Chapter Thirteen #2
He knew not the source of the anguish in which he found Elizabeth, but he knew he must protect her.
Propriety would demand he permit Elizabeth to pass without interference, but his love for her could not permit him to ignore the state of her agitation.
“Good God! What is the matter?” He wanted to take her in his arms to comfort her.
“Miss Elizabeth, I will not detain you a minute; but allow me, or let the servant go after Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. You are not well enough; you cannot go yourself.”
Elizabeth seemed to sway under the distress of the situation, and she reluctantly accepted his advice. The servant was recalled and commissioned to find Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner and have them return immediately.
With the servant on his way, Elizabeth slumped into a nearby seat, as if a weight pressed her down.
Her distress caused Darcy to fear news of the death of her mother or father.
Without being asked to stay, he pulled a chair close to her, and he reached for her hand, stroking her palm with his thumb as he gently held her fingertips.
“What may I do to assist you?” he whispered.
Although Elizabeth requested nothing of him, she did, finally, turn to him with her dilemma.
“I have had dreadful news from Longbourn,” she said through her tears.
Darcy began to consider ways to care for her if the death of a parent was of what she spoke.
Her sobs held him in desolate anticipation.
He observed Elizabeth in sympathetic silence.
When she spoke again, the words spilled out in clusters of ill happenings.
“I have just had a letter from Jane, with such dreadful news! It cannot be concealed from anyone. My younger sister has left all her friends—has eloped. Has thrown herself into the power of … of Mr. Wickham. They are gone off together from Brighton. You know him too well to doubt the rest. She has no money, no connections, nothing that can tempt him to … She is lost forever!”
Darcy attempted to control first the contempt, then the anger, and lastly, the empathy he felt.
Astonishment fixed him in place. Elizabeth blamed herself for not permitting others to know of Mr. Wickham’s low character, but it was his secret—his sister’s secret—she had kept.
Darcy’s pride would ruin the woman he loved.
Lydia Bennet’s folly would not only mark her as a “fallen” woman, but it would taint the reputations of all of her sisters.
“I am grieved, indeed—grieved—shocked. But is it certain, absolutely certain?”
“Oh, yes! They left Brighton together on Sunday night, and were traced almost to London, but not beyond. They are certainly not gone to Scotland.”
Darcy fought the urge to caress her shoulder in comfort. Instead, he lightly touched her fingertips once more. Elizabeth continued to sob, but he noted her shoulders no longer shook. He asked, “And what has been done, what has been attempted to recover her?”
Even before asking the question, Darcy knew where this conversation would lead.
He grappled for something to say which could change the situation.
Although he listened to Elizabeth’s response, he attended to it only for the details, for he swam in the disgust he now felt for George Wickham, as well as for himself.
His forswearing her to secrecy had caused Elizabeth’s distress.
Loaded with self-reproach, he was determined to find a means to remedy the situation.
Only two days prior, Darcy had vowed to protect Elizabeth no matter what the consequences, and God had called him upon his promise.
God expected him to be a man of his words, and he would be.
“I cannot think this situation will lead readily to a satisfying solution,” Elizabeth lamented.
“My father has gone to London, but he will require Mr. Gardiner’s assistance.
Please accept our excuses. I would leave shortly to comfort my family.
Mr. Wickham’s character, as you well know, can only be easily swayed with monetary inducements, and my family can offer him no such sums. I fear we are ruined.
” Elizabeth’s voice caught on a deep sob.
“It is my fault. I was blind to Mr. Wickham’s true nature, and I underestimated Lydia’s idolized ideas of love. ”
Darcy stood during this last passage and began to pace the room in solemn reflection.
The intensity of his anger pulsed hard along his temples.
He wondered if Elizabeth recognized the effect she had on him.
Her tears pierced his heart, and every time she dabbed at her eyes, Darcy’s agony crescendoed.
He must be free of this room. He must find Wickham and stop this madness.
With compassion he finally spoke, “Miss Elizabeth, I am afraid you have been long desiring my absence, nor have I anything to plead in excuse of my stay but real, though unavailing, concern. Would to heaven that anything could be either said or done on my part that might offer consolation to such distress! But I will not torment you with vain wishes, which may seem purposely to ask for your thanks. This unfortunate affair will, I fear, prevent my sister’s having the pleasure of seeing you at Pemberley today. ”
“Oh, yes,” she stumbled with embarrassment, “be so kind as to apologize for us to Miss Darcy. Say that urgent business calls us home immediately. Conceal the unhappy truth as long as it is possible. I know it cannot be long.”
Demonstrating as much decorum as he could muster, Darcy readily assured her of his secrecy.
“I pray for a happier conclusion to this matter than there is at present reason to hope. Please give my regards to Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner.” He made her a quick bow, which she acknowledged with a sorrowful nod of her head.
Stepping to the door, Darcy gripped the handle and with only one more serious parting look went away.
Emerging onto the streets of the village, he leaned back against the inn’s outer wall and gasped for air.
How could it be? He was so close to winning Elizabeth’s heart.
To have her snatched away from him again seemed unthinkable.
He knew, or, at least, he hoped for an honest chance of Elizabeth’s wishes changing in regard to him.
Now all possibilities of love appeared in vain.
What made the situation worse was George Wickham created it.
His former friend always wanted revenge on Darcy.
