Chapter 16
Mrs. Bennet’s Dressing Room
Longbourn
Mrs. Bennet leaned back against her chair, deep in thought. The tale told by Elizabeth was certainly a surprising one, but nor was it particularly alarming, assuming that Lieutenant Wickham was speaking truthfully.
“Did you think the young man was being genuine, Lizzy?” she asked.
Her daughter twisted her lips as she considered and then said, “I think so? It was a rather extraordinary conversation, Mamma, and undoubtedly indelicate to share such information with a total stranger.”
“And yet, in my experience, it is a rare man who speaks openly of his own failings,” her mother pointed out. “Moreover, his explanation fits with the reaction of Mr. Darcy upon spying Mr. Wickham on the main street in Meryton, does it not?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said with a nod. “Mr. Darcy looked most displeased, and according to Mr. Wickham, the master of Pemberley has every reason to be displeased. It is to Mr. Wickham’s credit that he did not, by word or expression, criticize Mr. Darcy at all.”
“What do you think of Mr. Darcy, Lizzy?”
To her surprise, Elizabeth felt her cheeks warm, and she said, “He seems a most honorable young man, Mamma, blessed with intelligence, wealth, lineage, and remarkable good looks. He is certainly not easy in company, but he is courteous enough. Indeed, I find it rather astonishing that he is not yet married!”
“I am certain it is not for lack of interest on the part of the young ladies of the ton. The poor man is probably hunted and pursued throughout high Society because he is most eligible.”
“I know I am very eligible as well,” Elizabeth mused, “though it is a peculiar thought.”
“You are,” her mother agreed, “and when you enter Society, you should be careful in your dealings with hopeful young men in search of a fortune, even as Darcy is doubtless very cautious to prevent an accusation of compromise.”
The clock chimed the quarter hour, and Mrs. Bennet continued, “It is time for both of us to go to bed, my dear. Thank you for letting me know about Mr. Wickham and his words. I will speak to both Mr. Bennet and Miss Trent so they are aware that a man of dubious reputation has entered the militia, though I am hopeful that the young man is honest in his desire to change his behavior. But we want to keep Kitty and Lydia, especially, safe, and surely to some degree, all the militia officers present a danger to inexperienced, excitable young ladies. I am so thankful for Miss Trent. She is a treasure.”
“She is indeed,” Elizabeth agreed, rising to her feet and then stepping over to kiss her mother on the cheek. “You are a treasure too, Mamma. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
***
Wickham’s Bedchamber
Pig in the Poke Inn
The Next Morning
8th November 1811
The fireplace was not large, but the fire it held was sufficient to warm the room and the man sitting beside it. Wickham's eyes skimmed over the dark printing on the page of the book in his hands.
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
Wickham cringed at this last verse and lowered the Bible into his lap. He had always been fond of comfortable raiment and good food, and neither camel’s hair clothing nor a diet of insects was appealing at all.
Nor, if his memory served him, did John the Baptist end life triumphantly. Wickham had never cared much about the Bible, but he did have a vague memory of something to do with a dancing girl and a severed head on a platter.
Such thoughts made him all the more grateful for his own current, comfortable quarters.
The rooms to let above the common rooms of the Pig in the Poke were not large, but they were kept clean, and the sheets of the bed were well-aired, the pillow fluffed, and the mattress firmly stuffed.
No dust furred the mantel or the clock thereupon, and the curtains were skillfully darned and cleaned.
He even had a window, albeit one appropriately small for the room.
The view looked out over the stables, rather than the main street of Meryton, but that suited him fine.
One distinct advantage to having a small chamber was that it heated easily. The fireplace was good, drawing and heating well, and a woven basket beside the hearth was filled with sturdy, gnarled oak logs and dried grass kindling. He would not go cold, even in the autumn chill.
He looked back down at the Bible and continued to read.
Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.
And think not to say within yourselves, “We have Abraham to our father,” for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
There was a sudden, firm rap on the door, and Wickham turned toward the door in surprise. The regiment’s daily parade was not for some four hours, and the servant girl who cleaned the room daily had already come and gone.
“Come in!” he called.
The door opened, and Wickham was on his feet within seconds, his throat suddenly clogged with fear. Fitzwilliam Darcy stood in the door frame, tall, strong, and with an icy expression on his face.
There was, of course, nowhere to run, no matter how much he desired to do so.
“Darcy,” he croaked.
“Wickham,” Darcy replied, and then the man’s eyes dropped to the book in Wickham’s hands. His chilly countenance gave way to surprise and then disdain.
“You are reading the Bible now, Wickham?” the master of Pemberley demanded. “That seems most peculiar for a man of your temperament.”
