Desperate Hearts: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Read online

  “Thank you but I do not think so,” Caroline was touched by her friend’s solicitude. “I must take care of this business myself. And straight away. I intend to leave first thing tomorrow morning. The Morettis will accompany me as I have offered to convey them to Town.”

  “I will have Stanley notify your servants so they can prepare for the journey. I will also speak with the housekeeper about arranging a light meal for you to break your fast. Do you go back to Netherfield?” Deirdre asked. She thought it very curious that Caroline, who was not exactly known for her generosity, especially to those she considered beneath her, would offer to travel with two stage players.

  “Not directly. My business is in Kent, and from there I will return to Hertfordshire by way of town. I hope to be back at Netherfield by tomorrow evening.” Caroline smiled at Deirdre. “I will be most sorry to leave your beautiful home and this very pleasant company. I hope we will see each other again in town.”

  Gwendolyn, who had accompanied Deirdre, observed that “My brother Walter will be particularly sorry to see you go. He told me just this morning that he should like to know you better!” Deirdre winked at Caroline. “Who knows but perhaps someday I may call you sister!”

  Caroline blushed. It had been some time since any gentleman, especially a good-looking and wealthy gentleman, had paid her any notice.

  “Well,” Caroline responded, “there is still today, and then I shall leave you my address in Mayfair so you can write to me, or simply call when you are next in town.”

  Gwendolyn and Deirdre shared a smile and at the same moment said “With Walter of course!” They both giggled.

  “We shall leave you to your preparations, Caroline” said Deirdre as she ushered herself and Gwendolyn out of the room. “We shall all expect you at four o’clock in the sitting room for refreshments.” Caroline closed the door behind them and smiled to herself as she thought about her sister’s advice to her for this weekend.

  Sixteen: An enjoyable afternoon at Rington Grove

  When Caroline made her way to the sitting room she discovered that she was nearly the last to arrive. Only Walter Danbury had not made an appearance. Caroline took a seat on the opposite end of a sofa from Deirdre. When Walter arrived, he seated himself between Caroline and Deirdre, and immediately addressed Caroline. “My sister tells me that you must leave us early, Miss Bingley. I do hope there is no illness or anything of a serious nature that calls you back home so soon?”

  Caroline lowered her eyes and blushed lightly before looking directly at Walter. “No sir, I thank you. I simply need to take care of some unexpected business. As the business is in Kent I believe it will be more convenient to go now rather than returning to Hertfordshire and then going back again to Kent.”

  “When will you return to town, Miss Bingley?” he asked, accepting a cup of tea from the maid. “Perhaps my sisters and I can call on you?” He took a sip as he gazed directly at Caroline, who lowered her eyes and blushed again.

  “I thank you sir,” she responded as she balanced her own teacup. “My brother and I will be in the country some little time longer, and then we will spend Christmas at least in town at our elder sister’s townhouse. We would be very pleased to receive you and your sisters at any time. I have given the direction of the townhouse to both Deirdre and Gwendolyn.”

  “Then I am sure you will see us,” Walter smiled. He continued to regard her as the conversation in the room turned in several other directions.

  Roger Melvin and the other members of the theatre troupe who were leaving directly for London had already departed for the local town to arrange passage, and shipment of their props and luggage, on the post. Bridget and Gino Moretti were in their chamber discussing tomorrow’s detour to Kent and conjecturing on its outcome. With no further information since the idea had first been proposed to them there was not much of fact to discuss, and so they turned their attentions to packing.

  The Rington party repaired to their respective chambers to rest a little and then to prepare for dinner. At dinner, Walter once again took a seat next to Caroline, and engaged her in conversation throughout most of the meal. Once dinner was over, when the ladies filed out of the dining room to await the gentlemen in the parlour, Caroline bid them all good night and, pleading fatigue and an early departure, she returned to her bedchamber to finish directing the packing, prepare for bed, and retire early.

