Courtships & Corruption

by Cinnamon Worth

  As the farmer walked home, he silently wished he could have had one morning of peace. It was strange how his desire was so different than Louisa’s, for she longed for some excitement. Perhaps, one always wanted that which they did not possess.

  Chapter 7

  News of the death of Agnes Ashbury spread like wildfire throughout the town, at least among those who knew her. In other words, the middle class and wealthy heard vague murmurings of a scullery maid who had died in an accident. To this crowd, the news was not worthy of usurping reports of Colonel Forster’s apparent attachment to a young lady. In fact, if Agnes was mentioned at all by the wealthy she was brought up not in gossip but by way of a complaint regarding the lack of domestic servants and inconvenience caused by clumsiness. It was the poor who lamented that a friend had been lost. But death was common, and all felt Agnes had been fortunate her death resulted from an accident. There were so many worse ways to go and a swift death meant the avoidance of greater suffering.

  The Ashburys had not been members of a burial club and did not, therefore, have any funds set aside for an elaborate funeral. Her mother washed the decaying corpse as well as she could, and the family leased the communal coffin to carry her body to the grave site. The family had to forego a funeral sermon for lack of funds, but as the poor do not have the luxury of idle time, few were in attendance to witness the family’s shame at providing such a barebones burial.

  The staff at Netherfield did their best to ignore those events over which they had no control and could not change. While their outward appearances spoke to the success of these efforts, some held internal emotions that conflicted with appearances. Mrs. Butler felt a twinge of guilt for assuming the girl had simply abandoned her post; while, David and Betsy quietly mourned her departure and displayed a general melancholy.

  While the Ashburys were grieving over their loss, Caroline Bingley focused on her own set of problems. “Louisa,” Caroline called entering the parlor, “I have just sent an invitation off to Longbourn asking Miss Bennet to dine with us today.”

  Louisa was somewhat perplexed. Her own invitations were often made in an effort to promote her brother’s happiness, but today the men of Netherfield had left to dine with the officers who had recently come to town. Further, the painful memory of Caroline’s mood during the last dinner party attended by Miss Bennet had not yet faded from Louisa’s consciousness. What on earth could have prompted her sister’s invitation?

  Louisa took a moment to study her sister. She had been rather tense and surly since the night of the Lucas’ Ball. While there were numerous subjects, people, and events that could put Caroline in a mood, it seemed to Louisa that Caroline had been devoting herself to a single purpose since taking up residency at Netherfield. Caroline desired the heart of Mr. Darcy but, if she should fail to collect it, she was determined to extract a proposal. Her focus had been so intense Louisa doubted Caroline had considered any other matters for more than a moment. Even the offhanded comments she made expressing her opinions on their brother’s future seemed to somehow be tied into Caroline’s desire to make her family as favorable to Mr. Darcy as possible. It was for this reason Louisa concluded the invitation issued to Miss Bennet was somehow connected to the unlucky man who was the target of Caroline’s affections.

  Caroline did, in fact, have an ulterior motive for asking Miss Bennet to join them. She hoped to learn more of her rival but did not wish to entertain Miss Elizabeth Bennet directly for fear the men of Netherfield might return home early. It would certainly not do to have Mr. Darcy spending additional time with a woman he felt had ‘fine eyes’ or ‘a pretty face.’ At least not yet. Perhaps after gathering further information from Miss Bennet, such an encounter could prove useful.

  ∞∞∞

  Although Charles Bingley had devoted most of his time at the Lucas’ Ball to the enchanting Miss Bennet, his amiable nature and light humor ingratiated him to the officers who had been present at the event. It was for this reason Colonel Forster had invited Mr. Bingley and his party to dine with the officers in Meryton. Mr. Bingley happily accepted, which was no surprise, given his social nature. Mr. Darcy uncharacteristically also jumped at the opportunity to dine with the virtual strangers as it would allow for time away from the ladies of Netherfield. Mr. Hurst was pushed to attend by his wife, who was continuing her efforts to bring her husband out of his shell. So it was, the men of Netherfield found themselves in a carriage headed for Meryton.

