An elegant carriage pulled up to the entrance of Pemberley. A young, medium height red-haired gentleman with a big smile on his face climbed out and then assisted a pretty, well-dressed red-haired young woman out of the carriage. Unlike the gentleman, the young woman had a much more serene expression on her face.
"Darcy, I am glad to see you again." Bingley enthusiastically shook his friend's hand, and looking at Elizabeth and then at Darcy, he grinned, "I assume this lovely lady is Mrs. Darcy."
Before either Elizabeth or Darcy could reply, the young woman greeted Darcy warmly. "Good morning, Mr. Darcy. It is so nice to see you again. You have such a beautiful home." She smiled slightly. "Congratulations on your recent marriage."
"Good morning, Miss Bingley," looking at Elizabeth, Darcy added, "let me introduce you to my wife, Elizabeth Darcy." He smiled broadly. "Elizabeth, this is my good friend Charles Bingley and his sister Miss Caroline Bingley…"
After they had exchanged the usual greetings and the usual weather-related questions, they entered the house and made their way to the drawing room. Mrs. Reynolds brought them tea, lemonade, sandwiches, pastries, and fruits. The conversation was lively, and sometimes even funny…
"… I am so sorry about your uncle's death. How is your aunt, Bingley?" Concerned, Darcy asked.
Bingley smiled as he spoke. "Aunt Agatha is much better than she was before; her husband's death was a salvation and blessing for her."
"Charles, please! How can you say such a thing?" Caroline was horrified by her brother's comment. She couldn't believe what she was hearing
"But it is the truth, Caroline. Mr. Trevor was a cruel and mean man. He used to drink to excess and often beat our poor aunt. He was a horrible person who did nothing but bring sorrow and pain to everyone around him."
Caroline's eyes widened as she admonished her brother for the second time, "I cannot believe you still do not understand that one does not speak of such things!"
"Please, do not concern so much, Miss Bingley. I promise we will pretend we did not hear anything your brother just said." Elizabeth had a reassuring smile on her face as she added, "I do not know your aunt, but I am glad she is well."
Caroline nodded in agreement. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Darcy. I suppose you have noticed that my brother needs to learn to be more discreet."
Bingleyshook his head, and changed the subject. "Have you opened a school here like the one you had in Hertfordshire?"
Darcy sighed and shook his head sadly, "Unfortunately, we have not been able to do it yet." He explained, "We are just getting used to the duties and responsibilities of our position as master and mistress of Pemberley. Honestly, I never thought my brother would die so young, and I would have to take over Pemberley."
"What happened to your brother was an unspeakable atrocity, Mr. Darcy. Have the authorities arrested the perpetrators and brought them to justice?" Caroline asked.
Darcy shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, not yet." With great sadness, he added, "The last time I spoke to the investigator was a little over a month ago. He was not optimistic. There were no witnesses, and my brother was found several hours after he was wounded." He sighed. "Please, let's talk about something else, it pains me to think about what happened to my brother and that justice will probably never be served." Looking at Bingley, he asked, "Have you decided to lease an estate yet?"
"Yes, I have made up my mind, and I will do it. Are there estates of £4,000 to £6,000 a year available close to Pemberley?"
Darcy thought for a few seconds, and replied, "I think there is only one, Redstone. The lease is about £5,000 a year, and it is only 20 miles from Pemberley; but I warn you, the house has not been inhabited for several years." He paused, "If you would like I can send a note to Redstone's steward so that you can tour it."
Bingley smiled and looked at his sister. "What do you think, Carolines? Would you like us to visit Redstone?"
Caroline nodded. Her dream was to climb the social ladder and have the respect of society. For her dream to came true, her brother had to buy, or at least lease, an estate and leave behind them their ties to trade. Her older sister had married the son of a minor landowner two years ago, but she had always aspired to wed a gentleman with higher income and consequence, and perhaps even a title.
The siblings visited Redstone two days later, but returned to Pemberly disappointed. The fields were fertile and properly cultivated, the tenant houses were adequate and well-maintained, but the problem was that the main house needed several repairs. The owners were not willing to lower the price of the lease.
Three days later, the Bingleys returned to London. Darcy and Elizabeth suggested to Bingley that he consider leasing Netherfield Park, as the estate met all the requirements he was looking for in an estate.