Chapter 8
Minutes passed as slowly as hours for Darcy while he walked wildly around his library. He felt restless, angry, and culpable for his improper reaction —without knowing how to remedy it.
He realised that he forgot to hand the papers to Mr. Bennet and considered sending his servant with them but postponed that decision.
Eventually, he decided he must speak to his sister again and give her a fuller explanation. He knew that Georgiana’s torment would increase over time, and the damage caused by her distress would be more difficult to palliate later.
He needed only minutes to reach his aunt’s house and was not surprised when the servant informed him that neither the countess nor Miss Darcy was available for visits. After some insistence, he was finally invited to Georgiana’s apartment and was not surprised to find both of them there.
Darcy attempted a smile as he asked for their permission to sit. He took a chair and placed it close to Georgiana’s settee.
“My dearest, I come to apologise and to explain the reason for my displeasure. I realise I was wrong to react as I did, but you must understand my surprise to discover the identity of the friend you have been speaking about for weeks.”
Georgiana gave him a look shadowed with pain.
“I was as surprised as you were —and most certainly Miss Lizzy was too. I was quite prepared to tell her my real name before you appeared. You accused her of mischievous schemes when you well knew that I was the one who did not reveal my identity. You offended her while she was only kind and friendly to me.”
“I admit I might have been hasty and unfair, but things appeared to lead to that conclusion.”
“What things? You found me talking with a young lady in a public park. That was all. And you suddenly became so angry…”
“For a moment, I suspected you both knew each other’s real identities and entered into a friendship that you hid from me.”
“But why would I do that? I know I gave you reason to distrust me, but why would I keep secret a friendship with someone acquainted with you? What would I —or Miss Lizzy —have to gain? I know that, for years, many ladies have attempted to befriend me with the purpose of drawing your attention. Is it not possible that I have a friend who enjoys my company without knowing I am your sister? Is there nothing valuable about me beyond the fact of being your sister?”
Georgiana lost the battle with her tears, and his heart ached to witness her sadness. He gently embraced her and felt her resistance in his arms; then she finally rested her head on his shoulder, sobbing.
“My dear, you are more valuable to me than anyone else; you must never doubt that. It is my privilege to have you as my sister. And I am sure Miss Bennet —and anyone else —would be fortunate to have you as a friend. But there are other things to consider. Even if Miss Bennet was as genuine as you were in this newly found friendship, several other circumstances are against it.”
“Would you be so kind to reveal those circumstances to me? Do you trust my judgment enough for such a favour, or should I not be allowed to decide for myself?”
“Georgiana, please do not speak so. It is…first, there is little chance that you and Miss Bennet could actually meet again in the future. She has no business in the North, and she is rarely in town. As for us, it is unlikely that we will visit Hertfordshire, especially since Bingley has no plans to return to Netherfield.”
“Your familiarity with Miss Bennet’s business and Mr. Bingley’s plans is quite amazing. Have you seen him lately?” the countess intervened in a mocking tone.
“Aunt, please…let us not digress from the subject,” Darcy replied.
Lady Hardwick threw him a sharp glance. “Certainly. Heaven forbid that we digress from the path you drew! And speaking of paths, I can foresee many opportunities for us to trespass in Hertfordshire if it comes to that. I may even be tempted to purchase a small estate in the area.”
Georgiana’s eyes widened in surprise; then a smile twisted her lips as she slowly regained her composure.
But Darcy frowned. “Dear Aunt, we must approach this subject seriously.”
“Then do be serious, Nephew. Do not treat Georgiana like a child and me like an old fool. Tell us once and for all why you behaved so strangely with regard to this Miss Bennet. Why do you despise her, and why do you want to cut all connections between her and your sister? Do not come back with silly arguments about her abode! If that were the only inducement for friendship, we would all display a card with our residence tied around our necks so we could decide, whenever we meet new people, whom we should befriend or not!”
Lady Hardwick sipped a little more port while she rolled her eyes in displeasure.
“I do not despise Miss Bennet…in fact, I understand why you enjoy her company. She is witty and well read and pleasant…and yet, I have reasons of my own to disapprove of your connection with her. I would rather have her as far as possible from us, and I strongly believe that she would prefer to be nowhere near me as well. Since we met in Hertfordshire, Miss Bennet and I have not been the best of friends —quite the contrary.”
