Caroline Bingley: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (10 page)

"Have we?" Caroline asked as she raised the glass to her lips.

"At the very least, we shall now be slightly more immune to dull conversation, shall we not?"

Caroline sipped her sherry again. "One can only hope it is so."

He laughed and then winced as Lavinia appeared at his arm.

"Oh dear, my keeper has arrived," he said to Caroline, and then he turned to Lavinia. "Have you come to ensure that I do not slip out the rear door before the meal begins?"

Lavinia did a poor job of concealing her annoyance.

"Mrs. Winton," Caroline said as a means of distraction, "I must compliment you on this lovely assembly. It is a great testament to you and your family to have such faithful friends with whom to dine."

Lavinia smiled. "And now you are counted among their number."

Caroline dipped her head, as if embarrassed by her friend's words, but truly, she was concealing her pleasure at having reinstalled herself amongst the acquaintances of the first family of the neighborhood. "I thank you for it."

"You will perform a small favor for me, will you not, Miss Bingley?"

Caroline could not but agree as Lavinia wrapped her silk-clad arm around Caroline's and led her gently from the center of the room, where she had purposefully positioned herself to be seen to the best advantage, toward the doorway through which she had originally entered.

"Certainly, I will perform any service you require of me." Caroline was pleased to assist her friend, for it spoke of their close relationship and would make her appear indispensible.

"William has insisted that I invite several guests of the lower social orders," Lavinia said softly so that her brother could not hear, and she looked around the room as if seeking out each lower-class offender. "And I do have some concern regarding their behavior tonight."

Caroline nodded and also looked about the room. "That is an understandable fear."

"If you, my dear, would be so kind as to occupy Miss Brodrick until dinner?"

"Which is Miss Brodrick?"

Lavinia pointed out a pale, slight creature who was sitting alone at the back of the room.

"Come, I shall introduce you."

The trio crossed the room to the young lady in question, and when they had drawn close enough, Lavinia said, "Miss Brodrick, I have the greatest desire to introduce you to our dear Miss Bingley."

Lavinia made the introductions, the ladies curtseyed to one another, and as she straightened again, Caroline took her first notice of the young lady.

Miss Brodrick appeared to be of no more than seventeen years, and she was everything that was fragile and slight. Even her face seemed small and was composed of delicate features and porcelain skin. Her hair was of the finest blonde coloration and decorated with a small white feathered ornament.

"Miss Bingley, it is an honor," said Miss Brodrick in a soft voice, and Caroline had to lean closer to hear her properly.

"It is equally my honor, I assure you," Caroline lied. She could not have cared less to have made her acquaintance, but it had proved her value to Lavinia, and that was all that was necessary to make her amenable.

"Miss Brodrick is recently returned from one of our old haunts, Miss Bingley," Mrs. Winton said.

"Oh?" Caroline asked, though she was quite uninterested.

"She was also a student at ladies' Eton."

"Ah, yes? Such a beneficial education for a young lady to receive," Caroline said with a glance at Mr. Charlton. "And you have certainly been admitted to society that will only serve to improve upon it."

"Yes," Miss Brodrick said in her whispered voice, "Mr. Charlton and Mrs. Winton have been very gracious in inviting me to attend."

"I do hope you will continue to think me gracious after I steal my brother away for a few moments," Lavinia said as she transferred her arm from Caroline's to her brother's. "A host's duties are never complete, it seems."

"Oh dear," Mr. Charlton said, "I must be away."

"Yes, the Dowager Lady Kentworth requires your presence." He rolled his eyes, and Lavinia sighed. "Do not be difficult, William."

Mr. Charlton bowed first to Miss Bingley and then to Miss Brodrick. "You will excuse me. It seems I must see to my duty, but you, Miss Brodrick, are in excellent care. Miss Bingley will ensure that you are not without amusing conversation."

"Excellent," Lavinia said as she held to her brother's arm and walked with him through the crowd toward the far end of the room, which held the entrance to the dining room.

Though she had the impression that he would like to slink away like a chastised child, Caroline watched as Mr. Charlton straightened his back and walked with dignity toward the opposite end of the room.

Caroline turned to Miss Brodrick. "Indeed, we shall enjoy becoming further acquainted, shall we not, Miss Brodrick?" Despite her disappointment in Mr. Charlton's departure, her pleasure in his kind words made her more able to bear it. "And so, tell me, who is your family?"

Miss Brodrick stepped back slightly, but responded with little hesitation. "My father owns a graphite mill."

"Graphite?" Caroline attempted to conceal her distaste. "I was unaware that the product was still being mined."

"Not mined, Miss Bingley. Milled."

"I see," she said, although she did not really know or care to know the difference.

"My father imports raw graphite from France and processes it so that it can be formed into proper English pencils."

"He sounds a very industrious man, though"--Caroline lowered her voice--"I would caution you, Miss Brodrick, not to make your family's dealings in trade so very public."

