by Tiffany Ward
The brothers were shocked at the description but realized that they would never meet the family described. It would be prudent to keep this information away from his mother, she would be displeased to be related to ruffians. Richard had been watching Elizabeth throughout the evening, she did not display any of these inappropriate behaviors. If she had, the Royals would never have befriended the lady.
Chapter Eleven: Meryton
Doctor Everett Chambers arrived at Netherfield before dinner that evening. He was the Bingley family doctor. He promptly left London when he received the express sent by Charles. Doctor Chambers had known for years that Miss Bingley had an overzealous sense of importance. She must have done something awful if Mr. Bingley was questioning her mental competence. Did she harm anyone? He felt that she had the propensity to hurt anyone who disagreed with her. Another thought flitted through his head; did she harm herself? No she was too narcissistic to cause harm to herself.
Arriving at Netherfield, the doctor was taken to Bingley’s study. “Doctor, I am glad that you were able to arrive so quickly. Some developments took place this past week that has caused me to question my sister's mental state.” Charles stated the facts of what happened since their arrival at the country estate. He explained how Miss Bingley acted when Mr. Darcy met another lady in whom he was interested. Her poor behavior towards the ladies when she was acting as his hostess. How last evening during the assembly, she ruined not only the lady but her entire family and placed her good friend in a position that was deemed unacceptable by all. Lastly, Charles related this morning’s conversation.
“Caroline does not seem to be remorseful for her actions. She never stated that she loved Darcy; she always treated him as a friend. Since arriving here, she has changed and treated him as a possession. I am sure that she understands that she caused these issues by lying, but I do not believe that she cares that she has harmed an honorable family in the area. She has not demonstrated anything but resentment towards Miss Elizabeth. She is not concerned that she has placed Mr. Darcy in a bad position which calls his character into question. I have secured her inside her room, and she was sedated earlier.”
“I will examine your sister when she awakens. She will need to be able to answer questions during the exam. You are not questioning her physical condition, but it is her mental condition that I need to evaluate. Please have your housekeeper notify me when Miss Bingley is awake. In the meantime, is there a room that I can use to refresh myself? Can I have a dinner tray sent there?” the doctor made his requests then retired to his room.
Mrs. Jones arrived to escort the doctor to his room. The room across from Miss Bingley had intentionally been prepared for his stay. Charles wanted him close in case his sister found a way to harm herself. Dinner was delivered to both gentlemen in their rooms for the evening — neither wanted the company.
Charles knew that no matter the results of the doctor’s exam, his family was socially ruined. He would not be welcomed in polite society after his sister’s actions. She had ensured that the family would be ostracized in London. His choices were to either place her in a sanitarium or remove her from England. Either way, he had to leave England if he wanted a chance to marry well and be welcomed by society in general. Darcy’s family would ensure that their entire family would be protected; they would use Bingley as a scapegoat for his sister’s behavior. He opened the letter to his sister Louisa Hurst. He added a new sheet explaining his potential need to move away from England.
Louisa,
Caroline has destroyed the chance for our family to advance as our parents had hoped. She made claims against Darcy that were untrue, ruining a prominent local family due to her spite. As you have known, she is willful and malicious when she does not get her way. I am unsure how she became this way, but I know that due to her behavior you and your husband have avoided spending time with her recently.
At the local assembly, Caroline claimed that Darcy was her fiancé. She declared the second daughter of a local family a homewrecker due to Darcy’s interest in the lady. The gossip that has come from these claims is terrible. The family has removed their daughter from their home, declaring that she no longer has a family. She was physically assaulted due to our sister’s lies.
Caroline claims that she is in the right even though Darcy never proposed to her and he was free to give his affections elsewhere. I have called our family doctor to Netherfield. I need him to evaluate our sister’s mental state. Darcy and the lady are now engaged, they have left the area permanently, never intending to see Caroline again. Darcy’s family will rally around him and his future bride. They will ensure that our family will never be welcome in polite society due entirely to Caroline’s lies.
I believe that you and Hurst will be safe, your last name has been changed and you were not a party to the incidents at Netherfield. Please be careful, do not draw their notice for any reason. You might consider leaving London for a time, then return when the gossip has settled on this matter. Once Caroline has been dealt with, I will be heading North. I will speak to our uncle, then determine if I am to remain in England or move to the New World. I do not feel that continuing here will be in my future. I will write when I can.
Your dearest brother,
Charles
Just past midnight, Caroline awoke. The servants attending her notified the doctor as instructed. Charles was waiting outside the room. “Mr. Bingley, I believe your presence might agitate your sister. I need to assess her mental state without her being upset by your interference. I understand your concern, but I would appreciate you remaining in the hall until I have completed the examination. Is there a maid available or could the housekeeper remain in the room for proprieties sake?” Doctor Chambers needed to determine whether Miss Bingley knew what she did was wrong. This would be the basis of her potential admittance to Bedlam.
