Chapter 25
Aunt Alice and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner went for a walk around Lambton. In two more days, they would return to London and wanted to make the most of the time they had left in the beautiful village.
Elizabeth decided to stay at the inn because she wanted to read letters from her sisters that arrived when she was at Pemberley. She had letters from Jane and Mary, but she was surprised that Lydia had also written to her. For that reason, she first opened her younger sister's to satisfy her curiosity about why Lydia had written to her.
Lydia was a spoiled child who thought of no one but herself, and the letter she sent to Elizabeth was because Wickham asked her to do it. He told Lydia that he had met Elizabeth at Ramsgate, and they had become good friends. But unfortunately, she fell in love with him and did not want to accept that he only wanted to be her friend. Furthermore, he convinced Lydia that for this reason, Elizabeth hated him and spoke ill of him to her family and all of Meryton.
Lydia was delighted to know she had won the heart of the man Elizabeth loved. Her sister was not only more intelligent and admired than her but also prettier. It was an excellent joke for her to know that she had won something over Elizabeth and that she was probably dying of jealousy and envy.
"It can't be! Oh, foolish Lydia, what have you done?" said Elizabeth, unable to hold back tears. She knew her younger sister's actions would seriously harm her reputation and the rest of her family. But in addition, she knew that Lydia was not the only one to blame for that tragedy because her parents, who had allowed everything to happen, were also guilty.
As he rode to Meryton, Mr. Darcy thought of everything he would say to Elizabeth. He thought of begging her to give him a new chance and not travel to Canada because he loved her and needed her, and he was willing to wait for her for as long as necessary.
When he finally arrived at the inn, a maid escorted him to the Gardiners' sitting room, where Elizabeth was a little fidgety. He didn't notice anything because he was too nervous to see what was happening.
"Miss Bennet, forgive me for coming unexpectedly, but I am here because I wish to speak with you about something very important," Mr. Darcy said nervously.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Darcy, but I can't speak to you right now because I need to locate my uncle," Elizabeth said with tears in her eyes.
"What is the matter? Please tell me how I can help you. Are you sick? Can I call a doctor?" Mr. Darcy kept asking questions because he didn't know how to help Elizabeth.
Elizabeth sat down, and Mr. Darcy sat next to her waiting for her to tell him what was happening. "A great tragedy has occurred. My sister Lydia has eloped with Mr. Wickham. She has no fortune, so I am sure that man has done this to get revenge on me, and he will never marry her."
"Are you sure? How do you know all this?" Mr. Darcy asked dejectedly.
Elizabeth told Mr. Darcy about Lydia's letter. "She told me they would travel to London and then to Gretna Green. I'm sure that man will try to blackmail David or abandon Lydia," Elizabeth said, hurt and angry.
"Please don't worry so much; I'm sure something can be done," Mr. Darcy said, taking Elizabeth's hand.
"But what can we do? Marry my sister to a man who doesn't love her and is using her?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't know. I think we should travel to London first to determine what to do," Mr. Darcy replied.
"Why do you say WE should travel to London? The last thing I want is to cause you trouble." Elizabeth lowered her eyes because she couldn't look at Mr. Darcy. She knew that after what Lydia had done, she had probably lost any chance of having a relationship with him.
Mr. Darcy took Elizabeth's face in his hands and, looking into her eyes, asked her. "Do you know why I'm here?"
"No."
"I'm here because I love you and want you to know I'm willing to do anything to win your heart."
"But I don't want you to get involved in my problems because it's unfair to you. I think..."
"Elizabeth, I love you and want to prove to you the strength of my affection. Please, my love, let me help you."
"Mr. Darcy, I love you too. However, I don't want to harm you, your sister, or your family. What my sister has done will affect my family's reputation, and I do not want to tarnish your family's reputation too."
"Don't be silly, my love. Do you think I can part with you or leave you alone after hearing that you love me? Elizabeth, I am a rich and powerful man, and I swear to you that I will find a solution to this problem. Just promise me that you will trust me."
"Of course I trust you, but…." Elizabeth tried to convince Mr. Darcy that it was better not to get involved in this matter, but he silenced her with a small kiss on her lips.