  Seventeen: Sunday morning and afternoon, Surrey to Kent

  “I imagine the journey to Kent will take about four hours” Caroline advised her passengers when they were all seated in Caroline’s carriage. “I trust you brought a book or some diversion to pass the time?”

  “We do have books and scripts with us, Miss Bingley,” Bridget replied “Although we may just decide to look at the scenery as we have not been in this part of the country before and it seems quite lovely.” She smiled at her husband and said “Or maybe we will just take this opportunity to sleep, as we are not very accustomed to activity so early in the morning.”

  Gino Moretti returned an affectionate smile and said, “Yes, a stage player’s work is performed mostly of an evening. Sometimes during the day, but rarely in the morning.“ He leaned back against the comfortable cushions and closed his eyes, musing that whatever occurred in Kent, at least this was a far more pleasant mode of travel than the post. Bridget watched the passing scenery for a little while and then curled up to sleep herself. Caroline, who had been reading a book that Mr. Darcy had recommended to her, soon found herself drowsing off too.

  The passengers were jolted awake some hours later by the halting of the carriage and the footman’s announcement that they had reached the halfway point and needed to change horses. He suggested that Miss Bingley and her guests partake of some refreshment at the inn while they changed horses. “Good idea! I would like to stretch my legs, and a glass of ale sounds most tempting after that dusty ride” Mr. Moretti commented. “May I escort you ladies into the waiting room? Bridget, I know you prefer lemon barley. And you, Miss Bingley, what beverage can I get for you?”

  “Lemon barley will do quite well,” Caroline answered, as she and Bridget found unoccupied seats in the parlour waiting room. She would have preferred wine, but needed to keep her wits about her.

  Mr. Moretti was off to the bar and returned in a few minutes with two glasses of lemon barley and a tankard of ale. He put the tray in the middle of the table and took a seat next to his wife. The three sipped their drinks and chatted about the London theatre scene until the footman found them to advise that their carriage was ready to leave. At this notice, they all three rose and headed back to the carriage, and settled in for the final leg of their journey.

  Shortly after noon, the carriage turned into the lengthy drive to Rosings. At the portico, the carriage stopped and a footman strode from the manor house to drop the carriage steps and hand out the passengers. “Welcome to Rosings Park,” he smiled at the guests. Bridget and Gino returned his smile, while Caroline merely nodded. “This way if you please,” he said, leading them to the main entrance.

  When they reached a large ornate hallway, the footman accepted their outerwear, and the butler took over. “Please wait here while I announce you. May I have your cards?” he asked, holding out a silver tray. Caroline placed her calling card on the tray, as did Bridget, while Mr. Moretti placed his business card next to them. The butler looked the cards over. “Lady Catherine and her daughter Anne are expecting you as I understand?” Caroline nodded to him. “One moment,” he said as he walked off to the left.

  Caroline took in the opulence quietly, thinking that its ornateness could not compare to the elegance of Pemberley or even to Darcy’s house in town. Clearly Lady Catherine was a woman of too much money and too little taste.

  Bridget and Gino, however, were fairly gaping at the richness of their surroundings, and pointing out various decorations to each other.

  The butler returned shortly. “Lady Catherine and Miss deBourgh will see you now,”
he said. “This way, please.” The party followed him down the hall. About halfway down he opened a gilded door and ushered them into a garishly-decorated parlour that appeared to be set up as a throne room, with a middle-aged lady seated upon an elaborate throne-like chair in the middle. The butler brought the guests to his mistress and bowed.

  “My lady, Miss Caroline Bingley, Mr. Gino Moretti, and Miss Bridget Colley.” He asked if there was anything else required of him, and when Lady Catherine waved her hand at him he turned and walked over to the far end of the room near another door, where he took up his position waiting on her ladyship’s further orders.

  Lady Catherine looked them over. “Miss Bingley?” she asked, deciding that the overdressed, overly-feathered young woman was Caroline.

