Bingley's Deception Read online

  “Miss Elizabeth, I know that this is not the appropriate time, but I need to speak to you. You have endured so much today, and I am unsure if you are well enough to hear me out.” Wearily Lizzy nodded her consent, so Darcy continued. “I fell in love with during our time in Meryton. This morning I arrived at Oakham Mount to propose marriage to you. I was happily anticipating your consent when you arrived so distraught that I knew something horrible had happened.” Darcy scared that she would reject him due to the day’s activities. She had been overwhelmed with all the changes in her life. “Will you please consider marrying me? I will fix this problem that Miss Bingley caused. I will restore you and your sister’s reputations. I am doing this out of love, not an obligation.”

  Tears were falling from Elizabeth’s eyes as she listened to his words. “Mr. Darcy, the reason I was so upset with you this morning was that I was falling in love with you as well. Thinking that you had deceived me broke my heart.” Elizabeth looked at Darcy, observing his reactions. “Listening to Bingley and Georgiana, I know that you did not lie, Miss Bingley did. If this does not destroy you and Georgiana, I will marry you. However, if my ruin causes any problems for you or your sister, I will leave England. I will not allow my ruined reputation to harm either of you. I care about both of you too much to cause you problems. Please understand, I would never allow those that I love to be harmed.”

  Holding Elizabeth’s hand, Darcy stated determinedly. “I will fix this problem.” Darcy paused. “Would you allow us to change our plans slightly? Instead of marrying in London, why don’t we head to Pemberley soon after we arrive in London? I will need at least three days in town to procure a special license. After I have the document, we can have an intimate family wedding in the chapel on our estate. My family includes several peers who will support us completely. They will spread the information regarding our plans, denying Caroline’s claims completely. Would you consider marrying me as soon as we can arrange it?” Darcy continued, making plans as he spoke. “My staff will also spread the news that this was planned. No one who knows my family will give Caroline Bingley any credibility.”

  “Yes Mr. Darcy, I agree that we need to head to Pemberley. You can contact your relatives and staff while we are in London for a brief stay. I will not have a wedding gown made in time for the ceremony. I am unsure what possessions I have; they are all in the trunks that were packed by my family.” Lizzy paused, unsure of how to proceed but needing the answers to her questions. She needed to think clearly, not cry. “Why do you want to marry me? Are you proposing to fix this problem? I want love, not pity or guilt.”

  “Elizabeth, I love you. From the moment that I met you, I was attracted to you. While enjoying tea I had a difficult time tearing my eyes away from your beauty. I have heard of your kindness throughout town. During our time together, your stories demonstrated compassion for those under your care. At the bookstore, I witnessed your intelligence and caring. You earned respect from all the people that knew you.” Darcy drawing circles on her hand. “Watching you interact with my sister and the tenants allowed me to view you as a woman worthy of being loved, one who would be a wonderful mistress to my estates. I love you, dearest. I did appear at your favorite spot to ask for your hand this morning. Please understand that I will always love you.” Lifting her hand to his mouth, Darcy kissed her wrist. This caused her to shiver.

  Crying some more, Elizabeth kissed Darcy’s hand. “I believe you.” Darcy picked her up and moved her to his bench in the carriage. He then gathered her to his side, holding her to provide comfort. His heart broke due to her tears. He wanted to protect her from this day forward.

  “Dearest, please don’t cry. We will turn this into a happy event. We will make our families and society understand that we want to marry. As your sisters marry, if they contact us and you agree, we will invite them to visit. I will do all I can to restore you to your family.” Darcy held Elizabeth close to his side for the remainder of the ride into London. They both needed comfort from their embrace. Lizzy rested her head on his shoulder; this was a new feeling for the couple. Darcy enjoyed holding her next to him.

