Chapter 20
Chapter 20
The day before the wedding, the matron of honour and the best man travelled together from London, although they stayed separately. He stayed at Netherfield Park to drink a few glasses of courage with the nervous bridegroom, while she stayed at Longbourn to spend the night reminiscing with the bride about their shared lives. Georgiana Darcy had intended to accompany them, but a sudden attack of megrims put paid to that plan.
Elizabeth had been worried about how her mother would behave around Mr Darcy when he stayed at Longbourn, so it was a relief when Charles requested that her husband remain at Netherfield for the night. However, to her surprise, she found her mother much less excitable than usual. Except for a few embarrassing comments about Mr Bingley’s five thousand here and Mr Darcy’s ten thousand there, she mostly kept herself busy with the last-minute arrangements for the wedding.
Perhaps both Jane and I marrying well has alleviated her fear of someday being without a home of her own, Elizabeth thought with a philosophical shrug. And as she observed her mother issuing directions to Hill, Elizabeth realised that although the sting of her mother’s betrayal would never go away, in time she may be able to forgive her mother for the perfidy.
Apart from those minor changes in her mother, everything and everyone at Longbourn was blessedly familiar. Her father continued with his teasing ways; Mary remained prone to quote theology without delay, and Lydia and Kitty were as involved in fashion and gossip as ever (it appeared the engagement of Lt. Wickham and Mary King had been called off). And why would there be any drastic changes? After all, she had been married for less than three months. Perhaps she was looking for changes because she had changed so much in the same amount of time. When she had left Longbourn the last time, it had been with the sadness of leaving her home, but tomorrow, when she would leave Longbourn, it would be with the joy of returning home to Darcy House.
∞∞∞
The 14th of March of the year 1812 in Meryton dawned crisp and beautiful, as beautiful as the bride to be married in the parish church that morning.
As Mr Bennet walked his eldest down the aisle, it appeared as if the whole of Meryton had congregated in the church to witness her wedding ceremony to Mr Charles Bingley. The pews were full, and there were many who stood at the back to be part of the happy occasion, and it truly was one. While there were quite a few who disliked the loud, bragging ways of the bride’s mother, there was rarely anyone who did not feel pleased for the kind-hearted bride. That she had spent twenty-two years in the village with hardly a cross word to any of her fellow man held Jane Bennet in good stead. The fact that the bride and groom looked radiantly happy only added to the general good will. And as the vows were being exchanged, the young girls sighed, and the matrons cried, the loudest of them being Mrs Bennet.
Of the guests, there were many who were also eager to see for themselves how marriage to Mr Darcy was treating Lizzy Darcy née Bennet. The tender glances the matron of honour shared with the best man while the bride and groom exchanged their vows were enough to answer the curious. So much so, that Mrs Goulding was once again heard bragging about her unusual perspicacity in being the first to identify which way the wind was blowing.
This time Mrs Bennet had the satisfaction of arranging as lavish a spread as the one with which she had thought to impress Mr Darcy’s noble relatives. What did she care if there were no lords and ladies attending the wedding breakfast? All the four and twenty families in the neighbourhood and the soldiers of the militia would know what Mrs Bennet of Longbourn was capable of. To her great delight, almost everyone she encountered at the wedding breakfast made it a point to mention its magnificence. Even her old rival, Mrs Goulding, admitted it, albeit reluctantly.
∞∞∞
After getting ready to travel back to London, Elizabeth was standing at the window of her old room when she saw Lydia slipping inside the Longbourn arbour, situated at the back of the manor house. The deserted location and Lydia’s furtive mannerism both raised her suspicion, and she hurried out of the room.
What could Lydia be doing there all alone? Has she started a flirtation with someone? She wondered as she rushed out of the kitchen door into the back gardens.
“But why the change of plans, George, darling? I am not ready to leave at this moment. The day before yesterday, you said we would be leaving tonight.”
“But then I was not aware that Darcy would be leaving this afternoon.”
Elizabeth froze as she heard Mr Wickham’s unctuous voice answer Lydia.
“Mr Darcy! What has Mr Darcy to do with anything? If that dour man gets to know of our escape, he is more than likely to chase after us and stop us.” Lydia complained irritably.
