Work Text:
By the following spring the engagement did not, in fact, yield blissful nuptials, Elizabeth Bennet now surely doomed to spinsterhood. Not that Caroline cared one way or another, by that point having overcome any infatuation she may have once held for Darcy, but there was no denying the order inherent to these things, and Elizabeth had been laughing in the face of it for far too long as far as Caroline was concerned.
*
Now, his brother's own nuptials are set to occur as arranged, sooner rather than later, which Caroline has had nothing to say towards since the happy engagement, because, despite certain people's opinions, she does, in fact, enjoy the company of Jane Bennet (soon to be Bingley) and does truly believe her brother's match to be an agreeable one given Charles' current priorities, which seem to be romance and a love match rather than financial and societal advancement.
Caroline does not have an issue with this.
That being said, Elizabeth's frequent visits seem only to be increasing as time wears on towards Charles and Jane's wedding, and with Darcy having left for London until the day of, Caroline cannot even begin to imagine what possible reason Elizabeth has to seek out their company at Netherfield Park. She must surely see enough of her sister in their own house. Not that Jane has moved in indefinitely and this is Elizabeth's only chance to be in her company. Certainly not. There is still such a thing as proprietary.
Caroline, for very obvious reasons, does not share these thoughts with Charles. Does not share even a gram of uncertainty with Jane. And most certainly does not intimate to Elizabeth how utterly confused she is. Is it possible the engagement with Darcy is not yet over? No, that cannot be it. Darcy is supremely incapable of hiding even the barest semblance of impropriety. Darcy, furthermore, was hurt chiefly in his pride for all to see. Never mind that everyone had agreed to the engagement, so there was no one left to shock against whom hiding the engagement further would yield any results.
No, it is truly over, Caroline has no doubt about it.
"Good morning. Has your sleep been well?"
Elizabeth at breakfast, jam tarts and weak tea across the table from Caroline, is the newest development.
"Very well, thank you," she rasps. She has not been told the night before of any late arrivals, but there is no other explanation, for it is far too early even for Elizabeth Bennet to ride, or possibly walk, to her neighbours' house. Jane is conspicuously absent.
Caroline lets the conversation lie before asking.
"What of your sister?"
There is no reply while Elizabeth makes a show of wiping her mouth delicately with the finest napkin the house possesses. Charles needs to tell the servants not to put out their best finery for Thursday morning breakfast when clearly it's only Caroline and an incidental company present. Who just so happens to be the future bride's sister, and technically Caroline's own future sister-in-law. Which might be why Charles asked the servants to do just that. But Caroline makes a mental note to put a stop to it regardless.
"Sleeping yet, I should imagine. We both await her eagerly, I'm sure."
Then more weak tea brought in by the servants.
Caroline cannot make sense of the words, but they become clear when Jane makes her appearance from next door rather than a separate room in the house, and with her Charles, who clearly saw her arrival from a window or knew of a previous appointment.
This is grand. Elizabeth Bennet is now visiting and sleeping in Caroline's house without a sister for whom to care or visit. And the rudeness of Caroline asking her to not do so would not pass muster, unfortunately, hence she is stuck.
It occurs several more times, in a quick succession of days, to the point where Caroline is completely confused by what is happening under her own roof.
Then it simply... stops.
Then the new week commences, with Caroline utterly lost.
Case in point, Monday is complete mayhem.
Tuesday she cannot find anything, and surely that is the work of having unwanted guests. There are none at present at Netherfield Park, but her point still stands.
Wednesday is not at all what Caroline would call a peaceful day, to the point where Charles has to retire early, and Caroline might as well do the same rather than spend another evening on her own.
Thursday is best not talked about.
Friday Jane visits for far too little or far too long, depending on whom is being asked to give details of said visit, and that certainly is not going to be Caroline, since it seems no one wants her opinion on anything, and, even if they did, certainly they are not paying it any mind at all, thank you very much.
Saturday they host a ball. It is frightfully boring. Caroline wants to go home, until she realises she is actually home already, since she is nominally the hostess, and then spends the remainder of the evening sulking prettily in various rooms and corners. She used to enjoy dancing.
Sunday is the worst yet as she is bored out of her skull and there are no visitors to speak of.
It is a frightful week altogether, and she goes to visit the Bennet family out of sheer boredom than actual desire to see any of them, thank you very much, but she gets so much encouragement from Charles upon expressing her intent that she actually feels a little bad for not having done so earlier and cannot, thus, possibly change her mind at this point, so she goes off and tries not to show how very much she is aggrieved at having to pay such a visit after all.
They greet her politely enough. They are all very agreeable, in a sense. In a completely other sense, Caroline cannot stand being in that house for very much longer. At all. Why did she come?
Gladly, Miss Elizabeth asks her for a walk around their meagre property, which Caroline is so relieved at she extends it to the land between the two in the hopes of it being long enough to fill the entirety of the day in terms of the visit and leave her be for the remainder of it.
Except...
The kiss is unexpected, in a sense. In a completely different sense, Caroline expected something or other to occur given everything that has been happening with Elizabeth's frequent visits. The only surprising part is that she returns it gladly, which, in a very real sense, should not be a surprise anyone at all.