Miss Brodrick looked at her with pale blue eyes full of questions. "Why ever not?"

"Darling, have you learned nothing in Queen's Square?"

"I learned a great many things, Miss Bingley, among which was to value the livelihood that allowed me to be sent there."

"You may be grateful, but not quite so vocally, certainly."

"I shall not dissemble, Miss Bingley," said the pale creature. "I feel no shame; neither shall I pretend to."

"Then it shall be to your detriment," Caroline warned. "For you must realize how lowly the better classes regard such a history."

Miss Brodrick did not appear to give adequate weight to Caroline's words before she said with quiet confidence, "Then I suppose I shall just have to risk being seen as an oddity. It does not bother me, and neither should it trouble you."

"I assure you it does not. It was advice kindly meant."

"And it is kindly rejected, Miss Bingley, but I trust it will not damage our acquaintance."

Caroline smiled. Silly girl. They had no such acquaintance.

But she said, "Certainly not."

The conversation lulled, and Caroline turned to discover that Lavinia had begun the subtle organization of guests that preceded their entry into the dining area. The Dowager Lady Kentworth was already on Mr. Charlton's arm, and they were proceeding out of the drawing room. The rest of the assembly followed suit.

Caroline looked around as a feeling of panic descended over her. Everyone, it seemed, had found their escort--all except her and Miss Brodrick.

In a party composed of an uneven number of ladies and gentlemen, it was vital to secure a male dining companion early, but now it was almost too late. Caroline found herself in the company of a female and quite at the back of the party.

If she did not act quickly indeed, she would be doomed to dine in the company of Miss Brodrick.

Disaster!

She had hoped to wrangle the arm of an unattached gentleman and then select a seat as near to Mr. Charlton as possible. She would then ensure that she was well within his line of sight as she charmed her dinner partner, whomever he should be, with elegant conversation and wit.

Mr. Charlton would see what a desirable partner she was and seek her out for conversation after dinner.

A marriage proposal would be the next logical step, of course.

But now, her plan was spoiled, and she must reverse the damage if she possibly could. And quickly.

First, her eyes sought her mother and Mr. Newton. Perhaps they had been chatting with a gentleman on whose arm she could enter. She caught sight of their backs as they left the drawing room. She was already too late.

Next, she searched out Lavinia. Perhaps her friend had thought to hold aside a gentleman for her. Lavinia would prove a strong ally, certainly.

No, as Caroline looked about the chamber, she could not locate Lavinia. Likely, she was already in the dining room to see everyone comfortably settled.

Last, she looked, and not without a certain amount of desperation, for Rosemary and Mr. Rushton. Perhaps they had managed to enter a conversation with a gentleman with whom she might dine. Or, at the very least, perhaps she could enter on Mr. Rushton's arm.

If she must.

She spotted them sauntering along as if they had all the time in the world while the room emptied as guests were lured toward the scents of the meal that had been tempting them. Caroline hurried across the large drawing room toward the stragglers.

She had traversed half of the cavernous chamber when Lavinia emerged from the dining room and looked about the drawing room.

"Oh dear, Miss Bingley, I had thought you were already seated," she said. "What do you do all the way over there?"

"I..." Caroline paused as she studied Lavinia, who must have recalled leaving her at the back of the room to entertain Miss Brodrick not a quarter hour before. "I was detained."

"Ah, well, that is unfortunate indeed. And Miss Brodrick too has dawdled, I see." She ushered Mr. Rushton and Rosemary toward the door and then motioned for the young ladies. "Miss Bingley, do follow the example of your friends and come along, would you?"

Rosemary turned, her eyes seeking her mistress's. Caroline expected to find a haughty expression on the woman's face, but instead, she had the decency to appear embarrassed at entering before her mistress and on the arm of a gentleman when they were so very scarce that evening. Indeed, she was flushed red to the roots of her strawberry blond hair.

Good.

She may have the distinguishment of entering on Mr. Rushton's arm, but she would do so looking as red as a poppy.

Caroline attempted a look of nonchalance, but inwardly she seethed. To be forced to walk behind her companion. Her servant!

"Come, come!" Lavinia called to her again though they were practically side by side now. "Let us join the others. I fear, however, that you will not like your seat."

As soon as they crossed the threshold into the dining room, Caroline was escorted in the opposite direction whence Mr. Rushton and Rosemary had traveled to the other end of the long table, and Caroline did not mind being separated from them. Adequate distance was of the highest import, for she feared what she might say.

The evening was not going at all according to her plan. Mr. Rushton may have thought it appropriate to joke about it, but clearly, the rain had been an indication of the unfortunate course the evening would follow.

The dining table was so long that it would be well nigh impossible for conversation to flow between those seated at the head and those at its foot. Mr. Charlton was, of course, at its head, and Caroline found herself being directed to the midsection of the table, closer to the foot. She had no hope even of overhearing conversation that might prove useful later. All she could hear at the moment was the scrape of chairs' legs across the floor as servants assisted the guests to be seated.