Chapter 7 #2
“Mr. Wickham. Rest assured I have no qualms of telling others what I think of Mr. Darcy. His character was set the first night he appeared when he insulted a young lady by claiming she was tolerable, but not handsome enough to dance with.”
“He said that, within hearing of the young lady?” Wickham sat back and laughed out loud.
“I cannot pretend to be sorry that the citizens of Meryton were treated to his true personality the first time he pranced amongst them. I’d like to meet his young lady to ensure for myself his pride did not ruin her vanity. ”
“You have met her, Mr. Wickham. In fact, you are enjoying a lively tête-à-tête with her this very moment.”
She forced herself to grin at him when his mouth dropped open in surprise.
“You? He said you were only tolerable?”
“Aye. His very words. He couldn’t be bothered to partner with a woman who’d been scorned by other gentlemen.
” He also apologized in a most charming way.
Charm that came naturally, not contrived as yours, Mr. Wickham.
She took a sip of her punch and cast a glance around the room to see how her sisters fared.
“This gets better and better. I am so glad someone else has seen his true colors,” he said, after a short interruption. “The world is blinded by his fortune and few speak against him. They’re too busy currying his favor or frightened by his high and imposing manners.”
“I have noticed, at times, he can be an ill-tempered man.” Directed toward Miss Bingley, mind you.
Her musing was cut short by Mr. Wickham.
“I wonder whether he is likely to be in this country much longer.”
“I cannot say as I heard nothing of his going away when I was at Netherfield. I hope your plans in favor of the ____shire Militia will not be affected by his being in the neighborhood.”
“Oh! no - it’s not for me to be driven away by Darcy. If he wishes to avoid me, he must go, much like he did yesterday.”
Mr. Wickham seemed genuine and charming and had all the appearance of goodness, yet there was something off and she knew, in her soul, she dared not trust him in any way, shape, or form.
At this moment she wished Papa had joined them for the evening.
Given his history and their family lineage, he’d know how to handle Mr. Wickham.
At least, she hoped he did. Her disquiet continued to grow as Mr. Wickham expounded on his grievance with Mr. Darcy, claiming he’d denied him a living which was bequeathed to him upon the elder Mr. Darcy’s death.
The dichotomy which was Mr. Wickham grew in leaps and bounds.
On one hand he vowed to not disparage the elder Mr. Darcy’s son because of his great respect for the man, yet he cast nothing but derision in the direction of the younger Mr. Darcy by stating his motive for denying the living was a deep-seated hatred for the godson whom his father favored.
Lizzy’s head pounded with the beginnings of a megrim at his vitriol.
How to close this conversation without revealing how much she despised the godson over the son?
“Surely he is not all evil. There must be some good within him.”
“Oh yes,” Mr. Wickham scoffed. “To those who are his equal he is most liberal and generous - to give his money freely, to display hospitality, to assist the tenants, and relieve the poor. He is very proud of his family and would never disgrace his father’s memory.”
Lizzy couldn’t stop her brow from furrowing and turned her face so Wickham wouldn’t sense her confusion.
If Darcy had such family pride and would never disgrace his father’s memory, then why would he deny Wickham the living his father bequeathed?
Nothing of this conversation made sense.
By this time the whist party was breaking up and Mr. Collins quickly established his place by Elizabeth’s side.
For the first time since he appeared on Longbourn’s doorstep she appreciated his presence, although when he once again began spouting inane platitudes about his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh, she wished him gone.
Mr. Wickham’s attention was caught, and after observing Mr. Collins for a few moments, asked in a low voice, “Is your relative intimately acquainted with the de Bourgh family?”
Her interest was piqued by his query. What could he possibly want in connection to her idiotic cousin?
“Lady Catherine de Bourgh,” she replied, “has very recently bestowed on him the living at Hunsford.”
“You are aware that Lady Catherine and Lady Anne Darcy, the current Mr. Darcy’s mother, are sisters?”
Mr. Darcy’s family were nobility. That explained why he had no time or desire to dance with a mere gentleman’s daughter.
She bit back a smirk. At least he thought she was only a gentleman’s daughter.
In a peaceful world where the enemy of Miatharans didn’t lurk in dark hollows, she’d be known as Lady Elizabeth Benoit. As Lydia would say, ‘what a laugh’.
“I had no knowledge of this at all. In fact, I’d never heard of her existence until yesterday.”
“You’ll be pleased to know that the daughter, Miss de Bourgh, has a very large fortune, and it is believed she and her cousin, Mr. Darcy, will unite the two estates.”
Elizabeth’s heart plummeted at the news.
She’d known she never had a chance of gaining his attention, but to know definitively they could enjoy nothing beyond the realm of polite friendship, was devastating.
Her mood was lightened by a random thought.
Poor Miss Bingley. Vain indeed must be all her attentions, vain and useless affection for the highly gifted Miss Darcy, and all her wasted efforts to please him when he was predestined to be with another.
Her conversation with Mr. Wickham ended and thankfully he turned his attention to other ladies.
Her megrim grew as the room became louder and there was no reprieve in the carriage ride home as Lydia and Mr. Collins both spoke over each other in their attempt to regale their captive audience with their wins and losses over cards.
The lights of Longbourn had never looked more welcome and her bed never more inviting than tonight and she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.