Wickham closed the Bible and walked over to carefully place it on the dresser.
“Sit down, please, Darcy,” he said, gesturing toward the second chair near the fire.
Darcy frowned, pushed the door shut, and strode to the proffered chair and took a seat.
“I have no intention of staying long,” his guest said brusquely. “I am here to tell you that I do not want you talking to either of my sisters.”
Wickham swallowed a hasty retort and walked over to take his own chair across from his erstwhile friend.
“I can understand that,” he said, forcing his tone to stay even. “Will you tell them not to speak to me, then? I would not wish to ignore or cut them, of course.”
Darcy blinked, and he scowled. “What is this? Why are you being so courteous and agreeable? Are you pretending to have turned a new leaf?”
Wickham bit his lip and looked into the fire before turning to look at his enemy again.
“I have turned over a new leaf,” he said quietly, “or, perhaps it is better to say that I am trying to do so. It is not easy to give up the habits of more than a decade, but that is my goal.”
Darcy’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “I would like to believe that is true, but it is difficult to do so.”
Wickham drew in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then said, “I well understand that. I have behaved in a dishonorable, foolish way since I was a youth of fifteen. I know it must seem very unlikely that a man with my proclivities has vowed to change his behavior, but I have.”
“Why?” Darcy demanded bluntly. “Your father spoke to you, and I spoke to you, of your spendthrift ways and your excessive drinking, and you laughed at us both.”
Wickham swallowed hard and managed a shaky smile. “The truth is that I have been frightened into it.”
“Frightened?”
“Yes. A year ago, one of my closest cronies in Town, a Mr. Tipson, was arrested for indebtedness and cast into Marshalsea. I, erm, well, I have always had a hearty respect for debtors’ prison, but not enough to change my ways.
Another friend of ours suggested that we visit Tipson, and we did so some two months after Tipson’s arrest, and… ”
Again, his throat clogged, and he coughed a little to clear it. “Tipson is an orphan and had spent everything he had and more. He had nothing at all to make his stay in prison any better, and he was cast into the poor side of the prison. We found him … we found him…”
His mind flew back to that moment many months previously, when he had been escorted to a room where a dozen prisoners were crammed into a room the same size as his bedchamber here, where the filth and stink rose into the heavens, where Tipson was well on his way to starvation…
“The debt was for one hundred pounds,” Wickham continued. “I … I paid it off, and Tipson was released, but by God, Darcy. By God…”
Darcy stared at him intently, his brows lowered, and said, “I confess that I am amazed that you had one hundred pounds available to assist your friend!”
“I am too,” Wickham agreed, clasping his hands in his lap and staring at the interwoven fingers.
“You gave me four thousand pounds some three years ago now, and I still have a little over two thousand, though part of the reason for that is that eighteen months ago, I became seriously ill with measles, of all things, and was confined to my rooms for several months; truly a blessing in disguise. That slowed down my losses to gaming. When I saw the conditions at Marshalsea, I realized that if I did not change my ways, I would end up in the same situation. Tipson and I are much alike in circumstances, with no regular income and no relations willing to bail us out.”
“And how is your friend? I presume he was appropriately grateful for your financial assistance?”
Wickham winced and lifted his eyes. “He was grateful, certainly, but he also has resumed gaming and running up debts again. It is like a sickness, Darcy, not that I expect you to understand that, as you have always been sensible and sober. I have not played a single game of chance since Tipson was released from prison, but it has been incredibly difficult for me at times. That is why, when I met Denny in London, I leaped at the chance to leave Town and its gaming hells for the country and service in a militia regiment. Of course, I have since learned that the officers often play cards together, which furnishes its own temptations. Thus, you find me reading the Bible and praying for God’s help that I will be able to withstand the desire to spend my funds in a foolish manner.
I put the two thousand pounds in the four percents which provides eighty pounds a year.
That, along with my militia pay, will allow me to live in reasonable comfort so long as I am not an idiot. ”
To his surprise, this provoked a genuine smile on Darcy’s face, and the man rose to his feet and said, “I will not pretend that I entirely trust this change of heart, but certainly I have never seen you so humbled. Regarding my sisters, I do not want them to be embarrassed in public, so if they speak to you, you are welcome to speak to them in return. They will, of course, be carefully chaperoned at all times.”
“Of course,” Wickham said meekly, also rising to his feet.
Darcy frowned down at him and said, rather unexpectedly, “I will pray for your strength, Wickham. You are blessed with happy manners, good looks, and reasonable intelligence, and you could live a useful life if you can overcome the temptation to overspend and gamble away your funds.”
“Thank you,” Wickham said.