Elizabeth’s lips tightened at the disrespectful manner in which Lydia spoke of Mr Darcy. Gretna Green! So, the rat has convinced Lydia to elope. It would appear that his conscience, which prevented the penniless soldier from offering for a ruined Lizzy Bennet, is no longer troubling him, she thought cynically.
“Do you not understand, Lydia? That is what he wants. For Mr Darcy to chase after you,” Elizabeth said as she emerged from behind the shrub where she was standing.
“Mrs Darcy!”
“Lizzy!”
Lydia and Wickham both whirled around to face her with identical looks of dismay on their faces.
“W-Why would he want Mr Darcy to chase us?”
“You said it yourself, Lydia, to stop you, so that Mr Wickham can then negotiate his price for leaving you or marrying you, as per his desire. Do you not find it odd that he found time to woo you only after your sisters married men of consequence?”
“George is not like that!”
“If he is not like that, why is he convincing you to elope with him instead of asking Papa for your hand? After all, Mr Darcy, and Mr Bingley both did so.”
“I.… H-he said Papa would not agree to let his daughter marry a penniless soldier.”
“Hmm.” Elizabeth considered for a moment. This attempt by Mr Wickham has been foiled, butunless Lydia realises his true nature, there will always be a risk of repetition, even if I tell Papa about this incident.
“I have to admit that he is right, Lydia. Papa would be reluctant for any of his daughters to marry a penniless man, especially when our father cannot give us much of a dowry. But if you love Mr Wickham enough to agree to elope with him and live forever in straitened circumstances, then I promise to talk to Papa for you both.”
Lydia, whose eyes had widened for a moment at ‘straitened circumstances’ was silent for a while. Then she asked, “Would you really, Lizzy?”
“Yes, I would. In any case, you cannot elope now that I know your plan. I also cannot condone such immoral conduct, which would most likely cause the ruin of our family. But if you love Mr Wickham, then I am very willing to plead your case to Papa.”
Lydia nodded, then went up to Mr Wickham and looped her arm around his. “Come, George. Let us go to Papa and tell him the truth. Lizzy was always his favourite, and now that she is married to Mr Darcy, Papa would be more than willing to listen to her. Oh, George, imagine how much fun it would be to have our engagement announced on the day of Jane’s wedding!”
Wickham, who had been listening to the conversation between the sisters with a growing look of horror on his face, immediately snatched his arm away. “Are you mad? Why would I marry a wild, penniless, fool of a child woman when I have nothing to gain out of it?” he snarled.
“What! Oooh, George! How can you be so cruel?” Lydia wailed, but Wickham was no longer listening to her. The foiling of his infallible plan to quit playing the soldier by Darcy’s annoying wife of all people was making him agitated beyond reason.
He turned to scowl at Elizabeth. “You and your husband are a menace! Darcy interfered when I had successfully convinced Georgiana to elope with me. He caused me a loss of thirty thousand pounds, and now you interfere when I could have easily made him and Bingley shell out forty thousand between them!”
“Why… why you scoundrel!” Lydia cried, and wanting to make him hurt as much as her pride was hurting, she kneed him in that part of the body that, according to John Lucas, could nearly debilitate a man.
“Aooowww… you… bii..tch!” Wickham howled and doubled over in agony.
For a long moment, Lydia stood looking at him, writhing in pain. “John Lucas obviously knew what he was talking about,” she muttered in satisfaction before turning to Elizabeth. “Come, Lizzy, let us give Mr Wickham some time alone to recover in peace from his suffering.”
Elizabeth, who had been stunned first by Wickham’s revelation about Georgiana and then by Lydia’s ferocious response, slowly came out of her stupor and gulped. “Ah, yes, yes…. You go ahead, Lyddie; I will follow you directly.”
With a short nod of acknowledgement, Lydia walked away. Elizabeth watched her for a while, and saw her sister hurrying towards Longbourn’s front gardens, the venue of the wedding breakfast.
With a deep sigh of relief, she turned to address Wickham, “I hope you know that I will be telling about your vile actions to my father the moment I find him. So, if you do not want to be any more… damaged than you already are, you would not take too much time to… recover and leave.”
Then, without a backward glance, she hurried after Lydia. She wanted to assure herself that her sister was well. Lydia had been quite brave in front of the rogue, but she would definitely be hurting.
