Page 27 of Why I Kissed You (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

Darcy snorted again, then took a drink of his port.

“’Tis a good thing, then, that she doesn’t know the true amount of my yearly earnings,” said he.

At Bingley’s inquisitive look, he continued with, “Pemberley is the largest source of income, to be sure, so that is what I allow to be known. But in combination with two smaller Darcy family estates—one in Scotland and one in Dorsetshire—as well as a small number of investments, my annual income is just shy of twenty thousand pounds.”

Bingley choked on his port and coughed for a moment. “Good heavens, Darcy! I knew you had other properties, but for some reason I never thought of their income as yours. My fortune is nothing at all compared to that!”

He shook his head and took another swallow. “Goodness, twenty thousand pounds a year…” With a sigh, Bingley turned his gaze back to Philip. “As I was saying, I do not imagine my sister would be content with anything less than two thousand a year, and she’d prefer at least twice that.”

“Well,” said Rowarth, with a knowing glance at his younger brother, “Theo here has also received an annual allowance of one thousand pounds from our father since joining the army—which he was wise enough to invest—”

“So, you live off the interest?” Bingley asked.

Fitzwilliam nodded. “I put the full thousand into the account each year and live off the increased interest as well as my meager military pay,” said he.

“And the charity of friends and relations,” Darcy added with a smirk. “So long as he’s living with someone else, he doesn’t have to pay his own expenses.”

“—so he does also have a little competence of his own,” Philip went on as though he’d not been interrupted. “And I remain convinced that one of the smaller Fitzwilliam-owned estates might well be signed over to him, especially if he did wed a girl with less than fifty thousand pounds.”

“How you tease me, Philip,” said Theodore as he made a shot, scattering the red balls. “Father knows how much I adore Winfield.”

“Is it a sizeable estate?” Bingley queried.

As the brothers nodded in unison, Darcy said, “A little larger than Longbourn, I would say. I believe the rents bring in about three thousand per annum?”

Rowarth nodded again. “Aye, three thousand, or a little over.”

Bingley began to pace as he sipped from his glass. “Caroline’s dowry, combined with the ten and what Theo has already, that’s four-and-forty thousand pounds. Combine that with the income of the estate, and you’ve just over five thousand a year—surely Caroline wouldn’t say no to that!”

Darcy reviewed the arithmetic in his head and nodded in approval.

“Indeed, Charles. Five thousand two hundred a year is a very respectable income. The principal forty thousand could be held in trust for any daughters they may have, and Theo could certainly increase the estate’s income if he purchased more land. ”

Fitzwilliam dropped the cue onto the billiard table and turned around, waving his hands at them.

“Pardon me, but you do realize I’m still in the room and can hear you?

I don’t recall even being asked if I like the lady well enough to put up with her for the length of a dinner—no offense, Charles—let alone whether or not I’d be willing to marry her!

And here you all are, planning our future together! ”

“Brother,” said Rowarth, “we know that in order to maintain the lifestyle to which you are accustomed when you are at home—a level that so-called ‘proper’ society expects even the second son of an earl to maintain—you must marry a girl with a fortune. Which, as you said, leaves any of the dear sisters Bennet out of the running to be your bride. Miss Bingley has a fortune decent enough to buy her a husband of some consideration, but not enough to snag the title she covets or even a fine gentleman like our cousin. Her low origin and connexion to trade—no offense, Bingley—does rather make her choices limited, so she really ought to consider a second or even third son if she has any desire of being not only well settled, but still in the higher social circles. ”

“In choosing to marry her, you would have the fortune you require, and I will lend my weight to your brother’s that your father bequeath you the estate you desire,” said Darcy.

“And I will concede that the lady is very pretty, even beautiful, when she can be coaxed into smiling rather than sneering disdainfully at those she considers beneath her. She is conscious of the latest styles and is always fashionably dressed, so she will certainly look good on your arm when you enter a room with her.”

Bingley grinned. “And in her choosing to marry you, Colonel, Caroline will be daughter-by-marriage to an earl and countess, sister-by-marriage to a viscount, and be elevated into the first circle of society—which is precisely what she wants!”

Fitzwilliam huffed and crossed his arms as he leaned back against the edge of the billiard table.

“Firstly, how the devil did this conversation go from judging the quality of Bingley’s interaction with the eldest Miss Bennet to the three of you determining that I should marry Miss Bingley, whom I remind you Darcy here has made a point of never being alone with in the two years he’s known her.

