Page 66 of To Love And To Cherish
Darcy grimaced. "I’ve never encouraged her. Never."
The front door opened. He turned to Bingley. "She is not welcome. She may stay one night, no more. You must send her away in the morning."
"Agreed."
The butler entered. "Miss Caroline Bingley."
Caroline swept in, flushed. "Mr. Darcy, Miss Darcy, Jane, Charles, how lovely."
Bingley stood. "What are you doing here, Caroline? You weren’t invited."
She laughed. "You tease! Of course I’m invited if you and Jane are."
"You are not. Darcy has agreed to one night. Tomorrow, you must leave."
She turned to Darcy. "Surely, Mr. Darcy, you do not mean that?"
His voice was cool. "I do. You have treated some of my guests with evident disdain while in their company at Hertfordshire. I will not suffer that behavior under my roof."
Her gaze swept the room until it landed on Kitty.
"What is Eliza doing here? How dare she presume?"
She strode forward and struck the young woman, who was taken entirely by surprise.
Bingley seized her elbow. "This isMiss Catherine Bennet. And this is why you are not welcome."
Jane knelt beside her sister. “Your skin has not been broken, Kitty. We’ll apply a compress and, God willing, it will bruise no further. Come upstairs."
Georgiana joined them.
Bingley turned. "Where shall I put her?"
"Next to your room. I’ll have a footman stationed in the hall. If she comes anywhere near me tonight, I will not marry her. Understand, Miss Bingley? Nothing you do will compel me."
Caroline sneered. "You’ll pay for this. You should have married me years ago."
"Come, Caroline," Bingley said, leading her out.
Darcy turned to the butler. "Shut up the house, we are retiring early. Have Miss Bingley’s carriage ready by eight o’clock. And send up a tray to her room; she is to breakfast alone."
"Yes, sir."
Upstairs, Georgiana asked softly, "Kitty, shall I stay with you? Are you afraid?"
Kitty nodded. "I didn't know she hated Lizzy so. What could Lizzy have done to her?"
"She hates all Bennets. She never wanted Jane to marry Charles."
Kitty frowned. "Please stay with me. But Miss Bingley may come in the night, and you could be injured."
"I will stay. I do not believe we have anything to fear; our footman is both reliable and strong. But Miss Bingley is clever, and it is best we be prepared to help one another should she come at us tonight."
The girls prepared for bed and fell asleep in one another’s company, comforted by friendship in the face of cruelty.
Chapter 35: Miss Bingley
The following morning brought a deluge of rain. Darcy was already in his study when the butler entered at seven o'clock, brushing rain from his coat.