It was because of this turn of events that Darcy, who was absentmindedly listening to Sir William drone on about Lady Catherine’s most benevolent and gracious welcome to him at Rosings, noticed first his wife, then a few moments later Wickham, emerge from the path leading to the back side of the house.
While Elizabeth did not look his way, for some perverse reason, Wickham did. Wickham, being his usual cunning self, immediately realised that Darcy would have seen his wife coming down the same path only a few moments ago. And just because he could give his nemesis a few anxious moments before his wife told him the truth, he turned his grimace of pain into a knowing smile before hurrying away.
∞∞∞
Darcy was surprised and a little disturbed by the happenings. Circumstantial evidence suggested that the reprobate had been talking to Elizabeth. But what about? What new evil is he planning now? he wondered. Surely Elizabeth would let me know; she knows how I feel about Wickham.
After extricating himself from Sir William, he went in search of his wife, only to discover that she was closeted with her father in his study. They emerged half an hour later, and Darcy noticed that both of them looked a little grim. However, before he could get Elizabeth to himself, it was time for Bingley and the new Mrs Bingley to leave for Netherfield Park. Not long after, they also bid farewell to Elizabeth’s family and were on their way to London.
In the carriage, they had the requisite privacy, and Darcy waited for his wife to broach the subject of Wickham, but to his disappointment, Elizabeth went to sleep, pleading tiredness.
Elizabeth, for her part, had debated including her husband in the conversation with her father; however, since there was the delicate matter of Georgiana’s involvement with Wickham, she chose not to mention it to her father or involve her husband in the discussion. In order to ensure Lydia’s silence, she had requested Papa to impress upon her sister the importance of secrecy in such matters. Her own conversation with Lydia had convinced her that her younger sister was chagrined and hurt enough to have learnt her lesson.
The discussion with her father had been a difficult one, and by the time they came out of his study, she was feeling utterly drained. It was for this reason that she decided to reveal Wickham’s nefarious deed to her husband in the comfort of their home. Additionally, while she felt guilty for grossly misjudging her husband, she was angry with him too for not even attempting to warn the unsuspecting people of Meryton about the snake in their midst.
However, for her husband, her silence indicated an attempt to hide something from him. Whenever Wickham entered any situation, unfortunately, Darcy’s reactions were more visceral than logical. While he had faith in Elizabeth’s honour, he had equal belief in Wickham’s wickedness.
Why is Elizabeth not telling me about her encounter with that man? Last November, at the Netherfield ball, she revealed that she was quite sympathetic to him. Does she still hold a soft spot for him in her heart?
Round and round his thoughts went, and by the time they reached home late in the evening, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy was in a fit of the sulks. He did not acknowledge that much of his resentment stemmed from jealousy and insecurity; rather, he concentrated only on what he considered to be Elizabeth’s wilful attempt at concealment.
They were welcomed by Higgins at the front door, who informed them that the dinner would be ready whenever they were.
“We are tired, Higgins. Please request Mrs Higgins to send dinner on trays to our rooms.” Darcy said shortly before retreating into his study with a perfunctory excuse of attending to his correspondence.
Elizabeth was surprised by his clipped tones, which reminded her of Mr Darcy of yore. Perhaps, like me, he too is suffering from an aching head. I will tell him about the rat tomorrow, she decided and went up to her room. Georgiana came in after Elizabeth had changed her travelling dress for a night rail. She was eager for the details of Jane’s wedding, and Elizabeth was happy to indulge her.
∞∞∞
The next morning Elizabeth sought Mr Darcy’s presence in order to update him about the events of yesterday but was thwarted in this endeavour when she was told that he was busy with his steward. To her surprise her husband proved rather elusive the whole day. He went away to his club after his meeting with the steward and when he came back, he was accompanied by a friend. It was only at dinner time that Elizabeth was able to see him, but with Georgiana and Mrs Annesley also present at the dining table she had no opportunity to broach the subject she so desperately wanted to.
Even before the dinner was over, Darcy expressed his intention of dealing with some long pending business and excused himself immediately after the dinner. The same pattern started the next day as well. By the time afternoon arrived and Mr Darcy once again closeted himself in his study, Elizabeth had enough of his evasiveness. She decided to go ahead and meet him in his study. After all, she had done so before.
