Darcy shook his head, “I am not,” he assured her. “It would be very wrong of me to be so,” he told her as he leaned down towards her. “You did nothing wrong, so you have nothing to feel bad for. As I said, I know exactly how to handle this situation,” he said as he gently kissed her lips. “Now, you go with Jane, and I will see to Mr. Higgins,” he said as he walked back around and sat at his desk.
Elizabeth put on her bonnet and turned to leave when Darcy called out, “Oh, Elizabeth?”
She stopped and turned back to face him, “Yes, William?”
He smiled at her lovingly, “I wanted you to know that I will inform Mr. Higgins that you may buy whatever you like as often as you like,” he told her. “You have my complete trust.”
Elizabeth smiled, “I love you,” she told him.
“As do I you,” he responded before she turned and left the room.
Darcy pulled out two sheets of paper; one for Mr. Higgins and another for the letter he planned to write to Mr. Wickham.
Elizabeth stood in her uncle’s Parlor, “Lydia, what were you thinking to be buying all those gowns and sending the bill to Mr. Darcy?” she demanded to know.
Lydia shrugged her shoulders as she sipped her tea, “I thought it should be fine,” she told her. “After all, you are so very rich; why should I not buy a few dresses and have them billed to Mr. Darcy? He pays for Miss Darcy’s dresses, and I am now his sister as well. Why should he not buy them for me!?”
Elizabeth was astonished by her selfish attitude. “Lydia, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Bingley just bought you several new dresses when we were all together at Longbourn,” she reminded her. “It was very wrong of you to do what you did. You should know that when we go to the dress shop today, we will only be getting one dress and no more.”
Lydia dropped the biscuit she had in her hand and pouted, “That is not fair!” she wailed. “Mama, why should Lizzy get to have as many gowns as she wants but I am only allowed one new gown!”
Mrs. Bennet raised her brow, “Really Lizzy, I do not see why Mr. Darcy cannot buy your sister a gown or two. I daresay, he has enough money to buy a hundred gowns, and still, he would be rich!”
Elizabeth walked over and sat down across from her mother. “He cannot buy them, Mama, because it is not his duty to support Lydia,” she told her. “Lydia is married to Mr. Wickham, and as such, he should buy her what she needs. Besides, as I said, Mr. Darcy already very generously helped buy Lydia several new gowns while we were at Longbourn.”
“Oh, very well then. Since you put it like that, I suppose the one dress will have to do,” Mrs. Bennet said.
Lydia stomped her foot, “I think it most unfair!” she said, folding her arms across her chest.
Mrs. Bennet raised her brow, “I suppose your father has told you he will not allow me to have the carriage unless he or Mary goes with me to the shops!” she said annoyed. “Can you imagine, having to be chaperoned by my own daughter!”
At that moment, Mr. Bennet came into the room, “I told you, Mrs. Bennet, that I would not have you spending so much without speaking to me!” he snapped at her.
“I did not speak to you because you will not let me buy the gowns I wish!” she told him.
“Before even coming to London, we decided the gown you wore to Lizzy and Jane’s wedding will do very nicely for Mary’s wedding, and you promised me it would be so,” he reminded her. “You have already had two new gowns made since we arrived, and if I do not put a stop to it now, I will have empty pockets when I return to Longbourn. You will make me a pauper, Mrs. Bennet!”
Mrs. Bennet began to cry, “I suppose he told you we are to leave London the day after Mr. Godwin and Mary are to be married. He will not remain so that we may spend any more time here with you and Jane!”
Jane shook her head, “Mama, perhaps it is better if you return to Longbourn. After all, you will want to tell all of your friends of your time here before the weather is too bad.”
“I do not want to go to Longbourn!” Lydia cried, “I want to stay here and go to the balls and to laugh and have fun.”
Mary heaved a sigh, “Lydia, I am not so very sure that it is good for you to always be about in your condition. I think perhaps being at Longbourn would give you more time to prepare for your baby and to reflect on how your life will change after your child is born.”
Lydia began laughing, “My life will not change, Mary,” she told her. “How very dull you are. What a silly thing to say!”
“Regardless of what anyone wants, I am determined we are to return to Longbourn,” Mr. Bennet told them again before he left the room.
Mrs. Bennet began crying louder, her voice filled with anger and frustration. “Oh Lizzy, you do not understand. I cannot return to Longbourn before Lady Lucas returns to Meryton! I must have my share of the parties or she will have more to say; even my sister Philips will listen to her and not to me!”
Jane looked up at Elizabeth and shook her head. “Mama, Lizzy will go and speak to Papa. Perhaps if you were to promise not to go to any of the shops, then maybe he would consider staying on a little while longer.”
Mrs. Bennet nodded her head, as she sniffled in. “Oh yes, Lizzy! You must go and speak with him at once. He will listen to you. If you tell him I will promise not to buy any new gowns or hats, and shoes, he will listen to you,” she told her. “Then I will be able to spend more time with my girls, and perhaps even, we will all be together for Christmas time.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and sighed, “I will speak with Papa,” she told her begrudgingly before leaving the room.