  “I will invite aunt and uncle to Darcy House. We will be staying three nights only. We head to Pemberley as soon as I have the documents necessary for our wedding. I will be writing some letters to send express. After I drop you ladies off at our home, I will head to my solicitor’s office and the Doctor’s Commons to apply for a special marriage license. It is early enough that I can have these documents finalized before we leave town. We can marry by the beginning of next week.” Darcy wanted to involve Elizabeth in the plans, hoping she would approve of his actions. He feared overwhelming his future bride; she had much to deal with at this time.

  Lizzy listened to her betrothed’s ideas. She knew that she loved the man sitting next to her. After the attack, she needed time to rest and think. Would marrying Darcy harm his family? What about his sister? If Lizzy’s ruin was known in town, would Georgie be damaged as well? Lizzy would never allow that. If the taint could not be removed, Lizzy would make plans to leave England. She could never hurt either of the Darcys.

  Realizing that she loved him enough to what was best for him, Lizzy hurt even more. She might not be the appropriate choice for his wife. She needed to contact the owners of Netherfield. They would help her, or would they? Lizzy needed time to think about her next step. She would do anything to help Darcy, even leave him. If he truly loved her, wouldn’t that harm him as well? Lizzy was scared of her future; she might end up alone.

  Chapter Eight: Caroline’s Fate

  “Mrs. Jones, once my friends have left, I will need you to wake my sister and have her escorted to the study. While waiting, I will be writing some letters. May I also have some coffee before Caroline arrives?” Charles had a few letters to write and send express, and he needed to have them mostly completed before meeting with his sister. The information she provided would guide his decisions on what her future would be. Sadly, Charles wondered what Caroline’s life would be like after this incident.

  Charles had already prepared letters to Frank Lowry, the Hursts and his uncle in Scarborough. Depending on his conversation with Caroline, he would either send the messages or send for a physician. All the information regarding Caroline’s actions was clearly stated in the letters, as was Darcy’s determination to have Caroline cut from London society. Charles needed to know if Lowry would still agree to marry Caroline after her recent actions. While waiting for his sister’s arrival, Charles began reading the advertisements for mail-order brides. If Lowry rejected Caroline, she would need to leave England permanently. Charles knew that once Caroline left Netherfield, he would end all contact with his sister.

  The Hursts would be required to be available for the wedding if Lowry agreed to accept Caroline as his wife. Lowry was a minor gentleman. Before yesterday, her marrying Lowry would have raised her level of society. However, now, Caroline would be shunned in London society for the near future, and Lowry needed to understand that he would not be able to attend any events held by the ton with Caroline by his side. The Bingleys and the Hursts would also be affected by her deception. Bingley would need to move to Scarborough temporarily. He thought he might give up the lease on Netherfield; it would be hard to return to the town that rejected his best friend’s wife. The gossips in this town rivaled the ones in London.

  “Why have you called me here brother? I need to supervise breakfast being served for our guests. Darcy will be upset if his sister does not get the attention she deserves.” Caroline was upset that she had been dragged out of bed, worried that she would not make a good impression on Darcy. Instead of allowing Charles the opportunity to speak, she attacked. “I want to ensure that Darcy approves of my being the mistress of this house. We will speak later brother, I have work to complete to manage your house properly.”

  “Sit down; we have some things to discuss today. Our guests have decided to return to London, and they purposefully left before you woke. T
hey will not be returning as long as you are in this house. They have cut all ties with you. If you return to London, do not expect to be admitted into their homes, or the homes of any decent individuals of the ton. I will be giving up the lease on Netherfield once I have rectified the problems you have created.” Bingley watched for his sisters’ reactions. “What did you tell the matrons at the assembly last evening? I know the truth, so do not lie to me.”

  “I saved Fitzwilliam. He was falling for a fortune hunter, a woman not worthy of our friend. I had to eliminate her from the town so that he would be safe.” Caroline claimed haughtily, attempting to bluff her brother. “I also saved you. You were dancing with her sister as much as Darcy was dancing with that hoyden. If Miss Elizabeth is a fortune hunter, then her sister is one as well.” Caroline tried to leave the study to find the Darcys. Charles grabbed her arm and kept her in the room. He had never handled her this way before; she was scared.

