Chapter 25: Wickham, Again
As it happened, neither Elizabeth nor Georgiana located Darcy. He was not in the sunroom when they made their way tither, and by the time the ladies made it to his study, the door was locked. The ladies did not knock, assuming that he would come find them shortly.
Elizabeth did not give the matter much thought initially; while Mr. Poole was a curious character, there was nothing unusual or extraordinary in people who had fallen on hard times seeking the assistance of wealthy gentlemen that they were fortunate enough to have an introduction to. Elizabeth was more worried about Georgiana, and debated either approaching the younger girl as to what it was that was bothering her, or letting her come on her own volition whenever she was ready. Ultimately, she determined to get Darcy's thoughts on the matter after dinner.
It was then that Elizabeth began to be concerned. Darcy was absent at dinner; Mrs. Reynolds announced that the Master was 'very busy' and would be dining in his study with his steward, Mr. Campbell.
Elizabeth knew enough to understand that something was the matter. Extremely wealthy landowners were not known to lock themselves up in their studies with their stewards due to business all afternoon and evening. Her Uncle Gardiner was sometimes known to skip meals, but he was a tradesman with warehouses to maintain. Mr. Darcy was being held up by an unknown gentleman (Elizabeth assumed Mr. Poole to be a gentleman), who had attended at the estate seeking an audience with the housekeeper. It was rather odd.
After dinner was concluded, Elizabeth decided to go look in on Mr. Darcy. As she turned the hallway, Elizabeth could see Mrs. Reynolds and Mr. Nevins standing outside the study, with their backs to her. Right ahead of her stood Georgiana, who had clearly also come seeking an audience with her brother. Georgiana looked at Elizabeth, and, in what seemed to be anticipation of understanding and a partner, turned back to observe the scene outside the study. Without intending to be devious, Elizabeth quietened her footsteps, and stood behind Georgiana to see if she could hear anything.
"He will not do anything to jeopardise the Darcy name," Mr. Nevins was saying in a reassuring voice. Elizabeth could not make out Mrs. Reynolds' response. "Do not blame yourself, you could not have known that it would come to this," Mr. Nevins added.
"I only wanted to help Elaine, poor girl! George Wickham, that is whom I blame! He is a scourge to Pemberley and the Darcy good name!" Mrs. Reynolds hissed.
If Elizabeth was shocked by what she heard, she was not able to dwell on it given the rather loud gasp that escaped Georgiana. Both Mr. Nevins and Mrs. Reynolds turned, and Elizabeth quickly took hold of Georgiana's hand and walked casually up to the study. Butler and housekeeper each looked embarrassed to be caught gossiping.
Elizabeth gave no indication that they had heard anything. "Good evening," she greeted brightly. "We were just coming to see if Mr. Darcy was done with his business and if he wanted to join us."
"I am afraid that the Master is still busy with Mr. Campbell," Mr. Nevins stated. "I will be sure to give Sir your message."
Elizabeth looked at the tray Mrs. Reynolds was holding. "May we take in his dinner?"
"Oh, Mr. Darcy just finished eating," Mrs. Reynolds replied. "I was clearing this away."
"But he's hardly eaten anything!" Elizabeth exclaimed, and Mrs. Reynolds gave her a tired smile. "Well, Georgiana and I don't want to be in your way," she said. Georgiana, as it happened, seemed disinclined to speak at all. In fact, the girl did not look too well. Elizabeth spoke for both of them, and asked for some tea to be sent up to Georgiana's room, before walking her there.
Elizabeth settled Georgiana in, making lighthearted chatter until the tea arrived. After the maid had left, she turned to Georgiana. "My dear, something is upsetting you. You were out of sorts in the garden earlier today, and now, are so upset that you have barely uttered above three words since I found you in the hallway. Georgiana, I know that we have not known each other for very long, but you are already like a sister to me. I hope that you would be able to trust me enough to let me know what is upsetting you. It cannot be something so bad that a nice cup of tea and some talking between us cannot resolve."
Elizabeth fully expected that Georgiana may not be able to trust her quite yet, and she was accordingly ready to not be able to help in a meaningful way, and perhaps just offer reassurances and comfort. To her greatest surprise, Georgiana burst into tears.
