Page 32

CHAPTER 32

Further Discussions

A unt Horatia had risen early that morning and heard Lady Matlock, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Mr. Darcy depart for their ride.

She attended to her duties as mistress while she waited for their return, sipping tea while she contemplated what might be done about her niece.

The afternoon before, she had interviewed the coachman and groom who had accompanied Miss Bingley to Meryton.

This interview revealed a few more details, including the meeting with Lady Lucas and the conversation with members of the militia.

“Two of the gents were officers, already wearin’ their red coats,” the groom replied.

“The third one was dressed like a proper gentleman, miss, but he said he’d joined the militia.” The groom was still just a lad—son of one of Netherfield’s tenants, hired on to help in the stables while the estate was let.

“Did you hear any of their conversations?” Aunt Horatia asked.

“Miss Bingley, that is, Miss Caroline, was talkin’ about the Bennet ladies,” the coachman replied.

“I was not close enough to hear the entire conversation, but I do believe she mentioned that Miss Elizabeth Bennet was prone to wandering the estate without an escort. The third gent, he spoke to Miss Caroline in a lowered voice, and both looked very pleased with the other after they spoke.”

Aunt Horatia gasped.

“She intends for the men to compromise Miss Elizabeth,” she voiced her suspicion aloud.

“Was any more discussed?”

“No, ma’am,” the coachman replied.

“But I was in the village yesterday morning, and that one fellow, the one who wasn’t wearing a red coat on that day, he was wearing it then. He stopped me as I passed through and held out a note for me to give to Miss Caroline’s maid. When I arrived back at the estate, her maid met me in the stable and demanded the missive. Like her mistress, that one is demanding and haughty and insisted that I not wait even a moment to give her what she wished.”

Scowling, Aunt Horatia nodded and thanked the two.

“My nephew, he spoke to you, did he not?” At the confused looks on their faces, she went on, “He intended to inform you that Miss Caroline Bingley is not to travel into the village without her brother’s knowledge. You are not to prepare a carriage or saddle a horse on her order but are to confirm any such requests with him.”

“No, madam,” the coachman said slowly.

“We were given no order like that.”

Her frown deepened.

“Has she left the estate again since that morning?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the groom said.

“She came to the stables yesterday mornin’ and asked me to saddle a horse. I offered to ride along and accompany her, but she said she’d manage on her own. Rode off towards Meryton and didn’t come back for a good two hours.”

Aunt Horatia pursed her lips in displeasure.

“Miss Bingley is not to leave the estate without an escort, regardless of what she may claim. Even if you have to follow her without her knowing, someone must do it. If she meets with that militia officer again, or if she or her maid receive another letter, I want to know about it immediately. Confirm any order for a carriage with her brother but notify me as well.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the two said almost in unison before leaving the room.

When she heard steps in the hallway, she remembered where she was and stepped out to see who was approaching.

Seeing the colonel and Lady Matlock, she quietly indicated that they should join her.

“Did Mr. Darcy not accompany you this morning?” she asked.

Lady Matlock smiled.

“Yes, but we met with Mr. Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, and Darcy accompanied them to Longbourn. He will return later.”

Aunt Horatia returned the smile.

“Is something brewing there?”

Laughing, the colonel replied before his mother could.

“Much has happened there, but I will tell you in confidence that Darcy and Miss Elizabeth are engaged. Her father approves the match, as did his, but there are other details that must be resolved before any public announcement is made. Darcy will not even tell his friend, not yet, so I ask that you keep this between us.”

“That is probably wise,” Aunt Horatia replied with a grimace.

“Caroline has entirely too much influence over my nephew, and what he knows, so does she. In fact, she is why I asked the two of you to join me, for I have news to report.”

“What is it?” Lady Matlock asked, suddenly concerned.

“I fear Caroline may be attempting to influence one of the militia officers to at least damage Miss Elizabeth’s reputation—if not cause her true harm,” Aunt Horatia said gravely.

“At present, I have only fragments to go on—second-hand accounts of secret meetings and whispered suggestions—but it appears she told a group of officers that Miss Elizabeth often walks alone. It may have been an attempt to encourage a situation that could lead to compromise. ”

She went on to recount the rest of her conversation with Bingley and the Hursts from the afternoon before.

“Miss Elizabeth no longer walks or rides out alone, and in fact, has not done so in above five years,” the colonel replied, his brows furrowing as he wondered which men Miss Bingley might have spoken with.

“However, due to the presence of one militia officer in particular, and other potential threats, Miss Elizabeth is now to be accompanied by two footmen whose sole responsibility is to protect her. Do you know which officers she spoke to?” the colonel concluded.

“I do not, but I know that one of the men had just joined when she spoke to him, for he did not have his red coat yet,” Aunt Horatia answered.

Scowling, the colonel leant back into his chair.

“Wickham,” he said in a near growl, causing both women to stare at him.

“I would stake my pay for the next year that she spoke with Wickham,” Fitzwilliam replied to their unasked question.