If Wickham knew the irony of the situation, he would be pleased with what he started.
Darcy climbed upon Cerberus’s back and turned the reins towards Pemberley, but he remembered none of that—all he recalled was Elizabeth’s “fine eyes” had lost their glow.
He arrived at Pemberley as his houseguests finished their breakfasts.
He mumbled his apologies about having urgent estate business, which had caused him to ride out earlier and required his immediate attention.
He waited not for their civilities but exited to his study and quickly secured the door behind him.
He wanted no interruptions until he sorted things out.
Several hours later a light tap at the door roused his attention.
The tap was so delicate, he had no doubt it had come from Georgiana.
Otherwise, he would have ignored it as he had ignored the offers from servants for tea and refreshments.
He crossed to the door and opened it quickly to find his sister half-turned to go.
Darcy spoke not a word, just offered his hand, and led her to the settee.
He seated himself beside her, but he did not speak—no words were necessary for her to share his anguish.
After several minutes, Georgiana brushed the hair from his eyes.
“Has something happened to Miss Elizabeth?” she asked while gently stroking his cheek.
“Why would you ask that? Am I that transparent?” he asked with more rancor than he meant.
She withdrew her hand from his face and dropped it into her lap.
Darcy noted she flinched from the tone of his voice so he forced gentleness into his manner when he spoke again.
“I apologize, Georgiana, you deserve none of my anger. Permit me to collect my thoughts, and then I will attempt to explain what has occurred.” Her eyes rose to meet his.
“I do not know where to begin,” his voice was hoarse.
“I rose early this morning with hopes sowed by your words in the conservatory last evening. I decided I would woo Miss Elizabeth, and I traveled to Lambton to ask her to ride out with me this afternoon. I know it was rash, but …”
Georgiana reached out to squeeze his hand. “William, please tell me Miss Elizabeth did not refuse your attention again.”
“No, Miss Elizabeth did not refuse me. I found her in too much distress even to accept my compassion. Miss Bennet received dreadful news from Longbourn.” Darcy heard Georgiana gasp.
“I am going to tell you quick what must be said, but the news will also play hard on your sensibilities. Remember, I mean to give you no harm. In short, Miss Elizabeth’s youngest sister ran away with—gave her heart—to George Wickham.
” The news clearly caused agitation for Georgiana, but she did not look away.
She waited for him to continue. “Lydia Bennet has nothing but her affections to attract Mr. Wickham. He will use her ill and then abandon her. Her folly will destroy her reputation, which will, ultimately, reflect upon Miss Elizabeth and her sisters.”
Georgiana’s eyes filled with tears. “Poor, Miss Elizabeth! Poor Mr. Bingley and his love for Miss Bennet!” She consciously omitted a touch of empathy for him from her list. “What will you do, William?”
“What would you have me do, Georgiana?”
“Brother, you love Miss Elizabeth. You cannot cast her aside, even if she cannot be yours. You said as much last evening. Our pride in dealing with Mr. Wickham has allowed him to prey on others. We have never concerned ourselves with their destruction, only with our own, and now God has brought Mr. Wickham’s evil back to someone we both affect. ”
Darcy actually laughed aloud. “Georgiana, you continue to amaze me. How little I know about you! I had already decided that I must resolve this situation, which means I must seek out George Wickham. I wondered how to tell you without causing you grief. Instead, you provide me permission and demand my speed in these negotiations.”
“We have always been of the same nature,” she teased.
“You spend one afternoon with Elizabeth Bennet, and you already ‘pain’ your brother with your taunts.”
“What is your plan?” She turned more serious, but only after giving him a brief smile.
“I will leave for London tomorrow to seek out Mr. Wickham and Lydia Bennet. I possess knowledge of George Wickham’s nature that Mr. Bennet has yet to learn.
I hope to convince the girl to return to her family so they can hush up her indiscretions.
Her journey began in Brighton so most in Hertfordshire will have little knowledge of her folly—that is assuming Mrs. Bennet has controlled her tongue for once.
I will tell the Bingleys that estate business calls for my return to London, but that means you must entertain them while I am away. Are you up to it, my girl?”
“I will do what is necessary to protect Miss Elizabeth.”
“Miss Elizabeth must never know of my involvement. It would not be proper to inject myself into such a private matter. Moreover, although I desire Miss Elizabeth’s regard, I have no taste for her gratitude. I require her love.”
“As our earlier dealings with Mr. Wickham were our secret, so will be this one.”
“Let us play our parts as good hosts to our guests.” Darcy stood with refreshed confidence. Georgiana followed him to her feet. She kissed his cheek gently. “For luck,” she said.
That evening over supper, Darcy informed Bingley and his sisters of his regrets at having to return to London on pressing business.
He led them to believe the estate business also had cancelled his plans to entertain the Gardiners and Elizabeth Bennet.
This gave the Bingley sisters some perverted pleasure.
“It grieves me, but it must be so,” he added.
“While I am away, Georgiana will serve in my stead. We both thought you might enjoy an overnight journey to Nottingham or to Cromford. Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley both desire to visit those areas to the north. I shall be only a week or so. What do you say, Charles?”
“I would be honored to escort your sister in your absence, Darcy.” Darcy detested the deceit, but it would be best if Bingley knew nothing of this crisis, which could ultimately affect both their futures.