Chapter 23
Darcy was sitting at his desk when Douglas knocked on his study door and entered. He brought a letter, or what had once been a letter, on a salver. It was in poor shape and from the atrocious script, Darcy correctly surmised it was from Bingley.
“Master, I beg your pardon. This missive arrived in December, a day before the fire at the Black’s dwelling.
When it arrived, it was wet and it had been misdirected and redirected quite a number of times,” Douglas explained.
“I had it placed near a fire to dry it out before I brought it to you. With everything that has happened, I forgot about it. It fell or was knocked off the table, as it ended up behind a sideboard and was only discovered today when the piece was moved for cleaning. I should have remembered and…”
“Douglas, there is nothing to apologise for, it was a hectic time and it was not your fault the missive fell,” Darcy stated, cutting off any further apology from his butler. Better late than never.”
Once he broke the seal, Bingley’s normal near-unreadable handwriting was completely illegible in parts. The letter was dated a few days after he quit London in November. There was one section, still fairly legible, which took Darcy’s breath away.
… blot, smudge, I am sending my sister to my aunt in smudge where she shall remain for a long blot. I understand what you mean about her taking ple… smudge in others’ misfortunes.
As bad as Carol… blot is I could not believe she crowed about how blot Elizabeth was banished from her home for refusing to marry that blot smudge blot! My sister claims she will be working at her Unblots shop Gardin smudge Emporium…
Darcy read and reread the words he could decipher four or five times before he let out a breath he did not realise he was holding. His first thought was he cared not if Elizabeth was a shopgirl, as long as she was not married to that dimwit of a parson—or anyone else.
Suddenly all the times Miss Elizabeth Gardiner had been mentioned played in his head.
Could it be that his Elizabeth and Miss Gardiner were one and the same?
For the first time since his self-imposed exile to Pemberley after hearing Miss Bingley crow about Miss Elizabeth’s supposed betrothal to Mr. Collins, Darcy started to hope.
If Miss Gardiner was the Elizabeth he dreamed of each and every night and thought about constantly, did she still dislike him? Did she not tell Giana and Richard who she was so they would not inform him?
On the other hand, mayhap he was looking for something his heart desired which was not there, and Mr. Gardiner of Netherfield Park was not Elizabeth’s tradesman uncle from London. He had to know; he advanced his departure to the Monday coming rather than Wednesday.
Miss Elizabeth was not married or had not been at the time Bingley wrote this letter. The next emotion he felt was anger. How could parents force their child, their own flesh and blood, into such a marriage and then banish her when she refused to comply?
If he came face to face with one of the Bennet parents, Darcy was not sure he would be able to hold his tongue and not say something impolitic to them.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Charles Bingley was pleased to receive an invitation to the wedding of the Honourable Mr. Richard Fitzwilliam and Miss Charlotte Lucas.
He had always liked Richard and it seemed since his younger sister would not be present to annoy his friends, he had been invited to more soirées and balls than at any other time he could remember.
The invitation was for him to arrive at Netherfield Park on Monday, the eighteenth day of February.
There would be a pre-wedding ball on Tuesday, and the wedding would take place on Friday.
It was with the greatest of pleasure Bingley sent his acceptance of the invitation.
He remembered to print in block letters so his response would be legible.
Bingley was sure this journey into Hertfordshire would be more pleasurable than his last. The two most manipulative women he had ever met, his sister Caroline and the former Miss Jane Bennet, would be absent and he looked forward to seeing Darcy again—he was certain Richard would ask his cousin to stand up for him.
He did not mention anything to the Hursts, as they had not been included in the invitation. Bingley would never allow anyone to push him to include them in an invitation where they had not been specifically requested ever again.
Since he sent his sister Caroline to Scarborough, accompanied her to Liverpool, and watched her sail off towards the new world, he felt as though a millstone had been removed from around his neck. He was as free as he had been before his parents were killed in a carriage accident.
Since his resolve to concentrate on the good character of a woman first, and not her outward beauty, Bingley had not fallen in love with another angel as had been his wont.
He had come to the same conclusion his friend Darcy had some time ago, and that was, the women in Town were much of a muchness.
