Chapter 24 #2
“You might see a similarity, but I assure you it does not exist. Your father’s situation in life was likely lower than your mother’s, but he was a decent, honourable man.
They married for love, against her family’s wishes.
Wickham grew up at Pemberley. His father had the management of the estate, as I told you — a loyal and hardworking man, married to a shallow, extravagant, and wasteful woman.
Wickham inherited everything from his mother and nothing from his father.
Even as a child, he had pleasant manners and knew how to worm his way into anyone’s good graces to obtain what he wanted, whether affection or advantages.
Everybody loved him. He played with me and my cousins, had tutors alongside us, was offered the chance to receive an education befitting a gentleman, to earn a living.
He was even sent to Cambridge with me! But he wanted nothing of it, since he preferred depravation, loose women, gambling, and cards, wasting every penny he had. ”
He paused, lost in his own narrative and memories, then took another sip from his glass.
“After my mother died, my father was so deeply grieved that he lost any joy for life. Theirs had been a marriage of true affection and partnership. I was finishing my studies, but Wickham, having by then dropped out of university, was at Pemberley with him. With persuasion and all sorts of manoeuvres, he convinced my father to enter into many ruinous schemes and make a number of dubious investments, which emptied Pemberley’s coffers and almost entirely depleted the family’s fortune.
My father hid his actions from me, instead trusting Wickham implicitly.
I am not even certain how much money was lost in failed ventures, how much was embezzled by Wickham and his associates through his fraudulent schemes, and how much was simply stolen by him.
Mr Gardiner, as one of my father’s solicitors, was the one who drew my attention to the matter and warned me about the disaster.
With infallible proof, I confronted Wickham and banished him from Pemberley, but even after that, the consequences of those ruinous dealings had to be faced.
My father, a shadow of his former self, died burdened with shame, guilt, and remorse, while Wickham walked away free and unharmed, and probably used the fruits of his deception for several years, as I did not hear of him for a while. ”
Another pause and another sip of brandy followed, while Elizabeth watched her husband with rapt attention.
“With Mr Gardiner’s support, I tried to repair what my father ruined, and I made other sorts of investments, which I hope will bring some profit.
You must understand, losing Pemberley’s fortune and good name would not only affect my sister and me.
There are so many lives that depend on us — servants, tenants, the people of Lambton, and all their families. ”
“I understand that…”
“Several months ago, when things seemed to have improved and I hoped that I would regain some peace, my sister eloped with Wickham, and they married. She was but fifteen. You may imagine how I felt, my despair and my rage. It was not because she married a man outside our circle, as happened with your mother, but because she was a child seduced into marrying a scoundrel, in danger of being ruined just like my father. Having an intimate knowledge of all my father’s affairs, Wickham was well aware of Georgiana’s fortune, which was his main purpose.
He also knew there was nothing left in our coffers to pay that kind of money.
His other purpose must have been revenge against me, which he certainly accomplished. ”
He resumed his seat, facing Elizabeth, their eyes locked.
“I shall hand Wickham Georgiana’s portion tomorrow.
That is why I needed your money. He threatened he would expose all sorts of dirty secrets about my father and my sister if the amount was not paid on time.
My money was all sunk into ventures of which Mr Gardiner is well aware, and from which I can expect no return for many months yet.
I needed the amount of thirty thousand to pay Wickham at the requested time, before he carried out his threats.
I tried to negotiate a later date, to gain some time, but he knew he had the better hand — Georgiana was under his power.
I succeeded only in purchasing a brief delay, at great financial cost and at the price of this ultimatum. ”
Elizabeth needed a moment to comprehend the latest revelations, which completed the sorry story, thoughts twirling in her head.
She recollected her first meeting with Mr Darcy, her uncle’s insistence on her marrying him, her suspicions, the marriage contract…
All became clearer now, though it was still too much to understand just yet.
“Indeed, the situation cannot compare to my mother’s,” she admitted. “What do you plan to do? Give him the money tomorrow in exchange for his agreement to bring your sister home?”
