Chapter 11
On arriving at Darcy House, even though he had not been expected until a sennight after Easter, the unflappable Killions—his butler and his housekeeper—received the master as if he had always planned to arrive that day.
While his valet supervised the trunks being carried up to his chambers, Darcy decided to go into his study, giving Carstens some time to unpack and put everything away.
Before he sent a note to Bingley asking for them to meet at the club—where Bingley’s younger sister could not impose on him—Darcy looked through the waiting post to see if there was anything urgent.
As his stewards and solicitors would have sent a Darcy courier to Rosings Park, it did not surprise him that there was nothing which required his immediate attention in the pile of correspondence on his desk.
He did remember to write a draft to cover the money Mr Bennet expended and leave it to be posted to the man with any other post he needed sent out.
That attended to, Darcy picked up that morning’s copy of The Times of London.
There was some news of the war in Europe, as to be expected, commentary on the Prince Regent, some articles about bills wending their way through the House of Commons and the House of Lords, but nothing which grabbed his attention.
With that done, Darcy scribed a note to Bingley asking that they meet in two hours at White’s.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Caroline Bingley was tired of her brother moping about because of the insipid Miss Jane Bennet.
She decided it was time to kill his infatuation once and for all.
“Charles, you will never guess who I saw on my way to Hyde Park a few days past,” Miss Bingley purred.
She saw her sister’s shaken head, so she shot Louisa a look promising retribution if she spoke.
As she expected, her sister looked away and played with her bracelets.
“Why would I care which of your friends you saw?” Bingley bit back.
“Are you telling me you are not interested that the one I am referring to is none other than Miss Jane Bennet?” Miss Bingley cooed triumphantly. She did not miss how wide her brother’s eyes became.
“Why did you not tell me Miss Bennet is in London? Did she call on you?” Bingley demanded.
“That is just it. Until I saw her, I was unaware of her being in Town,” Miss Bingley prevaricated.
“I wrote to her twice, and she never wrote back; and then she comes to the city and does not call on those she professed to hold in esteem.” Miss Bingley paused and relished in the confusion on her brother’s face.
“I suppose that now she is a kept woman; she no longer needs your paltry five thousand pounds per annum.”
Bingley slammed his fist on the table. “How dare you cast shade on Miss Bennet’s character in that vile way? She may not have loved me, but she is an honourable woman.”
“Then why did I see her being led into Holder House to meet with her benefactor? What reason would mousy Jane Bennet have to be calling at that house? I told you she is a fortune hunter, and she has found a good supply of wealth now that we have saved you from her clutches,” Miss Bingley crowed.
“Louisa, you were with Caroline when she was in Hyde Park. Did you see Miss Bennet at Holder House?” Bingley asked.
“I did, Charles. However…” Mrs Hurst was not able to say more.
“See, did I not tell you so?” Miss Bingley interjected.
“If we were wrong and she held you in esteem, why did she come to Town and not call on us? That is not what a woman interested in you would have done.” She glared at her older sister, warning her of the punishment she would mete out if she said another word about Miss Bennet.
Knowing how vindictive Caroline could be if she were crossed, Mrs Hurst chose not to interfere with what her younger sister was doing. She only hoped that her warning about possible ruin would not come true.
“It cannot be! Miss Bennet would never accept carte blanche from a man!” Bingley lamented.
The butler entered with a missive on the salver. He sidestepped Miss Bingley, who attempted to grab it. “A note has arrived for Mr Bingley,” the butler drawled as he lowered the salver.
“It is from Darcy,” a still very shaken Bingley revealed. He broke the seal and opened the single sheet of paper. “I am to meet him at White’s in an hour or so.”
“It is a compliment to me that Mr Darcy has returned from Kent early!” Miss Bingley insisted.
“When you meet him, you must invite him back here for dinner. I told you he would never marry that sickly cousin of his.” In her excitement that Mr Darcy had returned from Rosings Park almost a fortnight before he was expected, she completely forgot that Mr Darcy would be able to expose her lies about Jane Bennet not calling at Hurst House if her brother mentioned what she had just told him.
“I must prepare for dinner. I will ensure Cook will have a meal fit for Mr Darcy.” Miss Bingley swept out of the drawing room.
