A Royal Bennet (21 page)

Darcy stood and made his way to the sideboard,
pouring two glasses of port. He handed one of the
glasses to his cousin, then took the other with him as
he returned to his chair. “Now, what is the subject
you wish to discuss?”

“As you are most likely aware, I have been
spending a lot of time with Miss Jane Bennet. I have
come to admire her and, yet, am unsure of where I
wish the relationship to lead me.”

“I was surprised when you began spending so
much time together. You have always kept your heart
locked away. What has brought on this change?”

Richard took a long sip of his drink. “Perhaps I am
tired of war and the violence with which I have been
faced for so many years. I wish to have some peace
and find a good woman with whom to settle down.”

Nodding his head, Darcy could see where the
discussion was heading. “And you find Jane Bennet to
be someone with whom you could settle down?”

“That is the problem. I find her to be pleasant,
kind, loyal to those she loves, but she is incredibly shy
and does not share her feelings readily. Though I am
good at determining the feelings of others, I have
suddenly realized that Jane Bennet is so very similar
in personality to you. Perhaps that is what has drawn
me to her, but do I wish to have a wife who is similar
to you? No offense, cousin, but I do not think I would
be happy with such a wife.”

“Then it is time for you to look elsewhere. Allow
Bingley the chance to court her. I believe they will
make a good couple.” Darcy said.

“My very thought, Wills. But I do not wish to
injure Miss Jane by not offering for her. I pray I have
not given her expectations that an offer was coming.”

“Do not fear, Richard. If I am correct, Jane Bennet
is going through the same situation with her feelings
towards you. So, shall we play a game in the billiards
room, before we prepare for dinner?”

~~ ** ~~

Mr Bennet stepped in the hall from his daughter’s
bedchamber. “Ah, Mr Bingley. I was just coming to
find you.”

“Mr Bennet, is something wrong? Is there
something I can do for you?”

“A moment of your time, if you do not mind. If you
would be so kind as to join me in this sitting room
here. It is attached to rooms in which my daughters
are staying.”

Bingley was nervous as he stepped inside. Finding
Jane Bennet standing before the sofa did nothing to
calm him.

“Mr Bingley, my daughter and I have had a chat
about you, and she wished to speak with you again.
You recently requested the opportunity to court Jane.
Are you still interested in a courtship?”

Bingley looked at Jane quickly, before returning
his attention to her father. “Indeed, Sir. I know that I
am deeply in love with Miss Jane and it would be my
greatest joy to have her become my wife. I know she
fears my inconsistency from the past, but I am willing
to do whatever she asks to prove myself faithful and
steadfast.”

“Are you concerned with the behavior of your
sister, Miss Bingley?” Mr Bennet asked.

“I am, Sir. As a matter of fact, I spoke with my
brother, Mr Hurst, just an hour ago. He and I agreed
that it is time for Caroline to have her own home.
Hurst is not particularly anxious to have Caroline live
with him and my sister, Louisa. My sister has enough
to purchase a small home in Town or elsewhere,
though I am determined to ensure it not be close to
wherever I am living. And I will make certain that my
sister knows she will not be welcome in my home.
Her behavior towards others, especially those in your
family, will not be tolerated.”

Jane looked at her father, giving him a slight nod
of her head. Mr Bennet returned his attention to
Bingley. “Then, my daughter is waiting for you to
speak with her. I will give you some privacy, though I
will be in the hall, just outside the door.”

Bingley was shocked at this turn of events. As
soon as Mr Bennet was outside the door, Bingley
dropped to his knees before Jane. “Miss Bennet, I vow
to make you happy for the rest of your life. I know
that I love you and that I was a fool to have let you go
as I did. It will never happen again. Would you do me
the great honor of accepting my hand in marriage?”

Jane chuckled. “I thought you wished to court
me?”

“I did, but I realized there is no need on my part to
court you. I know what I want and I do not wish to
take a chance of losing you.”

“Very well. I would ask for a two month
engagement though. I know you will require time to
establish your sister in her own home and decide on
where you will live, whether at Netherfield or some
other estate.” Jane stated clearly.

