Caroline's ComeUppance

by Tess Quinn

  “Your concern is noted.” At least, Caroline thought, Mr Darcy was clear of the initial wrongdoing. “But as you can see, I am quite resilient, and not so easily defeated.”

  Elizabeth chuckled at the barb. “I myself was caught in the storm as well when it broke on Tuesday.”

  “Were you indeed?”

  “Mmm. I was walking with Mr Tremayne when the heavens broke loose. To our relief we had just gained the gate to Lucas Lodge, and we ran to shelter with our friends until the worst had passed.”

  “How fortunate for you.” Miss Bingley felt uneasy again. Just as Darcy and Bingley rejoined them, Elizabeth replied, “Fortunate, indeed. Sir William kept us well entertained as you might imagine. In fact, he did mention that he had met with you as well, Miss Bingley, that very morning, riding in the neighbourhood.”

  Caroline could only admit as much, trying to avoid meeting Mr Darcy’s eyes as she made little of her converse with Sir William. For a moment, everyone concerned themselves with accepting the drinks Mr Darcy and Charles had procured, but Caroline’s ride was not to be spared further speculation. Miss Elizabeth ventured some surprise that Miss Bingley had not called upon Jane, being so close as she was to Longbourn; with Caroline then avowing that she had not realized the direction she rode until she came upon Sir William. “And then, of course, the clouds had taken my attention and I felt the need to gain home quickly. I was in fact, returning from the ride in some haste when my accident occurred.”

  Elizabeth smiled, though Caroline detected little warmth in it. “From all accounts, then, it seems Mr Tremayne and I had passed that way only a short time prior in walking towards Meryton. I am amazed we did not meet with you upon the path.”

