"I have received a letter from Mr Darcy this morning, asking me to retrieve his mother's favorite sapphire ring, and send it to him in Hertfordshire." The Pemberley Steward spoke one Mr and Mrs Reynolds, the butler and Housekeeper, entered the study. "He says he plans to propose the day he receives the ring."
"I too received a letter asking me to ensure the mistress chambers." Mrs Reynolds spoke with a sense of foreboding.
"Are we sure it is as we fear and Miss Bingley has finally gotten her claws into Mr Darcy?" Mr Reynolds asked, apprehension clear in his voice.
"How can it be any other way?" His wife asked gently, "We all know how shy he is in new places, and then to add on this horrible business with sweet Georgiana. No, it is likely he has decided to settle for Miss Bingley, knowing no one would be willing to attach themselves to this ridiculous "scandal"." Mrs Reynolds spoke with such spite that the other two men worried what she would do to the person who leaked Georgiana's business if the woman ever got her hands on them. "No, I'm afraid she is very likely the only option still available to him in that part of the country, and is just grasping enough to jump at the chance to be our Mistress, even with the scandal."
"We best keep this between us then, for I do not want to have to explain to the Master why most of his staff has quit in his absence." Her husband spoke, "We shall just tell them this dreadful news the day of his return."
"We should all just be thankful it isn't Miss de Bourgh." The steward spoke, all of them grateful they were to be spared having Lady Catherine as a frequent guest.
At Darcy House in town a very similar conversation was taking place between the butler and the housekeeper.
"Darcy, Miss Elizabeth, how wonderful to run into you both this morning!" Charles Bingley called out to them the following morning while they had been out for their morning ramble. "I would like to apologize for my absence of late, and wonder if your father would receive me, Miss Elizabeth? When last I tried to call, Darcy had been kind enough to gently point out some of my shortcomings which have damaged mine and my family's reputation here in the area, and after a lot of reflection I have taken steps to improve what I could. I was hoping to apologize to your father and request an audience with your mother and sisters so that I could tenter an apology to them as well."
"My father is an early riser, so is likely already ensconced in his study. Let us walk back with you, and I will see if he will receive you." Elizabeth spoke, and she and Darcy led the young man back to Longbourn, idle chitchat flowing easily between them once he had congratulated them on their courtship.
The gentlemen waited outside as she went in to speak to her father on Mr Bingley's behalf, and the man breathed a sigh of relief. Once shown inside he politely asked Mr Darcy and Elizabeth to stay, hoping to get their input on what he had to say.
"First of all, I would like to apologize for the behavior of myself and my family while we've been in the neighborhood." His first words confused the group, as his behavior had been above reproach as far as they were concerned. As for his family, well, it was not his place to have to apologize for them, and truly was wasted if they did not regret their actions and had decided to try and do better.
He then turned to Mr Bennet, "I wanted to humbly beg your permission to court the eldest Miss Bennet, in the hopes I can earn her love and that she will eventually consent to be my wife. I hope I have made strides you find acceptable to prove just how serious I am in my intent."
"I have moved my sisters and Hurst back to London, a situation I believe to be most agreeable to everyone involved. You were right Darcy, when you told me I needed to get my household in order, and as such, I have told Caroline this shall be her last season under my care, should she not find herself a husband by the end of it, I will release her dowry to her, and she shall have to find lodgings of her own, or apply to Hurst to take her in. I have also told her that spending more than her allotted pin money has come to an end. While in town I canceled all of her credit accounts with any of the merchants she shops with, and informed them and as many others I could find not to extend her any more as I would not be paying it.
"I have also calculated the amount she has over spent, and divided it between the number of months between now and the end of the season. Those funds will come out of her current monthly pin money, and my man of business will be the one who dispenses it to her from here on out.
"The staff at my house in town have also been told that they are no longer to take orders from her. If she asks them kindly to do something they are able to if they wish to, and it is something with in their job description. The housekeeper will be planning all meals from here on out, and has struck orders that the meals be simple affairs unless Caroline or the Hursts pay for the excess out of their own funds.
"The Hursts have decided to relocate back to their own town house, a having only stayed a few days after these new guidelines were put in place. However, Caroline has stayed in my home, though it matters not, as I plan on staying at Netherfield if given permission to court your daughter."
They all sat with baited breath as her father mulled over what the young man had said. Truly, he had done more than any of them thought he would, and it spoke well of his intentions. "I suppose this will do." Mr Bennet finally broke the silence, "It she will have you, you have my blessing to court my daughter."
"Well Mrs Bennet, I am happy to announce that we have another daughter officially being courted." Her father spoke later that morning as the family, their guests, and Mr Bingley sat down to break their fast. "Our eldest and Mr Bingley would not stand to be out by her sister and his friend for long, and have now agreed to a courtship."
The joyful congratulations that followed were quickly interrupted by an irate Mr Collins. "How dare you approve of such a thing. I have been very clear in my pursuit of your eldest daughter. Why, we have been courting since I arrived."
"Really?" Her father feigned surprise, "And, when did you come to me to request permission to court any of my daughters? For surly I would remember that."
"Well...that is... you see...I had not..." There man stumbled over his words in his surprise at being contradicted.
