The Netherfield Murder

The Netherfield MurderMelanie SchertzMelanie Schertz Copyright © 2023 Melanie SchertzAll rights reserved by Melanie SchertzThe characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.ISBN-13: 9781234567890ISBN-10: 1477123456Cover design by: Melanie SchertzLibrary of Congress Control Number: 2018675309Printed in the United States of America The last year has had it's ups and downs. Fortunately I had the amazing medical personnel of the University of Utah Medical Center and their clinics to keep me going and back on the right track. The other highlight of our last year were the new members of our furry family. Their assistance during some of the worst problems made it tolerable. So this book is dedicated to the medical personnel, the furry babies in my life, and to all of the amazing people I am fortunate to be able to call family (by blood or by heart) and friends who aided me during 2022. Much love to all of you!And it is in gratitude to Jane Austen who gave us such amazing characters who have passed the test of time to bring us joy. The many lives she has touched over 200 years is incredible. Contents Title PageCopyrightDedicationChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 22About The Author Chapter 1Thomas Bennet was not pleased with the events of the evening to come. For days, all the master of Longbourn had heard was his wife and five daughters speaking of the ball being held at Netherfield Park. They spoke of gowns, ribbons, lace, who they would partner with for each dance, and how the grand house of Netherfield would look.The estate of Netherfield Park had been let by Mr Charles Bingley, a young man of six and twenty, Mr Bingley was the son of a tradesman who had made a fortune and wished to raise his family to become part of the higher society of the landed gentry. Unfortunately, Bingley’s father had died before realizing his dream, leaving the task to his son to fulfill. With no knowledge of how to run an estate, Bingley followed the advice of his closest friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, in Derbyshire. Darcy had been trained from childhood how to run an estate, as he was the heir of Pemberley. When Darcy was one and twenty, his father passed away from a heart condition. His mother had passed when Darcy was two and ten, after having been thrown from her horse. Now, at age seven and twenty, there was only Darcy and his younger sister who was ten years his junior.Darcy and Bingley had met at Cambridge when they attended classes. By the time they graduated, they had become close friends. The only difficulty between the men was Bingley’s unmarried sister, Miss Caroline Bingley. The eldest of the Bingley siblings was Mrs Louisa Hurst. She and her husband had joined Caroline and Charles to Netherfield, where Caroline was to act as her brother’s hostess. Caroline Bingley was determined to become a part of the top circles of society; therefore, she had decided that the only man who would give her the access the social gatherings, the envy of all her friends, and extreme wealth, was to marry Fitzwilliam Darcy. She was on a mission to capture the man, no matter what it took. Her only problem lived three miles from Netherfield, in the home of Thomas Bennet. Namely, Mr Bennet’s eldest two daughters.Mr Bingley had fallen in love with the eldest of the Bennet daughters, Miss Jane Bennet. Frustratingly, Caroline had discovered a growing attraction that Mr Darcy was developing for the next Bennet sister, Miss Elizabeth. The longer they remained in the area, the greater the attraction for Eliza Bennet seemed to grow. But Caroline was not in a mood to see the country nobody steal Darcy from her.With the ball being held that day, and Mr Bingley asking for Miss Bennet to dance the first set, Mrs Bennet was beside herself with glee. The mistress of Longbourn, one of the largest estates in Hertfordshire, was determined to marry off all her daughters as soon as possible. Fanny Bennet had only given birth to daughters, which caused a great deal of agitation for the poor woman. Longbourn was entailed away from the female line, which meant that the estate would be inherited by Mr Bennet’s distant cousin, Mr William Collins.Mr Collins, a parson with the living of Hunsford, near the estate of Rosings Park, in Kent, was a bumbling fool of a man. Though Mr Bennet enjoyed laughing at the follies of others, Mr Collins had worn out his welcome at Longbourn. Between his foolishness, his worship of his benefactress, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and his completely disgusting manners, the sycophantic parson had grated on Mr Bennet’s nerves. Having secured a set of dances from each of the Bennet sisters, Mr Collins was proud as a peacock with demanding the first set be with Elizabeth. Mrs Bennet had discouraged the man from casting his attention towards Jane, as the lady was certain Mr Bingley would soon be asking for Jane’s hand. A wealthy and amiable young man had far more value to the woman than having her husband’s heir settle down with the same daughter. So, Mr Collins had turned his attention towards Elizabeth, being next in beauty and age. Elizabeth wished for nothing more to do with her father’s cousin, avoiding him a much as possible. The foolish parson could not take the hint that his choice of bride could not tolerate him, in his mind he could not understand how anyone would not see him as a perfect catch.The parson did not realize how