Mr. Bennet sat at the desk in Mr. Gardiner’s study reading over a pile of bills when Elizabeth came in. He looked up at her and sighed heavily, “Have you seen these, Lizzy!?” he picked up the papers. “These are the bills I have received for your mother’s shopping only this morning. I meant what I said; she is not to go out again unless someone who can show some restraint goes with her!”
“Papa, I am sorry,” Elizabeth told him as she came in and closed the door behind her. “Is it very bad? Is the sum so very large?”
Mr. Bennet sighed again and leaned back in his chair, “It is not as bad as it could be, I suppose, but I truly do believe if I remain in London with so many shops and so much temptation around your mother she truly will have me return to Longbourn as a pauper.”
Elizabeth sighed, “Oh papa, will Mama never learn that there is much to be gained by economizing? If only she would show some restraint, and not just in her spending, but in her conduct as well. If only she would, I would be glad to have you both come to Pemberley and spend Christmas with me, but as it is, I do not believe she is capable of doing so.”
Mr. Bennet nodded his head, “No Lizzy, you are quite right,” he told her. “Your dear Mama is a woman of habit, and she will not improve, I am sorry to say. As much as it pains me, my dear child, I think it best we return to Longbourn. I believe Jane will return to Netherfield and that will keep your mother happy. She will cry and complain, but I believe it will be of short duration. Once we are home, then she will settle in soon enough. Besides, Sir William has said he does not plan to stay in London for very much longer. Once he has concluded some family business, he plans to return before the snows come,” he told her as he put the bills aside. “Now, tell me Lizzy, was Mr. Darcy very upset by your sister’s behavior?”
Elizabeth smiled, “No Papa, he was not upset, at least not with me,” she told him. “He said he would take care of the matter and said only that I should tell Lydia she may have the one dress as we agreed and no other.”
“I dare say, that is very generous of him, Lizzy,” Mr. Bennet told her. “Now, I will put your mind at ease and tell you; I have given Harris the strictest orders that neither your mother nor Lydia are to be allowed to have the carriage without one of you girls or Mrs. Gardiner there to accompany them. That will put a stop to this behavior, I am sure.”
Elizabeth nodded her head. “I think you must be right,” she said. S
he suddenly felt rather melancholy, “I will miss you, Papa,” she said as she blinked back a few tears. “I believe this will be our first Christmas time that we shall not be together.”
He got up from his desk, “You are right about that, my dear,” he said as he walked over and gave her a tender kiss on the cheek. “I shall miss you as well,” he said as he sniffled in just a little.
The carriage pulled up to the dress shop, and Elizabeth got out followed by Lydia and Jane. “Do you think the dress will be ready?” Lydia asked. “I so want to have something pretty to wear to Mary’s wedding.”
Elizabeth nodded her head, “I am sure it is ready, Lydia. The bill you had sent to Mr. Darcy said as much. Besides, Mr. Higgins comes highly recommended by our aunt and Mrs. Godwin. His wife is a remarkable seamstress who takes particular care in her work. She has made several dresses for Mary and me, and all of them are of the highest quality.”
“You will have something very pretty to wear to Mary’s wedding, Lydia,” Jane assured her.
“I hope it is the pink dress and not the green one,” she told them. “I did not really like the green so very much, but Mama said that I should get it.”
Elizabeth sighed, “Whichever dress it is will have to do, Lydia. You have no money for anything else,” she told her.
Jane scolded her sister, “Truly, Lydia; you should be thankful to have this one gown. Mr. Darcy and Lizzy are very kind to you after what you have done.”
“Very well then,” Lydia resigned herself to getting whichever one was completed. “Lizzy, can I have at least one of the new hats I picked out?” she pleaded. “I want something very pretty to wear to Mary’s wedding, and all of my bonnets and hats are very old.”
Elizabeth considered what she should do. She knew her sister well enough to know if she did not give in she would whine and complain the rest of the afternoon. “All right Lydia, when we have finished, we will go and look for a hat, but only one,” she told her. “And it cannot cost more than what I have brought with me. I will buy it for you from my pin money.”
“Oh, thank you Lizzy!” she squealed with delight. “I am so happy that you…” Lydia stopped suddenly, “Wickham!” she called out and began walking in the opposite direction.
Elizabeth stopped and turned to see someone walking further down the street with another woman on his arm. “Lydia, I do not believe that is Wickham,” she called out to her.
Both Jane and Elizabeth followed after their sister, “Lydia, that is not Mr. Wickham,” Jane told her.
Lydia furrowed her brow, “Yes, it is!” she insisted. “I think I should know my own husband,” she said before she hurried again to try and catch up with him.
Elizabeth followed after her sister as they made their way through the crowded street. “Lydia, it is not good for your baby for you to be chasing after strange men in the streets,” she scolded her as she grabbed hold of her arm and stopped her.
Lydia pointed over to a man standing with a woman looking into the hat shop window. “There Lizzy,” she called out. “There is my Wickham!” she said again.
