The Course of True Love

Author's Note: This story is different from my other fics, as it's the first thing I've written that isn't a oneshot. I'm still working on an ending, so reactions to the plot are always encouraged.

Chapter One

Charles Bingley finished his letter with a flourish and a blot and handed it over to be sent out with the morning's mail. He settled back in his chair with a contented sigh. He had finally finished the onerous task of writing to his sister Caroline and informing her of his engagement to Miss Jane Bennet and that of his friend Fitzwilliam Darcy to her sister, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Knowing Caroline and her aspirations, she would not take the news well. Charles was extremely glad that she would be miles away in London when she received the news. Satisfied with himself, Bingley allowed himself to slip into daydreams of his love…in a beautiful white dress…wearing daisies in her loose blonde hair…running to greet him… These pleasant thoughts were interrupted by a commotion in the front hall and a shrill voice crying "Charles!" Bingley bolted upright. That was Caroline's voice. Surely he hadn't been dreaming for such a long time that she had received the message and come to Netherfield to demand an explanation. Glancing at the clock on the mantle, he saw that only a quarter of an hour had passed, which meant that she had left London far before the messenger had left Netherfield. He groaned as Caroline flung open his study door, posed in the doorway for a moment and then flounced into the room. As she gracefully settled herself into a chair, she exclaimed "Charles, darling! How are you dearest? I hope you don't mind that I came unannounced. I was simply stifling in the city. I find that the country can be so refreshing." While Charles was trying to figure out how to respond to such a reversal from her usual opinion, she continued. "Furthermore, I was talking to Lord at Lady 's party last weekend, and he said that a lovely estate in Kent was for sale. Imagine that! Very beautifully situated and right near Mr. Darcy's aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Isn't that just wonderful! I know you can't plan on renting this place," she waved a hand distastefully, "forever." Charles bit his tongue to prevent himself from asking why she was here if she had such disdain for the place. Caroline finished her speech with a breathless demand for all the news. "Not that there can be much. What, did a barn cat have kittens?" She laughed delicately at her wit.

"Actually, Caroline, I do have news. I had just finished writing you a letter when you arrived."

"Oh?" She arched an elegant eyebrow, "Do tell."

"Miss Bennet has agreed to become my wife."

"WHAT?" she hissed, her face paling under her rouge. She drew a breath to begin her angry tirade about Charles' duty to his family, but she stopped. This decision may have been influenced by the fact that Charles' normally affable countenance was suddenly grim, but she certainly wasn't going to admit that, even to herself. Imagine, submitting to her brother's will. It was laughable. Either way, she effusively began to offer her congratulations and make plans for the wedding. As the torrent of words flowed over him, Charles began to feel guilty for not telling Caroline about Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. She was going to find out soon, as Darcy was staying at Netherfield. He just didn't want to be the one to tell her. He knew she wouldn't react well and he didn't want to be around when she lost control. He was pondering bribing the servants to mention it in conversation in front of her when he heard a horse's hooves in the courtyard. He swallowed. That would be Mr. Darcy returning from his morning ride. Caroline rushed out to greet him and Charles retreated to the billiards room, ashamed of his cowardice and not at all anxious to meet Darcy.

Mr. Darcy dismounted and absent-mindedly handed the reins to a stable boy. He was trying to determine how early he could visit Longbourn without looking like a lovesick fool. He was so wrapped up in these thoughts that he ran right into the figure that was scurrying towards him. "My apologies, miss….Miss Bingley?" Caroline batted her eyelashes furiously and cooed, "Your apologies are accepted. Indeed, they are hardly necessary. I can guess what has distracted you so."

"Indeed, I should imagine not."

Out of politeness, Mr. Darcy took Miss Bingley's arm as they headed into the house. "You are endeavoring to devise a method to rescue Charles from this horrid engagement. I'm not sure how Miss Bennet managed to entrap him, but I have no doubt that you shall succeed in freeing him, especially with such incentive. Imagine being associated with that family!" Completely taken aback, Darcy dropped her arm and gaped. Oblivious, Miss Bingley continued to prattle about the "horrid engagement" and her faith that Mr. Darcy would "set matters right." Mr. Darcy couldn't comprehend how she could say such things when she knew that he was planning to unite himself to the same family. Unless… Suddenly, things began to make more sense. "Excuse me." Darcy muttered and ran into the house to find Mr. Bingley. Baffled, Caroline followed, hiking up her skirts in order to keep up with his long strides.

Mr. Darcy stopped the first servant he saw and ascertained Mr. Bingley's location. After thanking her kindly, he strode off to the billiards room, failing to notice Caroline scampering behind him.

