Chapter 15 Suspicions and Arrivals #2
“Is it not splendid?” Bingley strode forward, grasping Darcy’s hand in enthusiastic greeting. “I could not bear the thought of you enjoying Pemberley’s comforts alone while we remained at Netherfield, so I convinced Caroline and the Hursts to join me in pursuit.”
Darcy extricated his hand, struggling to shift his thoughts from potential inheritance fraud to the social niceties required by Bingley’s arrival. “You abandoned Netherfield without notice?”
“Not abandoned—merely departed temporarily,” Bingley corrected cheerfully. “I left my steward to manage affairs. We can return after enjoying Derbyshire’s hospitality for a fortnight or so.”
“Mr. Darcy.” Caroline glided forward, executing a perfect curtsy. “How kind of you to receive us with such… spontaneity. I do hope we are not imposing unduly.”
“Not at all,” Darcy replied automatically, as they walked to the drawing room. He stopped Mrs. Reynolds and called for refreshments and tea service. “Although I’m expecting visitors for tea time.”
“Visitors?” Bingley beamed as if finding Darcy dancing like a pet monkey. “By jove. I would not have expected you to entertain in such a grand fashion.”
“It is merely a formality.” Darcy’s teeth ached as his jaw tightened.
“May I inquire about the identity of your visitors?” Bingley asked. “We may want to invite them to our All Hallows’ Eve Assembly right here in Pemberley.”
Darcy remained standing as the company settled in the drawing room. “I wasn’t aware that we celebrated All Hallows’ Eve at Pemberley.”
“Oh, but Caroline has been planning it on our journey north, haven’t you, sister?”
Caroline, of course, preened prettily, blinking and pleased at being the center of attention. “Nothing extravagant, Mr. Darcy. A day of shooting for the gentlemen, and autumn games for the ladies. A modest masquerade dance, not a full-fledged ball. It would be so rustic and seasonal.”
Darcy winced at the presumption. Caroline had been angling for the position of mistress of Pemberley ever since their childhood, when Darcy’s uncle John did business with Bingley’s father.
The families visited frequently back when John and Rose were alive.
Another loose end from the days before his father inherited Pemberley.
“Caroline has been longing to play hostess.” Bingley clapped his hands together. “An All Hallows’ Eve house party would be a splendid opportunity to bring together the local society. Perhaps even extend invitations to interesting visitors in the area.”
Something in Bingley’s tone caused Darcy to look at him more sharply. “What visitors do you mean?”
“Well, as fortune would have it, I encountered Mr. Bennet before leaving Hertfordshire,” Bingley replied. “He mentioned that his daughter Elizabeth was visiting distant connections near Lambton. I thought it neighborly to include her in our festivities.”
Darcy stared at his friend, a chill running through him that had nothing to do with the autumn air. “You spoke with Mr. Bennet about Miss Elizabeth’s whereabouts?”
“Certainly.” Bingley smiled brightly. “In fact, I secured his permission to pay her particular attention during our stay in Derbyshire. Most encouraging, he was.”
Darcy felt his chest tighten around his heart. He struggled to maintain his composure as an unexpected surge of possessiveness washed over him. “You intend to court Miss Elizabeth Bennet?”
“If she proves receptive to my attentions,” Bingley confirmed, his eyes gleaming with something that approached fervor. “She is a delightful young woman, is she not? So intelligent and spirited.”
“She is certainly spirited,” Darcy admitted. “Though I confess myself surprised by this development. I had thought your interest lay with her sister.”
“Miss Jane Bennet is indeed a lovely young woman,” Bingley acknowledged with a slight shrug. “But I find Miss Elizabeth’s liveliness more compelling. You disagree?”
“My opinion is immaterial,” Darcy replied stiffly. “You must follow your own judgment in such matters.”
Caroline, who had been following this exchange with narrowed eyes, stepped forward. “We have heard Miss Elizabeth Bennet is staying with that widow—what was her name? Mrs. Wickham? At some cottage on your estate?”
“Rose Cottage,” Darcy confirmed, wondering how the Bingleys had obtained this information so quickly.
“How charming,” Caroline said, though her expression suggested she found it anything but. “A rustic retreat. Though surely such accommodations must be… limited in comfort.”