  Caroline concurred half-heartedly that it was a wonder. Inside, her stomach churned at the turn the conversation had taken. She was happily relieved then, when the orchestra struck up again, signalling the set was about to begin. Even Mr Tremayne would be preferable to an inquisition on the events of Tuesday.

  ~~~~~~

  While Caroline danced with Mr Tremayne – a surprisingly agile little man, though the dance was a simple enough one – she found herself often glancing to her right to watch Elizabeth and Darcy. She was separated from that couple by one other and so could not make out their conversation, but the two spoke animatedly throughout their movements, their comments interspersed with smiles.

  How different was this scene from last year’s assembly, when Mr Darcy replied with curt words to any attempts to draw him into discourse. The normally taciturn gentleman seemed positively loquacious tonight. Caroline tried to push away the conclusions that wanted making; the evidence of her eyes spoke of an unassailable bond between Mr Darcy and Miss Bennet. Still, there was much at stake; she would not concede lightly that all hope was lost. She would only have to steel herself to be smarter in her approaches.

  A slight clearing of a man’s throat drew Caroline’s attentions back upon her dance partner, who was surveying her with interest.

  “They are a most well suited couple, are they not?”

  Caroline would not be caught out in her interest. “Who is that, Mr Tremayne?”

  “Why, Miss Bennet and Mr Darcy, of course.” He seemed to watch Caroline closely for any sign of emotion, so the lady purposely looked him in the eye with a blank expression.

  “I had not given it much thought, Sir.”

  “Indeed!” Tremayne wheezed out a laugh. “Then you will be solitary in your disinterest, Madam. Why, I have heard talk of little else all this week than the singularity of that pairing. The whole town talks of it.”

  “Perhaps that is so, Mr Tremayne, though I am little used to engaging in the speculative nattering of the public.” Caroline attempted an air of indifference, though privately she wondered what the residents of the area had been saying and if it could be of any use to her.

  There was that amused wheeze again. “Yes, I have heard of little else in my wanderings,” he repeated himself. “Apparently when Mr Darcy was introduced to the community some year past, he was not immediately admired in the town. Thought to be irritatingly superior, he was, by most. They say the change in him now is quite dramatic. Clearly, Miss Bennet has a softening effect upon him.”

  “Actually, Mr Tremayne, I have known Mr Darcy for some time, and have always found him most amiable. I have noted no difference in him at all.”

  “As you say, Madam. Having been a stranger to the man before last week I cannot judge. I admire him greatly in our short acquaintance, and would, I admit, find it difficult to imagine that he has not always been blessed with fairness, generosity and good judgment.”

  The busybody watched Caroline closely, she realized. She replayed in her mind the conversation she had overheard in the woods some days before, and Mr Tremayne’s stated suspicions of her. She would not fall to this simple baiting from the old man; so she replied with “Indeed,” intending that to close the matter, as the dance came to a close as well.

  The moments spent re-establishing the line for the Devonshire minuet gave Caroline a short respite. But no sooner had the strains of violin propelled the dancers into action than Mr Tremayne initiated converse again. Caroline began to become quite vexed and out of sorts. The man seemed to have boundless energy both in the dance they had just closed and the current one; and still had breath to annoy her with his prattle.

  “Do you not find it interesting,” he began, “the contrast between the couples and yet the appropriateness of each?”

  Momentarily confused, Caroline found herself replying in spite of herself. “What do you mean?”

  “Why, I refer to your brother and Mr Darcy, or rather their matches.” He glanced over at the two men as they twirled with their partners, and Caroline involuntarily followed his eyes.

  “Now Mr Bingley and Miss Bennet, for instance, are drawn by their similarities. They are of an age with one another, each with a same outlook on life… a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. All the world are good and agreeable in their eyes. They are alike in most particulars, and it is this that portends a satisfying marriage for them both.”

  Caroline nodded warily, acknowledging the observation but mistrustful of Mr Tremayne’s ultimate purpose. A crossing of partners in the dance prevented his immediately following on this thought. But as they came together again moments later, he continued as through there had been no pause.

  “But Mr Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet – well, that is a different pairing indeed.”

  Caroline felt trapped. She offered no encouragement to this line of discourse, but she must finish out the set with the man and was thus a captive audience. To leave the dance unfinished would be an unpardonable breach of etiquette. She tried looking away from him to stem his wittering but to no avail, especially as her glance to the right fell inopportunely upon Miss Bennet, an occurrence which Mr Tremayne noted immediately and it spurred his tongue yet again.

  “In outward appearance, you see, there might exist little to assume a natural pairing of these two. Oh, to be sure they are each of them possessed of fine appearance and might have been drawn to each other initially on that basis alone. But consider that Mr Darcy was born to tremendous advantage and has enjoyed all the particular benefits of such in both his holdings and in society.”

