Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley (24 page)

Charles hesitated, waiting to see what Darcy wished him to do. He
grinned and then indicated that he followed him. ‘I am Fitzwilliam Darcy of
Pemberley. How dare you treat me in this fashion. Mr Bingley and I have been
visiting friends, not that it is any concern of yours.’

The constable’s air of authority began to deflate. Charles was lost in admiration
for this handling of a difficult situation. As instructed he remained mute and
left the talking to Darcy. The second man searched the inside of the vehicle
and emerged shaking his head at his associate. This was exactly as Darcy had
said it would be.

‘If you have finished your business, my man, we wish to return to town.
Kindly remove yourselves at once.’

‘I beg your pardon, Mr Darcy, it appears our information was incorrect.
You may continue on your journey.’

Charles wanted to leap back in and demand that the horses were sprung,
but Darcy stared superciliously down at the two constables and then sauntered
back to the carriage. The driver snapped his whip and they rolled away.

‘My God, that was a close run thing. You were magnificent, you fobbed them
off perfectly. Now I can look forward to my breakfast.’

‘It is not over yet, I expect Winterton will have been apprehended by
now. There were six men, I expect the other two to arrive imminently, baying
for our blood.’ He smiled. ‘I think it is time to spring the horses, my friend,
unless you wish to spend a night in jail.’

Immediately Charles was on his feet and craning out of the window. ‘Get
moving, they will be after us again.’ There was no sign of any pursuit behind
them, but he trusted his friend’s judgement and if he said they needed to make
haste that was good enough for him.

He was thrown back as the horses were urged into a flat gallop. He
braced his feet against the far seat, rather enjoying the excitement. He had
left the window down, and with some difficulty stuck his head out without
losing it. He dropped back in shock.

‘They
are
on to us, I spotted four horses in the distance. Do you
think we can outrun them?’

‘We must hope that we do. Is your driver resourceful?’

‘In this sort of situation? I have no idea, Darcy. I believe there is a
crossroads the other side of these trees, if we can get there before them, with
luck the dust will have settled and they will have no idea which direction we
took.’

He had no idea what being taken into custody might mean for him, acting
as a second did not hold such a high penalty as actually fighting. Amidst the
bouncing and jolting it was difficult to see how his friend was dealing with
the thought that he might imminently be removed to prison.

‘Will Winterton be taken in? Do you think he gave us up to the law in
order to get his own back?’

‘A gentleman would not do that. Unless they have both of us he can tell
them it was an accident. Absolute balderdash, that they will not be able to
disprove it if I am out of reach.’

This time Darcy risked his neck to see if their pursuers were gaining on
them. The carriage veered wildly to the left, the right side of the carriage
was airborne. For a moment Charles thought he was about to meet his maker. Then
the wheels crashed back, the vehicle righted itself, and they continued at
breakneck speed.

Darcy laughed out loud. ‘We have just safely negotiated the crossroads,
with luck they will think we continued on to town. God knows what lies in this
direction, but I am sure your driver knows his business.’

This proved to be the case. A short while later the carriage slowed to a
more decorous trot and then dropped to a walk before turning into the cobbled
yard of a substantial coaching inn.

However, it did not stop there, but continued under a second archway
where it finally halted.

‘We are safe, your driver and groom can take care of the team back here
whilst remaining out of sight. Are you ready, Bingley? I could do with my
breakfast, I am sharp set.’

Two hours later they left the inn and returned at a more leisurely pace
to town. Charles was to leave his friend where he had collected him. ‘I think
it is a good thing you are going to Kent to visit your relatives, it would be
better if you are out of town for a while.’

‘Thank you for your support this morning. I had a capital time, I cannot
remember when I was so energized. When I return from Rosings, remember you and
your family are to come to me at Pemberley for a visit.’

When Charles returned his house was awake, but fortunately Caroline was
not in residence at present or he would have had a deal of explaining to do.
That evening he was to dine at Grosvenor Square and he believed that Georgiana
would be accompanying Darcy. He hoped she would not mention her brother’s
strange behaviour to Caroline or Louisa.

He arrived early that evening and was greeted warmly by Caroline.

‘My dear Charles, did you know that we are all invited to go back to
Pemberley when Mr Darcy and Georgiana return after Mr Darcy’s visit to
Rosings?’

‘Yes, Darcy mentioned it to me. However, I think I might remain in town
this time. Although society is a little thin at the moment, it is not long to
the start of the season and I already have several invitations from families who
have returned from the country.’

He saw his sister frown and wondered at it. The invitation had been
issued and Darcy would not change his mind because he was not intending to
accompany them on this occasion. He would reassure her on this matter when he
got a moment to be private with her. There was also something he wished to
discuss with his sister that he could not do in public.

Georgiana volunteered to play the piano forte and, whilst the others
gathered to listen, he drew his sister to one side. ‘Caroline, have you heard
from Miss Bennet since you were in town?’

‘No, why should I? I cut the connection immediately we arrived here.
Charles, I do not think you should stay in town whilst we are at Pemberley. You
are Mr Darcy’s closest friend, I am sure he only invites us to stay because of
your connection.’

He thought she was probably correct but it would be insensitive to say
so. He knew it was her dearest wish to become mistress of Pemberley and he did
not have the heart to tell her it would never happen.

‘I am sorry that you felt obliged to drop Miss Bennet,’ he said to
Caroline. ‘I believed you had a genuine fondness for her. I would not like to
think my disappointment had spoiled your friendship.’

‘You must not worry on my account, Charles. She was never anything more
than a casual country acquaintance - someone to enliven my days whilst we were
at Netherfield.’

