The Meryton Murders

by Victoria Grossack

  Miss Bingley, however, was not in the least offended. “I quite agree with you, Lady Catherine. I have told my brother many times that he should purchase an estate somewhere else, preferably in Derbyshire.”

  Elizabeth decided to be as direct as Lady Catherine. “I wonder that you have traveled to Hertfordshire, if you think so poorly of it.”

  “I did not wish to make this journey, especially now, but it was necessary.”

  Lady Catherine gazed at Elizabeth so steadily and so angrily that Elizabeth felt herself color with irritation and embarrassment, even though, for all that she knew, she had no reason to feel embarrassed.

  Jane asked: “Lady Catherine, what is it that you find wanting? Does the air seem unhealthy to you?”

  Lady Catherine de Bourgh said she was concerned about some of the people. “I am fond of Mrs. Collins but there are others in Meryton who behave as they should not.”

  This was truly insulting. “If you are referring to me, I now live in Derbyshire,” said Elizabeth. “And as for the Bingleys, you have not met them before today, so I do not see how their behavior could offend you.”

  “I did not mean the Bingleys,” said Lady Catherine, “but others. I am sorry, very sorry, that Mr. Collins will find himself here one day. Some people are too interested in money and not sufficiently concerned with truth.”

  Elizabeth was too confused by this pronouncement to make any reasonable reply, while Mr. Bingley and his sister likewise appeared puzzled. Jane was the only one who sufficiently retained her composure to respond. “I am afraid, your ladyship, that mercenary, dishonest people exist everywhere – not just in this neighborhood.”

  Elizabeth was impressed by her sister’s remark – for Jane, who generally saw goodness in everyone, to recognize the universality of wickedness was a step forward indeed – and that she should make it to Lady Catherine!

  “There is something in what you say, Mrs. Bingley,” Lady Catherine acknowledged grudgingly.

  Lady Catherine rose to her feet; everyone else did likewise, out of deference for their noble guest, but she told them to sit back down. “I am not leaving, not just yet. I just wish to take a turn around the room. After sitting so long today in the carriage I find a little exercise beneficial.”

  All the ladies retook their seats as commanded, but Bingley remained standing. Lady Catherine said nothing as she toured the room. She inspected a few books, and then paused by the desk and actually picked a sheet of paper off of it and peered at it through her lorgnette. Elizabeth, familiar with her ladyship’s autocratic impertinence, was not surprised, but the Bingleys exchanged shocked glances. Before Mr. or Mrs. Bingley could object to Lady Catherine’s reading their private correspondence, her ladyship shook her head and put the sheet of paper back down on the desk, then continued exploring the room. Her next pause was before the mantelpiece – given the warmth of the day no fire burned in the hearth – where she examined some artwork. “These are rather fine,” she pronounced reluctantly. “Did you draw them, Mrs. Darcy?”

  “No, your ladyship, I do not draw.”

  “Really? Are you sure?”

  Elizabeth thought the question was so preposterous that she did not answer it.

  “That looks like a ‘B’ in the corner. Perhaps you did them, Mrs. Bingley?”

  “No, they were done by my sisters-in-law. The one you are holding, of Mr. Bingley, was drawn by Miss Bingley here, and several others were sketched by Mrs. Hurst.”

  “They are not bad, although the lines could be stronger,” said Lady Catherine. “I am an excellent judge of drawing. Every young lady should learn to draw, if her health permits.”

  “I completely agree,” said Miss Bingley. “No woman can be considered truly accomplished without the ability to take a good likeness.”

  Elizabeth and Jane, neither of whom had learned to draw, exchanged an amused glance at this. Elizabeth could not help remembering, too, that Lady Catherine’s daughter, the rather sickly Miss de Bourgh, had not learned it either – and Lady Catherine herself lacked any skill with a pencil, and she did not have the excuse of ill-health.

  Her ladyship exchanged several other words with Miss Bingley, then told Mr. and Mrs. Bingley that the drawing-room would be improved if they exchanged the positions of the tables and the chairs. Finally she took a deep breath and addressed Elizabeth.

  “I should appreciate a few words alone with you, Mrs. Darcy. There is a garden where we could walk, is there not?”

