Page 19

Elizabeth smiled at her young friend, and though curiosity erupted in her heart, she opted to remain silent on the subject. This did not end Miss Bingley’s attacks, however, for the woman was not to be denied. Rather, she retrained her fire on another target.

“It is curious that you mention Jane’s unavailability . Perhaps she went to Brighton herself? I cannot imagine she was unaffected by the officers’ departure.”

“Caroline!” barked Mr. Bingley, incensed by her slight against Jane.

Though Mrs. Gardiner regarded Miss Bingley coolly, she did not respond, instead quirking an eyebrow at Elizabeth, who was happy to take up the standard of defending her family yet again.

“Nothing could be further from the truth, Miss Bingley. Though Jane is in Brighton for the summer, her residence there has nothing to do with the regiment and everything to do with her summer wedding tour with her husband. In the future, I would ask that you refrain from speaking about matters of which you know nothing, for my sister does not deserve your censure.”

At once, shocked by the news, Miss Bingley’s expression grew ugly again. “That is fortunate for dear Jane, I suppose, though I cannot but wonder at the speed of her union. Why, it is not even nine months after we departed from the neighborhood, and there was no mention of a suitor.”

“Jane made Mr. Harrington’s acquaintance in January, and they were married in May.”

“Then I am happy for dear Jane,” said Miss Bingley, with nothing of sincerity in her tone. “Though it is precipitous, I suppose she had no choice but to act at once to secure her husband, given your family’s situation.”

It was for the best that Mrs. Reynolds entered the room at that moment to announce dinner, for Elizabeth longed to wipe the smugness from Miss Bingley’s face and redden her cheek at the same time.

Mr. Bingley lost no time in approaching his sister and demanding her attention.

The way he was speaking to her, his soft words emphasized by curt hand gestures and the occasional word raised in anger, Miss Bingley was receiving the wages of her mean-spirited attacks.

As there was one more woman than man in attendance, Mr. Darcy took it upon himself to escort Elizabeth to the dining-room on one arm and Mrs. Hurst on the other.

Though Mrs. Hurst’s presence made it impossible for them to speak on the subject Elizabeth thought Mr. Darcy most wished to canvass, Elizabeth could see the displeasure in his manner.

Whether he would go so far as to demand Miss Bingley’s good behavior, Elizabeth could not say, but she thought him pleased that Mr. Bingley was taking her to task.

As agreeable as she found the visit with Mr. and Miss Darcy to be, Elizabeth knew any future interactions in Miss Bingley’s presence would be nothing more than a trial.

“IN SHORT, CAROLINE , you will say nothing further to Miss Bennet if you cannot be civil.”

“What of Miss Eliza’s impertinence?” was his sister’s sulky reply.

“From what I can see, the disrespect is all on your side. Now, I will accept nothing less than your immediate obedience. Do not test me, Caroline; if you do not comply, we will depart from Pemberley and make for the north. If you push me far enough, I can release your dowry and wash my hands of you. Do not test me, for you will not like the response.”

For the rest of the evening, Bingley remained alert for his sister’s renewed attacks, but to his grim satisfaction, she eschewed comment. It was the best he could hope for, so he accepted it, even as he determined he would know all.

The news of Miss Bennet’s marriage had been nothing less than a shock, and one Bingley could not quite fathom just yet.

The shock, however, was giving way to other feelings with more rapidity than Bingley thought possible, leaving resolve in its wake.

There was something at work here, something to do with his sister and their departure from Netherfield.

Hours of reflection that day had told Bingley that in the end, he had only himself to blame for the missed opportunity of pleasing a worthy woman and finding his happiness with her, yet he suspected another hand in the business.

If that hand had stooped to deceit as he suspected, he meant to know.

When the company retired to the sitting-room after dinner—in deference to the tension between certain ladies, they did not separate—Bingley saw Caroline seated beside Louisa and claimed Miss Bennet’s company for himself at once.

Inside, he was uncertain he had the fortitude to learn what he must, but he allowed no such thoughts to invade his purpose.

Miss Bennet had the answers, and Bingley resolved to discover them.