Bingley took hold of her hand, bringing it to his
lips. He kissed it over and over, declaring how happy
she had made him. Mr Bennet returned to the room
and Bingley quickly asked for permission to marry
Jane. Laughing at the young man who held Jane’s
heart, Mr Bennet gave his approval.
~~ ** ~~

“How dare they treat me so?” Caroline screamed
as she threw the pillow from her bed, knocking over
the vase of flowers on the bedside table. “They cannot
be rid of me so easily. I will not go. What will they do,
drag me to the carriage, kicking and screaming, in
front of Mr Darcy’s staff?”

She picked up a hairbrush from the table and
threw it across the room, breaking the looking glass.
“Charles and Hurst are fools if they think they will
treat me in such a manner. I will not tolerate it. Set
up a house of my own. As if I am some old maid to be
put upon a shelf and forgotten about. A spinster to
ridicule and belittle. Oh, no, I will not tolerate such ill
treatment.”

The door from the hall opened and Louisa Hurst
slipped in the room. “Caroline, you must control
yourself. I could hear you down the hall.”

“And why did you not defend me? Why would you
allow your husband and our brother to treat me in
such a manner? You are my elder sister, and you
promised Mother, on her deathbed, that you would
protect me.”

“Caroline, how am I supposed to protect you from
your own foolishness? You have refused to accept
that our brother is in love with Jane Bennet. You treat
her and her family poorly. Of course Charles will
defend her over you. If you would only try to make
some sort of kind gesture, treat Jane as I have since
we have been here, perhaps Charles and Gilbert
would take it into consideration.”

“I am supposed to fawn over that country nobody,
pretend that she is someone of importance? It would
make me ill to even contemplate such actions.”

“But Sister, you must realize when to declare
defeat. It will do you no good to fight against Charles
and Gilbert. Though I have always wished to see you
settled here as Mrs Darcy, you have forced our
brother to send you away. Now you will have no way
to spend time with Mr Darcy and allow him to
appreciate you. How will you ever capture him as a
husband?”

“I will remain here. I will not allow Charles and
your husband to send me away. I am not a spinster,
and they had best be prepared to accept that fact. Mr
Darcy will ask for my hand, I am sure of it. Time is all
that is needed.”

“What will you do? He spends so much time with
Miss Elizabeth…I mean Lady Elizabeth.”

“She is no lady, Louisa. She is a bastard of some
distant relations to royalty. And her father is nobody
of importance. I need to remove her from the estate,
so I have time to impress upon Mr Darcy how much
better suited I am to be Mistress of Pemberley.”

“There is no way to have her removed. Mr Darcy
is fond of her and has issued an open invitation to the
Bennet family to remain here. I cannot imagine his
sending them away.”

Caroline had a gleam of evil in her eyes. “But I can
see that she leaves, whether of her own accord or of
mine.”

~~ ** ~~

The following morning, Caroline feigned a
headache and stayed in bed. Bingley demanded her to
prepare to leave, as he was not believing her tale of
woe, but Louisa came to her sister’s rescue.

“Charles, how can you be so heartless? Can you
not see in how much pain our sister is after the
manner you have treated her? You were cruel to tell
her that you no longer wish for her to live with you.
You as much as declared her on the shelf. No man will
look at her to marry, not when her own brother has
given up hope. Without your assistance, she will
never be invited to gatherings where she will meet
men. And what does your decision do to her chance
with Mr Darcy? You know she has had her heart set
on marrying him. It is too cruel to take her away from
him.”

“Louisa, Darcy has never had any inclination
towards Caroline. He has told me so himself. He will
never offer for her, and, even if she were to force him
into a compromising situation, I would not force my
friend to marry Caroline. I know where his heart lies,
and it is not with our sister.”

Louisa had to think fast. “But Charles, do you not
wish to see her happily married? She would be
considered a spinster, put out to pasture, if you
refused to allow her to live with you. It is your duty,
as her brother, to do what you can to improve her
position. Our parents would be turning in their
graves if they knew how you plan to toss Caroline
aside, just to have your own happiness. I know it is
due to Miss Jane Bennet that you are forsaking our
sister. You wish to have your own happiness, so you
abandon our dear sister for your own pleasure. It is
too cruel of Miss Bennet to insist on your
abandonment of Caroline. You would be wise to rid
yourself of her and find someone more agreeable,
someone more worthy of your hand.”