“Brother, now I am even more puzzled. Your opinion of Miss Bennet seems to be a positive one. I remember now that you even mentioned her in one of your letters from Hertfordshire. But you seem decided against her and say you are not friends. Is she to blame for that?”
He hesitated a moment.
“If we were to measure it, I would bear the greatest share of the blame. Perhaps, if my manners were less cold and my behaviour more amiable, things might have been different.”
“I will not insist upon this, but I confess I still do not hear anything against my friendship with Miss Lizzy…Miss Bennet…except for your past misunderstandings with her. But all this discussion is in vain; I suspect she would not want to hear anything about me now. I wonder what she thought about my dishonest behaviour and my attempt to conceal my identity. She is entitled to suspect me of a mischievous scheme or of losing my mind. If I could at least explain to her…I feel so bad for ending our acquaintance with her. Can we not talk to her one more time or send her a letter?”
“We can if you insist, but…”
He hesitated, wondering whether he should tell his sister the disturbing news.
“Georgiana, there is another reason that, at present, makes my opposition even stronger.”
He took her hands in his and attempted a smile.
“Since you insist on my being honest, I will do as you ask. My dear, the Bennet family is going through a difficult time now. The youngest of the Miss Bennets has left her family, and she eloped a week ago.”
“William, I know that…Miss Lizzy told us a few days ago. We met her in the park, and she looked devastated…and as we inquired, she confessed the tragedy and expressed her concern —for us! She insisted we should not speak to her again in order not to be affected by association with such a dishonourable situation.”
Darcy looked at his sister in amazement.
He tried to guess when that had happened while Georgiana continued, again overwhelmed by emotion.
“Can you imagine anyone more generous? In the middle of such suffering, she was more preoccupied with our well-being. Surely, you cannot hold this happenstance against her.”
“I will say, I was quite impressed,” the countess interjected.
“Even more, I offered her my help, but she politely refused. I gave her my address, but she assured me she would not disturb us, and she did not. Now please explain to us, Darcy: How can this be a fault in her character, a reason for you to oppose her friendship with your sister?”
The two pairs of eyes searching his face inquiringly —together with his own surprise and distress —delayed his answer; then the words came hesitantly.
“I did not know you were familiar with the elopement. And no, I do not hold that against Miss Bennet. But, my dear, do you know with whom her sister eloped?”
“I do not; at that time, I did not even know her full name, nor did she know ours. She said the man was an officer —shame on him! Why would the name be of any consequence?”
“Because it is George Wickham, dearest,” he whispered, and Georgiana’s face lost its colour as her eyes widened in disbelief.
She blinked repeatedly several times, her lips trembling.
“George Wickham? But how can that be? She said he was an officer. Did she deceive us? Why would she conceal the truth from us? George Wickham knows Miss Bennet’s sister? How can this be? How?”
She was obviously fighting her tears, and Darcy kissed her hands tenderly.
“Miss Bennet did not mention the name because she did not know who you were, and she could not imagine Wickham held any importance for you. Besides, in such situations, people wish to keep the details as secret as possible.”
“That is true…but how did George meet the Bennets? He is not an officer, is he? Did he deceive them?”
“He joined the militia last autumn…and his regiment was settled in Meryton, only a few miles from Mr. Bennet’s estate. Then the regiment encamped at Brighton for the summer, and the youngest Miss Bennet was invited by the colonel’s wife to join them. The rest —”
“The rest is the same: the same habit, the same scenery, only a different silly girl…”
Darcy’s heart broke at his sister’s distress. All her past suffering seemed to be reborn, and it was not difficult to see that she was on the edge of tears.
“Did they marry?” Georgiana asked, and Darcy exchanged a worried glance with their aunt.
“They will…tomorrow. I am sorry to say that Wickham is as dishonourable and cowardly as ever. He had no intention of marrying that poor, silly girl. She is enamoured of him, but he has no affection for her. He hid from the Bennet family, and it was difficult to find them.”
“How…how do you know all this?”