  Elizabeth would at last learn the reason for this visit. With a little apprehension and much determination, Elizabeth said that they could take some exercise together. She sent a housemaid to fetch her parasol – while they waited, Jane asked again if she could prepare some refreshment for her ladyship upon their return to the house, but her ladyship steadfastly refused – then Elizabeth and her aunt by marriage went through the doors.

  Elizabeth let Lady Catherine lead the way. The older woman leaned on a cane as she walked, and settled on a seat in the shade.

  “Well, Mrs. Darcy. As I said before, you are looking well. Are you content? You should be content, in marrying Mr. Darcy, but I can see that you are not.”

  Elizabeth, who remained standing, was at a loss. “I assure you, that Mr. Darcy and I are very happy together.”

  “You are spiteful. Not only do you wish to ruin him, and display your bitterness towards me, but you are taking it out on my daughter. Anne, with Mrs. Jenkinson’s poor health, and her disappointment over Darcy, is suffering greatly. Have you no pity? Do you wish to ruin all her prospects?”

  “Lady Catherine, please believe me when I tell you that I wish Miss de Bourgh the best health and every happiness in the world.”

  “If that were so you would not have married Mr. Darcy. Do you mean to say that you are not conspiring to ruin my dear daughter?”

  “I do not have the slightest idea what you are talking about. I am at a loss to understand why you have taken the trouble to travel to Hertfordshire, and I have no comprehension of how I am supposed to be injuring Miss de Bourgh. You generally do not hesitate to be frank; if you wish to be intelligible, please speak more plainly.”

  “And am I to believe that your presence here – now – is merely a coincidence?”

  “A coincidence with what? I am visiting my sister, who appreciates my company at this particular time, for reasons that should be obvious.”

  “Perhaps you are innocent. Or perhaps you just play your part well.” Lady Catherine sniffed. “Tell me, Mrs. Darcy, what do you know of Mr. Radclyff?”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “I am unfamiliar with the name. Is Mr. Radclyff a suitor of Miss de Bourgh’s?”

  Lady Catherine hesitated before saying, “Not Miss de Bourgh, no.” She then continued in her usual dictatorial manner: “I would prefer it, Mrs. Darcy, if you would not mention that name to anyone. I know that you did not show me any allegiance in the past, but now that you are married to my nephew, I hope I can rely on your discretion in a family matter.”

  Rather unwillingly, for her curiosity about the unknown Mr. Radclyff was great, Elizabeth nevertheless promised that she would not discuss the Mr. Radclyff with her friends.

  Lady Catherine rose to her feet. “Very well. I am still not convinced that you are entirely innocent in all this, Mrs. Darcy, whether by design or not. I will be staying for the next day or two at the Meryton Inn. If I wish to see you again, I will send for you.”

  They walked the short distance to Lady Catherine’s carriage; the footman assisted her ladyship inside.

  “Good-bye, Mrs. Darcy. You may give my compliments to your sister and her family.”

  Elizabeth watched her husband’s aunt depart, then returned to the house and reported on what she could of the conversation to the Bingleys without breaking her word. Lady Catherine had come to Meryton on some sort of business, but she had not explained what it was. “All I can tell you is that it does not please her. However, it appears that she will be staying a night or t
wo at the Meryton Inn.”

  Miss Bingley, whose artistic ability had been praised, and who still, perhaps out of habit, admired anything or anyone related to Mr. Darcy – with the exception of Mrs. Darcy – was better disposed towards Lady Catherine than anyone else in their party. “It is strange that Lady Catherine would prefer staying there to staying here.”

  The others were grateful that Lady Catherine had not invited herself to Netherfield Park.

  Miss Bingley then inquired about the accommodations at the Meryton Inn; however, Elizabeth and Jane could not give informed opinions, as neither of them had personally stayed there, but they knew of few complaints. “I am sure it will not compare with Rosings,” said Elizabeth, “but Lady Catherine will certainly manage to get the best service that Meryton Inn can offer.”

  The others resumed their conjectures on Lady Catherine’s business in Meryton – the general consensus was that it had to involve the Lucases, for they did not know of any other connections that Lady Catherine had in the area – but while the suggestions that they made were interesting, none of them had the ring or feel of truth. They were all left as dissatisfied and ignorant as before.

