Author's Note: let me know what you think

Chapter 3

While Darcy was riding the fields and coming to know Elizabeth better, Caroline Bingley was plotting. The night before, they had attended a card party at the Lucases, and Miss Bingley did not care for the attention the gentlemen of her party paid to the Bennet family. She was frustrated with Charles's flirting with Jane Bennet, although she knew it would not go anywhere, but her Mr Darcy's eyes were drawn entirely too often toward the second Miss Bennet, the penniless, orphaned cousin.

Miss Bingley surreptitiously watched the interactions between the two the previous night. It was obvious they knew each other better than their brief acquaintance should have allowed, which made her wonder how that came to be. She knew Mr Darcy went out for a daily ride, but other than that, he was in the house—most often ensconced in the study or on the estate with her brother. This bothered the lady nearly as much as the attention he paid to the Bennet chit. She could not get engaged to the gentleman if she were never in company with him.

When he was in the house, despite her best efforts, she could not get the gentleman alone. The footmen seemed to be taking orders from someone else since, on at least two occasions, she demanded one leave her alone in the breakfast room as she waited for Mr Darcy to appear. However, he never appeared when a servant was out of the room. Not only that, but the door to his bedroom and sitting room, even the servant entrances, were locked at all hours, and Caroline had been unable to get her hand on a key. It seemed the housekeeper had been instructed, although she could not discover by whom, that no family member was to have a key to his rooms or the servant entrances. Aside from the housekeeper, only Mr Darcy's valet, Mr Roberts, had a key to that gentleman's room, and he was always present when the maids would come in to clean, preventing Caroline or her own maid from being able to slip in.

"Charles, I cannot compromise Mr Darcy if I cannot get into his rooms. He departs early each morning for his ride, and his valet keeps the doors locked—all of them—as if he does not trust the residents of the house. His man opens the doors for the maids to clean, though he remains within the rooms and locks them immediately when they depart. The footmen will not leave the breakfast parlour while Mr Darcy is there, and despite all of my efforts, it appears he will not ask me to marry him without some provocation. What are you going to do to force your friend to propose to me?" Miss Bingley screeched at her brother the morning after the gathering at Lucas Lodge.

"I never promised to help, Caro, only to encourage him to act as a gentleman if you succeeded in compromising him. It seems he is on to you and does not intend to be compromised," Bingley replied, laughing inwardly at his sister. "I know you are determined, and while I would welcome him as a brother, I am not willing to lose his friendship. If I were to do anything to aid you in your efforts, he would sniff it out, and, should you succeed, he would cast my friendship away wihtout a second thought. I would be his brother-in-law, but he would not allow me in his company any more. I am still not certain that your compromise would get you what you desire. While Darcy is honourable to a fault, he can also be rather harsh when crossed. No amount of persuasion has ever been able to convince him to do what he does not want to do."

Caroline changed tactics as she continued to screech her displeasure. "Another thing, Charles, you are far too enamoured of that mousy Miss Bennet. That Bennet family is positively awful—the second daughter is the worst of the lot—but you are being taken in by the eldest. You cannot marry so far beneath yourself; you should stop pursuing the chit, or you will give her ideals and expectations."

"She's beautiful and a fun diversion. Should she offer me more than her smiles, I would not turn her down, but you are correct: I will not marry her. However, nothing will come of a harmless flirtation."

"Mr Darcy is enamoured of that hoyden Eliza Bennet," Caroline nearly yelled, showing the true reason for her upset. "If I cannot persuade Mr Darcy to propose to me soon, we will need to depart Netherfield for London. I will not stand for remaining here much longer. If nothing else, I must get Darcy away from that chit. I will not allow that hoyden to take my place."

Bingley attempted to placate his sister. "Darcy would never offer for a penniless woman, as I understand the Bennet daughters have next to nothing as a dowry. He may be, as I am, engaging in a harmless flirtation with the girl. Continue to work your arts upon him and just see if you cannot persuade him to offer for you without affecting a compromise. It will go much better for you that way."

