Chapter 9
Word swept through Meryton like wildfire that the heir to the Longbourn estate was in jail for attempting to harm one of the Bennet sisters.
Lady Anne gasped as Miss Bingley told the story the following morning at breakfast, and laughing, believing it was amusing, probably embellishing the tale to the detriment of the family in question.
“Do you know what sister he attempted to harm?” Bingley asked, worried.
“I do not know.” Miss Bingley answered, “But I believe one of the kitchen-hands may since she is a niece… I think, to the Longbourn housekeeper.”
“I must ride to Longbourn and offer my services.” Bingley said resolutely.
“Charles,” Miss Bingley screeched, “you cannot!”
“Why not? They are my friends even if you and Darcy despise them.” He retorted angrily.
Darcy looked chagrined to have been lumped with Miss Bingley, but before he could defend himself his mother intervened.
“Do not worry, Mr Bingley. Georgiana and I do not despise our new friends. We shall go and offer our assistance in any way we can.”
“Mother…” Darcy started to speak but his mother put a hand up to stop him,
“Do not… ever! They are my friends and Georgiana’s. You are under no obligation whatsoever. If you want to, you can stay here and gossip with Miss Bingley; since you two are so aligned in your dislike of the local populace.”
Darcy gasped in horror but had the good sense to remain silent.
He knew his mother’s disposition and if she was still angry with him, he had better stay out of her way until she cooled.
Until then, he decided to also stay out of Miss Bingley’s way, lest she started believing that they shared more than just a few scattered opinions.
At the correct calling time, Lady Anne and Georgiana were announced at Longbourn.
The family looked a little more subdued than the usual, while Elizabeth in particular seemed a little distracted.
When Lady Anne mentioned she had heard of some unpleasant stories that had happened to the family lately, Mrs Bennet blurted out the whole ugly affair, mentioning that the man at first appearance seemed very respectable, being not only the heir to Longbourn but the parson of a certain Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Kent.
“Lady Catherine? Oh my goodness, why am I not surprised? I ought to have known since only Cathy could bestow a living upon a reprobate.”
The other ladies looked at her in confusion as she explained, “I am certain he mentioned his patroness, as Cathy only hires sycophants.”
“Oh yes,” Mrs Bennet exclaimed, “many, many times over. In fact he mentioned her almost with every breath. We almost felt as if we ourselves knew his patroness intimately with only half a day of his acquaintance.”
Lady Anne laughed, “That is exactly what I expected. Lady Catherine is my sister and a very arrogant and haughty woman she is.”
“Oh my dear Lady Anne, I beg your pardon if I spoke out of turn.” Mrs Bennet said.
“Not at all, Mrs Bennet, I know my sister very well and half a day in her presence can go a long way. We hardly ever visit her since she has put into her head to marry William to her sickly daughter. Of course he will have none of it.”
“Poor Anne,” Georgiana said sadly, “it is not as if she wishes for a connection with William since he treats her just as coldly as he treats any other young lady.”
Elizabeth frowned in surprise, “I am astonished to learn that Mr Darcy would treat one of his own family as dismissively as he tends to treat the rest of us, mere mortals.”
Lady Anne shook her head, “he is not a bad sort, Miss Elizabeth, he is just burdened with responsibilities.”
“I am sure he is, my lady.” Elizabeth could have elaborated on the fact that many gentlemen had heavy burdens to carry, but most of them did not behave above their company because of it.
The conversation stalled a little and an awkward silence stretched.
“I know what we could do to snap out of this languid afternoon,” Georgiana said, “shall we go to the local milliners and buy something or other to brighten our day?”
“Oh Miss Darcy, what a brilliant idea,” Lydia said enthusiastically. She then remembered her banishment and looked down sadly.
Lady Anne smiled compassionately, “Miss Lydia, if you promise to behave and with your mother’s permission of course, I will not only escort you, but take all your sisters myself and sponsor everybody with a trifling trinket or whatnot.”
This offer of course, brought great exuberance among the young ladies and soon they were all out of doors and heading for Meryton. Lady Anne offered to take Mrs Bennet in her carriage but she thanked the lady citing tiredness after the stressful night they had experienced.
Once they arrived in Meryton they were surprised at the great number of Militia officers, who walked around like peacocks in their red capes.
“Oh look Lizzy,” Lydia said loudly, “Mr Denny and other officers. Oh Lord, they are so handsome, I shall become distracted.”
