Immediately upon arriving at Darcy House, where the Colonel preferred to stay while in Town, he dispatched his batman to watch the Gardiner house for the arrival of Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Darcy may have been hesitant to pay a call there, but the Colonel was not. No good could come of ignoring that connection—it was far better to keep his eyes on her—and aid in resolving the situation with Bingley if possible. Besides, he thought, the better acquainted they are with Georgiana the less inclined they shall be to blame her. Much to his surprise the following morning he was greeted with news.
"A message for you, sir," a footman said, while handing Colonel Fitzwilliam a note. Upon opening it, he was immediately alarmed. What the hell could she be doing in Town so soon? And in my aunt's carriage? His mind raced for any reason that was not troublesome for her to cut her stay in Kent so short, but he found none. She's arrived for her sister's sake. That could hardly be good news for Georgiana if Miss Elizabeth Bennet were still hell bent on righting Darcy's wrongs, and rightly so. He could hardly fault her for it, but it still made him uneasy. He would be laughing at Darcy's troubles, as they were well deserved, if his ward were not also tangled in the mess. She would make a fine partner for him if she weren't so admittedly against him.
Resentful all over again at Darcy's highhanded interference, the Colonel looked up a Darcy and said, "I believe I shall take Georgianna on an outing today, if it aligns with her own wishes. I see so very little of her while with my regiment." Darcy's presence at the Gardiner's could hardly help the matter. His knowledge of the scheme would surely provoke his participation. It could not then be helped, Darcy must remain unaware, at least until after the call was made. Georgiana ought not be put in the position to deceive her elder brother. Her affection for him would forbid it—her nature was too open and kind to be well practiced—she could have no talent for deception even if he could cause her to wish to withhold the matter from him.
Darcy, suspecting nothing, nodded his head and looked back down to his letters. Shortly after Colonel had Georgiana called for, a caller was then announced. "Mr. Bingley for Mr. Darcy."
"Please show him in." said Darcy, with such indifference, the colonel was immediately aware he had no notion of what was to follow. The look on Bingley's face instantly confirmed what the Colonel suspected: He knows. There was nothing for it now. There would be no convincing Darcy to come clean before he was caught. He remains entirely ignorant of the danger. He has managed to convince himself of whatever is convenient throughout this entire affair.
Bingley nodded politely to the Colonel and then turned to Darcy, furry evident in his eyes. "I understand you have a great deal of business with my sister."
Darcy looked taken aback—horror struck him—even so much so that he was unable to employ his public demeanor, never had his sensibilities been so on display. He went pale as death upon thinking she must have implied he had taken liberties of some sort with her. "I have not the pleasure of understanding you. What business could I have with your sister?"
"It seems the business of ordering my affairs." Said Bingley, coldly and firmly.
Darcy sighed with relief, and Bingley witnessed it, which could only make him angrier. Darcy, after a pause of some duration, said, "Nothing was done that was not to your benefit."
Bingley suddenly lost every inducement to conduct himself as a gentleman. "For my benefit? To have you sister foisted upon me as though I don't love another. Is it to my benefit to have a fatter purse and a better connections at the cost of what I love? Had I known of this scheme I would have been immediately back to Netherfield."
It was the colonel, who spoke, "Bingley, I beg you would save this line of discourse for after I have left with my ward. I can assure you; she is in no way complicit in this affair."
"And you, Colonel?" queried Bingley.
"Not willingly. I had no notion such things were being discussed without my knowledge." He paused to glare at Darcy, then turned back to Bingley. "If I thought you to be in on the scheme, you should have suffered a blow to the face by now. I beg you would go back to Miss Bennet and put and end to this madness. I have no objection to you making your thoughts plain to Darcy, after I have left with Georgianna."
Bingley nodded, whatever his grievance with her elder brother he could not cause her distress.
Darcy, still blaming Miss Bingley, was grateful for the brief reprieve. She must have used me to strengthen her position. Bingley must have expressed a desire to return to Netherfield yet again. He sighed deeply, not at all looking forward to the conversation to come.
Georgianna then arrived, disrupting his thoughts. Barely sparing a glace to Bingley she curtsied and wished him a good day, turning immediately afterward to Colonel Fitzwilliam with a look that clearly questioned her summons.
Wishing to spirit her from the house as quickly as possible he said, with a smile, "How should you like an outing? Your brother has acquiesced to me taking you out today."
"I would like it very much!" she replied at once.
"Well then, let us depart at once." With that, they said every thing polite and took their leave, leaving Darcy and Bingley behind without at glance.
"Well then?" asked Bingley, upon it becoming clear he would be made to speak first.
"I have no notion of what Miss Bingley has said to you, but you must know, for my part at least, it was done only with your interest in mind."
"My interest, is it? To be deceived about what was happening in my own home, to have guests mistreated and my thoughts and feeling misrepresented? I hardly need add to have been deceived about Miss Bennet's feelings." The shock upon Darcy's face nearly said it all. Bingley continued, "I see you were hoping to avoid being called into account for all of you deeds."
"Indeed, I cannot account for some of what you have just said. I have only just learned of Miss Bennet's regard myself, but I hardly need add that was nearly immaterial to the benefit of your separation."
