by Zoë Burton
“No one is about as of yet. Perhaps this can all be ignored.” Mrs. Goulding, while desiring her daughter to be happy, which meant marriage, did not like to see her husband so angry. Her statement was meant to calm his temper more than anything.
“No, Mama, it cannot.” Penelope rose from the bed and pulled back the covers to expose the evidence. “We must marry.”
Chapter 10
All of Netherfield was stunned by the announcement that morning of the engagement between Mr. Collins and Miss Goulding. No one had expected such a thing; indeed, none had witnessed them so much as speak to each other, though Elizabeth recalled that Penelope was frequently in the same vicinity as Mr. Collins. The Gouldings themselves were even more shocked to learn that a pair of women’s stockings was found in his bed.
To Collins’ horror, when Penelope pulled the bedclothes away to show her parents proof of her compromise, she dislodged his pillow, exposing the rumpled bits of silk for all to see. By this time, the noise of the confrontation had reached the other guests and several servants; those who had not crowded into the doorway to see, heard about it from those who did. All three Gouldings were alarmed at the sight of the crumpled lengths of silk in the clergyman’s bed, but as none of the ladies were without, it was quickly deduced that they must belong to Elizabeth. In a bit of quick thinking, Mr. and Mrs. Goulding repositioned themselves so that those crowded about the door could not see those articles of clothing.
Penelope was not sensible at first that the stockings had been stolen from another lady. It was only after her mother spoke to her about them that she understood the implications. It was not enough to put her off the marriage; her prospects were not good enough to change her mind at this late date, even without the loss of her virtue. However, when she next saw her betrothed, she made it clear to him that nothing of that nature should happen again. If he was going to hide women’s clothing under his pillow from now on, it would be hers and hers alone.
When Darcy and Elizabeth were informed of her cousin’s actions, both the compromise of the Goulding girl and the stockings, their reactions were in perfect line with their characters. Elizabeth was embarrassed and humiliated to the point of wishing she never had to show her face again. To Jane, she described her feelings as “horrified.” It would be weeks before she eventually began to laugh at the ridiculous Mr. Collins being forced to marry the odd and outspoken Penelope Goulding.
While Darcy found it amusing that Collins was in such a position, one that he, himself, had successfully avoided since his levee, he was enraged at the thought of the obsequious addle-pate sneaking into the dressing room of Mrs. Darcy, which is what he had to have done to find an article of her clothing lying around. He did not blame Elizabeth’s maid, either, though she should have locked the door. Darcy knew in his heart that a reason for his unease of the last few days had been found. As soon as he got his wife alone, he spent a full half an hour holding her close to him and kissing her breathless.
As for the hapless Mr. Collins, all plans he had for separating the Darcys were, for a time, completely forgotten. It was only when he was confronted by his patroness’ nephew that he remembered it. In the face of that gentleman’s husbandly rage, all thought of Miss de Bourgh and her offer of compensation, not to mention her probable anger upon his return, faded in importance. Collins cast about for a good excuse for his behavior and, finding none, turned the blame onto Anne de Bourgh. Showing Darcy the letter he had received, Collins revealed all, including his plan to kidnap Elizabeth. He then, quite literally, threw himself at Darcy’s feet and begged for mercy.
Knowing as Darcy did his cousin’s tendency to violence, he felt a small amount of compassion for a man whose livelihood was at the mercy of a lady who feared her daughter’s unstable behavior. This feeling did not calm the wrath he felt at the violation of his wife’s privacy. Darcy’s fury was unleashed upon the hapless clergyman’s head.
Collins was left feeling as though it was his body that had been beaten.
Finally taking pity on the clergyman, Darcy relented. “I intend to inform Lady Catherine of your behavior and of my cousin’s letter. You will find out soon enough, I suppose, so I will inform you now that my uncle, Lord Matlock, and his sons are at Rosings as we speak. We have learned of Miss de Bourgh’s fits of anger, and it is being handled within the family. You need not fear retaliation from her.
