CHAPTER 30 Finding Wickham
Hours after Bingley and the ladies left for Hertfordshire, Richard arrived from Kent.
He told Darcy that the entire party from Rosings, including Anne and Lady Catherine, had travelled to London and were now at the Matlock townhouse.
Darcy apprised him of the particulars of his plan to find Mrs. Younge, and later, Wickham.
Soon afterwards they went to Gracechurch Street to collect Mr. Gardiner, and then the three proceeded to Camden Town.
“This is her boarding house,” said Darcy somberly, as the three of them looked up at the dark two-storey structure in the middle of the block. “I shall go in to see if she has any information regarding Wickham’s whereabouts.”
He stepped down from the carriage, walked to the front door and rapped on it.
“Mr. Darcy for Mrs. Younge,” he told the young servant girl who opened the door for him.
He was shown into a neat but cramped parlour and had only minutes to wait before Mrs. Younge entered the room.
She surprised him by saying, “So I take it you are here looking for George?”
“I am,” he answered impassively. “Have you seen him? And was there a young lady with him?”
“Yes, on both counts,” answered Mrs. Younge.
“And will you tell me where they are?”
Mrs. Younge eyed him suspiciously and ignored his question.
“That little doxy he had with him was extremely irritating. Asking to be taken to the theatre and to the modiste and to Vauxhall Gardens!” Mrs. Younge laughed.
“As if she were some great lady travelling with her betrothed. She is deluded if she thinks that George will ever marry her!”
Darcy tamped down his anger and willed himself to speak calmly. “So will you tell me where they are?” he repeated.
“And why do you care so much where they are? You do not have a tendre for that little chit, do you?”
Now it was Darcy’s turn to ignore the question. “My reason for seeking them out is none of your business. And if you cannot help me I shall find someone who can.”
He made to depart but was stayed by Mrs. Younge. “What shall you give me for it?”
Darcy thought about it. He really did need the information and needed it quickly. But he also knew that Mrs. Younge was in want of money.
“Five pounds,” he answered deliberately.
“Five pounds! Why, that is a pittance compared to all your wealth. I would like fifty pounds.”
Darcy shrugged nonchalantly. “I can find him myself, you know; and shall soon not even require your assistance. So you had better take the money while you still can.”
“Ten pounds, then,” responded Mrs. Young, now looking uncertain. “It is the least you can do after taking away my livelihood.”
He looked scathingly at her and replied, “And did you really expect me to keep you on, or give you references, after you colluded with Wickham to seduce my sister? Do you take me for a fool?”
Mrs. Younge stepped back, apparently not prepared to meet with such hostility. “Please, Mr. Darcy, I have fallen on hard times as you can see. I am not asking for too much. Just ten pounds, that is all. And you will be able to find George and that little hussy he’s taken up with.”
Darcy took a deep breath and exhaled. “Very well - ten pounds. But only after you tell me where they are. And, if you lie about it, I shall return and see that your boarding house gets closed down. My uncle is an earl, you know, and has much influence.”
Mrs. Younge nodded. “This is not a lie, sir, for you will surely find them at this location. Honestly, I am tired of George’s antics - despite the fact that he is a handsome devil. And I will be happy never to lay eyes on him again.”
She gave him an address only a few blocks away and a few streets over. Darcy handed her the ten pounds then left the room without a backwards glance. Outside, he gave his coachman the address, and the carriage drove off once more.
“So, was she helpful?” asked Richard.
Darcy nodded. “Wickham and Lydia are together at a boarding house only a few blocks away. We are going there now.”
“Thank God,” said Mr. Gardiner He looked gratefully at Darcy. “I probably would not have found her at all if left to my own devices. Our family is in your debt.”
“Truly Mr. Gardiner, there is no need to thank me, for we shall soon be family.”
For a while Gardiner only looked at him thoughtfully. But eventually he gave Darcy a brief smile, then nodded.
They arrived at a boarding house even smaller than Mrs. Younge’s and began to confer within the carriage.
“Let me deal with Wickham, Darcy,” said Richard. “You know he is more afraid of me.”
“True, but who shall negotiate the money?”
“I shall, of course,” said Mr. Gardiner, “for Lydia is my niece.”
“But she will soon be my sister,” said Darcy, “and Wickham grew up at Pemberley. It seems that I have more of a responsibility than you…with all due respect.”
“Listen Darcy,” said Richard, “Mr. Gardiner has a point, for Miss Lydia is his niece and she will want a family member to be there for her. But you on the other hand are prone to be too generous with the cad.”
“How much have you had to pay him over the years?” inquired Mr. Gardiner.
Darcy did not speak but Richard said, “Darcy has spent thousands of dollars covering his debts over the years.”
“That much!”
“He is a lazy and worthless bastard. What can I say?”
Gardiner turned to Darcy. “Perhaps you have been rather generous with him, Mr. Darcy. However, for tonight, I believe it would be best if he were not to expect such generosity.”
“But Elizabeth is depending on me.”
“I know, Cousin,” intervened Richard, “but she also does not wish for you to spend your money needlessly.”
“It is not needless if it makes her happy…”
“Nevertheless,” said Richard, “let Mr. Gardiner and me go inside and we shall call you if we need you. However, I just wish to know…how much are you willing to spend to make this marriage come about? Assuming of course that it is necessary.”
Darcy ran his hand through his hair. “I do not know…whatever it takes, I suppose. Although I would prefer to keep it under ten thousand pounds.”
“Ten thousand pounds!” exclaimed Mr. Gardiner. “Would he really expect so much?”
Darcy sighed. “You would think he would have the decency not to but…he is not particularly decent.”
