Page 62 of Great Uncle Henry (Pride & Prejudice Vagary)
“No, we are being hosted at some of the houses in the area. You saw my Fitzwilliam aunt and uncle at the assembly, did you not?”
Bingley allowed it was so.
“As they are her guardians, my sister is in the neighbourhood as well.” Darcy paused as he thought over his next words carefully.
“I do not want to sound condescending, but I think you are doing the right thing, and once you allow yourself to mature, I believe you will be a man who knows what he wants.”
After the two clapped one another on their backs, Bingley went to issue instructions to his valet and Darcy called for his horse to ride to the dower house.
He knew that seeing his family was his excuse, but the reality was that he wanted to see the woman who had the finest eyes and quickest mind.
It was early days yet, but Darcy had a suspicion that he may have met the other half of his heart.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~ ~
By the time Bingley reached Hurst House on Curzon Street the next day, he had prepared himself for the coming confrontation with his younger sister. He was certain she would not agree with his decision, but that would not sway him.
Hearing Caroline’s screeching caused Bingley to pause before he entered the drawing room, but rather than weaken his resolve, he stiffened his spine.
“Caroline! I can hear you from outside. It sounds like the daughter of a fishmonger is inside hawking her father’s wares.
What is causing all of this caterwauling? ” He demanded.
The reactions in the room were very different.
Hurst was grinning at Bingley’s intervention, Louisa looked pleased that her brother had seen fit to take their spoilt sister to task, and the subject of his harangue stood in the middle of the room with her mouth opening and closing while no sound was emanating from the open orifice.
To the Hursts who had been dealing with one of Miss Bingley’s tantrums, the quiet was a gift to their ears.
“What caused our sister to behave in this fashion this time?” Bingley enquired.
“Surely she has not forgotten what occurred in Hertfordshire and is now demanding to return to men who abhor her company?” Bingley questioned.
“Really Caroline, you want to be seen as a lady, yet you behave like a petulant child.”
“How dare you speak to me in that manner?” Miss Bingley shrieked as she lifted her hand to slap her brother.
“Slap me, and I will withhold your allowance for a year complete,” Bingley said perfectly calmly without moving a muscle. “And how dare I? No, Caroline, how dare you? I am the head of the Bingley family, and not you. So what will it be?”
Miss Bingley saw a hardness in her brother’s look she had never seen previously and could not like it. How could she work on a resolute Charles? She lowered her arm.
“Now I want to know what caused this temper tantrum,” Bingley repeated.
“As those foolish men missed the honour of me marrying them, I need to find an appropriate candidate in town, so I need a new wardrobe, I cannot possibly…” Miss Bingley stopped speaking when her brother raised his hand.
“Louisa, I assume you and Hurst refused to take her shopping when she recently spent hundreds of pounds on clothing, most of which she has never worn, not to mention the many never used items from the previous times she just had to purchase more?” Bingley saw his sister nod.
He turned to his younger sister. “You have trunks full of clothing you have never worn. I will not pay for one more item of clothing until I am sure you have need for it.”
“ I MUST HAVE NEW !” Miss Bingley screamed. “I cannot be seen in old clothing.”
“In that case, as a few thousand pounds worth of clothing you have purchased are no longer wearable, according to you.” She nodded her head with a knowing gleam in her eye.
“I will deduct all the wasted money and overspending of your allowance from your dowry. All accounts will be closed, and you will only purchase what you can pay for yourself. If you have some shop send me an invoice, I will let them know you have defrauded them, and they need to collect the money from you. If you cannot pay, you will go to debtor’s prison until you are able to pay what is owed. ”
“You cannot do this! You have to protect me!” Miss Bingley screeched.
“And I am, except in this instance, I am protecting you from yourself. You, Caroline, are out of control and are close to ruining yourself. I will not allow that; hence, I am transporting you to Scarborough where you will live with Aunt Hildebrand who will educate you properly. Only if and when she tells me you know how to behave like the lady you claim to be, will you be allowed back into society.” Bingley stared at his younger sister with a hard as flint look in his eyes daring her to gainsay him.
“Please no, anything but living with our aunt. You know she frightens me,” Miss Bingley begged.
“Which is the reason you will be going to her,” Bingley clarified.
“She is the only one who will be able to teach you to behave like you should. It is not negotiable; we leave on Monday at first light, and until then, a footman will be outside of your door in case you get it in your head to try and run off to one of your so-called friends.”
Caroline Bingley picked up a figurine which was on the mantle above the fireplace.
“One month, Caroline,” Bingley stated calmly.
“What?” Miss Bingley demanded.
“Each time you break any items during one of your childlike tantrums, it will cost you the price of replacement, plus one month’s allowance,” Bingley bit out.
“Do not test me. That reminds me, I will be deducting an additional one hundred and six pounds from your dowry along with the rest I mentioned. That is the amount you cost me in breakages at Netherfield Park.”
Miss Bingley was reeling. What had occurred with her brother since their departure early the previous day. When a footman escorted her to her bedchamber, she went meekly.
“Charles, what about the estate?” Mrs Hurst asked.
“I met the landlord not long after all of you departed…” Bingley explained the options he had been offered, what he had chosen, and why.
“Well done, Bingley,” Hurst responded. “Louisa and I will not repine your younger sister’s removal from our household. She already slapped one of the maids in the short time since we arrived home. ”
“The days of fobbing my responsibility for her onto you two are over,” Bingley vowed.
“I am very proud of you, Charles. I know none of this has been easy for you. Did you send a letter to our aunt, so she knows to expect you, or would you like me to write it for you?” Mrs Hurst enquired.
“Thank you, Lulu, I would appreciate you writing it. That is one more thing I need to work on; there is no reason my script should look like a child’s,” Bingley stated.
Soon enough the letter was ready, and after providing a footman with coins enough, the man was sent to engage an express rider. As Bingley and his younger sister would only depart on Monday, the express should reach Aunt Hildebrand at least three days before them.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Uncle Henry, there is no good reason for the men to sleep at the dower house,” Elizabeth reasoned. “Richard and Albert are unofficially courting ladies not resident at Netherfield Park.”
“What of Jane and Andrew?” Felicity asked with an arched eyebrow.
“They are just friends,” Elizabeth claimed.
“You mean like you and young William?” Henry challenged. “You two seem to spend much time together.”
“Uncle Henry, I have just met him!” Elizabeth objected.
“Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” Felicity teased. By Lizzy’s blush, Felicity knew she had been very close to the truth.
“The four younger men reside in this estate’s dower house, I am positive they will not be here from morning until they go to sleep,” Henry predicted. “Unless Elli and Charlotte are with us. We already do not see Richard and Albert.”
Elizabeth knew when Uncle Henry had made up his mind, and she could hear it in his voice.
She did not know if anything would come of it, but in the short time she had known William Darcy, she had begun to feel an attraction to him.
Even Anna had made a comment about how she would love to gain sisters.
While the rest of the packing for the move to the manor house was completed, Elizabeth did not protest again.