Chapter 2.16 #3
“Mrs. Gardiner should come to visit us too! William has already invited Mr. Bingley and Miss Bennet —oh, I mean Mrs. Bingley. Perhaps they could bring all your family. That would be so lovely!”
Within minutes, with Elizabeth’s support, Georgiana succeeded in stepping over her concerns and changing her discomfort to excitement.
Elizabeth’s heart melted for the girl who had such genuine modesty and kindness.
Georgiana was the type of person who gave gifts and then felt grateful when they were accepted.
“My dear, we should calm a little before you issue invitations to my entire family,” Elizabeth said with a laugh.
“Let us take this step by step. I thank you and Mr. Darcy for offering Jane such a lovely opportunity. I believe they will surely need an escape far from Hertfordshire once they are married. Living too close to his family and hers might prove to be challenging for them.”
“Yes, I know what you mean,” Georgiana answered timidly.
“So would you please tell me what you have in mind? When do you wish me to come to Pemberley?”
“Oh —whenever you want! I confess I was hoping that you might come with us…the day after tomorrow. But William said you might prefer to spend more time with your family…and I do not want to intrude. Whenever you wish to…”
“Very well, my dear. I will speak to my family and let you know later tonight at dinner. Would that be acceptable?”
“Yes, very much so. Thank you.”
Elizabeth expected that Georgiana would completely relax once the issue of the invitation was clarified. Instead, she continued to walk —not towards their party but in the opposite direction.
It was obvious that she was still troubled, and Elizabeth preferred to wait instead of inquiring. Finally, she spoke.
“Lizzy, as happy as I am at the prospect of having your company at Pemberley, there is something I must confess to you, although it might make you change your opinion of me. I was tempted not to tell you anything until you arrived at Pemberley, but it would not have been fair. I cannot keep any secrets from you. You have the right to know the entire truth before you make the decision to spend several months with me.”
“My dear, you are frightening me now; it cannot be so serious. And in any case, be assured that anything you wish to tell me will not change my opinion of you.”
“It is very serious. Do you remember when I confessed to you that I almost eloped a year ago?” she asked timidly, her voice barely audible.
“Yes…”
“I did not mention that it happened in Ramsgate where I was staying with my companion at that time, Mrs. Younge. But there is something else of much more consequence that I did not say. At the time, it seemed of little importance since I did not know who you were and I could not imagine there might be any connection, but now it cannot be concealed. I spoke with my brother about it the moment I discovered your true identity and your sister’s delicate situation.
Lizzy, the man with whom I was tempted to elope… was George Wickham.”
The revelation came as such a blow that Elizabeth almost lost her balance.
Georgiana’s voice —although shy and tender —was like thunder in Elizabeth’s ears. She looked at Georgiana in complete disbelief, both of them struggling to breathe. The girl was pale and tearful, and Elizabeth held her hands in hers, incapable of saying anything.
The dramatic confession changed everything for the worse, and she wondered about the dreadful torment Georgiana had endured.
How was it possible that the girl still insisted on being her friend, although she knew about Wickham’s elopement with Lydia?
How could she take the risk of visiting Longbourn to see her in the family of the woman who was now Wickham’s wife and take the chance of hearing discussions about the man who betrayed her?
She braved all this because of their friendship, because of Georgiana’s affection for her.
How could she ever repay Georgiana’s loyalty?
And how could she ever forgive herself for granting her trust and admiration to a man so horrible, so low, so dishonourable?
“My dear Georgiana,” she whispered, embracing the girl tightly.
“I can see you are shocked Lizzy. Forgive me for disturbing you…I have told no one until now. Except my cousin Richard, who is my guardian, and my aunt Amelia, nobody else knows of this. Now you have every reason to condemn me. I was so blind that I allowed myself to be so easily deceived.”
“Condemn you? Not at all! But I am shocked —I never would have imagined it. I know Wickham was your father’s godson; he told me as much. How dare he betray the memory of his godfather so cruelly?”
They resumed their walk arm in arm, Georgiana revealing a deep torment in her voice.
“I was such a fool, Lizzy. For months, I struggled to understand his character, and at first, I thought his affection for me was stronger than the respect he owed my father. I believed that he intended to cherish my father’s memory by sharing a happy life with me.”
She paused to gather her strength as sadness choked her voice.
“What a simpleton I was. He was so handsome that I should have known he would not marry someone like me for sincere reasons. He wished for nothing but the monetary gain that would come with my dowry. And if I had any doubt left about his complete lack of affection for me, I had the final proof when I found that he seduced another girl of my age only a year later, using the same scheme.”
“His intentions were not sincere because he is the lowest sort of man, and his outward appearance has little to do with that.”