Chapter Twenty-Three: Caroline
I stare at the email flashing in front of me and take another long sip of wine. My fingers clasping the delicate stem of the glass. I slacken my grasp in case it should break. Setting it down up on the coaster. My eyes jerk back to the offending article lighting up my laptop screen. It's from Nick. The subject title is 'Important business' and it's been sent to all the senior partners at Rosings, including his aunt. I gingerly click open and take a deep breath in letting it out slowly. He won't resign, surely not, not because of her. He isn't stupid. He is … I allow my gaze to wander over the one personal item in my otherwise minimalist penthouse apartment. The large heavy framed print on the mantel piece that seems to clash with the white clean lines the interior designer I hired spent so long choosing. This is mine, my addition to my perfect designer lifestyle. There is a film of dust on the glass and I make a mental note to have words with the cleaner. Nick's face beams up at me, in a rare moment of complete happiness and liberty he allowed himself the freedom to smile. Charlie is centre with an arm around each us looking so proud. As he was. As he told us both repeatedly all that day. Nick and I are adorned in our black cap and gowns. Graduation. Georgiana had taken the picture. Nick and I finishing law school. Charlie was in the year below and as such had finished the year later. I look again at Nick. We were supposed to be together, isn't that what everyone had assumed? Nick and Caroline. The perfect power couple. A force to be reckoned with both in and outside of the court room. But no, he had chosen her. The secretary. Eliza Bennet.
I lay the picture face down so I don't have to look at him smiling any longer. I haven't seen it much since that day. How could he have been seeing her for all this time without any one knowing? It's impossible. Someone must would have known. I should have known. I didn't and now he's marrying her. Charlie had been so excited on the phone. His ramblings meant I struggled to get a word in edge ways, lucky really, since at that moment I was speechless. I had heard the rumours, witnessed for myself his altercation with George Wickham at the office two weeks ago, I had heard about Lady Catherine's visit to her. I would have thought she would have put a stopper in any ridiculous notion she had of them being together but no they had battled through it, won their argument and were now going to live happily ever after. I snort to myself and pick up my glass once more.
The apartment is large and spacious. Minimal, clean white and so me. That's what the designer had told me. I didn't know what me was. I still don't. Caroline Bingley. In the courtroom I'm known as the tornado. A nickname I had picked up long ago and never bothered to have squashed. I supposedly destroy everything in my path leaving nothing but destruction in my wake. I guess you could say it is true. I have a near perfect record. Mainly because of the way I choose my cases. Carefully selecting each one after consideration. I only choose those arguments I can win, or rather ones that at least deserve my time and energy to fight. It's much the same in life. I will always consider my own consequences in each decision I make. I choose the side I know will be most beneficial to me. And this one is toying with my opinions. I want to be there for Nick as a friend but feel betrayal at the way he treated me over this whole Bennet girl thing. I could take Lady Catherine's side and therefore guarantee my future alliance with Rosings, but there is a part of me niggling inside, telling me this time she won't win. If that was the case, and Nick left, where would Rosings be then? Would there be a future to be part of?
I re read the email slowly weighing up my options. Nick talks of a meeting, a proposal he wishes to put forward. I have no idea what that proposal could be and that part is causing me the most discomfort, being in the dark is never a good feeling, especially not in the world of law. I would never enter a court room unprepared, and this is exactly what I am supposed to do in the morning. I have to enter a board room filled with people awaiting an announcement from one of my oldest and dearest friends and then chose a side. But which side? I pick up my glass and walk over to the sofa sitting back. I never realised how uncomfortable these things are. I guess I never truly sat back and attempted to relax on it. As with every item of furniture in here, it was picked for me not by me. I drain my glass and turn to fetch another bottle from the wine cooler before remembering the meeting is at nine the next morning and I really should have a clear head for whatever he is about to lay at our feet. After last week and my embarrassing phone call to Eliza, I'm having to be more careful. Deciding instead to retire for the evening I stack the dishwasher with my one pate, knife, fork and glass, and on my way past stand the picture back up.
