Page 63 of Regrets

“And brought it to you. Oh, Lord, my messiness has caught up with me!” He laughed merrily.

“Why did you not tell me he was here?” Caroline asked.

“Because – because – well, you make him uncomfortable, Caroline.”

“Do I?”

“Yes; you are desperate to marry him, and he is desperate not to marry you, and so he is always on his guard when you are here. I am sorry, I do not intend to hurt you, Caroline.”

“No, you are right to tell me.”

“Am I? You are not upset?” Mr. Bingley peered anxiously into his sister’s face.

“I am only upset at myself. I think I have been foolish. Do you think he is cleverer than me, Charles?”

“Who, Darcy?”

“Yes.”

Mr. Bingley laughed. “Of course he is, Caroline. He is the cleverest man I know. How he finds the time to do all the reading and studying he does, on top of running the estates, I cannot figure out, but he does.”

“And do you think he will require cleverness in a wife?”

Mr. Bingley was suddenly serious. “I hope he does, Caroline.”

“What do you mean?”

“He is under a good deal of pressure to marry well, meaning a young lady with a large dowry, preferably from a titled family. But if she is not also very clever, well-read and interested in books, then he will never be happy with her. He will do his duty, of course; he will support her, give her children, and so on, but he will never be happy. And, as a result, neither will she.”

Miss Bingley had a sudden glimmer of understanding. “This is why you like Miss Bennet? Because she is similar to you?”

He smiled, beautifully. “She is indeed. We are both social creatures, more interested in people than books. She is so gentle, so kind, so good!”

“And so are you, Charles,” Caroline said, unexpectedly. “You are gentle, kind and good. No one says such things about men, I think, but you are all those things. The two of you would be good together.”

“I thought you would fight me on it, Caroline,” he said, bemused.

“I thought I would as well,” she admitted. “But I would have been wrong. I will be happy to have a gentle, kind and good sister.”

Ah, Mr. Bingley thought. Mrs. Bennet must have spoken to my sister quite seriously this afternoon! “And will you leave poor Darcy alone?”

“I will. You are quite right. He could never be happy with me, nor I with him. I regret having wasted so much time in pursuit of him.”

“I am proud of you, Caroline!”

“Thank you, Charles. I have a good deal to think about, so if you do not mind, I will take a tray in my room tonight.”

Chapter Forty-Nine

The next morning’s mail brought letters for both Georgiana and Mr. Darcy. Georgiana elected to read her letter after returning to her room, for fear that her brother might look over her shoulder or ask to see it.

Dearest Georgiana,

I cannot believe that George Wickham is actually there in Meryton! It truly is the most romantic thing I have ever heard! But you know you cannot go against your brother’s wishes, so you must find a way to reconcile the two. Perhaps invite George for tea at Netherfield?

It is all so very wonderful! Do let me know how things progress!

I take Socks out three times a week, as we agreed. And he has made a friend of one of the sheepdogs, so you need not fear for his well-being!