  The carriage had nearly arrived at Colonel Forster’s home just as some of the junior officers were approaching on foot. The officers were cowering and had their hats pulled low in an effort to minimize their exposure to the rain. Among the group of officers heading toward the dinner were Lieutenants Denny and Wickham. Wickham, a charming and handsome fellow, had an odd habit of scanning his surroundings. It was almost as if he were a mouse expecting to be caged at any moment and it was only through hyper-vigilance he had not yet been trapped. Denny assumed this was a skill acquired through training. Such mannerisms would serve any soldier well, and thus far, Wickham was proving to be an admirable soldier. His charm had also made him a favorite amongst the people of Meryton.

  It was during one of these brief scans Wickham happened to notice the stately carriage heading toward the home of Colonel Forster. He squinted at the occupants inside the carriage and then moved his head back down to shield himself from the rain. If one watched at that moment, one would see the cogs in Wickham’s brain turning. A moment later, he stopped in his tracks. Denny stopped as well.

  “Wickham? It is raining cats and dogs, we’re almost there, pick up the pace,” Denny shouted.

  “I just remembered I have another engagement I simply cannot break,” Wickham shouted back, “I cannot believe I forgot. Could you please make apologies to the colonel?”

  Denny waved the young man off. It was too wet to stand outside and discuss this matter further. Given Wickham’s popularity, it was no surprise his social calendar would be overfilled. But what could be so important a new officer would miss a dinner when it was rumored prominent gentlemen would be in attendance?

  In the carriage, Darcy’s ears perked up. He thought he heard a name he recognized shouted in the streets. His eyes darted out the window, but he could find nothing amiss. He shook his head. The stress of recent months seemed to still be present. But when he tried to relax, his mind drifted toward thinking of Miss Elizabeth Bennet. He was not sure this line of thought was any better. A moment later the carriage stopped.

  “Darcy,” Mr. Bingley’s voice finally broke through Darcy’s thoughts, “are you coming?”

  “Yes, yes. Sorry, Bingley. I was just caught up in my thoughts.” Mr. Darcy hopped down out of the carriage and headed inside, grateful for a night with strangers.

  ∞∞∞

  He watched as Mr. Darcy, Mr. Hurst, and Mr. Bingley entered the colonel’s home. A part of him wished he was inside as well. They had all assumed her death was an accident, but those two men spent time with the people she worked with. Servants loved gossip and they knew the Ashbury girl well. How he longed to hear what they were saying and thinking. It seemed inconceivable he had escaped from his mistake so easily. But speaking to those gentlemen would be complicated. Instead, he would foster a friendship with one of the Netherfield servants.

  ∞∞∞

  The sisters were sitting in the parlor making idle conversation and practicing their painting when the butler announced the arrival of their guest. Both sisters rose and watched in shock as the butler showed a soaked and shivering Miss Bennet into the room. Miss Bennet looked like a cat that had just escaped from a river. Her hair was matted down, her clothes clung to her frame, and a small puddle was gathering under her feet.

  Louisa felt a sense of relief Charles was not here to witness this scene. She felt certain her brother would either be mortified at the lack of judgment Miss Bennet’s state suggested or he would be mesmerized by the revealing nature of drenched white muslin. Similar
thoughts flowed through Caroline’s mind, and she immediately began to consider what a liability Miss Bennet was becoming. It was of the utmost importance Mr. Darcy consider the Bingley family above reproach. Caroline would never forgive Charles if he robbed her of her intended by selfishly associating with a woman so capable of putting herself in such positions.

  Jane looked at her feet wishing her mother had allowed her to use the carriage or at the very least the heavens had waited a mere five additional minutes to release the torrential downpour. She felt ashamed to be dripping water on the marble floors and was mortified as she imagined what she must look like. She opened her mouth to explain, but before she could speak, Louisa had regained her composure.

