An Unlikely Friendship

As the dancers moved in the middle of the ballroom floor, Caroline Bingley looked out over those assembled with satisfaction. Meryton was literally nothing more than a speck on the map, and as Netherfield—by far the largest estate in the neighborhood—had remained uninhabited for some time, she doubted that most of these people had seen such an elegant ball in many a year. Certainly none of the other manor houses she had visited seemed capable of hosting such an event. And though she felt confined and at times ill at ease in the company of these people, it was only proper that Charles make a good impression upon his new neighbors. Caroline would prefer not to socialize with most of them, but it was required, and she would not shirk from performing her duties.

It was not so very bad, she mused. She had not kept her disdain for many of these people from those in her party—though carefully not allowing anyone from the neighborhood to overhear her comments—but they were not all bad. Miss Jane Bennet in particular was all that was good, and if she was a little naïve, Caroline could easily forgive that as a fault.

The problem was, of course, Charles’s fascination with the young woman.

The Bingleys were a new family. Their fortune came from trade. It was unfortunate, but in a society where status was everything and where those who made their fortunes from the movement of goods were looked down upon, it took much effort to move beyond those origins. The Bingley family’s longstanding connection with the Darcy family helped, of course, as did Louisa’s marriage to a gentleman (though Hurst was really only a gentleman in name). But their success in society could only be improved by impeccable behavior, connections to others of higher society, and distance from their roots in trade.

Though Jane Bennet was all that was good, and she was a gentleman’s daughter, she did not possess the kind of connections which would assist the Bingley family in society. From what Caroline understood, she also did not possess a dowry which would help make up for the evil of the lack of connections. It was unfortunate, as she truly was a likeable young woman, and Caroline could very easily accept her as a sister for that reason alone. Of course, if Charles truly did love her . . . .

And that was the true question. Charles was clearly infatuated with the woman, and unlike his previous paramours, his interest seemed to be more . . . focused than any she had seen in him before. It did not appear that he would lose interest in Miss Bennet. And Caroline could readily acknowledge there was something more about the young woman which was not present in so many others she had seen, something undefinable but pleasing.

“Miss Bingley!” came a voice, and Caroline grimaced before turning and regarding the woman who had addressed her, her countenance carefully devoid of her previous annoyance.

“Mrs. Bennet,” said Caroline. Though she was polite, she could hear in her own voice a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

Luckily, the woman in question was not precisely perceptive, and she completely missed Caroline’s tone.

“I must commend you, Miss Bingley,” said the other woman with an enthusiastic shiver of delight. “Your arrangements are as fine as any I have seen. We are so happy you have invited us to attend!”

Of course my arrangements are fine, thought Caroline. I have been educated in all the accomplishments of polite society. And it is not as if you would know if the quality was not the best anyway.

Out loud, she merely smiled and nodded to accept the compliment. “Thank you, Mrs. Bennet. I am happy to have performed this service for the neighborhood.”

“And we are very happy to have you! In fact, I cannot remember such a wondrous night as tonight, and I have been to all the finest gatherings of the neighborhood. You are very much to be commended. The romantic nature of the decorations you have chosen are perfect, especially given the . . . current state of affairs. I for one could not be more pleased!”

The woman prattled on, but Caroline allowed her thoughts to drift, knowing as she did so that when Mrs. Bennet started to speak in such an excited manner she would not require a response.

It was a sad fact that Mrs. Bennet was a large drawback to any alliance between Charles and Miss Bennet, and the youngest Bennets were no better. Mrs. Bennet was loud, obnoxious, mean of understanding, and as determined a fortune hunter as any woman Caroline had ever met. She would be an embarrassment to have as a relation. The younger girls were loud, brash, and fearless, and they did not possess the most basic concept of proper behavior. Caroline knew that if they were included in any events in London, they would immediately upset the Bingley family’s attempts to gain acceptance, likely never to recover. If Charles was seriously considering Jane Bennet as a prospective wife, the mother and sisters would need much seasoning before they could be admitted to London society. Either that or they would need to be held at arm’s length, a difficulty, considering the fact that Jane obviously loved her family despite their less than proper behavior.

But then again, every family had less than desirable members; the current family in residence was ample proof of that fact. Why Louisa had ever married such a dull bore as Hurst was beyond Caroline. She had attempted to convince her sister to refuse the proposal, but it had all been for naught as Louisa would have him regardless of Caroline’s counsel. And of course there was Uncle Edward . . .

Caroline shuddered. It was fortunate that Uncle Edward was content to remain in York and run the family business, for he was coarse and unrefined and swore like a midshipman! He would never receive any notice from polite society, and as he openly disdained the higher classes, it was fortunate that he and society were mutually exclusive.

“And I am certain that it will be a most excellent match, for as much as I would wish for my daughter to be happy, I am sure you would wish the same for your brother.”

The piercing voice next to her once again pierced Caroline’s thoughts, and she turned and smiled at Mrs. Bennet. “Perhaps it is as you say, Mrs. Bennet. But I believe we should allow the principals to determine that matter themselves.”

A hasty nod met Caroline’s statement, amusing her as to the speed at which Mrs. Bennet agreed with her. The woman then said:

“You are quite right. I am certain they will come to a resolution agreeable to all.”

“Indeed,” said Caroline. “Now, if you will excuse me . . .”

“Of course, Miss Bingley. I am certain you have much to do.”

In fact, it was a dance with a local man which called Caroline away. And though Caroline might have preferred not to dance at all this evening, as the hostess, she was obliged to stand up and act in a gracious manner to those in attendance. So when the man—his name escaped Caroline at the moment—arrived to escort her to the dance floor, Caroline assumed an air or polite attentiveness and allowed herself to be led away.

