Chapter 32 #2
Darcy stepped out of the summerhouse and put distance between them. “Your sister entered as I finished examining the room. She closed the door and attempted to prevent me from leaving.”
Bingley looked from him to Caroline. “Why were you here?”
“The steward sent a message asking me to inspect a crack above the window.”
Bingley frowned. “My steward?”
“Yes.”
“I gave him no such instruction.”
Caroline recovered enough to lift her chin. “You spoke at breakfast of inspecting the repairs.”
“I spoke of coming myself.”
“The steward may have misunderstood.”
“He did not,” Darcy said. “I met him near the tenant road after I received a note about a cracked window. He knew nothing of it.”
His eyes narrowed as he looked at Caroline. "It seems he wanted both of us to look at the same problem. Convenient."
Silence returned.
Georgiana moved to her brother’s side. “A maid told me that the drawing room had arranged refreshments here.”
Bingley turned toward her. “A maid? Which one?”
“I do not know her name. She said Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth were expected to join us.”
Jane looked at Elizabeth.
“No one said anything to us of refreshments,” Jane said.
“Or of meeting here,” Elizabeth added.
Louisa shut her eyes and sighed. “Caroline, what have you done?” she whispered.
Caroline heard her. “Do not pretend you understand what happened.”
“I understand that you told us you needed to speak with Mrs. Nicholls,” Louisa said.
“I changed my mind.”
“And came here by the service path?”
“The shortest path.”
“After urging Anne to remain near the house.”
“I considered her comfort.”
Anne stepped forward. “No. You considered where each of us would be.”
Mrs. Jenkinson touched her arm, but Anne did not retreat.
Caroline looked toward Bingley. “Charles, this is absurd. Mr. Darcy received a message, I came to tell him the party approached, and the dog created a disturbance.”
Hurst looked through the open doorway at the motionless branches beyond the window. “The wind closed the door, I assume.”
Caroline’s eyes narrowed. “It may have.”
“Violent weather.”
“Enough,” Bingley said.
The word carried more force than his usual anger. He entered the summerhouse and picked up the ribbon.
“Why did this come loose?”
Caroline held out her hand. “Give it to me.”
His hand closed on it.
“It caught when I stumbled.”
“On what?”
She looked toward the remains of the table.
Hurst followed her gaze. “More dangerous by the moment.”
Louisa gave him a warning glance, but her attention returned to Caroline.
“Did you send the note to Mr. Darcy?”
“No.”
“Did you instruct the maid to mislead his sister?”
“No.”
Bingley looked at the ribbon, then at Darcy’s sleeve. “What happened before the door opened?”
Caroline answered first. “Nothing.”
Darcy’s expression hardened. “She placed herself between me and the door. When Sarah barked, Miss Bingley caught my sleeve and told me not to open it.”
Georgiana drew in a breath.
Caroline turned toward Darcy. “I was startled.”
“You were not.”
“You cannot know what I felt.”
“I know what you did.”
Caroline looked at Elizabeth and saw that she understood.
“You brought the dog here.”
“Miss Darcy invited her.”
“And now you intend to use its behavior as proof.”
“I need no help from Sarah to understand what I saw.”
“You saw me lose my balance.”
“I saw Mr. Darcy step aside before you could reach him.”
Caroline’s composure slipped.
Bingley looked at Louisa. “Did you know?”
“No.”
“You suspected something.”
“I knew she would not accept what happened yesterday. I did not know what she intended.”
Caroline laughed once, without humor. “How convenient.”
Louisa faced her. “You told me that preference was not the only means by which a woman might secure a man.”
Bingley’s expression changed.
Caroline stared at her sister.
Louisa continued. “I warned you not to act upon it. I did not know you had arranged this.”
“You have chosen your interpretation.”
“You chose it for us.”
Caroline turned to Georgiana. “You cannot believe I meant harm to your brother.”
Georgiana’s face had lost its earlier ease, but not its new confidence. “You meant to deny him a choice.”
Caroline flinched as though the quiet answer carried more force than accusation.