“My aunt cannot take the living away, but I promise you, Mr. Collins, that if I hear so much as a whisper that you have behaved with less than perfect propriety, I will take care of you myself.”
Mr. Darcy’s face, with its stern demeanor and dark red coloring, his stiff stance, and clenched fists all worked together to convince Mr. Collins that he never wished to be on the wrong side of the powerful gentleman. Collins nodded his head, bowing repeatedly as he swore by all that was holy that he would observe all the rules from this day forward, without fail.
“See that you do.” Darcy leaned closer. “And stay away from my wife, or I will forget that I am a gentleman and beat you into the ground.”
Given the manner in which his patroness’ nephew spoke—it sounded more like the growl of an angry dog than a gentleman—Mr. Collins knew he was serious. Swallowing hard, he reassured Mr. Darcy that he perfectly understood.
“There will be no further attempts on my part, sir. What do I, a lowly clergyman, have to offer the wife of such an illustrious gentleman as you? Even my thoughts are too lowly for such exalted personages.”
It was with great relief that Collins was finally released from Mr. Darcy’s presence. He swore that from that day forward, he would never gaze upon a woman’s stocking again.
~~~***~~~
Mr. Collins visited the vicar of the church in Meryton the next morning, to purchase a license to marry Penelope Goulding. That task complete, he called on Mr. Philips, who was the solicitor and the brother of Mrs. Bennet, to begin working on the marriage articles.
While Mr. Collins was astounded at the rapidity of his engagement, and had no actual memory of the seduction he had apparently performed—and it was clear from the evidence in his bed that it had happened—he found himself feeling a great deal of relief. He took time upon his return to Longbourn to sit in his chamber and reflect upon the reason for it.
Ordinarily, he would have been angered to be denied in a quest such as that he undertook in regards to Elizabeth. To have his plans thwarted the way they had left him disappointed. But in looking back, he could see that perhaps it was for the best. It would not do for anyone to know about his proclivities toward meanness, especially not those living at Longbourn, who might someday be under his care.
Too, he was gaining a wife. He looked forward to having someone to care for his needs and that of his household.
~~~***~~~
Two weeks later, Mr. Collins and Miss Goulding married. The wedding breakfast was held at Haye Park, as was expected. Mr. Collins had happily received word from Lady Catherine that he could return to his parish knowing that her daughter would be unable to do him any harm. Collins did not understand how that was possible, but since Mr. Darcy had assured him of the same thing, he did not doubt Lady Catherine’s words.
The Darcy and Bennet families, along with Mr. Bingley, attended the wedding and the breakfast, as was expected. The Darcys did not stay long, however, leaving even before the bride and groom set out on their wedding trip. The tension between Mrs. Bennet and Elizabeth was so strong that it wrapped around the rest of the guests. Elizabeth did not want the problems between her and her mother to distract from the bride and her day, and so she entreated Darcy to leave early. As always, he obliged her.
They returned to Netherfield, intending to relax for the rest of the day. They planned to return to Pemberley in a few days, once Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley arrived from town to accompany them. For now, however, they intended to enjoy the hour or two they had, simply being alone with only each other for company.
~~~***~~~
A week later, Bingley retu
rned from a day spent with Jane Bennet at Longbourn. He had wiled away many hours and days in her presence since arriving in Hertfordshire, and not once had he seen her behave as her mother and youngest sisters did. The only time she had ever uttered a cross word was when she set her mother down over that woman’s treatment of Elizabeth. Every time he saw Jane, he fell more in love with her. He was convinced that he wanted to marry her, but something held him back. Not understanding what it was, he delayed asking her that all-important question. Soon, though. I will ask soon.
Arriving at his home, Bingley disembarked his carriage and dismissed the footmen. He wondered where the Darcys were, but knew that if they wished for his company, they would be downstairs. They had not been to Elizabeth’s father’s estate since their marriage, not wanting to anger her mother any further. When he could not locate the couple, he decided to practice his billiards.
