Chapter 15

C olonel Fitzwilliam looked around at the obvious celebration. Seeing Bingley beaming like the cat who had all of the cream, he surmised the man’s application had been a success. It was not hard to tell which Miss Bennet was the one Bingley was attached to as she was giving him as many besotted looks as he was her.

From Darcy’s telling, he had expected one or two of the young ladies to be fawning over him due to his being in uniform. Surprisingly, there had been no reaction from any of the ladies.

Thanks to his cousin’s description of the family members, the Colonel identified the lady who unknowingly, and who more than likely did not desire such, had his cousin in her thrall. Besides the one next to Bingley, there were two more Misses Bennet. When God had assigned beauty and intelligence, He had not skimped on any of the Misses Bennet. Had Darcy not told him there were five sisters? Yet he only saw four. Based on his cousin’s description, he assumed that the missing sister had been removed from society. The Colonel snapped himself out of his reverie. Forster was looking at him and waiting. As the highest ranking man in the room, he had forgotten to speak.

“Forster, if you would do me the honour of introducing everyone to me, that is other than Bingley, I would be grateful,” Fitzwilliam recovered.

As soon as Forster had finished, Fitzwilliam addressed the six Bennets. “I am Mr Darcy’s cousin and co-guardian of his sister, Georgiana, and I am fully aware my cousin did not acquit himself well while he was Bingley’s guest.”

Elizabeth was surprised Colonel Fitzwilliam did not seem at all prideful, arrogant, or above his company like his cousin. Further, he had more reason to be such as he was the son of an earl. “Did Mr Bingley tell you how your cousin acquitted himself when he was among us? I am surprised,” Elizabeth turned to her future brother with a smile, “as when we were in company together, Mr Bingley’s attention was always on Jane.”

“Firstly, I invite all of my future sisters to call me Charles. Secondly, no I have not discussed my friend’s actions in Hertfordshire with Fitzwilliam,” Bingley declared.

Thanks to Bingley’s speech, Fitzwilliam was made aware of which option the serene looking, extremely beautiful lady had chosen. It was not hard to see the love flowed in both directions between the engaged couple, but he had to own that Miss Bennet had made a fortuitous match with respect to fortune.

“If you did not speak of his behaviour, then who did? I cannot imagine it was your sisters,” Elizabeth mused, her eyebrows knitted together, as she tried to solve this puzzle.

“It was in fact my cousin who related how badly he had behaved, and yes, Miss Elizabeth, he told me of his unintentional insult to you at the assembly before he ever met you. That reminds me,” Fitzwilliam reached into his inside uniform pocket and withdrew a letter. He proffered it to Mr Bennet. “My cousin wrote a letter of apology and asked that I make sure this found its way into your hands.”

Bennet felt a certain amount of satisfaction at the shock clearly evident on Lizzy’s face. Her eyebrows had been raised when Colonel Fitzwilliam told that it was Mr Darcy who had reported all to him. When the letter was spoken of, her eyebrows had nearly disappeared into her hairline. As tempted as he was to do so, he did not send his second daughter an ‘ I told you so ’ look. “I thank you for the letter, Colonel. May I invite you two officers into my study? There are certain developments we need to discuss,” Bennet requested. He ignored Lizzy’s imploring look for him to read the letter first. Both colonels nodded and followed Bennet out of the drawing room.

“So, Lizzy, what say you now?” Fanny asked when the men had exited and the door had been closed.

“I am confused, Mama. I cannot account for his being willing to list his own faults and be contrite about them. It is indeed a humbling lesson to discover that almost every part of the sketch I made of Mr Darcy’s character was wrong. Papa,” Elizabeth looked around the room at her mother and sisters who were present, “and all of you here told me I jumped to conclusions with alacrity and would not be willing to bend when I was presented with facts which contradicted what I believed. Foolish girl that I was, or I am still I think, I ignored your words thinking I knew better. I owe all of you apologies. I beg the pardon of each one of you for my own improper pride and arrogance.”

“Of course we forgive you, Lizzy,” Fanny responded emphatically. “Have I not made many errors which have been forgiven? Hence, we pardon you, just as I have been.” Fanny’s other daughters present all nodded vigorously showing they agreed with their mother without reservation.

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

“Colonel, as you are a guardian to Miss Darcy, I must tell you that I shared my conclusions about the truth of what occurred with her in Ramsgate with my wife and the daughters who you just met. The one in the nursery is not to be trusted with any confidence.” Bennet noticed how both Colonels showed surprise when he mentioned he had included his wife in his disclosure. “My wife is not the same woman you knew her to be, Colonel Forster, nor is she still like how I suspect your cousin described her to you, Colonel Fitzwilliam.” He raised his hand as the two colonels were about to protest. “Both my wife and I did not behave as good parents until very recently. We have seen the error of our ways and are making fundamental changes. I am afraid it was a little too late for my youngest.”

“Is Miss Lydia well?” Colonel Forster enquired concernedly.