"What if that chit Eliza succeeds in compromising him first?"

"I think you are being ridiculous if you think that will occur. He rides in the morning and then spends his days here, usually with Hurst and me when we go out shooting. He spends the evenings in company with you and Louisa when you flirt with him. He has never even called at Longbourn, and he has been in company with the Bennets exactly twice. And surely you observed how he looks at the parents? He cannot stand them."

Mollified, Caroline decided to do as her brother suggested. She began dressing even more provocatively and noticed Mr Darcy eyeing her costumes in interest. Each time she came near him, she immediately latched onto his arm and flattered and simpered up at him as she had seen done in all the best ballrooms. She had no idea that each time she did those things, she was pushing any future as Mrs Darcy further and further away.

"Miss Bingley is in a right snit that I will not give her a master key," the housekeeper, Mrs Nicholls, warned Mr Darcy's valet. "She has specifically questioned your master's habits of locking all the doors and your practice of being on hand while the maids clean the room. If she has her way, she'll compromise the man, and I wouldn't put it past her to try something soon. She's frustrated, that one is, since he does not pay her the attention she thinks she deserves.

"Not only that, but she thinks he's paying too much attention to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Everyone in Hertfordshire admires Miss Lizzy, and it seems your master and her have been meeting atop Oakham Mount each morning since the assembly, did you know?"

Roberts, Darcy's valet, was very like his master, tending to be a quiet and solemn man. He considered the matter before he spoke. "My orders are to prevent Miss Bingley from compromising my master, and I have spoken to several other servants willing to aid in this. Many of the local servants do not seem to like the Bingley family very well and do not want to see my master tied to the mistress," he finally said.

"And has he said anything to you of Miss Lizzy?"

"He has not."

Her face fell. "Oh."

"But seems to be rather pleased after his rides each morning, more so than a mere ride would normally bring, and was aggravated the morning he was prevented from riding out due to the weather," the valet revealed slowly.

That returned the smile to the housekeeper's face. "He could not find a better woman, should he decide in her favour."

"I will tell him you said so," Roberts replied with a slight grin on his face.

Later that very morning, the valet reported this conversation to his master. "Sir," he began as he helped him remove his boots following his ride, "the housekeeper reports that Miss Bingley is becoming more insistent that she be given a key to these rooms. Do you still intend to depart soon? I know you intended to remain less than a month."

"I have no intention of allowing Miss Bingley to compromise me, and even were she to do so, I would refuse to marry her. If Bingley attempted to force me, I would cut all ties with him. However, I am not quite ready to depart. I am waiting for a letter from my father's old friend, Mr Elliott, as I have met a young lady here who I feel certain I knew years ago. I hope Mr Elliott will be able to confirm my suspicions. Regardless of the outcome, I intend to leave Hertfordshire in a courtship at the very least."

"With whom?" Roberts inquired, feeling quite shocked at his master's words. He felt fairly certain the lady was not Miss Bingley, but his master had not formally called on any lady to his knowledge.

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet," Darcy replied. "I have encountered her on my rides most mornings, and we have talked about many things. I find her intriguing, and we have had a number of the most interesting conversations. I am perplexed by her family, though—they appear to treat her differently than they do the other daughters, and I am almost convinced that she is not a Bennet at all. I feel almost certain she is the granddaughter of my father's friend, Mr Tomlinson, and the heiress to Briarwood. I have managed her inheritance since my father's passing, and she will have quite the dowry when she marries, though that is not of interest to me. She is nothing like other ladies I have met."

"I wish you luck, sir," Roberts said, pleased to hear that the master was interested in the lady spoken of so highly by the staff here at Netherfield. "The housekeeper said you could not find a better wife than 'Miss Lizzy'." He nearly lost his composure at the startled look on his master's face.