Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

“ C harles,” the lady called in a piercing voice as she descended from the carriage, “Louisa sent me to collect you and take you to Scarborough for you were expected days ago. The wedding cannot proceed without your presence since you must sign the settlements and give her away. I knew that, given your closeness to Mr. Darcy, you would be reluctant to leave as scheduled.”

Bingley frowned when his sister’s words reached him. “I am scheduled to leave on Monday and have already made preparations to do so. There was no reason for you or Louisa to collect me, as I had already sent several letters, each clearly stating my intentions to arrive on Wednesday. As you have come to Pemberley uninvited, what is your plan for the next two days? You cannot travel on a Sunday, which you must have already known.”

She scoffed, “Surely Pemberley is large enough that you could impose upon your friend to beg for a room for your sister to stay until we can leave on Monday. Though, perhaps, the Darcys would wish us to stay a few extra nights. There is still above a fortnight before Louisa’s wedding, and she seems to have it all well in hand. ”

Bingley sent a pleading look to his friend, requesting his aid in this situation. “I will ask Mrs. Reynolds to prepare a room, but you must impress upon her that she is not an invited guest, and she is never to attempt this again. I suppose I must agree to an introduction, though I am loath to reward her presumption in this way,” Darcy replied, his voice quiet and obviously displeased.

Mrs. Gardiner stepped forward to offer her assistance. “William, would you like me to escort this young lady into the house while you speak to the housekeeper and inform your father of your unexpected guest?” Her tone was kind, but there was something in it that made Caroline Bingley flush.

“Thank you for your assistance, Mrs. Gardiner,” Darcy replied, grateful for the offer. “Bingley, if you would please go with them to handle the necessary introductions. Miss Bingley, kindly go with Mrs. Gardiner. She will make sure you are settled while I speak to the housekeeper and my father about your arrival. You and your brother will depart as scheduled on Monday. I will extend you some small measure of hospitality based on my friendship with your brother, but your arrival is an imposition. Do not repeat such an action again.” His voice was firm and once again, Miss Bingley could not help but flush, this time with shame at being reprimanded.

Caroline Bingley, though visibly annoyed by the perceived slight, nodded and followed Mrs. Gardiner toward the house. Darcy watched them go, a sense of unease settling over him at this guest. He turned to Bingley, who looked both apologetic and frustrated.

“I am sorry, Darcy,” Bingley said quietly as he began to make his way toward the house behind his sister. “I did not anticipate her arriving or acting in such a way. She has not been introduced to you or your family; even she must recognise this as a serious breach of propriety.”

“It is not your fault, Bingley,” Darcy reassured his friend. “But we must ensure she understands the boundaries. Pemberley is not a place for such presumptions. She will not be welcome to join the family for meals or entertainment though I suppose she ought to be permitted to attend church with us. Other than that, she will have to stay confined to her rooms. She may visit the grounds accompanied by a footman or a maid, but she is not to wander the house unaccompanied. A footman will be assigned to stand outside her rooms, and her maid’s activities will be likewise restricted.”

Bingley nodded, looking genuinely contrite. “I will speak to her, Darcy. I promise I will tell her what you have said and make your displeasure, as well as my own, known to her. I cannot believe that Louisa encouraged this behaviour and wondered how she managed to travel so far.”

Darcy watched his friend make his way into the house behind his sister before heading that way himself. He needed to speak with Mrs. Reynolds about the restrictions on the lady and inform his father of their unexpected guest. Still, he could not help but feel a sense of irritation at today’s events. Caroline Bingley’s blatant attempt to insert herself into their plans was unwelcome, and he could only hope that her stay would be uneventful.

Back on the lawn, Elizabeth watched the scene unfold with a mixture of curiosity and concern. She had not missed the tension in Darcy’s expression or the way Caroline Bingley had eyed him with clear intent. Though she was not yet out, she had heard enough stories about avaricious women who sought to tie themselves to a man for fortune and connections, and even she recognised that Pemberley itself would be a significant draw for most women. She listened when the men spoke and knew that despite what was commonly reported in society, the Darcy family brought in far more each year than most people knew.

As Mrs. Gardiner and Caroline disappeared into the house, Elizabeth followed and approached Darcy as he sought out the housekeeper.

“You will be cautious around Miss Bingley, will you not?” she said as she came up behind him. “I may be young, but I can recognise a mercenary woman when I see one. Is not Mr. Bingley’s family from trade? I think his sister desires to use you to raise her status.”

Darcy whirled around to glare at Elizabeth. “You are far too perceptive for your own good, Elizabeth. But yes, I intended to take precautions. I will let the staff know Miss Bingley is not to be anywhere in the house unescorted, aside from her own rooms, and her maid is to be watched as well. I will station a footman outside her rooms and another at the entrance to the family wing.”

