Chapter 21
A couple of days after her wedding, Elizabeth paid a visit to her parents to settle their plans for leaving Brighton. Summer was close to an end, and, as lovely as it has been, everybody was anxious to return home. She found her father in the library, as usual.
“Lizzy dearest, how lovely that you have come. I wished to speak to you as I received a rather strange letter from Mr Darcy. I assume you know what he is speaking of.”
Elizabeth blushed and a shiver of panic slid down her spine. Why would he possibly write to her father?
“A letter from Mr Darcy? What does he say?”
Mr Bennet handed her the paper.
“It seems he wished to inform me that, according to some reports delivered to him, your sisters Lydia and Kitty still met that Wickham fellow several times. It seems Mr Darcy is supervising his old friend, for some reasons that he does not disclose.”
A sigh of relief escaped Elizabeth as she read, delighted to recognise his handwriting and thrilled to hold a letter that had been in his hands only a short while ago.
“Lizzy, why do you think Mr Darcy is still having Wickham watched? And what should I do with this intelligence?”
“Papa, to my knowledge, Mr Darcy has sound motives to mistrust Mr Wickham. And if he took the trouble to write to you, it seems he considers the report to be alarming. You should not allow Lydia and Kitty to wander around Brighton by themselves, or anywhere else, at least until you return home.”
“I confess I find this rather diverting. I still believe Mr Darcy is too diligent in his endeavours. He tends to take himself and others too seriously.”
“I beg to differ, Papa. We should appreciate Mr Darcy’s regard for our family and treat his warning earnestly. The mere fact that two young ladies are meeting with officers, unchaperoned, is enough danger to our name and reputation. Papa, please promise me you will have a care.”
“I promise you, my dear. Besides, we shall return home soon, and your youngest sisters can make fools of themselves in front of our old acquaintances.”
Elizabeth shook her head in disapproval. His inclination to make sport of everything was worrisome.
“I shall write to Darcy immediately and thank him for his concern. I understand he will leave London soon, so I hope my letter will find him still at home.”
Elizabeth’s cheeks lost their colour. Every word about Darcy tormented her, and she feared her voice would tremble so she chose to remain silent.
She felt grateful that, despite being away, he still watched over her and her family.
Since he had written to her father, surely he must be thinking of her too.
“So, how does it feel to be a married woman, Lizzy? Or must I call you Lady Alveston?” Mr Bennet enquired teasingly.
“I am well, Papa. And Lizzy will do very well. I am already tired of Mama calling me Lady Alveston with every other breath.”
She hesitated, then added. “If you write to Mr Darcy, please inform him that you have discussed the matter with me and that we are both thankful for his concern.”
“I will. So, my dear. When do you wish us to leave? To be honest, I have had enough of the sea for the rest of my days. I even look forward to listening to Sir William’s nonsense.”
“We agreed to depart together by the end of next week. If you wish to come to London with us and stay for a while, you are most welcome.”
“No, no, do not even suggest it! We shall return to Hertfordshire directly,” Mr Bennet said hastily. “I am finished with travelling for at least a year.”
∞∞∞
Several more days passed, bringing the summer’s end closer. At the cottage, life followed the usual pattern with Philip as the centre of their preoccupation.
Less than a week remained until their departure, and Elizabeth was at the edge of her patience. Brighton had lost all its charm to her. Neither the sky full of stars nor the deep blue of the sea attracted her. All was a reminder of what she could not have.
She knew she must distance herself from these tormenting reminders of what she had lost and concentrate on what she did have: her new family and her duties.
Resolved to make the best of her lot in life, Elizabeth’s spirits improved, and she thought it best to think only on what might bring pleasure.
As she sat with her husband under a large parasol, at an hour too early for visitors, Elizabeth startled at seeing her father and her uncle Gardiner, together with Bingley, approach in great haste.
Mr Bennet, struggling to articulate a few words, was pale and breathless. Elizabeth rose, giving up her chair to her father.
“What has happened?” Her relations’ expressions revealed the gravity of their fright. “You are alarming me! What has happened?”
Mr Gardiner gathered his composure enough to speak. “Lydia eloped last night. With Wickham. We discovered her absence before breakfast. She left a note saying that they are in love, and they have gone to Gretna Green to marry.”
