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Jane cringed and lowered her head, mortified that she had asked such a terrible question, clearly inappropriate even although that was not her intention.
“Miss Bennet, I apologise most sincerely for raising my voice. It was not the act of a gentleman. I know that you would never create such gossip, and you clearly asked your question innocently. Why would you think that there was a courtship between Bingley and my sister?”
Darcy’s more moderate tone calmed Jane and she looked at him, her face still flushed with embarrassment.
“In her note when she left Netherfield Park, Miss Bingley wrote to warn me that her brother admires Miss Darcy greatly and that it was a match that both her relations as well as his wished for. In a later letter, she extolled Miss Darcy and predicted the wishes from her first letter would soon be accomplished.”
Jane watched in trepidation as Darcy pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly trying to calm himself. He looked over at Jane Bennet and smiled a rueful smile.
“It is a pack of lies, Miss Bennet. Neither Bingley nor his sister have been in the company of my sister since last summer. I have been meeting Bingley at our club so as to avoid the company of Miss Bingley who I find rude and tiresome. I wish only to maintain his society, he is a friend of many years.”
The last was said as though Darcy was fatigued. He turned to Miss Bennet.
“Do you still have those letters in your possession Miss Bennet?”
“Yes, I do. They are back at the parsonage. I did not dare leave them at Longbourn as my sister is a snoop.”
“Do you think that I could take possession of the letters please. The rumours in those letters could result in serious damage to Georgiana’s reputation.”
Jane had not considered that fact and flushed once again.
“I know this has been awkward for you, but you have done nothing wrong. I thank Providence that our paths crossed this afternoon. Come, let me escort you back to the parsonage.”
15 minutes later Darcy was in possession of three letters from Caroline Bingley to Jane Bennet. Little in any of them bore any relation to the truth.
“Here is my card. Please send a note when you are in London.”
Darcy did not explain why and Jane stood at the door of the parsonage watching as he swung himself up onto his horse and cantered off up the lane to Rosings Park.
--
As Georgiana’s other guardian Richard was equally incensed when Darcy explained Jane Bennet’s tale and showed him the evidence.
“This is too much. What are we going to do?”
“I am unsure.”
“You are unsure!”
“Richard, calm down. You sound like Lady Catherine.”
“Darcy old man, that was a low blow.”
“I am thinking out loud, none of this is set or in any particular order. I have to speak to Bingley. I will inform him that our whole family will give the cut direct to Miss Bingley. She has irrevocably damaged her reputation with the Ton. I am unsure what to do with Bingley. Caroline Bingley is his Achilles heel, he cannot deal with her, as I saw up close during my stay at Netherfield Park. If I had the choice I would prefer not to lose his friendship, even if it was more distant as a result of this. But I do not want him to have to choose between a friendship and his family.
“So there are the first thoughts. The more detailed considerations leave me extremely worried. Miss Bingley left Hertfordshire and sent these damn letters to Miss Jane Bennet. She did not know that Miss Elizabeth Bennet was no longer in Miss Jane’s confidence and had been all but banished to London. Incidentally, a subject that she never discusses. Miss Elizabeth and Miss Bingley had arguments that could be heard miles away and both loathe each other. It does not take much of a step of one’s imagination to realise that Miss Elizabeth could have held Georgiana’s reputation in her hand. Now we know that she would never do such a thing, but what if Miss Bingley wrote other letters?”
Richard Fitzwilliam, a decorated full Colonel in the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards, paled at Darcy’s words.
“That is why I am unsure. I do not know how to ensure that these are the only letters that harridan has sent out. Neither Miss Jane nor Miss Elizabeth Bennet would spread such gossip but imagine if they got into the hands of Wickham?”
“Darcy!”
Brandy was sought and the two gentlemen slouched in the armchairs.
“Do we get my mother to very publically denounce Miss Bingley for spreading unfounded rumours about the family? People are more likely to think it is Miss Bingley promoting herself with either of us or Andrew. As Georgie is still only 15 no one will think it is because of her.”
Darcy pondered this suggestion.