Elizabeth relaxed and allowed Mr. Darcy to hold her while she cried. At that moment, she was overwhelmed by all the emotions that invaded her heart and mind. On the one hand, there was the anguish caused by Lydia's actions, and on the other hand, the immense happiness that she felt knowing that Mr. Darcy still loved her.
But the romantic scene was interrupted by the Gardiners and Aunt Alice, who found Elizabeth crying in Mr. Darcy's arms when they entered the room.
When Elizabeth saw her relatives, she immediately told them what was happening, and they were concerned but not surprised. Lydia always did as she pleased, and eloping with Mr. Wickham was the corollary of her brazen and unrestrained behavior.
But Mr. Gardiner was still looking suspiciously at Mr. Darcy. He couldn't understand why he was there as if they had some kind of close relationship.
For his part, Mr. Darcy asked something in Elizabeth's ear, and when she nodded in approval, he asked. "Mr. Gardiner, I am aware this is not the best time, but I wish to ask your permission to court your niece. But also, I want to offer you my help in this matter. I know Wickham better than anyone, and I know how to deal with him."
Mrs. Gardiner and Aunt Alice were not as surprised as Mr. Gardiner. They had noticed how Mr. Darcy looked at Elizabeth with longing eyes.
"If Elizabeth has accepted you, I have no inconvenience in giving you my permission. But as soon as we return to London and resolve Lydia's indiscretion, you should talk to my brother-in-law. But I think now we should talk about how we're going to resolve this urgent matter," Mr. Gardener said.
"Let me explain what I think we should do, Mr. Gardiner," Mr. Darcy said.
Mrs. Gardiner ordered a tray of tea, and everyone sat down to hear the plan. First, Mr. Darcy explained that it would be better if they all went to Pemberley and spent the night there. Then, the next day they would leave for London, where he could contact a private investigator and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.
Mr. Darcy said goodbye to everyone and rode back to Pemberley to notify Mr. Reynolds that they would have visitors. Also, he needed to inform his valet and Georgiana that they would all leave for London at dawn the next day.
P&P
Caroline was impatient. It had been almost an hour since they arrived at Pemberley, and no one knew where the master of the house was. Georgiana had explained to them that her brother had urgent business to attend to and didn't know when he would be back. But Caroline sensed that she had not told them the whole truth and was hiding something because she was suspiciously nervous.
But what bothered her most was that no one seemed to know they would arrive that day. Although her silly brother had assured her that he had informed his friend of their trip, Caroline did not believe him. She knew how organized Mr. Darcy was and that he always kept his correspondence in order.
Caroline knew that this was probably her last chance to convince Mr. Darcy that she was the right woman for him. They would be there for two weeks, and this time nothing and no one would interfere with her plans. She had noticed that Charles was acting weirdly, and she couldn't count on him anymore. She knew it was time for her to get married and have her own home where she could do whatever she wanted. And what better place for that than Pemberley and Darcy House?
Mr. Darcy handed his horse over to one of the footmen and ran into the house in search of Mrs. Reynolds. Fortunately, when she saw him, she immediately went to talk to him.
"I'm glad you arrived, master. Your guests arrived an hour ago and are waiting for you in the blue room." When Mrs. Reynolds saw Mr. Darcy's surprised face, she knew something was wrong.
"My guests?" Mr. Darcy asked in amazement.
"Yes, Mr. Bingley and his family are here," Mrs. Reynolds answered.
Mr. Darcy remembered that he had invited his friend the last time they met in London. But he was supposed to confirm the date that he would come to Pemberley. So his friend probably sent him a last-minute notification because he used to do unexpected things. He spent the last week busy traveling with Elizabeth and Georgiana, and he had neglected all of his affairs, including the correspondence.
"I will talk to them, but first, I need to talk to you about another crucial matter." Mr. Darcy explained that Elizabeth and her family would be arriving soon and that they would leave for London the following day.
"Don't worry, Mr. Darcy. I'll take care of everything," Mrs. Reynolds said, and she went to talk to the servants so they could get the new rooms ready and everything ready for the trip.