"You will hate me!"
Elizabeth was perturbed. "What is the matter? Please know that I could not possibly hate you, whatever the problem is," she gently replied.
"That's what Fitzwilliam also said," Georgiana sobbed, "but you shall! I am such a foolish girl, you should! Everyone should!"
Elizabeth held the girl while she softly cried. In the ensuing silence, Elizabeth put her wits together to determine several things: firstly, whatever Mr. Poole was here about was connected to the almost-forgotten Lieutenant Wickham; secondly, that name seemed to always upset both Darcy siblings, and apparently their housekeeper. Elizabeth understood that she could not force Georgiana to speak, she could only create a safe atmosphere where Georgiana felt able to share. Thus, she soothed Georgiana, and let her set her own pace.
"Fitzwilliam said that your family knows George Wickham," Georgiana stated between quietening sobs.
"He is – or was, I am not very certain – a Lieutenant in the -shire Militia in our neighbourhood. We do not actually know him beyond some basic introductions." Elizabeth thought it best, especially under the circumstances, to avoid mentioning her own discussion with him.
"His father was my father's steward; he was supposedly a very good person, but I really have no recollection of him at all. Fitzwilliam said that our father supported him at school, and afterwards at Cambridge, and that it was support he needed as his mother had been very extravagant. I meant to say, brother told me later, I did not know when…when…oh, I am saying this all muddled!"
"Say it however is easiest for you, after all, if I do not follow, I shall simply ask you," Elizabeth said in what she hoped was a most encouraging manner.
"He was brother's age and…and…they had the same masters, they studied together…Fitzwilliam knew him well. I just remembered him playing with me when I was very young. And…just over a year ago, I was taken from school, and an establishment formed for me in London, and I had a companion, not Mrs. Annesley, but a Mrs. Younge. Last summer, we…that is, Mrs. Younge and I went to Ramsgate. It seems that he…George…it seems that he knew Mrs. Younge, and I met him with her…and…"
Here, another bout of tears erupted, and Elizabeth was beginning to truly worry for Georgiana's well-being. The girl was alternately red and white and utterly distressed. Elizabeth had a sickening feeling as to where the story Georgiana had begun was leading. The universal opinion at Pemberley towards George Wickham, her own father banishing him from a home of five daughters, Wickham's good manners and easy charms…oh yes, it was not at all hard for Elizabeth to formulate the middle and end of the story. To give Georgiana some ease, she would have asked the girl to stop and that she could imagine what happened, but was afraid that Georgiana would interpret such an action as judgment, or worse, rejection. She was sorry to see Georgiana needlessly suffer but wanted her to feel disliked even less. Elizabeth decided that she would prod the story along, which would hopefully burden her young friend the least.
When Georgiana had sufficiently recollected herself, Elizabeth put herself to the task. "My dear, did Mr. Wickham opportune himself on you, seeking your preference and affection?"
Georgiana nodded guiltily. "How did you know?"
Elizabeth put on a sage air that she had no real claim to. "Many men are like that, there are so many stories…that is, in the time I have spent with my aunt in London, I began to understand that many men behave in such ways, preying upon young, unsuspecting girls."
"Oh! I wish I had known! I was so foolish, so very, very foolish! I was so besotted with him, I believed myself to be in love with him! He had always been nothing but kind and lovely to me, and Mrs. Younge thought that he was most appropriate, and…"
"Dearest Georgiana, you must not blame yourself for an instant! How old were you, you could not have been a day above sixteen then?"
"I was fifteen."
"Fifteen!" Elizabeth gasped. "You were a child! Not even out! How could any of this be your fault? At fifteen, you know how to drop a beautiful curtesy, which colours to wear, and hopefully how to set a table. At fifteen, none of us know how to tell apart the motives of worthless young men, or indeed, to recognise them to be worthless."
"You would not have been as foolish as I!"
"Doubtless I would have," Elizabeth remarked, having little faith in her own sagacity at that point. She could see, as clear as day, why her father had done what he had done, and why Darcy had remained so resolutely silent in the face of her demands for answers. She felt a fool. "Come, finish your story so that we can talk more. Did your brother or cousin somehow find out?"
