Chapter 10 – Aftermath

It was several minutes before the men recovered from the shock of the morning's events. None of them had taken a seat since their entry into the study and they still stood grouped as they had been during the discussions and Will's outburst. Eventually Lord Ashby sighed. "Charles is correct, Darcy. It is a wonder it did not happen sooner. I have been expecting some kind of outburst from Will for years."

"What did he mean by saying I had pushed Will to this point and why would my son think I would disown him? I am furious but surely…" He stopped as he saw the other three exchange glances. "What was he talking about?"

"Have you punished him for something today or yesterday?" Ashby asked.

Darcy was not certain what that had to do with anything, but he answered, "Well, we did have a discussion last night about that letter he wrote asking me for funds to settle some debts at Cambridge. Of course he denied the whole thing at first, which was ridiculous since I had the letter right there."

"Will does not have debts, Darcy," Ashby said firmly. "He does not borrow money or buy on credit and he would never write you a letter asking you to settle an account for him. Yet you will not believe me any more than you will believe him, and that is how you have pushed him to this point."

"I have the letter, Ashby. It is clearly his handwriting."

"Well that explains his comment about George forging letters. That was probably the tipping point." Ashby said with slight satisfaction at having figured the matter out.

Bingley spoke up. "That and the fact he just had to use a large part of his savings to pay off a number of creditors young Wickham imposed on in Will's name. Charles told me Will has been setting aside at least half of his allowance every quarter for the last seven years in hope of investing with your Richard when he starts his business with the horses. When I talked with Charles yesterday about it he said Wickham found a way around every precaution Will took to prevent having accounts opened in his name."

Ashby nodded his understanding. "Which explains why he was so angry in the carriage when Darcy mentioned the account for George right after I spoke of Richard's funds. I hope you will forgive him, Gardiner. What he said was extremely rude, but he is clearly at the end of his rope and all the anger that has been building for years just spilled out."

"I do not understand," Darcy said in frustration. "What are all of you talking about? What right does Will have to be angry over an account for George?"

Ashby looked at his brother-in-law appraisingly and then at the other two men. He shook his head. "There is little point. You have never listened before and even now I can see you getting ready to defend the one and condemn the other."

"Ashby, tell me what you are talking about," Darcy insisted.

In clipped tones Ashby explained, "I am talking about your cruel words and actions towards your son and your blatant favoritism towards a most unworthy young man. I have seen it over and over. You tell your son to behave honorably and he does, even as you constantly berate him for dishonorable behavior that is not his own. You tell the other boy how much you will miss his company while shoving Will out the door. As he said earlier, Fitzwilliam never gains your approval and George always has your attention. You have set up a rivalry between them and then weighted the odds in favor of the more unworthy of the two. It is no wonder your son is so bitter and dispirited. Your words and actions have convinced him again and again he can never win your praise or approval."

"If only his behavior were better…" George Darcy began before Ashby cut him off.

"You have never substantiated the reports of his behavior and they only come from one very unreliable source. You take the word of his rival without question or proof. Anything he says in his defense is branded a lie before he even has the words out of his mouth. It has been several years now since Will stopped telling you anything more than he must, because you will not believe him. Honestly, Darcy, for such an intelligent man you are a downright fool when it comes to your dealings with those two boys. It hurts to see what your obvious favoritism and unfair accusations have made of them both."

"Should I not chastise my son when I hear reports of him wasting his funds and making a fool of himself at school?"

"Which son? The legitimate one or the illegitimate one?"

"What do you mean? I have no illegitimate son. Only Fitzwilliam." Darcy's look of genuine confusion simply frustrated Ashby more.

"That is not what the world believes, or what Will and George believe for that matter. Your behavior towards the two of them makes it clear George is not just your son, but your favorite son. That is why Will fears being disowned."

"My behavior? No. It cannot be…surely you do not believe I would have betrayed Anne that way?"

"I did not at first, when Richard and Alex told me the tale that had spread at Eton. I defended you then, but as you became more and more insistent on maintaining George's right's over Will's I became convinced of its truth. After all, what man bestows such favor on his steward's son while ignoring and denigrating his own son? The conclusion was obvious to everyone. George had clearly been placed with your steward to keep him close and give him a respectable name."