The door to the billiards room opened and Darcy entered. "Charles," he growled menacingly. "Darcy! How are you? Did you have a nice ride? I'm sure you did, the weather was quite lovely. I was afraid that it would be too chilly when you rode out, but it has warmed up considerably." Mr. Bingley was babbling and he knew it. He stopped.

Mr. Darcy slammed the door. Outside, Caroline groaned. How was she supposed the hear anything properly through those thick doors? Inside, Mr. Darcy continued, "Charles, how long has your sister been here?"

"About half an hour."

"And in that amount of time, you couldn't find a moment to inform her of my engagement? Perhaps you were too busy discussing the weather. Charles, I specifically asked you to tell her." He fixed Bingley with his most supercilious glare. Mr. Bingley had been friends with Fitzwilliam long enough not to be affected, but he did feel bad about letting Darcy down.

"I'm sorry, but my news made her so unhappy, and I knew that when she heard your news she would be," he paused "less than delighted." Mr. Darcy smiled wryly at this diplomatic understatement. "Our double wedding might send her into hysterics."

On the other side of the door, Caroline could only hear snippets of the conversation. "Your sister mumble mumble mumble engagement mumble mumble ask mumble cough" Speak up, Charles! "Unhappy mumble mumble be delighted mumble mumble double wedding" Caroline was in such a tizzy she almost fainted. Dear Mr. Darcy had just come to his senses and asked Charles for his permission to marry her! That explained his odd behavior in the courtyard. He had obviously been so entranced by her beauty that he had not been able to wait another minute. She ran, at a rather unladylike gait, to her room to start preparing for dinner. She needed to look breathtaking when he proposed.

Meanwhile, Darcy was pacing in the game room. "One of us has to tell her before dinner. It would be rather awkward if she didn't know before the Miss Bennets arrive." The two eldest Miss Bennets were engaged to dine at Netherfield that night. It was the first time either of the gentlemen had truly been grateful for Mrs. Bennet's machinations. Somehow, she had managed to finagle it so that the only members of the dinner party would be the Miss Bennets and their fiancés. Well, and now Caroline. He turned to Charles "You're her brother, you should tell her."

Charles shot his friend a nasty look, "Your graciousness astounds me. As you have said, Caroline is my sister, which means I love her deeply and will forgive her faults, a fact of which she is very well aware. If you should tell her, she will have to behave because you owe her no such loyalty. Please!" Mr. Darcy had to laugh and then shook his head. "I will tell her. But you must be here to pick up the pieces."

"Thank you!" Charles was grinning Mr. Darcy summoned a footman and asked him to call Miss Bingley to them. The footman returned a few minutes later to inform him that the lady was indisposed. She had retired to her room and would not be available until dinnertime. The gentlemen groaned. Darcy sent the footman back to tell Miss Bingley that guests from Longbourn would be dining with them that evening and telling her that he and Mr. Bingley had something that they wished to discuss with her before the guests arrived.

When she received that message, Caroline was quite perturbed. First of all, guests would hinder Mr. Darcy's ability to ask her to marry him. Charles could be counted on to find an opportunity to leave them alone together but Mrs. Bennet and Jane would probably be to dense to understand any hints. These two were who Caroline assumed would be the guests from Longbourn, her brother's fiancée and a chaperone. Therefore, she decided that Mr. Darcy and Charles must intend to finalize the engagement before the guests arrived, and wanted her to come to them so that Mr. Darcy could ask her. However, she had already declined Mr. Darcy's request to come down. He had to learn that she would not submit to his whims. When she declined, she meant it. It was insupportable for him to question her a second time. He had to understand this, so she refused to come down when asked even thought she was afire with anticipation about the matter that needed to be discussed. However eager Caroline was to be engaged, she felt that teaching Mr. Darcy the rules of their relationship was more important. If he got the wrong impression early on, it would take months to straighten things out, and she didn't have that kind of patience.

When the footman returned with her second message, the gentlemen were shocked. They didn't know why Caroline was being so capricious, but it was obvious that there would be no reasoning with her. The gentlemen looked at each other in dismay. Mr. Darcy spoke "If your sister does not know of my engagement to Miss Bennet before dinner….."

Charles grimaced "I don't know which will be worse, Caroline's behavior or the girls' reaction. Jane is not going to be happy." Mr. Darcy raised an eyebrow. "Jane isn't going to be happy? I dare not dream of what Elizabeth will say." Mr. Bingley conceded that Mr. Darcy had more to fear from his beloved's lively temperament and the gentlemen spent the rest of the afternoon miserably contemplating the dinner that they had been anticipating so eagerly a few hours before.

