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The morning following the ball, the servants toiled quietly at Netherfield without any of the Bingley family or their guest appearing until the noon hour.

In the kitchens, Mrs Hobbes supervised maids and footmen who washed and dried the glasses, silver plate, and cutlery used the previous evening.

Each item was carefully returned to its place in the manor house's cupboards, drawers, or closets.

On a future day, the linens would be washed and hung in the ballroom to dry.

But once Charles and his family appeared, a meal of remainders was prepared quickly with a few eggs, jam, butter, and tea served by the footman and maids.

When everyone gathered at the table with plates and cups, Caroline asked, “Charles, now that you have made an impression on the farmers here, can we not return to London?”

“London? In December?” Charles asked, ignoring his sister’s characterisation of the gentry as simple farmers. “And then the following week, you would mention visiting Bath until March.”

Pouting to be found out quickly, Caroline did not pursue her argument with her brother.

Before she could make a second approach, Mr Hurst announced, “I believe that Louisa and I shall venture back to London for the winter. Your company is pleasant, Charles, but I feel the need to be in my own rooms for a time.”

“Is your mother in residence on Olive Street?” Charles asked.

“No,” Geoffrey replied. “My mother retired to the manor in Suffolk for the winter.”

Caroline hid her lips behind her teacup when she heard the small house in Suffolk described as a manor. There were only fifteen rooms in the house, with cellars for food storage and attics for the few servants employed by Mrs Hurst.

Louisa said, “We thought to use the stagecoach to go town before the end of this week.”

“I am certain Mr Darcy will flee from Netherfield now that the ball is done,” Caroline replied. “He can rescue you and carry you to London.”

The younger woman’s attempt at subtly was lost on her dining companions. Mr Darcy explained first, “I shall depart Hertfordshire before the end of the week; however, my destination will be Derbyshire to be with my sister for Christmas. Georgiana and I shall spend the winter at Pemberley.”

Charles smirked, “I understand the wish to be with family for Christmas, Darcy. I had hoped for a quiet day here at Netherfield as well. But as Louisa and Geoffrey will desert me for town, I hope Caroline will accompany them.”

“Yes!” exclaimed the younger woman immediately.

“Caroline, you must wait until an invitation is issued,” Charles reminded his sister. Watching Bingley and Hurst, Darcy realised they had made this arrangement earlier. This bit of theatrical staging was for Miss Bingley’s benefit.

Louisa glanced at her husband, who pursed his lips and said, “I shall agree to Caroline joining us in London with the understanding that there will be no excursions into society until the end of February. There will be only family dinners and no guests, and when reviews and dinners begin, Caroline must find a husband this year.”

Looking at Caroline directly, Mr Hurst said with an insistent voice, “You must be engaged by June and married in August. Otherwise, Charles and I shall select a husband for you.”

“A husband?”

Louisa sat aside her teacup and declared, “Caroline, you were five-and-twenty last week.”

The younger sister scowled while Louisa held firm, “We did not mark the day, but Mr Darcy has been to suppers on your birthday in the past where you have turned three-and-twenty!”

Mr Hurst added, “Twice, I believe. Much better to ignore the day completely if you are not going to reveal your age.”

Caroline was bright red at that point, but her sister was relentless.

Louisa said, “Oh, do not fuss and pretend. Mr Darcy knows your true age! And if you do not marry this summer, you will be on the shelf permanently unless some widower needs a wife to care for his house and children.”

Unable to forbid the images from rushing into her mind, Caroline was reminded of Grace Bingley, their father’s sister, who never married and lived with them in their father’s house.

The maiden aunt still lived there, in the Bingley home in Stoke-on-Trent.

Aunt Grace was taciturn and bitter about her life.

“If I do not marry, what will you do with me?” Caroline asked. “Must I live with Aunt Grace in Stoke-on-Trent?”

“Sister, you can marry,” Louisa assured Caroline. “Many suitable men in London will welcome a comely wife with a large dowry.”

“What if I do not wish to marry? What if I remain with Charles? Aunt Grace remained with our father and mother.”

Charles said, “Caroline, when I marry, I shall not have you in the house to argue with my wife and distract her. Mrs Charles Bingley will be free of discord and arguments.”

“I suppose you will make Jane Bennet your Mrs Bingley before the New Year,” Caroline speculated. “When we return to London, will you bring her to Netherfield to measure the windows for new curtains?”

“My plans are not your concern,” Charles declared calmly.

He turned to Darcy and asked the specific day he planned to leave.

When Darcy replied he would leave on Wednesday, Bingley announced, “Mr Darcy and his great carriage will leave for the north in three days. The same morning, my carriage will carry my sisters and brother to London in comfort.”

“The carriage? Shall we have the carriage in London?” asked Caroline hopefully.

