Page 38 of A Rational Man (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

W hen he next visited Longbourn, Mr. Bennet asked to have a private word with Mr. Bingley. “Mr. Bennet?” Mr. Bingley was concerned by the unhappy expression on Mr. Bennet’s face.

Mr. Bennet reached into his desk and pulled out a letter. “Read this,” he said, abruptly.

Mr. Bingley unfolded the letter and read:

Dear Brother Bennet,

I recently received a very unhappy letter from our dear Jane. It appears that she very much doubts Mr. Bingley’s ability to divest himself of his unfortunate younger sister; she wonders if she will have to cancel the engagement or make up her mind to live with the sister. She is confused and upset.

As it happens, I am in complete agreement with your decision regarding not putting Jane into an unhappy marital situation. Marriage is a difficult enough enterprise without having to contend with a poisonous sister-in-law.

If it turns out that Mr. Bingley is unable to do as he must, then he is unworthy of Jane and he should be shown the door.

In that event, I would very much like to host Jane for at least a portion of the Season.

We do not have connections in the first circles, of course, but we have any number of acquaintances among wealthy merchants, attorneys and the like, and there is no doubt that our Jane would be in great demand.

Edward and I will be happy to bear all the expenses of the enterprise; indeed, it would be well worth it to save Jane from a man who is unworthy of her, no matter how handsome and wealthy he may be!

As you may guess from the above, I am rather incensed by the whole thing! What man allows himself to be led about by the nose by his youngest sister?!

Your outraged sister,

Madeleine Gardiner

By the time he had finished reading, Mr. Bingley was white-faced. He lowered the letter to his lap and stared at Mr. Bennet. “This is what everyone thinks of me? That I am led about by Caroline?”

“Do you deny it?” Mr. Bennet asked, leaning back and folding his arms across his stomach.

Mr. Bingley rose, gave the letter back to Mr. Bennet, saying, “You have opened my eyes, sir, and I thank you for it.” He excused himself and made his way to the parlour, where he spent a pleasant half an hour with his Miss Bennet before making his way home.

He had managed to conceal his distress while he was with Miss Bennet, but once he was alone, his face revealed his turbulent feelings.

Had he really been so foolish? Had he coddled his youngest sister to such an extent that he had become an object of ridicule?

He had always prided himself on being an honest man, and he hoped to be as honest with himself as he was with others, and in that spirit of honesty, he realised that he had done himself and his household a grave disservice by being so very accommodating with Caroline.

But he had now learned his lesson, and Caroline would soon feel the weight of it.

***

Miss Bingley was determined that Charles should make the first move toward reconciliation, as he was the one at fault; unfortunately, this had not yet happened. In addition, Louisa had not come to visit her and support her position. This was most unexpected.

Finally, she sent her maid, Alice, to fetch Louisa. Perhaps her sister could make Charles see how unreasonable he was being!

She could not see her sister’s frown upon receiving the message from Alice. Unsure of how to proceed, Mrs. Hurst approached her husband. “Harold, I wish you would advise me.”

“On what subject, my dear?”

Louisa pinked with pleasure at the endearment.

It had to be admitted that her relationship with her spouse had improved immeasurably of late.

He had confessed to her that he had not at all approved of Louisa’s behaviour under Caroline’s influence, and he now entertained hopes of her continued improvement now that Caroline had imprisoned herself in her room and was soon to be exiled to parts unknown.

“I have just been told by Alice that Caroline desires my presence.”

“No, no,” he told her. “You are not to see her, for she can only have mischief in mind.”

“But –“

“I know it is difficult for you to refuse her; it seems it is difficult for everyone to refuse her. Well, almost everyone, as I am not so afflicted. I tell you what, Louisa; I shall accompany you. And hear this – you are not to see your sister without the company of either myself or Charles. Do you understand me?” His tone was kind but strict; he would hold firm.

Louisa bowed her head in assent.

“Let us begin as we mean to go on; I shall escort you to her room. Do make certain that she is not in déshabillé before I join you.”

They walked together down the hallway to Caroline’s room. Louisa knocked, tremulously.

“Who is it?’

“It is I, Louisa.”

“Come in.”

