“What will you do? Your honour has been impugned,” Denny enquired.
Soon after his return, Wickham had heard the residents of Netherfield Park had decamped to London, therefore he was free to speak without fear of retribution.
“When I see that bastard Darcy in the area, I will challenge him, of course,” Wickham blustered.
“You will need to find him somewhere else,” Denny revealed.
“Why is that?” Wickham asked innocently.
“He, along with the rest of the party departed before noon today. Mr. Darcy is no longer in the neighbourhood,” Denny explained.
“It is both a pity and a good thing. I cannot reclaim my honour until I see him but it is good for everyone around the area that he is no longer present,” Wickham stated. “Have the merchants relented regarding credit?”
“No, same rules. The Colonel is too busy courting his lady to change anything at the moment,” Denny lamented.
“It is good to be back,” Wickham stated. With Darcy gone, he was free to share his tale with impunity. He would add the bit about being slapped to it. That should engender him sympathy with the local ladies who had so far, seemed to be immune to his charms.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Why are you in London and not at Netherfield Park like you ought to be?” Bingley demanded when his sisters and brother entered the house.
“Caroline, you told us you spoke to Charles and he approved of you closing the house and travelling to Town,” Mrs. Hurst stated. She knew her sister would be furious with her but she had to let her brother know she had not knowingly crossed him.
“I knew Charles would not want to return to that backwater, so here we are. I must check my correspondence and see what invitations we can accept to various events,” Miss Bingley stated unworriedly.
“Did Darcy return with you?” Bingley questioned with his asperity poorly hidden.
“Indeed, he did. You did not expect one such as he to want to remain in that nowhere place, especially without a hostess to take care of his needs,” Miss Bingley stated as if it was something a simpleton should have been able to divine. “He will join us on Monday to speak to you about an important matter.”
Seeing the triumphant gleam in his younger sister’s eye, Bingley felt sadness. It seemed Darcy had been recruited to participate in this scheme. His sadness was over the possible end of a friendship. If Darcy assisted with any part of Caroline’s prevarication, he could not see any way to continue being Darcy’s friend.
“What is it of so great an import you need to wait until Monday to discuss? Surely if it is such a critical issue, then it should not wait until then,” Bingley pushed. He could not wait to see how much his sister intended to dissemble. He turned to his brother by marriage. “Hurst, do you know what this is all about?”
“Your sister was not good enough to include me in her schemes,” Hurst replied.
Miss Bingley gave the souse a murderous look. “There is noscheme, only some concerns, serious ones,” Miss Bingley bit out. “Although Mr. Darcy will only join us on Monday, it would be preferable to discuss this with you now.”
“Allow us to wash and change, and then we will join you in the drawing room,” Mrs. Hurst suggested nervously. She had seen a steely glint in Charles’s eye she had not noticed previously. It was something which gave her pause and she desired to talk to her sister before they rejoined their brother.
Hurst headed to his chamber while his wife followed Caroline into her chambers where her maid was already working on the unpacking.
“How dare you tell Charles what I said to you!” Miss Bingley screeched as soon as the door was closed. Her maid, who was hanging gowns in the walk-in closet, blanched.
“That is in fact what you told me,” Mrs. Hurst reminded her younger sister. “If you had shared more with me, I would have known what to say or not to say to Charles.
“As long as you assist me in turning him away from Jane Bennet, I will forgive your lapse,” Miss Bingley sniffed.
“Caroline, my advice is to rethink this whole plan of yours. I do not believe our brother is as pliable as you think he is,” Mrs. Hurst counselled.
“What nonsense,” Miss Bingley replied derisively. “Charles is as he has always been and will be like soft clay in my hands, ready for me to form at will, just as he has been in the past.”
“As much as I hate to disagree with you, Sister, I do. I saw something in his look today which worries me. I urge caution,” Mrs. Hurst insisted.
Miss Bingley waved her sister away. “Stuff and nonsense. Now allow me to change so I can set Charles on the correct path. Do not forget, I expect your full support.”
As much trepidation as she felt, Louisa Hurst knew her sister was set on her course and would not be deterred. She could only hope what she thought she saw in her brother’s looks was incorrect.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