"But Ashby, you know what George's father did for me! He saved Anne's life and Fitzwilliam's as well. I was merely paying him back for that favor."

Ashby responded angrily, "Oh, no, Darcy, you were not the one paying. Will has been paying the price of his life since the first time you forced young George into his company. That blood-sucking leech has taken away his happiness and his reputation. You have made your son's life one of misery with your so-called gratitude. Try doing what all of us, and Will most especially, have been asking of you for years. Verify the allegations against Will independently of any stories George has told you."

"But I have seen the evidence time and again."

"No! You have seen the illusion of evidence that George has created to manipulate you into believing whatever he wishes. He has been finding ways to turn you against Will since they were eight years old and you believed him every single time without question. You would not listen to any other evidence than what George wanted you to hear. Nothing anyone else said made any difference to you. Not even Anne could convince you to open your eyes and see what was obvious to everyone else. You were always so certain Will was in the wrong. It is no wonder both your son and your godson expect you to disinherit Will and leave Pemberley and all your assets to George."

"I would never disinherit my son. I may not approve of his behavior or understand him, but I love him all the same." Darcy looked in confusion to all three men. "You all knew about this rumor?"

Ashby and Gardiner nodded, but Bingley spoke, "My Charles has been your boy's closest friend since their first day at Eton. He has told me about many of the problems George Wickham has caused for them both. They normally refer to George as Will's bastard half-brother, although they usually just call him Will's shadow because he constantly darkens your son's life. I expect I can explain part of Will's insulting comments today from things Charles has told me as well. It seems your son is frequently a target of fortune-hunting young woman who have tried many times to compromise him in hope of marriage to the heir of so wealthy an estate. He avoids as many social situations as he can because he has been hounded and hunted until he believes there is not a woman alive who would not throw herself at a wealthy man without regard for propriety."

"I had no idea," Darcy said quietly.

"Of course not," Ashby snapped. "Why would he trust you with that information? So you could compare him to charming George and tell him how disappointed you are?"

Darcy collapsed into the nearest chair and put his head in his hands. "This cannot be right. I have seen the evidence."

Ashby huffed loudly. "Darcy, do you remember receiving a letter from the headmaster at Eton near the end of Will's next to last year about a merchant trying to collect a debt followed by another letter retracting the accusation?"

Still holding onto his hair as if his life depended on it, Darcy looked up slightly. "Yes, what of it?"

"A local merchant who was new to the area allowed one of the boys to set up a line of credit with him under the name of Fitzwilliam Darcy. He had a few of the other boys vouch for him and assure the merchant his father was wealthy. Then he failed to pay anything back. The merchant went to the headmaster for help and he sent you that letter before he even spoke with Will. As seems to be the norm for your son, he was called a liar when he denied the charge and the headmaster refused Will's request to go together to the merchant to ask the man if Will was the one who set up the line of credit."

Darcy noticed Bingley and Gardiner were both smiling slightly, but could not understand why. Ashby continued. "The headmaster punished Will by forbidding him to play in or even attend the remaining matches in the house cricket championship that year. I do not know if you realize it, but your son was the best bowler in the house and the team was certain they would lose the championship without him. In their eyes, Mr. Heath was punishing the entire house without just cause. Charles convinced the team captain to appeal to the headmaster and insist that Will be allowed to present the evidence of his innocence. Mr. Heath was eventually convinced to take Will to the merchant and much to his surprise it became clear that Will was not the culprit. That is what prompted the retraction. The punishment was lifted and partly due to Will's playing their house won the championship that year."

"Who was the culprit?" Darcy asked, although he now suspected the answer.

"Neither the headmaster nor the merchant ever found out, but all the boys knew it was George, especially when he avoided the area around that shop for the rest of his time at Eton. With some help from his friends Will triumphed that time, but it was not the last time George played that trick. Your son tried to protect himself by going to every major merchant in the vicinity of Cambridge, introducing himself and explaining that an impostor might try to set up credit in his name while warning them not to allow it. Will has always paid cash in advance for all purchases. Nevertheless, while he had to go a good distance from the university, George still found ways to run up debts in Will's name. The ones at the taverns and the brothels bothered your son the most because he knew if you heard of them you would have no doubt he was the one drinking to excess, gambling and whoring. Will tried everything he could think of to stop George and then he tried everything Charles, Richard and Alex could think of, but he could not go to you because he knew you would never believe or assist him."

