Chapter 7 #2
Darcy was so preoccupied with the disturbing revelation he did not even have the time to be irritated by being laughed at.
He struggled to recollect the circumstances, the surroundings, searching within his memory for some sign that another person could have been present that morning — but nothing new came to him.
“My conviction came from the certainty that I did not see anyone else there, except Wickham.”
“Ah — this I can believe. Yet, my daughter will provide you with all the details to dissipate your doubts.”
“I do not doubt Miss Elizabeth’s words. I see no reason for her to claim something that is untrue, in this situation or any other. But may I ask, why are you telling me this? It might become uncomfortable for your daughter if this became public knowledge. The magistrate would want to question her.”
“Yes, I am aware of that. And so is she. But she is apparently more concerned that her information might be helpful in the discovery of the truth. She worries that suspicions might lie on you and the real culprit will escape the charges.”
“Does she? I did not imagine that I… Since I know myself completely blameless for any harm that Wickham suffered, I am not at all worried that suspicions might harm me… But I did not expect Miss Elizabeth would consider… I assumed she…”
“As I said, I noticed your tendency to confuse assumptions for certainties, Mr Darcy. I have sent for my daughter — save your further questions until she arrives. Until then, would you care for a glass of brandy?”
“I thank you, I would,” Darcy answered absently. He felt like he was in a spinning wheel and it made him dizzy. But his main concern now should be to find out — if Elizabeth had truly witnessed his fight with Wickham — how much did she hear exactly and to whom else had she related the incident.
When Elizabeth entered, his heart skipped a beat for more than one reason. He turned to her and observed her hesitant glance and her discomfort.
“Lizzy, my dear, I just explained to Mr Darcy about your fortuitous presence at his private meeting with Mr Wickham. Understandably, he is as surprised and incredulous as I was. Let us all sit down and discuss this at length.”
“Miss Bennet, how…?” he began.
Elizabeth moved gingerly in her chair, looking subdued and very uncomfortable. “I arrived there before you did. It is my favourite destination for my morning walks… I know the place very well, and I did not expect to meet anyone at that hour. I was resting behind an old oak tree when you appeared.”
“Oh…so you were there from the beginning,” he mumbled, betraying his concern.
“Yes…I intended to make my presence known, but then Mr Wickham arrived and I was simply stunned by your conversation. And then, I was ashamed to admit I had witnessed the whole fight.”
“I am sorry, Miss Elizabeth, that you had to witness that. I can imagine how horrible it sounded,” Darcy said. She was mostly averting her eyes as she spoke, avoiding even looking at him.
“It did…especially for me as it proved how foolish I was to trust a man I had barely met. I am heartily ashamed of my stupidity, and I must apologise to you—”
“Apologise to me? No, indeed. Why would you feel you must do that?” Darcy countered, dumbfounded.
Elizabeth lifted her gaze to him and their eyes finally met.
“Because I trusted everything Mr Wickham told me about you without a moment of doubt. I believed you to be cruel, immoral, and dishonourable as a friend, as a son, and as a gentleman, without questioning such charges or asking for proof.”
He held her gaze momentarily, then leaned back, increasing the distance between them. Mr Bennet was only watching in silence.
“Have I given you reason to think so poorly of me, Miss Bennet?”
“It does not matter,” she answered after a brief hesitation, averting her eyes again after a glance at her father.
“What matters more is that he did not give me any reason to think highly of him and to trust his claims, yet I did. And, even worse, had I not heard his words, his tone, and his insolence, with my own ears, if someone had warned me against him and his impudence, against my own prejudiced convictions, I would not have believed them. I fear I would have remained a fool to the end!”
“Miss Bennet, you are too hard on yourself,” Darcy said, incapable of deciding how to react to her distress.
Yes, Mr Bennet might have the right of it.
He was inclined to assumptions. He had assumed completely different feelings on her part at first, then completely different expectations to how the meeting would unfold, and his expectations had been proved wrong.
Or perhaps not; perhaps her feelings for Wickham were indeed so strong, so deep that the disappointment in discovering his deception broke her heart.
Her admission of having the worst opinion about him cut his heart like a blade, but now was not the proper time for him to reflect on it and to nurse his wound.
“I thank you for apprising me, Miss Elizabeth. Your honesty is greatly appreciated, as well as your father’s support.
