Page 28 of The Bennet Heir

Chapter Twenty-Seven

W ith Wickham arrested and awaiting his court-martial, and the men who aided him in both kidnapping attempts now speaking openly, Mr. Collins was formally charged with kidnapping and brought before the magistrate. Initially, he attempted to deny it, claiming that anything that was done was in retribution for Bennet’s own actions against him. However, when Philips showed him the paperwork, correctly filed with the courts, discounting any of Mr. Collins’s claims, the man began to turn on his other conspirators. He described the meetings at Netherfield and even offered the letters from Mrs. Bennet in which she had promised him Elizabeth’s hand in marriage.

Into this inquisition arrived Mr. Collins’s patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She had gone to Netherfield and found Miss Bingley, who had ranted for half an hour about Darcy’s connection to “that Bennet chit.” Unable to glean any useful information from the woman, she had returned to the village and sought answers there.

In Meryton, she was directed to Lucas Lodge and the magistrate, Sir William, for enough had been said for most of the villagers to know that Mr. Collins was one of those responsible for Mr. Bennet’s disappearance.

Lady Catherine was most seriously displeased to learn that her rector had resorted to criminal means to secure an inheritance that was not truly his in the first place. She berated Mr. Collins relentlessly, giving him no choice but to resign from his position at Hunsford. If he refused, she warned, she would write to his bishop and see him forcibly removed. Sir William underscored the gravity of Mr. Collins’s involvement in the kidnapping scheme, making it clear that his actions were sufficient for him to be both dismissed from his living and defrocked as well. Collins did not have a choice to simply resign.

Sir William offered him leniency in exchange for his cooperation since his part in the scheme had been minor. Mr. Collins would be allowed to avoid a trial if he agreed to accept passage to the Americas or Nova Scotia and never return. He accepted without much resistance, and his testimony was carefully recorded by Mr. Philips, signed, and witnessed. His willingness to provide evidence that would be used against the other conspirators had spared him from joining them in the gallows.

With her rector now disgraced and removed, Lady Catherine momentarily forgot the original purpose of her journey to Meryton and left at once. She did not recall her reason for coming until she was already back in London. Having learned from Miss Bingley that Darcy had returned there as well, she resolved to wait for him. When she enquired at Darcy House, the butler informed her that he was expected early the following week. Determined to speak with him as soon as he arrived, she took up residence at her brother’s house, intending to remain until Darcy returned.

While at her brother’s house a few days later, demanding to hear any news of her nephew, an express arrived from Meryton. In it, Darcy announced his marriage to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, an heiress in her own right. Lady Catherine had been livid, but her brother, knowing her insistence on the engagement to her daughter existed only in her own mind, had refused to allow her to confront her nephew on the matter. She returned to Rosings, seriously displeased with her obstinate nephew. While she wrote him several scathing letters in response, he answered none of them. Eventually, her ire gave way, but it took several years before she was willing to see her nephew again.

In Meryton, Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Colonel Forster had remained tight-lipped regarding the disappearance of Longbourn’s master, even after their meeting with Mr. Bennet. Until the schemes of Miss Bingley and Mrs. Bennet were fully exposed, they saw no benefit in revealing his whereabouts. The only thing that was known was that Bennet had ordered a new carriage to replace the one that had been taken in the abduction. Many presumed the conspirators had sold the carriage, although the horses were found when they returned on their own to the stables at Longbourn.

For the final denouement, Elizabeth and Charlotte put their heads together and devised a plan—one that promised not only amusement for those in the know but also a near certainty of drawing a full confession from the so-called masterminds behind the original conspiracy.

Just over a week after the gathering at the Goulding house that had set off the events of the previous week, most of the same people gathered at Lucas Lodge. Some of those invited had resisted at first, but agreed to attend when Charlotte and Elizabeth voiced a desire for some ordinary event to take their minds off the troubling ones.