Mr. Gardiner grimaced. “I refuse to spend such an amount on him, despite the fact that you are willing to do so. He does, after all, seem rather desperate. And perhaps we can play on that.”
Darcy considered arguing but then thought better of it, realising that Gardiner and Richard might actually have the right of it.
Gardiner was an acute businessman, after all, and Richard was more intimidating than Darcy, having the experience of a seasoned soldier.
He watched as his companions alighted from the carriage then eventually disappeared into the building.
Half an hour went by, and then an hour. Darcy was actually considering going inside when he eventually saw two figures emerge from the front door. It was Lydia and Gardiner.
They entered the carriage with Lydia weeping, and Gardiner looking grim.
“What happened?” asked Darcy.
“They will marry,” answered Gardiner. “The colonel will have men posted to insure that Wickham does not flee.”
“Of course he will not flee!” cried Lydia. “He loves me and wishes to marry me! Why can you not see that?”
Darcy stared at Lydia Bennet. Tall for her age and so, so young.
Naive as well. He realised that nothing he said would undo her preconceived notions of Wickham.
Except Wickham himself…in the future. He felt sorry for her but, unlike Georgiana, she was not willing to put aside her affection for him.
Poor, deluded girl, he thought to himself.
Presently Richard entered the carriage and looked somberly at Darcy. He did not dare to ask what happened for fear of something being said in front of Lydia. Doubtless, Richard would tell him everything soon enough.
They travelled without speaking, as the sound of Lydia’s sobs and disjointed complaints filled the carriage.
“Do you realise, Lydia,” said Gardiner, when he seemed unable to bear it any longer, “that your father had an apoplexy shortly after you left?”
“What do you mean, Uncle?” asked Lydia, whose attention was finally on something other than her perceived sufferings.
“Your father,” said Gardiner deliberately, “lies gravely ill because of an apoplectic fit he had when he found out what you had done. Furthermore, your family’s good name is now in tatters. Do you not feel some remorse, Lydia? Are you even capable of it? Must you only - ever - think of yourself?”
“You are too cruel, Uncle,” wailed Lydia, sobbing more loudly than ever.
Whereupon, Gardiner only sighed and looked out the window.
They arrived at Gracechurch Street and were shown into Gardiner’s study after being briefly introduced to his wife. Darcy was glad to see that she seemed sensible and intelligent.
“Lydia, come with me, please,” she said, putting her arm around the still wailing Lydia.
“But is it true?” asked Lydia. “Is my father truly ill because of me?”
Mrs. Gardiner gave her husband a look of query.
“I told her the truth,” said Gardiner with a shrug. “I felt she needed to know.”
“But will he die because of me?” persisted Lydia.
“Hopefully, he will not,” said Mrs. Gardiner. “Come, Lydia, let us get you cleaned up and then to bed...”
She turned away and began to lead Lydia up the stairs.
“I apologise for that,” said Gardiner, once the ladies had left.
“Not at all,” said Darcy.
“Perhaps it will teach her something,” said Richard.
But Mr. Gardiner only rolled his eyes and said, “It probably will not.”
Gardiner showed them into his study, closed the door and began to pour out some drinks.
“So tell me everything, Cousin,” said Darcy, after Gardiner had given each of them a glass of whiskey.
“You were right, Darcy,” said Richard. “He never meant to marry Lydia. But, with the proper inducement, he agreed to the marriage. She, in turn, refused to leave him, not even daunted by the fact that he was unwilling to marry her without monetary inducement. Honestly, I find it hard to believe that she is Elizabeth’s sister.
” He looked at Gardiner and added, “My apologies, sir.”
“No, not at all,” said Gardiner. “But I believe we can account for the disparity in their characters by the fact that Jane and Elizabeth spent a good deal of time in London when they were growing up; and they were able to derive the benefit of my own wife’s sensible nature.”
“That explains it, then,” said Richard.
“But what did you agree to give him?” asked Darcy.
“A commission in the regulars and the settling of his debts.”
“That is all?”
Gardiner chuckled. “You see, Mr. Darcy, I impressed upon him that, despite Lydia's ruin, we might still find a better husband for her. And that he would probably not get a better offer than this. Furthermore, I threatened to have his past debts called in - with your permission of course - if he did not co-operate. He would then spend the rest of his life in debtor’s prison.”
“And, self-serving scoundrel that he is,” finished Richard, “he could not but agree.”
“It is finished, then,” said Darcy.
“More or less,” said Richard. “You only have to obtain an accounting of all of his recent debts and settle them, while I, in turn, obtain his commission.”
“It will probably be best,” said Darcy, “that they live as far away as possible.”
“But you cannot take everything upon yourself, Mr. Darcy,” said Gardiner. “Allow me to pay for his debts, at least. For although you are engaged to Elizabeth, you are not yet married to her. And Lydia is, after all, my niece.”
Darcy shook his head. “I apologise, Mr. Gardiner, but I cannot allow you to do that. Wickham has ever been my problem and the remedy must come from me. However, perhaps you might undertake the task of obtaining the license and having a small wedding breakfast in your home? And Miss Lydia’s trousseau, if you are able. ”
“Of course,” said Gardiner, still looking chagrined. “Consider it done.”
“Shall you send an express to Miss Elizabeth,” asked Richard, “and inform her of our success?”
“Yes, I shall,” replied Darcy. “I know that she will be worried, and…I do not wish for her to suffer any longer than is necessary. The express will go tonight and I shall travel to Hertfordshire tomorrow.” Darcy stood up and added, “But we had better leave now as I wish to arrange for it as soon as possible.”
“Well then, Godspeed, Mr. Darcy,” said Mr. Gardiner, holding out his hand. “I shall see you at the wedding.”