Caroline Bingley: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (3 page)

"Yes, I was only--"

He held up a hand and his expression hardened further. "But Darcy confessed his part in the matter and the intentions behind it. He has apologized, admitted his wrong, and made amends."

Caroline could hardly believe her brother's words. "Have I not done as much in my letter to Jane?"

"No, Caroline, you have excused your actions and made no amends, and though Miss Bennet may allow the goodness of her heart to sway her opinion of you, I may not be so charitable. I cannot." He paused, seemingly in contemplation. "Perhaps...no, indeed, there are others to whom an apology may be given."

Caroline stood and turned away from her brother, for she could not bear the force of his gaze. "To whom should I apologize?"

"Well, to those you offended, naturally."

Over her shoulder Caroline said, "You refer to Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

"No," he said. Caroline's surprise at his denial caused her to face him as he continued to speak. "I refer to Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy, as she shall be in a few days' time."

There was a long silence during which Caroline pondered her choice of response while Charles paced the room with a grim set to his face.

"Miss Elizabeth was most upset by your actions toward her sister," he said, midstride.

Here, Caroline very nearly made an unladylike snort. She knew well that Miss Elizabeth Bennet's anger had its origins in more than Caroline's actions toward her sister. She disliked Caroline for her attempt to gain Mr. Darcy as a husband and to become mistress of Pemberley.

And Caroline found she could not blame her, for she despised Miss Elizabeth Bennet for attempting to win him and succeeding.

Caroline's hands clenched the book she still held, its pages wrinkling a bit under her harsh grasp. No, the prospect of apologizing to Mr. Darcy's choice of bride was not to be borne.

"Even for you, Charles, I cannot do it," she said.

"But you must." Charles stopped pacing and turned to look full upon his sister. He appeared to be mustering his courage to continue, and Caroline knew that he was attempting to exert his own will and not allow her to influence him again. "Yes, you must. Mr. Darcy is my closest friend and is betrothed to Miss Bennet's sister. We shall all be permanently linked. A family! If you cannot find it within yourself to make amends, then our family will always be divided, and you, I fear, will always be...." He hesitated again. "You will always be the person cast aside."

Caroline sucked in a breath at the harshness of her brother's tone. He could not mean it. He simply could not cast her aside. But as she pondered his words, she realized their truth.

Jane and Elizabeth Bennet were close, and they would often keep company together.

Jane, of course, was easily swayed, and Caroline had thought to turn this to her advantage, but Jane was more influenced by her sister, and that had to be taken into consideration. If Elizabeth never accepted Caroline, then neither would Jane.

And if Jane never accepted Caroline, then Charles would not be free to make her a member of his household once again.

Mr. Darcy, of course, would not invite her to Pemberley if Elizabeth were against her.

And this was intolerable, for an invitation to Pemberley and social intercourse with her brother and the Darcy family were crucial to her status in society.

Alas, Miss Elizabeth Bennet was the key to Caroline's return to society.

Caroline studied Charles. What was to be said that might alter the course of his discussion? Could anything accomplish such a task? It was easy for Caroline--for anyone really--to believe that her agreeably inclined brother might be managed in every circumstance, but it was simply not true.

Why, she only had to recall his treatment of her when every Bennet in Hertfordshire had arrived at Netherfield to check on Miss Jane Bennet, who had remained there to nurse her little cold. Yes, his countenance had clearly told her that she had better remain polite. The expression on her brother's face then--when he required Caroline to be civil to the girls' dimwitted mother--bore a great resemblance to the one he currently wore.

Only now, his expression was even more resolute. This was the result of his romance with Miss Jane Bennet.

He had allowed his family and friends to influence him more than his own heart, and he had suffered greatly. Realizing the error he had committed in being overly agreeable, he had clearly become determined that he should never again let anyone influence him.

He was exercising that decision as he handed down judgment on Caroline.

But Caroline was in no mood to accept his decision so easily. "My letter was kindly meant, even if you believe it to have been so poorly written. I do hope you can find it within your heart to offer me your forgiveness."

At this, he turned away, leaving Caroline to look at the hands clasped resolutely behind his back and to face the following words: "I forgive you, for you are my sister, and I cannot believe that you would purposely attempt to ruin my future happiness."

Hoping he had softened toward her, Caroline stood and placed a hand on his shoulder. "No indeed, brother. I only wanted to save you from an unequal marriage."

He turned his head so that he could meet her eyes fully. His expression held a sincerity that surprised Caroline as he said, "But a marriage is not unequal where there is an equality of love."

Caroline could not conceal her disdain. "Can you name any unequal marriages that did not end in misery for one or the other?"

"Those were marriages of unequal minds."

"Unequal fortunes must have the same effect," Caroline reasoned, "for does not money provide the opportunity for the improvement of the mind? I can hardly believe that Miss Bennet is your equal if she spent her youth without the benefit of a governess. Why, she can probably barely embroider a cushion, much less play the pianoforte!"