The next morning in the office everyone is nervous. The partners had all had the same email most had no idea of the burgeoning relationship between our leader Mr Nicholas Darcy and Eliza Bennet. They know something's up from the way he acted last week but no one knows the reason behind it. Richard Fitzwilliam still hasn't arrived and neither has Lady Catherine. Charlie sits across from me in my office furiously typing on his phone. He has barely said two words to me since he got in and certainly won't comment on what Nick is going to announce, I know he knows, I can tell. He was always the same as child when he had a secret. I drum my highly polished nails on the desk and silently wonder if I will have time for a manicure later this week, when Lady Catherine strides past my open door. I rise from my seat ready for instruction but she blanks me. Charlie doesn't seem affected by her appearance, his phone dings again and I'm just about to make a grab for the thing and stamp on it when he jumps from his seat and dashes outside. Richard sees him and follows hastily. What is going on? I look at the clock, it is two minutes to nine; most people are milling about making coffee and talking amongst themselves. At one minute to, I leave my office and make my way to the conference room where the meetings is to be held. Once inside I find Charlie, Richard and Nick sitting together at one end. They all have their heads together and don't even acknowledge my appearance. As more and more people arrive they are forced to break apart. I smile at Nick a genuine, I miss you-you're my friend- smile but he doesn't return it. That sneaky little cow must have told him I was giving her a hard time. I chew the inside of my cheek nervously, for the first time in a lifetime, I am nervous. I don't know why I'm here or how it's going to affect me and I don't like it.
Lady Catherine enters the room, her assistant follows closely behind shutting the door and sitting beside it and note book in her hand. We all rise as she makes her way to her seat at the top of the table. It used to belong to her husband, I remember him well. He and Mr Darcy -Nick's father- ran the company with a firm but fare attitude that had people flocking to work for them. The best were handpicked and most around this table had been here a long time. The younger partners such as myself were lucky enough to have been selected straight out of law school and brought here. I couldn't imagine working anywhere else. Nick doesn't make eye contact with his aunt, I realise for the first time he doesn't have anything with him. No tablet, notebook, not even a pen, what is all this about?
The room is silent, each person round the table looking towards Lady Catherine or to Nick for guidance. Finally Nick stands and addresses the room. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for attending this meeting. I'm sure you have lots to be getting on with, so we'll keep this short shall we?" He has the whole room awaiting his every move, like when he's in court, he commands the space he's in. He's a wonder to watch. Catherine fidgets in her seat but the rest of room stay still, all eyes on him. "You may or not be aware that for some time now I have been in a relationship with a fellow colleague." Embarrassingly a few heads turn in my direction and I feel my cheeks flush unnecessarily. Yes, I am the obvious choice, the right choice. I lower my eyes to the table to save from having to look at them while Nick continues oblivious to the opinions around him and how wrong they are. "Now while my personal life should be just that," he pauses to flash a look at Catherine before continuing, "it appears our union has affected the work place so I am here to put a stop to it. The fact of the matter is, I have asked Miss Bennet to marry me, and she has said yes."
The silence shatters in an instant, the table erupts in whispers. The only person who remains silent is Catherine, her jaw is slack and her eyes widen in shock before narrowing and her lips tighten. Bitter, resentful. Here it comes...
"Nicholas!" she rose from her seat and all attention returns to her. "I must insist you put an end to this … this ridiculous spectacle and return to my office with me now, where we can discuss this in private, this is a family matter and should remain behind closed doors. Not in front of the staff."
Staff? I considered myself worth more than that, and so do a great number of people around this table. There is obvious dis pleasure on most people's faces being addressed as such.
"I apologise aunt is this makes you uncomfortable but I have not finished, if you would sit down I will continue." I don't know whether she is afraid or in shock at ever being spoken to like that before, but Catherine drops to her seat and the hush returns. "My fiancée," he smiles warmly, his face relaxing around the word, I'm not even sure he is aware. He looks ... happy, "would like very much to return to work and I for one-" He looks up at each person around the table carefully. "I for one would like that too. She has done nothing wrong, her work has been impeccable. I see no reason why our relationship should hinder her progress in the company. She has made it perfectly clear she requires no help from me, and is eager to thrive through her own merit and nothing else. To put it bluntly she wishes to be treated like before, like any other secretary on the floor. She is not, and will never be, just Mr Darcy's other half. She is a woman in her own right and wishes to remain that way." He announces. Richard is grinning, I can't imagine Nick saying those last few words himself; they must have come from her. "Now although I could have made the decision to reinstate her alone, I feel it only right to bring you up to date on events and to include you in any decision. We are all a part of this company and without each and every one of you, Rosings would not exist. No one is valued higher than any other." Most people are nodding and smiling at him. "Caroline." I jump at the sound of my name. "Elizabeth was your secretary, would it be possible for her to be reinstated? Are you willing to work with her again?"