  “Yes, I am Caroline Bingley, and I am honoured to make your acquaintance,” she said, followed by a low curtsy. “This is Mr. Moretti” she indicated him and he bowed, “and Miss Bridget Colley … or if you will, Mrs. Bridget Moretti.” Bridget also performed a low curtsy to Lady Catherine.

  The Lady indicated a frail-looking twenty-something-year old woman seated on a sofa next to her chair. “This is my daughter, Miss Anne de Bourgh.” The ladies curtsied and Mr. Moretti bowed in Anne’s direction. “Please be seated.” Lady Catherine turned towards the butler. “You may bring the tea and biscuits now.”

  “Very good.” He turned and left the room.

  The three took seats on a long sofa opposite Miss DeBourgh. “Now that we have received you, tell me what this is all about,” Lady Catherine began tersely. “You indicated that it had something to do with my troublesome nephew. What exactly do you wish, Miss Bingley, and more specifically what exactly do you wish of me? Please be brief as my time, and my daughter’s, are of value.” Lady Catherine leaned back in her chair and looked down her nose at her guests. Her daughter Anne simply tried to make herself look smaller.

  They were interrupted a moment later as two maids carried in trays of tea, biscuits, and small cakes. One tray was placed between Lady Catherine and Anne, and a maid immediately began to make up two cups of tea as she knew her mistresses liked it, as well as two plates of their preferred accompaniments. The other maid placed the second tray on the table in front of the sofa where the guests were seated. Bridget, who sat in the middle, immediately offered to be mother and began to fix cups of tea for each of the three of them and then passed the platters of biscuits and cakes to her companions to take what they wished. As this took several minutes, Lady Catherine could be heard tapping her fingers impatiently.

  “When you are quite ready, Miss Bingley” she huffed, and took another sip of her tea, looking at the cup rather than at her guests.

  Caroline placed her cup and saucer on the table and leaned forward. “Lady Catherine, my companions are members of an acting troupe from London. We …”

  “Yes, I gleaned as much from Mr. Moretti’s card. I am certain that you have an excellent reason for bringing stage players as guests in my home,” Lady Catherine sniffed, directing her remarks to Caroline but still regarding her teacup.

  Caroline was not going to be intimidated – there was too much at stake – but she was beginning to realize that this might be more difficult than she had imagined. “I do, Your Ladyship. As you no doubt recall, I wrote to you about Miss Eliza.”

  Lady Catherine turned a narrowed eye on Caroline. “I am possessed of an excellent memory, Miss Bingley” she sniffed.

  “Then you also recall the circumstance of my mention of Miss Eliza, and its relation to your nephew.” Caroline knew she had to resist the impulse to return Lady Catherine’s rudeness if she wanted the lady’s help.

  “Well?” Lady Catherine returned her attention to her teacup.

  “Well, Lady Catherine, I was quite shocked when I first made Miss Colley’s acquaintance. Miss Colley here is the spitting image of Miss Eliza. She and Eliza could be twins.” Caroline leaned back into the sofa, a smug smile on her face. The Morettis, who felt the slight of Lady Catherine’s remark about stage players, exchanged confused glances.

  “And so you are proposing, I presume, that Miss Colley be seen by my nephew in the company of this other man?” indicating Mr. Moretti with a nod. Lady Catherine shook her head slightly and, rather annoyed, addressed Bridget. “Is your name Miss Colley or Mrs. Moretti? This is most confusing.”

  Bridget responded immediately, slightly annoyed at hearing her husband referred to as “this other man.” “I am Gino’s wife, Your Ladyship. Mr. Moretti is my husband. I am Mrs. Moretti, although I still use my maiden name, Bridget Colley, as my stage name. You may address me by whichever name you prefer.”

  Lady Catherine glared at her with her mouth in a straight line. “I see” she said, and turned back to her teacup. Seeing that it was empty, she waved the maid over to fix her another.

  After a few moments’ silence while Lady Catherine mulled Caroline’s proposal, she spoke again. “Hmm. So once he sees them together he will presume that Miss Eliza has given up on him and he in turn will give up on Miss Eliza. Is that the idea?” Lady Catherine addressed Caroline again.

