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Darcy didn´t talk on the ride back, his thoughts were preoccupied by the next hard decision he had to make. ´How could Bingley be so naive, how could he believe his sister without doubt?´ he asked himself. ´What does it say about him, when he stays in a house with Miss Bingley as hostess? How would Bingley react if she tried to compromise Darcy?´
As they reached the stables Darcy dismounted and made his way to the house, where he took the stairs to his room and found his valet preparing his clothes.
"Rodes, I need you to quietly approach Mrs. Nichols and bring her here. Please make sure Miss Bingley and the rest of the family don´t observe you."
"Yes, sir. I´ll be back shortly."
True to his word, not even ten minutes later Rodes entered through the servants door in the dressing room followed by a stoic Mrs. Nichols.
"How may I help you sir?" she asked as she was in front of Darcy.
"Mrs. Nichols, I am aware that it might be an unusual question and please don´t misunderstand me, I came to know that Miss Bennet dined two nights ago at Netherfield and left the house, let´s say, in unfortunate circumstances. Do you know how she fares?"
The housekeeper kept silent for a few minutes, but instead of an answer asked a question herself.
"May I request why you ask after Miss Bennet?"
"Last evening I found out why the behaviour of the servants in the house changed."
"Did the servants misbehave, sir?"
"No, they didn´t, Mrs. Nichols. The service given was above reproach. There were however little things, glances, something was different at Netherfield and I know that unsettled servants are a very bad thing for an estate. So Rodes here discovered what happened and told me last night. Miss Bennet was ill when she left for Longbourn. Do you know if she reached her home save, does she need a physician?"
"Mr. Darcy, the Bingleys and Hursts are your friends..."
"Mrs. Nichols," Darcy interrupted her, "Charles Bingley is the only person I considered a friend here, the others are his relatives and at most my acquaintances."
The housekeeper noted the strange characterisation of the friendship and the apparent shift and decided to give Mr. Darcy some information.
"Miss Bennet reached her home unconscious, Mr. Jones, the apothecary was called, Miss Elizabeth nursed her sister for the last two days and nights without ceasing, and for a time it looked like she would not make it, early this morning then, the fever finally broke and we pray she will be well soon."
Darcy had to sit down and his valet gasped. He, the captain of the debate club at Cambridge, was lost for words. This only cemented his choice.
"Mrs. Nichols, I need a groom to secure a room at the Inn in Meryton for a at least three nights and for two footmen to take my luggage quietly to my carriage. My mail will have to be forwarded to the Inn. And Mrs. Nichols, could you keep my travel plans from the other residents for now, please?"
"Of course, Mr. Darcy. And could I ask you to keep the details about Miss Bennet´s health private?"
"You have my word, Mrs. Nichols. Rodes, please pack my things and inform the coachman of our departure. As soon as everything is ready I will take my leave of Mr. Bingley, nobody else."
"Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst left Netherfield for Meryton about an hour ago." Mrs. Nichols told Darcy with a smile.
"Thank you, Mrs. Nichols."
The housekeeper curtsied and left the room through the servants door.
An hour later the trunks were packed and loaded, Darcy was ready to depart and on his way to Bingley´s study. He entered after knocking and closed the door behind him. Before he could take his leave Bingley began to speak.
"Darcy, you look like you want to go outside. Do you mind if I come with you? Caroline and Louisa went shopping, I´m a bit bored with the paperwork."
"Bingley, you should first speak to your sisters and then..."
He was interrupted by the loud bang of the door against the wall.
"Charles, never in my life have I been so insulted. Who do they think they are? You need to do something." Miss Bingley burst through the door and screamed at the top of her voice. "Oh Mr. Darcy, thank God you are here, you can take control of the situation and protect me!"
Darcy was baffled and looked intensely at Bingley.
"Caroline, what happened?" Bingley finally asked.
"What happened? This nobodies, this mushrooms, this backwater insipids, this – this – this insignificant town in the middle of nowhere, this provincials, they refused to attend to me!"
Now Darcy and Bingley were baffled, however Darcy had a sneaking suspicion.
"Why did they refused to attend to you?" Bingley enquired.
"How should I know? I didn´t do anything. They are just rude!"
"What exactly happened? Louisa, you have been with Caroline?" he asked his other sister, who entered behind Miss Bingley.
"We have been cut by the whole town of Meryton."
"Louisa, I told you already in the carriage, they cannot cut me, they are nobodies, they are beneath me, so they can not cut me!"
`They know`, Darcy thought, `they all know!`
"They did not greet us, they turned away, the shop-keeper of two shops asked us to leave. They cut us!" Mrs. Hurst repeated.
"Bingley, you wanted to ask Miss Bingley something." Darcy said in the quiet of the room.
"I think this may be not the right time."
"This is the only time, Bingley. Ask your questions!" Darcy insisted.
"Caroline, did Miss Bennet visit you two days ago?"
"Dear Jane? Yes, she came to tea, but did not stay long, she was needed home."
"Why did you not tell me that she called?"
"Oh Charles, it was an unimportant visit, it slipped my mind."
"Did something occurred while she was here?"
"No, nothing interesting."
"You see Darcy, I told you that your report was wrong."
Darcy was disappointed. Not only did Bingley not ask about the servants, he believed his lying sister and did not even try to verify her answers through Mrs. Hurst. Darcy had enough.
"Mr. Bingley, I leave Netherfield. Don´t contact me again. If you ever approach me or mine at any time in the future, I will give you the cut-direct. Do not use my name in town, I will find out and you will not like the consequences. This applies to all your relatives, so relay it to them."
Darcy turned away without bowing his head, walked past the Bingley sisters, left the study and Netherfield.