by Lane Cossett
Bingley groaned with despair. “And now?”
Darcy would not lie. “Until he has proof that you had nothing to do with it, he cannot say.”
Bingley ran his hands through his hair. “And how will you find out the truth. I am going to hang am I not, for something I did not do?”
Darcy hated to see his friend’s despair. In less than a week he had lost weight, but he had also lost his natural cheerfulness. He was scared for Bingley’s sanity. “You will not hang. That will not happen. I will not let it happen.”
Bingley gave a faint smile. “This may be one problem you cannot solve my friend.”
Darcy refused to believe it.
* * *
Darcy stayed with Bingley longer than he intended though it was hard to keep his friend’s spirits up. He knew Bingley would be going to trial very soon. They had to find evidence of what had happened to Mrs. Bingley. He had impressed on Sir Jeffrey how important it was and they had once again called upon the services of Mr. Watson. But they all knew it would not be easy. Darcy was sorry to leave his friend, but he was glad when he was out of the depressing atmosphere of the prison.
Darcy was surprised when he arrived back at Darcy House to be greeted by Mrs. Hopkins who told him he had a visitor.
“Who is it?”
“A Miss Esta Williams sir. I explained that Lady Frances and Miss Georgiana were not at home, but she said that it was you she had come to see and she insisted on waiting. I hope I did the right thing. She is in the parlour.”
Darcy assured his housekeeper it was the right thing to do though he was puzzled what could have prompted Miss William’s visit. His housekeeper took his coat and he went to greet his unexpected guest.
“Miss Williams.”
Esta Williams stood up. “Mr. Darcy. Please forgive this call but I must speak to you at once.”
Miss Williams sounded distressed and Darcy’s curiosity was around.
“Please do sit down. Did my housekeeper offer you something to drink?”
“Yes. She was very kind, but none was necessary. Mr. Darcy I do not want to appear rude, but I came to you with important information.”
Darcy’s eyes narrowed. “What is it?”
Esta Williams sat down again. “As soon as I heard about Mr. Bingley, I knew I had to see someone. I didn’t know who else to speak to.”
Darcy sat down. “What is it?”
Miss Williams proceeded to tell him.
76
Elizabeth spent nearly every hour of the day with Jane, despite Mrs Gardiner’s entreaties that other people could care for her sister. Elizabeth knew it to be true but she worried about being away from Jane if her sister was asking for her but as Jane made a little progress she was happy to leave her with Molly or Phoebe.
However, with her thoughts constantly on Jane she thought of little else so she was surprised when she received a note one day from Lady Egerton asking her to visit the following afternoon. She had not thought about the Egerton at all.
“I can see no reason why you would go,” said Mrs. Gardiner when Elizabeth showed her the letter.
“It must have come a great shock to her,” mused Elizabeth. “I doubt she knew her son was already married.”
“Well he is, and his actions have caused you a great deal of hurt and trouble for many.” Mrs. Gardiner ’s cheeks grew quite pink as she expressed her indignation.
Elizabeth was not concerned about the viscount, but she was curious why his mother would want to see her.
Her father was quietly reading the paper. “What do you think I should do?” she asked.
Mr. Bennet looked up, peering at her in vague fashion. “My dear, you should do whatever you consider best.”
Elizabeth quelled a feeling of impatience. Her father seemed to show little interest in what was happening around him. He was no longer disappearing to gamble, but even though he was in the house his mind was constantly elsewhere. He seemed neither concerned about his eldest daughter or their future.
Elizabeth wrote a note accepting Lady Egerton’s invitation. She knew her uncle and aunt were not particularly happy about her decision, but Mr. Gardiner said that his carriage would be at her disposal if she wanted it, and Mrs. Gardiner agreed that Phoebe could accompany her.
* * *
The next morning Elizabeth almost changed her mind When she went to her sister’s room she found Jane had had a bad night and been afflicted with a bout of sickness. She looked very pale and worn out and Elizabeth was so worried that she did not want to leave her.
