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‘Oh look, there is a Bingley carriage. I have not seen one this far south before.’

‘The Bingley business must be doing well if they are selling carriages in London now.’

‘I wonder if Miss Bingley uses a family carriage?’

I will work on additional phrases but you get the idea. Mr. Lawrence will provide six different maids from an agency each day for two weeks. By then half of the Ton will have heard.”

Elizabeth was smiling but had a thought.

“If we are going to do this, then let us do it right. Get two footmen as well so that there are 12 people out and about every day. But the footmen should say something like.

‘That is a Bingley coach. I am sure I saw one at the.’

“We will review the social events of the night before, whatever is the most fashionable ball or event of the evening. I think it delicious that Caroline Bingley could not attend the event but a Bingley carriage could.”

--

“Are you not worried about how much money you are spending on this, my Lady?”

Elizabeth shook her head.

“I cannot enter society until the Bingleys are dealt with. Once it is confirmed they have left London then I will arrange for the three carriages to be sold. As for the servants, if I held a ball then I would be hiring almost as many as temporary staff from an agency.”

She looked over brightly at her companion and friend.

“Did you enjoy our ball?”

Harriet had to laugh. There was going to be no stopping Lady Napier.

“How will you know if you are successful?”

“Mr. Jones has three boys watching the townhouse Bingley is renting. He will let me know if there are signs of him moving out.”

“The last few weeks you have focused on the Bingleys, what of the others?”

“Hurst is drinking himself to death, and is running out of money. We will see if the married sister goes with her brother or not. I am doing nothing to them at present. Hurst will solve the problem without any assistance from me.”

“What about Mr. Darcy?”

“He is too connected. If the Bingleys leave town, never to return, then I will request that Mr. Lawrence reassign the men to watch him. When I think back to that time in Hertfordshire, I find myself bothered by him the least. He was a typically pompous member of the Ton, who managed to annoy me almost without conscious effort. This season will likely try me as I deal with many so-called gentlemen with the same traits.”

She thought about it.

“He is described as one of the most eligible bachelors in the Kingdom. If that is true, I shudder to think about meeting those not so eligible.”

Chapter 18

Louisa Hurst was terrified. She had been happy to marry David Hurst when he had offered. The Hurst estate was not enormous but it was still an estate. And she and Hurst’s parents had been cordial to one another. There was not delight, that was too much, but they were happy with the cash infusion and the prospect of an heir. Now however, it was all falling apart. Hurst was a glutton, a drunkard and a poor card player. He was losing money he did not possess, and physically was becoming ever more unappealing. Something had to be done. She wished it did not come to this but it could be delayed no longer.

In the end it was straightforward, immoral but straightforward. Immediately after the end of her courses she started her two month plan. She waited until her husband had passed out in his bedroom and then joined him in bed. There was a connected sitting room between their two bedrooms and so she was able to enter his bedroom unseen. Her robe and shift very visible beside the bed. As a result when she was discovered by her husband’s valet the next morning she was presumed to be naked under the covers. However, that detail was all part of the plan. Soon all the servants knew that she was bedding her husband every night.

“Louisa? Why are you here?”

“You asked me to join you last night David.”

“I did?”

“Do you not remember?”