When they arrived back at Netherfield Park, although it was late, the three stopped in the drawing room, as would be expected. They found Bingley and the Hursts present. No Miss Bingley.
“Would you like some tea?” Mrs Hurst offered. “My sisterwas not feeling well and retired a while ago.”
“No, thank you, Mrs Hurst,” Lady Catherine replied for all three. “We have had a long and draining night, so we will make for our beds. We wish you all a very good night.”
Mrs Hurst returned the greeting, but her husband was snoring on a chaise. Bingley grunted something without looking at his guests.
Richard led them into the library. “Something is not right. Did you see the way Bingley refused to look at us? I think his sister is planning something, and he has chosen to ignore our warnings. I ordered Hastings to keep my chamber locked. What of Carstens? Will he keep your bedchamber secure?”
“Not necessarily locked, but he knows to remain there,” Darcy averred.
“Aunt Catherine, you will come with us, will you not? We will need you as an unimpeachable witness,” Richard requested.
“I will do anything for my boys.” Lady Catherine nodded.
“You know this will get Bingley evicted as well as costing him our friendship, do you not?” Darcy checked.
“He made the bed; now he must lie in it,” Richard said without emotion.
With as little noise as possible, Aunt and nephews made their way up the grand staircase to the guest floor. They first padded to the door to Richard’s bedchamber. When he knocked in the way he had agreed with his valet, Hastings opened the door, allowing the three to enter.
“Hastings, use the servants’ corridor and go see if Carstens is waiting in Mr Darcy’s bedchamber for him. We will wait here,” Richard ordered.
The valet gave a bow and slipped through the servants’ door. He returned within a minute. “Carstens is asleep and will not wake. He is lying on the floor in the servants’ passagewayjust outside Mr Darcy’s bedchamber.
“Hastings, will you assist me to bring him hither?” Darcy requested.
Soon enough the two men brought a drugged valet into Richard Fitzwilliam’s chamber.
“From what we know of the lease, the servants in the house are employed by Bennet, so I am sure Miss Bingley convinced Bingley’s valet to assist her. He is as scared of the shrew as her brother is,” Richard opined. “What should we do to ruin that termagant?”
“You and Aunt Catherine, with your valet, enter from the servants’ door. Is that agreeable, Aunt?” Darcy asked.
“I will not melt by walking a few feet in the servants’ hallway. Give us five minutes to be in position before you enter. Society will be far better without the Bingleys in it,” Lady Catherine said firmly.
Darcy waited the full five minutes before he made for his chamber. He had a candle holder in his hand with the candle lit. He was sure Richard would not begrudge him its use. As he walked towards his chamber, Darcy saw the curtain covering the alcove opposite his door move a little. He saw the toe of a shoe sticking out from the bottom of the curtain.
‘This is on you,’ Darcy thought. ‘It is not like we did not give you ample warnings, multiple times. If our friendship is worth so little to you, Bingley, then so be it. You are the one who will live with the consequences.’
He took a deep breath, pushed down on the door handle, and swung the door open. As soon as he entered, he saw the shrew sit up in his bed, allowing the coverlet to fall off her chest, displaying her less than adequate assets.
“Oh, Fitzwilliam, you have come. Join me,” Miss Bingley said rather loudly.
As expected, Bingley stormed into the chamber. “Darcy, I never expected this of you. You will, of course, marryCaroline,” he blustered.
“Face or belly?” Darcy asked as he placed the candleholder on a dresser.
“What?” Bingley enquired in confusion.
“He is not worth it, William,” Lady Catherine stated from the other side of the bed.
“I agree it would feel good to thrash this puppy, but they are about to experience their complete ruin in society, and that will be punishment enough,” Richard drawled. He turned on Bingley with a feral look. “You,MrBingley, are a disgrace. You were told what would occur, and yet you fell in with this harpy’s plans. Consider our friendship at an end. Also, if I were you, I would begin to pack. When we report this to your landlord’s agent on the morrow, and we will, he will evict you.”
“This unattractive thing could fall on me as naked as she is now before all of society, and I still would not marry her. Get that out of my bed,MrBingley,” Darcy thundered.
Miss Bingley sat with her mouth gaping. As soon as she saw Lady Catherine she had pulled the coverlet over her chest. Mr Darcy was refusing to marry her. “You must marry me,” she screeched. “If not, you will be ruined.”
“That just shows your lack of education,” Lady Catherine stated. “Firstly, my nephew has witnesses who will be believed in society that he was never alone with you. You, on the other hand, drugged his valet and crawled into his bed in that shocking state. The only ones who will be ruined are you and your brother. Every door in polite society will be closed to you.”
