CHAPTER 41 A Visit from the Wickhams
Elizabeth stared at the clock on the mantlepiece.
She had received a quick note from Darcy by express rider earlier that they would be arriving sometime in the late afternoon.
And it was already ten minutes past five.
It was raining, though, so that could account for the delay.
She hoped that nothing untoward occurred on the trip, and that Wickham would not impose too much on Darcy.
But she did wonder whatever had possessed him to bring Lydia and Wickham to Longbourn.
She had understood from her aunt that Uncle Gardiner had purchased them tickets on the coach, so transporting them in his own carriage was unnecessary. Truly, it was too much.
Her mother was still upstairs and had asked to be called when they arrived. But her other three sisters were already in the drawing room, awaiting the guests. Bingley stayed at Netherfield to keep Diana and Georgiana company.
She had asked Georgiana if she was up to a quick meeting with Wickham, and the girl had in turn looked to Elizabeth for an answer.
“You may do whatever is comfortable for you, Georgie,” she had said, as she and Georgie sat together in one of Netherfield’s sitting rooms the day after Darcy left. “And we will abide by whatever you decide.”
“But what would you do, Elizabeth?” she’d asked.
Elizabeth already knew the answer and so she responded, “I would face him.”
“You would?”
“Yes.” She patted the girl’s hand. “The thing is, Georgie, that if you do not face him, he may become more…intimidating in your mind. When, in fact, he is just a man. A weak, pathetic man, truth be told, and one who has absolutely no power over you.”
“But what if he tells people about…Ramsgate?” (Georgiana had confessed to Elizabeth about her indiscretion weeks ago.)
“He will not,” said Elizabeth, “for he is now part of the family. And, as such, he has no reason to harm the family’s reputation. And you shall not be alone for your brother, Diana, and I, as well as Kitty and Mary will be there.”
Georgiana took some time to think it over and Elizabeth waited as the minutes went by.
“So you shall be there?” she asked.
“Yes, we will. Nothing shall happen to you, Georgie, except that you will put your demons behind you.”
“Very well,” murmured Georgie at length. “I shall face him.”
Now, on the day of Darcy’s arrival, Elizabeth maintained her position on the sofa till she heard the sounds of a carriage being pulled up. But rather than seeing Darcy’s carriage on the front drive, she saw Bingley’s. Soon, Bingley, Diana and Georgie were shown into the room.
“Georgie!” she said, immediately going to the girl and taking both of her hands.
“I know I was supposed to meet him tomorrow,” she explained, “but I wished to get it over with. And so I asked Bingley to bring us and…here I am.”
Elizabeth gave her a bracing smile. “All will be well, dearest. You shall see.”
Diana gave them a sideward glance and, though she did not know the particulars of Georgie's ordeal, she knew enough to think of Wickham as the worst of cads.
They had not yet even taken their seats, when another carriage drove up. This time it was Darcy’s.
Lydia burst into the room like a whirlwind, followed by Darcy and Wickham. Elizabeth caught Darcy’s eye and he immediately went to her.
“Elizabeth,” he said, smiling wearily. “You are a sight for sore eyes.” And then his gaze fell onto Georgiana as she stood a little behind the others. “What is Georgiana doing here?” he hissed. “I thought she would remain at Netherfield.”
“I thought so as well but she decided to come at the last moment. I believe the strain of waiting was rather difficult for her. But she is ready, you must believe it.”
*****
Darcy looked at his sister standing next to Diana and Kitty and hoped that Elizabeth was right. Things happened quickly.
Wickham escorted Lydia into the room and they made their general rounds. When they got to Georgiana, Wickham took her hand and bowed low over it, saying, “Miss Darcy, it has been awhile.”
Georgie gave a slight curtsey and only said, “Sir.” She did not appear shy or discomposed, but instead appeared almost…bored.
He glanced at Elizabeth who was also looking at Georgie and smiling.
The Wickhams moved on and found a place on the settee where they sat together and were welcomed by Jane. It was then that Mrs. Bennet entered the room and looked at her wayward daughter.
“Mamma!” cried Lydia, running up to her and throwing herself in her arms.
“Are you well, Lydia?” asked Mrs. Bennet, eying at her daughter with concern.
“Yes, I am, Mamma, very well. But will you not congratulate me? I am married now, you know. You see? I have the ring to prove it.”
“Yes, dear, I know,” said Mrs. Bennet, whereupon Wickham stood up from his position on the settee and approached her as well.
“Mrs. Bennet.”
