Which meant there was no answer to Simon's question, not yet, but he did now know that a lot depended on Mr Clementi's news, and on Prince George's general behaviour. Nick did not think the man would betray the respected Mr Manners' secret accidentally, he was too smart and too used to keeping secrets himself. But he might lose interest in Mr and Mrs Manners, they were not gifted artists after all but merely nice people. Whatever was to happen, Nick had learned a lot, he thought he could pass for a gentlemen by
now, and for a boy from the back streets of London that was an accomplishment in itself. Now he just had to survive a few more weeks of Mr and Mrs Darcy entertaining friends and relatives at Pemberley, forcing Nick and Simon to spend most of their days in the back of the house, but all in all his situation was enviable, especially compared to his position when he met Anne, as lowly servant at the Blackwood house, working under Wellesley.
Though he missed Simon and worried about his beloved feeling neglected the coming weeks, Frederick couldn't help enjoying dinner with only good friends present. Of course Mr Hurst was a relative stranger and certainly hadn't seemed a kindred spirit before, but he was an indolent man and not very observant, he would not curtail their freedom like Prince George had done. He seemed to be mostly occupied trying to please Elizabeth, who took great care to always be in the company of Jane and their younger sister Lydia to prevent embarrassing situations.
At least there was no doubt she could handle him if she were to meet him in some deserted hall by accident, knowing what her brother-in-law Lieutenant Wickham had tried and failed to accomplish Frederick only worried about his friend Darcy's reaction. Having felt a certain jealousy himself when Prince George showed his admiration for Anne a bit too openly, Frederick could imagine what it had to be like for Darcy, all those men admiring the woman he loved to distraction. Maybe it would help him to talk about it later in the evening, when Mr Hurst would undoubtedly fall asleep on one of the sofas.
Darcy had talked to Mr Hurst easily enough after the ladies had retreated to the drawing-room, enjoying a glass of his excellent brandy while Mr Hurst denied himself that small indulgence. Bingley's brother-in-law kindly but resolutely refusing a brandy? Had he abstained from wine at dinner, too?
Frederick did not remember, but he would keep an eye on this fellow, people who broke their habits in one way might have changed in others, meaning that in this case, Mr Hurst might be a danger to their privacy after all.
But first there was coffee and for once, Frederick didn't move towards his wife before joining the group at the piano. Instead he observed Mr Hurst as the latter drew his attention, again against his habits as Frederick had observed them during his time at Netherfield, by walking up to Elizabeth and announcing, 'I promised to tell you how excess almost brought me down, Mrs Darcy, and with your permission I will tell this scandalous tale right now, to
you and your husband, though it may bring your censure down upon me. That is a chance I will have to take, a fitting punishment for my own weakness. I suppose Bingley and your sister will want to hear it all as well, since it mostly concerns someone we all know, Mr Grenfell.'
Grenfell? Of course, he was Mr Hurst's brother-in-law, they would have spent a lot of time together! Mrs Hurst had this habit of staying with her brother to live on a higher footing than she and her husband could afford on their combined income, and her sister's marriage to a wealthy gentleman would have offered her a welcome change of scenery without losing the material comforts they had grown used to. On the contrary, as the new mistress of a fine estate Mrs Grenfell would make certain her table was laden with whatever newfangled nonsense her new cook would come up with, and her wine cellar would be filled with the best vintages money could offer.
Without a single moment of hesitation, Frederick joined Elizabeth and Mr Hurst to ask, 'May I be present as well? Grenfell used to be a great friend of mine and I would like to know how he is doing.'
Mr Hurst replied as genially as he had been towards the others.
'I have no objections, Mr Manners, you have the reputation of being a sensible man and I could use your opinion and good advice.'
After accepting a cup of coffee they retreated to the confidence room, Bingley and Jane as well as Elizabeth and Darcy, where they all took a comfortable seat near the hearth though the fire was just a tiny thing at this time of the year. Mr Hurst sipped from his own cup of black coffee and started his tale of woe, not focussing on Elizabeth but spreading his attention among those present.