  “Miss Bennet, you look positively in need of a warm bath. I shall have Marianne prepare one. I have a dress that would look simply lovely on you. I will have Marianne leave it for you to change into once you are dry.” Louisa smiled warmly and asked the butler to give instructions to Marianne and show Miss Bennet to one of the guest rooms.

  Jane returned and, due to the unanticipated course of day’s events, the trio found it was time to sit for their meal. Caroline quizzed their guest a great deal about her family, but Jane was more quiet than usual. When Jane did speak, her natural tendency to speak well of everyone prevented her from making even the slightest negative comments and indeed her stories regarding Miss Elizabeth were glowing in their praise. Louisa’s kindness had helped to calm Jane’s nerves, and her embarrassment from her unconventional arrival had been long forgotten. Jane assumed Caroline’s probing into the affairs of her family was a sign Miss Bingley took an interest in her life and wished to deepen their friendship. Overall, Jane was surprised at how comfortable she felt and questioned why she had once been so anxious at the prospect of visiting Netherfield alone.

  Caroline’s expressions suggested she was growing increasingly annoyed, which only served to clarify for Louisa why her sister had been so keen to extend an invitation. After this revelation, Louisa’s expression could be described as amused.

  After the meal, the ladies proceeded toward the parlor for tea and dessert, but as they crossed the grand foyer, Jane faltered. Caroline noticed Jane’s involuntary shudders, and Louisa noted that despite the rosy tones of Jane’s skin, Jane still spoke of feeling cold chills curse through her body. It was clear to all three women Jane was sick. There was no doubt in the matter and time remained the only remedy. Marianne was asked to show Miss Bennet to a guest room and to make her as comfortable as possible.

  Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst gave Marianne a few minutes to tuck Jane into bed, and then came to check on her. Once Jane’s body had felt the sweet embrace of the feather bed, it surrendered any efforts to appear respectable and began its full assault against the wretched illness. So it was, as Charles Bingley’s sisters entered the guest room, they were greeted by a sniffling, sweating, trembling slight of a girl. Louisa felt pity while Caroline felt disgust and both women felt a twinge of sense of self-preservation, which drove them to conclude their visit with Miss Bennet as quickly as possible so as to minimize their own exposure to her condition.

  After the sisters retreated to the parlor, Caroline’s mounting anger was unleashed. “I invited Miss Bennet here for the express purpose of gathering information about her sister, Miss Elizabeth, and all I receive for my efforts are wet floors and a sickly, uninvited, overnight guest.”

  “I thought Miss Bennet spent a great deal of time relaying stories of her family,” Louisa said smiling down at her cross stitch. It was very nearly finished and would make a fine pillow. “Miss Elizabeth was mentioned far more than any other sister. I for one, thought she sounds very witty and intelligent,” Louisa pointed out absentmindedly.

  Caroline’s eyes narrowed, and Louisa could now feel her sister’s anger as if it was a knife cutting into her. “I do not care about how perfect and wonderful Miss Bennet finds her sister. I am interested in that annoying chit’s faults. I will not be undermined by someone so inferior,” Caroline hissed. Caroline paused and seemed to scan Louisa. “Why exactly are you defending Miss Bennet, Louisa? I had thought you were going to help me win over Mr. Darcy, but I am beginning to wonder whose side you are on. I would warn you, but you should already know better than to cross me.”

  Louisa was taken aback. She opened her mouth to apologize but stopped when the men of Netherfield entered the parlor.

  “Good evening ladies,” Charles said cheerfully as he set down his hat. He scanned the room as if searching for something.

  “You’re home earlier than expected. Did you have a nice meal?” Caroline asked cheerfully to the general assembly of men. Any hint of annoyance or anger had completely evaporated.

