Page 146
Elizabeth flushed with pleasure at Darcy’s words on her grace and beauty but that reaction was nothing compared to the preposterous countenance of Caroline Bingley. When Elizabeth thought of it later she realised this was what the shattering of dreams looked like. At the time, she was reduced to biting the inside of her cheek to stop laughing in her face. She had never seen someone pale as if they were about to faint, yet at the same time their cheeks flush with a florid intensity. For some unknown reason, Mr. Hurst’s face sprang to mind.
“Your relations must be so pleased Mr. Darcy. Have Miss Eliza’s tradesmen uncles been invited to dinner yet?”
Darcy’s continued anger at this termagant ebbed as he looked down at Elizabeth. Rather than have to worry about her riposte he was treated to a warm smile. Suddenly Caroline Bingley was nothing more than an ill-mannered pest. It was time to move on.
“Who are these people that are detaining you Darcy?”
Lady Maria Leonard and the Duke of Desmond had noticed the altercation and returned to the side of Elizabeth and Darcy. He indicated Elizabeth should respond.
“Your Grace, Lady Maria, these two ladies are Mrs. Louisa Hurst and Miss Caroline Bingley. They have just finished commenting about Sir Edward.” Insolent pauses were spreading like the flu. “Most sincerely.”
Lady Maria’s face turned glacial.
“This is Caroline Bingley?”
Elizabeth nodded, surprised at the sudden change in attitude.
“Let us leave at once. Come Your Grace, Miss Bennet, Mr. Darcy, these people are not worthy of our time or notice!”
There were cuts and then there were cuts. Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst had just been socially beheaded. In the middle of New Bond Street on a sunny Spring day. Elizabeth and Darcy, following the lead of the Duke and Lady Maria, turned and left the Bingley sisters without another word.
“Louisa, who were the other lady and gentleman?”
Caroline’s hissed question was ignored and Louisa Hurst dragged her across the street, narrowly avoiding both horses and carriage wheels. They needed to escape from the scrutiny of those who had witnessed the exchange.
“Louisa, stop dragging me!”
Without breaking stride, or her grip on her sister’s arm, Louisa hissed a response.
“Caroline, for once in your life just shut up. We need to get back to the carriage immediately and I need time to think.”
The Bingley carriage was spotted and Caroline Bingley was all but bundled into it without ceremony or delay.
“Home, at once.”
Louisa Hurst leaned back in the seat, trying to calm her trembling limbs. She was terrified and angry and needed peace and quiet to calm herself. However.
“Louisa, what was that display for? I will be bruised for days from the way you dragged me down the street.”
Apparently, peace and quiet were not to be granted to her.
“Caroline. Are you that idiotic and self-absorbed? Did you hear Miss Bennet’s introduction? ‘Your Grace’ and ‘Lady Maria’, that means he is a Duke.”
Louisa knew Debrett’s was well as her sister. She mentally flicked through the pages and then stopped and shuddered.
“I am positive that was the Duke of Desmond, the only Duke in the peerage of Ireland. He is also the only current Duke that young. Finally, he is related to the Leonard family and the Duke of Richwood’s oldest sister is Lady Maria Leonard.”
She tried to visualise that Lady’s date of birth and although she did not the exact year she recognised that the lady they had just met was the right age. She put her head in her hands. This was a social catastrophe that would be talked about for years. Caroline Bingley finally focused on something other than the engagement of Mr. Darcy and Eliza Bennet and Louisa’s words sank in. As the carriage pulled up outside the Hurst townhouse half the street heard her plaintive wail.
“Nooooooo!”
--
The news of the confrontation spread like wildfire on a windy day. Robert returned and confirmed that the two Bingley sisters had retreated to their carriage and left. Lady Maria was immediately approached and while she fanned the flames of Caroline Bingley’s disgrace Darcy quietly indicated to Elizabeth that there was more to the story but it could not be repeated in public. As they drank their tea they watched as Virgil’s quote on rumour came to life before their eyes. Lady Maria damned Caroline’s name, accusing her of using the Darcys and Fitzwilliams very ill. She never directly accused her of anything but implied that she had attempted a compromise on one of the gentlemen and had been found out, thankfully before her plan succeeded. The Duke of Desmond was much more direct.
“I have never met this person, never mind been introduced to her. She was abominably rude to Miss Bennet, a young lady I count as a good friend. This odious person was lucky to have received the cut direct from my cousin, Lady Maria, before I had a chance to respond in kind to her jealous tirade. Her roots were never more evident.”
Eventually they were able to depart and return to Leonard House on Hanover Square.
