Page 64 of Grief and Grievances
And Newcastle had the definite benefit of being far, far away from Darcy.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
AsDarcystoodinthe dimly lit hallway of Netherfield, his thoughts were consumed by the recent events and the lingering question of how Wickham managed to compromise Caroline. The creaking floor beneath him served as a reminder that the house had its own secrets, and he felt determined to uncover them.
“Mr. Darcy,” said a hesitant voice from behind him. Turning around, he saw Caroline’s maid, her eyes downcast and hands fidgeting with her apron. “I have something I must tell you.”
“Speak freely,” Darcy urged, his gaze commanding yet compassionate.
The maid hesitated for a moment before speaking up. “It was I who allowed Mr. Wickham entry into Netherfield, sir. He offered me a sum of money I could not refuse, and I... I regret my actions deeply.”
Darcy’s jaw tensed at the revelation, but he maintained his composure. “Your honesty is appreciated. However, I cannot fathom why Wickham would target Miss Bingley. It seems out of character for him.”
The maid bit her lip, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and guilt. “I believe Miss Bingley intended to use Mr. Wickham’s presence to her advantage, sir. She had planned to remove Miss Bennet as a potential target for your affections, before ensnaring you in a compromising position and forcing your hand to offer for marriage. However, things did not go according to her plan.”
A cold realisation settled in Darcy’s chest at the thought of Caroline’s scheming. How had he been so blind to her machinations? His love for Elizabeth had perhaps dulled his senses to the dangers lurking closer to home.
“Please,” said Darcy, reaching into his coat pocket and producing a purse full of coins, “accept this as a token of my gratitude for your honesty. It should suffice to start afresh somewhere far from here.”
“Thank you, sir,” she whispered, accepting the purse with trembling hands. “I never meant for things to transpire the way they did. I only wished to escape Miss Bingley’s cruelty.”
“Your actions may have been misguided, but I understand your motivations,” Darcy replied gently. “Now, it is time for you to leave this place and forge a new life. One free from abuse and manipulation.”
As the maid curtsied and thanked him again, Darcy wondered how many others had suffered under Caroline’s whims. He took a certain grim satisfaction in knowing Wickham would now be the certain target of her manipulation and cruelty; the two of them deserved each other. It was a shock to discover just how far Caroline had been prepared to go in pursuit of her aims, however, and Darcy determined to warn Bingley, lest his sister manage to inveigle her way back into his good graces and perhaps target sweet-natured Jane.
“There you are, Darcy,” Bingley’s voice called, and he turned to see his friend approaching.
“Just the person I wanted to see,” he said, attempting to muster up a smile, “though I am afraid I must be the bearer of more bad news.”
Bingley’s steps faltered. “Worse than my sister being compromised by a cad?”
“Regrettably, yes.” Grasping Bingley’s arm, Darcy led him into the library and poured them both a generous snifter of brandy. “I’m afraid it appears Caroline is not at all innocent in this affair. While I don’t believe she invited Wickham to her bed, I’ve received information that she had been meeting and plotting with him to have Wickham compromise Elizabeth, and then Caroline planned to ensnare me.”
Bingley gasped, his face turning grey. “How could she? I never knew Caroline to be capable of such deviousness,” he said, shaking his head. “I must speak to her at once.”
“I’m afraid that may not be wise,” Darcy warned him. “She is a skilled manipulator and may attempt to turn the situation in her favour. It would be best to keep your distance from her for the time being. The best place for her is in Newcastle with her new husband, once she and Wickham are safely married.”
Bingley looked conflicted, but eventually nodded in agreement. “You’re right. I trust your judgement in this matter, Darcy, and I have spoken to the local parson and obtained a common marriage licence—since they are both resident in the parish, a special licence isn’t required. They’ll be married tomorrow.”
Darcy nodded, taking a sip of his brandy. “That’s good, Bingley. And don’t you have relatives in the north?”
“I do indeed, at Scarborough and Durham, the latter being but half a day’s ride from Newcastle. I will be writing to them to keep a close eye on Caroline and Wickham, never fear.”
“Very wise, Bingley, and the best course of action to take under difficult circumstances.”
Bingley nodded, his eyes betraying a mixture of sadness and anger. “Thank you, Darcy. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Darcy gave him a small smile. “You need not thank me, Bingley. It is my duty as your friend to stand by you and help you through this. And I promise you, we will get through this together.”
As they sat in silence, sipping their brandy, Darcy’s mind raced with thoughts of Caroline and Wickham. He could not help but feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that the two of them would be forced to spend the rest of their lives together, forever trapped in a marriage based on mutual deceit and manipulation.
But his thoughts soon turned to Elizabeth, and he wondered how she would react to the news of Caroline’s treachery. Would she be shocked and appalled, or would she already have suspected something was amiss?
Darcy knew he had to speak with Elizabeth soon, to warn her of the danger lurking in their midst. But for now, all he could do was wait and hope that Caroline’s influence had not already caused irreparable damage to their fragile relationship. Accordingly, when he, Bingley and Georgiana attended Longbourn the following day—after witnessing a very hasty wedding and the departure of Caroline and her new husband—Darcy drew Elizabeth into the garden.
“You look very serious, Mr. Darcy, is all well?” Elizabeth asked him immediately. “It was a great shock to all of us when Mrs. Phillips hastened here yesterday to advise the vicar had been asked to conduct a wedding for Mr. Wickham and Miss Bingley, though she also told us a few days ago the pair of them had been seen looking very cosy in the tearoom in Meryton.”
“That was probably when they were hatching the plot for Wickham to attack you,” Darcy said grimly.