“Lizzy you should not be here all the time,” whispered Jane.
“I don’t want to leave you.”
Jane was sleepy and lay back against the pillows. “It is nothing. I will be well again.”
Elizabeth was not so sure. Her sister looked exhausted and seemed weaker than ever. It was disappointing. She could not go to the Egerton’s with her sister so weak.
However, Dr. Miller called to see Jane and he was able to reassure them that the sickness was the effects of the poison and although it had been unpleasant Jane was no worse. Dr. Stanmore had warned him it was to be expected.
“You must go,” Jane told Elizabeth and she reluctantly agreed. Mrs. Gardiner promised to sit with her until she returned.
* * *
Elizabeth arrived at the Egerton’s house in Cadogan Gardens in the early afternoon. She suddenly felt nervous. She only hoped that a the viscount was not at home.
The housekeeper offered to take her coat, but Elizabeth kept it on. She had no intention of staying very long. She was shown into a garden room where Lady Egerton was tending some plants.
“Miss Bennet,” announced the housekeeper speaking to her ladyship’s back.
“Thank you.” Her ladyship did not immediately turn around. She continued to cut the heads off some wilting flowers.
“Do you like plants Miss Bennet?”
“Yes my lady, though I know little about them.” Elizabeth was puzzled by her ladyship’s behaviour. She was hardly making her welcome.
“I find great solace in tendering my plants. I try not to neglect any. If I do of course they wilt and die.”
“They all look very beautiful,” muttered Elizabeth.
“Thank you. I have a great deal more success with my plants than I do as a mother.”
Elizabeth was unsure what to say. It was difficult to speak to someone’s back.
Her ladyship snipped off some more heads and then put her scissors down and turned around.
Elizabeth was shocked in the difference in her ladyship’s appearance. Although her hair was perfectly coiffured and her cream day dress was very elegant, she looked very tired and the heavy powder on her face could not disguise the signs of strain in her face. There were wrinkles where there had been none before and the scar that she had noticed when she had first met her ladyship was more prominent.
Her ladyship was apologetic. “Forgive me. I did not bring you here to embarrass you. I am forgetting my manners please come and sit down.”
Her ladyship led her back into the parlour and Elizabeth sat down. She was beginning to wish she had not come. The atmosphere was strained and she wondered about her ladyship’s intentions.
Her ladyship sat down and nervous fingers pleated the cloth of her dress.
Elizabeth was shocked. On the occasions she had met her ladyship she had always been confident, even a little frightening. The woman before her was quite different. She was wondering whether she should speak when her ladyship sighed deeply and looked at her with a faint smile.
“You are probably wondering why I asked you to come Miss Bennet. I wanted to apologise for having to leave the church early.”
Elizabeth frowned. Her ladyship made it sound as if she had been taken ill at a normal marriage service.
She looked keenly at Elizabeth. “Miss Bennet I want you to know that I did not know that Valentine was married. It meant nothing. He was very foolish, but he was trapped into marryin
g that woman.”
“Oh mother. How can you say such a thing?”Lady Vivienne strode into the room in her customary breezy manner.
Lady Egerton bristled with indignation. “Vivienne. You have always been harsh on your brother. This would never have happened if your father had been a different kind of man.”
Lady Vivienne sat down. Elizabeth could not help noticing that she looked almost as strained as her mother. Wisps of hair had escaped, there were dark shadows under her eyes and her grey dress had a hole in one sleeve. She spoke to her mother impatiently. “This has nothing to do with father. It is Valentine’s own doing.”
Elizabeth was surprised to see several tears slip down her ladyship's cheek. She hastily pulled out a handkerchief and started to dab away at them.
“No Vivienne it is not. He needs a little guidance that is all.”
Lady Vivienne made an indiscernible sound of disgust.
Lady Egerton ignored her and turned to Elizabeth. “I was wondering Miss Bennet if when Valentine has his matters in order you would still consider marrying him.”
