Dear readers: Please keep in mind that this story has 28 chapters and an epilogue. Once I've finished rewriting it, I'll leave it for two days and remove it from this site.
Chapter 18
Caroline awoke in a terrible mood that day. She could not convince her brother to postpone their visit to Cheapside. She would have to accompany him to the house of those horrible people she detested. At least she might have a chance to speak to Georgiana and get information about her new friendship with Eliza Bennet. She would do everything possible to end that connection. Once she was Mrs. Darcy, she would be personally in charge of supervising her sister-in-law's acquaintances. Evidently, Georgiana was too foolish to know better. It was a shame that she had spent the last days in the house of such a lower-class family.
Caroline did not know that Miss Darcy had left Cheapside the day before. Georgiana was very nervous; in a way, she wanted to stay in the Gardiners', hiding from the rest of the world. But Richard and Mr. Darcy decided it was time for her to lose her fear; she could not keep hiding forever. She needed to face what she had done and put it in the past.
Just as Mr. Darcy had intended, when Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner told Georgiana they would visit her the following day, she was ecstatic and felt calmer and more collected. Furthermore, Mr. Darcy knew he should introduce Georgiana's friend to avoid speculation from servants and the rest of his family. Finally, before leaving, Mr. Darcy reminded Professor Baker that he would be waiting for him to speak about his new book.
Unfortunately, that morning, Betty woke up crying due to a fever caused by the cold, so Mrs. Gardiner could not accompany Elizabeth and her brother to Darcy House. Also, before noon, Emily and Roger Daniels came to look for Jane and told her they would have lunch together, and later, Albert and Peter would meet them at the fair. Jane was content to accept the invitation. Emily was a lovely girl, and Roger was simply charming.
Once Madeline managed to calm Betty to sleep after spending several hours caring for her, she went to the drawing room to have a cup of tea and review the day's correspondence. At that moment, the butler announced the Bingleys, and she could not help but be very surprised, even more so when she saw Caroline's disdainful look.
Mr. Bingley was very nervous, but he greeted Mrs. Gardiner politely while Caroline said no more than the necessary, almost on the verge of incivility.
Caroline was surprised at the size of the house. She was expecting something much smaller. But she also looked with open contempt at the decoration, which in her eyes was quite modest. The truth was that the Gardiners were collectors, and most of their furniture was pieces with a particular history.
After exhausting all the courtesy words and being very nervous about Caroline's attitude, Charles decided to ask about the Bennet sisters. However, he only cared about Jane: "Excuse me, Mrs. Gardiner, but I would like to say hello to your nieces if possible."
Mrs. Gardiner knew well that this visit was not to converse with her, so she was not surprised by his inquiry. Nonetheless, what she really could not understand was why Caroline Bingley decided to join her brother. "I am afraid, Mr. Bingley, that will not be possible because they are not here."
"Did they leave Miss Darcy alone? They seem not to appreciate the great honor my dear Georgiana has done them by deciding to consider them friends, taking into account the social differences between them," Caroline said in horror.
Mr. Bingley nervously smiled, but Mrs. Gardiner calmly responded as she usually did when she faced thoughtless and ill-mannered people, "Miss Darcy returned to Darcy House yesterday. Her brother came looking for her because the doctor said she was well enough to travel."
Caroline was satisfied with that information. Obviously, Mr. Darcy had regained his common sense and had rescued his sister from the clutches of those social climbers. Mr. Bingley realized that his sister would say another impertinence, and to avoid it, he asked, "I did not know that Miss Bennet had friends in town. She always said that she rarely came to London and that when she did, it was to spend time with her family."
Madeline did not like that comment, although she knew there was no ill intention in Mr. Bingley's words. Nevertheless, it bothered her that he assumed Jane could not build new friendships or that she should be there waiting for him until he decided to come to see her, "The truth is that she does not have many friends here in London, but on this trip through my husband's business partner, Mr. Reed, she has had the opportunity to meet the Daniels and has become good friends with Miss Daniels, her Grandfather, and Mr. Peter Daniels."