Elizabeth glared at one man then another in disbelief. She fought for air and supported herself against the table. “Surely you are joking,” she heard herself speak with a severity she rarely used.
“It would be a poor joke, Lizzy,” her father answered weakly.
“But how was it possible?” Elizabeth enquired, raising her voice.
Philip reached out to cover her hand with his.
“Papa, did we not talk about this matter only a few days ago? Did Mr Darcy not warn you? And still you took his warnings with little regard! How could she have eloped from a house full of people? Did no one ever watch over this girl?”
“Lizzy, calm yourself, my dear,” Mr Gardiner gently interjected.
“Calm? Uncle, you were there too! How can I be calm? What shall we do now? How will you find her, Papa?”
“Lizzy, we already blame ourselves enough, you should not doubt that,” Mr Gardiner responded.
“We shall follow them to Gretna Green and see what can be done. Kitty told us Lydia was anxious to marry, and she said she would return to London as soon as she was Mrs Wickham. She said Lydia asked us not to worry.”
“You will follow them to Gretna Green? But then why have you not left directly? It is already late and they are several hours ahead of you. You will never catch them! You have not an instant to lose!”
Elizabeth knew she was being too severe upon her father and uncle, but she could not control her temper.
The worst thing that Darcy had feared had happened, and her family would be in the midst of a scandal caused by the thoughtless Lydia and by her parents’ negligence.
As much as Elizabeth loved her father and it pained her to see him suffering, at that moment, she was disappointed in him.
There was no favourable resolution to the situation; either Lydia would return home unmarried, exposing the family—including Lady Kendal and Philip—to scandal, or Lydia would marry and suffer a life of misery with an unworthy husband.
“We came to inform Lady Kendal and Lord Alveston about this unpleasant news, as this surely affects all of us,” Mr Bennet confessed, his eyes and shoulders lowered with shame.
“Then let us discuss it.” Lady Kendal, upon seeing the gentlemen arrive, had come to stand at Elizabeth’s side, and she had listened patiently. “So, Lydia eloped with that Wickham. I assume you disapprove of such a marriage.”
“Mr Wickham—who was a friend of the family for a brief time—has proved himself to be dishonourable and unworthy of our trust. I doubt he could possibly feel true affection for Lydia,” Mr Bennet explained.
“So, you intend to forbid this marriage, although Miss Lydia seems to insist upon it?”
“I do. But I fear we shall not find them in time to prevent them from going to Gretna Green,” Mr Gardiner said.
“Could we accuse him of kidnapping Lydia and have him arrested?” Lord Alveston enquired.
“I suspect Lydia will have declared her intention to marry him to everyone. Kitty said as much,” Mr Gardiner responded.
“Besides, as they have already been gone overnight, it is likely marriage is the only honourable course for Lydia,” Mr Bennet whispered.
“Elizabeth, what do you suggest?” Lord Alveston asked, and all eyes turned to her. Her cheeks burned with ire.
“Lydia is young and thoughtless. She does not know her heart yet. She is infatuated but cannot be truly in love. As for him, he will never be a decent husband to her. He will not even be able to provide for her, and I suspect they both have debts.”
“I have sent an express to Darcy. If he is in town, he might be of some help to us,” Bingley said.
“Mr Darcy has always been a help to us. He shared with me his suspicions about Wickham a month ago. And last week he wrote to me, about some rumours he heard that Lydia and Wickham had met on several occasions. But I did not heed his warning, and now I am paying for my disregard with my daughter’s future and my family’s tranquillity,” Mr Bennet said wearily.
“What help do you expect from Mr Darcy?” Lady Kendal asked Bingley.
“I am not certain, but he might suggest a course of action as he has known Wickham all his life.”
“Do you fear Wickham might only compromise Lydia and not marry her?” Lord Alveston questioned.
“That would have been a reasonable assumption until a year ago,” Elizabeth answered with deep embarrassment. “But now, I fear he sees her as a way to assure himself an easy living. He must presume that having two sisters married well, Lydia will be well taken care of.”
“My dear, if he agrees to be a good husband to Lydia, we could take care of them both,” Lady Kendal offered generously. “We do have the means to assure them a decent living. We have several properties where they might reside. He can find something to turn into a career, and we shall support him.”