Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
The night before her wedding, Aunt Phillips hosted a small card party and when the family arrived, Elizabeth found, to her inner horror, her aunt had thought to surprise them by throwing an engagement party.
Among the invited guests were officers from the ____shire Militia.
All hope of keeping her upcoming nuptials secret from Mr. Wickham fluttered about like a torn flag.
One bright spot garnered from the evening was the information that the Militia were off to Brighton come early spring.
She experienced an overwhelming sense of relief that her two silliest sisters would be removed from the unwanted attention of single young men in red uniforms. Maybe sense and sensibility would return to Meryton, and more specifically, Longbourn. A distant hope, but one she cherished.
When everyone had gathered in the parlor for some cards and gossip, Wickham sought out her company to extend his congratulations.
Not for the first time that night, she wished Fitzwilliam was also in attendance, but he was enjoying his last evening as single young man with Papa, Bingley and Richard.
“I am given to understand, Miss Elizabeth, that you have become a newly engaged woman. May I ask who the lucky gentleman is?”
“You may, as he is quite well known to you.”
She saw no reason to hide Fitzwilliam’s identity as almost all of the other guests, by now, knew who her betrothed was.
“He is?” Wickham exclaimed. “Is it perhaps one of the sons of Sir William?”
“No, indeed. It is none other than Mr. Darcy.”
All color drained from Wickham’s face, soon to be replaced by a deep flush of red.
That he was very angry and trying to contain his emotions was plain to see, but she gave him credit for not laying out a string of curses upon her head.
Finally, it seemed he gained control of his temper and once again displayed his habitual frivolous gallantry.
“Pardon my reaction, Miss Elizabeth, but I thought Mr. Darcy was engaged to his cousin, Miss Anne de Bourgh.”
“There has never been an agreement between Mr. Darcy and his cousin.”
Wickham shifted his balance and his fists opened and closed, the only physical sign that he was still under duress.
“I am surprised at Darcy offering for you.” At her small gasp he hastened to add, “It’s just that Mr. Darcy is expected to marry a... certain type of female and as far as I can tell, you do not have some of his... requirements.”
At once she knew Wickham was obliquely referring to the fact Darcy men only married magical women. She had no qualms of giving him misinformation. The fewer people who knew of her dual heritage, the easier her life would be.
“Alas, he had no choice.” She leaned closer, as though departing a great secret.
“Mr. Darcy and I found ourselves in a... compromising situation and being the gentleman he is, he offered to save my reputation with marriage. He has been most generous. It was not his fault but mine that we were found alone in a room. I’d taken a careless turn. ”
She hoped by wording the incident in such a manner, Wickham would assume they’d been compromised at the Netherfield Ball and were discovered by family. What she didn’t expect was a loud guffaw of laughter from the man.
“Darcy’s mother and father must be rolling over in their graves. Imagine, caught by a nobody in the wilds of Hertfordshire.”
“Mr. Wickham! I am outraged with your attitude and words. He is a gentleman and I am a gentleman’s daughter. In that we are equals and are making the best of a trying situation.”
“Forgive me, Miss Elizabeth.” The look he gave indicated he did not mean his words in the slightest. “I wish you nothing but joy.”
The rest of the evening passed with the appearance, on his side, of his usual cheerfulness, but he made no further attempts to monopolize her time, instead turning his focus to her youngest sibling.
“Lizzy, I see that Mr. Wickham attempted to monopolize your time again.” Mama said quietly as they watched him leave with his fellow officers.
“He wished me joy on my upcoming marriage after claiming I was a nobody from the wilds of Hertfordshire who caught the great Mr. Darcy.”
“Ha! Little does he know. One does not have to have magic to know the man lies better than an expensive rug.”
“Mama! You are delightful.” Lizzy laughed at her mother’s analogy. How sad that it took a small crisis to bring out the woman she truly was. At least they had many more years to come to know her better and more intimately than before.
“What did Wickham want with you, Lizzy. Surely you’re still not setting your cap at him after you snagged rich Mr. Darcy.” Lydia raked angry eyes over her elder sister.
“I’ve never had an interest in Mr. Wickham and I’ll be glad when the _____shire Militia leave for Brighton and you are removed from his influence.”
“You’re no better than Mr. Darcy. Mr. Wickham told me how he cheated him out of his rightful inheritance and forced him to become a soldier in order to put food in his mouth.”
