Caroline Bingley: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Read Online Free Page A
Author: Jennifer Becton
shall not allow myself to be persuaded against my own good judgment, Caroline. I must act."
Cold fear rushed over Caroline, and her legs seemed no longer capable of supporting her, so she returned to her seat. She looked up at Charles, whose face was resolute, and realized that her situation was worse than she had anticipated.
"I think it best if you removed for a time," Charles said. His tone held an alarming ring of finality. "You must go home to Kendal."
"Home?" Caroline could not withhold her protest. "I have no home in Kendal."
"You shall go to our mother's home, then, if you insist on grammatical precision."
"Yes," Caroline said as her hands balled into fists. "I do insist upon it, for Newton House is not my home and it never shall be."
His reference to Newton House as "home" wounded Caroline more deeply than he could have realized. There were few people who knew how greatly she despised the very notion of home. Though she was a woman of no little fortune--20,000 pounds could hardly be considered insignificant--she had been denied the benefit of such a place from her infancy. Her father--heaven bless him--had expired before he had been able to purchase the estate his family deserved, and the inheritance, the bulk of which had been left to her brother Charles, had not yet been invested in family lands.
No, instead, it had been spent on the lease of a country manor in Hertfordshire and would soon be spent further on her brother's marriage to a country maiden. Imagine. Charles had the fortitude to commit to a woman, but not to a piece of real estate.
These were great vexations indeed, for above all else, Caroline had always yearned for a home of her own. The ownership of such a place meant far more than the possession of a piece of property. It meant a husband: a landed gentleman or perhaps someone with a title. And it meant security and status that could not easily be wrested from her.
To all outward appearances, Caroline was a woman to be envied. She wore the latest fashions, attended the most lavish balls, and associated with the wealthy and titled--and she had always tried to reflect an attitude superior to the confidence she felt inside herself--but in reality, she was nothing more than the homeless daughter of a tradesman.
Yes, Caroline would own to it: she had hoped to gain a home of her own in the form of Pemberley, but instead of gaining the home and husband of her deepest desires, she had succeeded in angering her brother, losing the good opinion of his betrothed, and humiliating herself.
"No, indeed," Caroline repeated. "I shall not go to the north of England. Surely, a journey of that magnitude is not necessary. I shall stay with Louisa in London."
"Your destination is already decided. I have written to Mama of your coming."
Caroline would not allow the mention of her mother to dissuade her from objecting again. Yes, she loved her mother and yearned to see her, but not in this manner. "Mama will bear up under her disappointment, for I refuse to go such a distance for no purpose."
Charles's jaw clenched. "But it is required," he said, and then he walked from the room, leaving only hurtful words in his wake. "Caroline, you shall not be welcome in my household until you make proper amends, and I can assure you that your welcome at Pemberley has been suspended until such a time as well."
Caroline sighed. There must yet be something she might attempt to rectify her situation, for she would neither apologize nor go to the north.
• • •
Louisa surely must have pity on her, Caroline reasoned, for her sister had been chief in both separating Charles from Miss Jane Bennet and advising her about how to proceed with Mr. Darcy. Having little experience with romance, Caroline had sought her sister's advice and followed it closely.
Yes, Louisa would understand and would save her from Charles's disastrous plan. She would not allow her beloved sister to suffer for committing the crimes in which she
Cold fear rushed over Caroline, and her legs seemed no longer capable of supporting her, so she returned to her seat. She looked up at Charles, whose face was resolute, and realized that her situation was worse than she had anticipated.
"I think it best if you removed for a time," Charles said. His tone held an alarming ring of finality. "You must go home to Kendal."
"Home?" Caroline could not withhold her protest. "I have no home in Kendal."
"You shall go to our mother's home, then, if you insist on grammatical precision."
"Yes," Caroline said as her hands balled into fists. "I do insist upon it, for Newton House is not my home and it never shall be."
His reference to Newton House as "home" wounded Caroline more deeply than he could have realized. There were few people who knew how greatly she despised the very notion of home. Though she was a woman of no little fortune--20,000 pounds could hardly be considered insignificant--she had been denied the benefit of such a place from her infancy. Her father--heaven bless him--had expired before he had been able to purchase the estate his family deserved, and the inheritance, the bulk of which had been left to her brother Charles, had not yet been invested in family lands.
No, instead, it had been spent on the lease of a country manor in Hertfordshire and would soon be spent further on her brother's marriage to a country maiden. Imagine. Charles had the fortitude to commit to a woman, but not to a piece of real estate.
These were great vexations indeed, for above all else, Caroline had always yearned for a home of her own. The ownership of such a place meant far more than the possession of a piece of property. It meant a husband: a landed gentleman or perhaps someone with a title. And it meant security and status that could not easily be wrested from her.
To all outward appearances, Caroline was a woman to be envied. She wore the latest fashions, attended the most lavish balls, and associated with the wealthy and titled--and she had always tried to reflect an attitude superior to the confidence she felt inside herself--but in reality, she was nothing more than the homeless daughter of a tradesman.
Yes, Caroline would own to it: she had hoped to gain a home of her own in the form of Pemberley, but instead of gaining the home and husband of her deepest desires, she had succeeded in angering her brother, losing the good opinion of his betrothed, and humiliating herself.
"No, indeed," Caroline repeated. "I shall not go to the north of England. Surely, a journey of that magnitude is not necessary. I shall stay with Louisa in London."
"Your destination is already decided. I have written to Mama of your coming."
Caroline would not allow the mention of her mother to dissuade her from objecting again. Yes, she loved her mother and yearned to see her, but not in this manner. "Mama will bear up under her disappointment, for I refuse to go such a distance for no purpose."
Charles's jaw clenched. "But it is required," he said, and then he walked from the room, leaving only hurtful words in his wake. "Caroline, you shall not be welcome in my household until you make proper amends, and I can assure you that your welcome at Pemberley has been suspended until such a time as well."
Caroline sighed. There must yet be something she might attempt to rectify her situation, for she would neither apologize nor go to the north.
• • •
Louisa surely must have pity on her, Caroline reasoned, for her sister had been chief in both separating Charles from Miss Jane Bennet and advising her about how to proceed with Mr. Darcy. Having little experience with romance, Caroline had sought her sister's advice and followed it closely.
Yes, Louisa would understand and would save her from Charles's disastrous plan. She would not allow her beloved sister to suffer for committing the crimes in which she
Readers choose
Polly Holyoke
Tonya Burrows
Selena Kitt
Keith McCafferty
H. T. Night
Alison Tyler
Kit Tunstall, R.E. Saxton
Barbara Kingsolver
Emma Jameson