All of the Darcys had attended except soon-to-be-three Alex who was left at the inn with his nursemaid and two footmen guards, much to his vexation as he proclaimed loudly that he was a big boy to any that would listen. The family had joined with the De Melvilles to rent a dining establishment just for themselves for a celebratory meal that evening after the ceremony.
Elizabeth remembered the conversation in the carriage on the way back to Snowhaven when Richard had announced his plans for when he graduated in two years. She remembered feeling chills when Richard mentioned the profession that he had chosen.
“Have you considered what you want to do after Cambridge, Richard?” father had asked.
“I have,” Richard returned with pride.
“You know that you have options that many second sons do not have, do you not Richard?” mother stated.
“Yes Mama, I know that I have Brookfield, but I find that I am not ready to become a gentleman of leisure yet,” Richard took a deep breath as he prepared to announce his choice that he was sure would not be popular; but he also knew that as much as his parents might dislike it, they would not force their will on him.“I want to go into the regulars and serve King and Country!”
“Oh, Richard!” mother exclaimed,“why the regulars? If you want to serve why not the militia?” She hated the idea that one of her children might be put in harm’s way; it was more than enough that an accident had claimed one daughter and a murdered had almost done the same with her other daughter.
“You know how some men say that they feel a calling when they join the church?” Richard asked, both of his parents nodded.“Well, that is how I feel about service to the crown.”
“You know that we will support you, but I will worry every time that you are sent into battle. Look at what is happening in France, the anarchy and terror; I am afraid that England will be pulled into battle on the continent, and I could not stand to lose another child,” mother stated with tears in her eyes.
“Itch, could you not find a profession that does not have the potential for you to die doing your work?” Lizzy asked.
“I know it is scary, Lizzy, but it is something that I feel I must do. So many take and so few are willing to give back in service to something greater than themselves, I am called to serve,” Richard explained.
“If that is the case, you must allow me to purchase you a commission of major or colonel,” father added.
“I thank you father, but I have been saving my allowances for years and I will have enough to purchase a captain’s commission by the time that I finish my time at Cambridge. I want to make my own way and earn any promotions beyond the rank that I purchase.” Richard was determined and, as he had discussed his plans with Andrew previously, the latter had remained silent during the conversation; but was no less worried about his brother than any other.
The subject of her thoughts came up behind his sister and grabbed her waist causing her to start.“Itch!” Elizabeth exclaimed,“You know I hate it when you creep up behind me!”
“Why do you think I do it, baby sister?” His declaration earned him a playful slap on his arm.“I came to ask you if you want to go for a ride with Andrew, Anne, and me.” Lizzy nodded emphatically and took off up the stairs to go change into her new deep burgundy riding habit.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Caroline Bingley felt jubilant. She had finally prevailed; just that morning she had been instructed to pack her meagre belongings into her trunk. She was finally leaving this hell-hole! At long last her parents had realised the justification of her way of thinking. At fifteen she was even more convinced of the rectitude of her opinions. For the final time she was sure, she almost skipped into the crone’s office as she fought to keep the gloating from her mien.
“Sit, Miss Bingley. I am glad that you are in good spirits; you will need them for the length of your upcoming travels,” the headmistress intoned cryptically.
“Am I to join my family on the continent as a way of apologising for using me so ill?” she asked. Mrs Gilbert shook her head as the young lady’s delusions seemed to know no bounds.
“You will be taking a voyage on a ship, not to your desired destination, but to the Isle of Man.” The headmistress beckoned to the two large footmen who had entered the office after Miss Caroline to take up station behind her chair while she delivered the news that she had no doubt would cause one of Miss Caroline’s infamous tantrums.“As you refuse to see the error of your ways, your father is sending you to the Greenlake School for Troubled Girls, and as I mentioned, it is on the Isle of Man.”
“WHAT!” Caroline screeched as she tried to jump out of her chair but found that she could not move as strong hands gripped her shoulders keeping her seated in the chair.“The error ofmyways!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.“I will kill…” whatever else she was about to sat was cut off as one of the large men placed a gag over her mouth while the other put irons on her wrists and ankles. With fire in her eyes, the young lady was lifted effortlessly and placed in the waiting conveyance where her trunk had already been secured to the roof.
So it was that Miss Caroline Bingley departed the Dark Hollow School the same way that she had arrived, bound and gagged.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Oscar and Martha Bingley knew that it was the day that Caroline would be removed from the school she had been at for the last year. They had not seen her in that time. They still loved their daughter, but they were convinced that she had become unhinged. Sending her to Greenlake was the last resort before they took the drastic step of having their daughter committed to a facility that catered to women with incurable hysteria.
Martha had finally come to accept that, although her daughter had got some of her wrongheaded ideas from her, she was not responsible for the fact that no matter what, Caroline could not change. Charles was home from Eton and Louisa had graduated from the finishing school at Miss Pettigrew’s Seminary for Young Ladies at almost eighteen. Louisa would have her official coming out during the upcoming little season. Lady Anne Darcy had agreed to sponsor Louisa, so it would be that she would be the first in their family to make a curtsey before the Queen. It saddened Martha to think that had her youngest displayed genuine contrition and been open to correcting her ways, she would too have gained that which she so craved, but now would never attain.
Oscar could not have been happier with the growth of his income since Gardiner and Associates had become partners in the Bingley Carriage Works. The new concern in London had more orders than they knew what to do with and there were already plans to expand to a second location near the Gardiner warehouses off Gracechurch street near Cheapside.
In addition, he could not remember a time of more felicity in the family. Yes, he was sad that it did not include his youngest, but he knew that she had been given every possible chance to correct her ways and had resolutely refused to do so. He was once again actively involved in the business overseeing the London operations while his brother did the same in Scarborough. The connections that were made last Easter at Rosings Park in Kent had led to some orders for equipage and very soon those members of the Ton let it be known how happy they were with the coaches from the Bingley works. The order floodgates opened.
Gardiner had just taken a townhouse on Berkley Square for his expanding family as his wife was with child again, so Oscar had purchased the townhouse on Gracechurch street from him. Even though it might not be in the most fashionable area of Town, his wife, son, and daughter were well pleased that they had a home in London now.
During the long holiday from school, Charles would accompany his father to London for three days each week and was learning all about the Bingley’s business and how to run it at his father’s side. He would be away for three weeks when he would join his friend Darcy at a new property his father had purchased near Brighton in July. At sixteen going on seventeen he had begun to notice the fairer sex, and the more that he got to know her, the more he came to like one Miss Jane Bennet. He knew that he could not act on his attraction for some years yet as she was not twelve yet, but in the meanwhile they had become friends as part of the neighbourhood’s larger group of friends that spent much time together.
As much as she was chagrined to admit it, Louisa knew that her life was much better without Caroline’s vitriol and venom in it. She grieved for her sister and hoped against hope that she would one day see the error of her ways and be welcomed back into the bosom of the family, but she doubted that her sister had the capacity to see that which she did not desire to. She had a best friend in the form of the courting Charlotte Lucas and a good friend in the younger Jane Bennet who she acknowledged was mature beyond her years.