“Miss Bingley has not eaten all day. She was brought to the study for the discussion early this morning before she broke her fast. Mr. Bingley had her sedated immediately after their discussion. I called for some food. Would this cause issues with your diagnosis?” Mrs. Jones wanted to ensure that the Bingleys were cared for, even if they did not deserve the care. Caroline was given food and water, but tea was withheld until after the exam, they would add any medication suggested by the doctor to the drink.
Once Caroline began eating, Doctor Chambers entered and started his questions. “Miss Bingley how are you enjoying your time in the country? I have heard from your brother that the Darcys joined you here at Netherfield. Were they good company?”
“I am extremely disappointed with the country. Our servants do not understand the need to provide good fare. See this meal? They did not even allow me a knife to cut the meats.” Pausing to eat some of the food, “the neighbors take on airs, though they are poor and unworthy of our society. There is no fashion here, with the except of my dearest Miss Darcy. My brother has been a disappointment, and he seems to have given attention to one of our neighbors, the eldest Miss Bennet, that is normal. He seems to find the most angelic lady in the area to give his attention. As usual, she is blonde with blue eyes.” Caroline continued eating and expressing her disappointment. It was clear that she was angry at Charles. “Mr. Darcy has become friends with the second eldest Bennet sister. She is horrendous. The neighbors believe that she is intelligent and kind; all I see is that she is a fortune hunter who is trying to gain the attention of my Mr. Darcy. She arrived one day with six inches of mud on her dress and petticoats. She would never fit into our society. She would be an embarrassment in town.”
“Has Mr. Darcy made an offer for you? I have known him since he was five. He has always stated that he would only marry for love. Has he fallen in love with you Miss Bingley?” Doctor Chambers already knew the answer; he needed to determine if Miss Bingley understood that she was not living in reality.
“Yes, he asked me after we danced all night at the assembly in Meryton. His proposal was so romantic that I had to say yes.
I will finally be the mistress of Pemberley, the grandest home in Derbyshire. Miss Darcy will be my sister. My brother gave his consent, and then the little fortune hunter tried to end my engagement by dancing with my betrothed. She danced two dances with Fitzwilliam, then introduced him to all of her friends. My fiancé was unable to dance any dances with me last evening.” Caroline was seething while remembering the slight. “I was forced to stand by the wall, all by myself. I was highly embarrassed that no one danced with me.”
“I am sorry that Miss Bennet harmed you. Did you try to speak to her or Darcy regarding their behavior?” The doctor was beginning to become concerned with Miss Bingley’s agitated behavior. She had contradicted her betrothal statement by declaring that she was a wallflower at the Assembly which she had previously claimed to dance solely with Darcy.
“No, instead I fixed that horrible woman. I told the matrons about my betrothal to Darcy. I was agitated that Miss Elizabeth would try to steal my fiancé. I will let the town punish her entire family for me. Once he sees that she is ostracized, then my Darcy will return and marry me.” Caroline truly believed that she was engaged to Darcy. Chambers knew that there was no engagement. Instead of confronting her with the truth, he added some laudanum to her tea, then served her. He spoke of simple topics like the weather until Caroline fell asleep. Ensuring that she had a maid to watch over her, he left to find Bingley.
Exiting the room, Charles was waiting in the hall to speak to the doctor. “You were able to speak to my sister. I need to know what you believe her condition is. I need to make plans based on your diagnosis. Is my sister mentally deficient? Alternately, is she vicious?”
“Let us go into the sitting room attached to my room. We have much to speak about, and you might need some libations before bed.” The doctor ensured that Charles sat down and was given a drink. He would need to make some serious decisions after he heard the facts. “Your sister takes no responsibility for her actions. She feels that harming the Bennet family, and more specifically their second daughter, was necessary to protect her fiancé, Mr. Darcy. She has claimed that Mr. Darcy is her intended; she even has created an entire scenario of their engagement and your approval. Your sister is under the belief that she is the only woman that he can marry. She feels the Bennets are beneath her, due to their lack of fortune. She does not seem to have a solid concept of reality at this time. She truly believes that Mr. Darcy will save her by marriage.”
“Darcy has stated many times that Caroline is a friend. He has never made any advances toward her. He never made any statements about marrying her other than it would never happen. He finally found a woman he could love and he wanted to marry her. Caroline was cruel and rude to Miss Elizabeth; I believe that she was upset with the notice Darcy was giving his love.” Charles took a deep breath then asked. “Is my sister mentally fit?”
“Your sister is spoiled, arrogant, egotistical, mean and petty. She believes that she cannot do anything wrong due to her wealth. She will not accept responsibility for her actions. Especially if these actions harm people that she believes are her social inferiors. She will harm others with no compulsion, shame or guilt. She also has grand delusions about your friend. I believe that your sister is mentally unfit. She will need to be removed to an isolated facility and given constant care. It will be up to your family if you isolate her in a private residence, or admit her to a sanitarium.” The doctor watched Mr. Bingley determine if he would allow these plans to take place. Some families refused to help their relatives when the issue was an illness of the mind instead of the body. “I will need your decision in the morning, and then I can begin arrangements for transporting Caroline to a safe facility. If you chose not to place her in a facility, she would need to be taken to an isolated family residence where she will be kept for the remainder of her life.”
