Chapter 14
The following day, early in the morning, Elizabeth woke up with a terrible headache.
She had barely slept at all, anxious about the plan which still contained so many uncertainties.
The true state of Georgiana’s health and her response to their meeting were worrisome; furthermore, she expected opposition from Lord and Lady Matlock, as well as from Colonel Fitzwilliam, about whom Mr Darcy spoke often.
There was also her mother’s response, which could be good or bad.
Fortunately, the decision belonged to her father, and he would certainly not break his promise to Mr Darcy.
Another subject for reflection was Mr Wickham and his relationship with Georgiana.
She clearly remembered how the young George had taken advantage of the affection of a five-year-old girl and induced her to lie and steal on his behalf.
Could he have perpetuated this vice over the years?
Was it possible that he was still taking money from her, and Mr Darcy had discovered it?
Was this the reason he had been denied the living?
She was determined to find out more from Mr Wickham when — and if — she saw him again before her departure.
As Jane was still soundly asleep and there was no chance of Elizabeth finding more rest, she dressed and went for a walk. It was not full daylight yet; the air was cold, and the ground was covered in frost, and her shoes slipped at times. She walked carefully, looking down at her feet.
Out of habit, she unconsciously took the path towards Oakham Mount, remembering her encounter with Mr Darcy.
It seemed so long ago, although only a few days had passed since then.
Her relationship with him had utterly changed, though she had not completely sketched his character yet.
His arrogance and improper pride were faults that he had admitted and attempted to amend, but there was still more of his character that remained hidden.
And, despite his friendship with her father and even with her, she still felt somehow uncomfortable and anxious in his presence.
Her mind turned to him more than it had ever done to any other man, and that was probably due to his connection to Georgiana, Elizabeth concluded.
After the first turn of the path, near a small grove, Elizabeth was surprised by the very object of her musings walking absently, his horse following him. Noticing her, he greeted her in a composed manner but with a hint of joy in his eyes that she did not miss.
“Miss Bennet! I am truly glad to see you.”
“Mr Darcy!” Again, nervousness and a quiver along her spine bothered Elizabeth. No other man had caused such feelings before. “I did not expect to meet you here, sir.”
“I have come for a last morning ride. Tomorrow, I intend to depart for London.”
“Were you admiring the view? It is lovely, though not quite as beautiful as Pemberley.”
“Aside from the view, which I admit is lovely, I confess I hoped to meet you. It was an unrealistic expectation, but in the end, I was fortunate.”
His voice was friendly and gentle, and there was a small trace of a smile on his lips. Another shiver made her avert her eyes.
“If not for poor sleep and a headache, I had no intention of walking this morning. It is a fortuitous meeting but not at all unpleasant.”
“I am relieved you think so, Miss Bennet.”
“Is there anything particular that you wish to speak to me privately about, sir?”
“No. Only to thank you for sacrificing your time for the benefit of my sister and me.”
“Mr Darcy, please do not speak of sacrifice. I hoped we had clarified that it is my pleasure and my wish to see your sister again. And speaking of clarification, there is something particular I wish to speak to you about.”
He raised his eyebrows in obvious surprise and interest. “Please do so.”
She lowered her gaze and rubbed her hands together, her discomfort growing.
“My father mentioned to me your offer to cover my expenses if I were to live with Miss Darcy. Please know there is no need. I do not wish for there to be a monetary arrangement in a matter of affection.” She felt her cheeks burning and became irritated with her own silly response.
“Miss Bennet, I completely agree. We should not mention any monetary aspect, and I apologise if this subject upsets you. However, I strongly believe that you should be treated equally if you come to stay with Georgiana as a friend — as a sister. I know she will insist on this. As you will see, my sister and I do not discuss money either. While she has her own means to live comfortably, it is a responsibility that I have assumed since our father died, and I shall continue to do so until the day she marries. There are some establishments where she holds an account, and the bills are sent to me afterwards.”
“Yes, but…”
He took another step closer and gently touched her arm.
“Miss Bennet, I am begging you one more time — let us not discuss this any longer. In truth, there is another subject that requires our attention, and I have been struggling with how and what to tell you in order not to betray my sister or deceive you.”