An hour later, a maid entered the billiards room to inform him that his guests were in the drawing room and that dinner would be served in an hour. Bingley made his way down the hall and entered the indicated room just in time to intercept an amorous look pass between the Darcys. Chuckling, he greeted them, bounding across the room to sit on a nearby couch.
“So, how was your day? If appearances are anything by which to judge, it must have been a very good one.”
Darcy and his wife both blushed. It was not uncommon for Bingley to tease them; it seemed their love for each other was written across their faces. Darcy cleared his throat before he responded to his friend’s question. “It has been a very good day. My sister arrived a few hours ago. She and her companion spent the afternoon at rest in their rooms, but they should be down very soon. I asked the maid to go up and alert them that our meal will be ready soon.”
“That is excellent news! I have not seen Georgiana in months; I am eager to see how she fares.”
“I believe it has been over a year since you were last in company together. She grows lovelier every day, but of course, my opinion is biased.”
Bingley and Elizabeth both laughed at his statement. His pride in his sister was clear.
After a few minutes more of jovial conversation, Georgiana Darcy and her companion, Mrs. Annesley, entered the drawing room. Though the girl had hugged both her brother and new sister tightly when she arrived a few hours ago, seeing them again gave her such joy that she repeated the action now. The group was just settling into seats to await the dinner bell when a footman entered the room.
“Miss Caroline Bingley, sir.” Bowing, the man stepped out of the way as Bingley’s sister swept in.
Stopping in the center of the room, she spoke. “Charles, what have you done? You have not purchased this hovel, have you, and wasted our father’s money?”
The End
Caroline’s Censure
Acknowledgements
First, I thank Jesus Christ, my Savior and Guide, without whom this story would not have been told. I thank you for the words you gave me, but I thank you more for your infinite grace. I love you!
Additional thanks go to my friends, Rose and Leenie, who read every word as it was written and were great encouragers. Additional thanks go to Rose, who was my cold reader. Your suggestions for change were numerous and challenging, but the story is better for it. <3
A huge thank you goes to my Patrons at Patreon, who read complete chapters every week and helped me name characters and smooth out inconsistencies. Eileen, Gail, Angela, and Judy, you are the best! <3
“Miss Caroline Bingley, sir.” Bowing, the man stepped out of the way as Bingley’s sister swept in.
Stopping in the center of the room, she spoke. “Charles, what have you done? You have not purchased this hovel, have you, and wasted our father’s money?”
Chapter 1
Elizabeth Darcy’s wide eyes sought out her husband’s as they rose to greet the newest visitor to Netherfield Park. The Darcys were newly-married, and had spent the previous few weeks visiting the estate, which was being leased by Fitzwilliam Darcy’s friend, Charles Bingley. Bingley’s sister, Caroline, had just sauntered in, unexpectedly and with derogatory comments to her brother about the house.
Darcy returned his wife’s look with a roll of his eyes. While Elizabeth had never met Bingley’s sister, Darcy had been avoiding her since almost the moment they became acquainted. Her current unpleasantly dramatic entrance, typical behavior on her part, was the reason. That, and the fact that she quite obviously set her cap at him the first time she met him. He wondered why she was here now, given what he knew about her current circumstances. Darcy reached for Elizabeth’s hand, laying it on his arm and squeezing it. If it were not the height of rudeness, he would seat them both; they ought to be comfortable while they enjoyed what was certain to be a spectacular performance from Caroline Bingley.
“Caroline, what are you doing here? Why are you not in Yorkshire?”
“Can a sister not visit her brother? I read your letter describing Netherfield and knew I must see the place for myself.”
“With no warning? How do you know I have a room for you?” Bingley shook his head. “Seriously, Caroline, if this were your home and someone did that, you would be angry. In any event, we will have to discuss it later. Come, greet the Darcys.” He gestured to the group of chairs and couches clustered in the center of the room.
