Chapter Four #2
The rest of the evening went moderately well.
Lydia and Kitty were as boisterous as ever.
Lydia was quite resentful of the conversation between Elizabeth and Mr. Wickham and was soon successful in placing herself in the gentleman’s path.
Elizabeth watched with some amusement as Mr. Wickham parried her sister’s advances.
Lydia, it seemed, had determined that Mr. Wickham was worth pursuing, despite his lack of red coat.
She fluttered her eyelashes and pursed her lips into what she thought to be an alluring pout, to no avail.
Mr. Wickham was polite but distant, and Elizabeth thought him rather patient with her sister’s antics.
Mary had hovered around Mr. Collins for much of the evening.
It seemed to Elizabeth that her sister sought to put herself in that gentleman’s way, hoping to gain his attention.
Mr. Collins was sadly oblivious. It was a pity, for the third Bennet sister had a similar disposition and the two might get along famously if Elizabeth’s cousin would open his eyes to Mary’s better qualities.
Thankfully, the man had not bothered Elizabeth for much of the night.
It was only at the end of the evening that her cousin again attached himself to her side, regaling Elizabeth with his exploits at the card table.
Near the end of the night, Elizabeth happened to glance across the room as Mr. Collins rambled on and noticed Mr. Wickham watching them with a furrowed brow.
His gaze was unreadable, yet intense. When the man realized Elizabeth was watching him, his brow smoothed, and he bowed briefly to her.
Elizabeth nodded in return and followed her mother and sisters to the cloak room, puzzling over what she had witnessed.
The ride back to Longbourn was silent except for Mr. Collins’ long-winded speeches and declarations of his enjoyment of the evening.
Elizabeth could feel her temper rising with each word, and it was with great relief when the carriage stopped in Longbourn’s drive to let them out.
Elizabeth would have been amused at the speed with which her family departed the carriage had she herself not been so eager to be away from her cousin.
The man never seemed to run out of things to say.
Mrs. Bennet declared herself quite fatigued and made her way to her chambers immediately. Elizabeth and her sisters quickly followed suit, hoping to avoid Mr. Collins and his continuing flow of words. It was not until Elizabeth shut and locked the door to her room that she felt she could relax.
After readying for bed, Elizabeth finally was free to reflect on the evening.
Her behavior had truly been abominable. Such impropriety!
One might think she was Kitty or Lydia instead of their sensible older sister.
What was done was done, however, and Elizabeth was determined to make a better impression the next time she met with Mr. Wickham.
The following day she found herself confined to the house due to a turn in the weather.
Mr. Collins seemed pleased to take the opportunity to continue his misguided attempts at wooing her.
When the rain continued into its second and third days, Elizabeth soon found it necessary to absent herself from the rest of her family to avoid her cousin’s attentions.
She spent the better part of four days following her aunt’s card party sequestered in her room or hiding in her father’s study.
Mr. Bennet found great amusement in his daughter’s plight, much to Elizabeth’s annoyance.
Finally, on the twenty-fifth of November, Elizabeth woke to clear skies. Eagerly, she donned her walking boots and her outerwear and, after purloining a hot scone from the kitchens, set off into the morning mist.
She walked briskly towards Oakham Mount, relishing in the cool air on her face and the crisp feeling of autumn in the air.
After a vigorous climb to the top of the mount, she gazed out over the sweeping landscapes and off into the distance, her mind wandering to her anticipation of the next evening, when they would all attend a ball held by Mr. Bingley.
Elizabeth jumped when a twig snapped behind her.
She whirled around and saw Mr. Wickham coming up the very path she had just ascended.
Mindful of the impropriety of being alone with the man, and her previous lack of decorum, she resolved that she would greet him before departing immediately toward home.
“Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Wickham said. “I see I am not the only one to seek the out of doors after four entire days of confinement.”
“Mr. Wickham.” Elizabeth returned his greeting. “Indeed, I could scarcely leave Longbourn quickly enough this morning. Restricting my rambles is not to my liking. I sometimes feel as if I should have ventured out in the rain, risking illness and my mother’s wrath, just for a breath of fresh air.”