'As you all know, I used to be an indolent man. Despite knowing it was a sin I lived for pleasures of the flesh, food, drink and games. I did not read, I did not exercise, I did not like to attend church. I got up late and went to bed late, taking long naps on any comfortable sofa I could find. I have a house in town, but Mrs Hurst and I spent most of our time with her brother, partly because that saved me the trouble of keeping my wife amused, but also because Bingley entertained on a higher standard than we could afford by ourselves. I never thought anything of this, never felt guilty for living off the people closest to me, never felt the slightest need to improve myself.
Then my sister-in-law engaged herself to Grenfell, and Mrs Hurst started to look forward to the wedding, undoubtedly already planning an extended stay in their newly decorated mansion on their newly landscaped estate. She
contrived to be invited to help with the improvements, and frankly, I was looking forward to sampling the abundance of Grenfell's income combined with my sister-in-law's need to assert her position as his wife, she was bound to outdo anything Bingley and Jane had ever offered, their hospitality being generous but sensible rather than designed to impress.
I was mostly thinking of the new Mrs Grenfell providing the abundance, not of the man himself, when we took up our abode in two large adjoining rooms which Mrs Hurst immediately started to imagine made over in the latest fashion. They did need a little modernising, even though my room was very comfortable and Mrs Hurst had no complaints about hers.'
Of course Mr and Mrs Hurst didn't share a bed, Frederick hadn't expected anything different from such a couple. But he did wonder whether it wasn't a bit too much information, and apparently, Mr Hurst agreed.
'But I digress, we arrived two days before the grand event and everything was as I hoped, Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley busy going all over the house and leaving me with Mr Grenfell and his friends, to get acquainted while doing nothing more fatiguing than playing cards or a game of billiards. At first I was thrilled to find the gentlemen drinking an excellent brandy in broad daylight, it had always seemed the height of enjoying life to me but no-one I knew before appeared to agree with me on that. Now I met people who did, and the brandy did help to forget the rumours I'd heard about Grenfell.
Dinner was lovely, after dinner my new host served whisky instead of brandy, and there was some to go with the coffee as well. The ladies were plied with excellent wine during dinner and afterwards, a bit much for Mrs Hurst but she was willing to try fitting in, as was her sister. It did have a remarkable effect on them, for soon after coffee they became really tired and retreated to their own rooms, after which things changed altogether.'
This was exactly how Bingley and Lascelles had described the days leading up to the wedding to Frederick, Lascelles had probably arranged the whole thing, hopefully for the last time. Frederick didn't think Lascelles had helped his friends commit any more debaucheries after that party the night before Grenfell's wedding, but of course one never knew, a clique could have a very strong influence on a man.
'We moved to another room, where a ham-fisted pianist started abusing a lovely piano, much like the one you have here, actually, except it seemed slightly out of tune. Then at least ten half-naked girls filed in, and I was plied with what closely resembled affection as well as more whisky. I am ashamed
to admit I did indulge in what these beautiful ladies had to offer, though not to the extent the other gentlemen did. I even understood Grenfell wanting to enjoy his last
day as a bachelor, though he did take the celebration a bit too seriously if you catch my meaning, but I couldn't have told Miss Bingley since by now I had thoroughly shamed myself as well. I wasn't meaning to, but even an indolent man like myself has certain drives that are hard to ignore when intoxicated. Especially when not sharing a bedroom with one's wife, so to speak. So I kept my silence, until now.'
Poor Mr Hurst, and this had only been his first evening in Grenfell's company. Worse excesses would undoubtedly follow, Grenfell unfettered was not a thing Frederick would have wanted to see, would never have had to see since his very presence had always been the only thing holding back his college friend.