I swallow, I can feel every pair of eyes on me, I can see Lady Catherine out of the side of my eye and I know what she expects, but I need to consider my next words very carefully. "If that is what is to be, than it will be."
Nick sighs unsatisfied with my intentionally vague answer. "Caroline. I'm asking you directly, can you work with Lizzie? If there are any feelings of resentment between you and her, you need to voice it now. I won't hold anything against you. What is said in this room will be in confidence and Lizzie will never hear of it. If you can't work with her then I will see to assigning her to someone else."
"I can work with her." I say quietly, before raising my head and meeting him head on. "If it is decided she will return, then yes, I can work with her." I'm careful to hide the reluctance from my voice.
He sits down smiling at me like he's pleased and grateful and I hate myself that I smile back. Lady Catherine is trying to catch my eye but I purposely avoid her.
"You seem to forget Nicholas that I am still head of this company. My husband left me in charge not you. You are a senior partner nothing more. On his instruction you may inherit one day, but not today." She glares at him. "I will be the only one who decides whether or not miss Bennet will return to her position with in Rosings."
"Lady Catherine, with all due respect, you have never being involved in the hiring and firing of the secretaries, assistants or even junior partners. You have always left that up to Richard and myself, why the sudden change?"
Catherine rises to her feet and stares down at Nick. "I will not have her here. I will not have you marry her. I will not allow it. I will not have her pollute the shades of Pemberley with her presence."
"Then you leave me no choice." Nick gets to his feet also. "I resign."
"Www-what!" Catherine splutters. "Nicholas you cannot be serious."
"I assure you aunt I am. If you will not allow Elizabeth to return to her position here, then I will also leave. What's more I will ensure she is presented to the best of my capability in a suit against Rosings for wrongful dismissal."
"She … You … This… I won't let you. You can't." Catherine pleads desperately. A few people begin to whisper their own conversation around the table. Nick ignores them.
"Yes I can and I will."
"Then go. There are plenty of people here left to take you place." She looks purposely at Richard. "Rosings would not suffer for it." Catherine sits down satisfied she has the upper hand.
"Lady Catherine," Richard gets to his feet and addresses his aunt. "At this point, I would like to say that if Nick should leave Rosings, then I will also tender my resignation."
Charlie stands beside him. "That goes for me too Lady Catherine."
"So Aunt are you prepared to lose three of the best of your employees in one go, or are you prepared to allow Elizabeth to return and accept her as my fiancée?" Nick asks.
Catherine eyes are angry and her mouth tightly closed, she had lost her fight, everyone around this table knows she won't lose Nick, let alone Richard and Charlie also. They have her. She can't let them walk away. It isn't worth it. She isn't worth it. "Fine." Lady Catherine stands up once more, this time collecting her things and gesturing for her assistant to stand also. "Let her return. Have your bit of fun Nicholas, but do not coming to me for help when it all goes wrong and she reveals her true colours. When the name of Darcy is so far destroyed there's no one to help you but me. Because I won't help you. And I will never ever, accept her as your fiancée." They stride out of the room.
As the others begin to leave, Richard chuckles. "I suppose one out of two isn't a bad result."
Charlie looks at me. "Caz, you've been very quiet."
"You would have done that? Really left? Left all this?" I ask him incredulously.
"Nicks my best friend Caz, of course I would. It's what you do for people you care about. You want them to be happy."
Nick smiles at me and it throws me off kilter, he isn't supposed to smile, he isn't supposed to be warm and romantic and … weak. He's like me, we don't need love. We connect, make contacts. Friends, relationships, where is all this coming from? It's her. It is all her. She has him wound so tight around her finger he doesn't know which way is up. He is delirious. I will just have to put him straight. If putting up with her back at work is the downside, then it's something I will have to live with. Nothing will stop me driving a wedge between them and showing Nick how good it can be.