Darcy looked down again. He sighed heavily. "What can I do? It is all so hard to credit."

"Do what you should have done in the first place and go check the evidence. You say you have a letter asking you to send funds? Go to the addresses and see what kind of places they are. Take those miniatures you had done of both of them a few years ago and visit some of the other merchants to see which boy asked for credit and which one gave warning. Do not ask for the name, just verify the face. Listen to the talk and for once in your life open your mind to the possibility that Will might not be the guilty party. And when you have heard all the evidence, prepare yourself to make an apology just as you have demanded Will do here."

Darcy nodded, remaining in his dejected attitude as Ashby, Bingley and Gardiner took their seats.

Looking around Gardiner said, "I think I can understand the boy's actions today. He had no way of knowing of Lizzy's long friendship with Darcy, so her behavior would have appeared very forward to him. I will still expect a full apology, both to me and to the girls, but knowing the background behind the behavior means I can let go of my anger. I am certain Jane will do the same, but Lizzy could be a problem. She has a hard time forgiving insults and Will's comments were exceedingly insulting."

Looking up and trying to gather some sort of calmness, Darcy said, "In all the fuss I had not had a chance to ask how it is you have both of them with you for this visit. It is usually one or the other these days. There is no problem at Longbourn, I hope."

"Actually, there is," Gardiner admitted. "As you all know, Bennet has been ill several times in the last few years. His heart has been weakened by the fevers and he is now confined to his bed. My sister is, of course, very nervous about the entail and has been insistent on having the girls out in society as quickly as possible so she can get them married. She put Jane out at fifteen and now Lizzy is out as well. With her husband's current condition so poor, she has grown more frantic and was trying to push both girls into very inappropriate marriages. While she hates to leave her father at this time, Lizzy wrote and begged me to rescue the girls from their mother's plans. I promised Fanny I would see Jane and Lizzy well settled in town and brought them back with me last week."

Darcy looked thoughtful. "It is odd Will accused the dear girl of having designs to be the next mistress of Pemberley. I know she has thought no such thing, but I have often considered exactly that over the years."

"Darcy!" Gardiner said in shock.

Darcy looked up to see all three men staring at him with astounded expressions. He suddenly realized what they were thinking.

"Not a marriage to me!" he protested. "Certainly not! She is far too young and I still love Anne with all my heart! No, I have often thought she and Will would be an excellent match. He needs a wife who is lively and intelligent enough to help him through any challenges life may bring him. It is a pity he insulted her so completely."

Ashby nodded agreement. "I must admit I have actually thought the same on many occasions, although I do not know Miss Lizzy as well as you, Darcy."

"I would have to agree," Bingley added. "Along those same lines, I noticed my son's immediate reaction to Miss Jane. They are both a little too young to marry yet, but what would you say to a betrothal between the two, Gardiner? Charles will gain a sweet, kind and lovely wife and your sister can be assured that her oldest daughter will be well-cared for. Socially it might be a step down for her, but I will find an estate for Charles soon and we have wealth enough to make the difference."

Gardiner considered the idea. "It would be a relief to me as well," he said at last. "I know Charles is an honorable young man and he is certainly a better option than the men Fanny has been pushing at Jane. I have Bennet's consent to make any match for the girls that I consider appropriate. As long as the engagement is of at least a year's duration I am willing to sign the articles with you. Jane will need additional training to help her learn to run a household properly and all the other things that will come with marriage. Of course, with the new baby on the way I do not know how my wife will find the time." He broke off, clearly thinking things out.

"Thank you, Gardiner. I understand about the training. I have been thinking the same lately as I need to find another place for Caroline. The school Louisa attended has not been a good place for my younger daughter. I have noticed she is losing her liveliness and becoming more spiteful and bitter. I think the other young ladies are not treating her well and this is how she is protecting herself. I wish she could have an opportunity like that you hope for Jane."

"Please excuse what may sound like a crass question, Bingley, but your daughter has a significant dowry, does she not?" Ashby asked.

"It is no secret, Ashby. My girls each have a dowry of twenty thousand pounds. I think that was young Hurst's primary reason for engaging himself to Louisa, although he does seem fond of her as well."

