Page 21 of The Fire at Longbourn (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

Netherfield Hall

The west sitting room was Louisa’s favorite room in the house.

Not excessively large, with a generous fireplace and plenty of light, it always felt cozy.

Done tastefully up in tan, with accents of gray and black, it had none of the garishness of, say, the front drawing room in its splashy crimson hues.

It was a good place to come when she needed calm and rest.

Unfortunately even the calmest and most restful of rooms could avail nothing against her younger sister’s temper, and this evening, Miss Bingley was in very high dudgeon indeed. Louisa could only be grateful that Caroline’s attention was currently focused on poor Charles.

“ What!? ” Caroline shrieked, so loudly that Mrs. Hurst felt her husband cringe next to her.

“Quiet down, Sister,” Bingley said sternly. “You are no longer a child, and I suggest you do not act like one. I offered for an honorable, godly, charming woman and you…”

“Honorable? Charming?” Caroline spat. “You must be mad, Charles. Entirely mad! Men are such fools! Do you not realize that Mrs. Bennet had her sights on you from the moment you walked into that ghastly assembly hall in Meryton? And you fell for it, for a pretty face and...”

“You will be silent!” Bingley roared, and Mr. Hurst jerked again in surprise.

Caroline stilled in shock, bosom heaving with the force of her emotions.

Charles never raised his voice to her, never .

He was always as amiable and meek a brother as anyone could hope for, compliantly led by the wisdom of his sisters and friend.

But now! He was doing incomprehensible things, like offering for Jane Bennet of all people!

What had caused this disastrous rebellion?

“Charles,” she said, forcing herself to lower her volume and adopt a gentler tone, “do let us be reasonable. Louisa and I are both in agreement that Miss Bennet is not a worthy bride, and I am certain that Mr. Darcy concurs with our assessment.”

Bingley wandered over to a tray and poured himself a glass of brandy, lifted it to his lips, and took a sip.

“Indeed, Darcy does not entirely approve of my decision,” he agreed, “but the reality is that I am now committed. No gentleman will back out of an engagement, after all, and you are determined that I act the gentleman, am I not right, Caroline?”

“Well, I think you have made a wonderful decision,” Hurst said, rising to his feet and wandering over to pour himself a drink out of the same decanter. “Miss Bennet is a beautiful lady but she is also charming, agreeable, and kind.”

“But she has no dowry at all, her mother and sisters are vulgar, and her connections are dreadful!” Caroline cried out in a crescendoing voice, her eyes filled with tears of fury and disappointment.

“ Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife ,” Hurst responded, tossing down the rest of his brandy and turning a beady eye on his sister-in-law.

“I do not pretend to be a Bible scholar, but far better to marry a poor but loving wife than a wealthy lady who is a shrew.”

A shrew ? Caroline stared at her brother-in-law, outraged and offended and utterly flabbergasted at his nerve.

She was not a shrew! She was intelligent and witty!

What did he know, anyway? It was not as though he ever paid any attention to anything besides his drink and his dining-board. What had possessed these men today?

“Louisa, come with me,” she commanded, turning to glare at her sister. “It is obvious that the gentlemen are incapable of rational thought tonight.”

Louisa hesitated, her gaze sliding to her husband.

He raised an eyebrow at her over his decanter as he poured himself another measure.

He was not a tyrannical husband, prone to making unreasonable demands.

Louisa was genuinely very fond of him; he was good to her and she tried to honor his wishes when he asserted them.

She took a breath, braced herself, and looked at her spoiled little sister. “No, Caroline, I will not,” she said calmly.

Caroline’s color heightened. “Very well,” she gritted out through her teeth. “I expected better of you, Louisa, but very well.” She spun on her heel and flounced out the room.

Louisa relaxed a little at her tempestuous sister’s exit. “Congratulations, Brother,” she said, walking over and kissing Bingley on the cheek. “I am certain you and Jane will be very happy.”

/

Jane and Elizabeth’s sitting room

Longbourn

“Engaged to Mr. Collins? My dear Charlotte, impossible!” Elizabeth cried out.

Charlotte Lucas had been prepared for her friend’s surprise, but the horror in Elizabeth’s voice caused her to flinch.

A moment later, she regained her composure and replied, “Why should you be surprised, my dear Eliza? Do you think it incredible that Mr. Collins should be able to procure any woman’s good opinion? ”

Elizabeth felt tears form in her eyes, and she quickly reached out to grasp Charlotte’s hands in her own. “No, of course not! Please forgive me, dear friend, for my intolerable discourtesy. Oh, Charlotte, please allow me to congratulate you! I wish you and Mr. Collins the happiest of unions.”

Her friend relaxed and said, “Thank you. I am very happy, you know. At seven and twenty, without a dowry, I was looking forward to growing old in my father’s, then brother’s house as an old maid.

Mr. Collins is not a clever man, but he is diligent, with a good income, and he is not, I am confident, a vicious man. ”

“Oh no, I am certain he will treat you well,” Elizabeth said, even as her mind worked busily. She had always known that Charlotte had a rather different view of marriage than her own, but for her dear friend to tie herself to such a fool?

And yet, what did she know, really? She had thought that Mr. Darcy was a proud, unpleasant man when in fact, he was, while stiff in manner and occasionally discourteous, an intelligent gentleman who had lowered himself to toil vigorously to save Longbourn.

