Chapter 15 #2
Dressed in sprigged muslin, she descended. She was pale, but the light of hope brought a sparkle to her eye. Reaching the ground floor, she gave a little curtsey. “Mr. Bingley.”
He engulfed her in his arms. She let out a soft cry. As they clung to each other, Darcy and Lizzy gave them privacy.
Donning their coats, Lizzy and Darcy walked outside towards the back of the house. The din of Cheapside was a cacophony of iron-shod wheels on cobblestones and the cries of street vendors hawking their wares. But the walled garden was an oasis in the midst of the bustling city.
Rosemary grew against the bricks, which would radiate heat for protection against the coming winter. Leafy stems of mint spilled out of their pot and trailed along the flagstone. The vegetable garden had gone dormant, but the hollies were bursting with red berries.
Darcy patted Elizabeth’s hand where it rested on his arm. “Do you now think Bingley has suffered enough?”
A bright smile ornamented her face. “I suppose so.”
Darcy admired her beauty, captivated by the lively humour in her eyes, the blush from the cold air on her cheeks. He recalled another reason for his visit. “I have more good news. I received a letter this morning with a lead on the maid’s whereabouts. But I suppose that’s of no consequence now.”
She drew her brows. “Why not?”
He looked at her in confusion. “With your sister reunited with Bingley, the maid’s explanation is unnecessary.”
Elizabeth shook her head emphatically. “On the contrary. She alone can restore Jane’s good name by telling us what truly happened.
And she alone knows what role Miss Bingley played.
Miss Bingley might be as much at fault as Mr. Wickham.
I don’t desire to ruin her reputation—but Bingley should know what sort of woman his sister is.
Who’s to say she won’t try to discredit Jane again? ”
Beyond the walls, a cart clattered past, the driver shouting at his horse. Darcy considered Elizabeth’s words. “You make a good point. I wouldn’t like to see Bingley further deceived.”
“Darcy,” she said, looking half-shy, half-flirtatious. “I know this is costing you time and resources. If it’s too great a burden—”
“Not at all,” he reassured her. He turned to face her fully, squeezing her hands. “Wickham must be exposed for his misdeeds, or he’ll do this again.”
She nodded, and he kissed her forehead. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to ensure her peace of mind.
∞∞∞
Two hours later, the Bennet family descended on Gracechurch Street. Bingley, preoccupied with Jane, had apparently forgotten to warn anyone they were coming.
Upon hearing the clatter of the horses, Jane and Lizzy rushed outside. The sight of them put their family’s minds at ease.
“Jane, Jane!” cried their mother as she descended the carriage and pulled her eldest child into her arms.
Lizzy hugged her father, who said in her ear, “If you were going to tell Wickham that Jane was dead, you might have warned us first.”
Her heart squeezed as she considered the horrible train of events she’d set in motion. “Sorry, Papa, you’re right of course. I feel dreadful about what you all have been through.” She looked over to where Bingley was standing at Jane’s side, all smiles. “But at least one good thing has come of it.”
The Gardiner children came down from the nursery to greet the new visitors. The house wasn’t a small one, but it was suddenly very crowded indeed.
Lizzy and Darcy slipped outside again. They took a walk around the block, giving the chaos a chance to settle into some semblance of order.
“Have you talked to Bingley?” she asked him.
“Briefly. He said he was the greatest blockhead who ever lived, to have thought Jane could be untrue to him. So I hope I shan’t have to kill him after all.”
“If you did, then Jane would kill me.” Lizzy grinned broadly. “We can leave them to their own fate, I think.”
He tightened his hold on her arm. “And what of our fate? Since I’ve been occupied with my search for Minnie, I’ve left off sending you flowers. Are you displeased with me? Have I proven a neglectful suitor?”
A bubble of happiness rose in her chest, and she laughed. “Not at all. I couldn’t be more grateful. I can never do enough to thank you for all you’ve done—and yet I’ve asked you to do more.”
He shook his head. “Your happiness and mine are intertwined, my love. Is it time to formalise our understanding?”
Lizzy wanted to say yes. Yet she hesitated to take attention away from her sister. “Could we wait a few more days, until the uproar over Jane and Bingley dies down?”
“Of course,” he said. They passed a seller roasting chestnuts, and the savoury-sweet scent filled the air.
“In the meantime,” Darcy asked, “may I introduce you to Georgiana?”
A thrill pulsed through her. “Yes, of course! I’d be delighted. Do you not worry, though, that Mr. Wickham’s name might come up?”