“Miss Bennet,” said he had once, using far more directness than was his wont, “I am curious about your sister’s marriage and how it came about.

Furthermore, I suspect there is much about the business, and perhaps interactions between your sister and mine that I know nothing about, and I wondered if I might persuade you to explain. ”

As he had known she would, Miss Bennet was agreeable to his request, though she did not appear eager. “If I can help, I shall. What do you wish to know?”

Bingley considered her for a moment. “First, I suppose, I wish to know about how your sister’s courtship and marriage came about.

” Feeling a wry smile tugging the corners of his lips, he added: “Though I will not state the matter in so gauche terms as my sister used, I will own to some astonishment that she married with such alacrity. Will you not explain?”

Agreeing, Miss Bennet spoke of how a Mr. Harrington had come to Hertfordshire to visit his relations, the introduction and progress of their initial interactions, courtship, and subsequent engagement and marriage.

Miss Bennet was gentle with his feelings, relating this with no embellishment, but speaking on her sister’s growing feelings.

Of interest to Bingley was her account of Miss Bennet’s—Mrs. Harrington’s, Bingley thought ruefully—near instant connection with her new husband.

When she fell silent, Bingley could not help but release the sigh that hovered on his lips.

“I apologize, Miss Bennet, for while I congratulate your sister on her happy state, I can do nothing other than grieve for what I lost. The instant connection of which you speak is no less than I felt when I made your sister’s acquaintance.”

Miss Bennet did not respond at once, though her gaze made him feel more than a little uncomfortable—perhaps more like a child at Eton, called out by an instructor.

It was as if she had heard something she did not like or had judged him and found him wanting.

When she spoke, she kept her soft touch, but she spoke in such a way that he had never considered.

“I do not intend to increase your burden, Mr. Bingley, but I believe frankness would best serve us in this instance.”

“Please,” said Bingley, “for I am struggling to understand it all and suspect you may bring me needed perspective.”

With a nod, she said: “Can you tell me why you left Hertfordshire?”

Bingley considered the question. “There was a matter of business awaiting me in London. When I departed from Netherfield, I had every intention of returning.”

“Why did you not?”

Bingley avoided glancing at his sisters and Darcy—this was his cross to bear. They might have had some part in his current predicament, but he had decided to remain in London. Yet he could not speak of the matter with this woman and remain honest if he did not give the full account.

“In truth, I wonder myself. While I shall not place the blame on anyone—the decision was mine alone—there was some... suggestion of your sister’s unsuitability for the role I envisioned for her.”

Miss Bennet appeared interested to hear it. “Had you decided on Jane already?”

“No, I had not,” replied Bingley. “But I was considering a future with her.”

“Then I will not dwell on such things,” said Miss Bennet. “However, I am interested to know your sentiments. Jane and I have long resolved that we would only marry for the deepest of love—had you proposed, and Jane thought herself possessed of those sentiments, she would have accepted.”

“Thus, she proves her excellent nature,” replied Bingley. “Nothing would have convinced me to act unless I possessed those same feelings myself.”

“That, to me, is the crux of the matter. Did you love my sister?”

It was a most surprising and astute question, and it provoked Bingley to pause. “Do you suppose I did not?”

“You are the only one with the knowledge of your feelings, Mr. Bingley,” demurred she. “I neither judge nor offer an opinion about something about which I can know nothing.

“However, in considering this situation, I must suppose that your sentiments, whatever they were, may not have been so strong as you thought. Despite the deficiencies of Jane’s situation—and I shall not sport with your intelligence by claiming virtues she did not possess—her husband discarded all such considerations to have her in his life. ”

“By saying as much,” said Bingley, “you question my regard for her.”

“Again, I do not wish to cast aspersions. Instead, I think it is best that you search your feelings to discover the truth. In doing so, I cannot but suppose you would learn much about yourself.”

Bingley nodded, though distracted by her words. It was nothing less than insightful for Miss Bennet to put it in those terms, such that Bingley could not but be grateful to her for it. There was one further aspect he wished to discover.

“All this implies that Miss Bennet was not attached to me.”

