Bingley had enough of toying with his sister. “Caroline, before you try dissembling again, I am in possession of the letter you wrote to Jane.” He pulled the letter out of his waistcoat’s pocket and held it up.
To try and divert attention from her letter, Miss Bingley cottoned onto the fact her brother had addressed the low woman by her familiar name. “What right do you have to use Miss Bennet’s given name?” she scolded.
With a smile, Bingley turned to Hurst. “When you were engaged to Louisa, did you not address her with her familiar name?” Bingley asked innocently.
He waited as those in the room realised what he was saying. “No! I forbid it!” Miss Bingley screeched. “I will ruin her and all of the Bennets in society!”
“You do not have the power to forbid meanything,” Bingley growled. “Not only that, how will one who has caused her own banishment from society ruin anyone?” He handed the letter to Darcy. “You need to read this.”
In a panic, Miss Bingley lunged to try and retrieve her letter before Mr. Darcy read it. She would never have written those words had she suspected her letter would ever be seen by anyone other than her intended recipient. How was she supposed to know her brother was already engaged to the insipid woman?
Darcy deftly sprang from the chair; he lifted his arm and took a step back so Miss Bingley dove face first into the now vacated chair. While Miss Bingley tried to pick herself up, Darcy read the letter. His face showed more and more anger the more he read.
“May I?” Mrs. Hurst requested once Darcy had completed reading. He wordlessly handed the letter to Bingley’s older sister.
Louisa Hurst took the letter and sat on the divan again next to her husband and allowed him to read it with her. “You have really done it this time,” Hurst opined as he shook his head.
Darcy retrieved the letter from the Hursts, folded it, and placed it in his inside jacket pocket. “The Earl and Countess will see this and they will know how to act,” Darcy said icily. “You not only used my sister’s name—one who cannot stand to be in your company—but you intimated all of my family had expressed their approbation for this imaginary courtship. If I were you, Miss Bingley, I would not attempt to show my face in society—ever again!”
“But you are to marry me,” Miss Bingley howled.
He turned to his friend. “Bingley can your sister be so delusional as to ignore all of the signals I have given her that her company is tolerated only because you and I are friends? Have I ever given her the slightest encouragement to signal I was interested in her as anything else?” Darcy asked his friend.
“No Darce, you never did,” Bingley averred. “In fact,you have indicated over and over again your disdain for my younger sister only falling short ofwearing a sign around your neck sayingI am not interested in Caroline Bingley.”
“I am supposed to be Mrs. Darcy, mistress of Pemberley and Darcy House! Surely you have not lost your good sense to be interested in that hoyden Elizabeth Bennet,” Miss Bingley screeched.
“As a matter of fact, not that it is your concern as you will never be anything to me, yes, I hope to convince Miss Elizabeth to accept me,” Darcy confirmed.
Caroline Bingley snapped, she jumped up and hurled herself at Mr. Darcy in a desperate attempt to compromise him. She never reached him because her brother stepped in front of his friend and caught her.
“Even had you reached Darcy, none of us here would have demanded he marry you, and even had we, he would have rightly refused,” Bingley told his furious sister. “You will be on your way north in the morning to live with Aunt Hildebrand. She will receive a letter telling her of your coming before you arrive. I am releasing what is left of your dowry—the interest thereon—to you.” He skewered his sister with a warning look as she was about to protest. “Did you think you could overspend your allowance with impunity? I have records of all of the additional costs I have had to cover. Also to be deducted is all the money spent on replacements for the breakages you have made when you have one of your tantrums. Bear in mind, if you want to keep your maid, you will have to pay her with your own funds every quarter day.”
“No, this cannot be! It is not fair! I will not go to live with that old biddy!” Miss Bingley insisted.
“That is your choice,” Bingley began to respond. He waited as he saw his sister’s face light up. “However, you may not enjoy the other choice—Bedlam.”
Finally, Miss Bingley allowed herself to see the steel in her brother’s eyes. All the fight went out of her. “I will go to our aunt,” she capitulated.
“Miss Bingley do not test me and return to London. If you are ever in my company again, you will receive the cut direct,” Darcy warned.
“There is nothing for you in Town, I have closed every single account you have used in the past,” Bingley informed his reeling sister.
He rang for his housekeeper and butler and informed them Miss Bingley would be departing at first light and she was to have her remaining meals in her chamber and was not permitted to exit it until her departure on the morrow.
“May I speak with you in your study?” Darcy requested once the shrew had been escorted out of the drawing room.
“Louisa, are you well?” Bingley asked before heading to the study.
“I am. Anything Caroline is suffering is at her own hand,” Mrs. Hurst averred. “Please accept my warmest congratulations on your engagement. Miss Bennet is a sweet girl.”
Bingley inclined his head to his older sister and then led Darcy to his study. Once the door was closed and Bingley seated behind his desk, Darcy paced back and forth a few times.
As soon as he organised his thoughts, he admitted all to his friend regarding what he had planned to tell Bingley and his reasons for doing so. At the end of his speech, he beseeched Bingley to forgive him. At the same time, he told his friend he would understand if he was unable to pardon him.
“Darce, there is nothing to forgive,” Bingley assured his friend. “I cannot condemn you for what you may have done. All I can judge is what youhavedone. Unlike my younger sister, you saw the error of your ways and changed course before you did what you had thought of doing. None of us would fare well if we were judged on our thoughts. I choose to base my judgements on your actions, and for those, I have no complaints.”
“Thank you, Bingley, that is rather magnanimous of you,” Darcy inclined his head.