When Caroline saw Mr. Darcy enter the room, she was overjoyed. "Mr. Darcy, we have been waiting for you for almost an hour and enjoying your beautiful home."
"Thank you, Miss Bingley," Mr. Darcy replied. Then, he greeted his guests and welcomed them. Caroline and Louisa greeted him warmly, but Mr. Hurst and Mr. Bingley could see that Mr. Darcy was very serious and sensed something was wrong.
"I'm sorry you had to wait, but I had a very important matter to attend to." Mr. Darcy said very seriously. "Bingley, could you come with me to my study? I need to discuss something with you."
Mr. Darcy locked himself in with his friend for almost half an hour and explained everything going on in his life and why he should leave for London the next day.
"I'm sorry, Bingley, but you can stay here as long as you need."
"Thank you, Darcy. But I swear to you that I am stunned by everything you have told me. You and Miss Elizabeth? It seems like a joke that you want to marry her when you always recommended that I should not marry Jane Bennet! You always said that her family was ridiculous and vulgar. But now Mrs. Bennet will be your future mother-in-law," said Mr. Bingley, smiling.
"Elizabeth is the only Bennet I care about, and for her, I am willing to do anything, including accepting Mrs. Bennet as my mother-in-law," Mr. Darcy replied. "Now I have many things to do, and we'll see each other later at dinner time."
"Darcy, before you go, I have something to tell you too, and I promise it won't take more than ten minutes." Mr. Bingley told his friend of his plans and that he was determined to take control of his life this time.
"Are you sure, Bingley, that's what you want to do?"
"Yes, Darcy, I know what I should do. I know I will never be a good landowner because I love the business. I hope that doesn't affect our friendship."
"No, of course not; you will always be my friend. And what do your sisters say about this?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing because they don't know yet."
"Why?"
"Because I decided to follow the advice of a very kind and intelligent woman I met a few months ago. She told me it wasn't worth wasting your time talking to people who don't want to listen or understand you."
"But I guess they'll find out at some point."
"When we are in Scarborough, I will travel to Liverpool, and from there, I will send them a letter. If they do not like my decision, they can travel to Liverpool and tell me whatever they want."
Mr. Darcy preferred not to say anything more. His friend was a grown man, and he could make his own decisions even if he disagreed. "I wish you the best, Bingley."
"Thank you, my dear friend."
Mr. Darcy excused himself and went to talk to Georgiana. He wanted to tell her what was happening and if she wanted to come with him and Elizabeth to London.
P&P
Elizabeth and her family arrived at Pemberley when Mr. Bingley's sisters had retired to their respective rooms to freshen up and rest after a long journey. For that reason, they did not realize when the new visitors arrived.
Mr. Darcy asked Mrs. Reynolds to accommodate Elizabeth and her family in the family wing of the grand mansion. He knew how unpleasant Mr. Bingley's sisters could be, and he didn't want Elizabeth and her family to have a hard time with that unpleasant ladies.
Mr. Darcy explained to Elizabeth the presence of the unexpected visitors, apologizing and explaining that he did not know they would arrive that day. She didn't like the news very much, but since they were leaving the next day, she steeled herself to spend as little time as possible with those unpleasant people.
Caroline had put on a new gown she had specially bought for that occasion. It was a dress more suited to a ball than a family dinner, but she knew she had little time to spend with Mr. Darcy, and she hoped to make the most of every minute she was with him.
But her first big surprise came when she entered the drawing room and found Georgiana talking to people she didn't know. She had imagined an intimate dinner between friends, and those strangers were there interrupting their privacy.
Louisa, Mr. Hurst, and Mr. Bingley had arrived ten minutes earlier, and Georgiana had introduced them to Elizabeth's relatives. Mr. Bingley, as usual, had been very kind to them and chatted animatedly with Mr. Gardiner about business friends they had in common.
So, Mr. Bingley happily introduced Elizabeth's relatives to his sister. He was enjoying seeing Caroline so confused, and he wasn't about to clarify anything for her.
Searching for answers, Caroline approached her sister to question her. She wanted to know who these people were, why they were there, and where Mr. Darcy was. But she didn't get to ask anything because just as she approached Louisa, Mr. Darcy entered the drawing room with Elizabeth on his arm.
