“Caroline, were you not at dinner last night? Did you not know Miss Bennet took ill? Miss Elizabeth took a tray and is nursing her sister. Besides, the bridge was impassable yester-night thanks to the heavy rains,” Bingley informed his younger sister who got a decidedly pinched look on her face when she learnt the Bennet sisters had not gone back to their hovel.
“I am sure Miss Bennet is malingering so she can put herself in your path,” Miss Bingley asserted.
“Unlike you who had a tantrum and threw soup all over yourself, I was with Jane and Lizzy, and I can tell you with complete certainty Jane is ill. In fact, the apothecary is on his way as her fever rose significantly higher during the night,” Mrs Hurst corrected her sister.
“Not everyone has to be manipulative to gain what they desire,” Bingley told his younger sister as he looked at her pointedly. “Wait Louisa, did you say tantrum? Please tell me Caroline did not behave badly towards our guests.”
“It was that Miss Eliza’s fault! First, she was rude when she attacked me verbally and then she tipped my soup on me,” Miss Bingley dissembled sure her sister would not contradict her having ignored what Louisa had just said.
“Caroline Maleficent Bingley! How can you stand and prevaricate so with a straight face?” Mrs Hurst demanded. She turned to her brother. “From the instant the Bennet sisters arrived, Caroline was rude. At dinner she attacked them for having connections in trade, speak of the pot telling the kettle it is black. Lizzy answered in defence of her family, without being rude like our sister, mind. Caroline screamed and brought her fist down which in turn tossed her own soup all over herself.”
“Louisa! How can you be so disloyal? I am your sister,” Miss Bingley screeched.
“Yes, you are but my familial loyalty does not extend to telling untruths for you. Further Caroline, you know not what loyalty is, unless it is to yourself,” Mrs Hurst pushed back.
“You were warned. As soon as it is possible, to Aunt Hildebrand you will go,” Bingley stated emphatically.
“NOOOOO! You cannot do this! I will not go!” Miss Bingley screamed.
“Absolutely yes,” Bingley responded calmly, but firmly. “I can and you will. You have two, possibly three days before the bridge and the roads are ready for safe use once more.Then youwillbe going to join our aunt in Scarborough. I have already notified her I may have to take this step and she is more than willing to educate you.”
Miss Bingley turned and ran out of the dining parlour. She needed to plan. She only had a day or two to achieve her aim of compromising Mr Darcy into offering for her.
Chapter 10
Caroline Bingley paced back and forth in her chamber, and no matter how hard she attempted to think of a way she could gain access to Mr Darcy’s chambers, she could not find an option.
Fallinginto his arms in the drawing room would gain her nothing, as the whole of her traitorous family were against her. She remonstrated with herself that she had not done so at Lucas Lodge. At least there would have been too many witnesses to deny it had occurred. Hang word reaching London of the compromise, as long as she gained his hand in marriage, nothing else mattered. As things stood now, they would not be paying visits to anyone until the bridge and roads were usable again, and then it would be too late, she would be on her way to her hated aunt. Shewould notallow that to occur.
The servants would be no help as they were loyal to her useless brother and sister…theservants! That was it—the servants’ doors and passage ways! She rang for her maid. She would charge the girl to find the way to Mr Darcy’s suite using the passages and pay her for doing so.
The maid, Kindle, entered. “You rang Mistress?” she said as she bobbed a curtsy.
“Kindle, how would you like to earn five pounds over and above your wages,” Miss Bingley asked conspiratorially.
“That would be most helpful, Mistress,” the maid averred. Her mother had been ill and that sum would pay for the apothecary and medicines she may need.
“You know your way around the servants’ passages, doyou not?” The maid nodded. “I need exact instructions to reach Mr Darcy’s suite using the servants’ halls.” Miss Bingley saw the sceptical look on her maid’s face. Normally she would berate the girl, or even slap her for impertinence, but she needed the girl to do what she wanted without questioning her. “My brother, sister, and I want to gift him a surprise for his birthday, which is today, and I have been asked to deliver it while they distract him.”
The maid bobbed another curtsey and left through the servants’ door to carry out her mistress’s orders.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Thanks to Mr Jones riding his horse and not using the road which crossed the bridge, he arrived a little after the morning meal to check on his patient. Having taken care of the Bennet sisters since birth, he was well versed regarding Miss Bennet and her colds and fevers.
Bingley showed the man up to the suite being shared by the two Bennet sisters. He knew he could not enter as there were two single women within, instead he paced up and down the corridor while he waited for Mr Jones. That way, he would know how Miss Bennet was faring as soon as the man had completed his examination.
“Mr Jones, we thank you for your prompt response to my note,” Elizabeth said with obvious relief at seeing the man. She tried to hide it from Jane, but she had been very worried through the night as Jane’s fever had climbed and her sweating sister had thrashed around in her bed, all the while deliriously jabbering nonsense.
“You know I always come to see my Bennet girls when needed, Miss Lizzy,” Jones declared. “Tell me all please.”
Elizabeth related all from the time Jane almost fainted at dinner to the time the doctor and apothecary in one arrived. “Her fever was very high in the middle of the night, but it has come down some since then.”
“I am…feeling much…improved,” Jane managed.
“As always, I see you are underplaying your symptoms. I will examine you now Miss Jane, and then we will decide what the best course of treatment for you is,” Jones stated. Both sisters nodded.
Jones felt Miss Bennet’s forehead and looked at her eyes. Then he had her sit up and placed his ear to her back while instructing her to take deep breaths. After a little more poking and prodding, he gently lowered the patient back into the supine position.
