeth would have remained in good health if she had not fled the chaos that ensued yesterday, and he knew he contributed to that. Feeling guilty, he said,
"Mrs Bennet, I must confess that I am greatly worried about Miss Elizabeth and her current poor health. If you feel it may help, I could call for my doctor in London."
Mrs Bennet was almost ecstatic to hear this offer from Mr Darcy. It showed that he truly cared for Lizzy.
"I thank you for your generous offer, Mr Darcy. We have called for the apothecary and he is quite confident that Lizzy will recover. He has known Lizzy since she was very young and he believes that she just needs proper care and time to rest."
"I hope that will be the case. But please, send word immediately if her condition deteriorates. I will be most happy to be of service."
Miss Bennet then joined them in the parlour, much to the delight of Mr Bingley. He could now invite Miss Bennet for a walk outside.
Mr Bennet also appeared and said,
"Please could you join me in my study, Mr Darcy."
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Next up: Bingley-Jane conversation, Darcy-Mr Bennet conversation and something else
These were initially planned to be in this chapter but it would turn out to be very long. Sorry, I do not find it easy to write very long chapters. I will try my best to update soon.