by Janet Aylmer
Darcy had not deigned to reply himself, but had instructed his attorney to write, saying that all Mr. George Darcy’s intentions had been met by paying Wickham a much larger sum than that mentioned in the will.
The living at Kympton was then given to a worthy young man already known to the Darcy family, who appeared to have a true vocation for the Church.
On the morrow, Darcy left his instructions for the estate and the house for the next few weeks with his steward and with Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper at Pemberley, who had been with the family since he was a child. He then left in the chaise with Fitzwilliam. After the first day’s travel, he said farewell to his cousin, who left to take the stage to Essex to see his family near Chelmsford.
On Darcy’s arrival in town, he did not find a letter waiting for him from his sister as he had hoped. Instead, there was a note from his friend Charles Bingley, saying that he had been detained in Scarborough where his sisters were residing for a few weeks. However, he wrote that he should be in town within a few days, staying with his brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, whose house was but a short walk from Darcy’s mansion in the Square.
They had become friends whilst at Cambridge, and Darcy had introduced the younger man to his father, who had enjoyed the company of Bingley on the few occasions they had met before the death of Mr. George Darcy. An easy going, good-looking young man now of some three and twenty years, Bingley came from a respectable family in the north of England. Although the fortune had come from trade, he had inherited property amounting to nearly an hundred thousand pounds from his father. He enjoyed country pursuits and, on leaving the University, had considered purchasing an estate, or at least taking a lease of a property. So far, he had not been able to find a place to his liking.
Bingley was as easily pleased by female company as his friend Darcy was not. He was often in love, but as quickly changed his mind. He had easy, unaffected manners, and was always happy to defer to the superior understanding and judgement of his friend on any topic. After the death of his father, Darcy had been glad of the company of his friend, since at that time his sister, Georgiana, had been but ten years old and away at school.
Bingley had two older sisters. The elder, Louisa, had married Mr. Hurst some years earlier, a man more of fashion than fortune with a house in town in Grosvenor Street. The younger, Miss Caroline Bingley, was a little older than Darcy and of an age when many of her contemporaries were now married. Each had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds.
Darcy was regularly in the company of the two sisters when they were with their brother, and found their concern for their place in society, and their habit of associating only with people of rank, very proper. Both sisters were very fine ladies, although seen by their inferiors as proud and conceited.
The following afternoon, Darcy visited his attorney, Mr. Stone, to discuss his business affairs. On his return, he found a letter waiting for him from Georgiana.
He took his favourite seat in the drawing room, facing the window onto the Square, and began to read.
My dear brother,
We called in at Rosings as I promised.
Our cousin Anne was unwell, and kept to her room. However, Mrs. Younge and I took luncheon with Lady Catherine before continuing on our journey. Our aunt had messages for you that I will pass on when we next meet.
Mrs. Younge and I are now well settled in our lodgings, and Ramsgate is a most delightful place.
We are walking every day along the front by the sea to watch the ebb and flow of the tides. We have also taken a carriage out into the country; there are many pretty lanes and woods to see round about.
I am very much enjoying the opportunity to renew my acquaintance with the gentleman whom I mentioned to you in my last letter. He knows Mrs. Younge quite well, and is just as delightful a companion as I remember him.
He says that I should not tell you anything of his being here, which seems to me a little strange. I have not seen him for more than 5 years, when he returned to Pemberley with you while you were both at Cambridge.
If I say that his name begins with W, I shall not be breaking my promise to him to keep our secret.
Your loving sister
Georgiana.
Darcy read the letter twice through.
Suddenly, a terrible thought came to him. He leapt to his feet and called to his man to pack an overnight bag, and get the carriage to the door within half an hour.
3
The journey to Ramsgate seemed to take an unconscionable time. The carriage passed within a few miles of his aunt’s home at Rosings, but Darcy was in no mood to pause. He urged the coachman on, but the recent rain had made the going difficult, and it was late in the evening before he reached Ramsgate, and secured a room at the Inn in the main square. Before retiring for the night, he sent his coachman to search out where his sister’s lodgings were situated, and told him to report early the following day.
On his calling at the rooms on the next morning after breakfast, Georgiana had been surprised but delighted to see him.
Mrs. Younge’s enthusiasm had been much more muted.
Darcy soon found out why in private conversation with his sister. On questioning her as gently as he could, she had confirmed to him that the visitor she had been seeing was Mr. Wickham, whom she had recalled fondly from her childhood acquaintance. After a little further discourse with her brother, Georgiana had confessed that she thought that she was in love, and they were planning to elope together. A carriage to Scotland was already ordered by Wickham for the following morning.
Darcy lost no time. He was directed to where Wickham was staying, a few streets away, and found him making preparation for leaving the next day.
Wickham had always had, in Darcy’s recollection, the ability to turn any situation to his own advantage, and he sought to do so now.
