Chapter 10

Not for the first time, Caroline Bingley decided to work on her brother regarding the travel arrangements to the estate he had leased in some backwater town in Hertfordshire.

“Charles, you need to convince Mr. Darcy and Mr. Fitzwilliam to travel with us,” Miss Bingley insisted. “It is so much safer journeying into the wilds together, I worry for them on their own without the added protection.”

Bingley was the head of his branch of the Bingley family since his parents had been taken by a tragic fire at the family home more than a year past. Unfortunately, rather than stand up to his much more forceful younger sister, he took the path of least resistance and gave in to her whims and desires. He simply hated confrontation, something of which his sister was aware. Whenever he did try to stand up to her, she would launch a tantrum and give him no peace until he acquiesced to her demands.

The only area in which he could never gratify her was in introducing her among Darcy’s extended family—he ignored the fact Darcy had not been happy when he had informed Caroline all about the extended family. No matter how many times he had conveyed Caroline’s requests to be introduced to the duke, duchess, earls, countesses, marquess, marchioness, viscounts, or the titled ladies, he had been rejected and had been told in no ambiguous terms that none of the noble relatives had the least bit of interest in knowing his sister. Each time he had delivered the news she did not desire to hear, he had to suffer her vitriol, her penchant to throw anything which she could reach, and her derision of him for his failures to her.

He had been told in no uncertain terms by both Fitzwilliam and Darcy that they would never offer for his younger sister, regardless of her delusions. In fact, it had been made clear more than once by both men that even a compromise would not change that fact. The only problem was Bingley knew not how to inform Caroline her dreams would never become realities. The words he had, but he was not willing to be on the receiving end of one of her epic tantrums, so he said nothing to her. When he had requested they join him at Netherfield Park to help teach him about managing an estate, as neither William nor Richard could deny him their help, they had agreed—notwithstanding their lack of enthusiasm to be residing under the same roof as his younger sister—and informed him which of their relatives would be part of the party. They had, however, reiterated not giving in to a compromise extended to all of their male relatives as well.

His older sister Louisa Hurst berated him for not taking Caroline in hand. Like the rest of her family, she used to give in to her younger sister, but that all changed within a year of marrying Harold Hurst. Her husband had banished Caroline from all of his homes—the house in Town and his father’s estate, Winsdale in Surrey—after she had treated him and his family with disdain for not being high enough in society for her.

It was then he had given Louisa a choice between her marriage and placating her spoilt shrew of a sister. Much to Caroline’s disgust, Louisa had chosen wisely. The Hursts were to be part of the party, but Bingley had been told they would not remain if he did not check his younger sister.

As it was, he knew he had already given in by making Caroline his hostess. Unlike Louisa, Caroline knew nothing about what was required to manage an estate’s manor house. In her mind it was all about the menus and entertaining. Louisa had been his first choice to be mistress of the estate, but an explosion of invective followed by an enormous Caroline tantrum had changed that decision rather speedily. According to her, she had to prove what a good hostess she would be to the man she chose to marry.

Regardless of what Caroline demanded, there was nothing he could do to sway his friends’ minds. Once Darcy and Fitzwilliam made a decision, they did not waver as they were anything but capricious.

“Caro, I have made that suggestion to Darcy more than once,” Bingley revealed. “In his last letter he said the area between London and Meryton is no more wild than that around Pemberley. You always extol Derbyshire and Pemberley, so surely if Darcy says it is not wild, he is correct?”

Miss Bingley was not sure how to respond. She knew the way she would attract Mr. Darcy, or any other man of quality like the Viscount she would finally meet, was to agree with everything they said. That being her belief, she could not contradict Mr. Darcy now. It still irked her she had never been invited to any of the Darcy, Fitzwilliam, Rhys-Davies, or Carrington properties.

How humiliating it had been when she had demanded Charles allow her to accompany him to a dinner at Darcy House. They had both been turned away after being told the invitation was for Mr. Bingley alone. For some inexplicable reason, there had been no further invitations forthcoming from the Darcys or any others in their family.

Surely they knew she had a twenty thousand pound dowry and had been educated at the exclusive Miss Hathaway’s Seminary for Young Ladies? Yes, there had been no noble daughters at the seminary, but there had been members of the Ton. She had learnt how to treat anyone she felt was below her from the way she had been treated by the daughters of landed gentlemen. It was the reason she did what she was able to do so no one would know of her roots in trade. It had been the main reason—in her mind—why she had been derided so she had adopted the attitude of disdaining anyone remotely connected to trade.

