Mrs. Hurst looked surprised at that. “Caroline was not supposed to be able to send any letters to Jane or anyone else connected with the Bennets,” she informed Elizabeth.
“I understand that Mr. Bingley is aware of the letters and confiscates any letters that arrive. She continues to spew her vitriol although Jane is no longer able to read or reply to them,” Elizabeth said quietly. “My husband suspects they are worsening because of the lack of a reply.”
“Hmm,” came the reply from that lady. Then, standing, she made her apologies and excused herself before making her way out of the shop and into her carriage.
Considering what she had heard, Mrs. Hurst decided to pay a call on her brother’s new wife. Arriving at their townhouse, she was soon shown to a sitting room where Jane was sitting and sewing. She noted her pale countenance and wan appearance, as well as the dark circles under her eyes.
“How are you doing, Louisa?” Jane enquired in a falsely cheerful tone as her guest sat in a nearby chair. As Louisa observed more carefully, she noted that Jane’s demeanour seemed subdued and tired.
The ladies exchanged pleasantries for several minutes while waiting for the tea to arrive. Once they both were served and the servants dismissed, Louisa began what she had come to say.
“I met your sister, Mrs. Darcy, while shopping earlier. She mentioned she had not seen you lately, and I am frankly surprised by such a turn of events,” she began. “The two of you always appeared so close when we were all in Hertfordshire, especially when she came to Netherfield to visit with you when you fell ill when visiting there.”
Jane looked a little abashed at this question but managed to draw herself up and presented herself with a haughtier look as she said, “There has been some distance between us since we married. I am afraid I have been rather disappointed with my sister’s behaviour.”
“I cannot imagine how. Mrs. Darcy’s behaviour has always been above reproach. Our sister Caroline’s has been much more questionable of late,” Louisa replied frankly.
“Surely you know of the events that led to her marriage with Mr. Darcy, given that you were at Pemberley when they occurred,” Jane said, seemingly shocked at her sister’s reply.
“There was no bad behaviour on anyone’s part that led to the engagement or marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy. Mr. Darcy came across your sister rather unexpectedly and proposed marriage to her that same day, which your sister accepted happily,” Louisa told her. “The only one who misbehaved on that trip was Caroline, who attempted to demean the Bennet family - yourself included - and when that did not work, she attempted to enter Mr. Darcy’s bedroom after learning of his engagement and force a compromise. Everyone in the house that night was aware of her behaviour as she raised quite a ruckus and demanded the servants allow her entrance into Mr. Darcy’s room. She was rather brazen in this attempt.”
“I do not understand,” Jane began, her face showing her surprise. “Your sister has written of how she was engaged to Mr. Darcy and how my sister forced the compromise, causing her to lose him. Caroline claimed that Elizabeth was pregnant before she married Mr. Darcy but has since lost the child.”
“My sister was never engaged to Mr. Darcy. In fact, after all that has transpired between them, some of which you were witness to that night at Darcy House, I rather think he despises her,” Louisa said. “And I would dare say that little Caroline has said about the relationship between the Darcys is true, and most is carefully contrived to make things more difficult for them. Caroline wanted Mr. Darcy, but he has barely tolerated her.”
Jane sat back in shock. “Why?” was all she could manage to say.
“She hates your sister because Mr. Darcy admired her,” Louisa stated. “She wanted Pemberley and did not care whom she hurtto get it. And when your sister managed the feat, she turned all her anger upon her. If she had any clout, I have no doubt she would have spread many rumours about her in London.”
Jane continued to look at Louisa, an expression of unbelief fixed on her face. After several minutes, she burst into tears, proclaiming, “Oh, Louisa! I am afraid I have ruined so many lives with my utter foolishness.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Louisa, I am … I am with child,” Jane sobbed into her new sister’s arms. “It … it … oh, Louisa, I am so afraid.”
Louisa continued to hold her in her arms, uncertain of what could be so awful about Jane being with child … unless the child was not her husband’s.
“Jane,” Louisa hesitated. “Is the child … is it Charles’s?” Jane only sobbed harder, confirming what Louisa feared. “Does Charles know?”
At Jane’s nod, Louisa sighed deeply. “The doctor came this morning to examine me because I have been so sick. The doctor told him the babe was due at the end of April, and Charles knew immediately. He did not say anything in front of the doctor, but he was so angry. I cannot blame him at all for that.”
“Whose … who is the father?” Louisa stammered.
“George Wickham,” Jane said. “It was only once; I encountered him on a walk into Meryton, and I was still so sad about Charles, and well, he paid me attention and flattered me, and before I knew it, I was … well, he had taken his pleasure withme. I was not unwilling, but neither did I fully understand what had happened until it was over. Then, Charles came back a few weeks later. I did not know I was pregnant when I accepted his proposal of marriage; honestly, I did not. I was so happy that he had returned and still loved me. And … I do not know how, but Caroline knew and threatened to tell everyone. She wanted Elizabeth to be unhappy and knew that ruining my relationship with her would cause her grief. Caroline hoped that my treating her poorly and telling everyone all these rumours about her; well, she believed it would cause Mr. Darcy to set her aside. She has been so angry that nothing has worked. And well, I have been miserable about it all as well. And now I have been so sick with this pregnancy.”
“You should have told Charles about it before you married,” Louisa chided. “I do not know what he would have said, but I dare say it would not have made things as bad as they are now. You have alienated him from his best friend; you have alienated yourself from your sister and created all manner of issues in your life and marriage. What do you intend to do? What does Charles mean to do?”
Jane sobbed harder. “I do not know what to do,” she wailed.
Louisa remained where she was, trying to calm her, as she became hysterical. When a maid entered, she was able to signal her to come closer and request a glass of wine with laudanum in it. It arrived in short order, and Louisa helped Jane to drink it before allowing a maid to lead her to her room. That done, she went in search of her brother.
“Charles?” she asked cautiously when she approached him in his study. He looked up, and she could see the grief on his face.
“What do you need, Louisa?” he said crossly.
“I have just talked with Jane,” she replied.
He shook his head. “I do not even know what to think, much less how to act,” he told her. “I could divorce her and be totally justified in it. I could send her to Ireland and leave her with her mother and sister. I could pretend that nothing has happened and raise her bastard as my own. If she had told me from the beginning, I … might have … I could have … I do not know what I would have done.” His head dropped into his hands. “I do not know what to do.”