Elizabeth was stunned. It was the last thing she had expected. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
Lady Vivienne looked equally shocked. “Mother how could you suggest such a thing. Has Miss Bennet not been humiliated enough?”
Lady Egerton flinched. “I’m sure he did not mean it. Valentine has great regard for Miss Bennet.”
Lady Vivienne shook her head in a despairing fashion. “Valentine has gone and he will not be coming back.”
So the papers had been right. Elizabeth felt relieved.
“Valentine said he will be back in a few days and I am sure he will be,” said her ladyship firmly.
“Mother, he only said that to please you.”
Lady Egerton’s lips were draw into a thin line. The tension between the mother and daughter was palpable.
“Vivienne, I do not know how you can be so cruel.”
Lady Vivienne glanced at Elizabeth shaking her head apologetically. “Mother I have no wish to hurt you, but it is not just that Valentine was already married when he tried to marry Miss Bennet. You know he has been accused of stealing money. He also has huge gambling debts.”
Lady Egerton’s distress was clear. She held up her hand to silence her daughter. “Vivienne we will speak of this no more. They are all lies. Valentine has done nothing wrong.”
Elizabeth looked at the two women, both of them pink in the face with anger. It was Lady Egerton who seemed to recover first. She turned to Elizabeth.
“Miss Bennet I know my son has a great fondness for you, so I ask again. When this sorry business is resolved would you still be prepared to marry him?”
Elizabeth could hardly believe that her ladyship would ask such a question. She seemed utterly blind to what her son had done. “No my lady. That is not possible.”
Lady Egerton’s face suddenly changed. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked even angrier than she had when she had been arguing with her daughter. “I am disappointed in you Miss Bennet. Do you not understand the honour my son was bestowing on you when he offered you marriage?”
“Mother!” Lady Vivienne sounded appalled.
“He did not want to marry you, but I persuaded him. I was clearly wrong.” Her ladyship got to her feet. “I would ask you to leave Miss Bennet. You are a disappointment.”
Elizabeth quelled her own anger. Her ladyship did not seem to realise it was not her who was at fault. She got up with as much dignity as she could muster. “Goodbye Lady Egerton.”
Her ladyship turned away and Elizabeth left the room, anger bubbling inside her. It had been a mistake to come.
Lady Vivienne followed her from the room.
“Miss Bennet, please let me apologise. If I had known mother was inviting you today, I would have sent you a note telling you not to come. Please try and forgive her. She cannot accept that my brother is not the son she would wish him to be. I am sorry that you ever met him.”
Elizabeth wondered how much Lady Vivienne knew. Did she know about the bet between her father and her brother? Elizabeth realised she was not going to get the answers she had been seeking.
“What will you do now?” asked Lady Vivienne as they stood in the hallway.
“Our plans are uncertain, but I am sure we will return to Hertfordshire.” She could hardly tell Lady Vivienne about Jane or that they would soon lose their family home. “And you?” she asked politely.
Lady Vivienne smiled grimly. “We too will be departing London.”
“Before the end of the season?” asked Elizabeth curiously.
Lady Vivienne laughed. “You know that is of no importance to me. I have no wish to marry. We will be going to Scotland. An aunt has a castle in the highlands which is suitably isolated. We can live there with no one knowing who we are.”
Elizabeth thought it sounded very bleak. The scandal of Viscount Langley was going to haunt them all.
Lady Vivienne accompanied her out of the front door to her waiting carriage. “Do not feel sorry for us. I do not. I know mother will hate it, but I shall be free to paint and read without any bothersome suitors coming to call.”
Elizabeth saw that she was genuinely smiling. She got into her uncle’s carriage where Phoebe was waiting for her.
“If I write to you Elizabeth will you reply? I shall not miss all of this, but in the short time I have known you, I have come to think of you as a friend, and I will miss you.”
