29. Chapter 29
D arcy was on his way back to the inn after a long day of driving through Kent.
Once again, he had found no sign of Miss Lydia.
Darcy hoped she would be found soon and unharmed.
He had to wonder what would be done about her going forward.
Would this experience teach her a lesson?
Gardiner had told him of the behavior that led to her being sent to this school.
No doubt her father had thought these measures were the answer to dealing with such a rebellious daughter.
Yet, here they were, searching throughout this corner of Kent, looking for Miss Lydia.
Clearly, more would be required to keep her from ruining herself and her family.
Later, he was sitting in a private dining room, gazing out the window at the lantern light outside when Gardiner entered and took the seat across from him. They discussed the areas they had covered today and the inquiries they had each made. They also planned a strategy for the next day.
During the meal, Gardiner shared some details regarding his business and the connections he had made with merchants and suppliers in different countries. Darcy found it all fascinating and asked him about various opportunities for investing.
After the serving maid had taken their plates, Darcy raised the topic that had been on his mind today. "I do not mean to overstep, but do you have any idea what Mr. Bennet will do about Miss Lydia after she is recovered?"
Gardiner sighed. "You do not overstep, Darcy.
You are intimately connected with this family, and therefore have a right to ask.
To answer your question, I do not know what Bennet will do.
I believe he will have to at least consider the possibility of finding her a husband.
I do not think it is what is best for Lydia, but we may be past that now.
If she is not willing to comply with discipline and learn obedience and propriety, then she may leave her father no choice but to marry her off.
She certainly cannot be allowed to ruin her sisters' lives simply because she is content to ruin her own. "
"I agree. It is a shame things did not work out with the Ragland School as he hoped," Darcy said with a slight frown.
"As we had all hoped!" Gardiner clarified.
As Gardiner spoke about the constant efforts on the part of his eldest nieces to keep Lydia in line, Darcy glanced up and noticed an older couple walking past the door and a young lady following behind them.
He stood abruptly, his brain trying to reconcile what his eyes just saw.
He looked back at Gardiner. "I believe I just saw your niece!"
Darcy then darted from the room with Gardiner following closely behind. He rounded the corner in time to see them walking towards the stairs.
"Miss Lydia!"
She and the couple with her turned around.
"Mr. Darcy! Uncle!"
"Lydia!" Gardiner exclaimed, hugging her. "Are you well?"
"Yes, Uncle, I am perfectly well," she replied blithely.
She then introduced the couple to her uncle. The older gentleman explained how they came to find Miss Lydia and their plans to bring her to London tomorrow on their way home. Gardiner thanked them for their care of his niece.
Gardiner turned to him and sighed. "Darcy, thank goodness you are so observant! We were very fortunate to find her here."
"Indeed, we were!"
Gardiner put a hand to Darcy's shoulder. "I truly appreciate everything you have done to assist in her recovery."
"I am glad I could help. I am also relieved to see her unharmed."
"As am I. I think I will go to the school in the morning before we leave. I want to speak with the headmistress and get a full accounting of what has taken place since Bennet enrolled her."
Darcy nodded. "Shall we meet for breakfast at seven?"
"Yes, that sounds good."
He then left Gardiner to deal with his niece.
Darcy was glad she appeared to be well. Taking off on her own the way she did, things could have turned out very differently for her.
The couple who had taken her under their protection did not appear the type who would spread gossip, so that was good.
Now, it remained for her family to handle the situation, particularly her father.
Darcy would try to give them a bit of space to do that, but after a day or so, he would need to intrude upon them.
He did not want to be parted from Elizabeth for longer than necessary, and since he had a vested interest in this family, Darcy would insist on knowing where things stood with Miss Lydia.
Elizabeth was sitting in the drawing room with her aunt and sisters when suddenly Uncle Edward walked in with Lydia!
Words of shock and relief echoed through the room at her sudden appearance.
As they took turns embracing her, Papa, who had obviously heard the exclamations, came into the room as well.
He looked at his youngest daughter with an unreadable expression.
"Are you well?"
"Yes, Papa," she said warily.
"Why do we not all sit?" Aunt Madeleine suggested.
They all sat down and looked at Lydia.
"So, you say you are well," Papa began. "Were you not well at the school? Was the headmistress beating you? Were they starving you?"
"No, Papa, I—"
"No? Then pray tell me what possessed you to run away from that school and put yourself in such danger?" His voice increased in volume and anger with every word.
"I was never in any danger!"
"Lydia, answer the question," Papa said impatiently.
"I did not like it there! I could not suffer it!
If you did not do all your studies and all your chores, you had to get up early in the morning and do even more studying and more chores!
I do not need to learn science or history or music!
None of those things will help me catch a husband!
I knew I would do much better going to balls and parties!
Since Aunt Madeleine was planning to attend some events with my sisters, I wanted to be here so that I could go!
Uncle told Mama I was too young, but I thought if I could prove to Aunt I was not too young, then she would convince Uncle to allow me to attend.
And if I was already here, they may as well bring me along. "
Lydia's words brought expressions of incredulity to everyone's faces.
Aunt Madeleine looked at Lydia with suspicion. "Lydia, how did you even know I was taking your sisters to some events? I never told you that."
"I overheard you telling Uncle," Lydia replied.
"You mean you eavesdropped," Aunt Madeleine said bluntly.
Lydia's face confirmed the truth of her aunt's words.
Papa shook his head as he looked at her. "You have put your family and others to a great deal of worry, trouble, and expense! Do you have anything else to say for yourself, Lydia?"
"Only that I do not wish to go back to that school!" she said stubbornly. "I am sorry anyone was worried, but truly I was not in danger."
Papa stood, and so did Uncle Edward.
"Madeleine, when it is time for luncheon, Bennet and I will take trays in the study."
"I shall see to it, darling," Aunt Madeleine said.
"Thank you," Uncle Edward said, kissing her on the cheek.
As soon as Papa and Uncle Edward left the room, Lydia began insisting again that she was never in any danger.
"Where did you go when you left the school?" Aunt Madeleine asked her.
"I made my way back to the inn where we stayed when Papa brought us to Kent. It is not that far from the school."
"And then what did you do?"
"I attempted to secure a seat on the mail coach to London, but I did not have enough money.
I tried to tell the innkeeper it was important that I get to town right away, but he said he could not help me.
Fortunately, an older couple overheard our conversation and offered to help me.
I explained that I had left that school and wanted to go to my uncle's home in London.
At first, they tried to convince me to go back to the school, but I said I was not going back!
They finally agreed to see me to London on their way home, and they took a room for me.
The night before we were to leave, Mr. Darcy and Uncle found me after we had just finished dinner. "
"Lydia, it is important you understand that just because things turned out well for you does not mean you were never in any danger.
The outcome was purely happenstance. You left a place of security and went out into the world on your own without protection and without money.
If that couple had not chosen to take pity on you, what do you think would have happened?
The innkeeper had already refused you a seat on the mail coach due to insufficient funds.
Do you think he would have allowed you to have food or a room for however many nights you were in need? " Aunt Madeleine asked.
"No," Lydia said reluctantly.
"No. You would have been out in the cold.
And I assure you, young lady, there is no shortage of unscrupulous men out there who would have taken advantage of your situation as soon as they were aware of it.
You are very fortunate you did not meet with one of them.
If you had, you might never have seen your family again. "
Aunt Madeleine gave Lydia a hard look, then left the room.
Irritated with Lydia's selfish and careless attitude, Elizabeth, Jane, and Mary left the room as well.