  As Elizabeth had promised discretion to Lady Catherine, she contributed little to the speculation. She wished, very much, to discover something about Mr. Radclyff, and was determined that she would manage it somehow, despite her promise, but now was not the appropriate moment. Besides, if it was a family matter, a matter involving the de Bourghs and the Darcys and the mysterious Mr. Radclyff, it was unlikely that any of the inhabitants of Netherfield could enlighten her – a realization which made it easier for Elizabeth to keep her word to Lady Catherine.

  Elizabeth contemplated writing and asking her husband if he were familiar with the name Radclyff, but then decided that this was another matter better not committed to paper. She wished that she and Mr. Darcy could speak, if only for a few minutes. How inconvenient distances were!

  Mrs. Collins might know something, but Mrs. Collins was returning with Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine to Hunsford in a day or two. Unless Elizabeth managed to find a moment alone with her friend before she departed – and Elizabeth doubted that such an opportunity would present itself – she could not ask at all. And if she was reluctant to mention Mr. Radclyff in a letter to Darcy in a letter, she dared not attempt it in her correspondence with her friend. Elizabeth was certain that all her letters to Mrs. Collins were read by Mr. Collins, and although Mrs. Collins could be relied upon to be discreet if asked, Elizabeth did not have the same confidence in Mr. Collins. As Mrs. Collins quite depended on the good will of Lady Catherine, Elizabeth would not do anything to compromise her friend’s position.

  Poor Charlotte! To have her time away from Hunsford – and away from the tiresome Mr. Collins and the autocratic Lady Catherine – so abruptly terminated! Elizabeth believed that this was her friend’s first occasion away from Hunsford since the birth of her son, and she had expected her visit to last at least six weeks, and not less than two.

  After the evening meal the group at Netherfield sat down to play quadrille. It was a tribute to her ladyship, Elizabeth explained, for it was Lady Catherine’s favorite game.

  CHAPTER XX

  The next morning, while the Netherfield party was at breakfast, the post arrived. Mr. Bingley, to whom the letters had been handed, distributed them to the ladies. The first was to Jane, from Mrs. Wickham. Jane opened it and observed that Lydia was finally sending a note of thanks for the time she had spent with them.

  “Or she is asking you for money,” said Miss Bingley, who had a low opinion of Lydia Wickham, and nearly every other person not as rich as herself.

  As both Jane and Elizabeth generally only received letters from their youngest sister when she needed funds, they did not dispute the point – but then Jane, reading it, said that this time Lydia had made no such request. “Admittedly it is rather short – she thanks us for the visit and she hopes that I am well. Then she suggests that we call the baby Lydia if it is a girl or George if it is a boy.”

  “Perhaps a page is missing?” asked Miss Bingley.

  “It is not,” Jane said, waving the letter in front of them.

  Elizabeth wondered if there might be hope for Lydia, after all. She had been pleased by the improvements that she had noticed in Kitty. Perhaps her younger sisters had only needed time apart – they were a bad influence on each other – and a few more years to mature.

  “Two letters for Mrs. Darcy,” announced Mr. Bingley. “The first is also from Mrs. Lydia Wickham, and the second is from Pemberley,” and he handed both to his fair sister-in-law.

  “Mr. Darcy is such a faithful correspondent,” observed Miss Bingley.

  “It is not from Mr. Darcy, but his sister,” said Elizabeth, opening that one first.

  “Ah, Georgiana,” said Miss Bingley, who had once planned for Miss Darcy to be her sister-in-law, and was not pleased to realize that Elizabeth was now on far more intimate terms with her. Still, she attempted to remain civil. “How is she? What does she say?”

  “She is writing to me to let me know that her brother cannot write himself just now – he is extremely busy with Reverend Wallace in Kympton, who still lingers in terrible pain. Georgiana also has an idea about where to place a bench in the park and she desires my opinion,” said Elizabeth.

  “And the letter from Lydia?” inquired Jane.

  “Perhaps she did not ask you for money, Jane, because she sent that request to Eliza.”

  Elizabeth opened the letter from Lydia, and glanced through it. She was a little embarrassed by her sister’s childish, poorly formed hand, but she could report that the contents were innocent enough. “It is not very long, but it contains no request for funds. Instead she asks me to write a long letter back, and to tell her all about you and your condition, Jane. It seems that she does not trust you to give an honest report on yourself.” She resolved that she would do this right away; it was important to encourage Lydia’s unselfish sisterly impulses; even though Lydia’s letter was short, she would write the lengthy response requested. Elizabeth always felt a little guilty about Lydia; if only she had warned her about George Wickham, Lydia might not have eloped with him, and so fixed her life’s course when she was but sixteen.

