Authors: Melanie Schertz
“Caroline, have you taken leave of your senses?”
Hurst asked, appalled by his sister in law’s behavior.
“Louisa has admitted to what she did wrong, and is
willing to take her punishment in Scotland, rather
than the humiliation of a trial. You cannot believe you
are innocent?”
“I know that having someone killed is wrong, but
there are times that it is permissible. Like when
someone threatens or endangers your life. Miss Eliza
Bennet was threatening my life. She deserved to die,
so she could not harm me. It is as simple as that.”
Caroline looked at herself in the looking glass. “Now,
when shall we leave for London?”
Bingley was certain of what his sister was doing.
After her pretense of illness with a pretend fever, he
would not believe a word from her. “Caroline, enough
of your acting. It is not to be tolerated any longer.
You leave in the morning, with Louisa, to live in
Scotland. But, if you would prefer, we could have you
locked away in Bedlam. You are pretending to be
unstable, so we will feel sorry for you. Fine, Bedlam
would be an appropriate place for someone who is
unstable enough to plot a murder. We could make
certain you are included on the tour that comes
through for the wealthy to see the sick and depraved.
I am sure they would enjoy witnessing you bound up
in one of the coats they use, your hair disheveled and
drool flowing out of your mouth. Perhaps the visitors
will throw food at you. I would love to witness such
an event.” Bingley gave his sister an evil smile.
“Charles, you would not dare. You would not
tolerate the humiliation it would bring our family.
Would you treat Louisa as poorly as you do me? It is
not like Eliza died. I know Raymond thought she had,
when she fell, but he is such a fool, and can never do
as I tell him. It is his fault that the plan failed. He
should be the one to pay the consequences, not me.”
“Caroline, you just admitted to the fact that you
told Raymond to commit the assault on Lady
Elizabeth.” Hurst exclaimed. “You know what is right
and what is wrong. Now, no more of this foolishness.
You will be joining Louisa in Scotland. Do as you are
told or I will see that you are bound and gagged, and
placed with the luggage.”
Caroline began to sob. “You are both cruel. All of
my hopes of becoming Mrs Darcy of Pemberley are
being ruined due to you. Everything I have hoped for
will be gone, due to your failing to assist me. It is your
fault I reached out to cause Eliza Bennet harm. All
your fault for not securing Darcy for me.”
“Enough. Goodbye, Caroline. Enjoy Scotland. And
I do not plan to write to you, so do the same, do not
write to me. So far as I am concerned, I am an only
child and have no sisters. You are dead to me.”
Bingley gave up on his sister. “Hurst, I will remain
here until you return, then we can decide what else
will need to be done.”
Hurst nodded his head. “Colonel Fitzwilliam will
ride in the second carriage with Raymond and the
cook and maid we hire. We are taking four of the
Pemberley men to assist in guarding the three
prisoners. I should return in a fortnight.”
Bingley refused to bid his sisters farewell, and he
did not wish to watch out the window as the carriages
pulled away from the front of the house. To his way
of thinking, it was best to be done with Caroline and
Louisa. The only thing he had left to do was to see
that their weekly deliveries were arranged, and once
Hurst made the arrangements and brought the details
to him, for Bingley to set up the regular payments to
the shop.
The man was still fuming from the behavior of his
two sisters.
How could they behave in such a manner?
Was it not bad enough how they separated me from
Jane when they insisted on leaving Netherfield? Was it
not bad enough that they kept the knowledge of Jane’s
regard from me? Then they plot to have her sister
killed. Good God, how can they possibly be related to
me? To wish someone dead is terrible, but then to wish
to profit from the death in the hopes that Caroline
would win Darcy’s hand. Dear God in heaven, how can
they be my sisters? They are deluded and cruel.
I am shocked that Jane would still wish to marry
me. Her beloved sister was harmed, and could have
died, due to my sisters’ plot. It amazes me that Mr
Bennet has not called off the wedding, and called for my
immediate removal from the neighborhood. Or he
might wish to call me out for all my family has done to
his. If he did, I would put up no resistance. I deserve to
be killed. What a pathetic excuse I am for a man.
