Chapter 7 #2
“Mr. Wickham! Surely, you would not dare to insist on the story you related to me when we first met! Not without explaining to me why you hurried to malign the name of your godfather’s son all over Hertfordshire the moment Mr. Darcy left the neighbourhood.
I am not aware of the details of your dealings, but it has been many weeks since I began to suspect that Mr. Darcy’s refusal to grant you the promised living must have had very sound reasons. ”
She paused to regain her composure then continued, straightening her shoulders.
“Since I am trying to maintain some appearance of decorum, I shall cease this conversation immediately. You should return to your intended now and show her a bit of attention. I am quite tired, and I shall retire immediately. Good night.”
Elizabeth said good night to her uncle and aunt and then left the room, hurrying to the library.
She spent another hour with her father he reading, she lost in her thoughts and remorse —before she went to her room.
There were only two nights left before they would leave London.
If only she could rest a little, she would want for nothing else.
“Can you imagine that today is my last day as Miss Lydia Bennet? Dear Lord, how strange it sounds,” Lydia said the next morning while eating her breakfast. “And you, Lizzy, will leave with Papa tomorrow, but George and I will spend our wedding night in London. Oh, how romantic! I cannot wait to come to Longbourn as Mrs. Wickham! I will be much more important than Jane, being the only married sister. Lizzy, you should all come to visit me. I am sure to procure perfectly good husbands for you too.”
“Thank you, Lydia, but I am not particularly fond of either your method or the type of husbands you procure.”
“Lord, Lizzy, you have become so boring! I am glad I will be so far away. I shall have as much fun as I can without having to listen to your lectures.”
“I hope you will be happy, Lydia. Now —I will take Elinor and Edward to play in the park. Would you like to join us?”
“God no! What a strange notion to go and play in the park with the children. No soon-to-be bride would do that. I will sleep a little more; a married woman does not have much time to rest.”
Elizabeth uneasily admitted to herself that she was relieved by Lydia’s refusal.
She hoped to meet Miss Anna and the countess again —and she was embarrassed to compare Lydia’s careless joy with the sadness and despair in Miss Anna’s voice as she confessed her own past indiscretion.
As much as she loved Lydia, Elizabeth could not deny that she felt ashamed of her youngest sister’s manners and thoughtlessness.
With the tumult of Lydia’s situation, Elizabeth had little time for anything else, but now she hoped her mysterious friends had not left town and would have a chance to talk again.
There was no time for the countess’s invitation to call or for tea, but a pleasant conversation would suffice.
She did have the note with the countess’s address, but she wondered whether she would dare write without having a clear understanding with either the lady or Miss Anna.
As she entered the park, Elizabeth’s curiosity was resolved when she noticed the two ladies waiting on their usual bench. The children immediately ran to greet them cheerfully and hurried to play with Didi, who rewarded them with joyful jumps and barks.
Elizabeth curtseyed. “What a pleasure to see you! I was afraid you might have left town before I had the chance to say a proper goodbye. We return home tomorrow.”
“Miss Lizzy —do come and sit with us. We are happy to see you too. You must write us your address. We wondered how we could ever find you if we did not meet again,” said the countess.
“Oh, so you are leaving?” Miss Anna inquired shyly. “Is everything well with your family? With your sister? I hope you do not mind my asking.”
“I thank you for your concern. My sister will marry tomorrow. Yes, everything is as good as can be expected.”
“I am glad to hear that. We will leave too,” Miss Anna continued. “I am content that we have this chance to say our proper farewells. I have been delighted with our meetings and conversations.”
“As have I. It has been an honour and a joy to spend time with you,” Elizabeth replied.
“It is a pity, though, that we never had time for that tea. But perhaps other opportunities will arise,” the countess added.
“Your ladyship is very kind.”
“Well, Miss Lizzy, if you wish to write us, we would be very pleased. Do you still have the address I gave you? You may send the letters there, and they will be directed to me wherever I may be since our schedule for the next months is not yet fixed.”