  “Maybe not just once, Madam. It may take a few sightings before he is convinced that Miss Eliza is lost to him.”

  Lady Catherine’s attention was back on her teacup. “Hmm. I see.” She turned to her butler again. ”Let us test this resemblance. Denton!”

  She hailed the butler, who bowed shallowly in response. “Fetch Mr. Collins from the parsonage straight away. Bring him here, but do not tell him why he is summoned.” She turned again to the three on the sofa. “We shall see,” she said as she continued to drink her tea. Denton bowed fully and headed out on his errand.

  During the twenty or so minutes while they awaited the return of Denton with Mr. Collins, Lady Catherine asked Caroline if she had thought out the details of how they would proceed. Caroline responded that she had several ideas. Inasmuch as Darcy often rode in Hyde park in the morning, the Morettis could take morning walks through the park near the horse trails. They could be seen at Darcy’s favourite bookshop and riding together about town in a carriage. She would do her utmost to find a suitable hotel near Darcy’s townhouse where they could be installed for a few weeks so he might see them as he was departing or arriving at home.

  Lady Catherine pointed out that this would take a good deal of money. “It will also take some effort to make the arrangements,” Caroline replied. “I am willing to make the necessary arrangements if Your Ladyship will undertake the expense.” Lady Catherine glared at Caroline again. “What exactly is your interest in my nephew, Miss Bingley? Why are you eager to go to so much trouble to separate him from this adventuress? He is very rich, as I am sure you know. He is also very much engaged to my daughter, as I am also sure you know.”

  Unwilling to disclose her design to become mistress of Pemberley, Caroline revealed only her secondary motivation. “My brother Charles, Lady Catherine” she said “is even more enamoured of Miss Eliza’s eldest sister. Their mother has pushed her daughter into setting her cap for Charles and our family fortune. My sister and I wish to break up this very unsuitable match. We need Mr. Darcy’s help for this, as our brother places great store in your nephew’s opinion. At first Mr. Darcy was opposed to Charles’ interest in the sister, but now that he is attaching himself to one of her family he is disinclined to advise Charles to give up the sister. So you see we must act to separate them, and once Mr. Darcy regains his proper perspective about the family we can prevail again upon his assistance to persuade our brother to give up his own attachment.” Caroline sat back against the sofa cushions, feeling satisfied that she had convinced Lady Catherine.

  Lady Catherine drilled her eyes into Caroline. “Hmmm. I see,” she said. She took a bite of a biscuit, slowly chewing on both the biscuit and Caroline’s explanation.

  The room grew silent. Caroline and the Morettis tried to conceal their restlessness, but all three of them wished for this interview to be over and the matter resolved one way or
another.

  Just then, voices could be heard from the hallway. A moment later Denton entered the parlour, followed immediately by the obsequious Mr. Collins, who immediately walked up to Lady Catherine, performed a low bow, and asked to what did he owe the honour of this summons?

  Lady Catherine smiled slightly and replied “Merely to help me greet my guests,” and indicated the three on the sofa. “I believe you are acquainted with Miss Caroline Bingley from your visit to Hertfordshire?”

  Collins turned and directed a bow to the party. “My dear Miss Bingley, how delightful to see you again. How do you happen to be in Kent?” Before she could reply, he had turned to look at the next face on the sofa and was startled. “Cousin Elizabeth! What are you doing in Kent and how did you get here so quickly from Hertfordshire? I am certain that you were still at Longbourn when I left just a few days ago. Does my dear Charlotte know you are here? She wrote nothing to me of your visit.”

  Caroline turned to look at Lady Catherine triumphantly. “Well,” she asked. “Are you convinced?”

  “Quite so,” Lady Catherine nodded her head at Caroline. “Now we have some details to work out, so Mr. Collins I will ask you to return to the parsonage. We will see you tomorrow for dinner. You are not to discuss your visit here today with anyone else. Not anyone else, in person or by letter. Good day.”