'Of course one evening of forbidden pleasures will not break a man, but after the wedding nothing changed. We stayed with the new couple until the new Mrs Grenfell became eager to go to London. She agreed to temporarily leave the estate to the workmen, supposedly because a crew of rough men tearing down old Mrs Grenfell's garden was making a mess she couldn't bear to live with. But in fact Grenfell himself couldn't face the destruction of a place his mother had loved so much, and which he fondly remembered from his own youth. He told me this himself in an intoxicated state the night before we left.
This was just a few days after the wedding itself. During that entire time, my wife and her sister felt free to drink quite a lot of wine during dinner, after which they retreated for an early night. For the men, each night brought a different amusement, but two things never changed, the presence of paid girls and an abundance of liquor. Still I thought this was all due to the newness of the situation, an effort to keep the festivities going after the wedding.
We all moved to London, where Mrs Hurst and I took up our abode with Grenfell since Mrs Grenfell had asked her sister to participate in the improvements there as well. The other gentlemen's entertainments by day were greatly restricted without their sports, which I quite enjoyed since I prefer a game of cards anyway, and now I had plenty of company. The food was still lavish and I indulged all day long, and the brandy also kept coming.
Mrs Hurst had lost some of her taste for wine by now, but since she didn't care for Grenfell's friends she still went to bed early.
Thus she never found out that our evening entertainments were now taking place outside the house, and I was introduced to a part of London I had never
known, had never dreamed, existed. That dream soon turned into a nightmare, but at that moment I was totally overcome, my wildest fantasies come true. For Grenfell and his friends knew exactly where in London to find the best amusements, and there were a lot. Shows where girls danced without a stitch on them, shows where they started out fully dressed but eventually ended up as naked, shows with people, men or women I still don't know, dressed up as in a fairy tale, some hideous and some beyond beautiful, performing dances that looked more like elaborately staged fights. Cock fights, fights between two men, two women, two dogs, dogs and wild creatures, a dog and a ram, two dogs and a bull, even a dog and a man. I've always loved a good barn hunt or watching a contest of terriers killing as many rats as they could, but this was sickening, the blood, the pain, and of course, the liquor. Have you ever heard of absinthe? It is a new kind of spirits made in France, they said I really had to taste the green fairy since I loved fairies so much. Ashamed of having betrayed my fascination with those strange creatures on stage I decided to just do as they wanted, and it was really good, though strong. But I was soon to regret taking it, for when I tried to get back on my feet the world started spinning and the creatures from the theatre indeed were right there in front of me, but so were the bulldogs from the pits and they started to fight each other. Thank heaven I passed out before I could find out whether that was real or a figment of my fevered brain. The next morning I woke, sick as a dog myself, but in my own bed. Apparently they did get me home safely, and they never mentioned my disgrace, but I made sure to never lose control again afterwards.
Now you are probably asking yourself why I didn't just refuse to accompany them? Well, I had shamed myself again and again before Grenfell and his clique, those fairy girls were so pretty, even if I wasn't entirely sure some of them weren't boys. This band of friends had so much to tell Mrs Hurst, and if Mrs Grenfell found out she'd be raving mad at her husband and then what would happen to her? So I followed them around most evenings, to indecent shows in rundown theatres, grotesque displays of murder scenes made of wax in a damp cellar and a similar exhibit of real people with horrible deformities in a circus outside town. I even smoked opium in a filthy den in one of the least reputable harbours.'
The confidence room was deadly silent as they all tried to digest this shocking story, some of them possibly wondering whether Mr Hurst was making this up to entertain his rather countrified relatives and their friends.
But Frederick knew better, he knew Grenfell, knew those things Mr Hurst described actually existed. He also realised that by withdrawing from the clique he had removed any restraints his former friends had left. This was way worse than what they had done under his and Lascelles' guidance. And he, Mr Frederick Manners, the darling of London society, had condemned Miss Bingley to live with these monsters.
Mr Hurst took a sip of his coffee and continued.