The fact that her sister was, in fact, the mistress of the house was irrelevant to her.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Darcy arrived at White’s a few minutes before the time he had asked Bingley to meet him there.
He was shown into a private parlour where Bingley was waiting for him.
His friend had a cut crystal tumbler of what looked like four fingers of brandy in his hand.
It was out of character for Bingley to imbibe so much, and especially not at this hour of the day.
“You were right, Darce,” Bingley moaned as soon as the door was closed. “She only liked my fortune. Now, she is a kept woman!”
“Bingley, about what are you mumbling?” Darcy demanded.
“Miss Bennet! Caroline saw her arriving at Holder House. She never replied to any of the letters my sister posted to her and when she came to London, she did not call on us…”
“She did,” Darcy interjected. “I was at Hurst House waiting for you the day she called, which I understand was within a few days of arriving in London.” He paused and decided he needed to be direct.
“Bingley, Miss Bingley does not tell the truth. She will say or do whatever she needs to in order to gain that which she desires.”
“I refuse to believe that my sister is dissembling or that she is not always honest,” Bingley whinged.
“Did you hear me? I was at the Hursts’ house the day Miss Bennet called, and I know that after waiting weeks, instead of days, only then did your sisters return her call.
Miss Bingley waited three or four weeks so that Miss Bennet would not misunderstand how much she was disdained. Do you want proof?”
Not trusting himself to speak yet, a very discomposed Bingley nodded his head.
After donning their outerwear, Darcy led the way to the line of coaches walking past his own and approached Bingley’s. “Lindsay, did you convey Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley to a house near or in Cheapside a few weeks back?”
“Aye, Mr Darcy, I did,” Lindsay replied.
“Please take us there now,” Darcy requested. After the Bingley footman retracted the step and opened the door, Darcy boarded with a near-catatonic Bingley following him meekly.
Seeing the state his friend was in, Darcy did not think it was the time to make his disclosures to Bingley yet.
After a not too long ride, Bingley’s coach halted in front of a very good-looking house with a park across from it.
Once the two men alighted, they were about to make their way to the front door when Darcy happened to look across at the park.
He saw two people he recognised. Miss Bennet and Lord Hadlock.
They were with four children and a few servants.
One boy was sailing a boat with Hadlock’s assistance, and Miss Bennet was supervising two girls and a boy as they fed the squawking and quacking ducks.
Bingley saw the direction Darcy was looking, and before Darcy could move, Bingley was storming towards Miss Bennet.
Jane looked up and saw not only Mr Bingley but also Mr Darcy approaching them. “Jamey,” she called, gaining his attention. He took his place beside her just before Mr Bingley arrived.
Seeing Miss Bennet on the arm of another man, even if he was not old like Caroline intimated, caused a jealous haze in which Bingley forgot everything Darcy had said. “So, Caroline has the right of it; you are a…”
Before Bingley could complete the sentence, Darcy clamped his hand over his friend’s mouth.
“May I make the introductions?” Darcy requested.
He was very surprised to see Hadlock in company with Miss Bennet and the children.
However, he knew the Carrington men well enough that they would never do anything so dishonourable as to keep a mistress.
Hadlock’s fist had been balled, ready to strike as he was sure that the irate man who Darcy silenced was about to say something for which he would have called him out. He gave Darcy a curt nod.
“Lord James Carrington, Viscount Hadlock, I present to you Mr Charles Bingley of Scarborough. Bingley, Lord Hadlock.” Darcy looked at the man who was a year or two younger than himself.
“What brings you to this part of London, Hadlock?” Darcy saw Bingley had calmed, so he removed his hand from his friend’s mouth.
“Try saying anything like that again, and I will be the one to knock you off your feet,” he said next to Bingley’s ear in sotto voce.
“I could ask you the same thing, Darcy, but like it is not your concern about me, I need not know why you are here,” Hadlock returned.
“My question is why is Mr Bingley here?” He turned to the man who had become rather pale.
“Are you not the man who paid Miss Bennet assiduous attention and then turned tail and ran without a word? Was it not your sister who wrote Miss Bennet a lie-laced letter, and then after claiming she wanted to keep the connection, rather treated her with rudeness?”
“Hadlock, may we have this discussion in a less public venue?” Darcy requested.