  “You will sit in that chair until I have all the information I need to proceed,” Charles demanded, upset that his sister had caused problems with his friend. This was the harshest he had ever spoken to Caroline.

  “I need to see Darcy. I need him to understand that I did this for him. I want him to be happy. He cannot marry a woman with no connections, no wealth, no beauty. I saved him.” Caroline began crying, worried that Darcy would leave her. “Where is he? I need to see him. I need him to understand that Miss Elizabeth is unacceptable for our society.”

  “Georgiana and Darcy left this morning after he found Elizabeth. She was distraught; she has been thrown out of her home due to your lies. Her family has rejected her. She will need to find a new home. She has no family anymore.” Charles yelled at his sister. He was furious. Caroline had not spoken any words indicating that she admitted that her actions were wrong. Did she know right from wrong? “Darcy found her sobbing after her mother physically assaulted her. She collapsed as he reached her. Elizabeth has lost everything precious to her because of your lies. Her sisters are ruined along with her. Without adequate dowries, they will not be able to make good marriages. They do not have a proper dowry to help with their marriage prospects. How could you Caroline?”

  “That was their father’s responsibility to provide for them. They should have been more aware of their place in society. Miss Elizabeth should never have tried to trap Darcy. She is not good enough for him.” Caroline was angry that her plan did not work. She could not believe that Darcy would marry anyone other than her. “Why are you so upset? I have saved our friend.”

  “Then you have no friends anymore. Darcy and Georgiana refuse to see you ever again. They will not acknowledge you for any reason. You will never be allowed to contact them again. If you are in the same vicinity, they will give you the direct cut. You have socially ruined the Bingley name, destroying all of our parents' dreams due to your actions. The Fitzwilliams will support Darcy’s wife. Socially we are ruined.” Bingley was getting more frustrated with Caroline. She still felt that her behavior was completely justified. Was there something wrong with his sister? “You have caused the very event you claim that you wanted to prevent. Darcy took Elizabeth with him to London. He plans on marrying her once the special license arrives.”

  “We have to stop them. We need to prevent that woman from marrying our friend.” Caroline shouted, trying to leave the study to chase after a carriage that had left an hour before. She did not have any thought of packing, just reaching Darcy before he married. “She is not good enough for Darcy.”

  “No, we need to make sure that we stop your lies and tell the truth. You maliciously caused the downfall of a lady and her entire family. I need to make restitution due to your lies. I will use your dowry to create dowries for the rest of the Bennet sisters.” Charles wanted Caroline to understand that she would be punished for these lies. Taking away her wealth would be the worst punishment that he could ever enact. “I will encourage Mr. Bennet to sue you for slander. That will take all of your dowry from you. You will need to leave the country and find work. I will no longer support you.”

  “How did this happen?” Caroline stood and looked out the window confused. “I just wanted to protect Fitzwilliam.”

  “You claimed that you were engaged to Darcy. Did he ever propose to you? He has told me many times that he has no intention of ever marrying you for any reason. Caroline, we spoke of this several times. You know that Darcy wanted to marry for love; he found Miss Elizabeth and fell in love with her.” Bingley wanted Caroline to understand that her actions were wrong. “Why did you do this?”

  “I did not feel that she was good enough for him. I have been around Darcy since I was seventeen. I became a good friend of his. Why did he not want to marry me?” Caroline stated that tears were streaming down her cheeks. “I am the best person for him. He and I dance well together. We laugh. I became friends with his sister. Why did he not choose me?”

  “In everything that you just said, I did not hear anything about you loving him. You used him to increase your social standing. You turned away good men as suitors because they were not him. You never loved him. You still have not stated that you are sorry for ruining the Bennets. Do you understand that what you did to Miss Elizabeth and her family was wrong?” Bingley was disheartened that Caroline was refusing to accept any responsibility for her actions. She still believed that Miss Elizabeth deserved to be lied about. “I believe that you are unbalanced. I will have a doctor arrive from London today to examine you. If he deems that you are not mentally stable, I will have you admitted to a sanitarium tomorrow. Then I will proceed in fixing your mistake.”