"I see," replied Mr. Bingley. He did not know much of the Daniels family. Miss Emily Daniels seemed pleasant, but since she was not particularly beautiful, she did not catch his attention, and her brother Peter seemed like an ordinary man.
Knowing that Georgiana was not there, Caroline remained silent, thus pressuring her brother to leave as soon as possible. Finally, and after half an hour of torture, Mrs. Gardiner ended the awkward conversation. She explained to them that her little daughter was a bit ill and had to return to her side to take care of her. "I hope you understand that I must be with my little girl now."
"Of course, Mrs. Gardiner. Thank you so much for your time, and I shall return on another occasion to converse with you, your husband, and your lovely nieces," said Mr. Bingley warmly.
As soon as they entered the carriage, Caroline ordered the page to tell the coachman to drive them to Darcy House. "Do not look at me with that face, Charles. My friend Georgiana needs me by her side during such troubling times, and you can show your friend that you are concerned for his sister's well-being."
"You are correct, Caroline. I have not seen Darcy in days, and I would like to know if Miss Darcy has fully recovered from her accident," Charles said resignedly.
Caroline was happy. Everything had turned out better than she thought. Jane Bennet was not in the house, so her ridiculous brother could not see that cunning social climber. Furthermore, Georgiana was no longer under the influence of nefarious people. In addition, that opened a unique opportunity for her; she could go to Darcy House every day to pretend that she was there caring for Georgiana during her recovery. There, she would take advantage of every possible second to be with Mr. Darcy. Just thinking of all the intimate moments she could share with the most handsome man she knew made her smile happily.
"If you are this happy because I did not see Miss Bennet, Caroline, I shall inform you that I plan to return as soon as I can," said Mr. Bingley, annoyed.
"Do what you want, Charles. That woman has already found other friends; I am sure she will not even remember you. But please, let us not discuss that anymore. I do not want Mr. Darcy to realize that we were arguing. After spending many days away from home and in Cheapside, Georgiana needs rest and a quiet environment."
Mr. Bingley ignored his sister for the rest of the journey, planning his future visit to Jane, but this time without Caroline.
P&P
When Lord and Lady Matlock discovered that Georgiana had returned home, they departed as early as possible for Darcy House. They did not care much about the whole incident, but they had to show some concern, or so they thought.
Mr. Darcy was unhappy with his Uncle and Aunt's visit because he knew they were there only to make his life more difficult. Besides, Elizabeth would arrive soon with her family, and he wished he could attend them properly and not under the curious gazes of Lord and Lady Matlock.
But Mr. Darcy would not allow them to bother his sister. Georgiana's face was not yet wholly healed, and he knew she did not want to be seen like that, least of all by his aunt, known for being an inveterate gossip. "Georgiana is asleep; the doctor prescribed rest. Next week, I shall invite you to have dinner with us, and there you will see her, and you can corroborate that she is alright."
"Are you hiding something, Darcy? Because I do not understand why you insist so much that we cannot see Georgiana. I know very well that no doctor has seen her," the Earl stated.
"And how do you know that, Uncle? Have you been watching my house?" asked Mr. Darcy, visibly annoyed.
"Do not be ridiculous, Darcy. I spoke with Dr. Barnes yesterday. I ran into him at the club and asked him about Georgiana's condition, and he told me that he had not seen her in three months and that the last time he saw her was because she had a terrible cold." The truth was that Lord Matlock had summoned Dr. Barnes to his home to question him.
Mr. Darcy could not help but remember Dr. Lewis, who had not charged him a penny because Georgiana was Miss Elizabeth's friend, and that he had been offended when he doubted his professionalism. Evidently, not all doctors were as altruistic as he was. "Dr. Barnes did not examine Georgiana, but Dr. Lewis."
"Who? I had never heard anything about that doctor," the Earl contemptuously said. "Darcy, you cannot be so irresponsible and leave your sister under the care of an apprentice," added his wife.
"Dr. Lewis is an excellent professional," explained Mr. Darcy.
"How do you know that? Where did you meet him? Because he is not a doctor who has patients from people in our social sphere. Therefore, allow me to doubt his competence," Lord Matlock concluded.