Elizabeth was surprised. She liked Lady Vivienne, but she did not know her very well, nor was she sure that she needed any reminder of this difficult time.
“Naturally I would understand if you would rather not.” For the first time Elizabeth saw uncertainty in Lady Vivienne.
“I would like that,” she said. “And thank you.”
It was only as the carriage drew away that Elizabeth wondered whether she could really keep in touch. If they could not find a solution to their finances they would be sent to the workhouse. She did not imagine she would be allowed to do any letter writing. It was a bleak thought.
77
No one was particularly interested in her visit to Cadogan Gardens so Elizabeth only told her aunt that her ladyship had been looking rather tired and had plans to leave London.
Mrs. Gardiner merely muttered that she thought it was for the best and no more mention was made of the Egertons.
* * *
Jane continued to grow a little stronger every day, sitting up in bed and taking more interest in what was around her. She still had no strength in her legs to be able to walk, but Dr. Stanmore who continued to call thanks to Mr. Darcy hoped that it would return.
Victoria and Eleanor were allowed to visit Jane in her bedchamber and they brought her down a picture they had painted for her, which she received with delight.. Elizabeth was careful to ensure that Jane did not become too tired by their cousins eager chatter and both were disappointed when she insisted on taking them back upstairs to the nursery.
From Caroline Bingley there was no word. Mrs. Gardiner thought it was because she was worried about her brother, but Elizabeth thought it was because she was angry with the Gardiners and the Bennets for her brother’s predicament. Jane did not talk about her sister-in-law or her husband, which Elizabeth found strange, but not wanting to do anything which could hurt Jane, she too avoided any mention of them.
Miss Bingley may have avoided enquiring after Jane, but Mr. Darcy did not. As well as engaging the services of Dr. Stanmore to work with Dr. Miller he also sent a servant daily to enquire after Mrs. Bingley’s health. Lady Frances sent rose water and a book and Miss Darcy wrote to Elizabeth of her distress at hearing the news. Elizabeth was touched by their kindness, as was Jane.
Elizabeth continued to struggle with her feelings for Mr. Darcy. She was grateful for the care he was showing her sister and yet she was still angry about the cancelled wedding. She had never wanted to marry the viscount, but he had offered a solution to the
ir money worries. Their uncertain future worried her daily.
* * *
Elizabeth was sitting with Jane one morning when her father knocked on the door. Jane was sleeping and Elizabeth held her finger over her lips as she went to the door.
Mr. Bennet was holding a letter in his hand.
“What is it?” asked Elizabeth stepping outside of the room.
“I have had a letter from your sister, which I think you should read.”
Elizabeth took it and started to read. After a few sentences, she looked at her father in fury. The letter was from Kitty. It seemed Mr. Collins and Charlotte were staying at Lucas Lodge and Mr. Collins had called at Longbourn. “How dare he!” she hissed furiously.
Mr. Bennet looked around. One of the maids was busy sweeping along the passageway. “Elizabeth, I do not think this is quite the place to discuss it.”
Elizabeth agreed and followed her father downstairs to the parlour. Mrs. Gardiner was out visiting a friend and Mr. Gardiner had left early for a business meeting.
Elizabeth sat down and read the entire letter. Her father stood staring out of the window.
Dear father
I hope that I find you and Lizzy in good health. I am writing because a distressing incident has occurred. Mr. Collins came to Longbourn the other day. Mother did not want to receive them and kept them waiting sometime before she came downstairs.
Elizabeth could not help smiling. Her mother had not forgiven Mr. Collins for marrying Charlotte.
Poor Kitty, she said to her father.
“Read on Lizzy,” ordered Mr. Bennet.
Elizabeth continued to read
Mr. Collins said he was there on behalf of Lady Catherine. It seems she is displeased at the disgrace that has been brought on the family.”
Mother did not know what he was talking about. Can you imagine her distress when Mr. Collins told him about Elizabeth and Viscount Langley and now Mr. Bingley trying to murder Jane?