“Why, Darcy,” he said, “this is a most pleasant surprise, for I did not know that you were planning a visit to Ramsgate. Is this a part of the country with which you are familiar? I had thought that you were away in the north just now.”
“So my sister tells me!” said Darcy, since he did not wish to prolong the interview.
Wickham had the grace to look a little discomforted, but said, “She has become a very charming young lady. I have been enjoying her company, as she may have told you.”
Darcy had to admire his confidence, but said only “Or is it her fortune that you seek to enjoy?”
“You always assume the worst of me, do you not, Darcy?”
“I have good reason to do so, and certainly on this occasion. Georgiana is but fifteen years’ old, and yet you were planning to marry her without the consent of either of her guardians!”
And Darcy told him to leave Ramsgate immediately, to cease all and every communication with Georgiana, and never to contact her again.
“And should you think of making any aspect of this affair public, I will ensure that the circumstances are known wherever in society you choose to impose yourself.”
He knew that even Wickham’s charm and ease of conversing would not preserve some remnant of his reputation in polite society if the truth were to become generally known. But that would also damage Georgiana, and therefore such public exposure was to be avoided if at all possible.
Wickham left the town that day, leaving Darcy to deal with Mrs. Younge.
The interview with that lady was painful but also of short duration, Darcy making it quite clear that she had betrayed his trust, and that she was immediately discharged from his service.
After she had left the house, Darcy went up to see Georgiana. He told her as little as he could about Wickham’s dissolute ways, but did explain that, whatever arts might have been used to gain her affections, the young man had been much more interested in his sister’s fortune of thirty thousand pounds than in any else that he might have suggested.
Georgiana took this news with great distress, being of a trusting nature. She was so ignorant of the ways of the world that it
had never occurred to her that she had been grievously deceived, nor that her actions would have unwittingly angered her most beloved brother.
He and his sister left together for London the next day, where Darcy took steps to replace Mrs. Younge without delay. After consulting his cousin Fitzwilliam as joint guardian to Georgiana, Darcy was able to procure the services of Mrs. Annesley, a refined and pleasant woman who seemed to be well qualified to be a companion for his sister.
After a few days, her spirits began to revive, and she returned to her artistic pursuits, in drawing and her love of playing the piano-forte. The following week, Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley accompanied Darcy to Derbyshire, where his friend Charles Bingley joined them. He did not return to town until the early autumn when his sister’s spirits were fully recovered. Bingley took a different route south, whilst Georgiana travelled with her brother.
4
The next week, Bingley arrived in town to stay with Darcy. He was full of a new enthusiasm for the counties north of London. On his journey, Bingley had been on a tour through Hertfordshire, and had been very taken by the country around the small town of Meryton.
Having found that a suitable property, Netherfield Park, was available, and after inspecting its situation and the principal rooms for half an hour, he had taken it on a short lease.
“So you see, Darcy,” he said, “you must join me there. I shall take possession before Michaelmas. The sport for game in the park at Netherfield is promising, so we gentlemen at least will be well suited. I have hired servants who are to be in the house by the end of next week. I shall return to London once everything is settled there, and you and my sisters with Mr. Hurst must come down and join me.”
“And I suppose,” said his friend, “that you will try to convince me that I shall enjoy country ways and local assemblies...”
“But of course, my dear fellow!” said Bingley heartily, clapping his friend on the back. “And will Georgiana like to come with us?”
Darcy knew that his sister was very shy of being in any kind of company after her disappointment in Ramsgate. He had heard that Wickham had lately gone into the militia, although he knew not where. The manner in which her involvement with that gentleman had been dealt with hopefully meant that the affair never need be mentioned to anyone, least of all Bingley’s sisters who delighted so in gossip.
Darcy had recently become aware that Georgiana did not find Miss Caroline Bingley very easy company, and did not welcome her staying with them at Pemberley. So he declined the pleasure of a visit to Hertfordshire on her behalf, using as the excuse that instruction with her music master would detain Georgiana in town with Mrs. Annesley.
Bingley was as good as his word, and some two weeks later was back in town to relate how his excursion into the country had gone.
He was able to report that his new neighbours had made him most welcome. Within a few days of his arrival in Hertfordshire, a number of gentlemen had waited on him.
One of the first of these had been a Mr. Bennet, a gentleman of limited fortune, who lived with his wife and five daughters in the largest house at Longbourn, a small place just outside Meryton. He had proved to be a man of sharp wits and literary conversation, aspects of character that were not Bingley’s greatest strengths. However, the call had passed pleasantly enough.
Bingley had engaged to return his courtesy within a few days, having learned from other local acquaintances that the two eldest daughters, the Misses Jane and Elizabeth, were considered to be beauties and amongst the fairest young ladies in the County. On the next Friday, therefore, Bingley had ridden the mile over to Longbourn to return the visit.