A muscle worked in Charles's jaw, and Caroline feared an outburst of anger, but then he sighed. "And this is precisely why I must take bold action. You refuse to see the truth before you. I love Miss Bennet, no matter how much money she has, who her relations may be, or how talented she is with needle and thread. She will be my wife, and I am unwilling to begin my marriage by inviting one who harbors such unrepentant disapproval to share our home. I shall not allow myself to be persuaded against my own good judgment, Caroline. I must act."

Cold fear rushed over Caroline, and her legs seemed no longer capable of supporting her, so she returned to her seat. She looked up at Charles, whose face was resolute, and realized that her situation was worse than she had anticipated.

"I think it best if you removed for a time," Charles said. His tone held an alarming ring of finality. "You must go home to Kendal."

"Home?" Caroline could not withhold her protest. "I have no home in Kendal."

"You shall go to our mother's home, then, if you insist on grammatical precision."

"Yes," Caroline said as her hands balled into fists. "I do insist upon it, for Newton House is not my home and it never shall be."

His reference to Newton House as "home" wounded Caroline more deeply than he could have realized. There were few people who knew how greatly she despised the very notion of home. Though she was a woman of no little fortune--20,000 pounds could hardly be considered insignificant--she had been denied the benefit of such a place from her infancy. Her father--heaven bless him--had expired before he had been able to purchase the estate his family deserved, and the inheritance, the bulk of which had been left to her brother Charles, had not yet been invested in family lands.

No, instead, it had been spent on the lease of a country manor in Hertfordshire and would soon be spent further on her brother's marriage to a country maiden. Imagine. Charles had the fortitude to commit to a woman, but not to a piece of real estate.

These were great vexations indeed, for above all else, Caroline had always yearned for a home of her own. The ownership of such a place meant far more than the possession of a piece of property. It meant a husband: a landed gentleman or perhaps someone with a title. And it meant security and status that could not easily be wrested from her.

To all outward appearances, Caroline was a woman to be envied. She wore the latest fashions, attended the most lavish balls, and associated with the wealthy and titled--and she had always tried to reflect an attitude superior to the confidence she felt inside herself--but in reality, she was nothing more than the homeless daughter of a tradesman.

Yes, Caroline would own to it: she had hoped to gain a home of her own in the form of Pemberley, but instead of gaining the home and husband of her deepest desires, she had succeeded in angering her brother, losing the good opinion of his betrothed, and humiliating herself.

"No, indeed," Caroline repeated. "I shall not go to the north of England. Surely, a journey of that magnitude is not necessary. I shall stay with Louisa in London."

"Your destination is already decided. I have written to Mama of your coming."

Caroline would not allow the mention of her mother to dissuade her from objecting again. Yes, she loved her mother and yearned to see her, but not in this manner. "Mama will bear up under her disappointment, for I refuse to go such a distance for no purpose."

Charles's jaw clenched. "But it is required," he said, and then he walked from the room, leaving only hurtful words in his wake. "Caroline, you shall not be welcome in my household until you make proper amends, and I can assure you that your welcome at Pemberley has been suspended until such a time as well."

Caroline sighed. There must yet be something she might attempt to rectify her situation, for she would neither apologize nor go to the north.

• • •

Louisa surely must have pity on her, Caroline reasoned, for her sister had been chief in both separating Charles from Miss Jane Bennet and advising her about how to proceed with Mr. Darcy. Having little experience with romance, Caroline had sought her sister's advice and followed it closely.

Yes, Louisa would understand and would save her from Charles's disastrous plan. She would not allow her beloved sister to suffer for committing the crimes in which she herself was an accomplice.

"But Mr. Hurst and I do not go to London, Caroline," Louisa said, "or else you should be most welcome, certainly."

Shocked at the lack of regret in her sister's tone, Caroline demanded, "Do not go to London? Whatever can you mean? Where do you go?"

"Mr. Hurst has engaged us for a large house party in Devonshire."

"In Devonshire?"

"Indeed," Louisa replied airily.

"But," Caroline protested, "Mr. Hurst may find just as much amusement in London, may he not?"

Louisa set aside the letter she had been composing and turned her attention to her younger sister. "Caroline, do not be obtuse. His schoolfellow has invited a house full, and we are to spend several months at cards and fine foods. It was the only inducement he could want."

"Cards and food are not exclusive to Devonshire," Caroline said as she slowly walked closer to her sister and slid her fingertips along the top of the escritoire. "Why must you stay with his friends?"

Louisa rolled her eyes. "Why, for the simple reason that we were invited. Can you not comprehend that?"

There must be a method of convincing her sister to alter her plans. Caroline thought for a moment and then said, "You have never before desired to be in the company of Mr. Hurst's friends. I recall you saying that they were a group of bloated fools, in fact."

Indeed, she could hardly imagine her sister willingly placing herself in such company. Mr. Hurst was a gentleman of fashion and fortune, but he was not known for good sense or impressive companions.

"I desire to socialize with them now." Louisa's expression clearly meant to convey more than her words made obvious. "And that is all that matters."