"I see, then I must assume you have at least approached my daughter and asked if she would consent to a courtship then?" This was addressed to Jane.
"No sir, I have not been asked, nor have I consented to one." Jane spoke, clearly uncomfortable by the turn of events.
"I see, then clearly, you are too late to claim my eldest..."
"Then it seems only right that her next younger sister be betrothed to me." Mr Darcy surged to his feet at this statement, but he was not the one to respond.
"Mr Collins," Came Mrs Bennet's raised voice, "Almost from the moment you entered this home, you were told that Jane and Elizabeth were not available to you as potential brides, and yet you refused to leave them be. Then I told you Mary would make a wonderful wife for a man of the cloth, and you took one look at her and deemed her unworthy. Well, Sir, it would appear it is you who is unworthy of them. My girls are more than just pretty faces, and any man ignorant enough to let that escape their notice and not see them for the individual treasures they are is not worth their time.
"Besides that, a wife deserves to be husbands first priority, and it is clear your exalted Lady Catherine will always hold that position in your life." The way she said the word exalted spoke clearly of how she truly felt about the man's patroness.
"Well, I find my wife's words quite inspired and find I agree wholeheartedly with her. You sir are welcome to stay should you wish to still get to know the neighborhood and estate you will one day call your own. However, you will not find a bride here, and I absolutely forbid you to be in the company of my wife and daughters without me being present." Her father spoke, as he retook his seat, motioning for Mr Darcy to do the same.
"How dare that insolent boy, after all that I have done for him!" Lord Matlock pushed the letter he had been working on to the side, prepared to give his irate sister his full attention.
"And which of your nephews have provoked your ire this time?" He asked, knowing it was likely Darcy as his sons have done nothing alarming...that he knew of.
"Darcy of course!" She threw her hands up in the air as she flung herself into the chair in front of his desk. "My clergyman, Mr Collins is visiting his cousin in Hertfordshire, and sent me a letter, not even an express, telling me that Darcy claims to be courting one of the the daughters of said cousin."
He couldn't help but perk up, and hope said daughter was the one he and his wife had gotten to know while visiting. Now there was a girl he and his wife would be a good match for their nephew. Her vivacity would surely draw out their shy nephew and his sister. In fact he couldn't wait to tell his wife this news. It was high time Darcy settled down and produced an heir, and the fact that the lady was not only pretty, but intelligent as well was in itself exciting.
That Darcy would then provide the middle most sister with a good enough connection to make her a modestly suitable match for Richard was even more desirable. He had been impressed with her knowledge of crop rotation, and estate management, and thought that her knowledge would go along way to helping make any estate successful. His wife also expressed the opinion that were she to try and style her hair in a less severe fashion and wear more flattering colors, she would be quite pretty.
"And to think, that business with Mrs Young did exactly what we have been trying to do for years and forced Darcy's hand into marriage. That he should still reject Anne is not to be born." His sister's statement brought him back to the present.
"What do you mean, this business with Mrs Young, surely you were just as deceived by her as the rest of us?" He asked his sister in shock, and his stomach fell when she just scoffed at him.
"Don't be so daft, of course I wasn't. Had you just used your common sense and encouraged Darcy to marry Anne when his prospects had dried up we wouldn't be in this mess. Him settling for a penniless country mouse is not to be born." He didn't think he could wipe the shock and disgust off his face if he tried, not that his sister noticed. "Not only that, but I laid it out so perfectly, you shouldn't have had to be told of the plan and therefore could have honestly said you had nothing to do with it should the deception have come to light."
"How dare you!" The venom him his quietly growled words shocked the lady, if she could even be called that still. "How dare you abuse our sister's children in such a way. You who spouts your nonsense about her beloved son marrying your daughter being her dearest wish. That you would dare to put her daughter into such a situation as to lead her to possible ruin makes me loath to even know you."
"How dare you, I did this for you as much as me. This set things up perfectly for Darcy to marry Anne, and Georgiana to marry Richard. After all, if she was ruined by whomever Mrs Young deemed worthy, she would be available for Richard to take as a wife whenever he decided to leave the army. You wouldn't even have to work to find a wife for a washed up old soldier, and she would even come with a dowry." The anger was so hot within him he was sure he would strangle his sister at any moment.
"That is enough!" However it was not he who ended her spiteful tirade. "I shall hear no more of this, especially in my home." His wife spoke as she crossed the floor of his study to stand over his sister. "I have always thought you to be the most vial of harpies, but I never thought I would be proven right in such a despicable manner. I have put up with you and your vitriol because you were family. Well that ends now. From here out you will not be allowed entrance to any of my homes. If you see me on the street I will not know you. From this point forward you will cease to exist to me, and if you are foolish enough to approach me in public I shall give you the cut direct." With that she turned and glided out of his study, reminding him why he loved her so much.
"How dare you let her talk to me..."
"I dare because I agree with her whole heartedly, and from this day forward will not know you. Just answer me one thing. Did you leak this this scandal to the papers?"
"Of course not, I wanted to entice Darcy to marry Anne, not bring a scandal down in her head." She acted as if this was the dumbest question ever asked.
"Yet you thought this to be a brilliant idea. You are nothing but a fool..."