"And Miss Caroline is a lively and intelligent girl if I remember correctly," Ashby seemed to be thinking aloud. "She is not quite as witty or well-read as Miss Lizzy, but still capable of learning anything that is needed." He fell silent as the other three exchanged glances.

"What are you thinking, Ashby?" Bingley asked.

"I am thinking of a solution to the problem of proper training for the young ladies and of a second betrothal."

"To whom?" Bingley asked.

"Richard. Neither he nor Alex has mentioned any other attachment my second son might have in mind. Your daughter's dowry would give him the financial security he needs to leave the army and buy a small property and perhaps the first few horses to start his breeding operation. She would have a good steady man for a husband and he would have a good companion for a wife."

"And what about the training?" Gardiner asked.

"My wife, Susan, has long lamented not having daughters to fuss over, dress up and guide in the ways of society. We shall send all three young women to her and she will give them the additional training and polish they need."

"Miranda," Darcy said suddenly.

"What?" the other three asked.

"Miranda has been lamenting over the same thing. She has no desire to marry again, but she is lonely and also wants daughters to fuss over. She and Susan could come up with a schedule and share the girls for at least the next year. Between them they would, as you say, polish the young ladies without changing their character. Miranda would look on it as practice for when Georgiana gets a little older. Susan and Miranda would also sponsor the girls for their presentation and help them get a start in society."

"Honestly, I never thought my Caroline would be presented. I am not ashamed of my background, but it does limit the opportunities for my children in society," Bingley said with a smile.

"As the daughter-in-law of a viscount who will one day be an earl, she will need to be presented. It will be her right," Ashby chuckled.

"Between them they can only sponsor two of the girls," Gardiner pointed out.

"I am certain Miranda will find a friend to stand for the third girl. We do not wish to leave Miss Lizzy out," Darcy insisted. "In fact, I think we should make it three betrothals."

"You cannot be serious, Darcy!" Gardiner objected. "After your son's insults today?"

"I am serious. While we spoke I have been considering everything you have said about the situation with George and Will. You are all so very certain my boy will be vindicated by an impartial inquiry that I must believe I have done him a great injustice. I would do a greater one if I did not seek to secure his future with a young woman of just the right character to make him happy. I suggest an agreement that includes the option for Miss Lizzy to break the engagement without penalty after three years if she is determined at that point she and Will would not suit. They really should not marry before then, anyway. She would still only be eighteen, so she would have plenty of time to enter the marriage mart and make a good match after the training my sisters will have given her. In fact, I would add to her dowry to assist her in finding someone respectable if she will not have my son at that time. We will keep the betrothal secret from Will for a while so I can work on mending my relationship with him before I tell him. Either way, Miss Lizzy will be protected and her mother can be reassured."

"Let me think on it, Darcy," Gardiner said a little hesitantly. "At a minimum, I agree to send both girls to Lady Ashby and Mrs. Evans for training if they are willing to provide it. That will allow us to bring Mary and Kitty here for a time. I think I shall also hire a governess for my youngest niece, Lydia. Fanny has spoiled the girl terribly and Lydia needs more discipline than anyone in that house can provide for her now. Bennet will be relieved to know the girls are well cared for and it might help him recover from this episode more quickly."

"I was planning to return to my estate in three weeks. I could take all the girls with me when I go," Ashby offered.

"And I will write to Miranda today. I know my sister will jump at the chance to have the young ladies in her care," Darcy said with a smile.

"I will send for Caroline, then. I doubt she will have any objections to marrying the grandson of an earl, but I would like a similar clause in her betrothal as Darcy proposed for Miss Lizzy just in case. As she is a year older we would give her two years to decide against young Richard. And we will give Miss Jane the year during which she is in training."

"Agreed," Ashby said, offering his hand to Bingley. Smiling, they shook on the deal before Bingley turned to Gardiner and shook on their bargain as well.

"It has certainly been an eventful morning," Gardiner said. "Shall I call for some tea and perhaps a light meal before we settle down to the business we actually intended to go over today?"

"Excellent idea!" Ashby agreed.

Gardiner reached around behind him to pull the bell. Despite the earlier confrontation he was now feeling hopeful. Jane would be settled with a good husband and, quite possibly, Lizzy would as well. With their futures more secure he could concentrate on finding good futures for the rest of his nieces.