Ch. 9

Authors note: This is not in the same timeline as last chapter, this would be a few weeks previous after Mr. Bennet sent his letters

London

While things were looking up at Longbourn, the same could not be said for some of our friends in London.

When Mr. Darcy got an anonymous letter about two weeks after departing Netherfield, he was angry. At first he thought someone was trying to blackmail him into money and the first person who came to mind was Mr. Wickham! Was that man to ever be a thorn in his side! Trying to calm himself, he reread the short missive. "Her dear brother" and "one marriage… lead to another," he saw read. He was starting to think he knew exactly who would spread such falsehoods. She has gone too far this time, now the only problem was who was she telling the rumors too? He paced his study, trying to figure out what he was going to tell to Bingley. He may be one of his closest friends, but he will not tolerate that social climber anymore.

Just as he was about to send a note to Mr. Bingley, the man himself was shown into his study by his butler. "Bingley, I was just about to..." Before he could finish his sentence he was cut off.

"Oh Darce, it is absolutely horrible," Bingley said as he paced the room.

Seeing his agitated state, Darcy grew concerned, "Bingley man, what has happened?"

"I should have never listened to the words you and my sisters fed me after the ball. I should have gone back like I wanted; I should have trusted myself on her feelings for me. "

At Mr. Darcy's somewhat puzzled look Mr. Bingley continued, "It seems Jane, no I am no longer given the pleasure to use her name, Miss Bennet, did harbor feelings for me."

"Are you sure Bingley, how do you know?"

"I received a letter earlier this morning from Mr. Bennet; apparently I must be some blackguard who toys with the affections of young ladies. I singled out his daughter and then left the neighborhood without a word," Mr. Bingley said dejectedly. "I could not go back even if I wanted, I know it has been some weeks, but did you know Caroline actually closed the house and dismissed the servants? Of course I could reopen the house, but from the letter it seems Caroline also wrote that I was coming back to get engaged to someone here in town!"

Mr. Darcy now had confirmation it was Miss Bingley spreading a rumor, with any luck she has not spread it to her friends here in town he thought.

"Mr. Bennet says I should give up my lease," Mr. Bingley said dejectedly as he finally took a seat. "He says if I ever go near his daughters again he will call me out."

Mr. Darcy felt bad about his friend, while he may have error in his advice it was still for the best, she had neither money nor connections and her family was entirely unsuitable, except the eldest two. Shaking thoughts of Miss Elizabeth Bennet from his mind, he decided it was time to confront his friend on her sister.

"Bingley, I think it is high time you do something about your sister, you have let her run you long enough. " At Mr. Bingley's confused look Mr. Darcy continued, the person she said you were soon to be engaged to is my sister!" Here Mr. Bingley's eyes showed his shock. "It seems I received a letter of my own from Mr. Bennet. I know she wants to become the next Mrs. Darcy but I am telling you now Bingley, that will never happen. I have tolerated her long enough but she is no longer allowed at any of my homes and she is forbidden from using my name to get invitations." At Mr. Bingley's face of embarrassment, Mr. Darcy continued, "Charles, you will always be my friend and I am sorry about Miss Bennet, truly I am, but you are always falling in and out of love, and really she had no connections or money. While it probably is best to give up the lease, you still need to learn to manage an estate if you ever want to purchase one."

While the gentlemen were having their conversations, a group of ladies were having a conversation of their own in a townhome not too far away.

"Oh Grandma! How good of you to come visit, I have missed you so!"

"My dear Sophia, how good you look! It seems the married life has made you bloom," Mrs. Carr replied to her granddaughter.

Blushing slightly, the new Lady Fitzwilliam looked adoringly at her husband, Viscount Edward Fitzwilliam, heir to the Matlock earldom.

Smiling at her granddaughter, Mrs. Carr shared news she had received. "Now that you are back from your honeymoon I wish to tell you of the news I received. It seems I am to participate in the season once more!"

"Do not tell me you have finally planned on remarrying, Grandma," Sophia teased.

Laughing at her granddaughter she replied, "No my dear, it seems my help is needed. Do you remember Miss Jane Bennet?"

"Of course, we were to come out together; while we did not spend too much time together I do remember she was exceedingly beautiful and very shy. I do remember her grandmother coming to visit you a time or two before we started planning."

"Yes, my dear friend Henrietta, I have missed her these many years. As you know, we never saw Miss Bennet again but once or twice since the passing of her grandmother. It seems her father lost a part of himself when his mother died and did not do best by his girls. He wrote me a letter begging if I can sponsor his Jane just for one season, it seems she has suffered some heartache and he wants her to have a real chance at finding love."

"Oh how sad for poor Jane," exclaimed Sophia, "after finding my true love it is only right that we assist others in finding theirs! Whatever you need grandma, let me know, Edward and I will be happy to assist!"

"Mrs. Carr," at her stern look, Edward remembered himself, "Grandma Carr, we will be happy to assist your young lady, as you know my mother loves to play matchmaker and I am sure she too will help her in society. Since I am now married she has started looking for a wife for my knucklehead brother, depending how much mother likes her she just may become my new sister," teased the Viscount.

The merry group continued their visit, with the ladies planning a shopping trip for their future guest. When the words lace and shopping entered the conversation the Viscount thought it was best to leave the room and find his mother. Lady Matlock never had any daughters of her own so when one of her sons finally married she was ecstatic to finally have someone to do mother-daughter activities. Edward knew that if mother got wind of Mrs. Carr and Sophia's new mission she would be right there to help.