Lady Anne looped her arm with Lydia and reminded her of her promise, “I hope you remember, Miss Lydia, that any unseemly behaviour on your part will result in you watching your sisters shop at my expense but you will go empty handed.” She smiled.
Lydia immediately lowered her head studying the ground before her.
Georgiana gave a little gasp, “Mama, look, it is George.”
A striking man in regimentals turned towards the group of ladies and smiled most charmingly until he recognised Lady Anne and her daughter. He then frowned and shook his head in bewilderment. Then his face split into a most enticing smile.
Elizabeth caught her breath. The handsome officer almost knocked her dumb as she gaped at him.
Georgiana opened up like a flower and would have run towards him had her mother not grabbed her arm and held her in place, firmly.
“Stay.” She hissed in the girl’s ear.
Mr Denny and the officer called George walked towards the ladies, “Miss Bennet, how nice to see you and your lovely sisters again. I hope you are all well. Please allow me to introduce to you our newest addition, Mr George Wickham.”
Introductions were made and soon the handsome man called Wickham turned to the Darcy ladies saying with an open smile, “Lady Anne, Georgie… I beg your pardon, I mean Miss Darcy, what a pleasure to see you here. It has been what...” He shook his head, “a long time.”
He reached out and grabbing Georgiana’s hand in his, he lifted it to his lips bestowing a lingering kiss.
Georgiana blushed pink and giggled a very girly sound.
Lady Anne grabbed her daughter’s arm and gently pushed her behind herself and then she stepped into Mr Wickham’s way blocking his view of Georgiana.
“Yes, four years, Mr Wickham, since Georgiana and I saw you.” Lady Anne answered rather stiffly, “but I heard that William saw you as recently as three months ago? When the Kympton living became vacant.”
He paled and his smile faltered for a few seconds, before he composed himself again, “Yes, I heard that the living intended for me was bestowed on somebody else.”
“Do you mean the living you rejected and were compensated for accordingly, as per your request?”
“Well…” he started.
“Oh come Mr Wickham; let us not quarrel about the past; after all we still hold many of your… interests, very close to our hearts.”
He blinked a few times but eventually he smiled again, “Talking about my heart, how is Miss Buchanan? Is Darcy still her friend?”
The question seemed inoffensive enough but Lady Anne took one step towards the officer, who actually took one backwards,
“Mr Wickham, let me say this only once, if you approach me, or any member of my family,” she looked back at Georgiana and then seemed to remember something else, “or any other young lady of this neighbourhood again, I will call in all your debts that we bought from the Cambridge and Lambton shopkeepers and send you to the Marshalsea for a very long time. In fact, I am certain that you will never leave that prison once you get there.”
Mr Wickham now paled to an almost ghostly pallor. He then bowed stiffly and turning on his heel left the group without another word.
Mr Denny looked dumbfounded, “Errr… excuse me ladies, I had better return to my regiment. Good day to you all.” He also bowed a little too formally and turned to join his friend.
“Mama, what happened?” Georgiana asked with tears in her eyes.
“Georgiana darling, never confuse a handsome face with an honourable heart. That man is only looks but no substance.”
“I thought he was papa’s favourite.”
“He was my darling, but unfortunately your father only saw what he wanted to see. And to be fair, George behaved much better while your father was still alive. His true character only came to the fore, in Lambton at least, once his godfather was no longer there to censure him. But William kept me informed of his behaviour in Cambridge.”
All the ladies huddled together on the side of Main Street while this conversation was going on. The Bennet sisters were amazed, as all of them saw only the handsome face. They thought that Lady Anne seemed unnecessarily harsh with the new officer, until the full story unfolded.
“I encouraged William to buy his debts from Cambridge and later at Lambton also. We now hold almost two thousand pounds of debt that could put him into debtor’s prison for a very long time.”
“What about the living in Kympton?” Georgiana asked, confused.
“He rejected it. Firstly he never took holy orders and secondly he wanted money instead, and was given three thousand pounds for it, as well as the one thousand that your father left for him in his legacy.”
“Four thousand pounds?” Elizabeth said, “My goodness! That is a fortune. If he had invested it he should not be a lowly soldier in an indifferent Militia.”
“Exactly, Miss Elizabeth, the fact that he is now scraping at the bottom of the heap indicates that he has squandered all of it already.”
“How?” Jane asked dumbfounded.