"Dinner is served," said Mr. Darcy, smiling.
"Eliza, what are you doing here?" Caroline asked angrily.
Mr. Darcy looked at Mr. Bingley, and when he averted his eyes, he knew that he hadn't told Caroline anything.
"Miss Bingley, Miss Elizabeth is my guest of honour. Very soon, we will formalize our relationship, and after obtaining Mr. Bennet's authorization, we will announce our engagement," Mr. Darcy explained. "Furthermore, I would like to ask you not to call my future wife 'Eliza' because her name is Elizabeth."
"Yes, of course. Congratulations to both of you," Caroline said. Those were the last words she spoke that evening. After that, she just glared at Elizabeth and her brother, trying to find a culprit for that horrible situation.
P&P
The following day, as planned, the carriages left early for London to resolve Lydia's pressing situation.
Elizabeth traveled much of the way with the Darcys. Georgiana asked Mr. Gardiner's permission for her friend to accompany her, but she did so that her brother could spend more time with her.
"My love, please don't worry so much. I promise I will do my best to resolve this situation to the best of my ability," Mr. Darcy said and kissed the hand of the woman he loved.
"Lizzy, my brother always gets what he wants. Trust him," Georgiana said to encourage her friend.
"Thank you both for being so understanding. My sister is a spoiled girl who knows nothing about life," Elizabeth said wistfully. They had been traveling for two days, but it had seemed like weeks to her.
"I know very well how convincing that man can be, and I have no doubt that he played with your sister's feelings as he did with mine," Georgiana said sadly.
"I don't think so, Georgiana. You are a sensitive girl who sincerely loves people. Lydia is vain, and I am sure she has done all this to show everyone that she is better than the rest of her single sisters because I know she's not in love with that man," Elizabeth explained resignedly.
Georgiana didn't want to make her friend sad, so she changed the subject. "Lizzy, every time I remember the look on Miss Bingley's face when William told everyone you were engaged, it makes me laugh. That woman was always in love with my brother and thought he would marry her."
"No, Georgie, Miss Bingley was never in love with me but rather with my money and, of course, Pemberley," Mr. Darcy said with a laugh.
"I don't blame her because Pemberley is much more handsome and nice than you, William," added Elizabeth teasing him.
Mr. Darcy whispered something in Elizabeth's ear, and she couldn't help but giggle nervously. Then, in order not to interrupt the interlude between the lovers, Georgiana took her book and pretended that she was reading. She was so happy to see her brother in love with Elizabeth but also knowing that her best friend would soon be her sister.
Fortunately, they had no problems during the trip, and on the third day, they arrived in London. After dropping Georgiana off at Darcy House, Mr. Darcy headed for the Gardiners'. They decided to talk to Jane and find out if she had any news about Lydia's whereabouts because they imagined that David was probably looking for them.
When Jane saw the whole family arrive, she understood why they were there. But she could not understand why Mr. Darcy was there with her sister and uncle.
"I wonder if you have advanced your return to London because you know what Lydia tried to do, or am I wrong?
"You are not wrong, dear niece," Mr. Gardiner said.
"Lady Smith, that's why I'm here. I know that scoundrel perfectly well, and I'd like to talk to your husband to explain a few things that might be useful," Mr. Darcy said a little nervously. He knew Jane had no reason to trust him, but he hoped she would give him a chance.
"Thank you, Mr. Darcy. But my husband is not here. He is just solving that matter now because…."
"It was you, Lizzy! I know it was you who planned all this because you've always been jealous of me," Lydia shouted as she entered the room. "And I'm sure this man helped you," she added, indicating Mr. Darcy.
Mr. Gardiner, Elizabeth, and Mr. Darcy were so surprised to see Lydia that they couldn't say anything to defend themselves.
P&P
Thank you to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story.
We have almost reached the end of this story. We only have one more chapter left, and I intend to post it as soon as possible. Thanks to everyone who has accompanied me during these months and for the patience you have had. I was almost a month without being able to write, and despite that, you had the patience to wait for me to continue writing this long story.
See you very soon!
Saludos,
Yo