Elizabeth turned and looked in the direction her sister pointed. This time she saw very clearly that it was Wickham, but he had not noticed them. Lydia went to move forward, but this time she stopped suddenly as a sharp pain came over her. “Oh Lizzy, I think I must sit down for a moment,” she said as her face went ashen white from the pain.
Elizabeth helped her sister inside the teahouse so she could sit down, “Are you well, Lydia?” she asked just as Jane caught up with them both.
Lydia nodded her head, “I am better now,” she told her. “It is Wickham,” she said again. “I know it is.”
Elizabeth nodded her head, “Lydia, did Mr. Wickham write to you to say he would be in town?” she asked her.
Lydia was very quiet for several moments, then said, “I have not heard from him since coming to stay at Longbourn. I have written to him several times, but he does not respond,” she admitted as tears welled up in her eyes. She sniffled in just a little as Jane went to get her some tea. “It was Wickham, was it not, Lizzy?” she asked her again.
Elizabeth was not sure how to respond to her sister, “I think it could have been him,” she told her. “He did look very much like Wickham.”
Lydia grabbed hold of her hand, “You could go with James and see if it was him,” she said, hoping that Elizabeth would. “You could go, perhaps he has finally received my letters and has come to see me...”
Elizabeth took in a small breath and nodded her head, “I will go and see if it is Mr. Wickham,” she told her. “But only if you remain here with Jane and take some tea.”
Lydia smiled as she wiped away her tears, “I will, Lizzy,” she promised.
Elizabeth walked over to James who had been following them. “Will you accompany me just over to the hat shop?” she asked. “I want to go and look for a hat for my sister. Mrs. Bingley and Mrs. Wickham will remain here and have some tea until we return.”
“Of course, ma’am,” James said as he walked over and opened the door for her.
Elizabeth made her way down the street until she came to the hat shop that they had seen Wickham standing at. “James, you may wait here for me while I go inside,” she told him.
James opened the door and nodded his head, “Very good, ma’am,” he said.
Elizabeth stepped inside and began looking around the store. At first, she did not see the lady or Wickham through the crowded store, but then she heard his voice as he passed by her and she knew it was him. She moved over behind a group of ladies discussing the latest fashions in hats and peered out from behind them. There before her stood Wickham, and a rather pretty, slightly older woman. She held onto Wickham’s arm as they moved about the shop. Elizabeth was just about to go and speak with him when she heard him very clearly say, “My darling, you may have whatever you like!” he laughed. “I see no reason you should settle on just one, buy them both.”
Elizabeth was shocked. She took in a deep breath and did her best to keep her temper under control. She decided it would be better to let Mr. Darcy handle this situation and left the shop without saying a word.
Chapter Sixteen
Darcy sat at his desk waiting for Richard to come and join him. He had already written a letter to Mr. Higgins explaining that the bill had been sent by mistake to the wrong person and that all future purchases made by Mrs. Wickham should either be paid beforehand or sent to Mr. Wickham with an address to be provided by his wife. He signed the letter then sealed it shut just as Richard stepped into the study.
“I have that information you were looking for,” he told him. “Between Captain Hathaway and myself, we were able to discover the Lady DuVernay’s address,” he said handing the piece of paper to him. “Of course, this address is one that I believe her husband is unaware of. I believe Wickham might be staying there while he is in town. He will be expected to rejoin his regiment before too long, I think. If you have a plan to confront him, you should do so very soon.”
Darcy shook his head, “I have no wish to confront him,” he told him. “Doing so would only cause further scandal and gossip.”
“Gossip that I am sure Lady Catherine would love to use to further her attacks on Elizabeth and the Bennet family,” Richard remarked.
Darcy nodded his head, “Yes,” he agreed. “If Lady Catherine or that fool Mr. Collins got wind of what Wickham was up to, she would have it spread all over London before sundown. As ill-mannered as I think my sister-in-law to be, she is not deserving of that kind of ridicule and spite, especially now.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam sighed. “Are you planning on seeing Wickham?”
“No,” Darcy then said, “I do not plan on seeing Wickham. I do, however, plan to send him this bill for the gowns his wife has bought,” he said as he handed him the letter. “Go on, read it and tell me your thoughts.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam took up the letter and began reading.
Mr. Wickham,
> You may not be aware that your wife, Mrs. Lydia Wickham, is in London of late and is staying with her aunt in Cheapside along with her mother and father. Mrs. Wickham has recently been shopping to some of the nearby warehouses and mistakenly had the bills for her purchases sent to me. I have, of course, rectified this on your behalf. I have taken the liberty of informing every merchant in the area of your whereabouts so that all future expenses will be sent to you directly. I am enclosing a bill for one gown, in the sum of three pounds and eight shillings. I assume you will take care of this matter in a very prompt and discreet fashion. I am sure you will agree it is in your best interest to ensure your time spent with Lady DuVernay remains unknown to those who might inform her husband. For my part, although I find your conduct inexcusable; I have no desire to make your liaison known to Mrs. Wickham. Doing so would only bring her pain and heartache of the likes I do not wish to inflict upon her at such a delicate time.
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