Vol 2, Chapter 10 #2
“You saw how those Bennets responded to my gesture of friendship. They ruined me in society without cause, so I will have my revenge! I want men who will do whatever is needed to be done,” Miss Bingley explained, her voice as calm as it was when she ordered a fresh pot of tea.
Mrs. Younge then searched the woman’s eyes and saw the vacant detachment within.
She was no expert, but she surmised something had snapped in the lady’s head, and she would have to seek help from the very last man in the world who would want to see her.
“I do know where some such men are to be found, Miss Bingley. I will leave now and be back this afternoon or early this evening, depending on where I find them,” Mrs. Younge spoke as her very mind raced.
Miss Bingley waved her away with an imperious flick of her wrist, needing this next part of her plan to begin so she could have her justifiable revenge.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Mrs. Younge was scared, as scared as she had ever been, when the hackney dropped her off outside Darcy House on Grosvenor square.
It was the only option; and seeing Miss Darcy in the carriage proved there was some connection between the objects of her mistress' madness and the young lady. If nothing else, Mr. Darcy would at least be able to direct her to the Bennets’ house.
She took a deep breath and knocked on the front door, which was opened by the butler, Killion.
“Yes, madam,” Killion words dripped with disdain when he recognised their little miss’s former companion.
“Mr. Killion, I know I am the last person in the world Mr. Darcy wishes to see, but I swear to you it is a matter of life and death, and not my own,” Mrs. Younge pleaded.
“You are not welcome here; please leave before I have the runners summoned,” Killion started to close the door.
“MR. DARCY!” Mrs. Younge screamed as hard as her lungs would allow.
“Killion! What the devil is going…” Darcy stopped midsentence as he recognised Mrs. Younge. “Why are you here?” He demanded hotly.
“Please, Mr. Darcy, I swear it is a matter of life or death. Just hear me out. If you do not believe me, then you will not have to throw me out. I will go willingly, or you may even have me arrested, whichever you choose, but please listen!” she beseeched.
His first inclination was to throw the woman out, but something in her tone told him it would be a critical error. “Follow me.” Darcy ordered briskly.
Once in his study, he offered no refreshment.
He raised his eyebrows, only waved an indication that Mrs. Younge should talk.
“Did your sister tell you I saw her the other day?” Darcy nodded.
“Did she inform you who my employer is?” He allowed it was so.
“After I finally realised I was never anything but a pawn in Wickham’s schemes, to be used and discarded as he needed, I sought honest employment.
Before you say it, yes, I used false characters, but I was determined to do it right, to live an honest life and never return to the person I was. ”
“What you say sounds all well and good, but how is one to know when you are prevaricating or telling the truth,” Darcy asked sceptically.
“Ask yourself, Mr. Darcy, why I would come here of all places to see you. Who would believe me less than any other in the world?” She challenged, and Darcy had to allow it was so.
“The only reason I came here is that I know after seeing Miss Darcy with her friends that you have some connection to the Bennets,” Mrs. Younge relayed.
Darcy sat up straight all of his senses wide awake at the mention of the Bennets. “What has this to do with the Bennets?”
“Your sister told you how Lady Jane, I believe that is name of the older sister, dealt with Miss Bingley?” Mrs. Younge asked.
“She did, what has this to do with why you are here?” He pressed, needing to understand what she was trying to say.
Mrs. Younge detailed the whole tale of how Miss Bingley had acted for two days after the set down, finishing with the demands of herself that very morning which had, in the lady’s opinion, left her no choice but to try and seek him, as she would not be party to whatever the insane woman was planning.
“Killion,” Darcy barked out. “Mrs. Younge will scribe an address for you. Send four of my biggest footmen to watch that house. If Miss Bingley attempts to exit, they are to detain her and bring her here, both bound and gagged,” Darcy instructed.
Mrs. Younge wrote the address and handed it over to Mr. Killion, though she knew there was little to no chance of Miss Bingley exposing herself to ridicule by going out.
“Killion, have my carriage made ready! You are coming with me, Mrs. Younge.” It was not a request.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Having been inducted into the House of Lords the day before, Bennet was completing the last of the business he needed to address before his departure, scheduled for the early hours on the morrow, when the Bedford House butler announced Mr. Darcy and a Mrs. Younge.
The Duke remembered the name from the Ramsgate affair, but he could not believe Darcy would bring to his house the very woman who had conspired against his sister. “Darcy,” Bennet inclined his head as he sat behind his desk. “Please introduce your companion,” he requested as he stood.
Darcy introduced Mrs. Younge. When the Duke looked at the younger man questioningly, Darcy nodded, sending the older man’s eyebrows up as far as they would go in surprise, and Mrs. Younge saw the interplay between the men.
“You know of my despicable actions at Ramsgate, your Grace?” she asked evenly.
“I do. Why is this lady here with you, Darcy?” Bennet frowned, unable to fathom a reason, no matter how good his imagination was.
“Mrs. Younge was recently employed by one Miss Caroline Bingley,” Darcy began. “She was present when Jane took the shrew to task and then cut her.”
“I am aware,” Bennet stated, still not clear what the woman was doing with Darcy in his study, or how the younger man could even tolerate being in her company.
“Mrs. Younge, please tell the Duke everything you told me,” Darcy instructed. And Mrs. Younge did so. As she told her story, the Duke’s look went from disbelief to murderous.
“What do you hope to gain by telling us this, Mrs. Younge? A reward?” the Duke bit out when she was done.
“Nothing, your Grace. I could not be party to anything illegal again. As it is, I regret ever helping Mr. Wickham, the guilt of it my constant companion. I could not sit by and allow an insane woman try to harm others,” Mrs. Younge said evenly.
She understood, given her past, the men in the study would be sceptical of her motives, but she hoped they would act despite the quarter from which the information was attained.