They could talk of fashion, the weather, the roads, and had no problem spouting malicious gossip, but when it came to any subject of substance, they were lost. Bingley was not yet sure what he wanted in his life’s partner, but he knew what he did not want.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Fanny Bennet was beyond frustrated. How was it Miss Lizzy never went for a solitary walk or ride? She was always in the company of others and it was more than a month since she had escaped from the gaol.
As she watched Lizzy in a group of walkers, she had to fight to stop herself from charging the target of her hate, even though the hated one was not alone. It would be worth being caught to rid the world of the evil before her.
Mayhap she would be pardoned for doing a service to the realm, even given a title. Lady Francene! How well that sounded! Rather than attack, Fanny withdrew. As the wilful girl was never alone, she would have to formulate a plan that would separate her from her company.
Fanny was tired of living in the filth and squalor she had been forced to so she could accomplish the task she set herself, but she would endure anything in order to succeed!
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“How is it in almost six weeks we have found no trace of my sister?” Gardiner asked as he sat in his study with Phillips and Richard. Each man was sipping from a glass of port.
“Fanny is of mean understanding, but she is cunning. Look at the way she took Bennet in and manipulated him into offering for her,” Phillips opined. “It is my belief she is still in the area and waiting for her perfect opportunity to take what she sees as her revenge on Lizzy.”
“We all agree the woman has lost any contact with reality, do we not?” Richard asked.
“On that point we are in full agreement,” Gardiner responded for himself and his brother, who was nodding.
“Even before she escaped, Lizzy had not been out of doors on her own, correct?” Gardiner nodded again.
“In that case, I have a suggestion. We will have Lizzy walk to the stables on her own. In the mean while the shortest guard we have will be dressed identically to Lizzy. He will ride out on her horse, seated side-saddle, but be followed closely. I am sure the chance of getting Lizzy on her own will draw the woman out.” Richard laid out a plan he believed would bring the madwoman out of hiding.
“It is a plan in which I am in agreement with as there is minimal exposure for my daughter, and Lizzy will agree to do her part without hesitation,” Gardiner mused. “She has never lacked bravery.”
“You understand she will not be in danger at any point, do you not?” Richard assured him.
“If I felt there were any possibility of harm coming to my daughter, then you can be assured I would never have agreed to your plan,” Gardiner confirmed. “Before we set this plan in motion, however, I must talk to Maddie and Lizzy.”
“I would expect no less,” Richard articulated.
“In the time I have come to know your wife and eldest daughter, it is plain to me neither are wilting flowers who enjoy decisions being made for them without consultation. My Charlotte is just such a woman and it is one of the things that attracted me to her.”
Gardiner tugged the bell pull, and when Mr. Nichols appeared he directed the butler to ask his wife and eldest daughter to join them in the study. The two ladies arrived less than ten minutes later.
With a nod from Gardiner, Richard laid out his plan for Mrs. Gardiner and Lizzy. As expected, Madeline had many questions about her daughter’s safety. Once she was assured Elizabeth would be safe, she agreed to the plan.
Elizabeth sat listening quietly without asking questions. “For my part, I will do what is needed. The sooner the unstable woman is back in custody, the better,” Elizabeth said firmly.
“Do you have any questions, Lizzy?” Gardiner asked.
“No, Father,” Elizabeth responded, “it is a well-thought-out plan by a man who understands strategy,” Richard inclined his head at the compliment. “All will be well.”
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“You called for me to attend you, my beneficent patroness,” Collins bowed low his nose almost touching the floor.
“I have decided to punish my tenants for not sharing anything with you any longer. I will have my share of their information and if they are not willing to talk to you then they will pay,” Lady Catherine spat out.
“What I can do to assist you will be done, my exalted Lady,” the profusely sweating Collins replied, punctuated with another of his low bows.
“You will inform them that unless they begin to tell you all as they used to do, I will raise their quarterly rents by twenty percent!” Lady Catherine pronounced nastily.
“Remind them the rent for the quarter ending in March will be due before the end of April and I will evict anyone who does not pay the amount I demand.”