She had just raised her hand to knock on the study door when Michael, the footman on duty in the hallway, stopped her. “I am sorry Mrs Darcy, but Mr Darcy has requested that he not be disturbed at the moment,” he said apologetically.
“Is there someone with him in the study?” she asked quietly.
“N-No, Mrs Darcy. He is on his own.”
“Then I suppose he would be able to spare a few minutes for his wife,” she said with a sweet smile and opened the door of the study after a perfunctory knock.
“I told you; I do not want to be disturbed, Michael,” Mr Darcy’s irritated voice met her ears as she entered the study and closed the door behind her. He stood with his back to the room, looking out the window, at the garden outside.
“Please do not be angry at Michael, he did tell me not to disturb you, but I ignored his advice.”
Darcy swivelled around when he heard her voice. “Elizabeth! What is the matter?”
Elizabeth was incensed when she realised that instead of doing any ‘important’ work he had been enjoying the greenery. And here she had been desperately wanting to seek his advice regarding Wickham.
“Matter? Nothing is the matter except I need to ask you something.” Her voice had risen in irritation by the time she finished her sentence. Feeling conscious of the fact that the footman might hear her shouting, she moved away from the door and towards her husband.
Darcy’s brow rose at her angry tone, and he felt curious despite himself. “Then ask away, what do you want to know?”
Elizabeth came to halt in front of him and all but hissed, “I want to know why have you not done something to rein in that scoundrel Wickham? Do you know he tried to convince Lydia to elope with him? You know he is a rake, and you did not try to warn anyone in Meryton!”
“Ah…” The only fact that appeared to register in Darcy’s brain was that, far from having any sympathy for Wickham, Elizabeth knew him for what he was—a scoundrel! The relief that knowledge brought was so intense that he started smiling.
“For heaven’s sake, why are you smiling like a simpleton?” Elizabeth’s voice rose once again in frustration. Her eyes widened as a sudden thought struck. “Are you inebriated?’ she asked suspiciously, even as she lifted her face towards him and sniffed delicately.
Darcy could not help himself. “No, I am not. See for yourself,” he murmured before bending and pecking her lingeringly on the lips.
“Oh!” Elizabeth blushed. “A-Are you trying to distract me, Mr Darcy?” she asked, totally bewildered by her husband’s blow hot, blow cold behaviour.
Recognising her confusion and feeling heartily ashamed for his foolish suspicions, Darcy caught hold of her hand and led her to the settee near the window. “I apologise for behaving in this odd manner, my dear. Come, sit, and tell me what happened the other day.”
Elizabeth heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that the strange man who had accompanied her from Longbourn had disappeared, once again replaced by her caring husband.
“When I went to get ready for our journey to London that day, I saw Lydia slipping into the arbour from the window of my room. Her manner was such that I chased after her, and I thank the Lord that I did.”
“She had a rendezvous with Wickham.” Darcy looked at her enquiringly.
“Yes. When I reached there, Mr Wickham was asking her to elope with him at that very moment and Lydia was insisting to leave in the night as per their original plan. From what he let drop at the time, I have a suspicion that rather than marry Lydia, he was planning to hold her for ransom and wanted you in the vicinity for quick negotiations.”
“I can very well believe that. He is capable of any depravity,” Darcy retorted grimly, then added, “I believe you made your father aware of the whole sorry business. I just hope that he keeps an eye on Lydia. Wickham does not let a beneficial proposition fall through his hand so easily.”
“That is why I made sure that Lydia was aware of his true nature,” Elizabeth added proudly.
Darcy’s mouth quirked at her pleased expression. “Would you like to share the details?”
“Oh, I just suggested to Lydia that while I obviously could not condone eloping, I was willing to request Papa to give his consent for her marriage to Mr Wickham if she was willing to live in straitened circumstances for love.”
Darcy grinned appreciatively. “How very naughty of you, Mrs Darcy. I suppose Wickham turned tail and ran.”
“Yes, he did, but before that, he rather rudely and explicitly told Lydia what he thought of the idea.”
Darcy sighed. “Poor Lydia.”
“I would say poor Wickham, because Lydia took great offence at his words and responded quite ferociously—by kicking him… um… where it hurts a man the most!”
