Bingley and his older sister saw the look of fury displayed by Caroline yet failed to restrain her as she marched further into the ballroom. She stopped close to some ladies she did not recognise, therefore decided that they did not much matter in society. Unfortunately for her, the ladies happened to be the Duchess of Bedford, Lady Jersey, and Lady Matlock who had all seen the horrendous burnt-orange mess make her way into the ballroom with a malevolent look toward their Elizabeth.
No matter how much she lied about her connections, Caroline Bingley had never been introduced to any of the ladies standing near her. She decided that they were as good a group as any for her to explain just who and what Eliza Bennet was and to begin the ruination of her so Darcy would be saved. She could then cement her position amongst those here. Not understanding that she was displaying rudeness and lack of manners, she marched up to the three ladies and without introduction launched her attack.
“I did not know that fallen women are permitted at the ball of my acquaintances Her Grace, Lady Bedford and Lady Jersey,” she stated in a conspiratorial tone of those who most like to gossip excel at affecting.
“To whom do you refer miss and are you close to our hostesses?” her Grace asked with feigned interest. Caroline Bingley never knew when to restrain herself, especially when enraged as she was at that moment, she ignored her sister when she tried to pull her away and as she shook off Louisa’s hand, she condescended to answer the lady’s questions.
“I refer to the fallen Eliza Bennet.” Caroline spat the name out as if she had sucked on a lemon. “I also see her sister Jane, who is little better than she, and her lowborn country bumpkin parents here. I am well acquainted with the ladies and will have to point out the error of inviting such lowborn persons to this ball, which after all is an honour to me and my soon to be husband.” As the shrew talked, the pitch of her voice became higher and equally grew louder with her shrill nasal tone. She did not notice that all dancing had ceased and that the object of her derision, along with the Bennets and Gardiners, were now standing behind her.
Bingley, who was starting to understand the exorbitant price his family was about to pay for avoiding difficulties and placating his sister, was on the verge of stepping forward to grab her and rush her out of the ball room when he was restrained by Richard Fitzwilliam with a look that brooked no opposition. Seeing it, he knew that he had also lost Richard as an acquaintance, and there was now no hope of rescuing his sister. He could only watch the disaster unfold as his shoulders slumped when he turned to do so, he noticed that all in the room were watching the spectacle that his younger sister was making.
“You claim to be ‘well acquainted’ with the hostesses of this ball, but yet, without introduction mind you, you approach myself whose house this is and Ladies Jersey and Matlock, then have the audacity to spew your slander against mygoddaughter? The only lowborn ones here are you, your brother, and your sister!” the Duchess retorted loudly.
“You must be insane madam! Did I not tell you that all connection between us is severed?” Darcy demanded. Caroline’s mouth hung open like a beached perch, and she visibly cringed when she heard the very voice from behind her that she had expected to gush with relief and pleasure when he caught sight of her filled with derision and disdain instead. “Did your brother not inform you that I cut my friendship with him for his inability to check you? Knowing his abhorrence of confrontation, I will wager that he did not!” As he was saying this, Darcy skewered Bingley with a look that could kill. “Did I not tell you and your family the truth ofLadyElizabeth’s wealth and connections at our last meeting when you spewed your wild lies and conjecture to me? Was not my message emphasised when my butler denied you entrance to my house? You, madam, wereNEVERan object of affection for me. Quite the opposite as in fact, it was hard to tolerate you for three minutes together, and you willNEVERunderANYcircumstances, be my wife!” Darcy announced to all, his anger impossible to deny. A quivering woman slowly turned and saw that she was the object of disgust and derision of all at the ball, and right there standing in a magnificent ball gown wearing jewels that Miss Bingley could only dream about and on Mr Darcy’s arm was the hated Eliza Bennet.
“L-l-lady Elizabeth?” Caroline stammered softly.
“Why yes Caro, you do not mind if I call you Caro do you as you persist on calling me Eliza when there is none but a single particular friend of mine and her family who are allowed to call me by that appellation. You are not now, nor have you ever been, a friend.” Elizabeth offered a false smile, her voice dripping with disdain. “Let me guess. Your brother and sister hid the papers from you so you did not see the elevation of my family!” Mrs Hurst and Bingley tried to shrink and hide in their mortification and shame, but there was nowhere to hide. Before the vile woman could respond, Lady Elizabeth continued. “Let me introduce you to my family, Caro, there,” she pointed to her parents, “are Lord and Lady Bennet, the Earl and Countess of Longbourn. My sisters Lady Jane, her betrothed and soon to be my brother, the Honourable Mr Fitzwilliam, and with them is Lady Mary,” she turned her head toward each, “and Sir Edward and Lady Gardiner, a Baronet, my relatives in trade that you ridiculed so vocally. Caro, do you understand what the word hypocrite means?”
Darcy winced a little as the word brought visions of his setdown in the grove at Rosings Park back to him. Bingley had gasped as he heard of Lady Jane’s betrothal, the cost of his character faults became more and more evident to the man who knew that their life in society was now forever over.
“I am sure that you do not, so let me illustrate the point. One who is a tradesman’s daughter and looks down on others in trade is a hypocrite. You and your sister, who thought that your pittance of a dowry somehow elevated you beyond your roots in trade regardless of your years at the seminary that you boast of, learnt naught. It is not money that changes one’s status, but birth, character, or elevation. You were born a tradesman’s daughter; you have no character, and you will never be elevated. You are naught but a grasping, fortune hunting, social climber.