'Of course we did not rise before noon, and all around us the house was being improved, but on a smaller scale not to upset Mrs Grenfell with noise and rough men. I breakfasted with goose liver and lobster and scallops, then drank brandy and played cards until dinner. That consisted of more goose liver, truffles, game birds and wild boar with cream-and-whisky sauce and a single jar of pickles for the ladies. And when the ladies retreated we were off again, to this brothel or that private house, Grenfell loved picking up lower-class girls for a few moments of release. I have to say he did not force any of them, he is so handsome and was so free with his money they were eager to accommodate him. His staff was as fresh-faced and free-spirited as any I've seen, he really took it outside. In the meantime he was still a married man breaking his vows at least once a night, and heaven only knew what horrible diseases he might bring home.
By now you can imagine what a few weeks of debauchery were doing to my body and mind. I was either drunk or hungover, my belly was bloated from the richness of the food, and most of all, I was feeling so guilty towards my wife and her sister for keeping them in the dark and letting them be kept in the dark by their maids and everyone else. Whenever I wasn't passed out from excessive drinking, I was having nightmares of the things I'd witnessed and the sins I'd heaped upon myself. I had trouble breathing sometimes, and my stomach hurt constantly. I really think I was close to drinking and eating myself into an early grave, I had never suffered from food before.
When Mrs Hurst convinced me to visit to Jane and Bingley together, I saw London by day through the carriage window and had a revelation: if I was to save my life, I was going to have to flee town and our current company and do some serious thinking, sobering up and eating healthily for a few weeks to find myself again. Then I would decide what to do, take Mrs Hurst to our own house and live a simpler life, move out myself and leave Mrs Hurst with her sister, or move back in with Bingley and Mrs Bingley. When I heard they were going to Pemberley for a few weeks I started by getting him away from
the ladies and begging him to take me, just me, to save my life. I know you thought I was exaggerating, Bingley, maybe to get close to your sister-in-law once again, but do you believe me now? Do you believe I needed to get out to save my life? And your sisters? They are not in as much danger but they both deserve more respect.'
Frederick didn't even wait for Bingley's reply, this was not his fault but he was certain Bingley would need him to check his sister's husband without causing a falling out.
'I believe you, Mr Hurst. Take your time here to recuperate, and I will help you sort this out. I still feel responsible, and we still have leverage over Grenfell. Are you in, Bingley?'
'I am. He will answer to us, and without exposing Hurst if I can help it. That is
between you and my sister, Hurst, I expect you to tell her what she needs to know and make it up to her. I felt sorry for the state you were in but now you tell me you brought it on yourself, my sister the true victim of your weakness.
Louise is not perfect but she deserves better than to be ignored or stupefied with wine whilst you denigrate yourself.'
'I will tell her and beg her for forgiveness. If only you can check that man and save your sisters. And me.'
Frederick didn't doubt that. If the maids at Grenfell's house were unharmed it was proof he had stuck to the letter of their agreement. They just had to broaden that agreement to include nightly binges, cheap women and blood sport. If they wanted to, Grenfell had proven himself without conscience once again. It was up to Bingley and himself to decide whether to denounce Grenfell or to give him another last chance. Both choices were objectionable, and Frederick expected a big 'I told you so' from Darcy and Elizabeth, they had warned him but he had chosen not to listen.
'I'm not saying anything, Manners, the situation is too bad for anything but pure shock. You know we had similar trouble with George Wickham, and I am convinced the only reason he eventually desisted from a life of sin is that he has constant occupation and challenge now. The threat of punishment obviously doesn't concern your friend much, he has stuck to your agreement to the letter but not to the intent.
I fear for your sister, Bingley, and I hope you will manage to resolve this.
This will not force you to hurry back to town, I hope?'
'Your sisters are safe for the time of your visit, Bingley, please do not force me to return right now. Not without a solution, please.'
Bingley was his best self again, though kinder to his brother-in-law than Frederick would have been in his shoes.
'My sister probably knows, she is not the type to let herself be taken advantage of unwittingly. I will talk to her and ask her what her wishes are.
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