"Immaterial! Darcy, it is the only reason for our separation! I stood against every objection to our union except that one. Tell me, when you learned of her true sentiments towards me, do you then make any plans to relay them to me? You were rather adamant after all that you were certain she did not return my regard." Darcy sputtered. Bingley watched him flail like a fish out of water, beginning to move his mouth but not forming any words. Bingley, tiring of waiting upon Darcy to answer, spoke next. "I can imagine not, as it would hardly aid your true aim."
Darcy's eyes bulged, wondering what Bingley could know. Had Caroline Bingley kept her mouth shut upon any part of the matter? Not pausing to consider where Bingley had acquired better understanding of Jane Bennet's feelings, Darcy responded. "I had in fact considered it, though I had yet to draw a conclusion. I observed her quite closely at the ball and could detect no hint of her regard."
"Observed her at the ball? How I wish you had taken my advice and stayed in your rooms." Bingley said incredulously. "By god, you and Caroline made it sound as though everyone but I knew of her lack of regard. Caroline inferred Miss Bennet had hinted at it and you implied a having made a careful study. Good god, the shame I now feel at taking such selfish counsel."
"We hardly stopped you returning. In the end it was your decision." Darcy said, without his ordinary conviction. This business with Miss Jane Bennet now made him sick to think upon it, he had avoided serious thought on that matter since his return.
"You damn well know that had I returned, I could not avoid marring her—even if it became sure her heart was untouched. Had I paid any more attention to her, without an offer, it would have been a great blow her reputation and my own. They only correct course, with such a conviction, was to leave and you know it. I retrospect, it's likely the only reason you argued it."
"Certainly not," said Darcy, grateful for something he could honestly object to. "I was hardly the only reason; of that you are well aware. My objections to that family were not unspoken."
"And you are well aware, that is nothing to me! I am not so puffed up in pride that I would mind it. Let us not revisit that, what is this business with your sister?"
Darcy was struck dumb and began to wonder at his source. Could Miss Elizabeth have…no, how could she have reached him? It must have been Miss Bingley, though I have never expressed consent, nor did I dissuade her. That was confirmation enough, it now seems. "She is not yet out, as you know, but nor would I object when the time came. You must see she is a far superior …."
Bingley, now looking at him with a far more suspicious eye, interrupted with, "She so superior, that you must begin working to foist her upon grandson of a tradesman, well before she out? Using arts far worse than that of Mrs. Bennet I might add, and for motives far less honorable. If I didn't know your sister, I would wonder what is a matter with her and what dark secret I was taking on under the guise of friendship."
At that, Darcy stood, enraged. Georgianna must not be made to suffer for his misstep.
Bingley put up his hand before Darcy could speak. "Her reputation is in no danger from me, but if she is damaged in this affair, you may know it was your own doing, I'll not be prevailed upon to make it right."
"There is nothing a matter with her." Darcy said adamantly, knowing it was hardly the whole truth in the eyes of society. He had been particularly anxious to conceal the matter with Wickham from Bingley, and all his connections, for the very reason which Elizabeth had attributed to him. He had certainly formed such a plan, and without meaning that it should affect his endeavor to separate Bingley from Miss Bennet. He now recognized the extent to which his motives had influenced his advice and his actions, while fully acknowledging it was too late.
"Darcy, I have no interest in her one way or the other. It hardly means anything to me whatever you and my sister might wish. The two of you make quite the pair, you have a brilliant ability to convince yourselves it's perfectly just to be underhanded when it suits you." Darcy was visibility taken aback, but Bingley continued, unbothered. "I used to think she was out of her tree believing the two of you would make a match, but now I see her view. She had every right to feel herself encouraged. The sulking about, giving yourselves consequence at the expense of others, the conspiring together as though the business would somehow affect you. Tell me, do you mean to make good on it? She is no longer welcome in my home because of your endeavor together."
Bingley gave him a hard look. Darcy's mind desperately searched for alternative logic that would make it easy to dismiss Bingley's assertations. His mind got caught on the irony of ignoring Elizabeth—the woman he hoped to marry two days ago —for entire morning at Netherfield as to not raise her expectations, yet, he had spared not a thought for how being in his confidence would encourage Miss Bingley, though he knew her wishes. I simply did not care how it would encourage her and knew her brother would never press me.
Knowing he could hardly confess that, he said, "I have never thought of her in a manner other than a sister of a friend."
"You may keep your friendship, Darcy. I feel a fool to have believed you unbiased. To think, I believed you to have no motive but my wellbeing. I thought the world of your honor just a day ago. However your other machinations may have failed, you have had great success at making me feel the fool." He paused, then added one last charge. "I trusted you."
Bingley looked at him sadly, turned and left. Darcy was stunned. Has Bingley just cut me? It felt unreal, every one of the events of the past few days. Bingley was one of the most affable men of his acquaintance, he had never envisioned that response. He is one of the best men I know. Had I just gone to him with my error, he would have forgiven me.
It hit him at once what an arrogant fool he had been. His arrogance, his selfish disdain for the feelings of others may have cost him Bingley, Elizabeth, Colonel Fitzwilliam's good opinion, and perhaps even blemish Georgianna's reputation. Elizabeth's reaction no longer felt like too much. She was defending her sister from a grave injustice he had convinced himself was nothing. He had scoffed at her as though the offence was trifling and had expected she would be willing to marry him in spite of cruelty towards her sister. He now felt the fool and was entirely convinced it was his own doing.