Elizabeth’s sister had some thinking to do; she loved Charles Bingley with all her heart and dearly wished for a proposal. However, his sister and her machinations must go. She had observed Miss Moody’s fawning over Darcy and was affronted for him, as well as for her sister. If Mr. Bingley was going to allow his sister to arrange his life and harm those he—and Jane—held dear, then she would have to make certain he understood his proposal would not be accepted, should he ever get around to making one. Jane decided to seek him out and try to discover which way he leaned in regards to Caroline and her friend.
While her sister and brother discussed the events in the garden, Jane knocked on the door to Bingley’s study, having asked a maid in the hallway to share his location. Hearing the occupant’s call for her to enter, she slid the door open and slipped into the room.
“Miss Bennet, are you well?” It appeared that Jane had been crying, and that alarmed him.
“I am not.” Jane looked down at her hands, clasped in front of her. This had already been a trying day and what she needed to say to this man that she loved so much was not going to be pleasant. Gathering her mental fortitude, she stiffened her spine and looked up. “Your sister’s friend, Miss Moody, has behaved in a manner unbefitting a gentlewoman. In fact, she hardly warrants the name. My dearest sister sits just down the hall, in tears, because of the actions of that woman.”
Uhoh. Bingley swallowed. The distress he felt from his earlier conversation with Darcy had only just begun to abate. With her short speech, Jane had caused his stomach to once again churn and his palms to sweat. “I am so sorry, Miss Bennet. Darcy was already here; he related the whole of it to me. I will see to it that Miss Moody is gone in the next four and twenty hours.”
“Thank you.” Jane’s serenity was becoming more and more threatened the more she spoke, but this was too serious a situation to allow herself to give in to her feelings. “I believe, sir, that your sister is somehow involved in this incident. I would have her dealt with, as well. It is better that you do it than for me to. I am aware that I am seen by outsiders as mild, unassuming, and mindless, but I can assure you that when I am in the right, I am firm in my stance, and capable of being just as vindictive as my mother, not to mention more prone to pulling hair to make my point than any of my sisters are. I believe that you feel just as strongly for me as I do for you, and I would hate for anything to jeopardize our future together.”
Bingley swallowed. Her meaning was clear. “I, as well.” Oh heavens, I have to fix this! Nothing can be allowed to come between us! Bingley’s increased heart rate and shaking hands were the visible evidence of his panic. He walked to the sideboard and poured himself a drink, thankful that the focus required to keep from spilling it helped calm him.
After a further, brief discussion, Jane once more stepped into the hallway, heading to the staircase and her rooms.
Thirty minutes later, Bingley heard another knock. This time, it was a footman, who bowed and announced a visitor.
“Mr. Albert Meade to see you, sir.” He stepped out of the way to allow a tall, thin, well-dressed gentleman to enter.
Mr. Meade bowed in greeting to Bingley, then extended his hand. “Mr. Bingley, it is good to finally meet you.”
“Indeed, it is! I am happy to see you. How were the roads?”
“In Yorkshire, they are always tricky, but once on the London road, they were better.”
Bingley nodded. “Good, good. And the weather?”
Meade smiled. “The weather was pleasant. I know that we have just met, and that you are anxious to put me at my ease, but I confess I would rather get down to business now and take the time to know you later.”
Bingley chuckled. “I do not blame you a bit. My sister is a bit slippery at times.”
“That she is.” Meade pulled a ribbon-tied packet of papers out of his pocket. “I have brought the settlement. If there is anything that requires changing, we can have an attorney rewrite it.”
Bingley took the proffered contract and untied the ribbon. He carefully read the pages through, noting that Mr. Meade had provided handsomely for Caroline, both during his lifetime and after his death. “This is a comprehensive settlement. I am pleased with it.”
“Excellent. Shall we sign it, then?”
Bingley produced a quill and ink and proceeded to sign each page. He then handed the contract and writing tools to Meade and watched that gentleman sign, as well.
“I am impressed, Mr. Bingley,” began Meade, “with the care you took in your perusal of this document.”
“Ah, that.” Bingley blushed lightly. “One of the strongest lessons I learned from my father was that all contracts should be examined in detail to avoid surprises down the road. He related a tale to me of one of his first contracts, that he had signed without reading. He lost a significant amount of money due to a clause that, had he read the entire document, he would have objected to. Even though I was to be a gentleman, he felt it important that I learn that lesson without having to experience what he did.”
“He was a wise man.”
“That he was, and shrewd. I believe that is where Caroline gets it. She was born shrewd. Though, I confess that sometimes I feel more that we could take the ‘d’ off the word to best describe her.” Bingley’s tone of voice and expression were rueful. He was thinking about his sister’s friend, Darcy’s and Jane’s words to him, and his strong suspicion that Caroline was behind the whole farce in the garden.
Meade laughed. “Yes, I have noticed that tendency myself.”
