On the London Streets
The Next Morning
The sky was an unremitting gray, and the clouds occasionally released a brief shower to wet the stones beneath the carriage rolling its way toward Hertfordshire.
Caroline Bingley, seated rigidly next to her brother in their carriage, glared out at the gloom, which reflected her mood with remarkable precision.
How had it come to this? Only six months previously, she has been the well dowered single sister of a congenial and well-liked brother. Said brother had, at the time, also been the closest friend of one of the best connected and wealthy gentlemen in the land, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley.
She had been certain that Mr. Darcy would make her an offer. Why should he not? Why had he not? She was beautiful, moderately rich, and had been educated in one of the finest finishing schools in all of England! She knew how to keep a gentleman's house. She knew how to speak to high born men and women.
What had gone wrong?
She groaned aloud and felt her brother shift beside her in the seat, though she resolutely kept her head turned away.
She knew what had gone wrong. Charles, famed for his hasty decisions, had toured Netherfield Park one fine morning, when his sisters had not been available, and had promptly taken it.
That in itself would not have been a terrible crisis if it were not for the Bennet family, composed of an indolent father, a vulgar and noisy mother, and five – five! – daughters. She had, she admitted, been foolish in taking up Jane Bennet as a friend. The woman was charming and kind, but her sisters, especially Miss Elizabeth, were so pushing, so obnoxious, so desirous of making their way into more stratified society that Caroline had been an idiot to let Jane near her brother. Charles had always had an eye for pretty blondes, and Jane was very pretty indeed, though she had no other remarkable attributes.
And as for Miss Elizabeth, with her wind tossed curls, arch smiles, and impertinent remarks, well, Mr. Darcy must be mad, entirely mad! She had bewitched him, but how?
Perhaps if Caroline had walked three miles in the mud…?
She moaned again and clenched her teeth. There was no point in self recrimination, and indeed, it was largely bad luck which had resulted in her own personal and societal downfall. Elizabeth's inheritance had been entirely unexpected. Indeed, Caroline still had a vague feeling the whole thing must be nonsense, that the woman had managed to fool the world. And now Eliza Bennet had Fitzwilliam Darcy in her coils.
It was enough to make Caroline cry, or scream, but she had done enough of that the previous night, especially after she discovered Louisa's door locked to her. It was insupportable and unbelievable as both her elder sister and only brother had always given way to her needs and desires. And now Louisa, merely because she was expecting a brat, was selfishly hiding in her room and leaving Caroline at the mercy of Hurst and Charles, both of whom insisted that she leave Town again.
So she was going to Hertfordshire, which was, in terms of society, as rustic as Scarborough. It was undeniable discouraging, but she would regroup, and she would find another man to marry. A well connected man. A wealthy man.
The carriage came to a halt, and Caroline, who had been too busy thinking to pay attention to her surroundings, looked around and jerked in surprise.
"What are we doing here?" she demanded, staring out at the familiar façade of Darcy House.
"I need to speak to Darcy," Bingley said grimly. "I … I need to know whether he will … we have been friends for a long time, but I need to…"
"I will come with you," Caroline said eagerly and then quailed as her brother turned a furious look on her.
"Come with me, Caroline? Are you mad? The last time you saw Darcy, you were drunkenly insulting the woman he is now engaged to! It would be best if my friend never laid eyes on you again, but at the very least, I will not force my way into his house with you on my arm. You will stay here until I return."
"What, stay here on the dusty street, in a hired carriage?" Caroline demanded angrily. It was merely another indication of her bad fortune that her brother's carriage had developed a problem with one wheel during the trip back from Yorkshire and was currently awaiting repairs, and thus they were forced to journey in a smaller vehicle with bad springs.
"This street is one of the best kept in all of London, and the carriage is well enough," Bingley said, reaching over to open the door. He stepped out and turned a glacial look on his sister. "Stay here, Caroline, or you will not like the consequences."
Caroline gritted her teeth as the door shut behind Charles but remained in her seat. With the Hursts no longer willing to give her shelter, she had best not infuriate her idiot of a brother any more.
/
Library
Darcy House
"Bingley," Darcy said politely, gesturing for his friend to enter his favorite room in the house. It was also, not surprisingly, Elizabeth's favorite room as well, as his bride to be was a great lover of books. He had cheerful plans to spend hours in adjacent chairs by the fire reading some of their favorite books.
He had more scintillating thoughts of carrying his bride to bed after they were married…
He realized he had missed the first part of Bingley's speech and shook himself a little. The sooner he was wed, the better, as he kept drifting off at inopportune times.
