Detective Mary

Chapter 5

I can't believe it's Mr. Bentley himself?

Mary was a little surprised; after all, it was just a matter of trusting one's manservant or groom to come and simply explain a few things about such things.

However, when Mary noticed Mr. Bingley's intentional movement towards Jane, who was whispering to Elizabeth not far away, she understood everything at once - the gentleman was clearly drunk.

"Don't look."

Mary said with a smirk.

"If you tell me who the thief is, Mr. Bingley, I'll call Jane over to talk to you."

Mr. Bingley actually blushed at this, and the gentle and amiable gentleman hastily withdrew his gaze, "You mustn't talk nonsense, Miss Mary."

What innocence!

Mary thought she probably liked to see them together, and looking at the blushing Mr. Bentley, and Jane, who was secretly watching from the sidelines, it was so appropriate that she couldn't wait to get the springing man and woman into the bridal chamber.

"How?" Mary pursued.

Mr. Bentley cleared his throat awkwardly and acted as if Mary hadn't just said anything, "The thief is from Meriden and had been doing work at Nethersfield Manor before, I was dismissed back to Meriden by the estate's caretaker after I rented the estate."

Mary was silent.

Her suspicions were correct, being familiar with the inner workings of Nethersfield Manor, and also knowing that a ball was held last night, it was natural that someone who worked, or had worked, at the manor.

Mr. Bingley next gave a general account of the whole affair.

Little Geoffrey had originally done work at Nethersfield Manor, and since Mr. Bingley had rented the manor, there was no need for so many local servants. When he officially moved in, he naturally dismissed Little Geoffrey.

And before young Geoffrey could find his next job, his mother became seriously ill. Several relatives, seeing that he was young and had no savings, were reluctant to lend him money, and in desperation, they had to take the first bad idea of their lives.

Mary frowned almost immediately after hearing Mr. Bentley's relay, "I don't think so."

Mr. Bentley: "What?"

"According to this, young Geoffrey from Meriden has always been honest and not very old," Mary spoke up, "It's the first time he's ever done anything to steal, and it's strange to hit you with an idea."

"People are capable of any evil when they are driven to desperation."

"But why you, Mr. Bingley," retorted Mary, "Meriden is not far from Netherfield Manor, but it is not a distance to reach. Not to mention the fact that you say he's a first-time offender, and what a mental strain it must be for a first-time offender to sneak into the manor and steal at a ball."

So Mary thought at first that it was a footman or groom or something of that sort who was of bad character. If it was a repeat offender, naturally he wouldn't feel pressurized by crowds of people, and naturally he would be fearless if he had a lot of lice, but it would be a very different story if it was his first time.

First-time offenders who have no choice but to do so, where would they be so bold as to come up and challenge the room to apologize? If he had already stored this mind, how would he wait until he was really desperate to do it.

Mary said this, Mr. Bentley quickly followed the thought: "Indeed, I see that the teenager was caught when the legs are straight trembling, not to mention dare, desperate first offense, and how would think of taking advantage of the crowd to fish in troubled waters."

"Unless someone instigated him."

"What?!"

Mr. Bentley reacted as if Mary had said some kind of nonsense.

Instigating little Geoffrey to steal from him, even Mr. Bentley, however good natured he was, read another layer of meaning in Mary's words.

"Have you ever offended anyone, sir?" Mary directly poked at the possibility that Mr. Bentley was unwilling to admit.

"Is it too much trouble to run to Netherfield Manor and make a trip," Mr. Bingley said with less approval, "?"

And so it was.

Why go to such lengths if you really want to trip up the people? It is said that Mr. Bingley has a number of properties in London, and that he himself has moved from the North, and that business intrigues can be much more clever and effective than sending out abettors to thieves.

In the end Mary was merely suggesting a possibility, and she nodded, "If you get a chance, ask your servant to go to Meryton and make inquiries as to who young Geoffrey had met before he struck."

"That's easy."

Mr. Bingley wouldn't mind a closer investigation, "In a few days, Mr. Butler will be visiting young Geoffrey's mother in Meriden."

The butler of a stolen estate visiting the thief's mother?

Mary's mind was spinning extremely fast, and she subconsciously craned her head to look at Jane and Elizabeth again.

Jane, who was afraid of being teased by Mary, immediately averted her eyes shyly, but Elizabeth did not look at Mr. Bingley. She unerringly pulled Jane forward and asked knowingly, "I hear that the thief has been caught at Netherfield Manor, is that correct, Mr. Bingley?"

"Mr. Bingley is here for that very reason."

