Chapter 11 Imposter Imperceptible
It was a warm midsummer day, and the Bingleys were hot and bothered after being cooped up for so long in a sweltering carriage.
It was with a sigh of relief that they drove through Lambton and finally turned onto the road to Pemberley.
The seemingly endless driveway was adorned by ancient oaks and opened up into a garden crowned by the most handsome Palladian house.
Jane’s hands flew up to clutch her heart.
“I never imagined… It is so grand! To think my sister is the mistress of all this splendour. Mr Darcy has every reason to be proud!”
“Not that proud,” her husband replied dryly with a smile on his face.
The carriage drew to a halt at the bottom of the steps, and a flurry of events happened at once. The dreaded colonel and his wife must have been close by because they were standing under the portico to welcome them.
Awkward greetings were exchanged; servants shuffled back and forth with trunks and bags while the housekeeper tried to inform them of the direction of their rooms. Charlie and his nursemaid were whisked off to the nursery.
Jane was left feeling somewhat bereft as she dreaded her first meeting with the master of Pemberley after giving him the cut direct.
But Mr Darcy had proved to respond wonderfully towards children when her offspring had run him down in town.
Charlie would have been an adorable shield who would disarm any reproaches Mr Darcy thought she deserved.
It was therefore with relief that she noticed the master was not in attendance.
They were led to a shaded balcony to cool down with refreshments whilst the carriage was being unloaded.
Jane accepted the lemonade and the strawberry tart before addressing her most pressing matter. “Mrs Fitzwilliam, where is my sister?”
“And I would like to know where Mr Darcy is hiding,” her husband added good-naturedly. “He is not usually prone to displays of cowardice…”
“I am sorry to inform you that you have missed them. They both expressed their deepest regrets at not being able to welcome you both to Pemberley, but they had pressing matters to attend that could not be delayed.” The colonel paused, looking indecisively at them.
“What I relate to you must be held in the utmost secrecy. It could severely damage your youngest sister’s reputation if this should become widely known. ”
Mr and Mrs Bingley nodded solemnly, assuring the colonel of their confidentiality.
“A week ago, a report reached Pemberley that Mr Wickham had failed to return to his duties after an assignment. We were not too concerned at the time, but we notified people in the area that if they saw him, they should tell us. Frequent reports from locals who believed they had seen him lurking about were brought to our attention, but he was always a few steps ahead of us…” The colonel let that bit of information hang in the air before he continued.
“Two days ago, Wickham was observed entering a sacred area of the park here at Pemberley, the family mausoleum. Unfortunately, it is common knowledge that the previous master of Pemberley buried his wife without removing her wedding ring. It had a valuable four carat, brilliant-cut diamond. Wickham has accumulated debts of honour in his regiment, and the ring would more than cover his IOUs and set him up nicely for the rest of his life. We could not allow him to escape, and he was captured yesterday and kept under lock and key until we could transport him back to Newcastle, where he will be facing desertion charges. Mrs Darcy was naturally concerned for her sister and wanted to accompany Darcy to secure her well-being, preferably by bringing her home to Pemberley within a reasonable time. It is a hundred and fifty miles to Newcastle. With the condition of the roads in mind, it will take them three days each way. They left sometime yesterday and will not return for at least a week. Unfortunately, we missed Mr Wickham’s capture and Darcy’s departure, so we do not know exactly what time they left. ”
“How can you not know when they left?” Charles asked sceptically.
“Mrs Fitzwilliam and I were not here when they departed.
We went to Matlock to inspect an estate I inherited many years ago from my grandmother.
Our assignment was twofold. We wanted to ascertain whether it was in a condition and of a size to be our future home.
In addition, we needed to see whether Wickham was hiding there.
The estate and its remote location were known to him.
We came back disappointed in both regards.
The house is too small to live in, and we found no trace of Mr Wickham.
The layers of dust were so thick that I am certain no one has been there for the last decade or so.
“Darcy left me a note in which I was asked to convey their regrets and pardon their abrupt change of plans.”
“Think nothing of it, Colonel, we understand perfectly,” Charles assured him.
“This is grave indeed. I would not want Lydia to be alone at such a time, but I wonder why she has not written to my mother about her difficulties?” Jane wondered aloud.
“With all due respect, Mrs Bingley, she does not know yet. I understand that Wickham disappearing for two or three days has been a recurring event in the Wickham household.”
“Poor Lydia,” Jane sighed.
“Whether you continue your journey or remain at Pemberley is entirely up to you,” the colonel remarked.
