“In that case I will give him a few days to settle in and then I will call on him to welcome him to the neighbourhood. Perhaps he will be good enough for one of you, but you know I have high standards,” Bennet quipped, well, partially.
“Well I know it, Papa. As you know, your daughters also have conditions that need to be met before we consider a man’s advances,” Elizabeth reminded her father.
“Time will tell if this tenant is a good man or not.” Bennet picked up his ledger.
Elizabeth went around the desk, kissed Papa’s cheek and then left the study, pulling the door closed behind her.
She made for the drawing room to speak to her sisters. Elizabeth had much to tell them from her call with Charlotte. Much more important than the information about the new tenant, was what she had to report about the advances little Lawrence was making. At more than one-and one-half years of age, he was changing rapidly.
When she was alone with Jane and Mary, Elizabeth would share Charlotte’s news; she had recently felt the quickening of her next son or daughter.
Chapter 12
“Charles how dare you lease an estate without asking my permission…” Miss Caroline closed her mouth with a clack when her brother growled.
Bingley had purchased a house on Curzon Street, not in Mayfair, and not in Grosvenor Square as his younger sister had demanded. He named the house Bingley House, and although it was not the largest or most fashionable, it suited his needs more than adequately.
“As the head of our branch of the Bingley family, when have Ieverneeded your permission to do anything I deemed I needed to do? Have you forgotten that as you are a spinster who is of age and on the shelf, that it is my right to release your dowry to you and set you up in your own establishment?” Bingley demanded. “When have youeverbeen able to bend me to your will? Caroline, you must be delusional if you have not learnt from past experience. Should I contact doctors and have you evaluated to be consigned to Bedlam?”
“You would not dare! What will Mr Darcy think if you…” Again, Miss Caroline closed her mouth at the incredulous looks her brother and sister were shooting at her.
“Darcy will not care one whit what I do to you,” Bingley barked. “Do you have the memory of a gnat, or do you simply not hear that which you do not want to hear? This is the last time I will tell you this. There are no circumstances under which Darcy willeveroffer for you. This is important for you to learn because,ifI allow you to join us, Darcy will be myguest to teach me about estate management. Also, Darcy will not gratify a compromise, and if you ever lowered yourself to attempt to entrap him, I would publicly support his refusal to marry you. The only result of such an action will be your complete and irrevocable ruin in the society you so crave to join. Look elsewhere, Darcy is not now, nor has he ever been an option for you to marry.”
Miss Caroline Bingley stood with her mouth open trying to assimilate what her brother had told her. He was wrong! Mama had told her how she would rise to the pinnacle of the first circles, and that is what would happen. Then she heard what Charles said about Mr Darcy being part of the party at the estate her contrary brother rented in some backwater in the county of Hertfordshire. She would be the hostess and impress Mr Darcy, and then he would offer for her when he saw what an excellent mistress of his properties she would be. She did not believe for one moment that if she compromised the man, he would not offer for her.
She would only do that as a last resort, but one way or another Caroline Maleficent Bingleywouldbe the wife of the fabulously wealthy Mr Darcy, thus making her part of the first circles just like she and Mama had planned. “As Mr Darcy is to beourguest, I will act as your hostess. I will make sure everything is fashionable so he does not see how poorly this estate you leased compares to the magnificence of Pemberley. Charles, I demand you allow me to order a new wardrobe. I cannot have Mr Darcy see me in anything out of fashion.”
“Tell me, Caroline, when did you see Pemberley to know of itsmagnificence?” Louisa asked innocently.
“I read about it in a book of the great estates in the country,” Miss Caroline claimed.
“You read a book! Unless it isLa Belle Assemblée, or a gossip rag, I think not. Let us face it, Caroline, since you wasted your time at Miss Hathaway’s seminary, you have not openeda book,” Louisa pointed out. “On the other hand, Charles and I have actually seen Pemberley.”
“YOU LIE!” Miss Caroline screeched at the top of her voice. How she hated being called out for prevaricating. “Mr Darcy would not allow you near his estate with that filthy mark of Satan when I have never been!”
“Caroline!” Bingley barked. “Before I reply to all of the nonsensical statements you just made, did you forget what I promised would happen the next time you insulted Lulu because of her birthmark?”
As she did remember, Miss Caroline’s face turned a whiter shade of pale. “Y-you w-were n-not s-s-serious, w-were y-y-y-you?” She stammered.
“I was. You have just ceded five thousand pounds of your dowry to Louisa. Commit the same offence again, and it will be another five thousand pounds. I will contact my solicitor in the morning and the change will be made, and it is irrevocable,” Bingley replied.
“But Louisa does not need more money; I do because…” Miss Caroline arrested her mouth before it cost her more money. Fifteen thousand pounds was not as prestigious an amount, but it was still acceptable. Mr Darcy was rich enough; he would not need the additional money. ‘Why did Mama allow Louisa to live? I would have had forty thousand pounds if she was not a millstone around my neck.’
“It seems you can learn. I am sure you were about to cost yourself more money when you stopped yourself,” Bingley guessed.
“Charles, I do not need the additional money,” Louisa claimed.
For a moment, Miss Caroline’s countenance lit up as she thought that her foolish sister was giving up the additionalfunds. It was not something she would have ever done. Miss Caroline’s glee was short-lived.
“As you control your own dowry now, you may donate the additional money to a charity, but Carolinewillfeel the consequences of her words,” Bingley insisted.
He looked at his younger sister daring her to attempt to gainsay him. “Good. Now let me address your assumptions you made earlier,” Bingley stated. “You will most certainlynotbe the mistress of the estate, just like you are not here. I have invited Aunt Hildebrand to join us. She will fulfil that role.” He saw his sister blanch. He knew that she would behave much better with their aunt in residence. “You will not doanythingat Netherfield Park outside of what is to be expected of a courteous guest. The same strictures in force in this house applies to the estate as well.” Bingley held up a third finger. “You are free to buy whatever clothing you desire.” He saw the look of glee on his younger sister’s face. “However, I will not be paying a penny for it. Your allowance will be used, and if what you have left right now is not enough, then the funds will come from what remains of your dowry. All shops know that I will not pay any of your invoices unless they have prior approval from me. That has not changed.”
Miss Caroline stared at her brother, her mouth flapping open and closed but not managing to say anything. Why could her brother not be biddable like she wanted him to be? She wanted to vent her spleen at him, but pictures of her not being allowed to be in the same house where Mr Darcy would be residing flashed before her eyes. As unfair as her brother was, Caroline would have to bite her tongue for now and not give him a reason to banish her.
“May I be excused?” Miss Caroline requested as evenly as she was able. When she saw her brother nod, Miss Caroline glided out of the room with as much dignity as she could muster.
“You know she is plotting something, do you not?” Louisa asked after she heard Caroline’s door closed forcefully.