"…kind of you to allow me to visit, Darcy," his old friend said, his usually cheerful face creased with sorrow. "I returned yesterday to Town and learned from Hurst that you and, erm, that you and Miss Elizabeth Bennet are engaged to be married. Many congratulations."
Darcy swallowed hard and held out a hand. The two men shook firmly, and Darcy said, "Please do sit down, Bingley."
The man did so and said, "I cannot stay long, I fear, as I am on my way to Netherfield Park, and Caroline is going with me."
Darcy felt as if he had sustained an electric shock, and turned a horrified look on his friend. "Miss Bingley is here?"
"She is in the carriage outside," Bingley replied. "I forbade her to come inside, as I know you will not want her here."
"Bluntly, I do not, since the last time we met, she loudly insulted Elizabeth."
"I apologize for that, Darcy."
"I accept your apology," his friend replied, as he walked over to pour wine for himself and his friend. "But enough of that. I presume you are also here because you heard the news of Miss Bennet's engagement to my cousin Richard Fitzwilliam?"
Bingley looked down at the carpet, his Adam's apple working in his throat, and then nodded. "Yes, I … that is, it was quite a shock, though of course Miss Bennet has every right to marry whomever she wants. But I thought…"
"That she cared for you?" Darcy asked. "I think she did, but you left her again, you know, and while you were away, Richard captured her heart."
"I suppose I cannot blame her," Bingley said disconsolately. "Your cousin is a very fine man."
"Bingley."
The younger man looked up and accepted the glass from his friend, who said compassionately, "Last autumn I was fool enough to advise you not to marry Miss Bennet because I was running away from my attraction to Miss Elizabeth, whom I already loved, though I did not admit it to myself. I also had a stupid view of the importance of connections in one's mate. Now I think that you and Miss Bennet are not well suited because you are too much alike, and I say that with the utmost admiration for your respective characters. You are kind, honorable, gracious, unselfish, and generous; the sort of man whom everyone likes as a friend. My cousin Richard is also pleasant in company, but he is also a warrior. He is ready and willing to take on anyone who would cause trouble for Miss Bennet. You are more of a…"
"Weakling?" Bingley demanded, and gulped again. "You are correct."
"Not a weakling, not at all. You are extremely tactful and congenial, and you know how often I give offense. No, you are a very good man, Bingley, and I have confidence that someday you will find happiness with a fine woman."
"Thank you," his friend said, setting his glass down and reaching out to shake the older man's hand again. "Your words are very kind, but I have, I realize, been acting more like a puppy than a man. I need to make some changes in my life. I value your friendship very much as well and hope we will have the pleasure of spending time in company again. Now I had best depart so that we make Netherfield Hall by dusk."
"I value your friendship as well, and I am certain that we will see one another in time," his friend replied, shaking the other man's hand with fervor. "Bingley, Elizabeth and Jane will be arriving shortly, and Georgiana and I will be riding with them to Hyde Park. Would you mind going out the servant's entrance? I think Miss Bennet might be distressed at coming face to face with you."
Bingley could only acquiesce with this reasonable suggestion.
/
Outside Darcy House
"I am a little nervous about going to Almack's tomorrow evening. I know it is terribly exclusive."
Caroline, who had had been moodily plaiting and unplaiting the fringe of her shawl, slewed her head around to stare out the window at the woman who had just spoken. A second later, she leaned back against the squabs and slouched a little, fearful of being seen by the ladies currently walking toward the front steps of Darcy House with two stout footmen at their heels. Their carriage, a very fine barouche, was waiting near the base of the stairs.
"My dear Jane," Elizabeth Bennet said and yes it was, without a doubt, the infuriating woman who had captured Fitzwilliam Darcy and damaged Caroline's societal hopes, "I am certain that they are very much like other ladies and gentlemen. In any case, we are not seeking husbands, so there is no pressure to be charming, though you are always charming, dear one."
"It was kind of Lady Matlock to obtain vouchers for us."
"Indeed it was. Oh, Mr. Birks, would you inform Mr. and Miss Darcy that we have arrived?"
The butler muttered in return, and the ladies disappeared inside the great house.
Caroline surprised herself by suddenly bursting into tears. The Misses Bennet were going to Almack's? It was the most exclusive of all the clubs and certainly Miss Bingley would never be permitted to cross the threshold of its hallowed halls. It was horrible. It was devastating. It was unfair.
And there was nothing she could do about it, nothing at all.