Chapter 29 #2
He looked around, hesitating. They were alone, and she was only inches away from him.
“Fortunately, the matter is not of immediate concern to you, Miss Bennet, but it is somehow related to you. An hour ago, I received another letter from Mr Bennet. He asked for my help on behalf of a friend. It seems that scoundrel Wickham eloped last night with Miss Mary King. Apparently, they have gone to Gretna Green. Her uncle is devastated and has gone after them with his sons and Colonel Forster.”
Elizabeth’s shock was such that she gasped for air and sat down heavily in the nearest chair. Mr Darcy, who was about to leave, brought her a glass of wine and sat next to her.
“He had the audacity to elope with Mary? A girl who has a family to protect her? Mary’s uncle and cousins will shoot him, as he deserves! That man has lost not only his mind but also his decency! Poor Mary!” Elizabeth mumbled, still confused.
“I barely remember Miss King and her family. But your father asked for my assistance, and I shall help them find him. After all, Wickham is my responsibility,” he said in earnest.
“Surely you are joking, sir! How can you take the blame for such an occurrence?”
“Quite easily, I am afraid. I did not take proper measures against him to avoid such a situation.”
“I strongly disagree, sir. Sadly, not only Mary King but other girls might have eloped with Mr Wickham, regardless of what you said. Including my sisters Lydia and Kitty. Our good fortune was our lack of dowry and connections,” she said, trying to joke to conceal her embarrassment.
“That might be true, yet I still feel that I failed to do my duty.”
“So, are you going to Gretna Green now?”
“Not at all. I believe it is likely they journeyed to London first, at least for a short time while Wickham gathers some funds to travel to Scotland. I suspect where they might be, or at least who knows of his whereabouts.”
“Mrs Younge?”
“Probably. Miss Bennet, I cannot stay any longer. I must leave you now.”
“Of course. I apologise. How silly of me…”
He put on his hat and coat, but Elizabeth turned from the door.
“Mr Darcy, are you going alone? I cannot imagine where you are bound, but I imagine such a place might be dangerous for a gentleman like you…”
“I have no intention of being a gentleman, Miss Bennet. Not this time,” he replied sharply, his voice heavy and his resentment apparent.
Then he took her hand to his lips, only for an instant.
“Miss Bennet, thank you for coming to talk to me. Please do not worry. You have no reason. Trust me.”
“I do trust you, Mr Darcy. And I do worry,” she whispered. Their glances locked for a moment, and then he bowed and left.
***
Mr Darcy’s departure left Georgiana and Elizabeth in a state of complete distress; however, only one of them dared to voice it, although both felt it equally strongly.
Since Mr Darcy had not requested her secrecy and because she had promised complete honesty to Georgiana, Elizabeth made a controversial decision and revealed the truth.
She immediately regretted her decision, as the news affected her friend deeply, despite the girl’s struggle to conceal her turmoil.
Mrs Annesley, ignorant of her charge’s past history with Mr Wickham, could not understand Georgiana’s response. However, Elizabeth understood only too well and blamed herself for her thoughtlessness.
That evening, only Elizabeth and Mrs Annesley dined.
Georgiana had some soup and then retired to bed early, claiming she wanted to sleep.
Mrs Annesley followed soon after, and Elizabeth moved to her room, then back to the library, trying to read.
She intended to wait up for Mr Darcy, but she knew it would be foolish.
He might not return at all, and even if he did return in the middle of the night, he would surely not want to speak to her.
But she would at least be at peace knowing he was safe.
***
Darcy collected Mr Dodge on his way to Mrs Younge’s boarding house.
When he first received the note from Mr Bennet, he had felt disbelief mixed with uncontrollable anger.
Not for a moment did he presume Wickham had any feelings for that girl, Mary King.
Mr Bennet’s mention that the girl had a dowry of ten thousand pounds, and the suspicions he had already run up more debts in Hertfordshire, were enough reason to explain the elopement. Which enraged Darcy even more.
That scoundrel had dared to deceive another honourable young girl and her family and betray his colonel and his fellow officers, and Darcy took it as a personal affront. One he was not willing to accept without repercussions.
The carriage stopped in front of Mrs Younge’s building, and Darcy climbed down, asking Mr Dodge to remain inside.
He asked for the proprietor, and ignorant of his identity and hoping for some business, she appeared.
Seeing Darcy, she almost fainted, but he pushed the door open and entered.