Mr. Wickham nodded. “I understand you completely. Thus, we meet here this beautiful autumn morn.”
Elizabeth nodded. She took a deep breath before continuing. “I feel as if I must apologize for my lack of discretion and propriety at my aunt’s card party, sir. It was rude and very badly done.”
Mr. Wickham smiled. “Think nothing of it, Miss Elizabeth. I can well understand your feelings regarding my friend’s behavior. If I may, however… I would caution you against relying too much on first impressions. They can often be deceiving.”
Elizabeth wrinkled her brow. “I find I must disagree with you, sir. In my experience, first impressions are rarely wrong.”
“Allow me to give you an example. When I was introduced to Sir William Lucas, my first impression was of a self-important man with no real intelligence, flaunting his knighthood and telling of his presentation at St. James ad nauseum; I could scarcely understand how such a man might be granted a knighthood.”
Elizabeth made to interrupt, feeling her face heat in anger, but Mr. Wickham held up a hand, indicating his wish to finish uninterrupted.
“I have not been in his company so very often, but Mr. Phillips, my employer, has waxed poetic on the many good traits of Sir William. Mr. Phillips has rapidly become a man I know I can trust, a man I esteem. Am I to rely on my first impressions of Sir William, knowing that another estimable man holds him in high regard? What of the other citizens of Meryton who feel the same? Am I to discount their greater experience and understanding of him in favor of my misguided opinions?”
Here, he paused and shook his head before continuing.
“I think not. I do not know Sir William well enough to have properly sketched his character, though I look forward to the opportunity of doing so. In time, I am certain I shall find him as agreeable a companion and friend as any others who esteem him so. Until then, I will set aside any preconceived notions and prejudices that might have formed.”
Elizabeth realized she was gaping and snapped her mouth shut as Mr. Wickham came to an end of his speech.
She could hardly fault him for his opinions.
Sir William could be a trial, and she could see how someone who did not know her neighbor might draw the same conclusions as Mr. Wickham had.
Elizabeth suspected that the man’s little example held deeper meaning, and she cursed her sluggish brain for not quickly grasping what he was trying to say.
She took a moment to gather her thoughts.
“I believe I understand you,” she said slowly. “You are saying that one must not allow prejudices and first impressions to form the overall perceptions I may have – that I must also not render judgment on so incomplete a picture I have of your friend.”
Mr. Wickham nodded. "Perhaps you might also consider examining Mr. Darcy's friendships. Mr. Bingley seems a gregarious and friendly man. How might Mr. Darcy have earned such a man's approbation if he were truly as despicable and arrogant as you suppose?"
“But how am I to sketch his character when he makes it so difficult? He does nothing but stare disapprovingly at me, eavesdrop on my conversations with others, and argue with me any time we are in company! He is so very vexing.”
“Be patient with him,” Mr. Wickham said. “He has never been one to recommend himself to strangers. Many matters weigh on him, and while these things do not excuse his behavior, they do offer some explanation at least. If, in time, you find that you cannot like him, I will not protest.”
“I admire you for playing the part of a faithful friend,” Elizabeth said. “He did not seem happy to see you when you first arrived, though I will admit his behavior to you was much more favorable after you both rejoined our party.”
Elizabeth knew she was pushing the boundaries of propriety yet again, and so she changed the subject.
“I must be returning to Longbourn,” she said. “Our discussion had been most… enlightening, and I thank you for it.”
“Allow me to accompany you part of the way back,” said Mr. Wickham.
Elizabeth gracefully accepted, feeling once again like a child that had just been scolded.
How Mr. Wickham managed to deliver his lectures in so friendly a manner was somewhat baffling to Elizabeth.
The last time she had spoken with the man, she had been left feeling befuddled and chagrined.
This time was very similar, but instead the discussion had left her feeling dazed and uncertain.
Elizabeth and Mr. Wickham parted ways at the base of Oakham Mount, with Elizabeth going left to Longbourn and Mr. Wickham right toward Meryton. Upon completing her walk, Elizabeth promptly shut herself in her room to mull over her enlightening conversation with Mr. Wickham.