Miss Bennet shook her head, appearing reluctant to respond. “Several months after the event, Jane told me that she had not been in love with you. However, it is my firm opinion that had you returned, she could have attained that sentiment with ease.”

Something about her turn of phrase eased Bingley’s distress, though on the other hand, her honesty increased it.

To know that he might have had her regard had he only pressed forward was difficult to bear, though he supposed the reflections she suggested would shed further light on the affair.

For the moment, Bingley pushed such thoughts to the side, knowing he would ponder them at greater length when the occasion permitted.

“There is one other matter I wish you would clarify, Miss Bennet.”

When she nodded, Bingley said: “When we departed, Caroline promised to write to your sister to inform her of our going. Did she do so?”

“She did, Mr. Bingley.”

There was something she was not saying, and it was so obvious that even one such as Bingley, who did not consider himself the most observant, could see it with ease. Miss Bennet appeared to come to the same conclusion, for she spoke to clarify.

“Miss Bingley wrote two letters to my sister.

In the first, she announced your departure and made several declarations of friendship, while claiming that you would not be eager to leave London when you saw the benefits of remaining in town.

In the second, she spoke of you settling into your house in town, while expressing her disappointment that she had not received a letter from Jane.

This was after Jane had dispatched two letters to Miss Bingley, the second because she did not receive a response to the first.

“The most concerning matter of all was Miss Bingley’s claim of a... connection between you and Georgiana, for she said that you were much engaged with her.”

Bingley’s eyes widened, and then he fixed his sister with a savage glare, one that Caroline did not notice, as she was engaged in her plotting with Louisa.

“So that I am clear,” said Bingley, though it was nearly a snarl, “Caroline wrote two letters, claimed she received no response from your sister though she dispatched them, offered insincere expressions of friendship, and claimed that I admired Miss Darcy. Is that correct?”

“It is, though I shall not venture an opinion about Miss Bingley’s motivations.”

“There is no reason for you to speculate,” said Bingley, “for I well understand my sister. Though she professed friendship for Mrs. Harrington on multiple occasions, my sister wishes me to marry a woman of society—if she thought there was any chance of it, she would marry me off to an earl’s daughter, if not the progeny of a duke. ”

Miss Bennet smiled, but she offered no opinion as was proper. Bingley thought her comprehension of his sister was near the equal of his, but she was far too well-bred to speculate on the subject. In that, she was his sister’s superior by a wide margin.

“Might I suppose that this influenced your sister when her future husband came to the neighborhood?”

“I tried to persuade Jane to go to town with my uncle after Christmas. Jane would have nothing of it, saying that she would not chase after a man.” Miss Bennet colored and shrugged.

“My point was not that she should pursue you, but that she might come to your attention, and as I thought her attached, it seemed a viable solution to her conundrum.”

“I do not blame you, Miss Bennet. I never supposed Miss Bennet would act with indelicacy, for she is as excellent a woman as ever breathed.” It was not just a statement, for Bingley believed it, even as he regretted the lost opportunity to have such a wonderful creature as part of his life forever.

“After all, her faithless suitor knew her location; if he wished to continue the acquaintance, the man knew where to find her.”

“My sister made the same point.”

Bingley nodded. “Thank you, Miss Bennet, for explaining these matters. Though it has been painful, I believe it will work to my benefit.”

“Not at all, Mr. Bingley. I hope you will learn from this affair, for I believe you are an excellent gentleman and deserve every happiness.”

Not trusting himself to speak again, Bingley contented himself with a nod, leaving Miss Bennet’s company to Miss Darcy, who appeared eager to claim it.

There was a hefty measure of reflection in Bingley’s future, and though he was not skilled in the art, he thought it would do him good.

Before that, however, there were certain matters he needed to discuss with his sister.

The present company did not need to hear their argument, so Bingley contented himself with silence for the moment.

Tomorrow, however, he meant to speak to her.

Caroline would account for her behavior, even if he had to pull it from her unwilling lips.

Bingley doubted she would see anything wrong with her actions, but he meant to disabuse her of any such notion.