“No, Caroline. My carriage will return to Netherfield the same day it leaves you at Olive Street.”

~~~

Around the table, breaking their fast, Mrs Bennet asked again about investments in the New World Tea Company. When Mr Bennet refused, Mrs Bennet pressed, “But sir, Mr Wickham pays such wonderful profits. The girls and I should have new shoes and bonnets every month.”

Her husband responded saying, “Mrs Bennet, women do not understand business. You must leave it to gentlemen to manage this matter. And Mr Collins is certainly not educated in profits and investments.”

“And Sir William Lucas?” the wife inquired. “He was very successful in business before purchasing Lucas Lodge.”

“He was certainly happier at the mercantile than being a landowner,” Mr Bennet replied.

In the last few weeks, Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary paid closer attention to their parents’ conversations and realized their parents possessed a good understanding of their neighbours.

“Mr Bingley advised them not to make the investment in New World Tea Company,” commented Jane. “But Mr Darcy said something I did not understand.”

“But Mr Darcy would not endorse Mr Bingley’s admonition,” said Elizabeth. “I wonder why he would not speak out?”

Mary said, “John is concerned that his father seems taken with Mr Collins and his words about Mr Wickham’s company.”

Mr Bennet said nothing as he observed his daughters discussing the opportunities to invest in the New World Tea Company. He did not object to anything in their conversation, so he allowed them to keep their opinions.

Later in the parlour, without their father present, Elizabeth asked Jane, “Do you think that Mr Darcy would not speak against Mr Wickham for some particular reason?”

“A reason?” asked Jane. “I cannot imagine so, but I shall ask Mr Bingley when next we are in company.”

Elizabeth decided, ‘There must be some reason Mr Darcy holds back from endorsing Mr Bingley. Mr Wickham must have some hold over Mr Darcy. Perhaps I shall ask him next time we meet.’

~~~

Two days after the ball, the Netherfield party joined multiple neighbours for tea at Longbourn.

The men gathered in Mr Bennet’s office for port or brandy to exchange remarks for many minutes.

At some point, Mr Bennet indicated to his visitors that they should join the ladies in the parlour for more traditional refreshments.

Leaving the small library, Mr Bennet noticed his second daughter standing on the stairs between the office and the parlour.

Disregarding the acceptable social custom, Elizabeth asked Mr Darcy for a moment of his time.

Mr Bennet allowed the interview because Sir William Lucas and Mr Rushing remained in the hallway discussing matters of importance to act as unofficial chaperones for the couple.

Her position on the second step put Elizabeth at Darcy’s eye level for the first time in their acquaintance. Her face and tone serious, Elizabeth said, “Mr Darcy, I must ask an impertinent question.”

His interest piqued, Darcy managed to hide his smile and inclined his head as the young woman took a deep breath. Then Elizabeth asked, “Does George Wickham have a hold over you?”

The surprise on the man’s face was genuine, and he did not attempt to hide the feeling in his voice when he replied, “Miss Bennet, the man has no claim or hold over me.”

Watching her companion closely, Elizabeth asked, “Do you believe the man’s story of great riches each year distributed among his–what did he call them–shareholders? Is he making other people richer?”

His face grew emotionless before Darcy replied, “I am unaware of Mr Wickham’s business dealings, so it would be inappropriate for me to express an opinion.”

“Horse feathers and balderdash, Mr Darcy!” Elizabeth declared, her eyes flashing and lips pressed close together as she stared the man down. “You are an educated man who understands business. Others would listen to your opinion.”

However, Fitzwilliam Darcy responded to the young woman as he would to his sister, who was still a child in many ways.

“Miss Elizabeth, I believe you have outstripped impertinence. This is a matter for men, not young ladies. My opinion of Wickham’s business is not relevant.

Mr Bingley and your father share the same opinion, but Mr Bennet is not declaring his opinion publicly. ”

“My father speaks to his friends and shares his opinion forcefully…I am certain.”

“But he is doing so privately, and I have encouraged Charles–Mr Bingley–to do the same,” Darcy continued. “Again, this is a concern for gentlemen, not ladies.”

Refusing to back down, Elizabeth asked, “Have you spoken to any gentlemen privately about Wickham?”

“No, and I shall not,” he said tersely. “My opinion was asked at the ball by a very ill-mannered man, and my reply was ignored. Today, no one here is a close acquaintance except for Bingley. In this instance, he has finally listened to my counsel to refrain from discussing Mr Wickham’s business.”

He frowned, a visage that sent many men scurrying away and sometimes made his sister cry, but Elizabeth returned the expression with her own scowl. He continued, “Again, leave this matter to men; it is not acceptable for ladies to deal with business.”

Disappointed by Mr Darcy’s explanation, Elizabeth’s face remained resolute but reflected the sudden sadness in her heart.

Without another word, the young woman came down the last two stairs, curtseyed to the gentleman, and then walked toward the kitchens.

To avoid the conversation between Sir William Lucas and Mr Rushing, Darcy went to the parlour, where Miss Bingley quickly pressed a cup of tea into his hands.

When asked by Miss Bennet about Miss Elizabeth, he deflected the question, replying, “I believe she went to consult with the housekeeper on some matter.”

This statement pleased Miss Bingley, who crowed that she handled servants differently. Darcy ignored Caroline and avoided conversation with everyone else for fifteen minutes until it was time to depart for Netherfield.

Miss Elizabeth had not reappeared when the visitors left.

~~~