Page 33 of To Win Her Affections

The way Caroline’s eyes widened in horror and shock might have been diverting in other circumstances. As it was, her stupefaction did not last long enough for his taste.

“That is ridiculous, Charles!” snapped she. “There is nothing for you at Netherfield.”

“Nothing except the woman I love,” retorted Bingley.

“And before you forbid me anything,” Bingley’s dour expression dared her to further object, “remember that I am my own man and may do as I please.”

“Do you mean to ruin me?”

“Marrying Miss Bennet would ruin no one,” replied Bingley.

“Her improper family will make us a laughingstock!”

“The Bennets do not go into society. Yet that does not concern me. The choice of my life partner is mine, and I mean to have it.”

“Brother,” said Louisa, her voice smaller than usual, “you know my sentiments. Though Caroline has spoken out of turn, her concerns are valid.”

“Perhaps they are,” replied Bingley. “But if I decide that having Miss Bennet as a wife outweighs such concerns, it is my choice to make. Besides, I will marry her, not her family.”

Though he might not have credited her ability to remain silent, Caroline seethed but said nothing, allowing Louisa to speak again.

“To Miss Bennet, there can be no objection—she is the sweetest woman I have ever met. If you are set on this path, at least promise that you will be certain of her.”

“Of Jane, I am certain,” replied Bingley, softening a little to his elder sister, who was being reasonable. “Before I take such a step as to offer for her, I will also take care to confirm her sentiments.”

Louisa nodded, though it was clear that she did not agree. “That is all I can ask.”

“That is not all I can ask,” said Caroline, losing a battle with her anger. “Do you not recall that everything you do is a reflection on me? Will you damage my prospects so that you may have your little country miss?”

As Caroline’s anger was not unexpected, Bingley took no notice of her insulting words about Miss Bennet. “Even if I thought marrying Miss Bennet would damage your prospects, still I would not relent. Should it make your eventual marriage to a duke impossible, I would think it was already improbable enough as to mean nothing at all.”

“Do not be obtuse, Charles,” growled Caroline.

“I am not,” retorted Bingley. “You want me to sacrifice my happiness to satisfy your ambition, but I will not do it. If some jumped-up dandy sees you as unsuitable because I married the daughter of a gentleman, it will not give me a moment’s concern. You would see it that way yourself if you were not focused on standing above all other concerns.”

“This is all diverting,” said Hurst, interjecting his opinion into the tense exchange, “but you mean to marry Darcy. Marrying Miss Bennet would give your brother a legitimate connection to the landed class—I fail to see how that would affect your chances of ensnaring him.”

“Mr. Darcy agrees with me,” snapped Caroline. “He finds them a reprehensible—”

“I shall not debate whether that was true before,” interrupted Bingley. “It is not true now—that is obvious in the way Darcy welcomed Miss Elizabeth and her relations to Pemberley.”

“The salient point—”

“I care nothing for your salient points, Caroline,” said Bingley, rising from the chair in which he sat. “I have made my decision, and you will not gainsay me. If Miss Bennet will have me, I shall offer for her—your future presence in our lives depends on your ability to treat her with the respect she deserves. I require nothing from you as regards the family, as I believe it would be better if you avoided their company.”

Bingley turned and walked to the door, pulling it open. Before he left the room, however, he turned to speak one more time. The evidence of Caroline’s boundless fury did not escape his attention.

“Control yourself for the rest of our visit, Caroline. I will have no compunction at all about ending our visit early if your behavior is not exemplary.”

With those words, Bingley left the room, feeling lighter than he had in months. The truth was that he had let Caroline do as she wished for far too long. It was time to assert himself, to be the sort of man who could stand beside a woman of Miss Bennet’s quality. If he did not, he had no business returning to Netherfield at all.

THOUGH BINGLEY HAD said nothing explicit, Darcy expected an argument that morning. Thus, the Darcy siblings had agreed to make themselves scarce—Georgiana returned to her rooms after breakfast with Mrs. Annesley, while Darcy instructed the stable to prepare his curricle, which he then drove into Lambton. There, he had the good fortune to arrive at the inn after breakfast, but before the Gardiners departed for their day’s activities.

“Darcy!” said Mr. Gardiner when he entered the room on the maid’s heels. “I was beginning to wonder if you meant to visit us this morning or if my niece’s allure had somehow diminished from yesterday.”

“No, Mr. Gardiner,” said Darcy, never taking his eyes from Miss Bennet. “Never that.”

“Your discernment and constancy are most pleasing, sir,” said Mrs. Gardiner, appearing delighted.