*****
Tuesday, May 26, 1812
Arriving at Longbourn and seeing another horse present, Darcy glared at Bingley. He desired to spend time with Elizabeth and speak with Mr. Bennet and that would be difficult with other callers present. Bingley had delayed their departure. Fortunately, Sir William Lucas was just leaving when they reached the door.
Upon their announcement in the drawing room, Lydia boldly made her way to Darcy and fluttered her eyelashes. “Mr. Darcy, Miss Bingley tells me you and your sister are very fond of Ramsgate.” His countenance darkened but went unnoticed by the silly thing in front of him.
“We all planned to go to Weymouth this summer, but now that Jane is to marry, my father will not allow it. Mama is to send Kitty and Lizzy to London before they travel to the Lakes with our aunt and uncle. I daresay Lizzy needs it, for she has done nothing but look out windows, sigh, and go on her long walks since the regiment left a few days ago. It is as though she is in love with one of them!” Darcy’s brow furrowed, and he looked to Elizabeth, who tried to hide her blush.
He barely caught the last of Lydia’s words. “But I am not needed here. Surely if you would tell my father about the good Ramsgate did Miss Darcy, he would allow me to go with Sir William. For some sea bathing would set me up forever.”
“I will certainly speak with your father about Weymouth, Miss Lydia.” He glanced to Elizabeth, who nodded. Lydia nearly squealed in delight at the perceived victory.
Mr. Bennet welcomed the gentlemen to his library following their visit with the ladies. After some time, Bingley excused himself to check on his horse, but Mr. Bennet and Darcy both knew not to expect him back.
“Your family was to travel to Weymouth?” Darcy asked incredulously.
Mr. Bennet sighed, took off his glasses, and squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Yes, Lydia was invited to Brighton by Mrs. Forster, and it was announced publicly. Wickham was present. I am not talented with artifice, and everyone knows that I would usually allow her to go. Lizzy claimed that we had planned to surprise Mrs. Bennet with something early this summer and wished the whole family together for it. Before we could fabricate anything else, my wife assumed a trip to a seaside resort, as she had been requesting. Miss Bingley recommended Ramsgate. I did not know that was the location where Wickham attempted to seduce Miss Darcy. But Lizzy was clever enough to say we had planned on Weymouth. Knowing how members of the Royal Family enjoy the resort, Sir William suddenly was of a mind to go, and in a matter of minutes, I was publicly committed to spending the summer there.”
Mr. Bennet shook his head. “Your friend is so besotted with Jane, he proposed marriage the very next day, rather than spend time away from her. Before we could make new plans to share a large house, Mrs. Bennet determined that we should not leave the country at all. But now Sir William has extended an invitation to take Lydia. I have declined the offer, of course. I was uncertain if Wickham would attempt anything while we were all together, but I doubt he would travel back to Hertfordshire for Lydia.”
Darcy nodded in agreement. “I concur with your decision, sir.” He was quite relieved. He had hoped Mr. Bennet would continue to guard his daughters from Wickham in his absence. He was about to say more when a gentle knock on the door interrupted him.
“Come in, Lizzy,” said Mr. Bennet.
She quickly came in and gave both gentlemen a smile as they stood to welcome her presence. She brought in a tea tray with some cakes and set them on the desk before serving out the tea. When finished, she looked around anxiously, and Darcy saw Mr. Bennet peering at him over his tea cup.
Darcy cleared his throat, uncertain how to voice what clearly the rest of the room wished to hear. “Mr. Bennet, might Elizabeth sit with us? I would welcome her opinions.” The request brought nearly identical smiles to the faces of father and daughter.
“How much do you know about this Weymouth scheme, Elizabeth?” Darcy asked.
“I believe I know it all, except why Miss Bingley ever recommended Ramsgate. I can guess that well enough, though,” she replied with a smirk. Darcy and her father shared a half smile. “What I cannot credit is Wickham leaving his regiment, which would have drastic consequences, for the hope of seducing one of my sisters, and all without outward acknowledgment of our engagement.”
Darcy sat up straight in his chair. “What did you say?”
“Would he really risk leaving his regiment for Lydia? I perceived no favouritism from her for him.”
