Chapter 14 Elizabeth #2
Having reached Netherfield, Mary flew into Georgiana’s embrace and was quickly led to the music room, Jane perched on a chair in the blue drawing room, smiling sweetly when Mr Bingley sat in the chair next to hers, and Elizabeth and Darcy chose a settee at the other side of the room.
She looked expectantly at him; he grinned and asked, “What?” She lifted one finger, which she silently wagged at him.
She would love to tease him every day for the rest of their lives. He looked as if he enjoyed it immeasurably.
“You had a story to tell me, I believe? Does the word nemesis ring a bell?”
“Ah, yes.” Mr Darcy’s smile snuffed out.
He set his shoulders and began, “The man I consider an enemy, George Wickham, was the son of a very decent, hardworking man. Mr Wickham served as steward for Pemberley for almost two decades. He was a wonderful man, and my father gladly promised to educate his son as a gentleman, to give him a bequest, and to arrange for a living should he take orders.”
Mr Darcy shifted in the settee, as if uncomfortable, but the fact that he stopped his restless movement once his thigh touched her own told Elizabeth that he needed connexion while sharing about Mr Wickham. She nodded in encouragement.
“Wickham is very handsome, but his physical beauty speaks nothing of his soul. His charm, his manners, are the thinnest layer of goodness, easily seen through by those who know him well. His true personality, his true character, is the opposite of this appearance.”
Elizabeth nodded. “You are saying that some people erect facades that hide what they are truly feeling, or in some cases hide their true nature. I am not certain I have much experience with observing this, and I am sorry that you had to learn to do so while dealing with someone whose true nature was, I gather, awful.”
Mr Darcy said, “Awful is an appropriate word. You know that list of the Seven Deadly Sins we once referenced?”
Elizabeth nodded.
“I informed you then that my downfall, to some extent, is pride. I do not see pride in George Wickham, but Richard and I once decided that Wickham is the personification of the other six deadly sins. He became so twisted up in envy of my situation as heir, it curdled any good he might have had in him. By the time he reached university, he exemplified sloth, greed, and lust. He hated hard work, so he attempted to cheat his way through classes—but of course, he was caught and thrown out of Cambridge. He was always driven by three things: his greed for money, his lust—and it was never about love and respect and romance—it was merely lust, and his desire to hurt others. He seemed almost comically oriented on causing me injury, which of course stemmed from the aforementioned envy coupled with the deadly sin of wrath. Wickham was not precisely glutinous about food, but he drank to excess every night and many days as well.”
“Oh, dear.”
“And I have not yet mentioned specifically how he tried to hurt me. He ran up debts at Cambridge in my name. He used my name at the most expensive bagnio in town, and the charges came to me. He used my name as he seduced merchants’ daughters.
I had to work almost as hard reclaiming my name and my good reputation, my first year, as I did in my classes.
And I spent almost all of my allowance cleaning up his messes.
Having to deal with so many people, however, the merchants and madams and innkeepers in Cambridge all knew my face, my signet ring, and my carriage, and I let it be widely known that any charges made by this imposter in my name, henceforth, would be considered the fault of whoever allowed the charge.
I was finally able to extricate myself from the position of Wickham-watcher and scandal-fixer, after six years of effort.
“Oh, my. Wickham sounds quite a wretch. When did he have time to be beautiful and charming?”
Mr Darcy gave a wry smile and said, “When he was on the hunt for an heiress to feed his greed and lust, he exerted himself to stay sober for several hours at a time.”
“If he was dismissed from Cambridge, he could not take orders, is that not correct?” Elizabeth asked.
“That is certainly correct, and you have shown an awareness of reality that Wickham could not seem to understand even when I explained it to him. My father had left Wickham one thousand pounds outright, which of course I gave him. I need not have compensated him for the living, since he had not satisfied the condition of taking orders, but I took pity on him and gave Wickham three thousand additional pounds in lieu of the living. I had him sign a receipt and a paper relinquishing all further claims to an inheritance.”
“Oh, my! He has a legacy of four thousand pounds altogether! That surely affords this wretch several hundred dollars a year, and quite a genteel lifestyle. I do not believe he deserves it.”
“Well, worry not, for he spent it all in the three years since my father died.”
“All?”
“Well, he claims it is all gone, and I have not seen evidence that he still has enough for even a single servant or horse. He came to me for more, which he claimed was ‘his due,’ but of course I did not give him additional funds. Had I done so, he would immediately gamble it away or spend it at bawdy houses. No, I sent him off with a wish never to see him again.”
“I imagine that you have informed Georgiana of all this?”
Mr Darcy said, “No. I cannot tell her of debauchery and—”
“But you must tell her! She likely knows of the family connexion, and that your father left this man a legacy in his will. If she does not know of his character from you, she could become a victim….”
“She is only fourteen years old!”
Elizabeth put her hand on his arm. “And next year she will be fifteen; I understand. However, I do not doubt that this Wickham person has targeted very young ladies—ones we might think of as merely girls—because surely they are easier to convince of foolish romantic ideas? And your sister does look quite womanly….”
“Oh, my God.” Mr Darcy had never looked more grieved in Elizabeth’s experience. “You are correct. I have failed her! It will be difficult….”
Elizabeth once again reached out to calm him.
“I can tell her some of it. Or I can be there while you tell her. I can teach her something my uncle taught me to help me protect myself against scoundrels. All is not lost—you have not failed her. But we should take steps now to help guard her the best we can in the future.”
Mr Darcy agreed fervently, thanked Elizabeth even more fervently, and said, “I must convince your father to approve my suit. It is not just for you and me, Elizabeth. I am positive that Georgiana will do far better with you and me both by her side than she has with just me.”