As usual, the party from Netherfield arrived late. Miss Bingley’s displeasure was evident when she saw not only Elizabeth—looking unreasonably well and annoyingly happy—but also Darcy, standing at her side. Determined to regain his favour, she attempted to sidle up to him and engage him in conversation. Much to her consternation, Darcy did something unthinkable. He met her gaze with open disdain before deliberately turning his back on her, refusing even to acknowledge her presence.

A shocked gasp escaped Miss Bingley, echoed by those who had witnessed the direct cut. Though rarely employed and never before witnessed in their small hamlet, all present understood the significance of the gesture. Whispers spread swiftly through the room as guests speculated on the cause of the dramatic break when they knew he had originally come to visit that family. Mr. Bingley, wisely, made no attempt to approach his former friend, spending his time instead with a few of the young gentlemen. The Hursts had returned to town the day after the dinner at Lucas Lodge, leaving Bingley alone with his sister who had stubbornly—and shockingly—refused to return to town.

For her part, Mrs. Bennet was thoroughly delighted to see Miss Bingley so completely humiliated. Although the two women had worked together to keep Darcy and Elizabeth apart, there had never been any real respect between them. Their mutual failure—though neither yet knew of Wickham’s attempted abduction and capture—was a source of vexation to them both, but they still held onto hopes that he would complete his task soon enough. Neither woman noticed Mr. Collins’s absence from both the gathering and from Netherfield, nor did they care.

What Mrs. Bennet did notice, however, was her daughter Jane’s presence at the dinner, which displeased her greatly. She had not realised Jane had stayed behind at Longbourn when they paid their call, but when she went to Jane’s room later that afternoon, she had found it empty. Immediately, Mrs. Bennet had gone to her sister’s house next door and learned that Jane had remained at Longbourn, intending to stay at the estate to be with her family. At first, Mrs. Bennet had hoped to take advantage of the connection and was pleased with her daughter’s craftiness. However, that hope was quickly dashed when she was refused entry to the manor.

Meanwhile, Miss Bingley was no longer concerned with eliminating Elizabeth as a rival. Her focus had shifted entirely to regaining Darcy’s favour. Even if he married another, she had hoped to maintain her connection to him. Without it, she would lose her access to Pemberley and all the social advantages the Darcy name could offer.

For several minutes, Miss Bingley attempted to persuade her brother to depart from the gathering so she could go home and attempt to come up with a new plan, although he was prevented from doing so by the announcement that the dinner was served. She took her brother’s arm and allowed him to escort her into the dining room.

Darcy and Elizabeth were seated next to each other to the right of their host, while Charlotte Bennet sat to the right of her mother. There was an empty spot next to her purposefully left open, with no seat there, but a place setting at the table.

Few paid attention to anything else at that moment, too engrossed in the unfolding scene as Mrs. Bennet and Miss Bingley realised that the only remaining seats were beside each other.

Oblivious to the tension in the room, Mr. Bingley escorted his sister to an open chair near Lady Lucas’s end of the table, assisting her before taking his own seat to her right. By the time Mrs. Bennet entered and spotted the sole unoccupied chair—directly to Miss Bingley’s left—everyone else had already settled, leaving her with no choice but to take the unwanted seat. They were seated very near the hostess, and both could clearly see the open spot to Charlotte’s right, but neither remarked on it.

A moment later, a collective gasp swept through the room as the servants’ door behind and to the left of Lady Lucas quietly opened. From the shadows, a footman—stationed precisely for this purpose—stepped forward, withdrawing a chair from its concealed location and placing it neatly in the open space beside Charlotte.

Before Miss Bingley or Mrs. Bennet could fully comprehend what was happening, Jonathan Bennet strode into the room and dropped smoothly into the chair. He took his wife’s hand and pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles, his expression calm and composed—an astonishing contrast to the days of frantic speculation over his disappearance.