Perhaps Mr. Collins too had hidden depths to his character? In any case, Charlotte had made her choice and a good friend would support her.

“I wish you and Mr. Collins the happiest of unions,” she said again, and Charlotte smiled and said, “Thank you.”

/

Netherfield

The Next Morning

Darcy had slept poorly, his dreams frequently disturbed by a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman.

He woke with mingled shame and exultation.

On the one hand, he really ought not to be dreaming of Elizabeth Bennet.

He owed it to his name and his house to marry well.

On the other – the lady in question was beautiful, lively, and intelligent, and a man could not control his own dreams, after all!

He was safe enough, he knew. She was charming, but he knew where his duty lay.

Well, that was not entirely true. He was not yet certain whether he should or should not marry Anne de Bourgh, his cousin, who was heiress of the great estate of Rosings in Kent.

He loved Anne, but merely in a cousinly way, and Miss de Bourgh was a fragile, sickly woman who might well be incapable of successfully birthing an heir.

But if he decided against Anne, there were scores of other women in society who were highly born and wealthy.

Indeed, he probably ought not to marry Anne.

Georgiana, Darcy’s beloved sister, would need a lady to help introduce her to the haut ton.

Anne had been living at Rosings all her life, and thus had no knowledge how to best assist a young girl to navigate the tempestuous shoals of society in Town.

Darcy sighed as his valet helped him put on his coat.

He disliked uncertainty, and at the moment he felt a great deal of that unpleasant emotion both in the near and far term.

He did not know if he would be able to stay at Netherfield.

If Miss Bingley continued to scream and howl over Bingley’s engagement, life here would be intolerable.

And yet, neither did he wish to return to London yet.

His sister Georgiana was installed at Matlock House visiting her aunt and cousins, and Darcy House was a cold, lonely place in November.

/

Breakfast Parlor

Netherfield

Caroline had risen earlier than was her wont, well aware that Mr. Darcy often broke his fast early in the day.

She was inspecting the sideboard now and the dishes placed upon it, feeling tired and pettish and anxious.

She had been waiting for half an hour now, and he had yet to appear.

The coffee had started to grow cold, the steam rising from it now barely visible, and Caroline pursed her lips in a displeased moue.

A maid entered the room, one of the local, poorly-trained provincial girls, and Caroline spun on her. “You, there, wench,” she exclaimed angrily. “Just look at this coffee! Look at it! Do you see steam rising from it? Do you think this is hot enough to serve your betters?”

The girl went wide-eyed in terror and dipped a hasty clumsy curtsey. “I’m so very sorry, Miss,” she whispered, voice trembling.

“As you should be,” Caroline agreed spitefully, as she shoved the tray at the girl’s stomach, sneering in disdain as the yokel almost fumbled it.

The shaking maid turned to hurry out, edging around Mr. Darcy, who finally, finally stood in the doorway.

“Oh, Mr. Darcy!” Caroline exclaimed, her frown shifting immediately into a beaming smile. “Do come in and break your fast!”

Darcy did enter, though his lips remained a thin line. He despised ladies who abused their underlings. That poor maid, who had dropped a towel in her distress as she left the room, could not be much more than sixteen years of age.

“I fear the coffee is not hot enough, but I told the girl to bring new coffee,” Caroline said eagerly.

“I am content with what is already here,” Darcy replied coldly, walking over to gather a plate of food.

He was not pleased to find Miss Bingley his only breakfast companion, but the door was wide open so he need not worry about a compromise.

Not that he would ever marry Miss Bingley, not if she was the last woman on earth!

Caroline was thrilled to finally have an ally in her disgruntlement about her brother’s absurd engagement. If anyone could convince Charles to renege on his foolishness, surely it was Mr. Darcy!

“What do you think of this nonsense regarding Charles’s so-called engagement, Mr. Darcy?” she simpered. “Is it not perfectly hideous? To think Charles could be so pigheaded and selfish! And without even asking your opinion first!”

Darcy cut her off before she could go any further.

“Bingley is a grown man and in no way required to ask my input on his life-mate,” he said repressively.

“He has asked, and she has accepted, and the only thing left to be done is reconcile ourselves to the fact. A gentleman cannot cry off an engagement.”

Caroline stared at him in dismay, ignoring the maid returning with the heated coffee.

“But – surely – there must be something! The Bennets are not well-off anyway, and with this fire, they will be struggling! They only want my brother for his money anyway. Perhaps if we offer them a large sum Miss Bennet will be willing to abandon the engagement?”

Darcy looked down at his plate of ham and eggs and found the sight unappealing if it meant it must be accompanied by Miss Bingley’s incessant voice. He set it aside and stood.

Miss Bingley looked up at him blankly. “Mr. Darcy? Where are you going?” she fluttered.

“Out,” he said flatly. “Miss Bingley, I suggest you keep a couple of points in mind. Miss Jane Bennet is a gentleman’s daughter, and as such, is higher up the social ladder than you and Bingley, who are the children of a tradesman.

Further, she is a kindly and amiable lady, charming and sweetly-mannered, and who is, I believe, sincerely attached to your brother.

I suggest you accustom yourself to the idea of having her for a sister.

Good morning.” And with that, he turned on his heel and stalked from the room, leaving a flabbergasted Miss Bingley gaping behind him.