Darcy, delighted with her words, grabbed her hand and excitedly kissed it. “How did I not think it before?” He looked to Mr. Bennet, whose countenance displayed confusion.
“I explained that Lady Catherine was funding Wickham these last few years. Previously, I believed he might be earning his way through truly dishonest means and hoped to find evidence of criminal activity. But he is even managing to pay off his debts.” Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet nodded at this piece of old and seemingly irrelevant news.
“And I rightly feared him attempting to seduce or elope with one of your younger sisters.” His companions nodded in agreement again.
“But I never considered that in either event he would be leaving his regiment! That is the crime!”
Darcy’s uncharacteristic enthusiasm was catching, and Elizabeth exclaimed, “Oh! It would be the perfect thing.” Then she completely crumpled in her chair.
“What? What is it?”
“He has not committed that crime yet, and unless he hazards a visit to Hertfordshire, which I think we all agree would be too tremendously stupid for him to attempt, he never will.”
A ridiculous idea popped into Darcy’s mind. He muttered to himself, “No, too dangerous,” and shook his head. Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet’s curiosity piqued, however.
“I would welcome any idea you have, Mr. Darcy.”
Darcy looked uneasily at the gentleman “I fear it rash and imprudent, sir.”
Mr. Bennet chuckled, as Darcy’s distaste for such attributes was evident in his manner and speech. “I would still appreciate it. We have had no new ideas for weeks now.”
Darcy held Mr. Bennet’s eyes with an earnest gaze for a long moment, then looked to Elizabeth and squeezed her hand. “We allow Miss Lydia to go to Weymouth.” Elizabeth gasped. “Listen to my plan, darling.” He squeezed her hand again.
“Does she correspond with Mrs. Forster?” Elizabeth nodded. “Then Wickham may be using her as a means of information about the household, and Miss Lydia in particular.”
He could no longer remain seated and began to pace around the room. “Miss Lydia seems very close with Miss Catherine. Would it be possible that Miss Lydia would confide in her if Wickham managed to touch her heart before he left? If she expected to see him again in some way?”
Elizabeth agreed, and Darcy continued his thoughts. “If he managed to ingratiate himself to Miss Lydia, and if they managed to communicate with each other, then it is likely that Wickham would attempt an elopement with her. I can hire men to follow Miss Lydia, very discreetly, and protect her if necessary. Elizabeth, you and Miss Catherine are already planning to journey to London. If Miss Catherine has suspicions about Miss Lydia expecting Wickham and explains it to you, the information may also be helpful in apprehending him even faster. Colonel Fitzwilliam and I can ride to Weymouth from London, efficiently deal with Wickham before word gets out that he has left his regiment, and deal with him.”
Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet mulled over the plot. Mr. Bennet acceded to Darcy’s plan easily enough, but Elizabeth was sceptical. “What if this fails? What if Lydia does elope with him?”
Darcy kissed her hands and said sincerely, “Nothing will keep me from marrying you. I only wish to rid our lives of him completely. I once told you I took my duties as a brother very seriously, and I do. I would follow Miss Lydia myself, but I know she would recognise me. I promise you, Elizabeth, I will not allow her to succumb to Wickham. Chance saved my sister, but I am a wiser man now, and yours will not be unprotected as min
e was. I vow it.”
Elizabeth met his eyes. “Very well, William. I place my trust in you.”
Darcy would have smiled broadly at those words if not attached to such a disconcerting subject. Still, he felt the compliment of earning her trust.
Mr. Bennet cleared his throat and drew their notice. “Might I recommend something as well?”
“Certainly, sir.”
“Wickham will certainly act quickly if we announce the betrothal.” He chuckled as both sets of eyes looking at him lit up. “I will allow you a few moments together. When you come to the parlour, I will make the announcement.”
“Thank you, sir.” Darcy shook his hand with gratitude and more respect than he felt for the man only hours earlier.
After Mr. Bennet left, Darcy turned to Elizabeth and drew her into his arms. “So, you are in love with an officer? Must I call him out?”
Elizabeth could only shake her head and blush.
Darcy persisted with tolerable believability. “Who is he Elizabeth? I believe you know better than to give your heart to Wickham.” She gasped. He looked at her intently and lowered his head minutely. In a low voice he pleaded, “Will you not tell me his name?”
