Chapter 35 #2
“Yes, Lydia is to be married,” said Mr Gardiner, sinking heavily into an armchair. Fury and exhaustion were equally visible upon his face and in his voice.
“I do not understand how,” said Elizabeth.
Instead of answering immediately, he first drank from the glass waiting for him, looking at the four beautiful women gathered around him whilst attempting to compose himself after the horror he had experienced during the past few days and especially that morning.
“Start at the beginning,” said Mrs Gardiner. “How did you find them?”
“It was not easy, and alone I would have had no result. As you know, searching from inn to inn produced nothing. Then, a few days ago, Mr Darcy used his personal connections to locate a certain Mrs Younge, a woman who had previously sheltered Wickham, and compelled her to reveal the address of their lodging. This morning, we went there directly to the most dreadful district of London.”
The expression upon Mr Gardiner’s face conveyed such dismay that words seemed almost unnecessary. Nevertheless, they came.
“You cannot imagine the state in which we found her. She was in a filthy room, surrounded by indescribable disorder, and she greeted me cheerfully…from her bed.”
Mrs Gardiner sighed beneath the weight of that image.
“And to complete the absurdity of it all, she was so cheerful that it robbed me of any relief at having found her. You have seen her yourselves. You have heard how she talks. From the moment we found her, she spoke of nothing except her happiness.”
“And…him?” asked Kitty.
“When we arrived, Colonel Fitzwilliam summoned the scoundrel downstairs. Mr Darcy wished to speak to Lydia first, so Wickham was kept out of the way by the colonel.”
“Mr Darcy was there, in that room? He saw her like that?” cried Elizabeth in alarm.
“Not in the room. He waited downstairs amongst drunkards, though I have no doubt he understood perfectly what the rest of the inn looked like. I brought Lydia downstairs.”
“In that condition!” exclaimed Mrs Gardiner.
“Yes. Exactly as you have seen her. Dirty, uncombed, and delighted with herself as though she had achieved something extraordinary. Mr Darcy asked her what she intended to do. We had discussed so often that finding her would not solve the problem. Everything depended upon what was to become of her relationship with Wickham. Mr Darcy had always maintained that they ought not to marry, because she would become a burden upon the family.”
He paused and looked once more at the ladies gathered around him. It was difficult to believe that Lydia could truly be the sister of Elizabeth and Kitty.
“But when he asked what she wanted, Lydia declared cheerfully that they were going to marry. It never even occurred to her that he might not wish to marry her.”
“And Mr Darcy?” asked Elizabeth.
“He said nothing. It was her decision. She spoke of how much she loved Wickham, and I think Mr Darcy realised that it was useless to persuade her otherwise. That girl is entirely unaware of reality and lives in a world of her own. She considered it perfectly natural to leave with him and insisted it was not an elopement because they intended to marry.”
“But he never intended to marry her.”
“It seems not. That is why Mr Darcy wished to speak to her first. Yet once she had decided she wanted marriage…Mr Darcy probably compelled him. Colonel Fitzwilliam told me only briefly that the wedding would take place and that Mr Darcy would pay for a special licence.”
“Good heavens,” said Kitty. “We must write to Mama. But are you certain they will marry?”
“They will marry,” replied Mr Gardiner firmly. “That scoundrel does not trifle with Mr Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
“The fact that Mr Gardiner already calls him a scoundrel rather suggests that he is not making a very promising entrance into the family,” observed Agnes after he had withdrawn.
“I care only that they marry,” said Kitty at once, the only solution which, in her view, would leave their honour intact.
“Even if they become a burden to all of us?” asked Elizabeth, who understood so much more about Wickham’s character, but at her rational question no one dared to give an answer.
Kitty wished to return home immediately, but the ladies persuaded her to remain in London, continue with everything they had planned, and allow tempers in Meryton to settle once news of Lydia’s marriage arrived.
“What are we to do with her?” asked Mrs Gardiner anxiously.
Her concern soon proved justified. Once Lydia had eaten and been dressed properly, she immediately began demanding a trousseau and wedding preparations, as though the occasion were the happiest event imaginable for everyone concerned.
When Elizabeth instinctively reached for the cameo, evidently considering whether she ought to sell it to satisfy Lydia’s whims, Agnes stopped her in a voice of unusual authority.
“Do not even think of it. The only thing you need to do is thank Mr Darcy. Miss Darcy has invited me to call any morning I choose, and I shall send a note to say that we are coming together. It will provide an excellent opportunity for you to thank him on behalf of your family.”
Elizabeth reflected upon the suggestion. Agnes was right. It was the sensible course, the course anyone would follow in such circumstances. It had nothing to do with whatever had once existed between herself and Mr Darcy.
“I shall go,” said Elizabeth at last. “Only I can thank him on behalf of the Bennet family, and it ought to be done. Afterwards, we shall not meet again.”
Agnes did not reply. She merely looked at Elizabeth and inwardly amused herself.
Those around them would ensure that Mr Darcy and Elizabeth met as often as possible. Of that, Agnes intended to make very certain.