“Come, let us return to Netherfield so that you may rest.” He gazed down at the woman leaning on his arm and wondered what other surprises she might reveal. He was to marry a bluestocking, yet he sensed that her love of books and study sprang from a longing to connect. She would miss the bond she shared with her father, but Darcy meant to fill that void. He would dedicate an hour each evening to her pursuit of study, knowing that, in truth, he was shaping the bond that would one day lead to love and lasting devotion.
Back at the house, Elizabeth went straight to her room, where Miss Ellis helped her undress and settle into bed. She slept deeply until the maid woke her to dress for dinner.
Meanwhile, Darcy found his valet. “Reeves, my wife will join me in my room tonight. Do not attend me tomorrow until I ring.”
“Very well, sir,” Reeves replied.
Darcy then sought Bingley and found him in the study. “Charles, may I intrude?”
Bingley looked up wearily. “Come in, Darcy. I am too distracted to work.”
“Is it Caroline?” Darcy asked.
Bingley sighed. “Yes. She is so enraged that neither Louisa nor I can reason with her. She wants revenge.”
Darcy frowned. “Revenge? For what?”
“She believes Mrs. Darcy stole her intended, and now she seeks to retaliate. This morning, she confronted your wife and her sisters. Darcy, I do not know what to do. She has threatened to expose the compromise, and now she is seeking revenge against your wife.”
Darcy’s brow darkened. “You alarm me. Should I remove Elizabeth at once? Do you believe Miss Bingley capable of violence?”
“No,” Bingley said, “but perhaps I should post a footman to guard her door? She has waited seven years for you, Darcy. Now that she has lost her prize, she is beyond reason.”
“The fact that she has pursued me for seven years proves she is capable of restraint when properly motivated.”
“Yes,” Bingley agreed. “I threatened that she would not be permitted to visit Pemberley if she misbehaved, and she promised to behave, but then insulted your wife this morning.”
Darcy said dryly, “A summer at Pemberley is nothing compared to losing what she coveted most. My wife will have Pemberley for life.”
“True,” Bingley murmured. “I have sat here an hour, wondering what to do. She must not be allowed to spread gossip, but how to prevent it?”
Darcy rubbed his chin. “I will consult Richard. Perhaps he will think of something. We shall leave after breakfast tomorrow. When can I expect you at Pemberley?”
“That depends on what I do with Caroline.”
“Is there no aunt or uncle who could keep her for the summer, somewhere remote enough that she cannot post letters?”
Bingley grew thoughtful. “I have six Bingley uncles and five Stanbury uncles. Darcy, I hate to say it, but all my Bingley uncles are amiable men who lack the strength to stand up to my sister. I have been sitting here thinking of each one of my Stanburyuncles, trying to determine whether any of them are strong enough to manage her tantrums.”
Darcy seated himself and asked, “Do any of the Stanbury uncles have sons old enough to marry your sister, and who happen to live in some remote location?”
After a few moments of reflection, Bingley suddenly struck his hand upon the desk. “Actually, there is. My uncle Ambrose owns a minor estate north of Selby. The estate lies miles from any village, and my cousin Augustus is there for the rest of the year,andmore importantly, he stands six feet four in his stockinged feet. He could keep Caroline from wandering. I shall send her there.”
Darcy chuckled. “That sounds ideal.”
Bingley nodded. “I will write to my uncle this week and send a servant with the letter. I shall have him wait for a reply.”
Darcy clapped him on the shoulder. “Then you have a plan, my friend. I shall see you at dinner.”
Chapter 22: Schemes
Dinner had been relaxed and cheerful. Caroline remained in her chamber with her maid, leaving Bingley free to enjoy conversing with Jane. The couple sat together in a quiet corner of the drawing room while Georgiana played the pianoforte and Mary turned the pages. Mrs. Hurst worked contentedly at her embroidery, her husband dozing beside her, while in another corner of the large room, Richard discussed the problem of Miss Bingley with the Darcys.
“Bingley says he will send her to an uncle in a remote part of North Yorkshire. The nearest village is twenty miles distant.”
Richard frowned. “But that does not address the long-term threat she poses. Shall I ask Mamma to help us? Perhaps she has dealt with something of this sort before.”
Darcy considered. “Perhaps, but what if we craft our own story?”