“Yes. I shall not release the money to him unless he allows her to be free from his influence.”
“But she would still be married. Will you apply for an annulment?”
“I doubt it is possible, but I shall consider that later. For now, I only wish to have Georgiana back home and safe, out of his reach, even if that will give rise to many rumours. I expect my own family to be among the first to demand explanations.”
“You are correct — all that matters is to have her safely home,” Elizabeth repeated. With a small hesitation, but a warm and compassionate regard, she took his hands to comfort him, and he smiled dejectedly.
“I cannot believe that our quarrel about the incident at the theatre induced me to tell you the entire story. I did not dare burden you with it until now. I have considered sharing some of the sorry tale with you before, but I have refrained each time, thinking they were not my secrets to tell and not wanting you to have a poor opinion of my father or my sister. But I loathe the notion of exposing you to a scandal undeservedly.”
“You think too much about the possible scandal, sir. I think you should follow your plan regardless. Will my uncle be with you tomorrow?”
“Yes, he and two other solicitors. And please know that the money is not lost. I shall repay you every penny, with interest, as I promised.”
“You think too much about the scandal and the money,” she amended, offering him a soft smile. He brought her hands to his lips for a brief kiss on the knuckles of each, and she wondered whether it was from affection or simply gratitude.
“I should return to my room now. It is very late. I am glad we quarrelled,” Elizabeth said archly. “It led us to speak our minds unguardedly. If this is the outcome, we should argue more often.”
“I would hope for fewer arguments and more understanding, but I am content with the outcome if it pleases you, Mrs Darcy.”
They stood, and their hands finally separated.
“Shall I see you in the morning, at breakfast, before you set out? What time is your meeting with Mr Wickham?”
“Yes, you will. My meeting is at eleven o’clock.”
“Should I prepare a room for your sister?” she enquired.
“Thank you, but her chamber is always ready for her.”
“I eagerly anticipate meeting her, even if it is under such distressing circumstances.”
“Thank you. I cannot wish tomorrow over soon enough. I hope I shall return home in time to see Mr Crawford.”
“If not, should I invite him again the next day? Or another day at your convenience?”
“That would be very kind. Mr Gardiner and I both wish to meet him. I hope you enjoy his company — and that of your other callers — as much as you expect.”
“Thank you, sir. Good night.”
“It is amusing that you called me Fitzwilliam when you entered my room and now you have returned to calling me sir,” he noted.
“Good night, Fitzwilliam,” she dutifully amended with a smile.
“Good night, Elizabeth.”
She returned to her room and, with another parting glance at him, closed the door behind herself.
Once alone, all the revelations overwhelmed Elizabeth, throwing her into a storm of feelings.
She had finally discovered the disturbing truth of the past that affected her husband, the horrible betrayal of the man who had married his sister, the pain, the sorrow, the grief, the shame, the embarrassment, the need for disguise that had burdened and marked his life but also shaped his character.
Something that only her uncle Gardiner knew about.
She was grateful for the support her uncle had lent him and the deep relationship they had forged over the years.
He had told her so much, but she still had so many questions.
The following day would be a very important one, in so many ways, and would probably change their lives. If only the night would pass quickly!
She struggled to sleep for a long time, fighting the temptation to go and talk to him again, to show him her full support for the next day — the same day, she thought, considering the late hour — and was attuned to every soft sound from the other room, imagining him moving around and preparing to sleep.
Finally tiredness overcame her, and she fell into a deep sleep until strange sounds woke her.
It was still dark, but she put on her robe and listened at the adjoining door; the noises were certainly coming from her husband’s side, so she knocked several times before the door was finally opened.
But instead of him, she saw only his valet.
“Good morning, Marston. May I speak to Mr Darcy, please?”
“Good morning, ma’am. You just missed him. The master left a little while ago. He asked me to inform you that some urgent matters required his immediate presence. He said he would send you word as soon as he could.”