A Repellent Prospect: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Jeannie Peneaux

Author:Jeannie Peneaux
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: JAFF
Published: 2021-09-18T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

M iss Caroline Bingley had not particularly wished to accompany her brother into Hertfordshire, and should have preferred somewhere – anywhere – more fashionable, such as Brighton or even Ramsgate, if they weren’t to remain in London. Louisa had pointed out to her that Mr. Darcy would very likely accompany Charles, however, and thus it was far too good an opportunity to be missed, even if the location left something to be desired. Caroline did not care for the country – full of unpolished minor gentry and farming folk, if she was any judge.

Yet even she could not deny that it had been an interesting visit and one that had altered her; perhaps one might even attest that it had irrevocably changed the course of her whole life. Poor, pitiable Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who was quite the plainest girl she had ever laid eyes on, had been the catalyst. With a few words, she had made Caroline look at Mr. Darcy with new eyes – Elizabeth had made her see that however desirable Darcy was as a husband in the eyes of society, however wealthy and respected he was, he could not be relied upon to treat a wife kindly. Caroline Bingley had thought back to that horrid little assembly in Meryton. Even if Elizabeth Bennet was an antidote, it was not good of Mr. Darcy to have spoken so publicly. It was impossible to help but like the second Bennet daughter, so clever with words and so determined to prove to Mr. Darcy that his very existence was of no interest to her whatsoever. Oh, but it had been amusing to watch such a proud man staring after her, as though bewildered that she was not even attempting to catch his interest. Caroline, in a moment of self-honesty, acknowledged that part of the reason she had not dismissed Eliza Bennet was that same lack of interest in Mr. Darcy. She was so used to young ladies being in competition for his attention that she had not ever permitted herself to sincerely befriend one of them before.

Upon reflection late at night, after she had dismissed her weary maid, Caroline had wondered if her attraction to Mr. Darcy had been based on little but wealth, connections, and the fact that Fiztwilliam Darcy was nothing whatsoever like her biddable brother. It was convenient to have an agreeable brother, particularly since he technically had the guardianship of her, but she infinitely preferred young men who were not so…so weak.

Perhaps if Charles did settle for Miss Bennet (admittedly a sweet girl, if a trifle insipid), they would need to take Elizabeth along with them everywhere to ensure that they were not terribly put upon by every merchant they encountered. She herself would assist Elizabeth, of course, no one could say that Caroline Bingley would be ill used by tradesfolk.

Her thinking thus altered, Caroline was in the perfect state of readiness to fall headlong into love with Mr. Darcy’s cousin. Colonel Fitzwilliam was a

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