“And the servants’ hallways in these areas?” Elizabeth inquired.

Frowning, Darcy stared at Elizabeth for another moment. “Perhaps I will have another footman stationed in the back hallway near mine and my father’s rooms. It may be presumptuous, but I suppose in this instance, it is better to be overly cautious.”

“I struggle to believe that any woman could truly act in such a way, but I have heard the stories about ladies who attempt to compromise men to force them into a marriage. For years, I watched the relationship between my parents, and more recently, I have seen how my aunt and uncle relate to one another, and I would infinitely prefer a marriage made for mutual love and affection. My father would not stand up to my mother and allowed her nerves and complaining to dictate his actions. There was no love there—not for his wife, and certainly not for his children. Had he loved any of us, he would have stood up to my mother and demanded that she love their children equally. My Aunt and Uncle have that sort of relationship, one based on mutual love and respect for the other. They have been married for more than a decade, and their love has grown stronger as they have faced life’s difficulties together. When I marry one day, if I marry, I want a marriage like theirs,” Elizabeth concluded.

Darcy nodded. “Fortunately, I have spent little time in society so far, having been largely spared that experience due to my father’s illness. I attended a few events this season when required, but they were quite miserable. There were far too many people, and everyone seemed focused solely on a person’s monetary or social worth. No one showed interest in my character, likes, or dislikes. I have no desire to make a match based on wealth and connections, and my father shares that sentiment. I remember discussing it with him last year, and he encouraged me to find someone who sees me as a person, not someone who merely sees the Darcy name with its Fitzwilliam connections. My Aunt Matlock has been continually pushing me to seek the most well-connected and well-dowered young lady, but that is not what I want. Not that I am contemplating marriage. If my father dies before summer ends, as we suspect, it will be at least a year, if not longer, before I even consider looking for a wife.”

Elizabeth grinned at him. “I am uncertain if I wish you to be married or unmarried when I come out in society. Uncle Gardiner has said that he will find someone to sponsor me when I reach the proper age—my aunt wishes me to come out in two years, though I have tried to argue that I should wait until I am eighteen.”

“Your birthday was in May, was it not?” Darcy asked.

She laughed. “Yes, and you were at my birthday dinner, sir, so I am astounded that you could forget. Aunt Gardiner says that since I turn eighteen in the middle of the season, I should not wait until the following year but begin attending events at seventeen. Since Uncle Gardiner is in trade, I will attend fewer events, and likely few of the same events that you attend, but I do hope you will partner with me a time or two when the time comes.”

“It would be a pleasure, Miss Gardiner,” he said formally, with a bow that made her giggle. “In fact, might I ask for your first dance, whenever and wherever that may be, after your dance with your uncle, of course?”

She curtseyed with equal formality. “I would be delighted to accept your invitation, Mr. Darcy,” she replied, though she let out another laugh as she answered. Their tête à tête was interrupted by a cleared throat behind them .

“Sir, I was informed that you were looking for me,” Mrs. Reynolds said, her tone filled with warmth. Although she appeared displeased—most likely due to her encounter with their uninvited guest—she clearly adored the two people in front of her, and her affection was evident in her voice as she spoke to them.

“I was, Mrs. Reynolds. I take it from the look on your face that you have already met our … guest,” Darcy stated tiredly.

“Yes, and Mrs. Gardiner told me a few things about the woman. I have already tasked one footman to be on guard outside Miss Bingley’s chambers and another stationed in the family wing. There will be others in the servants’ passages in that wing, and I have informed the staff that the lady’s maid is to be escorted everywhere. Neither she nor Miss Bingley will be able to go anywhere within the grounds of Pemberley without being observed by someone.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds. I intended to ask you to do exactly as you have already done. As usual, it seems you have anticipated my thoughts and ensured that everything is taken care of as it should be. Please have someone assigned to serve Miss Bingley all her meals, as I do not wish for her to join the family at those times either. She will have to attend church with us in the morning, but she will ride with her brother in their carriage, not in mine. They will not sit in our pew; it will be full on the morrow,” Darcy finished.

“I met the woman only briefly, but she is the sort to cause trouble, if allowed. Her brother will have a time finding someone to marry her, and she obviously wishes it to be you or someone like you. I will ensure your father is well looked after as well, though I do not think she would try anything with him. Your father would refuse to marry her even if she managed a compromise, as he still views himself as married to your mother,” Mrs. Reynolds said, flushing when she realised how bold she had been in speaking to the almost-master about a guest, even one who was uninvited .