  Mr. Darcy took it upon himself to respond. “The meal was more than adequate, but I believe your brother’s high spirits may have more to do with a comment made by the stable hand who came to retrieve the horses pulling the carriage.” The sisters each raised an eyebrow and their curious looks forced a fuller explanation. “We were informed a lady caller had ridden here on horseback despite this dreadful rain. Apparently, she looked quite the sight.”

  Caroline and Louisa exchanged a look. Their brother’s feelings were becoming increasingly clear, and it seemed Mr. Darcy was also observant enough to notice.

  “Yes,” Louisa began. “I asked Miss Bennet to join us while you were out, and she arrived as drenched as a dormouse.”

  Mr. Bingley looked somewhat miffed. “Well, where have you hidden her then?” he asked impatiently.

  “She has taken ill and is resting in our guest room,” Caroline said. Her annoyance was growing more difficult to mask.

  Mr. Bingley looked positively panicked and, despite both sisters’ reassurances, he asked that Mr. Jones, the apothecary, be immediately sent for. Louisa eventually convinced her brother to let Miss Bennet sleep. As the hour was now quite late and the Bennets could not expect Jane to return in this weather, it was agreed Miss Bennet’s condition would be reassessed first thing in the morning. If not improved, a messenger would be sent to Longbourn to explain Miss Bennet’s condition and to collect additional articles of clothing and sundries. At the same time, Mr. Jones would be called. The inhabitants of Netherfield soon retired, but the events of the day delayed sleep for more than one of the members of the party.

  Chapter 8

  Louisa lay awake that evening thinking of her sister’s wrath. If she truly wanted to help her brother, it would be best to pacify Caroline. If Caroline believed Louisa might impede her plans, Louisa knew she would be swiftly cut out of Bingley’s life. She needed to regain Caroline’s trust. She had been taking too many risks, showing too much independence, and failing to show appropriate deference to her younger sister. Tomorrow, Louisa would assume the role of Caroline’s shadow: echoing her complaints and attacking her enemies.

  Darcy lay awake haunted by the thought of hearing Wickham’s name float through the thundering rain on the streets of Meryton. His mind also wandered to the momentary flutter his heart had felt when the stable boy had mentioned a female was visiting from Longbourn . Inexplicably, he immediately thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet had come to Netherfield, but he reminded himself he had helped construct a barricade around the estate when he expressed admiration for Elizabeth to Miss Bingley. This knowledge had led him to the logical conclusion the visitor was Miss Bennet. So why had he been affected when this fact was confirmed? He cursed himself for feeling so drawn to that woman, but even as he attempted to remind himself of Elizabeth’s failings, his heart drew attention to her wit, cleverness, and beauty.

  Fear and worry caused sleep to eluded Bingley. His mind was occupied with thoughts of the influenza pandemic of 1781-82. While Louisa had assured him Miss Bennet simply had a bad cold, Charles knew the symptoms of the flu could easily mask themselves as symptoms of a cold. Bingley was growing convinced Jane should be in his life and this bout of illness had merely strengthened his conviction. It was, therefore, no surprise Bingley was up
at the first light of dawn asking Marianne to check in on Miss Bennet and report back her findings. Regardless of what Marianne had said, Mr. Bingley would have dispatched a request for Mr. Jones, but when she reported Miss Bennet’s condition had not changed, Bingley found his heart ached.

  The party was assembled in the breakfast parlor and, with exception of Mr. Hurst, the members appeared either tired or irritated. David was serving and when he poured a cup of tea for Miss Bingley, he accidentally spilled a small amount onto her saucer.

  “You clumsy fool,” Caroline snapped before she remembered Mr. Darcy was in the room.

  Although David, like the rest of the staff, was accustomed to Miss Bingley’s quick anger, the mask of indifference he had been wearing since Agnes’ departure had been increasingly difficult to maintain. Not only had her death been a great loss and shock, but the way the others ignored the matter and refrained from mentioning it had added to his anguish. It was as if she had never existed. Somehow, ignoring the topic felt inhuman. Miss Bingley’s outburst was too much for him to bear. He set the tea pot on the sideboard and left the room without a word.