Darcy grimaced involuntarily. “Ooh…” Then his eyes met Elizabeth’s and they both burst out laughing. “I wonder from where she got the idea.”
“Oh, from the same source all of us got, our honorary brother John Lucas. Jane, Mary, and I got the information via Charlotte, whereas it appears Lydia got it straight from Mr Lucas.”
“Well, it is good that you ladies know how to protect yourselves if the need arises.”
“Will you tell me something?”
“That obviously depends on the something.”
Elizabeth grinned at the cautious response. “Why did you deny Wickham the living? Did he murder the incumbent?”
Darcy chuckled. “Fortunately, it was nothing as nefarious as that. He did not feel himself well suited for the profession and took three thousand pounds in lieu of relinquishing the living. So, when he came back to stake his claim after he had spent all the money, naturally, I refused.”
Elizabeth stared at him open-mouthed. “Well… really! I am glad Lydia kicked him where she did,” she said fiercely.
“I have to agree.”
She stared at her husband solemnly. “I want to tell you something else. Wickham was so angry with me for interfering that he confessed to a similar attempt with Georgie which you had f-foiled.” Elizabeth’s voice faltered at the bitter expression on his face. “Why did you not run him through, Fitzwilliam?” she burst out finally.
Darcy was too agitated to notice how naturally she addressed him by his given name, which was how she thought of him now—Fitzwilliam.
“I wanted to, God, I cannot tell you how much I wanted to. But I could not, Elizabeth. He had ensured that he was seen courting Georgie in the seaside town where she and her then companion, Mrs Younge, were staying. A duel would have been detrimental to her reputation.”
“Oh! Elizabeth was silent for a while as she digested the information. “We need to do something about him because he will never change. Every time he gets away without punishment he gets emboldened to try his luck again.”
“Hmm. You are right, of course.” Before he could say anything further, there was a knock at the door, and Colonel Fitzwilliam came walking in when Darcy bade enter.
“Richard, what brings you here today?”
“Father sent me to tell you, that day after the morrow, he is travelling to Rosings for that final change of its ownership.”
“Oh yes, Anne’s birthday is just round the corner. I have something more interesting for you.” But instead of telling the story to his cousin, he turned to Elizabeth. “Shall I, my dear?” he asked.
When she nodded, Darcy very succinctly told Richard the happenings in Meryton and their predicament about the rogue.
“I just wish we could send him somewhere there is a better use of all that cunning and duplicity,” Elizabeth muttered when her husband finished his tale.
“You know, a soldier at war with those Frenchies needs a lot of cunning and duplicity.” Richard grinned suddenly. “Thanks to you, I know just what to do with Wickham, Mrs Darcy, and I am sure Colonel Forster would be equally understanding when I convince him of the need.”
As understanding dawned, Darcy agreed with an amused smile, “I am sure Wickham will utilise his talents much better in the army.”
“And if we are lucky, he might achieve the ultimate glory for King and country. So please do not worry any longer, Mrs Darcy.”
Elizabeth shivered a little at the wicked glint in the colonel’s eyes. “Thank you, Colonel Fitzwilliam. I will now leave you two to enjoy a comfortable chat, while Georgie and I go to Matlock House, where your dear mother is expecting us.”
∞∞∞
From Matlock House Elizabeth and Georgiana were to accompany Lady Matlock and Emmaline to a tea party given by one of the countess’s many cronies.
When they arrived, they found the countess ready and waiting for them in her parlour, but Emmaline was still getting ready.
“Sometimes Emmaline has no value for time,” Lady Matlock complained. “I advised her to go to the circulating library tomorrow, but no, she had to go today. I do not know where she acquired this sudden taste for reading novels. And now she is making all of us late.”
Although Elizabeth had a very good idea about the reason for Emmaline’s sudden affinity for reading, she chose to keep her own counsel. “I am sure she will come down in a few moments. There is still enough time to reach Mrs Howard’s town house at the prescribed hour.”
Before Lady Matlock could respond to Elizabeth’s placatory words, her daughter came into the parlour, but not the one she was expecting.
