Chapter 28 #2
“Mr. Johnson, please sit down. Anything you wish to tell me, I am ready to listen to, but I have no secrets from my friend. There is nothing I would not wish her to hear, so please speak freely.”
Mr. Johnson was still reluctant. He sat, put his hat near him, then moved it to the other side.
“The matter is quite delicate, something I never considered doing before. I struggled with the decision of coming here and I still might be in error, but I shall take the risk to act as my conscious dictates.”
“Mr. Johnson, I can see you are troubled, which is quite unexpected for an army man. Please speak unrestrainedly, sir.”
“Very well. Lady Barrington, we called here earlier out of my own curiosity but also because Wickham led us to believe that he entertains a close and intimate friendship with you. He assured us you were eager to see him. Of course, the moment we entered the house, I could see you were far from welcoming our visit or enjoying his presence.”
“Your observation was correct, sir. I have left Mr. Wickham with no doubts either.”
“Yes, but… in the last week, I have heard Wickham bragging about the subject to many fellow officers. To my knowledge, he has accumulated significant debts at cards; he plays often and rather ill. He induces people to believe that he will have the means to pay his debts soon. And…”
“And…?”
“It is not for me to judge but he seemed to have an intimate friendship with Miss Lydia, too. I would not dare speak of this matter if your sister was not so young and I had not observed how upset you were about our visit.”
If in the beginning, Elizabeth had wondered about the usefulness of the conversation, the latest details worried her.
“As I said, I am aware my behaviour might appear inappropriate, and I would never have imagined I could betray a fellow officer. But I know your ladyship has been through a most difficult time and…”
“Your consideration is much appreciated and unexpected, Mr. Johnson. I suspect Mr. Wickham owes you money, too…”
“That is not the reason for my visit, I assure you. My purpose was to provide your ladyship with information that might be unknown. The rest is not for me to intervene.”
“Mr. Johnson?”
“Yes.”
“It is indeed strange for a man to reveal his friend’s deceptive intentions, especially to a woman unconnected to him. I thank you for your intervention.”
“Wickham is not my friend—I only met him last month. I have been long acquainted with Lieutenant Baxter and Colonel Forster. If he was my friend, I would have censured him in person. Not even the closest friendship would induce me to witness dishonourable behaviour and ignore it.”
“This is commendable. Again, I thank you. Please rest assured—and you may inform others too—that any plans Mr. Wickham might have to pay his debts do not include me or my family. We will leave Brighton tomorrow.”
The gentleman stood up, ready to take his leave.
“Miss Cecilia, please accept my deepest apologies for upsetting you with my earlier visit. Your obvious abhorrence was the proper punishment for my thoughtless appearance. You have every reason to despise me.”
Elizabeth glanced at Cece and noticed how confused her friend looked.
“Abhorrence is too strong a word, Mr. Johnson,” Cece replied.
“And so are punishment and despise. I admit I loathed the assumption that I might enjoy a stranger’s company only because that person is of the same skin colour.
I understand how Mr. Wickham convinced you, although I wonder what his interest was in our meeting. ”
“I cannot blame Wickham for my own fault. I confess it was my own curiosity and interest. I had the pleasure of hearing about you a while ago, from a trustworthy source. Even if I might offend you, I will honestly admit that a black lady who might claim a close friendship with a countess, and who possesses such an extensive education, is rarely seen in England, if ever. So when I heard Miss Lydia’s story, I enquired further, to be sure it was the same person.
And then I rudely took the first opportunity to make your acquaintance. ”
Now, both Cece and Elizabeth were dumbfounded. They glanced at each other, then looked at him incredulously.
“May I ask who that trustworthy person was?” Cece finally asked.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
“Colonel Fitzwilliam?” they both cried at the same time.
“Yes. I had the honour of meeting him almost five years ago. I feel privileged that he has granted me his friendship ever since, although we have rarely met lately. He called on me last month, just before I came to Brighton, and he told me about Miss Cecilia as being the only lady of his acquaintance as talented at the pianoforte as his cousin, Miss Darcy. I cannot deny that I overwhelmed him with questions.”
Elizabeth’s astonishment was now complete; she looked at the young man, embarrassed by his confession but proud to have spoken the truth. Next to her, Cece was silent and perplexed.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam is a dear friend of ours,” Elizabeth answered. “I am quite sure he would have told us of you too, when we next met. Not that you are a black gentleman, but that you are an honourable man whose company we would surely enjoy in the future.”
Mr. Johnson obviously did not expect such a generous resolution. He seemed to lose his composure again, he played with his hat a little bit, while he cleared his throat.
“Your ladyship is very kind. I wish you a pleasant journey back home, Lady Barrington, Miss Cecilia.”
“Good day, Mr. Johnson. We thank you for your second visit, sir,” Elizabeth said, as the gentleman left with some precipitation.
Elizabeth turned to Cece, still puzzled. Her friend was rather uncomfortable and moved to the window, looking outside.
“The nerve of that Wickham,” Elizabeth suddenly burst out. “Such impertinence! What a scoundrel! Lord knows what falsehoods he has spread about me!”
“In my opinion, Colonel Forster must be informed too. Perhaps we should have asked Mr. Johnson to do so, since they are old acquaintances?”
“Mr. Johnson is not our friend yet, so he cannot speak on our behalf. But I shall ask Papa to write to the colonel. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Darcy, as well as Colonel Fitzwilliam, might provide him with additional evidence if needed. Upon my word, I am tempted to confront him myself! What a complete fool I was to believe such a man!”
“He is simply not worthy, Elizabeth. We will leave tomorrow so he cannot affect you any longer.”
“If Charles and Jane were not there, I would go and retrieve Lydia and Kitty immediately. I can well imagine Wickham convincing Lydia to elope with him and depending on me to pay his debts. His effrontery has no limit!”
For the rest of the evening, Elizabeth was restless and Cece completely silent. One paced the room, waiting for her sisters’ return. The other watched the sea in quiet contemplation.
Eventually, the sound of the carriage put Elizabeth at ease.
Her sisters entered the house, Lydia whining and sobbing, declaring her life would be completely ruined if she was forced to leave her friends in Brighton.
She mentioned Wickham’s name too many times to be counted until she finally withdrew to her bed-chamber with Kitty.
Even then, her voice could be heard for most of the night, keeping Elizabeth awake until dawn.
∞∞∞
The next day, immediately after breakfast, Lady Barrington and her party departed for Hertfordshire. Even though Lydia's whining lasted the entire journey, they arrived at Longbourn as planned.
Happy to be back home, Elizabeth expected to be greeted by their parents, but nobody came out of the house to welcome them, except John, the servant.
“John, is Papa well?” Elizabeth asked anxiously.
“Yes, very much so, Miss Lizzy. I mean Lady Barrington. The master is in the library with Mr. Darcy and the mistress is having tea with Miss Darcy and Mrs. Phillips.”
Elizabeth's knees weakened and she grasped the carriage door for support, while the others hurried inside.