He seemed to consider that a moment. “Perhaps you could come to Darcy House at her invitation. Her companion, Mrs. Annesley, will be there. You will be properly chaperoned, even if I happen to stop in for a few minutes.”
She looked at him askance. “Yes, we must observe the proprieties.”
He grew quiet. “The truth is, I worry about what Wickham might do now. Hopefully, he’ll move on to greener pastures. I’ve never known him to be a violent man—he’s too cowardly for that—but he is cunning. He may still be looking for a way to take revenge on me.”
“The extra footmen my uncle has hired should keep us safe here. And my father can do the same once we get back to Longbourn. Besides, Jane is the only one amongst my sisters and me who is wealthy enough to attract a fortune hunter. If she and Bingley marry soon, Mr. Wickham will have no recourse but to move on.”
Darcy was quiet, his face still pinched with concern.
“I wonder now if I made things worse by giving Wickham a lump-sum payment in lieu of the living suggested in my father’s will.
I trusted him to put it towards studying law.
Perhaps an annuity would have been better, so Wickham couldn’t run through it all at once. ”
Lizzy shook her head. “None of this is your fault. If he’d wanted an annuity, he could have invested the sum himself. He chose excess and ruthlessness over the life you offered him. Your father gave him every advantage, and he squandered it.”
Darcy squeezed her hand. “Thank you. I know you’re right. But I can’t help looking back and wondering how things could have gone differently.”
“Things could still go differently. A militia officer may meet gently bred young ladies—even if he himself has no land or fortune. Mr. Wickham is charming and handsome. He could attract a suitable wife without these machinations. Instead, he consistently chooses deceit. The problem lies not with his circumstances but with his character.”
Darcy made no response.
She continued, “I forbid you to blame yourself for this, Darcy. You couldn’t have changed the outcome.”
He smiled. “You forbid me?”
“Yes,” she said. “You should know what you’re getting into. I’m a formidable woman.”
He laughed. “Perhaps. But also kind-hearted and insightful. You will be good for Georgiana.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.” Excitement filled Lizzy’s chest. Darcy did her a great honour by offering to introduce them so soon.
She and Darcy finished circling the block and went back inside the house. The children had returned to the nursery, with Lydia and Kitty with them. The atmosphere was less chaotic than before. Yet it remained frenzied, with people talking over one another.
Darcy and Bingley went out for the afternoon, taking Mr. Bennet with them. They would call on Mr. Gardiner at his place of business to warn him of the surprise waiting at home. The ladies, meanwhile, remained in the drawing room and chatted happily.
The gentlemen returned just in time to dress for dinner.
As the meal got underway, Bingley rose. “I must extend my thanks to my friend Darcy, and to the good offices of his uncle, the Earl of Matlock.” He gazed at Jane, then gave the room a broad smile.
“I’ve secured a special license and an appointment at St. George’s tomorrow. Jane and I are getting married!”
Lizzy’s eyes teared, and her throat grew tight. Was this truly happening? It was everything she’d hoped for. What a difference twelve hours had made!
Exhausted from lack of sleep the night before, Lizzy and Jane retired early. They were happy to double up so Lizzy’s room could go to their younger sisters. Their parents took the last of the guest rooms.
As they helped each other out of their gowns, Jane said to Lizzy, “You and Mr. Darcy are closer than I had realised. I had hoped you would become friends. Is it possible that you’re more than that?”
Now that Jane was about to marry, Lizzy had no reason to keep the truth from her. “It’s safe to say I admire him more than any man I know. Even more than Bingley, though I know that must astonish you.”
Jane turned and faced her with a smile. “I wouldn’t wish you to like Bingley as much as I do.”
Lizzy took her sister’s hands. “I wish you all possible happiness.”
“Thank you.” A pensive expression fell over Jane’s pretty face. “Do you think you could be happy with Mr. Darcy? You disliked him so intensely when you first met.”
“When we first met, I didn’t know him. I made assumptions about his character based on a few brief observations. I was entirely wrong about him.” A fleeting sense of guilt pricked Lizzy’s heart, but she refused to let it take hold. She had grown since then.
“Come, Jane. This night should be about you. You’re getting married tomorrow! And we both need our beauty sleep.”
In truth, Lizzy expected they would be so excited, they would be up half the night. But after ten days of worry and despair, they both fell into a deep sleep. They didn’t awaken until Lydia bounced on their bed the next morning crying, “Jane, it’s time to wake up and get married!”
Lizzy sat up, her heart light, anticipating the ceremony and the wedding breakfast to come. Finally, all would be well. As long as Caroline and Wickham didn’t interfere.