Bingley shook his head. “Oh, no. I will not tolerate
any further discouragement from you or Caroline,
especially when it comes to Miss Jane Bennet. I have
asked for her hand and she has made me the happiest
of men. You and our sister have made your opinion of
my choice of brides clear. But she makes me happy
and I love her dearly. So you and Caroline will have to
accept my decision.”

“Can you not see that you are making our sister
ill?” Louisa begged him. “Allow her the chance to
come to terms with your choice, rather than forcing
her away immediately. It is heartless and cruel of you
to expect her to leave today. She needs to rest and
recover her strength.”

“Louisa, we were not invited to visit here in the
first place. Then Hurst broke his leg, so we required
time for him to heal. I will not force Darcy to play
host to us any longer. Hurst is able to travel now, and
it is time for Caroline to live her own life. So, the
sooner we journey to Town and find Caroline her own
home, the better.”

Louisa was frustrated. She had never seen her
brother so determined. “At least allow her a few days
to adjust to the idea. You cannot expect her to have so
much change happen overnight. Please, Charles, I am
certain that Mr Darcy would allow us to remain here a
few more nights.”

“You and I are both aware that Caroline is not ill.
She is attempting to force her way into remaining
here. I will send for the physician. If he states that
there is something wrong with Caroline, then I will
speak with Darcy. But if she is not truly ill, I will have
her loaded in a carriage and on her way to Town
before her trunks are even packed.”

~~ ** ~~

Charles returned to his sisters when the physician
arrived. He escorted the physician, Mr Abernathy, to
Caroline’s room and stayed to hear the verdict. It was
not what he had expected.

“Mr Bingley, your sister appears to be suffering
from a fever. It is not terribly high, but traveling
would worsen it. With her headache and the fever, I
would recommend she remain in bed for at least a
week.”

Though he was suspicious, Bingley agreed to
speak with Darcy on extending their stay. He was
certain that his sisters were up to something, but he
was unsure what they had done.

Had he been in the room with his sisters before Mr
Abernathy arrived, he would have known they had
found a way to make Caroline’s temperature rise,
without her being truly ill. But he had to accept the
physician’s declaration and would need to remain at
Pemberley.

After the physician and Charles left the

 

bedchamber, the sisters began their scheming.
~~ ** ~~

Caroline was not naïve in the ways of getting a
man to do her bidding. She had been having a liaison
with one of the postilions who worked on the Bingley
carriage, and had the young man wrapped around her
little finger. The young man was sneaked into
Caroline’s rooms that afternoon, so she could
convince him to do her bidding.

“Raymond, I am in desperate need of your
assistance. If you do not assist me, my brother will be
casting me off in a house of my own, in Town. If that
happens, I will never be able to be with you again.”

“What can I do to assist you, Miss Bingley? I am
unable to dissuade your brother’s decision.” The
young man stated as he dropped to his knees before
her, taking her hands in his own and placing kisses on
them. “I will do whatever I can to continue seeing
you.”

“If I were to marry Mr Darcy, it would be a
marriage of convenience. Mr Darcy would allow me
to continue my relations with you, as he will have a
mistress to keep him occupied. But I must remain
here, at Pemberley. And I must be rid of Miss
Elizabeth Bennet.”

“Are you speaking of Lady Elizabeth? We have
heard the Pemberley staff speaking of her.”

Caroline pushed the young man away from her.
“She is no more a lady than I am the Queen. She is a
royal bastard, not worthy of being treated any better
than a scullery maid. It is that whore that is keeping
Mr Darcy from asking for my hand. If it were not for
her, our future would be settled here at Pemberley.
Would you not enjoy remaining here? I would have
Charles leave you with us to tend my personal
carriage, as I am certain Mr Darcy would wish to
purchase a new carriage for my particular use. Can
you not see that Miss Bennet is causing all the
difficulties I am facing?”