“When Prince Edward and Princess Elizabeth arrive shortly, I will be sure to let them know what you think of the people that the Queen and the Regent saw fit to elevate. As you seem to know better than all, maybe the royal family would like yourwisecounsel,” Elizabeth stated clearly with deep sarcasm. “You and your family were invited by my aunts to give you a chance. If you had behaved with decorum, there would have been no censure unless and until you shared your vile and slanderous lies about me to anyone. You, however, and as we surmised, could not control yourself and your lies and slander spilled from your poisonous tongue to my godmother, aunt, and soon to be aunt. You are nothing but jealous and grasping. I think that the time for you depart has come, Carodear!” Elizabeth commanded.
‘Good God,’ Darcy thought, ‘how I love this woman. She is magnificent!’
“My sister, Elizabeth and I could not have stated it better.” The Prince broke the silence. No one had noticed the arrival of the royals during the current entertainment. All assembled, besides the shocked and now shaking woman, genuflected to the Prince and Princess. “We will have to inform our mother and brother that you, the daughter of a tradesman, know better than they. We are sure that the family will be exceedingly diverted by your pretentions and slander against a family held in high esteem by ours,” he smirked at Caroline.
“I warned you what would happen if you did not control that harridan. We are to be divorced, and I want all of the Bingleys out of my townhouse tonight!” Hurst announced before anyone else had broken the silence. Seeing that his soon to be ex-wife was about to say something, he held up his hand to waylay her. “The two of you have enabled this behaviour and are responsible for the consequences that will be visited on you. Even if my standing in society remains damaged and I am not allowed back into my clubs, I will be rid of all Bingleys.”
“We,” the Duke of Bedford indicated to the Earls of Jersey, Matlock, and Longbourn, “will make sure that your divorce proceeds with all speed and will have no impediments.”
“We will support the application with no reservation, and we will ask Mr Darcy’s cousin,” the Prince inclined his head toward the man, “the Archbishop of Canterbury if he will annul the marriage.”
“You have my deepest gratitude for your assistance your Highness,” Hurst genuflected to the royals, “and you my Lords.” He bowed to all three peers. Darcy, his two cousins, and the hosts of the ball turned toward the three Bingleys.
“It is time to take your disgraced family and leave Bingley. Perhaps you finally learn that peace at all costs has a very high price,” said Bingley’s former friend, verbalising the sentiments of many.
Bingley led his two sobbing sisters out of the ballroom, and they were escorted from the premises by three rather angry looking footmen. They hied back to the Hurst townhouse to pack and find rooms in a hotel until they decided how to proceed.
Just before the Duchess indicated that the musicians resume playing, Hurst turned to find Sir Edward and Lord Longbourn approaching him.
“Your membership will be reinstated at both Whites and Boodles tomorrow, Mr Hurst,” Gardiner informed him.
“You have my deepest gratitude Sir Edward, your Lordship, but how can you know that?” a confused Hurst asked him.
“If you will keep a secret Mr Hurst,” Hurst nodded his acceptance to the brothers, “Bennet and I own the two clubs. We are sorry you were caught up in the actions that we took against the Bingleys. We and all of society saw tonight that you are not like them nor do you support them, so your position in society will be fully restored. It did not hurt that the Prince pledged the royals’ support for your annulment.” Gardiner smirked.
For the rest of the evening, the ball was as an enjoyable one as had ever been, as the business they had intended to deal with was concluded as expected, if not as preferred. There were a number of disappointed matchmaking mamas when they saw Darcy dance a second set, the supper dances no less, and then the final waltz with Lady Elizabeth and the Bedford’s heir dance two sets with Lady Mary.
It was not only mothers that lamented the evident loss of the two, but also not a small number of debutants who had wanted to be either the next Marchioness of Birchington or Mrs Darcy of Pemberley. Their claws remained well and truly sheathed, as no one wanted to face the combined wrath that the disgraced Caroline Bingley had. Disappointed they were, but none wanted to commit societal suicide as had been witnessed that evening. It was good that three men had requested dances from their respective Bennet lady ahead of time, as within moments of arriving at the ball all three had full dance cards.
Just before the supper set, the Earl and Countess of Longbourn, along with the three daughters attending the ball, were formally introduced by the Duke of Bedford. The introduction of the new Baronet and his wife followed. At dinner the three Bennet daughters sat with a betrothed, one almost re-declared suitor, and one who was seriously considering the step. Dinner conversation was very pleasant for all after the gallant gentlemen brought a plate of food for the sister that he was paying court to, and by mutual, unspoken agreement, the Bingleys were not mentioned.
“I trust that you are having an enjoyable evening now that the unpleasantness has been dealt with. If you will allow it Lady Elizabeth, I would like to tell you that you are a vision of loveliness tonight. I cannot believe that the words ‘she is tolerable but not handsome enough…’ ever passed my lips. It was not long after the infamous assembly that I considered you the handsomest woman of my acquaintance,” Darcy offered. He quietly leaned in close to his Elizabeth, breathing her lavender scent in since it was difficult to catch her eyes that he had called very fine more than once.
Elizabeth blushed furiously, which she did more than she cared for in this man’s presence. She could now see the true character of Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy. He had no improper pride or vanity and had fully addressed all of her reproofs. Time and time again he had demonstrated his ardency and consistency, and she had absolutely no doubt that he was the best of men. She was now certain that the hypocrite was gone and the man that he was meant to be was the one that sat and stared adoringly at her.