“We shall stay and wait for my sister’s return,” Jane hastened to reply before Charles had the chance to say otherwise. “We might be of use to Elizabeth if Lydia accompanies her hither.”
To her relief, Charles nodded his assent to her impromptu decision on their behalf.
She did not trust the colonel and wondered at Mr Darcy leaving the traitor in charge of Pemberley while he was absent.
She dared not voice any concerns aloud, however.
If she angered the colonel, he might choose to evict them, and she was not leaving Pemberley without seeing Lizzy.
Mrs Reynolds appeared on the balcony, announcing their suite of rooms was ready, and the Bingleys retired to refresh themselves.
#
Dinner turned out to be an awkward affair.
The Bingleys did not know how to act in front of the colonel, who had caused so much heartbreak in their sister’s life, but their respect for Mrs Fitzwilliam was too great to ask unpleasant questions in her presence.
Bingley felt certain he would manage to speak to the colonel in private when the separation of the sexes came after the meal.
He was not disappointed, as Mrs Fitzwilliam eagerly led his wife away to the music room.
Bingley eyed his opponent warily as the colonel poured Darcy’s finest brandy into a couple of tumblers. He had not prepared a speech, but in this instant, he wished he had thought it through.
“Out with it, Bingley.”
The colonel must be reading his mind.
“I am aware of the duplicity you performed in the library.”
The colonel barked out a laugh before replying. “It was done in the service of a close relation. I simply sped things up so that Darcy did not fall too deeply under her spell before his awakening.”
“I do not believe you. Darcy has clearly been miserable ever since you turned love into hatred between a couple that had the deepest connection. You destroyed the happiness of an entire family. Darcy and Elizabeth are tied together until death parts them, with a child in their midst. Ellie is forced to grow up with parents who cannot abide each other. I do not understand how you can live with yourself.”
Bingley expected a fierce retort, but the colonel sat deep in thought and unconscious of his presence. He took advantage of the officer’s inattention to remove himself from the room and search for his wife’s much more pleasant company. The colonel neither followed nor appeared to notice.
He found Jane in the music room in a quiet tête-à-tête with Mrs Fitzwilliam.
He halted on the threshold to enjoy the picture of domestic felicity.
The latter was worrying her skirts, obviously a trifle nervous, but she had never appeared confident to Bingley.
It was one difference between the two serene ladies.
One sat quietly, conveying confidence and strength, while the other was cripplingly shy.
Mrs Fitzwilliam leant forwards to address his wife confidentially, but Bingley heard her enquiry.
“Mrs Bingley, may I ask you a private question from one married woman to another?”
Bingley should have made his presence known then, but if the colonel was mistreating his wife, it was unlikely she would admit as much to him. He waited another moment before revealing himself.
“You may ask me anything, Mrs Fitzwilliam,” Jane assured her, resting a comforting hand on her arm.
“Is it common to faint when one is expecting?” Mrs Fitzwilliam’s eyebrows shot towards her hairline while her lips pressed together.
“It is fairly common, yes. I have not experienced it myself, but my sister Elizabeth fainted once. Her situation was extremely distressing at the time, though, so it is not certain whether it was induced by the pregnancy alone.”
“Is it common to”—Mrs Fitzwilliam’s voice dropped even lower, to a barely audible whisper—“to bleed when you are expecting?”
“No, it is not. The withdrawal of your courses is the first sign of pregnancy. Of course, nothing is certain before the babe quickens, but I am inclined to believe your fainting spell might have been brought on by something else. Had you eaten properly?”
“I have had barely any appetite lately,” Mrs Fitzwilliam admitted.
“Does it happen often? Perhaps a doctor should be called?”
“Oh no, there is no need for that. It was only once, yesterday, when we went to view the estate my husband owns. I am glad we are not moving thither. The house was a tiny cottage that has stood unoccupied and neglected for decades. It was in a sorry condition. I am much relieved I do not have to live there.”
“Oh, how distressing for you.” Jane soothed Mrs Fitzwilliam’s concerns with her quiet strength. “I can see how such a discovery may have been upsetting. That is why you fainted.”
“Yes, that must be it,” Mrs Fitzwilliam agreed with a sigh of relief.
#
The days passed slowly in the awkward atmosphere between the Bingleys and the Fitzwilliams. Five days had come and gone since the colonel had received his first letter from Darcy, stating their return would be delayed due to the state of the roads.
Jane and Charles discussed whether they would stay at Pemberley and wait for the Darcys to come home or travel north to visit relations in Scarborough.
It had occurred to them that they could travel to Newcastle but quickly agreed it was too far, and the chance of passing the Darcys on the road was too great to risk it.