No one saw Bingley again until that evening. It was obvious from his demeanour that he had a difficult afternoon while speaking with his sister. “Darcy, I cannot say enough how sorry I am for my sister’s actions. She was quite displeased to learn that she would not be able to ingratiate herself into your presence and was livid when the maid arrived to bring her the meal. I was unfortunately passing by her room when the maid scurried out of the room, carrying the ruined tray. Caroline will not be satisfied until she has made a fool of herself. I am astonished that the younger sister I once knew could have turned into such a harpy, but I am afraid that school did more to ruin her than to help her.”

Darcy, who was sitting with Elizabeth, stood and clasped his friend on the shoulder in silent acceptance. “Has she entered society yet?”

Bingley shook his head. “No. Our mourning for our father has only just ended. That is why Louisa is finally to marry; she and Gilbert Hurst preferred to wait until the mourning period was over, so no one thought ill of us for rushing things. Caroline finished at the girls’ school my father enrolled her in just this past spring and has decided, based on what she had heard me say, that you are the ideal suitor to raise her standing within the ton. She was insistent that once you met her, you would be convinced she is the perfect woman to become the mistress of such a grand estate.”

“After her behaviour today, especially arriving as she did, it is unlikely I would have ever considered her for such a position. It is likely I will soon be in mourning myself and do not intend to seek a bride for several more years. When I do, it will be with a woman I can genuinely care for and who values me more for myself than for Pemberley,” Darcy told him. “From the look in her eye when she stepped down from her carriage, Miss Bingley desires Pemberley for itself, and could not care less about the man who comes with it.”

At this, Elizabeth trilled a light, happy laugh. “I am uncertain about that, William. I noticed her expression when she first saw you. While she might be eager to take Pemberley regardless of its owner, she certainly seemed quite taken with your handsome appearance this afternoon.”

When Darcy’s face turned a brilliant shade of red, Elizabeth laughed cheerfully again. After a moment of stunned surprise, first Bingley, then Darcy joined her in the laughter. The Gardiners and the elder Mr. Darcy were surprised at the sounds they heard coming from the room when they joined the young people.

“Here now,” the elder Mr. Darcy said insistently, “what is the cause of all of this mirth? I expected to find the lot of you in an ill-humour after our unexpected arrival, and while I am pleased to find you in good spirits, I am curious to know what caused it.”

For some reason, this statement made Bingley laugh harder and it was Darcy who finally found his voice and responded to his father. “It is probably not that amusing, sir, but Miss Elizabeth here mentioned how pleased Miss Bingley was at my appearance. It disconcerted me somewhat, and then we all found it rather amusing.”

Elizabeth’s uncle frowned. “Were you impolite, Elizabeth?”

Elizabeth shook her head, but before she could defend herself, Darcy interjected. “Not at all, sir. I usually find Miss Elizabeth’s opinions and her direct way of expressing them quite refreshing, and that was certainly the case this time as well. She simply caught me by surprise, that is all. She is a remarkably astute young lady, very skilled at reading others and getting to the heart of the matter.”

Gardiner merely nodded, eyeing the young man and his niece for several long moments. Concluding nothing was amiss, he continued: “Bingley, how was your conversation with your sister? I gather that she was not pleased to learn her machinations would not work?”

Once again, Bingley hung his head slightly and shook it as though to clear a memory. “I am convinced that school did her no favours. Caroline believes that a man will overlook her status as a tradesman’s daughter and wish to marry her for her accomplishments and her fortune. While that might be true in some cases, almost all the men she desires to wed—for she believes she is destined for a wealthy gentleman at least, if not a member of the peerage—would find it difficult to accept her as a bride, unless he direly needed that fortune, due to her status as the daughter of a tradesman. Forgive me, I do not mean to speak ill of anyone, but I know, Darcy, that were it not for your friendship with me, I would not be as accepted as I am in society. There are simply too many well-dowered and much better-connected women available for men like you to choose from. Caroline has little to offer a man like you, but you are precisely the kind of man she desires.”

“As I said earlier, Bingley, your sister is the opposite of what a man like me wants in a wife. And that has little to do with her status,” Darcy replied.

“Let us change the topic to a more pleasant one,” Mrs. Gardiner interjected, believing this conversation had gone on long enough. “Mr. Bingley, you are to depart on Monday for your sister’s wedding, are you not?” At his nod, she continued. “Then we should make tonight’s dinner something of a farewell. I have a feeling tomorrow will be eventful. Your gardeners warned of a summer storm on the morrow and informed me and the children that they are a sight to behold.”

With this, the conversation turned more general, and the topic of Caroline Bingley was avoided for the rest of the evening. The party soon moved to the dining room, where they enjoyed a sumptuous meal, before retiring to the music room, where Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth both graced the party with music.