Chapter 2

That evening, just as the Bennet carriage rolled to a stop in front of Netherfield, Caroline Bingley floated down the stairs, completely overdressed for the occasion. It must be admitted, however, that she looked stunning. She had chosen a light pink dress that complemented her pale skin and blonde hair perfectly. It was a pity that there was no one to notice. Elizabeth and Jane descended from the carriage and hastened towards their fiancées, faces aglow. When they saw Caroline waiting to greet them, expressions of surprise and puzzlement crossed their faces. An identical expression graced Caroline's face. Miss Eliza?? What was she doing here? She would throw off the number of gentlemen and ladies. Moreover, where was their chaperone? Surely, Jane hadn't brought Elizabeth as a chaperone? Caroline hadn't thought her capable of such a skillful slight. Her respect for Jane grew immensely. All of the ladies recovered from their astonishment quickly, and hastened to greet each other. Elizabeth was puzzled when Caroline congratulated Jane profusely and ignored her completely. She hadn't expected Caroline to be thrilled, but she had assumed that the other woman was too well bred to show her disappointment. She looked at Mr. Darcy, to see how he was taking this snub. To her surprise, he looked more concerned than angry. Seeing her glance, Mr. Darcy managed a tight smile. As they walked into the house, Elizabeth used Mr. Bingley's nervous chatter as a screen to ask Mr. Darcy what worried him. He merely shook his head and murmured that he would tell her later. Frustrated, Elizabeth moved past him to join Caroline and Jane as they walked into parlor. As they entered, there was a rapid burst of the eye-to-eye communication involving all but Caroline, which resulted in Jane asking Caroline to show her some detail of a guest room across the house. Elizabeth was left alone with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. Once Mr. Bingley finished his hurried, scattered apologetic explanation, Elizabeth looked from one grim face to the other and laughed. "Surely all this fuss is not about this?" She laughed again, harder this time. "Imagine, Mr. Bingley, being afraid of your own sister. I understand that she once might have cherished hopes …." she trailed off tactfully. "In any event, she needs to be told. I give you until dessert, gentlemen. After that, I will tell her myself, and I doubt that that is the easiest way for her to hear the news."

Before the gentlemen had a chance to respond, they heard Caroline and Jane returning. Caroline was apologizing furiously ". . . so sorry about not paying you more attention in London. I was very unwell. I was subject to terrible tremors. Often I would be confined to my room for hours and hours just shaking. . ." Jane, in her own sweet way, just smiled and said, "I'm sorry to hear it." As they entered the room, Caroline rushed to Mr. Darcy's side and began cooing, "Mr. Darcy, I was so disappointed not to see Georgiana at Lady 's party the other night. London society simply loses some of its sparkle when she is not there." Mr. Darcy was accustomed to Caroline's attentions, but Elizabeth's presence made him exceedingly uncomfortable. Elizabeth, however, was watching with thinly veiled amusement. Elizabeth was not a particularly vindictive person, but after all Miss Bingley's snide remarks and her attempt to hurt Jane, Elizabeth thoroughly enjoyed watching Caroline making a fool of herself over a man who was already spoken for. However, she pitied Mr. Darcy, who seemed as if he was going to faint from embarrassment, so when dinner was announced Elizabeth rushed to claim his arm with an alacrity that bordered on discourtesy.

Caroline was completely taken aback. How dare that chit try to steal HER fiancé! Did her brazenness know no bounds? Her fury escalated as she realized that she had to enter the dining room alone. Miss Eliza had thrown off the number of men and women in the party and didn't even have the grace to accept the consequences.

When Caroline entered the dining room, she sat next to Jane, who was sitting at Charles' right. This placed her directly across from Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, who was sitting next to him on his right. As the food was served, the two couples began talking about a gathering at the Lucas's a few nights before. This excluded Caroline from the conversation, and gave her time to brood. Her anger towards Eliza Bennet and her presumption grew and grew. Look at her smiling and teasing Mr. Darcy! That should be her sitting there! Mr. Darcy loved her! Caroline could contain herself no longer. She broke into the conversation "Pray tell me, Eliza, what did your sister Lydia decide to name her child?" Stunned silence fell on the table. Caroline knew as well as the rest of them that Lydia had been married for only three months.