Mr. Darcy was enraged; he could not understand how his uncle dared to doubt his good judgment, considering his irresponsible behavior. "Georgiana's friends are Madeline Baker's nieces. I hope you remember Dr. Baker; she is his daughter. Doctor Lewis is Dr. Baker's nephew. He studied at Cambridge and was trained as Dr. Baker's apprentice, and you cannot deny, Uncle, that Robert Baker has undoubtedly been one of the best doctors we have ever had in Derbyshire."
The Earl immediately softened his opinion. He owed his life to Robert Baker and would never dare question him. Moreover, Robert had been an excellent doctor and a good and loyal friend. "Well, I suppose that is more than enough to trust that Dr. Lewis," he said resignedly.
Richard was going to join Mr. Darcy in the drawing room to help him deal with his parents, but just then, a message arrived. One of his contacts had told him he had information on Wickham, so he had asked the butler to inform the stables to saddle Mr. Darcy's best horse because he had to leave urgently. Then he wrote a note for his cousin and told the butler. "Harris, tell your Master that I took Storm with me and will be back as soon as possible. Please give him this note, but only after my parents have left."
"I shall, Colonel," Harris replied and opened the door for the Colonel, who quickly went out searching for the horse.
When Mr. Darcy saw that Lord Matlock had changed his attitude when he mentioned Dr. Baker, he took the opportunity to ask. "Uncle, you know why Dr. Baker stopped being my family's doctor. If I remember correctly, he was always my father's friend."
The Earl got a little nervous with the question and responded evasively, but the Countess clarified the matter. "I am not going to deny that Baker was a good doctor, but unfortunately, he had a very peculiar worldview."
"I am sorry, Aunt, but I do not understand," said Mr. Darcy, confused.
"Well then, Dr. Baker cared for everyone equally. He gave the same importance to the son of a servant as to the son of a gentleman. Once you were ill, your mother called him, and he arrived several hours later, apologizing that he was with another patient. It turned out that this other patient was the son of a maid who worked at the Inn. So naturally, your mother asked your father to demand that the doctor only treat patients of our social class and that the Darcys would pay him a good salary to ensure he was available only for us. He flatly refused and even told your father that he only charged those who could pay and that his moral duty was to attend to all those who needed him regardless of their origin or social class. So you see, he was an excellent doctor with strange ideals."
"Baker indeed was an idealist, and well, I suppose a good man too," said the Earl wistfully. "He was one of the best men I have ever known."
Mr. Darcy was shocked by the information, but he did not have time to ponder it because, at that moment, Elizabeth and Professor Baker arrived. He introduced them to the Earl and Countess, and after a casual conversation, they left. The Matlocks were satisfied after meeting Georgiana's friend and discovering she was quite pleasant and well-mannered. In addition, in the eyes of the Earl, she had risen a few steps when he learned of her connection with Robert Baker and, of course, his son Walter Baker, a renowned historian and Cambridge professor. Of course, he would say to everyone he had read Professor Baker's books when, in reality, he just read the prologues and the final summaries of his books.
P&P
Richard walked between the intricate passages of that part of the city for several minutes. That area was full of seedy inns, bars that were also clandestine gambling places, and brothels. Richard knew that Wickham had moved into that world and was well known both for his bad fortune at the gambling tables and his tendency not to pay what he owed.
"How are you, Randall? How nice to see you again," Richard said.
Ernest Randall was a soldier in Colonel Fitzwilliam's regiments a few years ago. He was a man who valued his freedom and knew the slums well because it was the only world he knew. Yet, despite his dubious reputation, he was a man who knew how to be loyal to those he held dear, and Colonel Fitzwilliam was one of those people. He had saved his life more than once on the battlefield. For that reason, Randall was unconditional to the young Colonel.
"My dear Colonel, as soon as I read your message, I immediately began investigating," Randall said sincerely.
"Does that mean you found that bastard? Randall, do not forget I want to take care of him personally," Richard explained.
"Of course, Colonel, do not worry," Randall replied, smiling.
"Well, tell me what you urgently have to inform me."
