Page 33
Story: A New Beginning
"Charles is still locked in his office with Mr. Morris.
What could they possibly be discussing?" Caroline wondered aloud, her voice tinged with impatience.
"Do not worry, dear. I have a plan," Louisa replied calmly.
"But we must be patient." Mr. Bingley had returned to London the previous evening and had taken dinner alone in his chambers.
After only two days in Hertfordshire, he had concluded that his presence there served no purpose.
The neighbours, once eager for his attention and favour, had now turned coldly cordial.
From what little he had been able to gather, the community was quite enraged—believing he had abandoned his obligations and acted dishonourably.
He had even heard whispers of gossip regarding his treatment of Miss Bennet.
After several months of marked attentions, and two dances at the ball he himself had hosted, he had left—abruptly and without explanation.
In doing so, he had exposed her to malicious speculation and societal ridicule.
Thus, Mr. Bingley's resolve to find Jane and repair the damage he had caused was stronger than ever.
"It will not be difficult to find the gentleman, sir.
I have his name, profession, and a general idea of his residence and business.
This afternoon, I shall instruct one of my men to begin inquiries.
Within a few days, I shall have the information you need.
" "Thank you, Mr. Morris. I appreciate your assistance and hope to hear from you very soon," Mr. Bingley said earnestly, shaking his solicitor's hand with conviction before bidding him farewell.
Though he knew he must exercise patience, every moment felt like an eternity.
He longed to see his angel again, to offer her his hand in marriage, and to assure her that her entire family would be welcome to reside with them at Netherfield.
As Mr. Morris made his way toward the front entrance, a maid intercepted him.
"Mrs. Hurst would like a word with you, sir, if you please," she said, and led him to the garden terrace.
"Thank you, Mr. Morris, for taking the time to speak with us," Louisa began, offering him a seat.
"I imagine you remember my sister, Miss Bingley.
" "Of course," he replied. Once Mr. Morris had settled, Louisa initiated a polite conversation about his family.
Mr. Morris was from a long line of solicitors.
His father had managed the Bingley family's affairs for years, and both families were well-acquainted.
As the discussion flowed easily, Louisa and Caroline carefully transitioned to their true purpose.
With feigned concern, they began to question him about Charles.
"Our brother has been… troubled of late," Louisa said delicately.
"He has seemed unsure of himself—aimless, even.
" "Indeed," Caroline added. "He appears disenchanted with country life.
After all his efforts to understand estate management, he now wishes to return to London and leave it all behind.
" "That is why we hope to learn if there is something troubling him," Louisa said, her tone earnest. "We wish only to help.
" Mr. Morris hesitated, clearly uneasy. "I understand your concern, Mrs. Hurst, but I am afraid I cannot disclose the particulars of my conversation with Mr. Bingley.
Client confidentiality must be respected.
" "Of course," Caroline said smoothly. "We would never ask you to breach his confidence.
But perhaps you could simply tell us—does he seem to be in some kind of trouble?
" Mr. Morris paused. It was true Mr. Bingley had seemed agitated, uncertain.
Perhaps there was no harm in a vague answer.
"He has asked me to locate a certain gentleman—a businessman.
That is all I may say." "Thank you, Mr. Morris," Louisa said graciously.
"We fully understand the need for discretion.
" After a few more minutes of polite conversation, Mr. Morris took his leave.
Once he had gone, Caroline and Louisa turned their attention to strategy.
"I am sure Charles is trying to find Jane's uncle," Louisa said, frowning.
"But why did he not seek that information directly from Mrs. Bennet?
I cannot imagine." "I suspect the new master of Longbourn has taken control and sent the Bennet women to live with relatives," Caroline replied.
"In any case, I believe I know how to delay this information from reaching Charles.
" "What do you mean?" "I shall instruct the servants that, when any correspondence arrives from Mr. Morris's office, it must be delivered to us.
" "Caroline!" Louisa gasped. "We cannot intercept Charles's mail.
That would make him justly furious." "We are not going to read it," Caroline said firmly.
"We will simply hold it for a few days. That will give us time to…
think and prepare." Though clearly uneasy, Louisa gave a reluctant nod.
They both knew their influence over Charles was waning, and if they wished to preserve the life they envisioned for him—and for themselves—they would need to act swiftly and subtly.
And so, they began to plan. Their objective: to keep Charles distracted with calls, visits, and social engagements, while gently dissuading him from pursuing any action that might reconnect him with the Bennets.
◆◆◆
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33 (Reading here)
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46