Charles returned to his room. He would sleep tonight, then make plans for not only Caroline’s future but also his own. He knew that he would have to notify Darcy of the doctor’s report. He cried for the first time since his mother died three years before.
Early the next morning, Doctor Chambers escorted a sedated Miss Bingley to Bedlam. She would never leave the facility. Bingley contacted his lawyer to break the lease if possible if not, pay off the contract using Caroline’s dowry. Bingley finished his letters and then sent them express. He rewrote the letter to Mr. Lowry, explaining that Caroline was unfit to be a wife to anyone, he needed to find his bride elsewhere. Bingley decided he needed to make a personal visit to his neighbors before closing the house and leaving the town forever.
Charles arrived at Longbourn as visiting hours were beginning. The home was tranquil. Mr. Bennet admitted the visitor to his study. “I am sorry for the trouble that my sister has brought to your family. I had our family doctor come to Netherfield yesterday. He examined Caroline last night to determine her fitness. She was declared mentally unstable. This morning he escorted her to the closest sanitarium. Mr. Darcy was never engaged to my sister; this was all her fantasy.” Charles looked down extremely embarrassed about the situation. How do you apologize enough for ruining someone’s reputation? “If you spread this information in Meryton, it will help your family situation. You will be restored to prominence once you tell the town members about my sister’s health issues. I will head to town this morning and close my accounts. I will also spread the news in hopes of saving your daughters reputations and clearing Miss Elizabeth from the accusation. She was completely innocent. I again apologize for the distress my family has caused you.” Charles was escorted out of Longbourn by the butler. Mr. Bennet never acknowledged the information. He kept staring at the family Bible. Charles noticed that Elizabeth’s name had been crossed out of the Bennet lineage. He was very sorry for the problems that his sister had created.
Charles left for Scarborough after visiting the shops in Meryton to spread the news of Caroline’s problems and her false claims at the assembly. The shopkeepers guaranteed that they would inform others of the information. Gossip was at a premium in the small town. Charles then met with Mr. Philips, the solicitor holding the lease on Netherfield. He explained what needed to happen to break the contract. Knowing that Philips wife was the one that assaulted Elizabeth, Charles explained within her hearing about Caroline’s mental state and the facts. “Mr. Darcy has been my best friend since school. He has always wished to marry for love. At no time did he ever consider my sister as a potential wife. She has been well aware of the fact that he will never marry her. Due to his paying attention to Miss Elizabeth while ignoring Caroline, my sister made up the engagement. My sister has been sent away to a sanitarium. She believes her own stories. Please help to spread these facts so that Miss Elizabeth can be returned to her family. She was completely innocent in all that she has been accused.”
With the lease broken and the facts disseminated, Charles was determined to meet with his uncle in Scarborough to plan how to proceed as a family. He felt that he needed to leave the country for a while, possibly permanently. That is what the family would discuss. He also thought that they needed to provide part of Caroline’s dowry as contrition to the Bennet family. The money should go to Elizabeth; she was the one who was ostracized from society entirely and forced from her home. He would contact Darcy for advice once his family decided what his future plans would include.
Chapter Twelve: Shopping for a Trousseau
Darcy arrived at Matlock House early the next morning. Even though his aunt was planning to dose Elizabeth’s tea with sleeping powder the previous evening, he knew that she would wake early. Elizabeth was in his uncle’s study writing her letters. He brought in some hot chocolate for her. Remembering her stories of how her aunt would bring her chocolate when she visited London, he knew it would remind her of some happy memories and comfort her during this stress filled time.
“Lizzy, are you feeling better this morning?” Taking his intended’s hand and drawing her into his side. “Please tell me what I can do to relieve your suffering
. I need to help and support you. You are my life.”
Lizzy caressed his face, then kissed his cheek. “You have been wonderful to me. We have been faced with a difficult situation, but we will survive together.” Darcy kissed her, claiming her lips in a passionate exchanged. “We will survive and grow with the experience,” Lizzy stated when she was able to breathe normally.
“When you finish your letters, I will have them delivered this morning. As you will be shopping with my family, we should have some response by tea time.” Darcy watched Elizabeth attempting to see that she was okay. “Please do not worry about this. I was hoping you could focus on shopping and getting to know my family. We will deal with all the problems together. We will open the responses together. We are in this as a couple.”
The letters were finished. Darcy had brought one of his footmen with him to deliver the messages. Darcy and Elizabeth entered the breakfast room to find his family already seated. Pulling out her chair, Elizabeth sat, then Darcy prepared a plate for her. Georgiana took Elizabeth’s hand as Aunt Adeline began to explain her plans for the day.
“I have an appointment at Madame Boudins’ establishment at nine. She is opening early for me. Will you be attending Darcy? You and Elizabeth must be seen together before the ceremony to dispel any potential rumors.”