Darcy looked at his sister, then at Bingley. “The servants may confirm how the messages were delivered.”
“They will,” Bingley said.
Caroline reached for the ribbon again. He gave it to her, though the movement held no courtesy.
“You will return to the house,” he said.
“You command me now?”
“In my house? After this? Yes.”
Her face lost color.
“You have not heard the servants.”
“I have heard enough to remove you until I do.”
Caroline looked to Louisa, but her sister offered no rescue. Hurst stood beside her with his hands behind his back, his amusement gone.
Caroline passed them and reached the path. Sarah remained near the threshold.
“Move the animal.”
Elizabeth gave the signal. Sarah rose and stepped aside.
Caroline walked through the yews alone.
No one followed until she emerged onto the open lawn. The distance to Netherfield offered no shelter, and every window faced her return.
Bingley waited until she reached the terrace before turning back to Darcy.
“Do you still have the note?”
Darcy drew it from his coat and handed it to him.
Bingley opened it. “This says the steward asked you to examine a crack near the roof before we brought the ladies here.”
“There is a crack above the window,” Darcy said. “That gave the message enough plausibility to bring me this far.”
“You doubted it.”
“I did.”
“And came anyway.”
“The request concerned your house.”
Bingley refolded the note. “She used that.”
Darcy did not disagree.
Georgiana described the maid who had approached her after breakfast. Louisa supplied a name before Bingley finished asking.
“She has served here less than two months,” Louisa said. “Caroline has given her several small favors.”
“And the footman who carried this?” Bingley asked.
“I do not know.”
“I shall.”
Jane touched his arm. The gesture checked his anger without diminishing it.
“The servants may have believed they were following ordinary instructions.”
“They may have,” he said. “I shall hear them before deciding what follows.”
Elizabeth looked toward Sarah. The dog had entered the summerhouse and stood near the table, sniffing neither ribbon nor floor. She appeared interested only in the voices.
Darcy followed Elizabeth’s gaze.
“She heard us.”
“She heard something she disliked.”
“Was it my voice?”
“Not at first. She heard someone inside when I had not sent her ahead. Then she heard Caroline.”
Hurst stepped past them and examined the crack above the window. “Since we have gathered for the purpose, the plaster appears sound.”
Bingley stared at him. “What?”
“The room has caused enough difficulty. I don’t think it deserves another inspection.”
Anne laughed.
The sound startled Mrs. Jenkinson, who began to object and then seemed unable to choose between concern and relief.
Louisa offered Anne her arm. “We should return to the house.”
They crossed the lawn without haste. Jane remained beside Bingley, while Georgiana walked near Darcy. Elizabeth kept Sarah between herself and Anne, though the dog’s attention moved twice toward the house.
Caroline waited in the drawing room when they entered. She stood beside the mantel with the ribbon restored in a knot that did not hide the tear. No servant remained in the room.
Bingley stopped inside the door. “I have the note.”
“I assumed Mr. Darcy would keep it.”
“He gave it to me because the lie used my steward’s name.”
Caroline looked at Darcy. “You intend to make a public accusation.”
“No,” he said. “Your actions made the matter public.”
Her gaze moved to Elizabeth. “You must be satisfied.”
Elizabeth had expected anger, but instead, she felt weariness. “I had no part in this.”
“You brought Sarah.”
“I brought her because Miss Darcy wished to walk with her. You arranged the rest.”
Caroline turned to Georgiana. “You misunderstand what you saw.”
Georgiana shook her head. “No.”
The single word stopped her.
Bingley crossed to the bell. “You will remain in your room until I have spoken with the servants.”
Caroline lifted her chin. “And if I refuse?”
“Then I shall ask Louisa to accompany you.”
“And I will,” Louisa said.
For the first time, Caroline appeared to understand that no argument would restore the position she had held that morning.
She gathered her skirt and left the room.
No one spoke until her steps reached the stairs.
Hurst looked at the note in Bingley’s hand. “She chose her approach.”
Louisa gave him a tired glance. “And failed.”
Outside the terrace doors, Sarah lay down with her head across her paws, as though the household was quiet enough at last.