  Tremayne continued his assessment as opportunities presented themselves during their weaving step pattern.

  “Moreover, the gentleman has a most serious nature, his intelligence focused inward in reflection by custom, and a strong devotion to duty in his place and his family. He is quiet by nature, more reflective than expressive, and content in solitary pursuits. And he does not suffer fools gladly.

  Caroline could not help herself upon this appraisal and flicked her eyes towards the gentleman under consideration. Tremayne simply smiled and continued.

  “In contrast, Miss Elizabeth was born a gentleman's daughter certainly.” Caroline wondered somewhat at Tremayne’s emphasis on the word ‘gentleman
’ as he went on. “But her education and society was found principally among the gentry of Hertfordshire, a most amiable country. She is sociable in every respect – at least in all manner of company, possessed of intelligence and wit, and puts them to use with pleasing enthusiasm. She makes friends handily with all who chance to know her. She recognizes fools quite readily, of course; but chooses to endure them by taking them as humorous amusement. Yes, on surface a puzzling match.”

  Caroline gritted her teeth in the face of this assessment. She would not encourage a continuation by replying, but Tremayne was fully into his narrative and needed no acknowledgment.

  “This, I believe,” he stated, “is why the tongues wag to see the match. To consider these things alone, it is a testament to fortune and perseverance that they came together at all. One must look closer at this couple, beyond what is only the way they approach their interactions with the world, beyond the practical advantages of the match for Miss Elizabeth, to credit the brilliance of their attraction. To see how the manifest differences of each are a compliment to the other. To see below surface, that Mr Darcy and Miss Elizabeth share much by way of their sense of duty, of family, of respect and affection and its importance in a partner. I have no doubt that your brother’s and Miss Bennet’s will be a quieter marriage” – here, the gentleman exhibited his annoying wheezy laugh yet again – “though I cannot but believe that Mr Darcy and Miss Elizabeth may eclipse even them in the depth of their affections and their bond.” He paused but a second to sigh contentedly. “A most auspicious match!”

  Caroline could hold her tongue no longer. “I am surprised you do not offer for the lady yourself, Sir; your admiration of her being so apparent and complete.”

  “Oh, no!” cried the gentleman. “What would such a lively lass want with a shrivelled old man like me? And I should never dishonour or humiliate myself in seeking to sever an attachment already made and so deeply held as well.”

  Caroline halted her step suddenly to face her partner, her eyes snapping sharply at this last remark, certain she was being mocked in rebuke. She found the old man smiling, however, in an impish manner; a glint of amusement in his eyes as he said, “And moreover, I myself have always been foolish enough to be drawn to lovely ladies of a more fiery temperament!”

  He squinted at her in an amused leer, then bowed as the music blessedly came to an end. Caroline hastily curtseyed in return, then excused herself on pretence of needing to find her sister.

  Chapter Nine:

  Casualty

  U

  pon entering the tea room, Caroline’s teeth were set squarely on edge immediately on hearing the strident tones of Mrs Bennet. Grating as it was, however, it brought Caroline back to her night’s purpose; with great resolve she stopped near the edge of the group to listen, positioning herself unobtrusively near a wall behind the lady.

  “Oh my, yes!” Mrs Bennet sat amid a knot of four women, reigning supreme in her position. “I knew as soon as we made the acquaintance of Mr Bingley that he and my Jane were meant for one another, and now here we are. Such a lucky idea of mine it was to put them in the way of each other. She will be taken good care of, do you know, and able to help her sisters as well. Two carriages he has, can you credit it? And such a comfort that she will reside here to be near her mother should I have need of her – for you know I am not one to burden others with complaints, yet you do not know what I suffer. Mr Bennet certainly has no compassion for my nerves; indeed, at times it seems all the world takes delight in vexing me. No one else will do for me like my Jane when my nerves are torn to pieces; for she has, without exception, the sweetest temper I ever met with! Why, only this last week, I ---”

  Mrs Long deflected her friend’s sally into indelicate ramblings. “But what of your Elizabeth, my dear? Her match with Mr Darcy is surely even more auspicious. I own I had hoped he would find one of my nieces to his liking last year but he was most unapproachable in his mien. Such a fine looking gentleman, however. And your Elizabeth managed to gain his admiration where none other could.”

  “That is as may be,” replied Mrs Bennet, “but a very odd man for all that. Why, I could scarce tolerate him upon our meeting a year ago; of course I was heavily influenced in listening to the ill-supported reasonings of my neighbours. You all believed him to fancy himself very important for never opening his mouth, but you quite mistook the matter. I always saw something in him, some quality, and I was proved correct. I like him much better now; I shall not say nay to him. Still, he is a difficult sort to come to know – quite nearly impossible to engage in discourse. Not at all like Mr Bingley, or indeed like my Lydia’s dear Mr Wickham. What an agreeable man my son-in-law is, he has always something to say to every body. And so charming for certain, in his regimentals; so much the man of fashion – so genteel and so easy.