“Dear Lord, this sounds frightening. What can you possibly mean? Has something happened since yesterday?”
He released her arm and moved a step away, glancing around as though he was avoiding her scrutiny.
“No, not since yesterday. I am afraid it is something from much longer ago that has had a great influence over Georgiana. It regards George Wickham.”
“Oh…”
“Miss Bennet, I can only imagine what he told you about me — my cruelty in denying him a living, my jealousy of him, and other sorts of falsehoods. Please know that he was generously compensated for that living on the day he told me he had no intention of entering the church and wished to pursue another career. Sadly, I learnt many years ago that Wickham’s pleasant manners are the opposite of his true character, and that honesty and honour are two traits he mostly lacks. ”
“I am sorry to hear that. I know your father held him in regard and wished to provide him with the means to succeed in life. Is that not true?”
“It is true. My father loved him dearly. He supported Wickham at school and wished him to have the best education. He enjoyed his company and accepted his outward displays of gratitude as proof of affection. Wickham’s actions were not known by my father but easily discovered by me, since I have caught him unguarded many times.
Still, I hoped he would see his faults and improve himself since he was still very young.
But my father died five years ago without knowing his godson’s faulty character. ”
“That is so sad… One can hardly believe that Mr Wickham’s appearance of goodness might be so deceitful! People in Meryton have already come to like him.”
“I imagined as much. Miss Bennet, since you barely know me either, I understand your doubtfulness. If you need proof, my cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam has witnessed all my dealings with Wickham. I also have the written settlements…”
“No proof is needed. I do not doubt your claims, Mr Darcy.”
“Thank you. I am relieved that my father did not suffer the disappointment of discovering the truth. Especially since Wickham became accustomed to a life of deception and dissipation.”
“I admit this description does not come as a surprise to me, sir. I witnessed some of this behaviour during my short stay at Pemberley. Of course, Mr Wickham does not remember our prior meeting. I hoped he had changed since then.”
Mr Darcy looked truly surprised. “Did you?”
“Yes…I am not sure if you know, but he was taking advantage of Miss Darcy’s affection. He…asked her to steal things from him and give him her money…”
Darcy’s eyes widened and anger darkened them.
“I was not aware of that!”
“I confronted him at the time, and I threatened to tell Lady Anne or Mr Darcy. We had quite a fight, as I remember it, but we were both very young. Sadly, things turned out for the worse in the next few days, and then your mother died. I only met him again a few days ago, and it pains me to know he has not changed in essentials.”
“He has not. He tried to take advantage of Georgiana’s affection and deluded her in the worst way, with no remorse that she was the daughter of his godfather.”
“What a horrible, horrible man!”
“Yes…Miss Bennet, as I told you earlier, there is more that you should know before deciding whether you wish to renew your friendship with Georgiana. There is something no other soul knows, except me, my sister, and Colonel Fitzwilliam, who is her other guardian, but I completely trust that you will keep the secret. And, if you still agree to meet my sister, I would ask you to not reveal this conversation to her either. Hopefully, she will trust you enough to confess it herself.”
He looked deeply troubled, and Elizabeth’s heart ached again; it was her turn to gently touch his arm in a reassuring gesture. A painful, frightening suspicion slowly grew inside her, so horrible that she did not dare admit it.
“Mr Darcy, I hope that by now you understand that meeting Miss Darcy again has been one of my dear wishes for many years. Nothing could alter my desire. As for this secret that seems so hurtful to you, I would rather hear it only when and if your sister herself wishes to reveal it to me. Till then, let it be buried.”
He only nodded in agreement, and then he gently took her gloved hand from his arm and briefly touched his lips to it.
“Thank you,” he whispered, and she nodded in return.
Elizabeth felt her voice quiver when she replied, “I must return home now, sir.”
“Yes, of course. I shall call at Longbourn later, to bid farewell to your family. You should know that I told Bingley in confidence about your former friendship with Georgiana and your visit to London.”
“I told my sister Jane, too. I believe they are both trustworthy.”
“I fully agree.”
“Mr Darcy, one last thing. You are a man of wealth, means, and power. You should not allow anyone to hurt your sister out of consideration for the past.”