“Minerva! Come, sit, my dear.” Lady Matlock patted the empty seat by her side. “I thought you said you had a prior engagement…. Minerva, what is it, my child?” The countess exclaimed as she saw tears rolling down her daughter’s cheeks.
“It is Gregory… he… he admitted that… that woman is his mistress. He told me not to e-enact a Cheltenham tragedy for… such a s-small thiiing.! Oh, Mother! what am I to dooo…” By the end of the sentence, Minerva was crying in earnest.
“Shh… Minerva.” Lady Matlock pulled her crying daughter in her arms and gently rubbed her back. The kind voice, gentle touch, and a mother’s embrace only made the distressed young woman cry harder.
Realising that not only they were intruding, but the discussion was definitely not appropriate for someone as young as Georgiana, Elizabeth rose from her chair and motioned to her sister to follow her.
The keening sound that Minerva made just before Elizabeth shut the door to the parlour, made her shiver.
“Let us go to the yellow parlour,” Georgiana said in a subdued voice. Elizabeth discovered that the yellow parlour was two doors down the same hallway and as she sat down on a comfortable sofa, she wondered whether they should leave. It was obvious that with Minerva in such distress, they would not be going to Mrs Howard’s tea party.
“Do you think we should leave?” Georgiana asked what was in Elizabeth’s mind.
“Let us wait for a while, Georgie, Lady Matlock might have some need of us.”
“Hmm.” Georgiana nodded then made her way to the window across the room. “I-I always thought Lord Stanhope was a nice man. H-How could he hurt Minerva like this?” she asked after a moment. It was apparent she was near tears, but Elizabeth had no comforting words for her.
What comfort could anyone offer in such a situation?If Fitzwilliam ever did something like that, I would die. It was a wrong rabbit-hole to go down into, but once she started, Elizabeth could not seem to stop.
From what he said to the colonel that day in the billiards room, Fitzwilliam clearly has not indulged in such behaviour, then why would he start doing so now that he is married? she asked herself triumphantly.
But you know his views about upholding of vows when people marry for unusual reasons and you two hardly married for the reason people normally marry.
Elizabeth bit her lip in frustration, unable to argue against that fact. Unfortunately, her inner voice was not content with a single victory. He holds women likeLady Stalbridge and Mrs Lawson in contempt, but what if, in future, he met a woman he could love? After all, he is not in love with you.
You do not know that!
Do you know anything to the contrary?
Oh! Stop it.
Feeling agitated, Elizabeth got up from the sofa. “I will check with Lady Matlock if she needs us, Georgie. If not, we can go home,” she said, beginning to make her way to the door.
“Elizabeth, wait. I will come with you.”
As Elizabeth and Georgiana came out of the yellow parlour, they observed Lady Matlock and Emmaline walking down the staircase and waited for them.
“But Gregory professed to be so much in love with Minerva, Mother. I do not understand how he could do this to her!” Emmaline asked angrily.
Lady Matlock released a deep sigh. “Unfortunately, Emmy, nothing is constant in life, not even love.”
“Elizabeth, Georgiana, I am very sorry to have abandoned you both in this manner,” the countess apologised as she came down to stand in front of them.
“There is no need to apologise, dear Aunt, we understand,” Georgiana said, rushing forward to give her aunt a hug.
“Dear child,” Lady Matlock murmured as she tightly clutched her niece to her.
“How is Minerva?” Georgiana asked.
“She is resting at the moment. I administered a few drops of laudanum.”
“Can we do something to help?” Elizabeth enquired.
“I believe only Gregory and Minerva can help themselves in this situation,” Lady Matlock said ruefully.
Elizabeth and Georgiana soon took their leave of the countess and Emmaline.
∞∞∞
At dinner that evening, Darcy was puzzled to see both Elizabeth and his sister looking subdued.
“Why do you both look so gloomy? I hope you did not meet anymore shrews in Mrs Howard’s tea party?” He tried to enliven them with a weak jest.
“We did not go to the tea party, Brother.”
“Why not?”
“Minerva came to Matlock House just as we were about to leave. She… she was very distressed about something, and Aunt Susan naturally decided to stay and comfort her.”
Darcy’s lips tightened as he guessed what Georgiana was not explicitly saying.
“Darned fool Stanhope!” he muttered under his breath. Now there were three troubled people at the Darcys’ dining table.