Page 44
Story: The Deception
M ay I accompany you to Longbourn today, Charles?”
Mr. Bingley looked with considerable surprise at his sister. “What are you about, Caroline?”
“Merely doing as you instructed, Charles, being warm and welcoming to Miss Bennet. I can hardly do so if I never see her, now can I?”
Mr. Bingley considered this. While Louisa had accompanied him on his visits to the Bennets twice of late, this was the first time Caroline had asked to do so. “Caroline, you will behave yourself, will you not? Mr. Darcy and Georgiana will be there as well, you know.”
All the better, Caroline thought. She reassured her brother that her motives in wanting to pay this visit were everything kind.
***
Mr. Darcy raised an enquiring brow at Mr. Bingley when he saw Miss Bingley preparing to join them in the Bingley carriage that afternoon. Mr. Bingley replied with a quick shrug.
All four Bennet sisters were in the parlour when their visitors arrived. They were surprised to see Miss Bingley, as she had been absent since Mary had spoken about Miss Bingley’s unfortunate letter to Jane, but they hid that surprise behind polite smiles.
Jane began, “How kind of you to visit us, Miss Bingley. I hope you have been well?”
“Oh, exceedingly so, as I am never ill,” she replied. “And Miss Darcy and I have had such a fine time practicing our duets, have we not, Miss Darcy?”
Georgiana could scarcely refute it, so she agreed after only a slight hesitation.
“She is an outstanding performer,” Elizabeth put in. “As you yourself are, Miss Bingley; I do not wonder that your duets delight the entire household.”
Mary listened to the exchange in astonishment.
Were good manners really nothing but polite lies?
How had she never realised it before? She had every intention of keeping to her new resolution to no longer hide her feelings, but for now she resolved to say nothing. Unless it was really needed, of course.
Elizabeth watched Georgiana shift uncomfortably in her seat. No one could feel easy with Miss Bingley here, but there was nothing to do but to get through it. She had an idea. “Perhaps we might all walk to town?”
Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley rose with alacrity. This sounded a far better option than sitting in the parlour exchanging polite noises and hoping Miss Bingley would behave herself!
But it was not to be. “Oh, but first I have a bit of news,” Miss Bingley caroled loudly.
“News?” Jane said. “What sort of news?”
Miss Bingley pulled a letter from her reticule.
“Well, imagine my surprise when I learnt that Miss Lydia appears to no longer be in Brighton! Did you not tell me – and everyone, for that matter – that she is in Brighton? How is it that she has simply vanished?” Her tone of triumph could not be mistaken.
Ha! Mary thought. She spoke at once. “I have not the pleasure of understanding this situation, Miss Bingley. How is it that you have news of our sister?”
Miss Bingley waved the letter. “My dear friend Clarissa’s maid has a brother in the military, and he is stationed in Brighton. It was a simple matter to ask her to –“ Here she stopped, realising her mistake.
But it was too late. Mary pounced on it. “A simple matter to have your maid write to her brother, enquiring about my sister? Such effrontery! Whatever can you mean by such an action?”
Kitty added, “As it happens, Lydia left Brighton to go to London. Since you are so eager to share letters, allow me to share her latest with you.” With that, she pulled the letter she had written from her pocket and read it aloud to their stunned audience.
She finished by shoving the letter under Miss Bingley’s nose. “Here it is!”
Mary said, “If you have any further questions about my sister Lydia, I hope you will apply to us directly, Miss Bingley. You need not trouble any maids for news.”
Jane rose to her feet. “I believe we must ask to be excused from company today, Miss Bingley, Miss Darcy, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy. I am certain you understand.”
Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley rose at once, murmuring their regrets and apologies, but Georgiana cried out, “But I did nothing!”
Elizabeth ran to her and hugged her, whispering in her ear, “It is all right, dearest. Come back tomorrow with your brother.”
Georgiana had to be content with that as she followed her brother from the room.
***
Caroline had never before seen her brother so angry. In truth, she had not thought him capable of it. The veins on his neck throbbed and his face was an odd colour of purple. She had to find a way to calm him down before he did himself an injury. “Charles, I was just trying –“
“I believe we are all aware of what you were trying to do. You have likely set my courtship back a month or more.”
“I tell you, there is something odd about their sister Lydia –“
“And if there is or is not, it is none of your concern, Caroline.”
“Do you not see that your choice of a wife affects my own prospects, Charles?”
“I do not care in the slightest. Tell me, did Louisa have any part in this?”
“No; she knows nothing of it.”
“Excellent. Begin packing at once, Caroline; you are off to Aunt Beatrice in the morning.”
“You cannot simply –“
“Oh, I can, Caroline. And I will. If you choose not to pack, then you will travel with the clothes on your back. I tell you again, I do not care in the slightest.”
***
“I have never been so embarrassed in my life,” Mr. Bingley said to his friend, as they sat together after dinner. “My own sister! To do such a thing! Honestly, it is beyond my comprehension.”
“You have allowed her a good deal of latitude for a very long time, Bingley,” Mr. Darcy said, severely.
“I would say that it is none of my business, but she has made it my business! First, to write to the Bennets that you were to be engaged to Georgiana, and then to enact such an elaborate scheme in a deliberate attempt to discredit the family! Truly, I have never heard of such a thing – it is positively Gothic!”
“She is leaving tomorrow, Darcy.”
“And going where?” His voice was skeptical.
“To our Aunt Beatrice in Scarborough.”
“For how long?”
“Indefinitely.”
“Are you committed to this course of action, Bingley?”
“Entirely so. You will never set eyes on her again.”
***
The next morning saw the Bingley carriage depart with Caroline and her maid inside it. The Hursts and Mr. Bingley watched it leave. Louisa looked deeply confused, but Mr. Hurst murmured, “I did not think you had it in you, Charles.”
“Nor I,” said a voice behind them. It was Mr. Darcy. “I congratulate you, Charles. I suspect I need not add that it is long overdue.”
***
Dear Aunt and Uncle Gardiner,
We are now telling everyone that Lydia was unable to bear the thought of Longbourn without Mama, and she is now staying with you, at your invitation. We will maintain this fiction as long as is possible or necessary!
Kitty wrote a letter in Lydia’s hand, announcing this change of residence, and it was well that she did so, as Miss Bingley actually had her maid write to her brother in Brighton, and had learnt that Lydia was not there at all!
She announced this while visiting us at Longbourn!
Have you ever heard of such underhanded tactics?
We then produced the letter Kitty had crafted and read it aloud, and Miss Bingley left the house quite abashed.
Mr. Bingley says he wishes to marry me, and I had hoped that his sisters and I could learn to like one another, but I cannot live in the same house with Miss Bingley. I hope Mr. Bingley realises now that she must be sent to live elsewhere if he is to marry me.
Mr. Darcy and Lizzy continue their awkward courtship. Lizzy is very much concerned that her reputation will be sullied if Lydia does not return, and does not wish to have the Darcy name tarnished as a result; but she and Mr. Darcy are entirely miserable to have things so unsettled between them.
Papa continues to do good for us, saving money for our dowries and exercising his responsibilities as master of the estate with a previously unseen vigour.
I thank you again, on behalf of all my sisters, for the lovely gift of fabric. I wish you could see the dresses we made; perhaps I can have Kitty draw a picture!
You are ever in my thoughts and prayers!
Your always affectionate niece,
Jane
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44 (Reading here)
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64