Presently, Caroline caught sight of Darcy and Elizabeth, seated on their bench a short distance away from her. They were not even touching each other. Nonetheless, the very way in which they held themselves seemed to indicate great intimacy. Caroline could not have been more embarrassed if she had chanced to catch them in the middle of a passionate embrace.
Resolutely, keeping her feelings under control, Caroline advanced towards them. As she came up to them, Elizabeth sensed her presence.
"Good afternoon, Miss Bingley," she greeted her. Caroline suppressed her desire to scream with rage.
"Good afternoon, Miss Bennet," she responded sweetly.
"Good afternoon, Miss Bingley," Darcy stated, rising as was his habit in a woman's presence.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Darcy," Caroline returned. "I do hope I am not interrupting anything."
"Not at all," Elizabeth assured her.
"We were going to have tea," Darcy remarked. "Would you care to join us?"
"Thank you," Caroline replied.
Darcy made a sign to the footman to include Caroline in the tea which he had previously ordered, and the servant acknowledged that he understood. Two minutes later, the tea things began to be brought over.
"Madam?" the footman questioned.
Caroline half turned and saw that a chair was being held out to her. With a flick of her hand, she swept aside her gown and lowered herself into it.
"Thank you," she said, as she raised her parasol to shield herself from the sun's rays.
Another chair was offered to Elizabeth and a third to Darcy. The latter could not help frowning as he reseated himself. The congenial atmosphere of his private conversation with Elizabeth had been completely destroyed.
He could no longer be himself. He would have to dissemble, pretend that he did not resent the intrusion, put on his best diplomatic mask while Caroline was present.
"Lovely weather we’re having, don't you think?" Elizabeth inquired as tea was poured.
"Yes, perfectly delightful," Caroline agreed.
"Tell me, Miss Bingley," Darcy queried, "what brings you to see us?"
Caroline's eyes flashed momentarily at the use of the pronoun "us," with all it implied, but she managed to control her annoyance.
"I have been thinking..." she began and then took a sip of tea.
"Yes?" Darcy prompted.
"I feel it is high time that Miss Bennet and I became better acquainted," Caroline informed him.
Darcy's eyes widened with shock. "Really?" he gasped.
Caroline's smile broadened as she endeavored to appear sincere.
"Yes," she countered, "why not?"
Elizabeth glanced from Darcy to Caroline, but she made no comment and the latter, still smiling turned to face her directly.
"We have a great deal in common," she stated, "don't you find it so, Eliza?"
Darcy bit his lip. He longed to ask exactly what Caroline could possibly have in common with Elizabeth, but he decided that it would be better to hold his tongue.
Elizabeth veiled her soul with her eyelashes.
"I suppose we do," she murmured contemplatively. "I never really considered it before."
"There you are!" Caroline declared triumphantly. "I knew it was so."
"How very perceptive of you, Miss Bingley," Darcy observed.
Caroline's victorious grin wavered as if she were uncertain as to whether she should take his remark as a compliment or an insult. A split second later she accepted it as the former and her self-satisfied expression reasserted itself.
"Now let us be friends, Miss Bennet," she requested. "If you wish it," Elizabeth responded immediately, to Darcy's consternation.
"Wonderful!" Caroline cried. "And now that we are friends, let there be no secrets between us."
"Could there ever be?" Elizabeth asked sweetly.
As she spoke, she happened to catch a glimpse of Darcy's features. Horror and dismay were revealed in his eyes, but though Elizabeth saw what was going on in his mind, his countenance was hidden from Caroline.
Caroline was so enthralled that her new plan was succeeding that she went on talking until the sun began to set. Then, realizing that it was growing late, she excused herself, thanking both Elizabeth and Darcy quite sincerely for a pleasant afternoon.
"I think I shall return home now," Elizabeth remarked when Caroline had departed. "It seems a little too cool to sit out here any longer."