“For now she is. After the ball we discovered…” Bennet repeated an abbreviated version of Lydia’s ruin. “I know neither of you will repeat this, but I felt you needed to know and take it into account when you decide what to do with the bloody bastard who violated my girl. Yes, she should not have allowed him to take her virtue, but she claims that she believed the lies Wickham told her. I always knew she had fluff between her ears.”

“What are you going to do to protect your other daughters from being ruined along with Miss Lydia?” Forster enquired.

“I know of a convent, the Sisters of the Eternal Hope in Westmorland, which helps girls who have consequences, and if they do not, then the girl is educated. They specialise in wayward girls,” Bennet related.

“Westmorland is certainly distant enough,” Fitzwilliam agreed. “But Mr Bennet, what if she is carrying that bugger’s child?”

“Please call me Bennet.” He looked at both colonels. “If she is, then we will let it be known that Lydia had an accident at her school and died. No one who knows her will think anything untoward when they hear we are sending Lydia to a school for difficult girls. In fact we will be lauded for it,” Bennet responded.

“Please call me Forster, and this reprobate is Fitzwilliam.”

Bennet nodded.

“You say she claims it happened in the last few weeks?”

“Indeed, less than a month past. Unfortunately I decided to make changes too late to stop my youngest from ruining herself. I have thought of having her marry some man who would take her away, but I am sure that will excite talk, and if that worthless man ever heard what her true dowry is, he would be clamouring to marry her.” Bennet looked off into the distance and did not see the looks of surprise on the two men’s faces.

As Mr Bennet said no more about a dowry, neither colonel felt they could ask him what he meant without looking like fortune hunters.

“I have a suggestion,” Fitzwilliam stated. Both men looked at him waiting to hear what he had to say. “Forster, rather than cashier him, make him a private. Wickham needs to be sent to be cannon fodder on the front lines. A gaol cell is too good for that wastrel.”

“Bennet, do you object to Fitzwilliam’s suggestion?” Forster verified.

“I do not. I find I feel some perverse pleasure at the thought of that despoiler of my daughter in particular, and other young girls as well, facing the French.” Bennet had a thought. “Will he not attempt to desert as soon as may be?”

Fitzwilliam got a malevolent gleam in his eyes. “I will make sure that Wicky is placed in a section with men who will watch him like a hawk, and their platoon lieutenant will be fully warned about his new soldier. They will have orders which tell them that if he attempts to desert they are to shoot first and ask questions later. If by some miracle he escapes and returns to England, he will be hung as a deserter. It will give me great pleasure to convey all of this to Private Wicky.”

“Bennet, is there more we needed to discuss?” Forster enquired.

“I do not believe so. I need to read this letter,” Bennet lifted Darcy’s letter from his desktop. “Unless you two have an urgent need to return to Meryton, you are welcome to remain for tea.”

“Unfortunately my duties call me back to the regiment, but I am sure that Fitzwilliam here,” Forster inclined his head to his friend, “has no fixed engagements. He can deliver the news to the new private any time.”

“Forster is correct for once in his life,” Fitzwilliam ribbed. “I will remain for a little while, that way if you have questions regarding my cousin’s letter, I will be on hand to answer what I am able. I do know him better than any man alive. Over the years we have become more brothers than cousins.”

“When you join the ladies in the drawing room, would you please send my second daughter, Elizabeth, to me?” Bennet requested.

The two colonels nodded as they stood. Both proffered their hands before they exited the study. They made for the drawing room as Forster needed to take his leave of the ladies and Bingley.

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

Caroline Bingley decided talk of her ruination had been grossly exaggerated. No one in society would cut her. She was sure Mr Darcy would soon come to his senses and come to prostrate himself at her feet.

She decided some shopping on Bond Street was in order. Whenever she felt a little melancholy, spending her brother’s money was a balm to her soul. That was another thing she was convinced was not true. Charles would never have taken the trouble to go to each establishment she patronised and tell them he would not pay the invoices for her any longer. As punishment for his treatment of her, she decided she would order a whole new wardrobe, even though she had done so not four months ago.

Miss Bingley dressed in her most fashionable burnt orange ensemble and had a hackney cab ordered for herself and her maid. Wanting to make sure she looked just so, she had her maid change her coiffure twice before descending and seeing the small carriage, which had been waiting for her for more than twenty minutes.

“You there, you ruffian. I am not sure you should have the privilege of driving me,” Miss Bingley sneered with her nose in the air.

The driver did a quick calculation of how much money he had lost waiting for the woman, and then doubled it twice over for her rudeness. “It be ‘alf crown ‘afore I drive ya,” the cab driver demanded.

Miss Bingley could tell that the man would not back down, so with a disdainful sniff, she handed the coin to the man. Rather than help her in, he took to his driver’s seat and was off leaving a fuming Miss Bingley standing in front of the inn. “That man stole my money; I want him hanged!” Miss Bingley screeched.