“Mrs. Wickham has been a tenant for many years,” Darcy replied, his mind working rapidly. “Though I have been considering reassessing that arrangement.”
Bingley raised his eyebrows. “Oh? Some difficulty with the good widow?”
“Nothing specific,” Darcy hedged, unwilling to reveal his suspicions. “Merely a routine review of tenancy agreements.”
Glances were exchanged by the entire party, with even Mr. Hurst rousing himself from his slumber to blink.
“What do you know about Mrs. Wickham and Elizabeth?” Darcy demanded.
Bingley’s perpetual smile dimmed. “Mr. Bennet seemed to believe his daughter might be manipulated into dangerous situations through the Wickhams. Miss Lydia reports that George Wickham lent Elizabeth five pounds to escape her intended marriage to Mr. Collins.”
The pieces fell into place with sickening clarity. Elizabeth had taken money from Mr. Wickham. An unforgivable ruination to her reputation. “And your role in this arrangement?”
“Mr. Bennet has asked me to locate Elizabeth and ensure her safety until she reaches her majority. He believes that with proper protection and guidance, any… unfortunate entanglements she may have formed can be resolved without lasting damage to her reputation or prospects.”
“Really, Charles?” Darcy could not keep the incredulity from his voice. “You as her guardian? The man who cannot decide between fishing and shooting without changing his mind thrice in an hour?”
To Darcy’s surprise, Bingley did not take offense. Instead, his expression grew uncharacteristically serious.
“I understand your skepticism, Darcy, but I gave Mr. Bennet my word. Miss Elizabeth requires protection from certain parties who may not have her best interests at heart.”
“We can hardly allow her to be stranded in Derbyshire without proper lodging,” Caroline added, her tone suggesting she had rehearsed this sentiment.
Darcy pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why not simply return her to Hertfordshire? Surely her father would prefer her safe at home rather than gallivanting about Derbyshire under dubious chaperonage.”
Caroline’s eyebrows arched delicately. “Miss Elizabeth Bennet has been through enough scandalous behavior already. Returning to Hertfordshire would only compound her suffering. The entire neighborhood knows she fled to avoid marriage to Mr. Collins. Her reputation hangs by a thread.”
“Precisely!” Bingley brightened. “Whereas, should Elizabeth be willing, she could return as an engaged woman—to me! All scandal averted, reputation intact, and no harm done.”
Darcy stared at his friend, a peculiar hollowness forming in his chest. “You would offer marriage to a woman who has, by your own admission, placed herself in a compromising situation with George Wickham?”
Darcy looked from one Bingley sibling to the other, a growing sense of manipulation settling over him. Why would Caroline, who had shown nothing but disdain for the Bennet family in Hertfordshire, suddenly advocate for Elizabeth’s presence at Pemberley?
And Bingley—since when had his amiable, easily influenced friend developed such strategic thinking?
His sudden interest in Elizabeth, his convenient arrival just as Darcy was learning of her suspicious activities, his immediate suggestion that she be brought to Pemberley—it all seemed too calculated for Bingley’s usual spontaneous nature.
Unless…
Unless Bingley knew something about Elizabeth Bennet that Darcy did not. Or, he suspected a connection that could be more advantageous than Caroline’s marriage to Darcy. That could only mean they suspected Elizabeth was a Darcy.
Or at least Bennet and Wickham intend to make a move on Pemberley, setting Elizabeth up as the pretender. If that were the case, Darcy would keep Elizabeth to himself, ensuring she would never have the opportunity for mischief.
“Having Miss Bennet as a guest would indeed be preferable to her remaining at Rose Cottage,” Darcy said slowly. “I could more easily observe—that is, ensure her comfort during her stay in Derbyshire.”
“Splendid!” Bingley beamed. “And with All Hallows’ Eve approaching, we can plan appropriate entertainments. Caroline is quite adept at organizing such gatherings, are you not, Caroline?”
“I should be delighted to arrange a small party,” Caroline confirmed. “Nothing too elaborate, of course. Just enough to keep our spirits high during this rather… dull season.”
“Then it is settled,” Bingley declared. “We shall send an invitation to Miss Bennet immediately. I’m certain she will be most appreciative of Pemberley’s superior accommodations.”
His father’s warning echoed in his mind. He would never trust a Bennet, but he would keep this particular Bennet very, very close indeed.