Mary, in unison with Elizabeth, quickly recounted the cause and effect for Jane, who was not then in the side room. On hearing that little Geoffrey had been compelled to steal for his mother's sake, the gentle, kind-hearted Miss Bennet covered her mouth with her handkerchief, and her watery eyes showed a look of impatience.

"And then," she spoke with unmistakable pity, "Mr. Bingley, what will you do with little Geoffrey of Meryton?"

Mr. Bentley answered earnestly, "The sheriff would send him to work on the railroad in the neighborhood."

"What about his mother?" Jane asked with concern.

"It is said that young Geoffrey's mother, whose needlework is known far and wide in Meryton," Mr. Bingley said in relief, "has been paid for the time being by the steward of Netherfield Hall for medical expenses, and when the lady recovers, she will be able to work to pay off her debts."

Hearing Mr. Bingley say this, Jane then put her heart at ease. She smiled faintly at Mr. Bingley and said with heartfelt admiration, "You are truly a kind man, sir."

"......"

Mr. Bentley looked dumbfounded; Jane Bennet was all right if she did not smile; when she did, her watery eyes and delicate face were soulful and bright, and she came out of the blue.

It's good to be in love.

There's nothing more gratifying than a gentleman and a lady admiring each other. Mary only hated that she was limited by the times, and could not be as uproarious as in the twenty-first century, incarnating as a member of the head-pressing squad to help the two of them break through this layer of windowpaper.

And compared to the watery Jane, the concern of Elizabeth, who witnessed Mary helping Mr. Bingley, was more urgent: "If it's true, as Mary said, that someone abetted little Geoffrey, what can be done about it?"

Mary thought nothing of it, "Didn't Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy say last night that they knew a real detective. He can be called upon to follow up the clues if necessary."

Elizabeth: "......"

Wasn't it enough for Elizabeth to guess what was on her sister's mind yesterday, when Mary had been talking with a raised eyebrow about Mr. Detective?

"It is strange," she teased with a tick of her lips, "Mary you look so as not to know that you expect something to happen to Mr. Bingley."

"...... I'm not, I'm not!"

Mary immediately snapped back, her little mind did go a little too far.

Of course she didn't want Mr. Bingley to be targeted by enemies or other bad people, but this was a rare opportunity to meet Mr. Holmes in person, and she didn't even know at once whether it was better to expect something or peace.

Mr. Bingley did not know what had been whispered between the girls last night, but he could not mistake Mary's sparkling eyes. And since she had spoken at the ball with such longing for the city and its legends, Mr. Bingley assumed that she had spoken out of curiosity.

If Mary Bennet had been born a boy, she would have made a name for herself, with her bravery and intelligence. Mr. Bingley could not help feeling sorry for her, but at the same time thought that her advice was not without merit.

"I will consider it," he said, not taking Mary's offense to heart, "only it is not yet certain that it was not instigated, Miss Mary, and it is true that I do not wish to invite trouble, but it is not my will to wrong others."

"Naturally."

Without waiting for Mary to speak, Jane relieved, "You are a man of integrity, sir, how could anyone set you up by design."

"You are too kind, miss," laughed Mr. Bingley; "if all the people under heaven were as kind as you are, I think it would be much simpler for people to get along with one another in their dealings."

"It's all right to be as kind," spoke Mary, not forgetting to wink at Mr. Bingley; "it's not all right to be as pretty, and won't the gentlemen be dazzled?"

"Mary!"

Jane's face quickly reddened, "That's rude!"

Mary lost her voice in laughter. What she had just said could be considered too indiscreet for an unmarried lady living in the nineteenth century, but it wasn't like Mrs. Bennet had heard her anyway, and Mr. Bingley wouldn't have said anything.

Especially after the blush, Jane Bennet was even more gorgeous, Mary was doing her future brother-in-law a favor alright.

She smiled and said, "Mr. Bentley, allow me to make one more request, and when it comes to the point of asking that detective in London to arrive, be sure to let me know, will you?"

Mr. Bentley couldn't wait to flatter Mary, and she did help herself, so he didn't think twice: "Of course, but ......"

"But?"

"I am not acquainted with that infant son of the Holmes family, and if he must not be invited, it will be necessary for William to do so."

William was Mr. Darcy's nickname.

Mary's eyes widened, "It sounds like Mr. Darcy and Detective Holmes are on good terms?"

"They have kept up a regular correspondence."

"......"

Mary took a deep breath.

Mr. Darcy and Holmes were friends! Mary turned her gaze almost immediately to her other sister, Elizabeth, and her burning sight startled Elizabeth, "What?"

"No, nothing."

Putting away her outward surprise, Mary made another mental resolution.

--It seems that setting up Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, too, is imminent!