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Kitty looked at her two sisters.

“Over the Christmas period a rumour was floated that this Mr. Darcy was an imposter. No gentleman could, or indeed would, act that way. People are speculating that it was a tradesman friend of Bingley’s who did not know how to act and so presented this rude façade to stop people asking him questions that would expose him.”

“My goodness. My first reaction is to scoff at such a fantasy. But as I think about it, there is more than a grain of truth to what you are suggesting. Do you know who came up with the rumour?”

“One of the Goulding brothers. Again, everyone’s initial reaction is the same as yours, but as they think about it more and more people are believing it.”

“Let us come back to that at the end. Let us finish with the party by talking of the lessor himself.”

Kitty was blunt and to the point, her whole life on an estate clearly showing.

“He is a gelding.”

Mary looked shocked but Elizabeth just winced.

“That bad?”

Kitty nodded.

“We just talked about it, the whole party must have been invited to eight houses over their stay, not including the initial Assembly. And the other four did not deviate from their behaviours. A drunk, two gossipy shrews and. What was it Mr. Darcy was called? Oh yes, a golem. You have a choice with him, that or a fraud.

“And through all this Mr. Bingley seemed to not realise the damage they were doing to his reputation. He would wander about at any event, all charming and polite, remember he was rumoured to have £5,000 a year. Again, I mentioned it a moment ago, there was talk of not inviting them to events.”

“Even for £5,000 a year?”

“How was anyone supposed to get close? There were no invitations to Netherfield Park. As a result, even Mama was not prepared to invite Mr. Darcy into her house.”

There was no more damning indictment than that.