Secondly, what if I were to decide to say yes to this scheme of yours?

What about the lady herself—do not you think that her opinion on the subject ought to be obtained? ”

His companions all laughed. “To answer your first question, Theo,” said Darcy, “I believe the direction of the conversation was diverted by Philip’s lamenting Elizabeth and her sister being spoken for, so blame your brother for that.”

“As to the second,” said Rowarth, “had Bingley here not asked if twenty thousand pounds was enough for you—clearly he wishes to get that sister of his off his hands—I should never even have thought of her.”

“I don’t… I don’t hate my sisters for what they did,” said Bingley slowly. “I can’t hate them—they’re my sisters.”

Rowarth raised a hand. “Hold that thought, Bingley,” said he. “What did they do?”

Darcy and Bingley exchanged a look, then Darcy sighed, drew a breath, and explained the whole. Philip was shaking his head by the end of it.

“Fitzwilliam Darcy, you bumbling idiot,” said the viscount, his words surprising not only Darcy but the others.

“On the one hand, I get why you acted as you did—you feared a match between yourself and Miss Elizabeth would meet with disapproval on all sides, so you thought to spare your friend the same unjust disapprobation. On the other hand, I’ve never approved of meddling in the business of others, especially their personal lives.

You had no right to interfere. To offer your opinion as to the unsuitability of the match, yes, but not to pointedly dissuade him from it.

And look how it’s turned out—you’re to marry Miss Elizabeth anyway.

Love conquered you, not the other way around.

Anyone who sees you together can tell instantly you’re mad for that girl. ”

Darcy’s chagrin was deep. “I know I was wrong, Philip,” he said. “And I have apologized profusely to Bingley for my error. I daresay he’s forgiven me, even if I had to suffer a right hook to earn it.”

Rowarth glanced at Bingley with renewed admiration. “So, you’re the one that did that,” he observed, pointing to Darcy’s face. “Brave of you to take a swing at him.”

“I was angry, that is all,” said Bingley. “It is long past.”

He sighed and moved to sit in a chair, where he tipped back the rest of the port in his glass before saying, “I don’t hate them, but I’m still angry at Caroline and Louisa because unlike Darcy, they’re not sorry.

At least, they weren’t last night. While Darcy was gone up to Hertfordshire this morning to see Mr. Bennet, Theo told me he’d suggested to Darcy that we both cut my sisters, but as Darcy said to him, I just can’t go that far.

They’re the only family I have left. Well, there are a few cousins up Scarborough way, and a great-aunt whom neither of my sisters likes much—probably because she’s rather strict—but the point is, they’re the closest family I have.

I may not be speaking to them, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. ”

Bingley rose again and went over to the sideboard to pour himself another glass of port.

He took a drink before turning around. “I can’t manage her,” he said.

“Caroline’s personality is so much more forceful than my own.

It is perhaps one of the reasons she was able to convince me Jane was indifferent to me—a trait you and she share, Darcy, is being forceful. No offense.”

Darcy clenched his jaw at the comparison but could not dispute it. He inclined his head in silence.

“Even as angry as I am at my sister, I find myself still wishing for her to find happiness,” Bingley went on.

“But after learning the truth about her scheming to keep Jane and I separated, I’ve come to realize that I can’t manage her.

It will take someone with a strength of will much stronger than mine to check her superior attitude and remind her of her place in the world.

Someone who could teach her to be a little kinder and more respectful to others, even those she thinks are beneath her. I’ve tried, and I’ve failed miserably.”

“I’d not be too hard on yourself Charles,” said Darcy. “At least you tried, whereas others in your position would have used his freedom from the restraint of parental guidance to do as he liked and leave his sisters to shift for themselves.”

Fitzwilliam expelled a breath. “Do you really think me the best man for the mission?” he asked.

“I’ll concede Darcy’s point—Miss Bingley can be quite lovely when she’s not puffing herself up and thinking herself on a level with Lady Jersey.

But gentlemen, I’d really hoped that I could fall in love with the girl whose fortune I married, and at this moment, I absolutely cannot imagine myself falling in love with Caroline Bingley. ”

A silence permeated the room after he spoke, until suddenly it was broken by the snap of Lord Rowarth’s fingers. “I have the perfect idea!”