  “And, you, Caroline, have received the most interesting envelope of them all,” continued Bingley, holding up the letter for them all to see. “Look at this fine stationery – this crest! You are corresponding with nobility? An admiring duke, whom you have neglected to mention?”

  Miss Bingley turned a faint pink.

  “It is from Lady Catherine,” announced Elizabeth, recognizing the crest.

  “You are honored,” said Bingley, handing her ladyship’s note to his sister with a flourish.

  “And you are not honored, Charles,” retorted Miss Bingley. “How is it that you are the only one not to receive a letter this morning?”

  “I am not disappointed, I assure you,” said Bingley. “Letters often mean work.”

  Elizabeth studied her brother-in-law; his relief seemed genuine. Well, he had had that unpleasant reminder of Miss Hightower, which had presumably arrived in the post. “My father feels the same way,” she said.

  “Papa does not mind receiving letters,” Jane amended mildly. “He just does not like to write them himself.”

  “So, Caroline, what does Lady Catherine have to say?” asked Mr. Bingley.

  “Lady Catherine wishes for me to dine with her this evening at the Meryton Inn,” reported Miss Bingley. “She will send her carriage to fetch me this afternoon.”

  “That is an honor, Caroline,” said Jane.

  “But why did she invite you and not Elizabeth?” asked Bingley.

  “That is true; it is an insult to you, Lizzy,” said Jane, who was capable of indignation only when one of her dearest was being slighted. “She should have invited you as well as Miss Bingley.”

  Miss Bingley could not help smiling at the idea of Mrs. Darcy bei
ng slighted by Lady Catherine while she herself was complimented; it compensated a little – just a little – for Elizabeth’s having received a letter from Georgiana Darcy.

  “I assure you, I am not the least offended,” said Elizabeth, struggling not to laugh. If she had been invited, she might have had to conjure up one of Miss Bingley’s headaches.

  “But what does she want? Why invite Caroline at all?” asked Bingley.

  Miss Bingley had no answer to this.

  Elizabeth, who knew Lady Catherine best, suggested that her ladyship appreciated company and that as Miss Bingley was least familiar to her ladyship that would make her the most interesting. “The best way to learn the reason for the invitation is to accept it, Miss Bingley – will you go? It will also give you the opportunity to judge the Meryton Inn yourself.”

  “And you will miss a visit from my mother,” said Jane. “I am expecting her later today.”

  That settled it. Miss Bingley sent a reply to Lady Catherine at the Meryton Inn, accepting the invitation to dine.

  The rest of the day was spent as usual, with the exception that Elizabeth, in addition to her notes to her husband and to her sister-in-law, penned a long letter to Lydia. In due time Miss Bingley dressed and her ladyship’s carriage arrived, although it was not early enough for Miss Bingley to completely avoid Mrs. Bennet. The carriage from Longbourn arrived before, this time transporting Mrs. Bennet and her sister, Mrs. Philips.

  Mrs. Bennet was most interested in Jane, of course, and had more ideas for the nursery and more opinions of potential nursery maids, but early in the visit she took Elizabeth aside and spoke in a half-whisper. “Be especially kind to your aunt Philips. She is rather low these days. It seems that she has had a falling-out with her friend, Mrs. Smith.”

  So Elizabeth made a point of sitting beside her aunt and asking about mutual acquaintances, and encouraged Mrs. Philips to speak. Mrs. Philips told her that Mr. Selby had concluded his business with Miss King’s estate and departed. Unfortunately Miss King’s money and her jewelry had still not been found, so Mr. Selby’s inheritance from poor Miss King was limited to the house in Meryton and what remained in her bank account. Mr. Selby and Miss King were not of paramount interest to Mrs. Philips, however; other matters troubled her more. Mr. Clarke and Mr. Morris were not getting along. Mr. Morris complained that Mr. Clarke was usurping his friendship with young Mr. Jones – he even warned Mr. Jones against Mr. Clarke – claiming that Mr. Clarke was not trusted. This meant that inviting them both over for an evening was difficult and even Mr. Philips said the tension in the office was unpleasant.