“Actually, misses,” a footman on duty said, “what ‘e did were what ‘e told you. ‘Alf crown afore yer ride.”

As much as she hated to be proved wrong by some lowly servant, Miss Bingley ordered him to get her a hackney without further comment about her coin. Ten minutes later she and her maid were on their way to Bond Street. This time she made no rude comments to the driver.

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

Lady Elaine Fitzwilliam was enjoying her afternoon shopping on Bond Street with Ladies Cowper, Jersey, and Lieven. Her friend Lady Rose Rhys-Davies, the Duchess of Bedford, had not been able to join them at the beginning as she had another commitment. The four countesses were perusing fashion plates in the store of the premier and most exclusive modiste in London, Madam Chambourg. The store was closed to all except for them.

All four ladies looked up when they heard the bell over the door ring to announce someone entering the shop. “Rose!” Lady Matlock exclaimed. “We are all pleased you could join us. How are Marie and Sed?”

“Both well, as is my husband, and how are you all? Have I missed all the fun yet?” the duchess of Bedford replied with a wide smile. “Marie was to join us, but she decided to remain at Bedford House with her father and brother. I am sure it has nought to do with the young Earl of Granville visiting Sed.”

Lady Matlock felt a sadness in her chest when her friend mentioned her daughter being courted by Phillip Smythe. If her own Andrew had not been more interested in being a rake and a gamester, he would have been the one for Marie. Both his parents and hers had hoped for a family connection between them, however, when Marie had learnt of his mistresses, visits to courtesans, and other unsavoury activities, she had quite rightly withdrawn permission for Andrew, Viscount Hilldale, to call on her.

Even though his parents refused to fund his dissipated lifestyle, Andrew refused to reform. The Earl and Countess of Matlock prayed each and every day that their eldest son would change his ways. If only Andrew had a portion of Richard’s honour and character.

The countess of Matlock pushed the maudlin thoughts away, and pasted a smile on her face. She was with her good friends, here to enjoy their company and not be sad about her wayward eldest son.

All five ladies looked up when the bell over the door rang. They did not expect any other clients, as the shop was closed to all but them.

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

Caroline Bingley was fuming. The three shops she had visited told her all accounts in her name had been closed, and she would have to pay before they began to work on her clothing if she wanted to order anything. If that was not bad enough, her reception in society had not been what she desired. How dare Misses Grantly, Caruthers, and Masterton issue Caroline Maleficent Bingley the cut direct. They had the temerity to turn their backs on her; she would ruin them all!

She was angry and as such she did not think about the fact she had never been accepted as a client of Madam Chambourg. In addition, Caroline ignored the sign on the door which indicated the shop was closed to the general public. Hence she charged ahead throwing open the door before the worker within was able to lock it. She stalked in blindly, not paying attention to anyone who was present.

“I demand the modiste attend me now! Do you know who I am, I am…” Miss Bingley left her mouth hanging open but ceased making a sound when she saw the ladies glaring at her and registered who they were. A duchess and four countesses, three of them patronesses of Almack’s, a place to which she had never gained entry.

“Madam Chambourg, I thought this shop was for discerning clients. Who allowed this shrew, who could not tell the truth if her life depended upon it, and not to mention is dressed in the most hideous ensemble I have ever been forced to see, in the door when it is an exclusive showing for us?” Lady Matlock demanded.

“You have my sincerest apologies, Your Grace and your ladyships. I know not how one who is persona non grata in society forced her way into my shop. If you ladies would retire to the private showing room for tea and refreshments, I will discover how THAT , with no sense of style or colour, was allowed into my establishment,” the modiste stated contritely.

As soon as the five noble ladies entered the private room, the modiste turned to her assistant. “ éponine, how could you allow that person into my shop, especially when we are closed to all but the ladies? ” the modiste asked in French.

“ The cow pushed her way in before any of us could react. I am so sorry, Madame. She almost made me fall, ” the assistant replied, also in her native tongue.

“You, get out of my shop and never return!” Madam Chambourg commanded in her heavily accented English. Before she could say more, Lady Matlock, who had glided back into the main part of the shop, placed a hand on the modiste’s arm.

“Not only will you be cut by everyone in polite society, but if you show your face in London again, I will have my husband transport you to Van Diemen’s land! Did you think you could use my niece’s and nephew’s names in your lies with impunity? If you did, then you are even more delusional than they have told me. I dare you to claim a connection to me, or anyone in my extended family again. You do that, and I will make sure you spend the rest of your days as a servant! Now begone, you shrewish harpy!”

Lady Matlock turned her back on the orange monstrosity and went to join her friends.

As the enormity of her missteps and their consequences finally penetrated Caroline Bingley’s consciousness, she turned and fled, leaving her maid who had been waiting outside the store to run after her mistress. Miss Bingley jumped into the first hackney cab she saw, her maid following closely behind her. It was left to the maid to give directions to the driver as her mistress was in a stupor.