It was no great burden to dance, she mused as the music started and the dancers began their intricate steps. The man with whom she was paired, while perhaps not exactly light on his feet, was still competent. He was no Mr. Darcy, but then again, few were. And as he did not speak, it meant Caroline was allowed to sink once more into her thoughts.

The crux of the matter was as Mrs. Bennet stated, loath though Caroline was to acknowledge any sense whatsoever in the woman’s words. Caroline did wish for Charles to be happy. The question was: did Charles’s happiness depend upon having Jane Bennet for a wife? Though Caroline could not be certain at this stage, he was showing signs of an enduring regard for Miss Bennet which was quite beyond any regard he had held for any other woman. Caroline could not be certain, but she felt that he was becoming attached to Jane Bennet.

Could Caroline welcome her into the family if that was what Charles wished? If Miss Bennet was essential to Charles’s future happiness, then Caroline would swallow her objections and welcome the young woman into the family, no matter what she thought of the matter herself. Miss Bennet was well-mannered and self-effacing, and other than being looked down on as a newcomer—something with which Caroline was familiar herself—she would ultimately be accepted into society with little resistance.

When the music came to an end, Caroline curtseyed to her partner for the dance and allowed him to lead her off the floor. The man smiled at her in farewell and moved off, and Caroline was able to look around the ballroom. But before she was able to take any impressions of the night’s amusement, Louisa bustled up to her, an exasperated huff of annoyance escaping her lips.

“What is it, sister?” asked Caroline.

“Mr. Hurst,” was her sister’s short reply. “He is well on his way to being soused yet again and we have not even reached the dinner hour.”

Caroline shook her head. She had known what Mr. Hurst was from the moment she met him—for that matter, so had Louisa! But her sister had been determined to have the man, as she had felt that since she had a proposal in hand, it would be best to take it; there would be no guarantee of another, after all. Hurst’s status as a gentleman would help raise their family from obscurity, in Louisa’s mind, though she never considered that their name was already becoming known due to their connection with the Darcy family. Louisa was not the most beautiful, accomplished, or intelligent woman, but Caroline knew that she could have done so much better than to settle for Hurst. Alas, it was much too late for that.

“Is Charles dancing again with Miss Bennet?”

Shaking her head at the fact that Louisa was once again choosing to ignore her husband’s behavior, Caroline turned to look where her sister was pointing. Charles was indeed on the dance floor, again paired with the lovely Miss Bennet, who was laughing at something he said. Caroline had already known of her brother’s plans, so it did not come as a surprise, as this was now the supper set. It was, however, an overt mark of favor and attention. In such a small society as this, some might consider Charles’s honor to be engaged.  Yet nothing Caroline said had dissuaded him from his purpose.

“He is enamored yet again,” said Louisa, gesturing at the dancing couple with disgust. “How long will this one last?”

“His interest actually appears to be much more serious than any I have seen before.”

Louisa scowled. “It cannot be allowed. After all I have sacrificed to ensure our rise in society, he cannot simply throw it away.”

“Marrying Jane Bennet would not be ‘throwing it away,’ as you say. She is the daughter of a gentleman.”

“With an improper family and ties to trade.”

Caroline nodded, reflecting that Louisa’s concerns were only what she had considered herself.

“The question is, does Miss Bennet hold Charles in the same esteem which he holds her?” mused Caroline aloud.

“It is immaterial,” said Louisa. “We must find some way to deflect him. He may yet lose interest.”

Caroline looked at her sister, waiting for her to continue.

“If we can persuade him to leave for town before his fascination becomes fixed, he may yet lose interest,” explained Louisa.

“Not from what I am seeing. I have never seen him this attentive toward a woman.”

“Still, it may induce him to think the matter over rather than make an impulsive decision based on a moment of infatuation.”

Caroline merely shrugged; she knew that Louisa, with her distaste for her own marriage, would expect Charles and even Caroline herself to make similar sacrifices for their family name, though Caroline herself had no need to do such a thing. Louisa might even be feeling a hint of misery loves company mixed in with her desire to further their family name. While Caroline did not hold with such a sentiment, she would understand her sister’s concern.

As Caroline turned her attention back to the assembled dancers, she noticed something she had not before. At the end of the line of dancers, moving gracefully across the floor as if he was floating in air, was Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. But that was not what had caught her eye, for though William did not often choose to dance, he excelled at the activity as he did at most of those pastimes he to which chose to apply himself. It was the woman with whom he was dancing which focused Caroline’s attention on the man.

It was no secret that Caroline had never held much esteem for Miss Elizabeth Bennet. To Caroline, a woman who, though born to a tradesman, had been given the benefit of the finest finishing school and the best society had to offer, Miss Elizabeth’s manners were not of the fashionable set. Some of that could be attributed to the confined society in which the young woman had been brought up, but that did not make her any more estimable a character, in Caroline’s opinion. Furthermore, though she was not as overt in her behavior as her mother, Caroline felt the woman to be a fortune hunter.

More to the point, however, Caroline had seen how William had reacted to Miss Elizabeth, and the knowledge she had gleaned from watching their interactions had not pleased her in the slightest. William was obviously intrigued by the young woman, yet he seemed to be blind to the fact that she did not like him in the slightest. It was an odd combination for one who was an excellent judge of character and manners otherwise.

As Caroline watched them dance, she noted how Miss Elizabeth’s eyebrow rose several times, how William’s countenance became even more severe as she spoke, and how that voluble oaf Sir William approached them as they were dancing. William did not show much reaction to anything, but Caroline, who knew him as well as anyone, could see enough to concern her for the man’s sake.

No, this will not do, thought Caroline to herself. I cannot allow this to continue.