He reported that it was a pleasant property, well situated, with an extensive shrubbery to one side but with modest grounds, and surrounded by its own farmland. Bingley had spent ten minutes with Mr. Bennet in his library, and was sorry to leave without having the opportunity of seeing any of the young ladies, although he had been glad to learn that the Misses Bennet enjoyed dancing.
A Sir William Lucas had also called, who was father to a large family and also lived in the neighbourhood of Nether-field. Bingley had been encouraged by Sir William to take a party to the next assembly in Meryton after his return to Hertfordshire.
“Is that not a capital plan?” said Bingley to his friend.
Darcy regarded him with a quizzical eye.
“I cannot recall how many times I have tried to impress upon you that my knowledge of the exercise is not matched by any enthusiasm for dancing with young ladies unknown to me.”
“A ball is,” he went on, “a vastly over-rated pastime, calculated to satisfy the desires of mothers who wish to expose me to their daughters with a view to marriage. The only result is to require me to make conversation with the same tiresome young lady for half an hour at a time, without any chance of relief, whilst the whole of the room speculates on our future marriage and her good fortune!”
“Darcy,” said his friend, “you are too sensitive. Of all the people I know, you are the most able to repel unwanted interest in a short sentence.”
“But why invite such interest,” Darcy replied, “if I do not wish to dance in the first place! I can not remember an occasion when I have obtained the pleasure you seem to find from taking the hand of a passably pretty woman in front of an assembled company.”
Bingley protested. “It is high time, then, that you did encounter a young lady to interest you. And what better way than to meet the daughters of my new neighbours at a ball in the local assembly rooms?”
Since this appeared to be a subject on which they were unlikely to agree, Darcy did not pursue the point. Instead, he made sure that Georgiana was happily settled in town with Mrs. Annesley before he left with his friend for Hertfordshire, accompanied by Bingley’s sisters and Mr. Hurst.
“My dear Mr. Darcy,” said Caroline Bingley, “how will Louisa and I be able to support spending this whole evening at the ball at Meryton? I cannot abide country manners and noisy music! Can you not persuade my brother, even now, that we should stay here at home?”
“I fear not, Madam,” said Darcy, who was leaning against the fireplace in the drawing room at Netherfield Park. “He is quite set on going, and on us accompanying him. I doubt very much whether Hertfordshire is as well provided with pretty young women as he has chosen to believe. But I regret that I have failed to persuade him to find any other better form of amusement acceptable for this evening.”
At that moment, the object of their conversation entered the room, attired for the ball.
Miss Bingley pursued her attempt to divert their brother from his purpose. “Are you really determined,” she said, “that we shall spend the evening with tradesmen’s daughters and elderly dowagers?”
“I can never understand,” replied her brother, “why you and Louisa must be so difficult to please, when we all have the prospect of such a pleasant evening in Meryton! Come, Darcy, all of you, a little social dancing will do you the world of good!”
And, within the hour, his chaise had delivered them to Meryton.
When they entered the assembly rooms, a group of musicians was busy playing a reel. All around him, it seemed to Darcy that very many ladies of all ages were regarding Bingley and his party with too much interest, whilst in the centre of all was an assortment of couples performing a dance with less than great ability. To Darcy, the evening did not seem to promise well.
The party from Netherfield was soon introduced to many of the company by Sir William Lucas, who took considerable pride in explaining to Darcy that he had been presented at court, and therefore was of some consequence in local society.
Within a few minutes, Darcy saw Bingley as usual quickly making the acquaintance of many of those assembled. His friend’s easy manners and willingness to be pleased soon found favour with the company. He was lively and unreserved, was soon dancing every dance, expressed anger to learn that the ball closed so early, and talked of giving one himself at Netherfield.
Darcy observed all this as he walked about the room, averting his eyes from those he passed by, and hoping that Bingley’s sisters would return soon from dancing so that he had at least someone civilised to speak with.
He could not share his friend’s pleasure in the evening. Sir William’s attentions were intrusive, everywhere there seemed to be over-dressed matrons who looked up expectantly as he passed, eager to see whether he paused to ask one of their daughters to dance. The music was loud, the standard of dancing indifferent, and he saw no-one with whom any conversation could be a pleasure. He did observe that Bingley seemed much taken with the young lady who had been introduced as the elder Miss Bennet, a tall and graceful girl with pleasant manners, with whom he had danced twice.
During a break in the music, Bingley came over for a few minutes, to press his friend to join in.
“Come, Darcy,” said he, “I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance.”
“I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with.”
“I would not be so fastidious as you are,” cried Bingley, “for a kingdom! Upon my honour, I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life, as I have this evening; and there are several of them you can see uncommonly pretty.”
“On the contrary, you are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room,” said Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.
“Oh! she is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters, Miss Elizabeth, sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say, very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you.”