He turned away, disappointed in her. He loved Jane, believed he always
would, and did not like to think that his beloved had been used in this
cavalier fashion by his sisters. He was determined not to go to Pemberley, he
needed to keep busy, be surrounded by noise and bustle, and not be constantly
reminded of what he had lost. There was too much time spent in silent
contemplation in the countryside.

 
* * * *

Two weeks after Jane’s unpleasant experience it was as though it had
never happened. The snow had all but gone, Mr Fox’s name no longer mentioned.
Her relatives were kindness itself, and at no time made her feel she was being
ungracious by remaining at home when they went out to dine.

When a letter from her sister arrived saying that on her way to visit
Charlotte and Mr Collins in Hunsford, Sir William had agreed to call in at
Cheapside and stay the night, she was overjoyed. Such excitement! It had been
too long since she had spent time with her sister, she could scarcely contain
her eagerness to be reunited with her Lizzy. It was noon when Jane, who was
watching from the drawing-room window, saw their visitors arrive.

‘Oh good, they are here at last. I shall go and meet them myself.’ She
glanced up to see her little cousins hiding halfway up the stairs, waiting to
greet the visitors. They had not seen her sister for a twelve month, and they
were too shy to come lower.

‘Lizzy, I am so happy to see you.’ Jane held out her hand and Elizabeth
took it. She turned and curtsied politely to Sir William. ‘I am pleased to see
you, Sir William, it is so kind of you to break your journey here so that my
sister and I can see each other.’

All was joy and kindness. The guests were shown to their rooms and her
sister into her own chamber. After a cold collation the day passed most
pleasantly away; the morning in bustle and shopping, and the evening at one of
the theatres. This was a treat for all of them, even the children were
included.

Somehow, Jane found herself separated from Elizabeth, and obliged to sit
between Sir William and Maria. She glanced across several times and saw her
sister happily conversing with their aunt during the intervals between the acts.
She knew she would have time, when they were alone in her bedchamber, to share
any secrets they had been holding back from their letters, perhaps she might
even mention Mr Fox.

However, Elizabeth had nothing much to say about Longbourn, apart from
the fact that Mr Bennet missed Jane and was looking forward to her return.
Elizabeth was full of excitement as she had been invited by their aunt to
travel to the Lakes in the summer and the opportunity to share her own news did
not arrive.

 
Jane listened to her sister
talking rapturously about the treats to come. ‘Oh Jane, what delight! what
felicity! This treat will give me fresh life and
vigour
. Adieu to disappointment and spleen. What are
men, to rocks and mountains? Oh! What hours of transport we shall spend!’

The fact that Mr Wickham had abandoned her sister to pursue a young
person called Miss King who had recently inherited £10,000, seemed not to
bother Elizabeth one jot.

Jane found it hard to sleep, she heard her sister’s steady breathing,
and it gave her comfort. She wished that she had felt so little for Mr Bingley
that she could accept his moving on to someone else as easily as Elizabeth had
accepted Mr Wickham’s defection for another. She did not have the heart to
spoil her sister’s happiness by discussing her own continued sadness.

The house in Gracechurch Street seemed empty and flat after Elizabeth,
Sir William and Maria left; Jane did her best to appear in good spirits
offering to take her little cousins on frequent outings. The boys were delighted
to accompany her to the River Thames to watch the ships go by. The eldest,
Lucy, informed Jane that the tide would be turning by the time they arrived,
and they would see the coal and timber lighters, as well as larger ships,
sailing past. Plenty to entertain them for an hour or more.

The children were accompanied by their nursemaid, Elsie, a jolly girl,
who knew her charges well, and left Jane with little to do but hold hands and
answer questions. When they returned from the excursion she was pleasantly
fatigued, and having passed an unsettled night, knew next time she retired to
her bed she had a fair chance of sleeping soundly.

Mrs Gardiner attempted to fill the afternoon with another visit to the
circulating library. Jane had little appetite for novels at present, in fact
she had very little inclination for anything frivolous.

‘Jane, if you wish to return to Longbourn, I shall be happy for you to
use the carriage. It is not more than a few hours drive. You seem so dispirited
now that Lizzy has left, would you not feel happier at home?’

Jane was aghast. The last thing she required was to be at Longbourn
without dearest Elizabeth at her side. The very thought of listening to Kitty
and Lydia’s silliness made her shudder. No, she had much rather stay where she
was until Elizabeth returned with Maria in six weeks time; then they should
travel back together.

Longbourn would not be the same. She tried not to think that it would
never be the same now that
he
had left the area. ‘Thank you, aunt, but I
am very content to remain here.’

 
‘The remaining six weeks of your
visit shall pass quickly, Jane. I know you do not wish to go out in the
evening, but the weather is improving every day, and I intend for us to go and
visit the menagerie at the Tower, and we shall visit the museums, and perhaps
we can discover a lecture or two you might enjoy.’

‘You do not have to inconvenience yourself on my behalf. I do not wish
to be a trial.’ She saw her words had disappointed. ‘However, if you really
have the time and energy for so much activity it will make the weeks fly past.’

‘In that case, my dear, we shall begin with the menagerie. The children
would enjoy a trip to the Tower; and we could certainly drive around to see the
sights. When it is warmer we could take a picnic to Hide Park or Green Park.’

‘That sounds delightful, I am feeling better already. Perhaps, if there
is time, we could visit an area which has a milliners, a drapery shop, and a
general stores. I should like to buy the children a small something before I
depart, and also purchase gifts for my family.’ The matter decided
satisfactorily for both parties no more was said about Jane’s low spirits.

The trip to the Tower with four children, the nursemaid, and her aunt,
was declared a resounding success by all who attended. The lions were fearsome,
the ravens large and black, and the Tower itself a salutary reminder of times
past.