  Mrs Bennet took a moment in her recitation to sigh, but the time it consumed was not sufficient for her friends to speak anything but quick agreements before she began again. “But then, Lizzy has always been something of an unusual girl, I cannot guess where her occasions of contrariness come from. Mr Darcy suits her quite well, I daresay – she even seems to admire the man to great extent, though how she can know enough to conclude his character is beyond my reckoning. Why, when we were in London a week past he spoke but little, though in all else he was a most generous host. Indeed, he pressed us to reside in his house in town to add convenience to our business there, but Lizzy would not hear of it and insisted on remaining with my brother Gardiner. I could not convince her otherwise! But it is certain she will never suffer from want as I have often done in sacrificing for my girls!”

  Lady Lucas nodded. “Yes, indeed your Lizzy will be quite well situated. Sir William tells me that Pemberley is an exquisite estate.”

  “Oh, yes!” added a third companion, a woman unknown to Caroline but who bore a resemblance in passing to Mrs Bennet. “Our sister Gardiner toured Derbyshire just this summer past, and assures me of its grandeur. To be sure, she has avowed that at the time of their visit, there appeared a distinct affability between Lizzy and Mr Darcy, though our niece did deny any understanding between them. Since I have never known Lizzy to prevaricate, their attachment must have been quite new at that time.”

  “Oh yes, our sister stayed some time in Derbyshire in years past.” Mrs Bennet appeared eager to regain the conversation to herself. “She appeared quite pleased to see the place again and was so much delighted in it. Only think of the establishment it must be.”

  “Will you not miss Lizzy, my dear, being settled so far away? I am certain that I shall do so,” said Mrs Phillips, as Caroline now surmised the third lady to be.

  “Oh dear me, no, sister” replied Mrs Bennet. “Lizzy always was very independent – I am certain she will be quite content in Derbyshire. I need not concern myself in that regard. Not like my poor Lydia, displaced away in Newcastle, wherever that is. Why I shudder just to think of her letters, it is so awful. Can you but imagine, there is only one mantuamaker in the entire town and she nearly impossible to engage because of it. And Mr Wickham called away so often in his duties to the regiment – I do not credit why my Lydia had to be carried so far from me…”

  Mrs Bennet continued to talk of the sacrifices she and her youngest had to make in being separated. Caroline considered moving off to find Louisa. The remaining ladies exchanged weary glances, as though the turn in the conversation was one they had heard many times. At last Lady Lucas brought the discourse back to Elizabeth.

  “A pity for us all that Elizabeth will not marry here. But how exciting for you, my dear, to spend Christmas at Pemberley for her nuptials.”

  “Oh, but how like that Lizzy to make things so inconvenient. I have not slept a night in weeks for assembling Jane’s wedding and then being made to muster yet another so far away. It will be the event of the year, will Jane’s, I have taken such care with it, especially as I was not able to do so for my Lydia. It should have been good enough for Lizzy as well. Still
, I am delighted for Jane that she will not have to share her triumph. It will be a perfect day for her. And so beautiful! I do not like to boast of my own child, but I do not trust to my own partiality in this; it is only what every body said during our fittings in town.”

  “I should think,” sighed Mrs Long, “a wedding at Pemberley to be near perfect as well.”

  “And Lizzy has said, is it not so,” said Mrs Phillips, “that the housekeeper there has been of great assistance in arranging matters?”

  “Well, er, yes, she has contacted some suppliers on our behalf, it is true. And I am relieved that Lizzy will be well situated, I did concern myself at times if her quick tongue would not put off any suitors; and I was quite vexed with her when she refused Mr Collins last year. If I had but known then that she was engaged in securing a better match I would not have been so very cross or been sent to bed for near a week for the damage to my nerves.” Caroline started in surprise at this last information, and indulged herself in a chuckle at Elizabeth’s expense to picture her with the odious man in question. What a shame for every one that Miss Bennet had not had the good sense to accept the little vicar.

  Mrs Bennet went on as was her custom. “But only think of the inconvenience to us, being required to make such a journey in mid winter. It is as much as my nerves can tolerate; you know I have a delicate constitution, and coming so soon after my toil for Jane’s marriage. I will be quite exhausted, I am certain of it. Such is the lot of motherhood, however; and for my daughters’ joy, I would do any thing.”

  Caroline could listen to no more and determined to move off. Imagine Mrs Bennet resenting the opportunity to spend Christmas at Pemberley, whether there be a wedding or not. Last Christmastide, which Caroline had spent in Derbyshire with her brother and the Darcys, had been the most elegant she had experienced in her lifetime. She would certainly not be so provincial as to regret the honour of such an invitation for the mere inconvenience of two days travel. Then again, Mrs Bennet’s natterings on the subject were most likely simply for sympathy among her friends. Caroline could imagine that the woman, in truth, could hardly wait to begin appraising the furnishings at Pemberley.