A servant tried to intervene, but the woman asked him to withdraw.
“Mr Darcy… I certainly did not expect to see you, sir. What brings you to this part of town? May I be of some help to you? May I offer you a drink?”
“Mrs Younge, I do not have more than a minute to waste with you. I shall only tell you this — I have discovered the extent of the deception you wrought on my sister. Everything! Including the scheme with Wickham spending the night in the house and you two stealing the jewels and selling them for your benefit!”
The woman took a step back. “I did not steal anything! Miss Darcy gave them to Wickham of her own free will! He said we should sell them afterwards. You did not ask for them back, and Wickham assumed he could keep them! It was not my fault!”
Darcy showed his disgust with a grimace, while he stepped towards her and spoke further.
“Mrs Younge, I trusted you with my sister’s safety, and you betrayed me in the worst manner. This, I cannot forgive and forget. Just as I shall not forgive or forget that you caused my sister pain and grief. I shall have no peace until I exact my revenge.”
The woman’s eyes widened, and she took another step back. She was now standing with her back to the wall, with Darcy only inches away.
“I do not understand…what revenge? I have done nothing. Wickham forced me to—”
“Spare me your abominable lies! I have witnesses and papers that show you sold jewels that belonged to my sister. Unless you have proof that she willingly gave them to Wickham, I can easily throw you in prison this very night. This very hour. I imagine spending the winter there is not a pleasant prospect.”
The woman was pale and shivering, and Darcy wondered whether she might faint. Not that he would care at all.
“But…I have not…I do not understand…why now? It has been many months…”
“Why now? Because I want to. Because I wish to amuse myself. You see, Mrs Younge, sending you to prison is my diversion. Of course, you are entitled to a trial, and I look forward to you bringing proof to dismiss mine. Whenever you want.”
“I do not want to, sir! It is all a horrible misunderstanding. I beg you to tell me how I can atone for my errors. I did nothing to harm Miss Darcy!”
“If you repeat these lies to me, I shall have you arrested this very day. You did quite a lot to harm my sister. On purpose. She trusted you, and you sold her!”
“I did no such thing!” she cried. “I did not—”
“Enough! I do not believe a word you say! I assume you purchased this building with the money from my sister’s jewels. If I take you to court and ask you to repay the value of the jewels, you will lose your building and your business. You will starve on the streets!”
“Mr Darcy, you cannot…I shall not—”
“Mrs Younge, keep quiet and listen to me carefully. I have enough proof against you to have you in my hand. I can throw you in prison any time I want. I may let you be poor and in debt whenever I please. Today, tomorrow, next year… I have men who are constantly watching you. You cannot escape me. You cannot escape my revenge. You may only pray that it will not happen too soon. My revenge will touch you one day, and you have nothing else to do except wait and pray!”
Darcy knew his voice was frightening, and as never before, he felt satisfied. He had never threatened anyone in his life, but he felt no remorse. The woman was trembling — barely breathing from fright. Instead of feeling sorry for her, he recollected Georgiana’s months of suffering.
That woman must spend at least five months in terror and apprehension. And still it would not be enough, since Georgiana had been innocent, and that woman was guilty to her bones.
“I am sorry,” the woman whispered. “I cannot understand how it happened. It was not my fault—”
Darcy interrupted her again.
“Do not cry. I care little for your tears after witnessing my sister’s for so long. I shall not take any measures tonight. I might do so tomorrow, next week, or next month, or whenever I am in a poor disposition. You will never know. You can only pray for the best and fear the worst.”
With that, he took a step back, giving her some space, while the woman kept whispering, “I am sorry…it was not my fault…”
“I shall give you the chance to prove to me you do feel a trace of remorse,” he said, and the woman looked up, her eyes wide with sudden hope. “I want to know where Wickham is,” he said calmly, and Mrs Younge’s hands trembled until she clasped them together.
“If you deny seeing him, you will only enrage me more. I know he has come to London with a young woman. If he is here, I want to know where.”
“He is not here… I had no spare rooms…” she mumbled.
“I am sure you know his whereabouts. I shall wait in the carriage for half an hour. As you will see, I am not alone but with a man of the law. It depends on you what I shall do next,” he concluded, then he left.
Glancing back, he saw the woman collapse onto the bed, and he felt no contrition.
For a moment, he wondered whether he could ever relate that discussion to Elizabeth and whether she would approve of his behaviour.