Georgiana nodded. "I thought he was so kind, and he was so romantic! As he was but the son of my father's steward, George said that we would not have any regard in society as we were and should elope. I…it sounded so fine at the time."
The horror Elizabeth felt at hearing that was only tempered by the fact that current circumstances made it manifestly impossible that any such elopement could have possibly taken place. Georgiana soon enough confirmed this to be true; she narrated that Darcy had arrived unexpectedly to Ramsgate two days before the planned elopement and, unable to upset or offend the person who was like a father to her, Georgiana had confessed all to him.
Elizabeth understood that Georgiana was grieving not only her own lapse in judgment, but also the death of a love where, when the inducement of a dowry of thirty thousand pounds was removed, her suitor likewise had disappeared into the night.
"At your age, in your circumstances, we would all have done much the same," Elizabeth said quietly. "What men had you interacted with, except the best of them? Your brother, your cousin, your uncle…I have not met your extended family, but if they are anything like Mr. Darcy, I take them to be principled men of character. Even the servants and staff here are nothing but wholesome. Your companion was actively working to deceive. How could you, so young, so sheltered, possibly have seen something designed for you not to see?"
Then, in order to demonstrate to Georgiana that she was not merely offering empty platitudes, Elizabeth spoke of her own meeting with Wickham, how genial and amiable he had been, and how with a face full of charm, he had told such lies about Darcy and being robbed of a living that was intended for him. She told Georgiana how believable Wickham had been, how easy to give credence to, and if her own father had not banished Wickham from their home and indeed, forbade them from attending any gathering where he was known to be, it was impossible to say that Wickham would not have found himself a victim amongst the Bennet sisters.
At this juncture, Georgiana, who was both shocked and mollified that Elizabeth herself had almost been taken in by Wickham's lies, offered that Darcy had thought it important to inform Mr. Bennet of Wickham's misdeeds before marrying one of his daughters, and that she had reluctantly given her brother permission to share the story with just Mr. Bennet.
The two of them spoke well into the night. Elizabeth was honest in saying that while she had never suffered a broken heart, she and Jane had until very recently worried that no man would ever propose to them given their lack of a reasonable dowry; she may not know heart break, but she well knew heartache.
Elizabeth stayed until she felt Georgiana was calmer and more at peace. They did get there eventually, and Georgiana was heartfelt in expressing her thanks for Elizabeth's presence, and her genuine delight that they would be sisters soon.
"Fitzwilliam said that you would not condemn me, and I refused to believe him. I am so happy to have been wrong!"
Both of their lady's maid having been dismissed earlier, Elizabeth helped put Georgiana to bed – she insisted, as she had several younger sisters and was used to it – and then headed to her own room. There had been much too much information to process; Elizabeth wanted to apologise to Darcy. She had blamed him for not trusting her, but how could he have done so without breaching his sister's trust?
Perverse curiosity stopped her from going to her own room; she recalled Mrs. Reynolds' remark from earlier in the evening. Elizabeth thought that housekeeper might be open to talking further, especially as she seemed upset.
When Elizabeth went downstairs, she noticed that light was still gleaming out from the study, underneath the closed door. She heard quiet voices inside. Elizabeth frowned; it would not be too long now surely, she thought, that Darcy would conclude whatever was happening. She walked to the kitchen, but did not find Mrs. Reynolds. She did find a scullery maid, who helpfully prepared a small dish of cold cuts and dried fruit for her. The scullery maid was additionally helpful in informing her that Mrs. Reynolds was to be found with the Master.
Elizabeth took the plate and departed with much thanks; she wasn't sure whether she wanted to speak to Mrs. Reynolds or Darcy himself that evening, though she had to admit that the latter was preferable. She also thought that Darcy might benefit from the plate of food.
With these thoughts in mind, she went into the library to sort through her immediate steps. Perhaps it was foolish and improper to wait, and her desire to speak should be put off until the morning. Unfortunately for Elizabeth, she did not account for her own exhaustion of the day; her first riding lesson, being out and about with Georgiana in the afternoon followed by the drama later on. She fell asleep shortly after sitting down in the library, and did not awake until the next morning in her own bed, still dressed for dinner. Elizabeth had no memory of having made it back to her own room.