The first evening at Darcy House after they had returned from their searches, Mr. Bennet and Darcy compared notes. Darcy described how he found Wickham and Lydia in a very disreputable part of town in a filthy room above an inn. Wickham had asked him why he was involved and he made the excuse that Mr. Bennet had asked for help as he did not know London. Darcy said he saw Lydia and tried to get her to come home, but she resolutely refused to leave her "dear Wickham." From Wickham's attitude, he doubted that marriage was in his plans. Darcy was not sure why Wickham had run away with her, perhaps only for his temporary amusement.
Darcy suggested to Mr. Bennet, "I would like you to write to your brother Philips in Meryton to ask him to canvass local businesses to get a list of all debts owed by Wickham there, then send the same letter to Colonel Forster in Brighton. One of the threats we can use on Wickham is debtors' prison for these unpaid bills. Another threat is that by leaving the regiment in Brighton, he is guilty of desertion of his post in time of war. The punishment for that is a military court martial and hanging if found guilty. The only option we will give him is to marry Miss Lydia with the inducement of paying his debts and buying him a commission in the regulars to get him out of the way and to give them a small income. My cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, can help us find a suitable regiment, somewhere far from Meryton and London with a strict colonel who will keep close watch over Wickham and not allow him to get into any more trouble. But I am not sure he will ever change his habits.
"I insist on my paying his debts and purchasing the commission as I knew what Wickham's character was and did not make it known when I first saw him in Meryton. If I had warned you and the local businesses, all of this could have been avoided." After arguing about this for some time, Mr. Bennet grudgingly agreed, secretly glad that his narrow finances would not be further strained. Darcy also said he thought that Mr. Bennet should do all of the negotiating as Wickham would insist on better terms if he thought that Darcy had a serious interest in the situation.
In the morning they went to see Wickham and Lydia, again accompanied by several footmen for protection. Mr. Bennet insisted that he speak to the couple together, then said, "Well, Lydia, I am appalled by your foolish actions in running away with Wickham. Do you not realize how your thoughtless actions reflect on the whole family? Did you not think about your sisters' reputations? This folly will not last long and I will tell you why.
"Wickham's leaving the regiment in time of war is desertion; the punishment for this crime is death by hanging after a court martial. Do you think Wickham will make a handsome corpse with a stretched neck?
"He also left many unpaid debts in both Meryton and Brighton and I am gathering a list of them from both places. The punishment for this is debtors' prison. With the amount of his debts, it will be many years before he could pay them off, if ever. If he goes to debtors' prison and if you choose to go with him, in five years you will look like a woman of fifty. How would you like that, living in a filthy jail with dirt, vermin, and other criminals? I like this choice as it is a worse fate than a quick death for him. How do you think a lady will be treated in a hole such as that? This room will seem luxurious compared to debtors' prison.
"His only other choice is marrying you. If he does this, I will ask your uncles to help me pay off his debts and buy him a commission in the regulars. We will not pay off any gambling debts, so that threat will always be there and he will have to continue to worry about some enraged gambler looking for him. They will not be gentle with him when they catch up with him. Gamblers are known to be very rough on people who do not pay their losses. I will also warn his new colonel about his desertion from the militia, so if he ever misbehaves or deserts again, he will be hanged. His desertion from the militia will stay on his record forever."
Lydia was distraught and screeched, "Wickham, you cannot be hanged! Stretching your neck will make your corpse ugly. Besides, I hate wearing black! It makes me look fat!"
Mr. Bennet sighed on hearing his daughter say such foolish things and shook his head. "Well, Wickham, what choice will you choose? The noose, debtors' prison, or the altar? Hurry up and decide, and do not even think about running away. We arranged for the Bow Street Runners to watch this place and told them to take you straight to the military authorities for hanging if you try to run."
Wickham had turned very pale on hearing Mr. Bennet, "Darcy has lots of money; you could pay a lot more than what you are offering. Why else is he here?"
"As he told you, Mr. Darcy agreed to help me find you, which he did. With his connections, he also arranged for the Bow Street Runners. Go ahead, run. They may even get a reward for turning you in. What is it to be? Hurry up and decide, you are wasting our time. I admit that I am not sure which of the three choices is the least evil.
"Lydia, no matter what he decides, you are coming with me right now, even if we have to carry you. We brought extra help in case Wickham tries to act the hero, which I know he is not. He is nothing like a hero to corrupt an innocent young lady. He is just a low-class villain. Mark my words, you are going to regret your foolish action for the rest of your life, but do not ever look to me for pity."
Wickham quickly agreed to marry, realizing he had no choice. He wondered if the other choices would prove to be so bad compared to being married to Lydia. As a temporary bed mate, she was delightful, but being a wife and a constant companion for years was not so appealing, as she just showed. He knew he did not dare run away from her as his new colonel would catch him and see him hanged.
Lydia was told to get her things, which she did very unwillingly. Wickham was told to remain at the inn except to go to the nearest church to have the banns read, when he would be accompanied by the Runners. He was told that lawyer Philips would draw up the legal agreements but that he must write up a list of all of his creditors in Meryton and Brighton, again being reminded not to include any gambling debts.
Over the next several days both gentlemen were busy. Darcy saw his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam to find and purchase a suitable commission for Wickham in a location as far from London and Longbourn as possible. The Colonel chuckled at Bennet's insistence that Wickham's new Colonel be very strict to keep him in line. Darcy agreed to house Lydia in Darcy House until Mrs. Gardiner returned to take care of her at their home. He and Mr. Bennet stayed at Darcy House as they decided they could not leave Lydia alone as she might try to go back to Wickham. Mr. Bennet assured Darcy that holding her there would be temporary until the Gardiners returned, not wanting her to be seen in Meryton until after her marriage. Lydia was suitably impressed with the luxury of Darcy House, especially after living in such a slum as Wickham had chosen, but chafed at the severe restrictions placed on her activities. Mr. Bennet wrote to Mr. Philips with details of the agreement so he could prepare the legal agreements with Wickham.
When Mr. Gardiner returned, he went to Darcy House to find his brother-in-law Bennet. He agreed they would take Lydia back to their home to relieve Darcy of the responsibility of housing her. Lydia did not want to go as she relished living in such a magnificent place such as Darcy House, but was not given a choice. At the Gardiner home she was again kept under strict supervision. Her father stayed at the Gardiners' until he saw Lydia safely married and the couple on their way to his new regiment in Newcastle. He knew he could have gone home to Longbourn while waiting for the wedding, but decided that it was relatively more peaceful at the Gardiners' than at Longbourn. He also felt responsible for guarding Lydia, even after Mrs. Gardiner had returned home with her four young children.