Shock rippled through the gathering. Many stared, wide-eyed, unable to reconcile his sudden and effortless return with the rumours of his abduction. Yet it was immediately clear that some had known of his arrival in advance. Charlotte showed no sign of surprise, nor did her mother. A quick glance down the table confirmed that Sir William, Elizabeth, and Darcy were similarly unfazed.

The murmuring intensified until Sir William rose to his feet, his expression grave as he called for attention.

“Friends, family,” he began, his voice carrying a solemn weight, “we are honoured to have you here tonight. As you are all undoubtedly aware, my son, Jonathan Bennet, disappeared earlier this week. Although he was found soon after, it was imperative that his whereabouts remained undisclosed until those responsible for his abduction could be unmasked.”

A fresh wave of whispers swept through the room at his words. Though many had suspected foul play, this was the first official confirmation that Jonathan had been taken against his will. The implications were even more unsettling—if his captors were strangers, secrecy would have been unnecessary. No, this meant that those responsible were people known in Meryton.

Sir William waited a beat before continuing. “I can now inform you that two of the four individuals behind this reprehensible act have been apprehended. One has accepted transportation and will board a ship next week for parts unknown. The other has been court-martialed and found guilty of his crimes.”

The stunned silence that followed was nearly deafening.

Darcy rose to stand beside his host. His voice was steady, but there was an unmistakable edge to it as he spoke. “Mr. Wickham, who somehow managed to purchase a lieutenancy in the militia, has long been known to my family. He has spent years scheming against us, attempting harm through various means. His initial attempt to abduct my brother was motivated by greed alone, but his attack on me and his attempt to kidnap my wife yesterday carried a far more insidious intent. He sought to ruin her in my eyes.”

He glanced towards Elizabeth, his expression softening for the briefest moment before his resolve hardened once more. “But nothing—nothing—could ever make me see her as anything but the woman I love. Because of the threats against her, Elizabeth and I were married several days ago. Therefore, tonight is not only a celebration of Bennet’s safe return but also of our union.” That said, he took her hand in his and kissed the back of it lightly, and did not release it as he turned back to look down the table.

Once again, the volume rose in the room. It had risen somewhat when Darcy first said brother , but fell as soon as he continued to speak. The guests all watched the couple, seeing love radiating from them both. However, their questions were still unanswered regarding the others.

“You said two of the four, Sir William,” Mr. Goulding pointed out. “What about the other two?”

“They will be caught and arrested very soon,” Sir William replied.

Another man spoke up. “So you know who else was involved in the conspiracy?”

“We do,” Darcy said, glancing down the table to where Miss Bingley and Mrs. Bennet sat side by side. Both ladies were still staring at Bennet, their faces pale and looking as if they had seen a ghost. It was obvious that neither had yet comprehended what was being said.

The rest of the eyes at the table followed his until they were all staring at the women seated to the left of Lady Lucas.

“Mrs. Bennet, Miss Bingley,” that lady began, “I believe our neighbours would like to hear how the two of you hatched the plan that began with kidnapping Jonathan Bennet.”

This accusation brought both women out of their daze. “Kidnapping?” Mrs. Bennet asked, her voice shaking, but gaining in strength as she came to a conclusion. “What can you mean? Jonathan is right there, and it is obvious the search this week was part of some grander plan to distract us from another disappearance. What has happened to Mr. Collins? He came here because my stepson had stolen his inheritance from him, and now he is missing.”

Several at the table shook their heads at this. Sir William, however, was the one who clarified any confusion. “Mr. Collins admitted that the gossip spread about his so-called inheritance was begun by you, Mrs. Bennet. He came at your request and sought to induce Miss Elizabeth Bennet into marriage. Until your letter, he never even considered Longbourn since he knew the entail had been broken and that his family had no right to it. He also told us that it was your idea, that is, yours and Miss Bingley’s, to kidnap Bennet and to find a way to force Miss Elizabeth into marrying him; presumably you hoped that would enable you, somehow, to gain control of Longbourn.”

“I never…” Mrs. Bennet began, but she was cut off by Miss Bingley.

