Page 93 of To Go Against Her Heart
“You cannot send me to Aunt Helen; she is old and sickly and has no money. I cannot stay with her,” Miss Bingley protested.
“You have no choice, Miss Bingley. You must be thankful that you are paying a very small price for your misdeeds. Even now, I can get you arrested, should you protest,” Lord Matlock said.
As much as she wished to argue, Miss Bingley remained silent; she knew from the grave expressions on Darcy’s and Lord Matlock’s faces that it was clear they would not allow her to escape unpunished. She glanced at Mrs. Hurst, but her sister quickly looked away.However, Miss Bingley knew it would be easy to manipulate her aunt in the future, return to town, and seek aid from her friends. Her cunning mind was already devising a scheme in that very direction.
“Very well, I shall leave,” she said, and a couple of footmen were summoned to lead her out of the house.
“You must be jesting, I cannot leave now, for I must pack, and I need my maid,” she cried—then paused, seeing Lord Matlock clear his throat, reminding her of the authority she could not defy. It was evident that she had no choice but to leave Netherfield in the middle of the night; neither her brother nor her sister had any say in the matter. As she walked out of the library, she heard Lady Matlock call out to her.
“Sometimes all one needs is a good cup of tea to make one understand the world, Miss Bingley.”
She trembled with rage, and she could not mistake the mark of victory in Lady Matlock’s countenance.
Miss Bingley walked out of Netherfield, shivering in contempt and cold, and she was led to a carriage.
In the dark, she failed to notice that she had not climbed into her brother’s carriage. The moment she sat down, she was startled to see a man seated before her; upon closer inspection, she recognized him as Lord Matlock’s valet. The man looked intimidating, and as she glanced around, she realized that she was seated in Lord Matlock’s carriage.
“What are you doing here? Why am I seated in this carriage? Let me leave you, scoundrel,” she cried, and before she could protest, the carriage started.
“We are to take a rather lengthy journey, Miss Bingley. I suggest you be polite with me,” the valet said, a faintsmileplaying upon his lips.
***
Mr. Bingley and Mrs. Hurst stood alone in the library after the others had departed. Ever since the moment they became aware of what their sister had dared to attempt to tarnish Elizabeth’s reputation, they had each wished that their parents were still alive to have guided Miss Bingley with the authority they had lacked.
Mr. Bingley knew that the sole reason Darcy had chosen not to send his sister to prison was his desire to spare Elizabeth the ordeal of having her name dragged through the courts. Yet he also understood that neither Darcy nor the Matlocks would allow her to escape with the mere punishment of remaining with a distant relative, far from the family.
“…Mr. Bingley, I cannot provide you with the particulars of where your sister will reside but be assured that she will not remain in the country. If at all we were to send her to live with your aunt, I am convinced that she will find a way to torment our lives again. So, we have decided to give her a confinement she deserves.I assure you, she shall be treated with more consideration and care than she deserves; yet I must entreat you not to enquire where she is to reside, for that is a matter known only to Lord Matlock and myself.If you contend that she might yet change, I am certain it is impossible, for she shows no repentance and would seize any opportunity to harm Elizabeth further. She will leave before dawn, and to your friends and relatives, you may convey the same story—that she is staying with your aunt…”
Lady Matlock’s words echoed in his mind, and he knew he had to inform Jane of the truth. Mrs. Hurst and Mr. Bingley never left the library until morning, each reliving the horror of what had transpired in their lives due to their own failing. In the same house, Lady Matlock retired to her room with considerable satisfaction. Yet, in all her years of experience, she had never encountered a woman like Miss Bingley—so full of vengeance and deceit, especially at such a young age. She knew perfectly well that even in agreeing to leave the house, Miss Bingley had done so only to buy time; at that very moment, she was likely plotting a scheme for revenge. Having navigated a world filled with thirst for wealth and greed, Lady Matlock understood that Miss Bingley’s greed could never be quenched, nor would shechange, and nothing would deter her from seeking revenge. Thus, she was convinced that she had done right in her decision— Miss Bingley would never return to the country, and no one could alter that.
***
The next morning, Elizabeth and Jane immediately understood from the countenances of their future husbands that they had ridden to discuss something of importance, and the previous evening had been perfect, according to all who attended the party. The couples appeared joyous, and their families even more so, delighted by the union. Nobody had cared about Miss Bingley’s absence, though when Jane questioned Mr. Bingley, he had replied that she was unwell.
Now, as he stood before her, Mr. Bingley felt a sense of guilt as he knew Jane would be devastated to know what Miss Bingley had planned against her beloved sister’s future and happiness.
“I had imagined that Georgiana would accompany you. I do hope she is not too fatigued after last evening’s festivities,” Elizabeth exclaimed to Darcy.
“She is well. I hope you had a restful night,” Darcy said, uncertain how to approach the subject. Elizabeth immediately sensed that something troubled him and suggested a walk in the gardens. He readily agreed while Mr. Bingley motioned for Jane to remain inside with him. The weather was growing warmer, yet Darcy still insisted she put on her coat and helped her with the same. Elizabeth suggested they walk along the path visible from the house.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, and Darcy took a deep breath of the fresh countryside air.
“Elizabeth, I stand before you guilty of an action I wish I could claim I performed unwillingly. But I knew full well what I was doing, and I did it solely with the intention of protecting you. Pray, do not think that I doubted your resolve to marry me,”he said. At that moment, Elizabeth realized that something of serious consequence had occurred.
Darcy went on to explain the nature of the letter he had received, without divulging its full contents, and how he had immediately recognized it as Miss Bingley’s work. He observed Elizabeth’s delicate features grow pale with distress. Quickly, he recounted how Lady Matlock had orchestrated matters to convince Miss Bingley that her letter had achieved its intended effect, and how later she was caught.
“I cannot believe you chose to hide this from me,” she cried with despair.
“Please do not be angry with me. I wanted to protect…”
“You misunderstand the nature of my anger. As I told you before, I am no longer frightened by my past, and you have given me that strength. I cannot bear to think what you endured, remaining under the same roof with her. I was entirely oblivious to the trials you faced, and I enjoyed my time yesterday evening, when I should have proposed to aid you and Lady Matlock in some way. It grieves me that you should hide this from me, fearing I lacked the courage to face my past, which is by no means true at present,” she said. At that moment, Darcy realized that even should she encounter Mr. Harrington by chance in the future, she would never again succumb to the fears that once haunted her.
“You must understand, had we chosen to confront her before the engagement party, matters would have quickly spiraled beyond our control and affected everyone around us. Yes, I was anxious, but the moment I saw you at Netherfield last evening, all my worries vanished. All I could focus on were your eyes, your smile, and the joy I witnessed when I held your hand before everyone. It was a truly memorable evening for me as well.”
When Darcy related how cleverly his aunt had tricked Miss Bingley, Elizabeth smiled.
“I do not think she will ever change. What she did to Jane, I still cannot forgive, yet I pity poor Mr. Bingley. It must have devastated him to understand the truth. So, she was not sent away to her relative?”