“Harold is with me; are you properly dressed, Caroline?”

There was a pause, then: “Why is Harold with you?”

Mr. Hurst supplied the answer. “Because she is not permitted to see you without myself or Charles.”

“What?! That is absurd! She is my sister! How dare you come between us!”

“And I am her husband, and she will obey me. Do you still wish to see her?”

After another pause, Miss Bingley said, “Come in.” Her tone was sour.

Mr. Hurst pushed the door open and allowed his wife to precede him into the room. Caroline wasted no time; she went to her sister and knelt before her. “You must help me, Louisa!”

Louisa was quite uncomfortable. Caroline had never before been a supplicant; she had always issued demands, not pleas. But she managed to reply, “In what way?”

“Do not let our brother send me away from you, Louisa! However shall I manage without you?”

Louisa looked at her husband. “Harold, might we not open the London townhouse and have Caroline live with us?”

“Certainly not.”

“But why?” Caroline turned her attention from her sister to her brother by marriage. “Harold, it would be such fun for us all to be together in London, would it not?”

“No, Caroline, it would not. Moreover, I sincerely hope to never again allow you unfettered access to my wife.”

“She is my sister!”

“I believe this conversation is over. Come, Louisa.” Mr. Hurst extended a hand to his wife, and he led her out the door, closing it firmly behind them. Before they took even one step away, they heard Miss Bingley scream in frustration.

“She is rather accustomed to getting her own way,” Mrs. Hurst ventured.

“Yes, and for far too long.”

Going downstairs, they found Mr. Bingley in the drawing room, his head buried in his hands.

“Charles! Are you unwell?”

“Louisa, I have been blind.” He then recounted the conversation he had just had with Mr. Bennet. He concluded with, “What am I to do with her? For I know she will end up making no choice at all and force me to hire guards to send her north. And then what if Aunt Beatrice will not have her?”

It was Mrs. Hurst who supplied the answer.

“Write to Aunt Beatrice and ask her to come for a visit to Netherfield; then she and Caroline can travel to Scarborough together.” She turned then to her husband.

“Caroline is my sister, and no matter her faults, I love her! But it is quite clear that she is not conducive to peace in the family.”

Mr. Hurst wrinkled up his brow in thought. “I recall that your Aunt Beatrice attended our wedding, did she not, Louisa?”

“She did; she married a Mr. Armstrong, but he died not five years later. They had no children.”

“Will she truly be willing to take Caroline into her home?” Mr. Hurst wondered.

“We will find a way to convince her; but having her spend Christmas with us is likely to make her a good deal more likely to do so,” Mrs. Hurst said. “She will be reminded that we are all family, will she not?”

“I shall write to her directly,” Mr. Bingley promised.

***

Dear Aunt Beatrice,

It has been far too long since we have seen you.

I hope that you are well, as are we. I have recently leased an estate in the county of Hertfordshire; you will recall that it was the dearest wish of my father – your brother - that I should purchase an estate, and this lease gives me the opportunity to see how I like it.

Mr. Bingley tapped the quill against the desk, thinking of how he might continue.

I am engaged to be married, and my youngest sister and my betrothed cannot live together –

No, that made it sound as if angelic Jane was a termagant! He crossed it out.

I am engaged to be married, and I would like it very much if you, as my father’s sister, were to meet my intended bride.

There, that was good.

Our circle here in Meryton is rather limited, and Caroline would do better in a larger city.

Perhaps he should wait until his aunt was actually here, and then try to convince her to take Caroline. He crossed that line out.

I thought you might wish to visit us for Christmas. Our acquaintance here in Meryton are not numerous, but we are likely to be invited to more than one event and you would be quite welcome to join us.

There, would that not sound appealing to an old woman living alone?

I hope you will come to us here at Netherfield.

Your affectionate nephew,

Charles Bingley

Mr. Bingley made a fair copy of the letter, then wiped his brow, wiped his pen, and sanded his message.

***

Less than a week later, Mr. Bingley received a reply.

Dear Charles,

I would very much enjoy a visit to the country. You may expect me in time for Christmas; it will be a rare treat to spend the holiday with family.

Aunt Beatrice