“I shall not — never again. As for Wickham, I admit I have purchased some of his debts. He is entirely at my mercy now, and I could throw him into debtors’ prison at any time. I have only not done so because Georgiana begged me not to.”
“I am relieved to hear that. But should not Colonel Forster and the people of Meryton be warned against him?”
“I have already mentioned it to the colonel, but both he and his wife seem to favour Wickham. I also intend to speak to your father. As for the others, I wonder whether they would trust my word against Wickham’s.”
“Probably not,” she admitted. “However, I still have some unfinished conversations with Mr Wickham, and I intend to complete them.”
“Please do not give Wickham cause to hold a grudge against you, Miss Bennet. I fear he is capable of the worst if he fears his well-being is in danger. Wickham is my responsibility, and I assure you I shall watch him carefully. It is a gentlemen’s affair and a rather disturbing one.”
Slightly irritated, Elizabeth was tempted to reply that he was surely not watching Wickham so carefully since he had been unaware the man had joined the regiment.
If Wickham had hurt one of her sisters in the way she feared he had hurt Georgiana, Elizabeth was certain she would have done anything to punish him.
As though he was reading her mind, Mr Darcy continued.
“I have been perhaps too forgiving with Wickham, but this is a fault that I shall remedy.”
“And you should. And do not worry, sir, I shall not intervene in gentlemen’s affairs. Any discussion I might have with Mr Wickham will be based on my own experience only. Now forgive me, I must hurry to Longbourn. Good day.”
“Good day, Miss Bennet. I shall see you again later.”
With hasty steps, she walked away. The icy sensation inside her grew stronger, as well as her fury against Mr Wickham.
Did he dare? Was he capable of such an abomination as to seduce his godfather’s daughter?
Mr Darcy’s insinuation, and his misery and pain while mentioning it, all suggested such a horror.
As she entered the house, she was startled by the recollection of her sisters Lydia and Kitty being completely enchanted by Mr Wickham.
Although her sisters could offer the scoundrel no advantage, no benefits, the danger was palpable to her, and suddenly, the disturbing gentlemen’s affair became her concern too.
***
Breakfast was filled with Mr Collins’s chatter, which Elizabeth succeeded in disregarding.
While she was pleased by the encounter with Mr Darcy and touched by their heartfelt, honest conversation, she was still disquieted by mixed feelings for him, tormented by Georgiana’s situation, and nervous about her time in London.
But most of all, she was eager to see Mr Wickham again.
Also, that very day she planned to speak to her father at length about that man.
In the afternoon, Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy called at Longbourn again, bringing the news of Mr Darcy’s departure.
Although they showed deep regrets, Mrs Bennet and her youngest daughters were mostly relieved, as they admitted later on.
The absence of the proud, aloof gentleman would ease their interaction with other gentlemen, including Mr Bingley and the officers.
Mr Collins took the opportunity to praise Mr Darcy and Lady Catherine several more times and expressed his hope of seeing Mr Darcy again when he visited Rosings Park.
Like the previous day, Mr Darcy spent most of the time with Mr Bennet and only took a brief farewell from the others.
Although she knew they would meet again soon, Elizabeth felt unsettled by Mr Darcy’s departure, and she could see he was not completely at ease either.
They shared not a single private moment, but the early encounter was satisfying enough to pave the way for future meetings.
Eventually, the two gentlemen left. Only then, with a drink in his hand, did Mr Bennet reveal to his family that he had some business in town and would have to travel soon, taking Elizabeth with him.
After a moment of silent confusion and wordless puzzlement, an uproar of voices followed, Mrs Bennet’s being the loudest of all.
Mr Bennet finished his drink unperturbed, shrugging at Mrs Bennet’s opposition to Elizabeth missing the ball and her lamentations of Mr Collins not being able to dance his first set with his fair cousin. To all of this, Elizabeth listened silently, only exchanging a few glances with Jane.
Eventually, the master of the house stood up, still holding his glass.
“I shall allow you to complain as much as you like. You must know, though, that I am unmoved, and my plans are not to be changed. In five days, at the end of the week, Lizzy and I shall leave for London. My brother Gardiner has already been informed and is expecting us.”