"Colonel, that man is well known here, and there is more than one who wants his head, either because he has not paid a debt of honor or because he had done something to a lady." Randall was discreet and did not ask why the Colonel was looking for Wickham.
"And did you manage to speak with him?" Richard asked.
"Yesterday, I finally managed to find him. First, we played cards, and I let him win some shillings to gain confidence. Then, I ordered a bottle of whiskey and got to chat with him. Unfortunately, I could not speak to him personally because other men were at the table, but he told us some vital information, Colonel. " Randall did not want to be intrusive, let alone disrespect his friend.
"Do not worry, Randall; tell me what you know, and I shall see if that information helps me." Richard was nervous, and although he unquestioningly trusted Randall, he could not tell him about his cousin's situation.
Randall told Richard that Wickham knew someone was chasing him, and that was why he was hiding in a place where no one would ever find him and that he did not want to reveal. "But the most interesting thing he said was that those chasing him would be in for a big surprise when he allowed them to find him." Then, Randall paused and added, "he said that thanks to his charm, a foolish girl gave him something worth gold."
"I see," Richard said, concerned.
"What should I do, Colonel?" Randall asked.
"For now, do not do anything. Keep trying to gain his trust, and inform me of any news you have."
Richard gave Randall a sum of money to dedicate himself exclusively to what he was commissioning him to do. Randall promised to notify him immediately the moment he had news.
At that very moment, George Wickham was walking not so far from where Richard was. Fortunately, Mrs. Nelson's husband was away, which had allowed him to spend the last night with her. Plus, sweet Evelyn gave him a few shillings so that he could survive. But Wickham knew his situation would change very soon because he was expecting to receive a large sum of money.
P&P
After Lord and Lady Matlock left, Elizabeth explained to Mr. Darcy why her Aunt could not come. "Betty had a horrible night, and my aunt did not want to leave her alone. She sent her regards and asked me to excuse her with you. She is sorry that she could not come."
"Do not worry, Miss Elizabeth. Please, tell your aunt I understand her perfectly, and I hope little Betty recovers soon."
"Darcy, I must add that our delay was solely and exclusively my responsibility. On our way here, I asked Elizabeth to accompany me in buying some books because I wanted to read something new. Since she was a little girl, Lizzy has had a knack for finding those books that no one considers and turn out to be excellent," said Walter cheerfully.
"Uncle Walter, you exaggerate my talents. I have eyes, that is all," Elizabeth laughed.
"Are you calling me blind, dear niece?" Walter replied, pretending to be offended. He had always loved Jane and Elizabeth as if they were his nieces.
"I know who to turn to if I need help finding a new book," added Mr. Darcy as he gazed at Elizabeth.
Mr. Darcy called the housekeeper and told her to inform Georgiana's maid that her friend had arrived and was waiting for her in the drawing room. "Georgiana spends most of the day in her bedroom. She is a bit embarrassed to be seen. But she told me that as soon as you arrive, Miss Elizabeth, to inform her."
Mr. Darcy asked Professor Baker about his last book because something had been discussed at dinner at the Gardiners'. As expected, Walter immediately began to tell him in more detail some of the research he had done for months in various places and reading ancient manuscripts. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy were fascinated, listening to Walter and asking a few questions that made exchanging ideas even more enjoyable.
Unfortunately, everything was interrupted when Mr. Harris announced new visits. Caroline and Charles entered the drawing room, and as expected, Caroline was the first to speak. "Mr. Darcy, you do not know how happy I am to see you and know that my dear Georgiana is back home. And, of course, I cannot wait to see her," she flirtatiously said as she gazed at the object of her desire.
"Darcy, we were pleased to know that your sister is well," said Mr. Bingley until suddenly he realized that Elizabeth was in the room with a man he remembered seeing somewhere. "Miss Elizabeth, how nice to see you again," he added, smiling.
At that moment, Caroline realized that they were not alone. Looking at Elizabeth from head to toe with open disdain in the most uncivilized way possible, she added, "Miss Eliza, what are you doing here?"
P&P
Many thanks to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story.
In the next chapter, Caroline will try to denigrate Mr. Darcy's visitors.
Saludos,
Yo