Page 15 of Obligation and Redemption
“Louisa, I am trying to make this easy for the man. You know how honourable he is; he will feel that he must act, no matter how much he despises the idea. Rumours concerning Eliza are just speculation; however, if he compromises me and there are witnesses, he will have no choice but to ask for me instead. Even though Charles can be rather intimidated by Mr. Darcy, he would never let his friend get away with not offering his hand if we were found out publicly. I just have to think of a way to make it happen.”
“I don’t know, Caroline. I think you may need to reconsider this idea, or at least wait until we hear more.”
“Wait until he feels inclined to offer for her? No, I must act soon. Will you help me, Louisa? ”
Louisa was not feeling disposed to help her sister in any plot that could cause trouble between Mr. Darcy and the Bingleys.
Due to their family’s recent association to trade, their place in society was not as solid as Caroline seemed to think, and if Caroline’s plan were unsuccessful, Mr. Darcy could cut them off, which would be much worse than if he were to marry one of the Bennets.
In fact, if he did marry Eliza, that would raise Miss Bennet’s station sufficiently to make an alliance with their own brother profitable.
Louisa reasoned that if Mr. Darcy were planning to offer for Caroline, he would have done so by now.
Of course Louisa was not going to tell Caroline this.
She had always followed her sister’s lead, as she found fighting her to be distasteful and unproductive.
Louisa would agree with Caroline, then find a way to thwart her plans.
“Dear sister, I will do all I can to help our family and Mr. Darcy.”
“I knew I could count on you.” They were both silent for some time as Miss Bingley contemplated how best to secure Mr. Darcy.
After a few moments she looked to her sister and smiled as the plan was formulating in her mind.
Yes, she would put her stratagem in motion in the morning while her brother was gone on his morning ride.
She then began outlining the details with Louisa, who listened in astonishment to how conniving her sister could be on such short notice.
BINGLEY REALISED THAT THE SITUATION was graver than he had feared.
While Miss Elizabeth Bennet was very well liked and admired in the small town of Meryton, his friend was considered haughty and above his company.
The local inhabitants were certain that Elizabeth was being ill-used, and if Mr. Darcy did not ask for her hand, then this would confirm their suspicions that he was the worst of men.
This would not motivate Mr. Darcy to act, however, since once he left the area, he was not likely to return, and he would have no desire to make such a monumental decision for himself based on a comparatively few people’s opinions, especially since these same people were of no consequence.
Although he would hate for Lady Annette to get wind of the scandal, his place in society was not at risk based on his current predicament.
Yet Bingley also discovered that Elizabeth and her family would be in disgrace should Darcy not ask for Elizabeth’s hand.
Stories were being bandied about that suggested they were seen in an embrace, that he had met her clandestinely, and that they were already secretly engaged and had planned an elopement.
Bingley witnessed the sad truth that gossip, with all its power, spread like a fire, while ignoring the harm inflicted on its victims. He was sad for Darcy and for Miss Elizabeth.
He, unlike Darcy, could not believe that Miss Elizabeth was the one who began the stories.
He suspected that a little of the truth had gotten out, and fiction had taken over.
His own sister had let it be known that Darcy was missing, requesting help from the locals.
This occurred concurrently to Miss Elizabeth’s disappearance.
There was no reason for Miss Elizabeth to have been missing for the entire day, as she was not injured and she knew her way home well, but she had not returned.
In his mind he could see how others might transform the story, especially in light of Mrs. Bennet’s declarations.
She was obviously a woman who could not hold her tongue, but she was not malicious and probably did not even consider how her own daughter could be harmed by her reports.
During the course of the afternoon, Bingley learnt that Mrs. Bennet’s five daughters had no dowry to speak of and an estate entailed away to the male line; this would motivate any parent to seek husbands for her girls, but he could not approve of forcing a man, especially a principled one, into marriage.
Bingley knew his friend was honourable and in the end could not leave the Bennet family to suffer through the scandal that was developing.
If only there were another way…. And what about Miss Elizabeth’s elder sister, Miss Bennet?
Bingley had a developing tenderness towards her.
If her mother were mercenary, could she be also?
Would she join into an unrequited attachment to save her own family?
He could not think this of her. She was without beguilement, even if her mother were not.
CAROLINE AWOKE AFTER A FULL NIGHT OF DREAMING, or at least daydreaming, of being mistress of Pemberley.
Mr. Darcy could not help but appreciate the talent with which she would be able to perform her duties.
She imagined Georgiana’s coming out with herself guiding his sister through the social scene of London, ensuring an expeditious success.
Of course, she would insist Georgiana come out the following Season, the sooner she marries, the sooner she would establish her own residence.
Caroline had every expectation of her triumph today.
She would give Mr. Darcy consummate reason to feel compelled to offer for her.
She even went so far as to pen a note to Mr. Darcy as if answering a request for a liaison, sharing her delight in once again having him visit her chamber.
All she had to do was get him there while she was scantily clad.
She would be near him as he entered, waiting for the door to close and then embrace him.
Her sister along with a housemaid would be at the ready to walk in on them from her sitting room.
Caroline’s lady’s maid would never go against her wishes for fear of reprisal, yet she was opposed to playing a part in forcing a compromise with the handsome Mr. Darcy.
Knowing she could be dismissed without a reference was the only inducement to participating in the scandal.
Her job was to go to Mr. Darcy’s room and bang on the door asking for help in Miss Bingley’s room, that a man was in there trying to attack her.
Once she accomplished this task she was to follow Mr. Darcy to Miss Bingley’s chamber and then close the door behind him as he entered the room, then lock the door from the outside with her key, so he could not leave once he discovered the trap.
Of course he might not want to leave after he sees her in her diaphanous lingerie.
Caroline was proud of her tall and thin figure that she presented and believed that even if Mr. Darcy were of a mind to find anger in her manipulations, that he would soon approve of her once he observed the revealing nature of her gown.
Louisa would have to wait a full minute before entering the room, so that Caroline could lure him towards her bed, which would make the situation irrefutably compromising.
Her brother would be told by at least three witnesses that Mr. Darcy had entered her room, and the note would be used as proof that his entrance was prearranged .
What she did not know was that her sister would side with Mr. Darcy if it came to that.
Louisa hoped that Mr. Darcy would accept Caroline and be thankful for her manoeuvrings, but if he were not, she would expose Caroline’s machinations as deceitful and selfish and completely contrived to entrap Mr. Darcy.
She would have to send the housemaid away to safeguard her plan.
Darcy was in a sound slumber. The draught that his valet had given him, not two hours previously, was allowing Darcy to finally sleep.
His days and nights seemed to have gotten mixed up since his injuries, as the heavy curtains were drawn with a low fire maintained in order to sustain the warmth in his chamber, yielding a perpetual dim light.
His fever had finally broken, leaving the uncomfortable lingering effects of a cold, but his biggest complaint was related to the headache that was amplified by the contemplation of Bingley’s report from the previous day.
He was now able to sit up longer without the effects of nausea, as long as his efforts were slow and deliberate.
Unfortunately, he had found little sleep during the night, as he was agitated about his predicament.
Due to his ankle still being somewhat tender and the vertigo that came with quick movements, he had been unable to participate in his usual method of calming, which was pacing the room.
Suddenly, he heard someone banging on the door from the hallway confusing his senses and jarring him from his much needed sleep. A woman’s voice came from without calling, “Help, sir; you must come help Miss Bingley. She is being attacked!”