Would you be so kind as to further preserve this secrecy?
What you heard that day…nobody knows all the details, except for my cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam.
It is a private and delicate matter, and I would like it to remain so. ”
Elizabeth exchanged a glance with her father again. She noticed Darcy’s pallor and she thought she understood the reason behind it.
“Mr Darcy, I assure you that your secret is safe with me…I have only discussed it with my father, and only with as many details as necessary for him to comprehend the situation. The main points were that Mr Wickham asked for you to meet him, that he unveiled his real character by admitting that he received significant compensation for the living bequeathed to him by your father, and that he displayed an outrageous lack of respect and consideration when he spoke of you and your family. Any other details are not to ever be repeated to anyone.”
Her statement and the expression on her face filled Darcy’s heart with a burst of relief and gratitude.
She had perfectly guessed his turmoil in regard to Georgiana and readily put him at ease.
If nothing more, that simple gesture of elegance and honour was enough for him to view her with increased admiration and regard.
“Thank you, Miss Bennet,” he whispered.
“But, Mr Darcy,” she continued more animatedly, “I can testify that you hurt your hand and your forehead by hitting the tree. That you and Mr Wickham reached an agreement and he left safe and sound. And as soon as you departed, I watched him and saw him getting close to Meryton. These are indeed details that everybody should know, and I am more than willing to declare them.”
“Miss Bennet, I can only thank you again, and I hope one day I shall be able to repay your kindness. I would not wish to expose you to any unpleasantness or further distress. Your gesture is admirable, and I confess my gratitude for your willingness, but I hope it will not be necessary.”
“As you wish, Mr Darcy. This is why my father suggested speaking to you prior to taking any step in that direction. But I do not think it is fair to have your character doubted and your name muddied by suspicions any longer.”
He was impressed again and tempted to thank her one more time when Mr Bennet finally intervened.
“Besides, as my bright daughter pointed out to me earlier, there is another side to this story. As soon as the magistrate or Colonel Forster has the proof of Wickham’s return to the outskirts of Meryton and his regiment that morning, they will know where to direct their search and investigation.
The chances of discovering the truth will improve. ”
Darcy frowned, bewildered by the new argument.
He had completely ignored it and felt uncomfortable for his perfunctory consideration of the situation.
Taken aback, he glanced from Elizabeth to her father, then rubbed his signet ring nervously.
In other circumstances, he would walk to a window and stand with his back to the room to regain his composure.
Breathing deeply, he acknowledged his lapse of judgment.
“You are correct, of course. I have selfishly taken only my own situation into consideration. Yes, you might be right… Would you…”
He paused a moment, while the other two waited.
“Would you be so kind as to allow me to reflect on everything over night? And please believe me that, in doing so, I am also concerned as to how this gesture might affect Miss Elizabeth.”
“I do believe you, Mr Darcy, but I think you are more cautious and worried than you should be,” Mr Bennet said.
“We are in Meryton, and everybody in the county knows of Lizzy’s habit of walking.
Many a neighbour has met her wandering down the lanes or across the fields since she was a child.
The only question that might arise is why she waited so long before confessing the truth.
But for that I will take full responsibility and declare she told me and I refused to allow her to be involved. ”
Darcy was displeased and immediately opposed the idea.
“Mr Bennet, I cannot accept that an honourable gentleman would lie for my benefit. And I fear that Miss Bennet’s confession, precisely because it is the best proof to acquit me, might be questioned and her reasons doubted. This is the main reason for my hesitation in accepting her kind offer.”
While both Darcy and Elizabeth took turns feeling disturbed, awkward, or embarrassed, Mr Bennet’s grin broadened.
“That should be your last concern, Mr Darcy. Nobody in this neighbourhood would ever suspect that Lizzy or our family would make any effort to purposely help you. Everybody knows how much you and Lizzy hate each other, from the moment you met and you refused to dance with her. As for me telling a lie, are you sure that is the case, that Lizzy did not really tell me a few days ago? Or are you hastily making another assumption?” he concluded in the same sardonic tone which revealed that Mr Bennet was diverted regardless of the tormenting circumstances, while Darcy remained stilled in stupefaction.
“If there is nothing else to discuss for the time being, we should return to the others,” Mr Bennet suggested. “We shall eagerly await your decision tomorrow morning, Mr Darcy.”