“Lydia! Do you hear yourself? Have you ever questioned one word that man has whispered in your ear?”
“You’re just sour because Wicky is more handsome and more fun than dull Mr. Darcy.”
“No, I’m not. Mr. Wickham himself told us he had one of the best education money could buy, and what has he done with it? He’s almost thirty years old with no job and no viable prospects. If anyone is to blame for his way of life, it is himself. Not Mr. Darcy.”
“Of course, you’d take his side. No one understands Wickham. No wonder he hates you all. And I do too!”
With that, Lydia spun on her heel and stomped down the stairs to the carriage that awaited them. Lizzy went to follow but Mama stayed her movement by placing a hand on her forearm.
“You now see why I had to strip her powers? She is at times too emotional and if she could, you’d be seriously hurt or maimed by her anger.
” Mama put on her bonnet and tied the fetching ribbon beneath her chin.
“I shall have to have a serious talk with her. She’s going to find out the rest of us have magic and wonder why she doesn’t. ”
“Oh, Mama.” Lizzy laid her head on her mother’s shoulder. “You did what you thought best. All will turn out fine.”
They finished their goodbyes and made their way downstairs and caught Lydia talking with Mr. Wickham through the carriage window. At their impending arrival, he whispered something in her ear and quickly walked away, joining his fellow officers who’d waited while he chatted with Lydia.
“What did Mr. Wickham say to you, Lydia?” Mama demanded after they’d entered the carriage and were on their way.
“Nothing that would interest any of you.”
“Lydia Eleanor Bennet. You will tell me what you spoke of, or I shall send you back the nursery and you won’t attend another party or ball for the next three years!”
“Fine!” Lydia crossed her arms in front of her chest and scowled at Mama. “He asked if he could have a dance at the ball Sir William plans to hold to celebrate Charlotte’s engagement.”
“And that is all, Lyddie?” Lizzy asked, sensing it was partial truth, but not all.
“If you wish to know every detail of every conversation I have with every person I meet every day, then I suggest you attach yourself to my ribbons and stay close. Otherwise, I am not going to repeat every thing I say to every body.”
“Fine, Lydia. It’s just that I don’t quite trust Mr. Wickham.”
“And he doesn’t trust you. In that you are equal.”
“Enough, girls.” Mama turned her attention back to Lydia for the final time before they arrived home. “We will discuss this tomorrow young lady after Lizzy and Mr. Darcy leave for their wedding trip, and if I find you are keeping secrets... well, let’s just say you will not be a happy girl.”
All too soon, Lizzy and Jane were alone in their bedroom.
They’d briefly hoped to marry on the same day once Mr. Bingley had received Papa’s blessing, but as discussed in London, Fitzwilliam produced a common license and Papa made a public show of agreeing for them to marry without posting the banns.
Mama had, at first, been a little upset but after a few quiet words from Papa, she’d agreed.
However, she told Jane and Mr. Bingley they had to wait until spring as she demanded to host one proper wedding for her daughter.
“Are you scared, Lizzy?” Jane asked as they prepared for bed.
“No. I’m wanting all of this to be over and start my life as Mrs. Darcy.”
“Can you believe how well this all turned out. Why, it was only a week ago that I held the belief Mr. Bingley would never return. It must have been his sister’s doing.
They were certainly no friends to his acquaintance with me, which I cannot wonder at, since he might have chosen so much more advantageously in many respects.
But when they see, as I trust they will, that their brother is happy with me, they will learn to be contented, and we shall be on good terms again; though we can never be what we once were to each other. ”
“That is the most unforgiving speech,” said Elizabeth, “that I ever heard you utter. Good girl! It would vex me, indeed, to see you again the dupe of Miss Bingley’s pretended regard.”
“And to think, tomorrow you will marry Mr. Darcy.” Jane did a small twirl of delight, her nightdress billowing around her calves. “We shall be married to best friends. Life cannot get any better.”
“Yes, it could,” Lizzy teased. “You and Mr. Bingley could close up Netherfield Park and buy an estate closer to Pemberley!”
“Oh, I couldn’t do that to Mama.” Jane looked at Lizzy in horror. “She’d never forgive me.”
“Jane, trust me when I tell you Mama understands better than most what it means to leave family for the man you love.”
“You are a strange one, Elizabeth Bennet.” Jane picked up a small decorative pillow and threw it at her sister’s head. “Mama’s family lives here in Meryton, not more than a mile from us.”