Chapter 25 #2
Mr. Bingley interjected, “Yesterday, I not only started the process of legally cutting ties with my sister and arranging her care, but I also penned a statement declaring my family’s sorrow that Caroline is ill, explaining her removal from society, and expressing our apologies for any harm that may have been done by her hand.
” He nodded to Darcy, saying, “Darcy approved the message, and it will appear in today’s papers.
It should help me preserve my own reputation, and although Louisa’s was not as much at risk, it will help her as well. ”
Mr. Darcy nodded. “I imagine that Miss Bingley’s connection to the countess-and-duke story will emerge, but this announcement should contain the damage to just Miss Bingley.”
Jane said softly, “And yet Mr. Bingley looks quite worried.”
“Yes.” Mr. Darcy said, “Richard still has faith in a man called Smithers, although Richard continues to do a separate investigation—along the same lines as Smithers’ investigation, but run by Richard himself—just in case he is wrong to trust him.
Smithers discovered that a man he had hired, James Clinton, betrayed Smithers’ trust.” He spread one of the pages of Richard’s report before him and read aloud, “‘Smithers has discovered a note from Wickham to Clinton. This note specifies that, when he reaches Netherfield, Clinton must use the message tree to indicate his arrival to ‘Caro B.’ and that he should separately contact M. B. at Netherfield. The note makes it clear that Clinton cannot allude to M. B.’s alliance to Wickham in Miss Bingley’s presence; she must continue to believe that she is the one calling the tune. ’”
“So there is a disloyal servant at Netherfield!” Elizabeth said.
“But who is M. B.?” Mr. Bingley asked. “I immediately asked for a comprehensive list of everyone employed in the house, the stables, the yard. There was nobody with those initials.”
“And obviously, Wickham does not refer to Mr. Bingley,” Elizabeth said, her eyes far away. One finger tapped her lips as she thought.
“Good God,” Mr. Bingley said. “I should hope not!”
Elizabeth asked, “I assume that Clinton is not available for questioning.”
Mr. Darcy said, “He has disappeared. Smithers was apparently extremely vexed that he could have been fooled and has put some effort into locating him, so far to no avail. Smithers even wonders if the man is dead, and his body has been buried or otherwise disposed of.”
Elizabeth shivered.
Mr. Bingley said, “I should report to you ladies, as I already have to Darcy, that I had my valet carefully go through Caroline’s room, and every dustbin and wastepaper basket and hearth, in search of any notes or partially-burned notes.
My valet has been with me since I was sixteen years old, and I trust him with my life.
He has found no evidence of any kind, and he assumes that Caroline was careful to fully incinerate any notes she received. ”
“Did you check the message tree?” Elizabeth asked. “Just in case there was a note she had not seen yet?”
Both men turned to her. “Do you know where the ‘message tree’ is?” Mr. Darcy asked.
“Well, of course I do not know with any certainty which tree Mr. Wickham was referring to, but I thought he may have meant a particular oak tree—”
She turned to Jane, who nodded and said, “That was my immediate thought, as well, Lizzy.”
“That is something I will wish to check on today, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy said. “I think that we should plan on such an outing later this morning; do you have the time to show me this tree?”
“I do.”
“But for now, you ladies have lived in the area your entire life. Do you have knowledge of a name, or perhaps a nickname, to which M. B. could refer?”
“Have you considered the tenants?” Elizabeth asked. She was trying to think through the surnames of the estate’s tenant families.
“Yes,” Mr. Bingley answered. “I did not think of them for a moment, but Darcy did. Nobody with a last name starting with the letter B.”
There was a long silence. Elizabeth had her eyes closed, thinking hard, moving from tenants to servants to neighbours to…. “Mademoiselle Bonaparte?”
“Who on earth is that?” Mr. Bingley asked.
Elizabeth sent a look to Jane, who nodded with wide eyes.
Elizabeth explained, “There is a lady’s maid who has always claimed to be French royalty, but who is as English as I am.
She calls herself Mademoiselle Bonaparte, even though that name rubs almost everyone the wrong way, given the war.
She does not work at Netherfield, now, but she used to.
I cannot remember what has become of her, but I feel strongly that someone on the staff will know which household she moved to.
I imagine that, if she were involved, she would know a trick or two about getting someone out of Netherfield. ”
Mr. Darcy asked her, “You said she calls herself Mlle. Bonaparte. Does she have another name that she has gone by in the past, as well?”
“Yes.” Elizabeth laughed. “When she was born, she was christened Alice Pott. Which is not at all French.”
Mr. Bingley said, “Darce, how about if you and Miss Elizabeth try to find the message tree, and Miss Bennet and I will work on the Mademoiselle Bonaparte, also known as Alice Pott, angle.”
“That sounds like a very good plan,” Mr. Darcy responded.
“I agree,” Elizabeth said, and Jane merely nodded, but with a determined glint in her eyes.