Caroline’s sharp eyes had not missed that her brother’s guests were his friend and his friend’s sister. The other two were unknown to her, but based on her mode of dress, one was probably Georgiana Darcy’s companion. The other, Caroline could not begin to speculate on, but she could not like the way the ugly little thing stood so close to Darcy. Surely that is not his new wife? Why, there is not a fine feature in her face! I will put a stop to that immediately.
“I see them standing there! Mr. Darcy,” Caroline cooed, approaching him with a gleam in her eye as her hands reached out to clasp his unoccupied arm. “It is so good to see you again.”
Disengaging his arm from Caroline’s clutches, Darcy returned her greeting. He turned toward Elizabeth, intending to introduce her to Bingley’s sister, when Caroline interrupted.
“And Miss Darcy! My, how you have grown since last I saw you! I am delighted you are here! We shall have a merry time together!”
Georgiana Darcy blushed at Caroline’s rudeness, and her fawning. She was not confident enough to say what she liked…that she doubted they would have a good time and she was eager to see Caroline’s face when Elizabeth was introduced…so she simply smiled and nodded. With luck, she will turn her embarrassing attention elsewhere. When it became obvious that Caroline was going to continue speaking instead of asking for introductions to the ladies in the room that she did not know, Georgiana gathered her courage and, blushing, blurted out, “May I introduce you to Mrs. Annesley? She is my companion; she came to me a few months ago.”
Not one to miss the opportunity to ingratiate herself with someone of higher standing, even if it meant acknowledging that person’s servant, Caroline fixed a smile on her face and greeted her newest acquaintance before turning her attention back to Darcy.
“Mr. Darcy,” she began as she settled herself into the nearest sofa. “Come, sit here; tell me how you have been.”
Darcy’s mien, always serious, took on a harsher cast as his anger grew at Caroline’s slight of his wife. He opened his mouth to speak but shut it again when his friend spoke to Caroline.
“I am amazed at your rudeness, Sister. You sit as though there is no one else in the room to whom you need an introduction.” Bingley stepped from his position in the center of the room to stand on the other side of Elizabeth from Darcy. His position was as symbolic as it was practical. He had been out from under his sister’s thumb for months and had found the time apart rather freeing. He had come to realize how often and thoroughly she had run his affairs while they lived in the same house; he did not wish to return to such a situation. He needed her to see that he was his own man, one who knew right from wrong and would act
according to his own wishes. “Darcy attempted, when you spoke to him before, to introduce you to Mrs. Darcy. You will stand and allow him to do so.”
Her sour look indicated to all Miss Bingley’s feelings about her brother’s edict, yet rise she did. Silently, she allowed the object of her former—and, if one were honest—current desires to introduce his wife. His wife! Caroline seethed inside, even as she curtseyed and greeted Mrs. Darcy with a weak smile and lukewarm words.
Caroline Bingley was Charles’ youngest sister and the baby of the family. Indulged by her parents, she was unused to being denied what she wanted, and what she wanted, from the first time she laid eyes on him, was Fitzwilliam Darcy. The wealthy and handsome Darcy was everything Caroline ever desired in a husband and was her way to raise her family above their tradesman roots.
Caroline’s father had worked hard to make certain his children had the funds set aside that would allow them to rise above their status and into the world of the landed gentry. It was her mother, however, who impressed upon a young Caroline the importance of moving up in society. Mr. and Mrs. Bingley had passed several years ago, but Caroline could still hear her mother’s voice in her ear, drilling into her the expectations of her parents. Caroline had taken those admonitions to heart and, after Mrs. Bingley passed, vowed to marry as high as possible.
It was not that Caroline had ever loved Darcy. She did not believe in love. Love was for unambitious fools who were satisfied with remaining where they were instead of advancing. She was not a fool. What Caroline had loved was Darcy’s status, and his income. She had found him rather dull as a person; he was always serious and stern and hated the social whirl that she thrived on. She had not been worried about these differences, since she could have worked on him after they were married and changed his feelings about society, thus ensuring she would not have been denied the thing she loved the most.