Without a word, Darcy assisted her to rise. As he touched her arm, Elizabeth observed that he was tense. "What's the matter, Mr. Darcy?" she asked.
Darcy hesitated, as if he were considering denying that anything was wrong. Then he spoke.
"How could you have accepted Caroline's offer of friendship?" he demanded.
"How could I have refused it?" Elizabeth countered.
Darcy grimaced. He understood that the position was a difficult one. Elizabeth could hardly have spurned Caroline's overtures without causing comment. Darcy knew this, but he could not bring himself to admit it.
"You could have made some excuse," he protested.
"I would have given myself and you a bad name if I had behaved in any other way," Elizabeth defended.
Darcy sighed. She was right.
"You must be careful," he stated.
"Why?"
"Caroline is not to be trusted."
"No woman who is thwarted ever is," Elizabeth responded. "Now take me home, Mr. Darcy."
* * * *
Caroline Bingley was delighted with the way things were going. She reckoned that Elizabeth was extremely gullible and that she could easily manage her. According to her calculations, it would not be long now before she knew everything about her, including how she had wormed her way into Darcy's good graces.
However, Elizabeth was not the guileless country bumpkin that Caroline in her arrogance had assumed her to be. Whenever Caroline and Elizabeth met, which was frequently these days, the latter avoided mentioning her family, as well as where she had lived before she had joined Darcy in London. If Caroline pressed her, Elizabeth deftly changed the subject, sidestepping any personal issue.
Caroline was not long in tumbling to the fact that, far from being taken into Elizabeth's confidence, she was treated with as much if not greater reserve than previously. Her little chats with Elizabeth revealed nothing. Her rival not only refused to unbosom herself, but she kept their friendship on a purely superficial basis.
Caroline's chagrin was not appeased when, one day, it dawned on her that during a conversation with her, Elizabeth had skilfully prized more out of the lady than Caroline had been able to winkle out of her intended victim.
But Caroline was still not ready to give up her pursuit of Mr. Darcy. As long as he remained unattached, that is, neither engaged nor married, there was a chance, however remote, that she might succeed in becoming his wife.
She would have to try something else, but what?
She racked her brains for days and then, finally, she came up with a suitable solution.
Caroline smiled coldly to herself as she deliberated.
Perhaps Elizabeth was secretly hoping that Darcy would regularize their liaison by asking her to marry him.
And that made Elizabeth vulnerable. Caroline's smile broadened as she considered just how vulnerable. The more Elizabeth cared for Darcy, the easier it would be for Caroline to twist her around her finger. She would either shame her or frighten her into leaving Mr. Darcy and London within a week, she promised herself.
And she vowed that she would accomplish this in such a way that neither Darcy nor Elizabeth would ever wish to see each other again.
Chapter Fourteen
Darcy and Elizabeth attended a ball one late evening. Caroline, who was one of the guests as well, decided that this would be the best time to strike. As soon as Darcy was out of earshot, she cornered Elizabeth.
"Miss Eliza," she purred, "I hope you don't mind, but I feel that there is someone you and I ought to discuss."
"Mr. Darcy."
Elizabeth stiffened. "I beg your pardon?" she countered.
"Come now, surely you don't imagine you can pull the wool over my eyes, do you?"
"I'm afraid I don't follow you, Miss Bingley."
"You are not Mr. Darcy's cousin, are you?"
"Aren't I?"
"No. Furthermore, may I be so bold as to say—without offense intended—that I believe you are no relation of his whatsoever."
Elizabeth shrugged, apparently maintaining her composure.
"I cannot prevent you from either saying or thinking what you wish, Miss Bingley," she responded.
"You seem unconcerned."
"I fail to see why your inability to credit that I am Mr. Darcy's cousin should trouble me."
"Because if you are unrelated," Caroline pointed out, "then your position is more than delicate."
Elizabeth eyed her scornfully.
"If it is, it must be, intolerable," Caroline concluded.
Elizabeth laughed. "On the contrary," she returned, "my situation with Mr. Darcy is quite delightful."