“Mr. Wickham.” He looked expectantly at her as if expecting her to say more but when she did not, he brought Lydia back to the settee and they sat together once more.
Jane poured tea and the occupants of the room broke up into various groups.
Diana, Georgie and Kitty remained together while Mrs. Bennet, Jane, Bingley and Mary sat around the center table listening to Lydia’s description of the wedding breakfast.
Darcy sat a little apart from everyone, sipping the tea and eating the sandwiches that Elizabeth had brought him.
“She seems well,” he commented, glancing towards Georgie.
“Yes, she does,” said Elizabeth.
“It was something I have been worried about,” he admitted. “But it seems there was no need for it, as Georgie does not seem in any way bothered.”
They looked at the group of young ladies who were now discussing Almack’s between themselves.
He saw that Wickham was also looking in their direction.
Perhaps, thought Darcy, he was trying to see a remnant of the regard Georgiana once felt for him.
He smiled to himself and knew that he never would.
His sister was poised and beautiful, every bit a Darcy. And he was proud of her.
Yet, she was not always this way. Up until a few weeks ago when she met Elizabeth, Georgie was still quite shy and reserved.
Now she spoke and acted more confidently.
Now she put herself forward and laughed with the other young ladies.
She had played the pianoforte for strangers and had walked into Meryton with her new friends and called on Mrs. Philips and Mrs. Long.
And now she was in the same room as Wickham, while Wickham’s new wife spoke about her wedding, and was not even paying attention to it.
“I believe Georgiana’s confidence is all your doing, Elizabeth,” he said quietly. “And I just wished to thank you.”
She took a sidelong glance at Georgie, and then at him, and said, “I did nothing, really, except treat her like my other sisters.”
Suddenly he laughed and everyone turned to look at them.
“Is that all it took, Elizabeth?”
She smiled but said nothing and the two of them looked across the room.
“Is Almack’s really as grand as they say, Diana?” Kitty was asking.
“Oh, I do not know. It is probably no more grand then other balls I have been to. And it is all so tedious. Young men with jewel-encrusted snuff boxes and iridescent waistcoats, preening before the ladies, talking about the latest cigars they have obtained or their latest purchase at Tattersall’s.”
“Yes, but it still must be quite a sight,” said Kitty. “Why, I have never seen an iridescent waistcoat!” She turned to Georgie and added, “You shall be presented next year, shall you not? You must be looking forward to it.”
“I was not before, but I believe I am now.”
“I am certain you shall be quite popular.”
Darcy saw that Wickham was staring in Georgie’s direction with something that looked like regret.
“Oh, I do not know about that, Kitty. I am certain there shall be many young ladies more popular than me.”
“Georgie is proud but not vain,” whispered Elizabeth, leaning towards him.
He smiled and nodded.
“Kitty is right, Georgie,” said Diana, as the young ladies continued to converse on the other side of the room. “I already know of at least one gentleman who is looking forward to meeting you…when you come out next year, that is.”
“And who is this gentleman, Diana?”
“Yes, tell us,” said Kitty. Then she added, “Is he handsome?”
“Terribly.”
“Who is it, then, Diana?” asked Georgie. “Or are you just making this up?”
Diana rolled her eyes. “Of course I am not making it up! Very well. His name is Sir Edward Pennington. But his friends refer to him as ‘Penn.’”
“Sir Edward Pennington,” repeated Georgie with a dreamy smile. “Penn.”
“He went to Oxford and is one or two years younger than your brother.”
“But I do not remember meeting him.”
“You did not. But he went to my house one day to call on Richard, and he happened to see you there playing the pianoforte. I suppose he was very impressed by your musical abilities. I actually saw him not long ago and he asked about you.”
“Really? And what, precisely, did he say?”
“Oh I do not remember, exactly. He simply asked after you, and said he looked forward to meeting you when you came out.”
The conversation continued but Darcy stopped paying attention. It seemed that Georgie was more interested in discussing Sir Edward Pennington than worrying about something so minor as Wickham. He felt like laughing again.
He looked at Elizabeth, took her hand and kissed it. He knew at that moment that getting engaged to her was the best thing he’d ever done.
Soon, the party broke up as Lydia wished to have a rest and a bath.
The Netherfield party was invited to dinner but the young ladies demurred, saying they wished to have an informal evening of their own.
Thus Mary and Kitty would spend the night at Netherfield with Georgie and Diana, while Darcy and Bingley would return to Longbourn later and have dinner with the other Bennets.