Elizabeth glanced from one lady to another. “I would like that very much…very much indeed…I was wondering if —”
Her voiced was silenced, and her eyes widened in astonishment when an angry voice shouted, “Georgiana, Aunt Amelia, what on Earth are you doing here! Miss Bennet, how dare you approach my sister behind my back! What mischievous scheme is this?”
In disbelief, Elizabeth saw Darcy’s face, discomposed by fury, his eyes darkened and narrowed in rage.
“Mr. Darcy, I —” She attempted to summon a shred of calm.
“William!” Miss Anna cried with apparent surprise. “What are you doing here? And what do you mean? Why are you upset?”
“What I mean, Georgiana, is that you have no business being in this part of Town nor to meet with certain persons without informing me. Of course, I am upset. How were you convinced to keep this a secret from me? I did not expect that from you,” he continued, his voice low but as sharp as a razor.
“William, I do not understand your harsh words and certainly not your voice. This is the park we have visited for several weeks now. And this is our friend, Miss Lizzy,” the young lady answered in a trembling voice, her blue eyes moist with tears, while Elizabeth glanced from one to the other in astonishment.
“Nephew, for heaven’s sake, you are making a spectacle of yourself —and us!
” the countess replied harshly. “Have you taken leave of your senses? Do you and Miss Lizzy know each other? If so, a gentlemanlike greeting would be appropriate; any other conversation should be delayed for a more private place and time.”
Darcy looked at Elizabeth for only an instant, then averted his eyes and cleared his voice.
“You are right, of course. We shall leave now —please allow me to escort you to the carriage. Good day, Miss Bennet.”
He took both ladies’ arms and gently but decidedly walked them towards the carriage.
Miss Anna turned her head, and her gaze met Lizzy’s for a moment, but she was too far to read any apparent feelings.
Elizabeth remained in the middle of the park, silent and still, struggling to comprehend this piece of news that disturbed her mind once again.
Surely, it was not possible. Surely, it could not be true that the only persons she befriended and admired in all of London —and met in a small park near Cheapside —happened to be Mr. Darcy’s sister and aunt.
Certainly, the Fates could not be so cruel as to laugh at her once again.
Miss Anna was Georgiana Darcy? But how? Why did she conceal her name?
And what was she doing so far from home?
And he —Mr. Darcy —what did he imagine? He must have thought they had some sort of conspiracy! He asked her how she dared approach his sister behind his back. What was he thinking? Did he truly accuse her of a mischievous scheme?
Elinor and Edward hurried to her, asking why Didi, Miss Anna, and the countess had left so soon, but she had no answer —either for the children or herself.
She tried to calm them and held their little hands while they returned to the house, praying that the terrible pain in her head allowed her to arrive safely.
Inside the carriage, Darcy found it difficult to breathe from surprise and anger.
He had journeyed there to deliver to Mr. Bennet the final papers for the wedding and for Wickham’s commission; he planned to stay only a few minutes.
He knew the Bennets were to leave Town the next day, and the certainty of never seeing Elizabeth again was both alleviating and frightening.
But at least his torment would be at an end.
A short distance from his destination, he was astounded to observe his aunt’s carriage.
He glanced around and finally saw Georgiana and the countess in a small, unfashionable park, talking to another woman.
He walked towards them and noticed Didi playing with some children who looked familiar to him —and then he froze.
He did not recollect precisely why he was so furious and severe, nor why he offended —in public —both Elizabeth and Georgiana.
But he harshly removed his sister from her company as quickly as possible.
The carriage rode steadily; the tension inside was so heavy that it made the air difficult to breathe. Georgiana kept her gaze out the window, her eyes narrowed as if she were struggling to focus and fight back tears.
“For how long had you been seeing Miss Bennet?” Darcy inquired coldly.
“For as long as you very well know since, as you prefer, we constantly kept you informed,” the countess answered sharply.
“The length of our acquaintance with Miss Lizzy —or Miss Bennet as you called her —matters less than your manners, which distressed three ladies. I can hardly remember when I have ever felt so uncomfortable. I was unaware that we must have your approval for every step we take in order to avoid your making a sudden appearance and offending everyone nearby.”
Georgiana’s eyes moistened with tears, but she continued to stare outside. She clasped her trembling hands together, still silent.