“It was all Mrs. Bennet’s design,” Miss Bingley said. “She requested that I house Mr. Collins while he attempted to claim what was rightfully his. I did not know that he had no legitimate claim. Why would I care what happened to that paltry estate?”

Mrs. Bennet scoffed. “You may not care for Longbourn, but you wanted Lizzy out of your way just the same. It was you who encouraged Mr. Collins to ruin her because you hoped doing so would somehow win you the prize you sought to claim for yourself.”

“Mr. Darcy ought to have been mine,” Miss Bingley nearly screeched out, rising from the table and glaring down to where he stood, his wife’s hand in his. “How could you marry this penniless chit? I have been at your side in society for years. I have experience with the ton, while she knows nothing about it. My dowry is twenty-thousand pounds.”

Bennet stood at that moment and glared at the harridan. “And my sister’s is at least equal to that if not greater. Not only that, but, Darcy,” he turned towards that end of the table. “I received a note from my grandfather’s solicitor today as well. We will need to write an addendum to the marriage settlement. I knew our grandfather had left something for my sister and me, but I did not know until today what my sister’s portion would be. It seems that, instead of leaving her money, he left her Netherfield.”

For a moment, no one in the room spoke, much less breathed. Then, once again, quiet murmurs increased in volume as the entire table discussed this revelation.

Elizabeth and Darcy moved towards her brother. “Truly, brother?” she asked. “Should it not be yours?”

“I inherited Longbourn, and we have made it successful,” Bennet replied. “In addition, Grandfather left me some property that I have merged into Longbourn, and you know how well the estate is doing. No, my dear sister, Netherfield was always intended for a second child, it would seem.”

Elizabeth sighed. “I can scarcely believe that I am the mysterious ‘heir’ that we have all spoken of so often. Do you not have estates other than Pemberley that you manage, Fitzwilliam?”

“I do, but none as large as Netherfield. It is your, but I will help you manage it,” Darcy said, bringing Elizabeth’s hand to his mouth again for a chaste kiss.

This turn of events was too much for Miss Bingley. She had been watching in growing horror, her imagined world crumbling before her eyes. Darcy was married! The thought echoed in her mind, a deafening, relentless refrain that she could not escape. It was impossible. It was unbearable. It was wrong .

Her face twisted with fury. “You do not deserve him!” she shrieked, her voice shrill with rage. “If only Mr. Wickham was not an incompetent fool! If only he had taken you instead of your brother! How I wish you had been in that coach that day, that they had shot you dead instead of letting you live! You have taken what should have been mine!”

With an inhuman cry, she lunged, wild-eyed and unhinged, launching herself around the table in a desperate attempt to claw at Elizabeth. But before she could lay a hand on her, strong arms caught her—Bennet and Darcy, both restraining her as she thrashed and howled in frustration.

At that moment, the door swung open and several soldiers entered with grim expressions. In their hands were two sets of shackles and several strips of cloth. The sight of them sent a ripple of murmurs through the room, but Miss Bingley was too far gone to notice. She continued to struggle, her breath ragged, her hair falling from its pins as she fought against the inevitable.

Before they shackled Miss Bingley, they used one of the strips of cloth to gag her mouth, and the room finally grew quiet. Her brother sat in silent shock, watching what was transpiring and making no attempt to stop any of it.

When she was finally escorted out by two of the soldiers, Mrs. Bennet seemed to be struck dumb over the scene that had taken place in front of her. In the horror and shock of the situation, she had forgotten about the accusations that had been made regarding herself.

The remaining soldiers stayed behind, and the eyes of everyone turned back to Lady Lucas’s end of the table where Darcy and Elizabeth stood with Bennet beside them. Their eyes were fixed on Mrs. Bennet.

One soldier moved directly behind Mrs. Bennet, and one had his hand on the back of her chair. “Please stand, madam,” he said, pulling her chair back as she did so. When he moved to place the shackle on her wrist, she pulled her arm back.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. “I have done nothing wrong.”