Bingley’s eyes turned toward his companion. “Tell me, Mr. Meade, why do you want to marry my sister? What drew you to her?”
“Please, we shall be brothers, call me Meade.” When Bingley had indicated his acquiescence, Meade continued, “What drew me to Caroline was, at first, her striking beauty. I was fascinated by her looks. I asked for an introduction, and from there my feelings deepened. Your sister is a witty and charming woman. She is accomplished and intelligent. She will have to give up spending every season in London, though I see no problem in going down occasionally, at least until we begin to have children.”
“Do you believe she returns your feelings?”
“That I do not know, but I believe that she will sooner or later, even if she does not right now. I did not dare risk someone else catching her eye while I tried to convince her, so I secured her as soon as I knew my own feelings.”
“I wish you well, then. Welcome to the family!” Bingley shook Meade’s hand again before settling back in his seat and apprising him of the events of the last few days.
“You believe Caroline is behind all this?”
“I do. My sister is sly. She knows not to dirty her own hands and has confessed to me that she understands Darcy is no longer available. However, she hates to be thwarted, and is not above trying to come between them and make them as unhappy as she feels.”
“I can certainly see why you want her out of your hair so quickly. I confess to some jealousy; it is not good to know the woman you love is willing to separate a former suitor from his new wife.” Mr. Meade’s grave demeanour told the tale of his discomfort with the idea. He could not like that Caroline’s focus was on any other gentleman. He held himself stiffly in his chair, fists clenched as they lie on the arms of it.
“Darcy was never her suitor except in her head. He repeatedly said he would never marry her. Caroline simply refused to see reason.”
“Perhaps we should find the local church and purchase that common license, then.”
Rising, Bingley agreed. “Let us do it now. We will need to inform my sister, sooner rather than later.”
“I agree. What if we do that as soon as we return?”
“Capital idea.”
“Do you intend to confront her about her friend?”
“I do. I think it would be best if the lady leaves right away, so as soon as we return, I will speak to her.”
With that, the gentlemen left the house.
While Bingley and his soon-to-be-brother were making their way to the local church, Caroline was speaking with Imogene. Though she was uncertain of the success of the event and was hesitant to pay for a service that might have failed, Caroline knew it would be best to get her friend out of the house and back to London as soon as possible. She gave Imogene the funds she had promised, threatened to ruin her if she exposed Caroline’s part in the scheme, and sent her on her way in Bingley’s extra carriage.
~~~***~~~
Upon their return to Netherfield two hours later, Meade was shown to his rooms. Bingley spoke to Mrs. Nichols, asking that his sister be called to wait upon him in the drawing room. He was surprised to learn that Miss Moody had departed the estate. He had expected her to try something else with Darcy. It made his unease more pronounced: more than one of his guests was certain that Miss Moody was in collusion somehow with Caroline, and her sudden departure certainly made it seem to be true.
As expected, Caroline’s entrance into the room was confident and unconcerned. Bingley stiffened to see her so. If his suspicions were correct, and she was involved somehow, he would make his displeasure clear. At the rate she is going, it will be an even greater relief to see her married than I had originally thought.
“You called for me, Brother?” Caroline floated to a wingback chair and perched herself on the edge. “I happened to see the Darcys in the hallway.” She tutted. “Poor Mrs. Darcy did not look well at all.”
“Hmm. I wonder why?” Bingley gave his sister a hard glare.
“I would not know. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“What did you have to do with Mrs. Darcy’s distress? And don’t act as though you do not know of what I speak.” Bingley’s voice rose as his anger did, rage firing through him. “Darcy comes charging into my study, raging like a bull about your friend, who suddenly arrives unannounced and begins to stalk my friend as though he were a prize buck in the field. Then, she finally corners him in my garden and throws herself at him; literally, as near as I can tell. You cannot expect me to believe that you knew nothing of this, so do not even say it.”
Caroline had never seen her brother so undone. His fair features were bright red, clashing horribly with his reddish-blonde hair. His eyes were narrowed to slits so tiny she did not know how he could see out of them. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides, and his entire demeanor was stiff and unyielding. Not even when he was twelve and she eight and she had stolen his slate full of carefully written Latin conjugations and then erased it before he could show his tutor had he been this angry. Her eyes grew wider as she observed him. She shivered; she was almost afraid of him. “I do not-.”
“Do not say it, Caroline! You and I both know that you do, indeed, know of what I speak.” Bingley stepped closer to her, his anger pouring off him in waves. “I recently gave you funds; what happened to them? Be honest, or you shall repay them out of your pin money.” When she did not reply immediately, he leaned over her and grabbed the arms of her chair, his red face and enraged expression looming over her. He did not intend to strike her, but he very much intended to frighten her into a confession.
“Almost afraid” at that point became “very much afraid,” and Caroline leaned back in her chair. She could do nothing then but stutter out the entire story. This was the absolute angriest she had ever witnessed her brother get. Not knowing what he was capable of in such a state, she reasoned that honesty was the best policy.