Perhaps I deserve to be sent off to some isolated and
remote location to spend the rest of my life. Jane does
not deserve such a wretched fool for a husband. She
deserves to be treated like the treasure she is. And how
can I even face Darcy? He is in love with Lady
Elizabeth, and he nearly lost her, due to my sisters. I
should have removed Caroline and Louisa to Town,
immediately after Hurst’s accident. I could have
returned without my sisters. Why did I not remove
them?
It was because I was jealous of Colonel Fitzwilliam’s
attention towards Jane. Now, due to my jealousy, my
sisters are guilty of conspiring to murder Lady
Elizabeth, and my dearest Jane pains for her injured
sister. And Darcy is beside himself with worry for Lady
Elizabeth’s well-being. I pray that Lady Elizabeth will
recover quickly. She does not deserve to be in pain,
especially at the hands of my miserable sisters.
Perhaps it would be best for me to leave here
immediately. Go to Town, stay there until Hurst
returns. Then I could take a trip somewhere, disappear
somewhere in the world. I should allow Jane to find
someone who will bring her happiness as well as love.
She deserves more than what little I can give to her.
The door opened and in came Darcy and Mr
Bennet. They were aware of his drinking heavily the
night before, and both of the men assumed Bingley
would be blaming himself for what had happened.
Darcy spoke first. “Bingley, you have not come
down to dine with us. What is the problem? You did
not send for a tray either, so I am concerned.”
“I was contemplating my future. At the moment, I
cannot determine what will happen, as I cannot see a
future for myself.” Bingley said bitterly.
“Jane deserves far more than me. She deserves
someone who does not have sisters who attempt to
kill her own sister. She deserves to be cherished by a
real man, not a weak willed simpleton who cannot
protect her from his relations.”
“When are you going to learn that you are not
your sisters, Bingley? You did not assist them in their
plot. And when you discovered their ploy, you
refused to accept their excuses. If not for you, we
might not have found Lady Elizabeth in time.” Darcy
said, taking a deep breath. His body tremored at the
thought of Elizabeth’s dying. “We were able to find
Lady Elizabeth and rescue her, due to your
persistence with getting to the truth.”
“She has a concussion, and a bump on the back of
her head. It was not a severe injury, but we will have
to keep a close watch over her. There are bruises and
scrapes, including bruised ribs, and a severely
sprained ankle.” Mr Bennet stated. “We are very
fortunate.”
“She was also exposed to the storm, so we need to
keep watch for any illness she might take.
Fortunately, she is a strong and healthy lady. The
warm bath and the warmed bricks placed in her bed
to keep a chill away seem to have been helpful so far.
And Mr Abernathy prescribed a tonic to assist Lady
Elizabeth’s natural strength against illness.” Darcy
further explained.
“How can you both stand there and not hate me?
My sisters were behind this assault against Lady
Elizabeth. Both of you should hate me for having
brought them here. Even after Hurst’s accident, I
should have removed my sisters from this estate. I
should have taken them to Town and left them there.
But I was too selfish and Lady Elizabeth has suffered
for it.”
“That is more than enough of your wallowing in
self-pity, Bingley.” Darcy announced. “Now, do you
still love Miss Jane? Do you still wish to marry her?”
Mr Bennet walked towards Bingley, placing a hand
on the young man’s shoulder. “Then you will marry
Jane and live your lives in the future, not in the past.
