Chapter 15
LONGBOURN’S REDEMPTION
In spite of the stern disapproval voiced by their father over the disgraceful turn of events that led to his youngest daughter’s marriage, and his adamant avowal that he would not receive the couple at Longbourn, Jane and Elizabeth suffered no regret in having persuaded Mr. Bennet to allow Lydia to be received in his home with her husband before they headed off to their new home in Newcastle.
However, that is not to say they were sorry to see the newlyweds take their leave.
“Seven days,” Elizabeth said when she and Jane returned to the drawing room after the Wickhams’ carriage pulled away.
“To think that Lydia suffers no remorse, no shame over what she has done. I only pray she will be happy.”
“I concur, but with a man of Mr. Wickham’s character, I do not know how it will possibly be.
” As disgusted as Elizabeth was with Mrs. Wickham’s shameful, unabashed, and wild comportment from the moment the untamed girl walked into her parents’ home until the moment she departed, Elizabeth regarded her young sister with pity and distress.
Despite knowing what she did about Wickham’s true character, Elizabeth had not shared her confidences with anyone in her family.
Though she had voiced her opposition to Lydia being allowed to go to Brighton, her protests had fallen on death ears.
Elizabeth’s sole consolation was born of her belief that Lydia was just as interested in Lt.
Wickham as she was in any of the other officers.
“Jane, I do not know how I could have believed a word Mr. Wickham ever said. Do you know he supposed he and I might carry on the same amicable accord as though his despicable actions had not been the means of nearly destroying our family?”
“How? What did he say to you?”
Elizabeth tucked her legs beneath her on the sofa.
“He had the audacity to refer to me, not as Elizabeth or even Lizzy, but as dear sister! He said we had always been close, and now we are closer.” Her voice animated and her temper rising, she continued.
“He further went on to attempt to recast all his alleged injustices suffered on account of Mr. Darcy in an entirely different light.
I simply do not know how I shall abide the man when next we meet.
“Thank heavens Papa was steadfast in his refusal to submit to Mama’s scheme of going to Newcastle to visit the newlyweds. Hence, it will likely be two to three years before we are forced to endure our dear brother’s company once more.”
Jane said, “In addition, Papa is adamant that Kitty should not travel to Newcastle, so I imagine some benefit derived from this unfortunate debacle. We shall have no fear of Kitty running wild.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Yes, Jane, but it comes at the expense of your marriage to Mr. Bingley, who is a good man, whereas our poor sister shall be forever shackled to a man of Mr. Wickham’s loathsome character.”
“Lizzy, I chose to end the engagement. Now I must live with my decision.” Jane’s tone took on a measure of playfulness she could not possibly have enjoyed. “Besides, Lydia did offer to be of assistance in finding husbands for us all.”
“That is true, but I do not much like Lydia’s way of getting husbands. Now, I beg you to be serious, for is this not a grave matter regarding your future with Mr. Bingley?”
A fair maiden Elizabeth may have been, but Lydia’s conduct had awakened her to certain truths that could no longer be denied, even if she wished it.
Regardless of how Elizabeth and her eldest sister pretended Jane having anticipated her vows with Mr. Bingley did not signify, there was the matter of what would be done should the consequence of the estranged lovers’ injudicious behaviour bear fruit.
Jane’s mood turned sombre. “Oh, Lizzy! The best I can do is pray. I know my mother and father will be disappointed should my worst fears be realised, but I see no point in dwelling on what might never be.”
Not wishing to see her sister suffer when there truly was nothing to do but wait and as Jane rightly attested—pray, Elizabeth sought to change the subject.
“I heard Lydia mention that Mr. Darcy was at her wedding. She did not reveal how it came to be. She said it was supposed to be a great secret, and Mr. Wickham would be angry were the truth to be found out.”
“I heard her say it as well. I thought Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy hated each other.”
“I know they hate each other. Whatever could have been Mr. Darcy’s purposes in attending Mr. Wickham’s wedding and possibly standing up for him?”
Elizabeth stood and walked across the room.
“How a person so unconnected with any of us should have been amongst the family at such a time is exceedingly puzzling. I will not rest until I uncover the truth, and I shall start by writing a letter to petition my Aunt Gardiner. With Lydia’s having stayed with her during the days leading to the wedding, she will know everything.
She will tell the tale; else I shall be reduced to tricks and stratagems to satisfy my curiosity. ”
The answers she sought were not long in coming. Elizabeth, upon reading the letter from her aunt, suffered a mixture of shock, perplexity, and guilt.
By my Aunt Gardiner’s account, Mr. Darcy employed extraordinary measures to recover my youngest sister—heavy financial inducements, coercion, and, even worse, he had to endure the degradation of calling on that horrible woman, Mrs. Younge, whose duplicity had been the means of his own sister’s brush with scandal.
Well on her way to memorising the letter by now, Elizabeth spent the next several days with perplexing thoughts uppermost in her mind.
First of all, why on earth did Mr. Darcy take it upon himself to come to her family’s rescue?
By his own testimony, he held them in low esteem.
Her next thought was equally confounding.
How shall I ever repay him?