  Pulling the chord, Bingley summoned the housekeeper. “Mrs. Jones, please have a maid and several footmen escort my sister to her room. I want all the exits from the room secured. I want anything that could be used to harm oneself removed from the room before she enters.” Bingley worried that Caroline was losing her mind, and she was not just angry for being overlooked by Darcy. “I am sending for a doctor to evaluate her mental state.” After Caroline was removed, Bingley called Mrs. Jones back into the room. “I want our biggest gossip from the staff to be given the facts that the Darcys have left town due to Caroline’s lies and that I have called for a doctor to evaluate her mental state for potential admittance to a private sanitarium. Send this staff member to town to order supplies for tonight’s dinner. This should begin to help the Bennet family.”

  “Yes sir, I will send Sandra, the kitchen maid to order the roast for tonight and Jones our stable boy to take one of the horses to the blacksmith. The smithy is our worst gossip in town. If the horse needs a new shoe, Jones will have time to speak of all that has transpired here at Netherfield today. By noon, the entire town will know about the Darcys leaving and you calling for a physician to evaluate your sister.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate your diligence in getting the truth out. My sister is a menace. I hope that we can undo the damage she has caused.” Bingley returned to his letters. The one to his uncle would be sent immediately. The family would need to be prepared for his arrival sometime next week. He would hold the message for Frank Lowry and his sister Louisa until the doctor concluded his exam. Caroline may never marry if she was deluded. Charles needed to prepare his family for the fallout of her actions.

  Caroline had harmed a family member for the upper echelons of society. As a result, she would never be allowed to be part of the society that she craved. But would her downfall affect every member of the Bingley family? Only time would tell if any of their family would be allowed back into London society. Charles needed to have Louisa removed from London, fearing that she would be cut as well. He also needed to warn his uncle not to send his cousins to London for some time, they all would take part in Caroline’s downfall.

  Chapter Nine: Family Support?

  “Mrs. Barnes, I am honored to introduce you to my betrothed, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. She will be staying here with us, could you please make up a room for her in the family wing? She and I will m
arry as soon as we can make the arrangements. I expect you to make her feel comfortable and know that she has my full authority to make any changes she deems necessary to our property.” William made the proper introductions, then turned to his sister and bride. “Georgie, can you please help make Elizabeth comfortable? She has had a trying day, and she might need your assistance.”

  “Will your family be arriving to meet your intended?” Mrs. Barnes was concerned about the speed of this marriage. Did a compromise take place? She needed to speak to Brown and see what happened. “Do you intend to have a family dinner to present Miss Elizabeth to them?” She needed directions on what the staff would be required to provide that night.

  “It is still early in the day, could you plan for a family dinner? Georgie, could you please invite our Fitzwilliam relatives to dine with us tonight. It would be beneficial to have our engagement announced sooner than later. We will need their support to stop any rumors from taking hold.” William was worried that this was too much to place on Elizabeth’s shoulders today but realized it would be better to be done with it. The sooner the Fitzwilliams were involved, the sooner they could discredit Caroline’s false claims.

  Once the ladies were settled, Darcy left to attend to his errands. The solicitor sent a lesser partner to the Doctor’s Commons to apply for the special license. Then Darcy arranged for the marriage contracts to be started and his will rewritten to include his new wife. He wanted everything finalized before leaving for Pemberley.

  Mrs. Barnes, the Darcy Housekeeper, arranged dinner for the Fitzwilliam and Darcy families. The coming evening would have some ups and downs, especially with his planned announcement. The Fitzwilliams would be told the truth of what happened. Darcy knew that he needed to be honest with his family, or they would not support Elizabeth. Georgie requested for the butler to refresh the libations, realizing that extra bottles might be required to help calm their family when they learned of recent events. Their family would be shocked, wanting to protect them both from harm.