Take this example from one who knows what living in
the past can do to you. I wallowed in self-pity over
my lost love, Elizabeth’s mother. I allowed my pity to
fester and cause me to give up hope on my family, not
wishing to be a part of a family that did not include
Constance. I allowed Fanny too much control and
then blamed her for the way things turned out. But I
was to blame for how things turned out. I should have
stood my ground and declared my love for Constance,
stating I could not marry Fanny, no matter what she
had done to secure me. I should have been a better
father to my children, not hidden away in my study. I
know I could have been a better husband, even
though I deplored all that Fanny represented. I still
could have treated her kinder. Perhaps she could
have come to be a friend, as I know I could never have
loved her. But I could have been a friend to her. No,
Mr Bingley, I have lived with far too many mistakes
and frustrations from the past, and allowed them full
rein over my life. When we found Lizzy in Liverpool, I
vowed, then and there, I would never dwell on what
could have been. I wish to live for the future.”
“I spoke with her this morning. Having been in the
room when you discovered the truth from Miss
Bingley, Jane knows that you are not responsible for
what happened to Lizzy. She does not blame you. As
a matter of fact, she is grateful for your having gotten
the truth from your sisters and the young man. It was
due to your assistance that we were able to rescue
Lizzy. And she is proud of you for the manner in
which the punishment is being handled. Jane could
not have stood by and watched your sisters be put on
trial and possibly be executed. Due to Lizzy being a
member of royalty, even as minor as her relationship
is, your sisters faced possible execution for their
behavior. Jane is proud of you for standing your
ground and refusing to accept Miss Bingley’s
behavior. It is her belief that you can both move
forward. Without your sisters to cause you harm, you
and Jane can live a good and happy life, filled with
love.”
“I have been praying for just such a life. I have
feared what all of you would think of me, whether you
would understand that I am not my sisters.”
Darcy chuckled. “Bingley, you are the complete
opposite of your sisters. No one could ever consider
you to be anything remotely similar to Miss Bingley or
Mrs Hurst. If you had ever been like them, I would not
be your friend.”
“And I doubt my daughter would have given you a
second glance, if you were like those harpies.
Fortunately, for all of us, you are a kind and caring
man. Now, are you to be my son in law?” Mr Bennet
smiled.
Opening her eyes, she looked at Jane. “What did I
do to myself? I ache all over, and my foot feels as if
someone is sticking sharp, hot needles into it. And I
must ask who has been beating on my head with
sticks. Goodness, did I fall under a carriage or
trampled by horses?”
“No horses or carriages, but yes, you did fall.
Down into a hole in the ground. We are grateful it
was not as severe as we first thought. You could have
been killed.”
Elizabeth sat up suddenly, realizing too late that it
was not a wise move. “Sadie…Sadie was injured.
Where is she? Is she alive?”
Hearing her name come from Elizabeth’s lips, the
dog whined from the bedding which had been made
for Sadie next to Elizabeth’s bed. As Elizabeth
lowered her head back to the pillow, her hand draped
over the edge of the bed to pet the top of Sadie’s head.
“Jane, how is Sadie? Was she badly injured?”
“A broken leg and some cuts and scrapes. Mr
Abernathy said he is not an animal physician, but he is
confident that Sadie will recover. That dog is devoted
to you, Lizzy. She crawled out for the men to find her
and cried out to them to take them to you. Mr Darcy
made certain that she was brought to the house on the
wagon which brought you here. One of the footmen
carried Sadie upstairs and made the bed for her which
is now beside your bed. Sadie is being well looked
after, and she is keeping watch over you, my dearest
sister.”
“She is dear to me. I cannot explain it, but she is
the closest confidante I could ever imagine. I can tell
her everything, and she just listens and gives me her
love. There have been things I did not know how to
discuss with you or Papa, but Sadie has allowed me to
work through all of my concerns and thoughts.”
Elizabeth said as she scratched behind Sadie’s ears.
Just the thought of the dog being there, the feel of her
fur as Elizabeth’s fingers roamed through it, brought a
peace of mind which was beyond description.
“Well, she is special to me for taking such
wonderful care of my most beloved sister. I will
always be grateful to Miss Sadie.” Jane smiled. “Shall I
send for a tray for you? Mr Abernathy insisted that
you must take some nourishment. He does not wish
to see you take ill from lack of proper care.”