She shook her head again and attempted to kiss him, but he pulled his head away, silently demanding an answer.
She cried in exasperation, “You cruel man! Will you make me say it? You must know, surely you must know!”
And he did; her every look confirmed it. He was helpless against his next actions. His mouth fell on hers, and they shared a sweet and gentle kiss that quickly grew passionate. It was not frenzied like their encounter at Oakham Mount, but it was full of love and longing.
Darcy broke away from her lips and rained kisses upon her face, then down to her neck and up to her ear. He rasped, “Marry me, Lizzy? Of your own free will and out of affection, marry me? One word, I only need one word.”
“Yes, William. Yes.” Their lips met again and again until the sound of Mr. Bennet clearing his throat called them back to reality.
“You are missed. Come, let us finally announce this betrothal. Or will I need to call you out and demand you do your duty, Mr. Darcy?”
Darcy laughed. “No, sir! I am only too happy to oblige!”
Chapter Sixteen
Tuesday, May 26, 1812
For the first time in weeks, nay months, Elizabeth awoke cheery and wholly satisfied with the events of the day before. As she brushed out her hair, she hummed a simple tune and reminisced on the events of the previous night.
She could laugh now at her mother’s reaction to her betrothal, but at the time, she felt only mortification. The effect was most extraordinary for, on first hearing it, Mrs. Bennet sat quite still and was unable to utter a syllable.
Amidst the giggles of Kitty and Lydia, Mrs. Bennet, displayed the lively spirits Lydia inherited. She jumped from her chair, bounced to her now favourite daughter, and heedlessly cried in ecstasy, “Good gracious! Lord bless me! What pin money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! I am so pleased—so happy.”
She made for Darcy and clutched his arm in a way to rival Miss Bingley, with flirtation to match Lydia, “Such a charming man! So handsome! So tall! A house in Town! Everything that is charming! Ten thousand a year! Oh, Lord! What will become of me? I shall go distracted.”
Turning again to Mr. Darcy, she cried anew, “‘Tis as good as a lord! And a special licence. You must and shall be married by a special licence. Tell me what dish are you particularly fond of, that I may have it tomorrow.”
Elizabeth was particularly pleased to note that Darcy handled her mother’s antics with great fortitude. When at last she calmed, Darcy replied with true ease and amiability, assuring her of his delight at the engagement. He and Bingley stayed for dinner, and to the amusement of the whole house, he bowed over Mrs. Bennet’s hand most solicitously when departing. Her mother blushed the brightest red and nearly swooned. Elizabeth chuckled in remembrance.
Equally satisfying was the unexpected discussion she had with her youngest sisters before bed that night. Elizabeth expected displeasure from Lydia and Kitty. Although persuaded away from a match with an officer, it frequently seemed that Wickham was still a favourite of theirs. She was unsurprised, therefore, when he was the topic of discussion.
“Lizzy, why did you never tell us?” Lydia asked once all five sisters gathered in her room. It had been many years since they were so companionable.
Jane interceded, “Did you not hear when Papa explained they had to keep the betrothal a secret until Miss de Bourgh married?”
“Oh, yes. Is Lady Catherine very upset? Is that why you left Kent so early and yet Mr. Collins arrived as well? It was not to escort Maria home and allow Charlotte to visit with her family.”
Elizabeth replied uneasily, “Yes, Lady Catherine did not know at the time her daughter loved Colonel Fitzwilliam, and neither did Mr. Darcy. All is settled now, and all is to be forgotten.”
Lydia looked thoughtful. “I am glad he could afford to marry his lady after all. ‘Tis a shame not all men can.”
Kitty glanced at her sister. “Are you thinking of Mr. Wickham? Do you not recall Mr. Darcy telling us he is a gamester and refused the living?”
Lydia picked a piece of invisible lint off her dressing gown. “I remember, Kitty. But a man may still have better prospects from time to time.”
Elizabeth looked at her sister. “Lydia, what do you mean?”
“Mr. Wickham mentioned the probability of his inheriting some money and buying an estate to live like a true gentleman soon. But…”
Elizabeth arched her eyebrow. “But what?”