Rising to the occasion, Elizabeth smiled and said "You must be mistaken; none of my sisters has any children. As you know, Lydia is the only one of us who has married, and she has not been married more than three months." Caroline smiled "I'm terribly sorry, I had heard that she was with child." "Caroline!" snapped Charles. Elizabeth saw that Jane was terribly upset, so instead of showing how outraged she was, she said "It's fine, Mr. Bingley. Caroline was just worried about Lydia. I think it is sweet of her to show so much concern for her new sister." Caroline paled when she heard Lydia referred to as her sister, but managed a tight smile. Angry and somewhat ashamed of herself, Caroline let the conversation turn to another subject. However, she was still fuming, and her anger had been exacerbated by the admonition of her brother, so when the subject of dancing came up, she turned to Miss Bennet and said sweetly "Perhaps you can help me, Miss Eliza, a friend of mine came to me asking for advice. You see she is in her twenties, and she finds that many of the men she encounters at balls are younger than she is. This makes her feel very awkward and she was asking how one would handle such a situation. Perhaps you have some experiences that might help her?"

Darcy had opened his mouth to object, but Elizabeth cut him off, saying smoothly "I'm afraid I have no experience in such matters. Surely, she asked you because she knew you would be knowledgeable enough to be able to advise her. Tell me, what did you say?" Caroline sputtered, but could not act insulted without admitting that she had meant the question as slander against Elizabeth. "I said, as you did, that I had never experienced anything of the sort but I would ask my….friends to see if anyone else could help her."

The dinner continued in this manner. Caroline would inquire about Mrs. Bennet's nerves or Mr. Collin's chimneypiece or something else intended as a subtle snub and Elizabeth would either pretend not to notice the insult or deflect it back onto Caroline. It went against Elizabeth's nature to take such abuse without replying in kind, but the sight of Jane's miserable face was enough to keep her scathing comments to herself. People can do amazing things for the ones they love so Elizabeth stayed silent for Jane and Fitzwilliam stayed silent for Elizabeth. Poor Charles tried to keep his sister in check, but she always insisted that she hadn't meant any insult to Miss Bennet and apologized most sincerely. No one could figure out why she was being so nasty to Elizabeth, as her flirting with Mr. Darcy showed that she still didn't know of Elizabeth's engagement.

Finally, Elizabeth lost her temper. The comment that pushed her over the edge was a comment about her health. Miss Bingley mentioned that Elizabeth was looking more "solid" than the last time they had been together and inquired about her diet and asked if she was eating healthy enough. "It seems" Elizabeth snapped, "That there is no pleasing you. As I recall, the last time we met you thought I looked sickly and ill because I was too thin. Furthermore, there have been no changes in my figure since you saw me last!"

"Well!" sniffed Caroline, "It is not necessary to be so sharp. I am merely concerned for your health as any friend would be. Really, Miss Eliza, and I tell you this as a friend," she leaned forward conspiratorially "You have a very quick tongue, and you should really learn to control it, especially when making people's acquaintance. Why after you the way you behaved when you stayed with us at Netherfield, I'm surprised Mr. Darcy even speaks to you at all. Really, it is a mark of his greatness that he was not offended by your impertinence."

Remembering in what way the man in question had actually viewed her impertinence, Elizabeth was hard pressed to suppress a grin, her anger diffused by Miss Bingley's foolishness. Adopting her most solemn voice, she said "Oh, indeed. Where I would be without Mr. Darcy's graciousness and generosity of spirit, I really do not know. I should be desolate." Mr. Darcy let out a strangled sound that might have been a laugh in another life, and quickly turned to Charles to ask him to pass the …ummm…. whatever was in that bowl there. Charles looked at him in astonishment "You want me to pass the turnips? But you hate turnips! In fact, I don't even know why these are on the table." Darcy thought quickly. "Well…uh…they aren't for me. Elizabeth wants some."

"But Elizabeth hates turnips."

Shaking with suppressed laughter, Elizabeth decided to rescue Fitzwilliam." Yes Jane, I do hate turnips, but I felt so bad that no one was eating them that I decided to have some. We wouldn't want to insult Mrs. Hemming."

Everyone at the table stared at her in disbelief. She smiled and helped herself to a heaping serving. She took a bite, and attempted to smile. It came out as more of a grimace and when she tried to swallow, she gagged. Stuck with a mouthful of hideous mush, determined not to spit out her food in front of Caroline Bingley, Elizabeth glowered at Fitzwilliam. It was his fault she was in this predicament. He looked away, trying not to laugh. In the end, Elizabeth managed to swallow the turnips and Jane spent the rest of the dinner discussing fashion with Caroline so that Elizabeth was free of harassment.