“But that does not explain why they will not join us when we travel to the estate,” Miss Bingley whinged. “They are our dearest friends and dear Georgiana will not have my company so she will be alone with the men.”

Bingley took a breath before he responded. How could he tell her she was barely tolerated, and only because she was his sister, and he was the only one who was Darcy and Fitzwilliam’s friend? Also, he refused to tell her not only did Miss Darcy not enjoy her company, but Caroline had not been permitted to address her by her familiar name. His peace and quiet was worth so much more.

“Darcy and Fitzwilliam have business they need to attend to before they are able to depart London,” Bingley prevaricated. “Miss Darcy must complete some lessons as well.”

Caroline Bingley huffed and then sighed. “I suppose that is the way it must be then,” she determined.

As it was not the first time they had had this conversation, Bingley was sure they would continue to have it a few times more before their departure to the estate.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~

“Do you two realise that the estate you will be at is a few miles away from the inn where you were born?” Rose asked her son and nephew.

“It is also in the same neighbourhood as the estate where Mr. Bennet resides. He is the man who holds the records you two are chasing,” Jamey told the two younger men. “Even though I was not yet ten, I remember Father and Uncle Bedford playing against, and losing to, Mr. Bennet at the inn.”

“Do you think we will meet his daughter who was born the same day as us?” Saul asked.

Over the years he and Philip had heard the tale of how their mothers had hidden the fact they were labouring from their husbands until it had been unavoidable. That had necessitated the stop at the inn in Meryton. They had also heard how a local lady who was also ready to give birth had come to the inn so she too could be attended by the midwife.

It would be interesting to Saul, and he believed Philip thought the same, to meet the young lady who had been born in a chamber next to where they had come into the world, on the same day as them, and at almost the same time.

The two young men felt as close as any brothers by blood felt. Even though one lived in Bedfordshire and the other in Staffordshire, they had spent so much time together during their formative years. Then, when they went to Eton they had shared a suite of rooms. The same was now true at Cambridge. They had always gravitated towards one another, and it was not only because of the physical characteristics they had in common. Most of the friends they had were friends to both of them.

When they had asked how it was they did not resemble their respective parents greatly, they had been shown a portrait of the late Saul Granger and seen that they were unique among the grandchildren with looks which were somewhat similar to their late grandfather whom they had never met.

Saul would be deeded the largest estate not part of the dukedom his father owned, when he turned five and twenty. All of the estates owned by the Carringtons were entailed to the earldom, therefore, Philip would be the new master of Hampton Downs in Cambridgeshire, at the same age his cousin would receive his. He was proud he would one day own the estate where his mother and her sisters had been raised. Over the years the three sisters’ husbands had purchased available land surrounding the Downs which more than doubled the land area, and with it the estate’s income.

“I think there is a better than good chance,” Jamey averred. “Fitzwilliam met her older sister at a ball Aunt Elaine was giving some two years past. Since then, he discovered the Bennet estate is about three miles from the one Bingley has leased.”

“Regardless of Miss Bingley and her machinations, I am certain all three of you will behave like the gentlemen we know you are,” Rose stated to the three who would depart in a few days. “Your parents, Aunt Elaine, and Uncle Reggie are already at Hilldale so they will miss seeing Emily, Sed, and little Julia at the Abbey.” Rose smiled as she thought of her granddaughter. “If it was not for our need to depart to Staffordshire, I would see if I could convince Emily and Sed to extend their stay here before they join you in Hertfordshire.”

Rose knew that as much as she wanted to spend more time with Julia and her parents, she could not delay her and Sedgwick’s departure to Hilldale. It had taken Belle longer than her cousin to become with child, but she would enter her lying-in within the next month and the Duchess would not miss the birth of her daughter’s first child for anything. Cilla would be there to support her sisters, as would Anne Darcy. Having the family all spending summer at Woburn Abbey would be delayed until next year.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~

Mrs. Mary Brown knew she was not long for this world. She believed the guilt over what she had done eighteen years ago was part of the reason she had been afflicted with the cancer which would soon end her life.

She had done what she had to save her girls from that vile Mr. Collins and his intimidating friend. She had no doubt at the time his threats against their lives were not idle. Surely when she met St. Peter at the gates to heaven he would understand that? However, would he grant her entry without confession? She knew he would not. Her sins would only be forgiven if she made a full and complete confession.