"Foolish girl!" Caroline exclaimed.
"Why?"
"Don't you know what society will make of it? Don't you know what people will say once they learn the truth?"
"And what, in your opinion, is the truth?"
"That Mr. Darcy accosted you in Hertfordshire and brought you here as his paramour."
Elizabeth flushed. "Oh, really!" she cried angrily.
"Naturally, I don't credit that for a moment."
"You are contradicting yourself, Miss Bingley."
"How?"
"First you tell me your opinion; then you do not credit it."
"You are willfully misunderstanding me, Miss Bennet."
"No I am not, I do assure you. However, you have succeeded in confusing me."
Caroline Bingley pursed her lips. She drew herself up to her full height.
"I shall do my best to make myself clear, Miss Bennet," she stated.
"I thank you," Elizabeth responded.
"I meant that society will conclude that Mr. Darcy picked you up in Hertfordshire and brought you here to London to be his mistress," Caroline clarified. "Of course, I know him too well to suppose anything of the sort. I would hardly accuse him of behaving irresponsibly," adding cattily, "with a lady."
Elizabeth stared coldly at her, ignoring the innuendo.
Caroline continued, "Knowing him as I do," Caroline proceeded, "I cannot accept what the facts may appear to show regarding the two of you. But society is different. Society will have little difficulty in branding you both."
Elizabeth shrugged maddeningly.
"You don't care what society thinks?" Caroline questioned.
"Not particularly," Elizabeth replied.
"I wonder what Mr. Darcy would make of that if he heard you."
"He feels the same way I do."
"Does he?"
"Yes."
Was it a bluff? Elizabeth knew Darcy cared about society's opinion.
Caroline sensed her rival's uncertainty and she decided to challenge her.
"I suppose you believe he'll marry you," she commented. "Is that it?"
Elizabeth was suddenly very still. She had not considered the possibility before Caroline mentioned it.
"He won't," Caroline announced brutally.
"Has he told you that?"
"No."
"Then how do you know?"
"Because we are old friends. We understand one another."
"So do we," Elizabeth stated.
"You little idiot!" Caroline exclaimed in exasperation. "You cannot win him!"
Elizabeth smiled.
"You're a fool if you imagine for one moment that you can!" Caroline cried.
"Am I?" Elizabeth countered, unconcernedly.
"Of course you are."
"What makes you say that?"
"Experience."
"Listen, Mr. Darcy is selfish and domineering. He—"
"You know nothing of his character," Elizabeth interrupted.
"He'll use you for his pleasure and then he'll discard you."
"I find that hard to believe."
"You really don't know very much about him," Caroline concluded pityingly.
"Pray explain yourself, Miss Bingley."
"Once again, you have misunderstood me," Caroline replied. "As I recall, I said that Mr. Darcy would never misbehave with a lady."
"Forgive me," Elizabeth returned. "I didn't realize you knew the difference."
Caroline's eyes flashed.
"How long do you think you'll be able to go on living under the same roof before someone unmasks you?" she demanded.
Elizabeth froze. She had not considered her position in that light.
"We have done nothing wrong," she insisted.
Caroline laughed. "What does that matter?" she questioned cruelly. "Don't you see? It isn't what you have done, but what you might have done that counts."
"Not according to Mr. Darcy."
Unknowingly, Caroline had found a chink in Elizabeth's armor. The latter hid her pain as she endeavored to defend herself.
"Mr. Darcy has been completely honest with me," Elizabeth said.
"But do you know the full extent of his reputation?" Caroline persisted. "Do you know how utterly heartless he is?"
Elizabeth was silent. For the first time in talking to Caroline she found herself out of her depth, and she could not answer her.
Caroline sensed that she had the advantage and she began to press it home.
"Mr. Darcy wants to marry a wealthy woman who will bear him an heir and who will turn a blind eye to his demands," she informed Elizabeth. "Love doesn't interest him. Nothing matters but his own gratification."