“That would explain his attention to Miss Elizabeth when he met the Bennet sisters in Meryton, and he would think ruining a young lady a lark. Now that he knows the lady Miss Bingley wishes to have ruined is the same one in whom Darcy has shown interest he will be even more determined to follow through with it.”

“That does present a problem, but, Richard, you said just this morning that you will assign a man to follow Wickham,” said Lady Matlock.

“You should do it now instead of waiting until Monday.”

Fitzwilliam nodded in acknowledgement, but he did not speak for several moments.

While the ladies spoke about Miss Bingley and her ambitions, Fitzwilliam was thinking.

Finally, Fitzwilliam muttered, “Perhaps it is best if we let him think he has won.”

His mother looked up sharply.

“What do you mean? ”

“Wickham,” he said grimly.

“If we wait until after Miss Elizabeth and Darcy are married, we can stage a situation where Wickham believes he has a chance to catch her alone and ruin her. But we will be watching—he will not get near enough to do any real harm. It would be enough to trap him and put an end to at least one of the problems we are facing in Hertfordshire.”

Lady Matlock narrowed her eyes.

“You mean to arrest him for attempted assault, then have him tried for conduct unbecoming by a military court.”

Fitzwilliam nodded.

“Exactly.”

“And the second problem?” she asked.

“You are speaking of Miss Bingley, are you not?”

“I am,” he confirmed.

“If she is aiding Wickham—even if we cannot bring formal charges—it will be enough to destroy her socially. Her reputation will be in tatters, and I can promise Darcy will never speak to her again.”

Lady Matlock scoffed.

“If she is assisting that miscreant—whatever her motives—I will see to it she is unwelcome in every drawing room in England. The only life left to her will be across the ocean.”

“She is my niece,” Aunt Horatia said with a heavy sigh, “but I cannot say she doesn’t deserve it. I had thought to help her. But if she is conspiring to harm another, then there’s nothing left to do but hold her to account.”

She tilted her head in thought.

“Why would this Mr. Wickham still accost her after she and Mr. Darcy are wed?”

With a grin at his mother, Fitzwilliam replied jauntily: “Oh, we had not mentioned the wedding. Miss Elizabeth and Darcy will marry late next week. At present, we do not want my uncle, Wickham, or Miss Bingley to learn of it, so they will marry in secret at the Longbourn chapel. Once these threats have been eliminated, then they will announce it publicly. ”

Aunt Horatia raised her brows at this.

“Let me know what I might do to assist,” she stated.

“Although I have only seen Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth in company together a few times, I have rarely seen a couple more in harmony with each other.”

Lady Matlock pursed her lips.

“I confess that I had hoped for a different sort of woman for him, but you are correct about the pair of them. They will be happy together, and these trials will only make them stronger.”

She paused, then asked, “What does Mr. Bingley say about all this—about his sister? You have not mentioned his reaction.”

Aunt Horatia grimaced.

“He insists she could not possibly mean to harm anyone. We spoke yesterday morning, and I thought he agreed to speak to the servants—make it clear that Caroline was not to be allowed to leave without permission. But it seems he never followed through. I had hoped, by inviting me here, he meant to take a stand against her. Now I suspect he expected me to do it for him.”

Fitzwilliam scowled.

“I have always said he was a puppy, but perhaps it is worse than that. He is strong only when someone stronger is backing him. On his own, he is helpless, at least where she is concerned.”

“I am afraid you are right,” Aunt Horatia said with a sigh.

“It would take something significant to change his mind. If he marries someday and Caroline is still living under his roof, he will need a particularly strong-willed wife to stand against her. Frankly, that is an unfair burden to place on any woman.”

“What about the Hursts?” Fitzwilliam asked.

Aunt Horatia considered this.

“Louisa has always followed Caroline’s lead, but I have noticed she has begun to pull away—subtly, but noticeably. As for Gilbert, he remains detached. But if Caroline were to pose a serious threat to the family’s reputation, I believe he would act. She is not his responsibility, after all. If it came to it, I suspect he would take Louisa to his family’s estate and leave Caroline and Charles to fend for themselves.”

“So far, he has said and done nothing,” she concluded, “but that does not mean he never will.”

“Let us not find out,” Fitzwilliam replied.

“As I said, all this is to be kept a secret from the rest of your family. Darcy is not pleased that his marriage will begin in this way, but I am hoping we might find a way to offer him a day or two of seclusion. Do not be surprised if he is suddenly called to London soon.”

Lady Matlock elbowed her son.

“That is hardly appropriate to discuss in mixed company,” she said.

“However, I do think that we may be able to do something for them before we toss them back into the fray. We will likely need your help, Miss Bingley.”

“Please, Lady Matlock, call me Horatia, at least in private,” she replied.

“It will be easier since my niece is known by that name.”

“And you should call me Lady Elaine,” the countess responded, surprise in her voice at the other lady’s temerity.