“We know that it was you and Miss Bingley behind the kidnapping of my brother,” Elizabeth said. “You hoped that with him gone, you could force me to marry Collins, believing—though only God knows how—that doing so would allow you to return to Longbourn and take over as mistress. Even if Charlotte were not with child, that would have never happened, for nothing would have induced me to marry a man like Mr. Collins. If somehow I had been forced to marry him, and he had been master of the estate, you would never again be the mistress of anything.”

“What do you mean?” Mrs. Bennet hissed. “You are nothing. Your wealthy husband will tire of you soon and seek another. It is unfair that you have been given so much when I could not even remain in my house. Jane, Jane, my dear girl, you must tell them. Surely you must know I would never act in that manner.”

Jane said nothing, merely looked away from her mother, causing that lady to huff in frustration.

“How quickly you forget, madam, that you could have remained in Longbourn,” Bennet interjected. “You chose to leave and seek another home when I refused to let you remain as mistress after I married Charlotte. You were no longer the mistress once I married, but you refused to accept that. Do not blame others for your choices.”

“Longbourn ought to have been mine!” Mrs. Bennet said, unknowingly echoing the words of her co-conspirator. “Thomas Bennet should have left it to me, not you.”

“Had that been lawful, you would have ruined the estate,” Bennet replied. “You would have spent and spent until it was utterly worthless.”

Mrs. Bennet screeched at them both. “I always despised the two of you. Had I known he already had two children, and a son no less, I would never have compromised him when I returned. But I had no choice! There was not a single man in Meryton who did not remember the scandal that had followed me when I left with Captain Pattison. He was a dreadful man, but what else could I do but marry him when he offered? I was only seventeen, and did not know any better.”

Bennet took a steadying breath before speaking. “We are not responsible for your past choices, nor will we allow you to manipulate us into feeling guilty for them. You made those choices, not us. You could have sought a friendship with me and been a mother to Elizabeth, but instead, you chose to resent us. Had you shown even a modicum of sense, you might have befriended Charlotte after our marriage and worked alongside her to manage Longbourn. But no, you chose to act like a spoiled child, demanding everything your way. When that failed, you decided to move out on your own. Despite not being obliged to do so, I still paid a portion of your expenses. Had Wickham succeeded in killing me, all that support would have ended, and you would have been forced to live on your own income. Under no circumstances would Collins ever have become the master of Longbourn.”

Seemingly overcome, Mrs. Bennet screeched out a protest before going limp, swaying before beginning to fall. Bingley sprang from his seat to catch her, but he was not strong enough to stop her. Both of them tumbled to the floor in a heap. As she opened her eyes, she cried out, claiming she had been compromised. Bingley’s face drained of colour, and he turned desperately to the others in the room, silently pleading for any kind of assistance.

Bennet and Darcy, along with several others, attempted to hold back their laughter to varying degrees of success. With a quick glance at Colonel Fitzwilliam, who was standing just out of sight in the doorway and also attempting to restrain a guffaw, one of the soldiers moved to assist Mrs. Bennet from the floor.

“There is no danger of compromise, madam, not when your next destination is likely to be Newgate. You and Miss Bingley will share a wagon to the gaol, and in the next few days, a determination will be made whether you’ll be held until the next assizes, or if you’ll be transported to London for trial,” the soldier stated.

Like Miss Bingley, Mrs. Bennet screeched and cried out until she was gagged. Her hands were swiftly restrained, but unlike Miss Bingley, she did not submit meekly. She kicked and thrashed against her captors, forcing them to tie her feet together as well.

At last, order was restored and the guests were encouraged to resume their seats. No one commented on the three empty chairs to the left of Lady Lucas as they turned their attention to discussing the events that had transpired. Bennet was called upon to explain his sudden arrival that evening, and the meal proceeded with relative calm, lacking the sharp, disdainful comments from Mrs. Bennet and Miss Bingley that had permeated the room the previous week.