"I..." Elizabeth started weakly.
"I have seen women on their knees and in tears pleading with him for a little affection," Caroline cut in. "He is pitiless with them. He hasn't even bothered to hear them out. And he spurns every woman who is dowerless. Make no mistake about that. He wants the wealthiest woman in the land; nothing less will do."
"I cannot credit any of this," Elizabeth made herself respond faintly.
Caroline laughed harshly. "Can't you?" she sneered.
"No," Elizabeth repeated.
"Haven't you heard what they say about him?"
"I never pay attention to either idle gossip or malicious rumors, especially when I have good reason to believe they are utterly without foundation."
"Without foundation!" Caroline echoed. "You poor innocent!"
"Exclamations of indignation are not sufficient," Elizabeth informed her. "If you wish me to think the worst of Mr. Darcy, you will have to offer me irrefutable proof of his dishonesty."
"Shall I tell you how he treated me? Will that do?"
Elizabeth did not reply.
Caroline took her silence for consent. "Mr. Darcy seemed very taken with me when we first met," she remarked. "We went out together a great deal. Everyone assumed he was courting me. He was so attentive. I believed he loved me."
Here Caroline seemed to break down and sob. Her handkerchief was out and she wiped the tears from her eyes.
No reaction from Elizabeth.
"I loved him then. I love him still," Caroline went on. "I would have done anything for him, anything at all. Like you, I didn't care what society thought. But how wrong I was!"
"Why?" Elizabeth questioned. "What did he want you to do?"
Caroline's eloquent flow was stemmed for a split second. Then she tossed her head and her eyes flashed.
"He beguiled me! He used me! He tricked me!" she declared. "Adoring him as I did, I was convinced that he would marry me. But did he? No. He made me the laughingstock instead. And why won't he marry me? Because I am not rich enough. That's why not!"
"I don't believe you!"
"Then you are a bigger simpleton than I originally took you for, Miss
Bennet," Caroline retorted savagely.
Elizabeth flushed. "Am I to take it that this is the end of your friendship with me?" she asked.
In a word, Caroline answered, "Yes."
"In that case, I can see no point in our continuing this discussion. Would you please excuse me."
"Certainly," Caroline replied, and stood aside to allow Elizabeth to pass.
Caroline watched Elizabeth as she departed. Had her barbs struck home?
Caroline grimaced. The only difference she noticed in her adversary was that Elizabeth seemed paler than she had done earlier. But that, in itself was nothing; it might merely be a trick of the light.
She decided against remaining at the ball and flicked her fingers to order her carriage. Five minutes later, without having said goodbye to anyone, she had left.
* * * *
If Caroline could have known just how greatly she had actually upset Elizabeth, she would have danced for joy. Elizabeth's manner had been pure bravado. Every cruel word had pierced her heart. Every shaft had hit its target and it was all she could do to stop herself from breaking down in public.
As soon as she could, Elizabeth slipped out of the ballroom and ran into the garden. On and on Elizabeth went as far away from the crowded ballroom as possible until at last she located a secluded arbor with a little seat where she sank down and burst into tears.
Elizabeth had not been there long, when she heard footsteps. Hurriedly she dried her eyes. No one must see her like this!
Presently a man appeared. Even in the moonlight, she recognized him.
"Mr. Darcy," she gasped.
"I saw you leave the dance," Darcy said, "and I followed you."
"Why?"
"You looked very pale and I was worried," he answered sitting down beside her and taking her hands in his. "Is anything the matter?"
"No," Elizabeth lied. "Nothing."
"Nothing?" he repeated, drawing closer to her. "It looks as if you have been crying."
Elizabeth realized that it was useless to deny it. "Caroline was catty," she admitted.
"She always is. Forget her. She is not important. Anything else?"
"I have a headache."
Darcy ran his fingers across her forehead, making every nerve in her body tingle.
Darcy's Charade Page 9