She had not heard from the reprehensible man for well over six years, so surely it had to be safe to relieve herself of the burden. More than ten years after the events at the inn she had moved her daughters to Broughten-in-Furnace in Lancashire to be as far away from the guilt she felt each time she saw the Bennets and when she had helped deliver the three daughters who had come after. At least they had been females so she had not needed to take any actions to protect her daughters.

Both of her daughters were married, so even if that Collins man tried to seek them out, he would have no idea what the names by which they now went were. Assuring herself her girls would be safe, ignoring the pain she felt from moving out of her bed, Mrs. Brown sat at the small corner table in her room and began to write. She confessed all in great detail, and named her daughters as witnesses to be able to attest to the veracity of what she had written. In closing she begged forgiveness from the families who had been affected by her actions. In great pain, Mary managed to return to her bed before she summoned the lady who kept house for her and doubled as her nurse. She told the woman to send for her daughters, she knew it was time.

As their husbands’ homes were not far from their mother’s, the daughters arrived within the hour. Both had followed their mother into midwifery and that experience told them their mother was living her final hours in the mortal world. As soon as the door to her small chamber was closed, Mrs. Brown beckoned her daughters to come close to her. She relayed her belief that unless a full confession was made she would not enter the kingdom of heaven.

“All is explained in this letter. Please promise me you will post it to the Bennets,” Mrs. Brown begged. “I should have never given in to my fear and done this.” Tears fell from her eyes under the weight of her guilt.

“Mama, rest now. We will do as you wish,” the older sister, Jenny Smith soothed her mother.

“Please, Mama. Let us think of more pleasant subjects,” Alice Banks, the younger of the daughters begged.

“You…must…so…I…enter…heav…” Anything else Mary Brown wanted to say was lost to her daughters as she had breathed her last.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~

While their husbands were at the funeral for their mother, Jenny and Alice consoled each other as they sat in the latter’s sitting room.

“Alice we cannot post this letter,” Jenny stated as she looked at the letter which was resting on the table. “We should burn it.”

“No Jenny! We promised Mama, and if she is right, your doing so will consign her to purgatory,” Alice worried. “How can we break the last vow we made to our mother in this way?”

“I had my fingers crossed,” Jenny revealed.

“Jen, we are no longer little girls, so you know that means nothing. Why do you want to ignore Mama’s final wish?” Alice pushed.

“Alice, look at the ranks of those involved, do you want to chance us being arrested and possibly hanged or transported? We have husbands and children of our own to think of now.”

Always the more thoughtful of the two, Alice cogitated on her sister’s words. “I propose a compromise. Rather than consign Mama’s letter to the fire, I will lock it in Pete’s safe. If we are ever approached on the subject, and we are assured there will be no repercussions to us, then we will hand the letter over and tell all we know.”

Jenny Smith chewed on what her sister suggested for a few minutes. She could see no danger in it. “I agree, this way we will still fulfil our promise to Mama. Remember she never had us swear to when we would do so.”

“My prayer is that her writing the confession will allow her entry into heaven,” Alice opined. “We need to see if our husbands are able to discover anything about that criminal man Mr. Clem Collins. If he is no longer a threat, it will make what we have to do easier.”

With agreement reached, Alice took the letter, unlocked the safe in her husband’s office, and slid the sealed missive below the other contents. Once she had done so, she locked the safe once more.

That night, she told her husband what had been decided. Pete Banks had no argument with the decision his wife had made regarding the letter. He knew he had been a lucky man to win Alice Brown’s hand so there was very little he would not do for her. As they lay in the bed, he held his Alice as she cried for her departed mother, as she had each night since her passing.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~

In May 1808, William Collins turned eight and twenty. He very much wanted to find himself a wife, but to date, for reasons he could not fathom, three ladies from Amersham, the market town in Buckinghamshire where the church he served was, had refused him and none of their fathers had supported his suit regardless of the fact as a clergyman and heir to an estate his offer was the best they would ever receive.

One evening he had spoken to his vicar who, once hearing the story of the breach with the Bennets, had suggested that seeing that he was a clergyman it would be right to heal the rift in the family.

Father had been gone more than four years and as far as he knew all his cousin had was four or five daughters. An idea formed in his head so he decided it was time to write a letter to his cousin.