“But I cannot tell his lies from the truth, and it makes no difference to me. Now that you and Jane have got such rich husbands, I might even marry an earl or a duke! Jane is so shy, and you are too smart. And neither of you are as lively and fun as I! Weymouth will be just the thing!” Lydia clapped her hands in excitement, but Elizabeth grabbed them and looked at her with sincerity.
“Lydia, Kitty, and you, too, Mary, listen to what I say. I also believed Wickham’s lies for too long. I am very thankful Mr. Darcy told me the truth. Wickham is a very wicked man, he-he...” She dropped her voice, for such things were simply not said. “He ruins young ladies.” Each of her sisters gasped, for even Jane did not know the whole of it until now, and although no one had told Elizabeth outright, all evidence pointed to Wickham as a practiced seducer.
Elizabeth saw their expressions of disbelief, and she persisted. “He does. He preys on their vanity and flatters them, especially heiresses or the very young. Consider how quickly he attached himself to Mary King as soon as he learned of her inheritance. I am ashamed to think how easily I was taken in by his manners, how quickly I discarded the rules of propriety. The things he revealed to me in only a moment’s acquaintance should have alerted me! But all was designed to inspire my sympathy, so that I was so moved by compassion to ignore what I knew to be right.” Elizabeth shuddered in remembrance.
Mary cocked her head and spoke up. “Designed?”
Elizabeth slowly nodded. “Yes, dearest sisters. Mr. Darcy believes Wickham intentionally approached me. Wickham has been heartily jealous of Mr. Darcy for a very long time and has done many things to hurt him and his family. Mr. Darcy admired me, and Wickham hated it and wanted me to think poorly of Darcy.”
Elizabeth looked to each of her sisters to see if they accepted her words. She was unsurprised to see tears pricking Jane’s eyes. Jane would have gladly gone her whole life without believing such evil existed.
Mary was more contemplative than her younger sisters, and after a moment broke the silence. “Do you…do you think he planned to-to-to…” Mary blushed and could not continue but all understood.
Gravely, Elizabeth replied, “I do not know, Mary. I hope not. I hope even the worse cad would see I would not lose all reason and be so taken in by pleasing manners and a handsome face as to stoop to that.” Elizabeth was uncertain if she sh
ould say more.
Mary’s next statement was said with something like true understanding instead of mere recitation, as was her norm. “The loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; one false step involves her in endless ruin; her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful; and she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex.”
Elizabeth and Jane emphatically agreed. But Kitty and Lydia cried they had enough of seriousness for the time.
Kitty sighed and said, “Only think. Mr. Darcy loved you so much even this past autumn that Mr. Wickham instantly perceived it! Lizzy, how did you ever inspire such love? You do not flirt, and yet you caught not just a rich husband but a besotted lover! He barely took his eyes off you all day! He is even worse than Mr. Bingley!” This statement produced laughter from all the sisters.
“I was only myself. I never tried to earn his approbation. I always desired to be loved for myself, my flaws and all, and William does. He is the very best of men!” Elizabeth blushed when she realised she used Darcy’s Christian name, and her sisters erupted into laughter again.
Jane added, “We have so little to recommend us. Lizzy and I have been very fortunate in finding such good gentlemen who love us so much. But we never would have earned their admiration if we flirted and discarded propriety.” Kitty and Lydia rolled their eyes, familiar with the lecture.
Elizabeth would not allow it. “Girls, listen to us very seriously. We only mean to put you on your guard. You are both very young still and only moments ago admitted to not perceiving when Wickham, a man we have all known for many months now, was telling the truth or telling lies. Even I confessed to believing him. Not all men are as good as Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. Mary’s words were very true.
“I cannot say how we gained the notice of such rich men, but I know we gained the notice of such honourable men by acting correctly and modestly. But we did not set our caps at them. Jane would not act by design to capture Mr. Bingley, as Charlotte did for Mr. Collins. And I did not simper over Mr. Darcy as Miss Bingley does. Nor was it the work of a moment; genuine attachments take time and mutual regard to develop. There will be times in a marriage when wealth cannot replace respect, affection, and constancy.” The last statement made them all consider their parents’ marriage.
Compromising Mr. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Anthology Page 20
